The ruins stretched endlessly, broken walls flickering with the faint glow of failed arcane sigils. A haze of dust and the scent of oil lingered in the air, silent proof that this place had once thrived on the fusion of magic and technology, now reduced to nothing but stillness.
She drew in a steady breath, her sapphire eyes gleaming with curiosity as she gazed at the alien sky and horizon of this strange new world.
Suddenly, from a massive fissure in the earth ahead, came a low hum and a shimmer of light. Luna advanced carefully along the shattered wall, slipping past collapsed slabs of rebar and concrete, until she reached the cliff's edge and peered down.
Spread out below her was a vast city hidden deep underground. Above it hung a colossal, transparent energy dome, glowing faintly gold like an aurora cast across the cavernous night.
Beneath the dome, towers and pipelines wove together in a dazzling network. Trails of light marked the passage of floating vehicles across the streets. Buildings infused with arcane technology shimmered with rune-lit lamps, as though a fortress of magic and steel had been raised in the heart of darkness.
Luna's eyes sparkled with excitement at the sight of this subterranean wonder. She spotted a rusted iron stairway built into the cliffside, descending into the city below. Though covered in moss and corroded with age, the steps still looked firm.
She leapt lightly, landing on the platform, and hurried down the spiraling stairs. Soon she stepped onto the city's edge, entering a dim metal corridor.
Along the walls, faint white arcane tubes flickered uncertainly every few meters. Dust coated the floor, shaken loose by some recent disturbance.
She slowed her pace, senses sharpened. The air carried a faint tension. From the far end of the hall came footsteps, accompanied by the beeping of electronic devices.
A young woman knelt on the floor, focused intently on a portable terminal, running diagnostics. She wore the light-gray tactical uniform of the Central Technology Bureau, a silver insignia gleaming on her shoulder. At her waist hung an energy sidearm.
The woman looked up, her sharp, clean-cut features lit by the flickering glow. Gray-green eyes widened in alarm at the sight of a stranger. She sprang to her feet and barked, "Stop! It's dangerous here—how did you get in?"
Before Luna could reply, the ground shuddered violently.
A piercing alarm shrieked through the corridors, crimson warning lights rotating in a harsh rhythm, painting their faces in flashes of red. The officer's expression hardened as she tapped rapidly across the terminal. Lines of distorted interference scrawled across the display. "No… the firewall's been breached—"
Her words were cut short as the alloy doors at the corridor's end exploded outward. A wave of smoke and pressure roared in, forcing Luna to cover her mouth and take a step back.
When the haze thinned, figures emerged—iron-black humanoid war machines marching through the broken frame, their heavy steps clanging like war drums. Each stood twice the height of a soldier, limbs wrapped in armored plating over alloy skeletons, a crimson core pulsing at the center of their chests like a heartbeat of fire.
The officer's voice caught. "High-grade automatons from the Black Wing Organization… How did they bypass the defenses?" She raised her sidearm, stepping protectively in front of Luna. "Get back! I'll cover you!"
The machines raised their arms, red lasers cutting through the air in a lethal volley. The officer fired back, blue-white bolts striking a unit's head in a spray of sparks—but the automaton merely staggered and pressed forward.
Another beam lanced straight for her chest—too fast to dodge. At the last instant, a slim figure darted forward and shoved her aside.
Luna stood between them, sleeve raised, her hand sweeping through the air. Without incantation, a sapphire shield burst forth, catching the searing beam in a blinding clash.
The shield held. Its flowing, liquid surface drank in the crimson energy, scattering it as fragments of glowing motes. Luna's lips curved in a sharp smile. With a flick of her wrist, the absorbed energy surged outward, released as a sweeping fan-shaped blast.
The wave thundered forward, striking three automatons at once. Metal feet screeched against the floor as they skidded back, the corridor ringing with the shrill scrape of steel.
The officer stared in disbelief. "Silent casting…?" she whispered, then forced herself to focus, battle far from over.
"Target their cores! Break the core to disable them!" she shouted, sidestepping as she unleashed three quick shots. Two bolts hit true, striking the glowing chest of a nearby machine. Its core flared violently before erupting in a burst of sparks and fire. The giant staggered, then collapsed with a deafening crash.
The remaining automatons emitted cold, synthetic tones, as though exchanging tactics. One slammed its massive arm into the floor, sending tremors through the corridor that nearly toppled both women. Another deployed a shoulder-mounted missile pod—six miniature warheads shrieked forth in a deadly swarm.
"Down!" the officer cried, activating her wrist device. A silver wall of energy flared up before her, blocking two direct strikes. The rest slammed into the walls and ceiling, detonating in thunderous fireballs. Shards of metal and stone rained down, pipes burst, and steam hissed violently into the air.
Through the smoke, Luna darted forward, vanishing from sight. One of the machines scanned frantically with its crimson optic, searching for her silhouette.
A whisper of movement above—then she dropped from the air, cloak whipping, aquamarine hair trailing in a luminous arc. In her hand shimmered a conjured silver spear crackling with arcs of light.
She descended like a falling star, driving the spear straight into the blazing core of her target. The alloy shell shattered, the core bursting in a storm of sparks and fire.
Luna flipped gracefully and landed as the automaton collapsed behind her with an earth-shaking crash. Her gaze fixed on the final enemy.
The last machine hesitated, its single crimson eye flickering. With a distorted roar, its arm-cannon began charging, radiant energy pooling at the muzzle. Heat shimmered, the air quaking with raw force.
Luna planted her feet, her expression calm. She raised her hands, forming a circle before her chest. The cannon thundered—the beam roared like a lightning storm unleashed.
"Don't—!" the officer cried, reaching desperately. But she was too late.
The beam struck—and twisted. Drawn into Luna's hands, the torrent coiled like a stream of light, spiraling tighter and tighter until it became a glowing orb suspended in her grasp.
Wind tore at her hair and cloak, yet her stance did not falter. The raging flood of power compressed, condensed into a sphere no larger than her palm.
The automaton shrieked in static, preparing another strike—but Luna's clear voice rang out: "Return it." A flash of cunning lit her eyes as she thrust the orb forward. It shot like a comet, drilling into the machine's chest. The crimson core shattered under its own energy, detonating in a storm of fragments.
Silence fell. Only the alarm lights continued to spin, casting their crimson glow. The officer lowered her trembling arm, staring wide-eyed at the wreckage—and at the girl who stood untouched amidst the haze.
"You… what are you…?" she breathed, stepping closer, unable to look away.
Luna lowered her hands, the last traces of magic fading from her form. She smiled lightly, her tone bright yet resolute. "I'm Luna. Just a traveler passing through."