For the span of an entire heartbeat, none of them spoke.
Creation.
The word carried itself with a type of gravitas that bent all thought around it. Jaune felt it settle in his chest like a dropped stone, ripples spreading outward as understanding struggled to catch up. Not just any rune.
Creation.
One of the four Relics of humanity. The entire cornerstone of the modern awakened world was built upon this specific rune. Whether it was awakened bases in the dream realm, to the technology that LUCID used. Almost all of it had been influenced by Creation or one of the other Relics.
Weiss' breath hitched softly beside him. Blake's eyes twitched slightly, narrowing as she searched Pietro's face for some sign that this was a misunderstanding.
"Creation?" Weiss repeated, her voice quiet but edged with disbelief. "The supreme relic, Creation?"
Pietro did not answer immediately.
Instead, he turned his wheelchair and gestured with two fingers for them to follow. "Come with me. There are things that can't be discussed in open air. Not here."
They followed him down a side corridor branching off the medical wing. The sounds of controlled chaos faded with each step, replaced by reinforced silence. The room Pietro led them into was unassuming at first glance. Bare walls and a central table. This was likely an office at one point but the furniture inside had been repurposed by the medical team that were helping treat wounds of the people in the wing behind them.
The door sealed behind them with a soft hiss.
Pietro exhaled once, deeply, then he released his rune.
A bloom of structured energy unfolded outward from Pietro's position. The air shimmered as if reality itself had been dipped into water. A translucent bubble formed, enclosing the entire room. Everything took on a faint blue hue, subtle enough to be disorienting rather than dramatic.
Jaune recognized it.
Earlier, in the command room, that same rune had manifested as layered shields that turned Archer Centurion fire into harmless sparks. This was the same power, shaped differently. Finer and more controlled.
"A privacy field," Pietro said quietly. "Nothing leaves this room."
Blake crossed her arms slowly. "So whatever you're about to tell us would cause problems if overheard?"
"Yes," Pietro replied. "Many."
Jaune swallowed. "Doctor… you said Creation is located here."
Pietro shook his head. "I said Creation is located there. Not that it is theCreation."
The distinction landed with a strange heaviness.
"The true supreme relic of Creation, along with the other three Relics, is secured in a location that even most of LUCID does not have clearance to know," Pietro continued. " Well, I do, but that not the point. The point is, that decision was made long before your time, and for good reason. The fewer who know where they truly are, the safer humanity remains."
Weiss frowned. "Then what's over here?"
"A mimic," Pietro answered. "Or an imitation, if you will. A constructed echo, to be precise."
Jaune blinked. "An imitation of a supreme rune?"
"Yes."
Blake's hummed. "That sounds… impossible."
"It should be," Pietro agreed. "Which is why it took decades. And an unreasonable amount of funding and resources. The amount of failures... are... truly, more than I care to remember."
He steepled his fingers and looked down at them.
"This version of Creation is not a relic but it functions almost exactly like a meta rune. The rune was imbued into a very special physical anchor through a process that deliberately stretches its dissipation cycle."
Jaune frowned. "Dissipation… meaning how long it lasts?"
"Correct," Pietro said. "Normally, when a rune is imbued into an object, it is expended upon use. One activation and one effect. Then, it's gone."
He gestured faintly with one hand. "This mimic Creation was imbued into a very special object that was designed to cause it to decay slowly. Painfully slowly, even. Its effects persist over years instead of seconds. But it is still finite and, unfortunately still imperfect."
Weiss' eyes sharpened. "This was an Atlas project?"
"The mimic of Creation wasn't. That was a joint funded program by all the Kingdoms."
Jaune opened his mouth to speak, but Pietro raised a hand gently.
"I know what you're going to say. And yes, I am aware of the Perpetuity rune," Pietro said. "And I am also very aware that Sleepless possesses it now."
The room felt colder.
