Chapter 216
Chapter 217 Guardian Statues of the White Citadel
4y Facing youre new here. Reach out to me anytime you need anything I know every omes of th pla, et
“Back off? Like she’d want your help!
“Ms Kaelin, word is you need personal Sentinel security. What about me? I’m with Gale Squad I’ve gotop tier physical stats p>
“Have some shame! Tiger Roar Squad’s right here. Beat it p>
“Ms. Kaelin p>
With the guards holding back the crowd, Lyra climbed silently into the hovercar.
Listening to all the Sentinels volunteering themselves, something crossed her mind and she turned her head toward them.
The throng of hopeful Sentinels brightened, thinking they had a shot.
Her gaze swept across the crowd, then she lowered her head and typed.
“Anyone here from the Black Armor Task Force p>
The new Guide could not speak, yet that only stoked their fascination. They found a strange, charming contrast between her quiet, innocent face and the flat, emotionless synthetic voice coming from her Star Brain device.
“Black Armor p>
“How do you even know that unit’s name p>
“Black Armor is an old–school Federation task force. Most of its original veterans got transferred out to different Black Spire facilities due to rising contamination levels p>
“The unit still exists, sure, but it’s all fresh recruits now. They’re off earning merit points on assignments across other star systems, just a bunch of green kids with no real combat experience p>
“Ms. Kaelin, look our way instead, we’re p>
Lyra’s eyes dropped. She tuned out the rest of their pitches.
She had first heard the name Black Armor Task Force from Harlan back at the Black Spire. That was the unit he had once served in.
She had hoped to pull members of that unit onto her detail. At the very least, they would feel less like total strangers.
Now it turned out that hardly any of the original troops remained.
She wondered how Harlan would feel, returning one day to find his old unit completely changed.
1/3
33
Thu. Sep
2
1
Thank vocall for your offers I will give las careful though. I have to leave now!
the synthesized voice finished playing, she signaled the guards to depart.
The Sentinels were caught off guaril. No other Guide would bother thanking them for crowding around
Most would either scowl and order them away or blank them with cold, uninterested stares
A Guide this gentle was almost unheard of. It only made them more determined to win a spot near her
The guards fired up the hovercar’s thrusters and lifted off, pulling away from the noisy mob.
White Citadel Sentinels rode personal flight units in tight formation, escorting the vehicle on all sides.
With the noise fading. Lyra leaned against the window, staring blankly out at the scenery rushing past.
When she had flown high overhead before, the White Citadel had not seemed especially large compared to other major districts. But flying at this lower altitude, outside its outer perimeter, the whole place felt entirely different.
Tall watchtowers rose all around, even within the compound walls.
They blocked sections of sunlight. As the hovercar sped onward, light and shadow flickered across the view.
They looked like giant, gnarled claws bursting from the ground, trapping everyone contained within.
Lyra focused her eyes. None of those straight watchtowers held living sentries.
Carved into every face of the hard stone pillars were grotesque, ferocious beast figures. Their cold stone eyes stared down upon everything inside the White Citadel, their snarling features sending a faint prickle of dread through anyone who saw them.
Something about them felt familiar to Lyra.
They reminded her of the guardian statues back on Earth.
The difference was that most of those statues faced outward.
Here, perhaps because the Guides were also inside, the heads of these beasts all faced inward.
As they passed one four–limbed, devil–like stone beast. Lyra pressed close to the window for a better look.
She wondered if surveillance sensors or alarm systems were built inside those statues.
The carving’s gaze seemed fixed directly on her. Even after the hovercar swept past in mere seconds, that chilling sensation lingered on her spine.
Lyra thought the carving was quite exquisite.
She studied several more of the stone statues, then lost interest and sat back in her seat.
“Ms. Kaelin, we’ve arrived p>
Lyra nodded.
2/3
We We
No Sentinel stepped forward to open her door, and she paid it no mund, reaching the handle y elim
A guard spoke up to stop her. Please wait a moment, Ms. Karlin p>
Confused, she turned
Sentinels on their personal flight units pushed in to disperse a crowd gathered out front of the White Citadel administration building.
As they moved aside. Lyra saw a brawl breaking out blocking her landing zone. Her escort needed to resolve the disturbance first.
At first glance, the large gathering made her think history would repeat itself like the incident the day before.
Curious, she leaned forward inside the hovercar to watch.
Once the fighting groups were separated, she made out three distinct parties. Two groups were brawling. and the third belonged to Core Prime’s oversight team.
The oversight team’s idea of breaking up the fight was to beat both sides into submission with brute force, only making the chaos far worse.
Lyra pressed her lips together, mentally rolling her eyes.
Whose brilliant idea was this? This is helping in the worst possible way.
She scanned the oversight team, searching for one familiar face, but he was nowhere to be seen.
“Everybody quiet! A Guide is here! Finish whatever quarrel you have after she’s gone! Fight all you want then”
576
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.