Finally, she took him to a secret entrance between two skyscrapers. She tapped out a sequence on her implant and a narrow door slid open to reveal a dim passageway leading underground.
"Welcome to the heart of the resistance," Kiera said, stepping inside.
"This is where it all begins.".
Zypher kept going, heart thudding hard, soul still dazed and befuddled, when he had no idea what lay in wait for him in this underground city. The gods were with him, their power building inside him as he steadied himself to face what was coming next. This would no longer be a personal quest; it would be about a city on the edge of wanting to break free and a heritage to reclaim.
He stepped into the dim light, knowing he was stepping into the most dangerous book of his life. But for the first time, he felt ready—ready to fight, to protect, and to carry on the legacy of the gods in a city that had long forgotten their power.
Zypher's heart thudded within him as he strode deeper into the resistance's underground base, the dimly lit corridors winding downward and walls laced with conduits that hummed faintly with energy. The path was lined with remnants of old tech—a mix of ancient and modern machinery, discarded pieces of past revolutions, tools that once held secrets of the gods themselves. But here he stood one of their last bloodline heirs today, amongst those who were stepping out against the corporations onto shards of hope in the shadows.
The figure of Kiera proceeded, unruffled and businesslike, as her shape blended into the shadow. They finally stepped out into a high, vaulted space, in which a few people clustered around a flickering holographic table. They all turned towards Zypher as he entered, and he could feel the flicker of scrutiny - a mix of suspicion, curiosity, and a hint of veneration. They had all heard about him, after all: this stranger entering the Tech Temples and then leaving with the blessings of the gods.
"This is Zypher Nyx," Kiera said to the room, her voice strong and unshakeable. "He's the one I told you about. A true Demi-Tech.".
A shiver of wonder swept through the crowd, whispers of incredulity being quickly silenced by Kiera's commanding presence. Zypher did not miss the look that was cast at him-not as a stranger, but rather as someone who could be the power they desired.
An older man stepped forward, his face rugged with age and as hard as gold. He regarded Zypher keenly, as if sizing him up. "Kiera tells us you've made it to the Tech Temples and unlocked something inside you-something we haven't seen in generations. Is that true?
Zypher nodded. "The power of the gods flows in me," he said, feeling the weight of the words even as he spoke them. "But it's not only mine to keep. I want to use it for Neo-ilka—to give people an opportunity to fight.".
The eyes, older, softened at the words and the stern edge of them melted away as he spoke. "Then perhaps you are what this city has been waiting for. My name is Daelon, and I've been waiting to see someone with the courage to face the corporations and the power to challenge them.".
He pointed to the table, behind which a hologram of Neo-ilka hovered: districts marked with color nodes—an alarming number of them flashing red.
These nodes represent our people across the city, Daelon explained, pointing at the clusters. The corporations have taken over almost everything. But our net is strong. We've survived in the shadows, but with the gods' power by your side, Zypher.there's no telling what we might achieve.
Zypher trailed his view around the city landscape in holographic projections within his mind, his chest stirring with excitement at the sight. He could feel the gods within him, their presence leaning over his shoulder, urging him on with their strength. The vestiges of divine energy still hummed within him from when he was initiated in the temple, and with every beat, he could feel the potential-the strength, the wisdom, and the ferocity of the gods waiting to unleash themselves.
But he hadn't yet truly commanded that power. The essence of the gods was colossal and whimsical, and he knew he could never presume to wield it lightly. There was no instruction sheet, no textbook on how to draw on something so ancient, something so powerful. He would have to learn by doing.
Almost as if she felt something was happening in his head, Kiera opened her mouth to speak. "Show us," she said, her tone laced with a challenge. "Show us the power of gods. Let us see what you've got.".
The room fell silent, every eye upon Zypher. He could feel the pulse of energy flowing through his veins as warmth spread through him like a live wire. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused inward, or to where he sensed the divine spark lay.
Then, with a turbulent torrent flooding his body, the energy burst and surged as he lifted up his arms as if controlled by forces unseen to instinctively feel rising up within him an unfamiliar power. Slowly he stretched out the palms, and in the air before him started materializing a crackling sphere of energy shining with vibrant hues of blue and silver.
Gasps rocked the room and people stepped back, agog and terror-filled eyes wide on the sphere growing larger before them. Its surface pulsed like little storm, bolts of energy zigzagging along its edges. The power coursed through him, demanding to be unleashed, wild and almost uncontrollable. For a moment he felt as if he were standing amongst gods themselves, wielding their raw strength.
"Concentrate, Zypher," Daelon's voice broke into the fog, bringing him back. "Master it, or it will master you."
The dark-haired young man gritted his teeth, pouring all his will into the energy, shaping it, bending it to his whim. The sphere of chaos stabilized; its edges smoothing to make it a steady orb of light. One last heave of his will sent the orb shooting across the room, striking the metal panel on the far wall in a flash of sparking. The panel crackled and bent beneath the impact before beginning to break down to a cloud of sparks.