"Perpetuity was an anomaly," Pietro continued. "A convergence of talent, circumstance, and reckless genius. Atlas never had access to it and was never able to produce something like it. Never even came close."
He shook his head slowly. "That gang leader's daughter… what she achieved was statistically impossible. A freak of nature. One in all of recorded history."
Jaune felt something twist in his chest at the casual way Pietro said it. Luck beyond luck. A miracle born from chaos and blood.
"In any case," Pietro went on, "this mimic Creation is far weaker than the true relic. It cannot rewrite the rules of the dream or reality. It cannot conjure matter from nothing and it cannot grant limitless potential."
He paused.
"But it can build."
Silence settled.
"The proof of its power," Pietro said quietly, "is Penny."
Jaune's breath caught.
"And the Centurions," Pietro added.
Weiss' fingers curled into fists. "So the Centurion technology…"
"Yes," Pietro said. "Their foundational architecture was made by the mimic Creation rune. But... it required a certain type of raw material. Materials that were... problematic."
Blake's eyes narrowed. "Dead awakened bodies..."
Pietro's expression seemed to be slightly sad, yet his eyes didn't darken with remorse.
"Yes." he said. "However, it wasn't the mimic of the Creation rune that gave the idea of the Centurions. The idea itself didn't originate from the rune."
Penny drifted from Jaune's shoulder then, floating gently across the room until she reached Pietro. Her small chibi form settled against his cheek, leaning into him with quiet familiarity.
Pietro stiffened for a fraction of a second.
Then his shoulders sagged.
"The rune provided the tools," he said softly. "But the idea didn't come from it."
Jaune felt a chill creep down his spine.
"It came from me," Pietro continued. "And from Penny."
Weiss' eyes widened. "From… this... Penny? Sorry, there wasn't exactly time to ask about it before, but who... or what exactly is Penny?"
Penny lifted her head slightly, her expression serene. "That is... a tough question to truly answer. However, the simple answer would be, that I was once a living human that now exists as something akin to a... machine spirit of sorts. Calling me an AI, wouldn't be accurate as I have a soul, but calling me a machine wouldn't be accurate either. Hence, machine spirit."
The three of them stared at Penny quietly.
Blake stared. "So... what does that mean for the Centurions exactly? How are you connected to them? You designed them, right?"
"Sort of..." Pietro said. "Allow me to explain, with a simple explanation. Long ago, my daughter Penny's body, was destroyed in the dream realm after a grimm encounter. However a special rune which she had made, called Alterate, which was a meta rune, was able to convert her spirit into an object. Unfortunately, spirits require a living body to adhere to, as only bodies can generate aura and stats and the like. The Alterate rune couldn't sustain her spirit by itself and her essence was fading.
His voice grew quieter. "Which was why, to save her life, I imbued one of my own runes at the time and got rid of it to create a very special meta rune. The rune called, Sacrifice. This rune is also the reason why my body is in it's current state and why I'm unable to heal using healing type runes. Using the Sacrifice rune, I was able to sacrifice some of my power as a rank two save the remaining pieces of Penny. Now... she exists as a special state."
The three of them were quiet, ready for whatever came next.
"Arthur Watts at the time, was a very respected colleague of mine. We were both geniuses, rivals and... friends." Pietro's voice wavered there. "He even helped me create the sacrifice rune and in the process of saving Penny's life... we were inspired to use Creation as a bridge to bring back the dead to fight... an unending fight."
Jaune felt the pieces click together with a sickening clarity. Penny was not built from the Centurions. The Centurions were built by chasing Penny.
"The mimic Creation rune," Pietro said, "was used to scale what Penny already was and to mass produce a shadow of her."
Jaune clenched his jaw. "So when Watts attacked this base…"
"He wasn't specifically trying to destroy LUCID," Pietro said. "He was trying to reach Creation's echo. To steal it, corrupt it, or... who knows what?"
Blake exhaled slowly. "And Watts... do you think he's a part of Sleepless?"
