The Giant Stygians who were now whole again, with their multiple facial features and beating hearts that shifted their positions every passing moment, now once again hidden back into the abyss of moving black and silver lines. Now without a single trace of their crystal-clear bodies, they were but shadows of their former selves. Like dripping oil and water along a needle, layering a protective cocoon that lies beneath it.

  As the dust settled, Mira wiped the dust off her face and gripped her bow tightly. The thought of being unable to do anything to help irked her more than anything. She tried to refrain herself from thinking otherwise, instead she glanced over the hull of the Ironside, trying to find comfort in an otherwise mysterious object.

  She'd assumed they were decorative, archaic styling. However, the way it pulsed with energy, how it responded to the mana in the air. There was something different to it, and different it was. "Lyria," she breathed a mouthful of air. "These, no those are not Babelian Runes."

  Lyria, trying to follow her gaze and line of thinking, made her eyes widen in realization. "The curvature, and the symmetry. It's too perfect, too organized as if intentional? Babelian golems according to what we know so far, were always asymmetric, and imperfect, almost too organic." She swallowed hard, "This seems much older."

  However, Lyria being herself, knew what Mira originally wanted to do. She knew, she's her cousin after all. "She must have wanted to fight." She mumbled to herself.

  "Mira, it's too risky. I am sure the Ironside has its own plans." Lyria said with a straight face, with features that did not allow any answer that was a no. After warning her cousin, she continued analyzing the runes.

  She shifted her body as she faced forward. "I am now even more certain, Mira," she paused as if to let the words linger in the air. "The Ironside predates the Kingdom of Babel." She slowly closed her eyes to calm the raging realization within her.

  All around her, dust was beginning to settle, and in front of them, the Nightmares were beginning to make a move. However, none of them moved back or hesitated; they were all enthralled at that very moment like scholars who have discovered something among dozens of historical records.

  Now curious as to what her cousin was reasoning about, not minding the impending doom that was about to happen in front of them, Mira inched closer and asked with a trembling voice, as a slight idea dawned upon her, still ignoring what was happening in front.

  "W-where was it from then?" She stuttered, but was more than enough to form a coherent sentence.

  Lyria moved forth, her eyes and emotions beginning to feel the surroundings, and within that moment, she felt safe and sure that everything was going to be alright. As all around the Ironside, the once faded barrier or shields which the Ironside called them glowed even brighter than ever before.

  "They are from the Civilization of the Ancients, the one that created the First Tongue, and the Age of the Kingdom of the Stars." Lyria muttered, as she raised her left hand and hovered it around the sleek black metallic surface of the Ironside. "A time where starry skies filled the dark skies." She spoke as tears began to fall from the sides of her eyes, "May the North Star guide us…"

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  Brennan suddenly barged into their conversation. With a two-handed grip on his axe, he placed himself in front of them as a massive storm of dust travelled around them in a concentric circle. Along their hearing, was a massive wail of despair coming from the Nightmares.

  "Ladies, I know you love academics" He swallowed hard, with a few paced breaths in between. "However, this is not the time for mindless speculation." He commanded with a voice of authority, a stark contrast from his earlier demeanor; his vast wealth of experience now showing itself.

  Both Mira and Lyria were shocked by the contrasting personalities, however, they soon figured out why. As in front of them was an intense glow of a cerulean barrier barely holding off a Nightmare that could easily tower over ten meters in front of them. Mira's hand began to shake.

  Desperation flaring up within her, yet when she tried to move, a sudden thunderous shot echoed through their surroundings. They all turned their heads to the source of the noise, and they all saw a sleek black branch sticking out beside the Ironside's red glowing eyes, with a little faded smoke coming out of it.

  "Stay, moving is dangerous" The Ironside whirred.

  Mira understood it clearly, and so she gripped her bow even more tightly. She glanced down and saw the kicked-up dirt and the shrapnel that came from the shot. Then suddenly, numerous thoughts emerged from within her mind. What if she was shot with that? Would there even be a chance of living to tell the tale?

  She swayed her head left and right, as Lyria and Brennan were beginning to ask what was happening. "I-I don't know…" She muttered to them, "It wants us to stay?"

  Lyria upon hearing the translation from Mira, swallowed hard. She feared the rash actions taken by the Ironside. However, deep inside she was thankful that it was wise enough to protect her idiot of a cousin from getting herself killed in an otherwise impossible situation for all of them.

  As this was all transpiring below the Ironside, Altair meanwhile was struggling hard to control the Ironside. "Vigil, focus fire on the Giant Stygian in front of us!" He beckoned toward Vigil.

  "Affirmative, Lieutenant!" Vigil replied with a clear and concise attitude, as new experience and desperation were beginning to settle within his consciousness.

  In front of them was a Giant Stygian mere meters from them and had been attacking, albeit slowly, their shields. Its black and silver arms and hands were no longer limbs of a lifeform, but limbs of a sharp blade. With each strike it did it screamed in despair and anger, as if it was being tortured relentlessly.

  The Ironside swiveled to the right as one of the blades impacted their shields hard. "Vigil, raise our shield output even more!" Altair ordered at the top of his lungs, his lips beginning to crust with dehydration. When was the last time he drank or ate?

  "But, Lieutenant, we are going to burn more of our energy supplies?!" Vigil answered in a panic, as a crack suddenly formed along his facade. Where deep inside, he feared the coldness of death.

  "If we do not risk it, then everything is just going to loop back at this specific time and date." Altair slowly breathed in and out to calm himself, as he realized that his screaming and ordering might have exacerbated Vigil's fear and panic. "Don't worry, Vigil, how many seconds until the resonance and dissonance weapons are completed?" He calmly asked, in a stark contrast of attitude, which was almost frightening to someone uninitiated.

  "S-Sixty-five seconds, Lieutenant!" Vigil answered as fast as he could.

  "Sixty-five seconds…" Altair muttered as he gazed at the other four Giant Stygians inching closer to them, with one already very close to them.

  "Vigil, prepare for close quarter combat, and start heating up our reactors for the plasma cannon!" He swiftly ordered with a calm look on his face.

  Vigil merely observed his expression, as if he was looking at an insane person. However, both of them were insane, anyway. So he or they might as well take the risk, as Altair said. They would continuously loop back to this specific time and date if they did not win or take risks to change the outcome of the battle.