Pietro shook his head. "I'm not sure. The last thing he said to me was, 'It was fun working with you my friend.' If he was truly a part of Sleepless, then they know about the mimic, and this attack was never about Atlas alone."
Jaune felt the weight of it settle fully now.
The timing, the resources and the careful dismantling of defenses. It all aligned with terrifying precision.
Pietro closed his eyes for a moment. "There is more that I can tell you. Much more. But what I have told you already places a burden on your shoulders. A burden that you will have to take up."
He opened them again and looked directly at Jaune.
"And... besides, whether you wish it or not," he said, "you are already entangled in this far deeper than most."
The blue bubble hummed softly around them.
Jaune let the silence stretch for a moment longer before finally exhaling through his nose.
"So," he said, rubbing a hand over his face, exhaustion seeping into his voice now that the revelations had finished landing. "What do we do?"
Pietro looked older all of a sudden.
The way his posture sagged slightly in his wheelchair and in the way his eyes lingered just a fraction too long on the humming blue barrier around them. He folded his hands together, fingers interlaced, and spoke with careful deliberation.
"Arthur has disabled this base completely," Pietro said. "All external communication lines are severed, which means that there are no outbound signals or inbound traffic. The internal network is isolated and locked into a closed loop."
Blake frowned. "So no calls or emergency signals?"
"Indeed," Pietro confirmed. "We're stuck here."
Weiss' expression hardened. "What about evacuation?"
Pietro shook his head slowly. "The primary exits were destroyed during the initial attack. Secondary tunnels collapsed shortly afterwards. This base was designed to withstand siege, not internal sabotage."
Jaune glanced at the reinforced walls around them. "We're deep underground."
"Yes," Pietro said. "Far beneath the military base above. In theory, awakened operatives could carve their way out."
"Unfortunately, in practice," Pietro continued, "it would take a few hours. Depending on structural reinforcements. And when you finally surfaced, Atlas would only then learn what Arthur Watts has done."
Jaune felt the implications snap into place.
"And by then," he said quietly, "he's gone."
"Yes."
Pietro nodded once. "That is precisely why Arthur relinquished control of the base to Penny so easily. His objective was already complete. Keeping control would have only slowed him down."
Weiss clenched her jaw. "And if we dig out and alert Atlas, Rank Twos will be mobilized immediately."
"They would hunt him relentlessly," Pietro said. "Arthur knows this."
Blake's countenance flattened slightly. "So he's betting on time?"
"He is counting on it."
Jaune let out a slow breath, leaning back against the table. "I'm starting to realize just how bad LUCID's base design really is."
Weiss snorted softly despite herself. "You're not wrong."
Blake nodded. "Everything assumes the threat comes from outside."
Pietro didn't argue. "When this base was designed, no one anticipated a Rank Two with intimate system knowledge turning on it from within."
Jaune straightened slightly. "So digging out is pointless?"
"Well, no. But the idea is reactive," Pietro said. "Not proactive."
Jaune frowned. "Then what's left for us to do?"
Pietro's gaze lifted and settled on him.
"There is one option," he said. "And it involves stopping Arthur before he finishes what he started."
Jaune stared at him.
Then he actually laughed, a short incredulous sound that echoed faintly inside the privacy field.
"You're kidding," Jaune said, pointing at his own chest. "You're looking at me and telling me to stop Arthur Watts?"
Pietro did not flinch.
Jaune shook his head. "I'm Rank One. He's Rank Two. If I even get close to him, he'll fold me in half before I can blink."
"That is the expected outcome," Pietro said calmly.
Weiss turned sharply toward him. "Then why would you even suggest this?"
"Because Jaune would not be facing him alone."
Jaune's brows knit together. "Don't tell me you're planning to roll in there yourself?"
Pietro allowed himself the faintest smile. "I am afraid my combat days are behind me."
Blake's eyes narrowed. "Then who?"
Pietro looked toward Penny.
She had remained quiet throughout the exchange, hovering close to him, her expression thoughtful rather than fearful.
"In the research facility," Pietro said, "there is something Arthur does not yet possess."
Jaune followed his gaze. "Which is?"
"Penny's prototype body."
The words landed with a thud.
Jaune's mouth opened, then closed again. His thoughts scrambled, trying to reconcile what he had just heard.
"If Penny links with her prototype," Pietro continued, "she will be able to operate at full capacity."
Jaune swallowed. "You're saying she'd be able to fight him?"
"Yes."
There was a beat.
Then realization hit him like a runaway train.
"Wait," Jaune said slowly. "You mean Penny is…"
He looked at her.
"A Rank Two?"
Penny nodded gently. "That is correct."
Jaune felt stunned silence settle over him.
He had assumed. Somewhere along the way, he had simply assumed she was Rank One. Powerful, yes, unusual, yes, but still within the same tier. It had never occurred to him to question it.
Now it made horrifying sense.
Pietro's weakness. His inability to heal. The sheer scale of what had been required to save her.
He had not sacrificed part of his Rank Two strength.
He had sacrificed most of it.
Saving a Rank Two as a Rank Two.
Jaune exhaled slowly. "What you did... that's… insane."
"It seems you finally understand the scale. But, I do not regret it. It was necessary, after all." Pietro said quietly.
Jaune rubbed his temples. "Even so, you're putting all of this on me."
He looked up, meeting Pietro's gaze directly. "I'm not a part of Atlas's LUCID. I'm Vale's LUCID. I'm barely involved in this mess and now you want me to be the lynchpin? And earlier, you were adamantly against Penny accompanying me into danger. So..."
"Yes," Pietro said.
"So why the sudden change?" Blake asked.
Pietro's fingers tightened slightly around the armrests of his chair.
"Because circumstances have shifted," he said. "And because Penny appears to be... no longer incomplete."
Jaune frowned. "What do you mean?"
Pietro sighed, the sound heavy. "Her other two runes have reached mastery."
Jaune blinked. "Other runes?"
"Yes."
"What are her runes?" Jaune asked.
Pietro hesitated, then shook his head. "There is not enough time to explain them properly. And half explanations would only endanger you further."
Jaune grimaced. "But..."
"I know," Pietro replied. "But understand this. Penny now possesses the capability to defeat Arthur Watts if she reaches her prototype body."
Jaune leaned back again, staring up at the ceiling. "So I'm basically her delivery system."
"In the simplest terms," Pietro said, "yes."
Jaune let out a dry laugh. "You're really putting a lot of faith in someone you barely know."
Pietro met his gaze evenly. "On the contrary. I chose you because I know what you are."
Jaune stilled.
"You were chosen," Pietro continued, "because your runes will directly counter the Centurions."
Blake's eyes sharpened. "There will be Centurions there?"
"A great many," Pietro confirmed. "That facility houses the remaining stock. Units that were prepared to be shipped to the other kingdoms."
Jaune winced. "Of course it does."
"Arthur will not leave them behind," Pietro said. "He will activate them if necessary."
Jaune sighed deeply. "This is getting worse by the second."
"You are uniquely suited for this," Pietro said. "Your weakness rune destabilizes the very matter in their bodies. Your suppression effects bypasses all of their layered defenses. Against Centurions, you are a magnificent counter."
Jaune stared at the floor.
Outsider or not, pawn or not, the logic was airtight.
If he did nothing, Arthur succeeded. If he waited, Arthur vanished. If he went, there was at least a chance.
He straightened slowly.
"This is becoming way more troublesome than I expected," Jaune muttered.
Penny floated closer to him, her expression earnest. "I will not allow you to face this alone, friend Jaune."
He glanced at her, then back at Pietro.
"When do we move?" Jaune asked.
Pietro's eyes softened slightly.
"Immediately," he said.
.
.
AN: Advanced chapters are available on patreon