Two strange objects slowly began to take shape.

One looked like a television remote—its glossy black surface gleaming under the light, the buttons pulsing one after another like a digital heartbeat.

The other was a small, saucer-shaped device that resembled a miniature UFO. Yet, because it was no larger than a human palm, it looked more like a futuristic spinning top made of metal.

Both objects floated in midair before suddenly dropping without warning, crashing toward the ground in a brief flash of light that quickly faded. But Alaric's reflexes were faster than gravity itself. He lunged forward, his left knee bending as his right hand shot out, catching both devices an instant before they hit the ground.

A glimmer of light from above reflected in Alaric's sharp eyes. Across from him, a mysterious man gave a mocking snort, watching the scene as if it were some cheap comedy act.

"Hah. Just a pair of tiny drones?" he sneered, his steps dripping with arrogance. "You think your little experiment's going to make a difference this time?"

Alaric turned the objects over in his hands, weighing them, feeling a faint current of energy pulse through them. His fingers brushed the buttons on the remote's surface. Each button lit up at his touch, as if recognizing the will of its master. And somehow, amid the tension, his mind seemed to connect directly to a hidden pattern buried deep within the system.

"Alright. Let's see what you can do."

Without hesitation, he began pressing specific buttons. A small holographic screen flickered to life above the remote, lines of digital code cascading across it. Symbols and numbers streaming too fast for an ordinary person to comprehend.

He entered two primary digits: 3 and 5, then added a complex combination that only the system had ever taught him:

Σ(α+δ)³ ÷ π(θ−9)²

The moment the final sequence locked, the air around them changed dramatically. It was as if space itself began to contract. From the cracked rooftop above, threads of energy shot downward, forming a perfectly symmetrical pattern like a colossal spider web.

Blue light pulsed each time the web's nodes touched the ground, producing a sharp, electric sound... bzzt. The man took a step back, but it was already too late. In an instant, the web ensnared him.

Then something struck. There were no bullets, no visible weapons, only an invisible force pounding him relentlessly.

THUD!

The first blow landed on his chest, knocking the breath from his lungs.

THUD!

The second smashed into his face, blood spraying from his split lip.

THUD!

The third drove into his stomach, folding him over in pain.

He coughed hard, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, fury burning behind his eyes despite the agony and humiliation.

Alaric stood tall behind the softly pulsing blue web. His expression was cold, his gaze sharp and merciless.

"Now... this power should be enough to end everything," he said with absolute confidence.

But the tension wasn't over. From the other side of the ruins, a mechanical noise rose again. The robot was standing, its body more aggressive now, its systems glowing a furious red. The low hum of its reactivation filled the air once more.

Alaric looked down at the smaller device in his left hand. The tiny spinning-top drone. He turned it over, weighing his options.

"I was given two weapons," he murmured, watching the metallic surface catch the light. "I don't know what makes them different. But I suppose... I'll have to find out."

A faint, daring smile crossed his face. It wasn't the smile of someone certain of victory, but of someone too far gone to turn back. He lifted the small drone, eyes fixed on the charging robot, ready to activate it.

The drone's main button glowed a soft green. Alaric's fingertip hovered above it, ready to press, until something stopped him.

For a fleeting moment, a memory flashed through his mind... the empty stares of the children trapped inside the energy conduits.

He froze.

Then his eyes hardened as he looked at the robot before him, its massive frame riddled with cracks, its chest pulsing red like a living heart. That was where the stolen energy flowed, the life drained from those helpless children.

"So that's how you survive."

Each flash of red across the robot's body was another stolen breath from a child.

Alaric tightened his grip around the small drone. His gaze turned to steel, like a commander ready to bear the weight of every decision alone.

Without speaking a word aloud, he closed his eyes and reactivated the remote in his other hand. The buttons lit up again, beating like a second heart.

"Listen to me…"

Alaric's consciousness entered the network of energy conduits, diving into the digital space that connected him directly to the children's minds.

In the distance. He saw faint silhouettes, small figures trembling inside cocoons of red light.

Alaric stood among them, his form translucent, a holographic projection piercing through reality itself.

"I know you can feel what's happening," his voice echoed across that shared mental space. "I'm not here to control you. I'm here to free you."

The children stared weakly at him, but amid their fear, a faint spark of hope appeared.

"Listen carefully," he continued, his tone calm yet commanding. "Stop giving your energy. If you keep doing it, I won't be able to save you when the machine explodes."

His voice deepened, resonating through the entire network.

"I'm going to reverse the flow. From now on, the robot's energy will flow into you. Ot the other way around."

He raised his right hand, and the remote's black surface emitted a beam of light that carved patterns in the void... symbols rotating slowly like an ancient spell written in machine code.

"After that, I'll cut the chain completely. When the robot blows, you'll be safe."

For a brief moment, Alaric's face appeared clearly before them. A faint, confident smile touched his lips before his image slowly faded like mist blown away by the wind.

The connection broke.

Reality snapped back with the roar of the machine, the trembling ground, and the red light blazing ever brighter.

There was no more time.

Alaric opened his eyes and finally pressed the green button.

Click.

The small drone vibrated violently, then released a deep green light that spiraled outward. A soft hiss filled the air, growing into a thunderous roar. A circular portal formed, spinning rapidly, pulling in dust, debris, and residual energy.

Its glow intensified until it was blinding. Alaric's eyes narrowed as he aimed his hand at the robot.

"Your turn to lose power," he said quietly.

In the next instant, the air itself shuddered. The drone unleashed a blast of blue-green light, and the space before him split open.

A circular portal spun in midair, surrounded by arcs of lightning and swirling wind. From its center erupted a spiral of energy that sucked in everything nearby, creating an artificial gravitational field.

Then, the portal burst forward, unleashing a surge of power that could shatter steel. The robot was hurled backward, crashing into a concrete wall with an explosion that shook the entire structure. Metal screamed and tore apart as its limbs scattered across the floor with the deafening clang of a dying machine.

From its chest, the once-pulsing red core flickered weakly—unstable. Fading fast.

Alaric checked the holographic display on his remote. The streams of data that had been racing moments ago were now slowing to a stop.

"Their energy has returned," he said softly, his voice steady amidst the chaos. With a swipe of his finger, he cut the remaining power link. The main signal went dark—the chain that bound the children finally broken.

But he wasn't done. Alaric knew the robot's core still posed a threat. If left alive, it could reestablish the connection. Quickly, he rotated the remote and input a final termination code.

He already knew what needed to be done.

He raised his hand high, and above him appeared hundreds of beams of light—arrows of pure energy awaiting command.

"Goodbye."

The arrows shot forth in a blinding instant.

One struck the robot square in the head. CRASH—the metal split cleanly in two, fragments scattering across the floor like glowing embers.

The robot fell silent. The red light in its eyes dimmed and went dark. Its body collapsed slowly, cracking apart until nothing was left but stillness.

Alaric stood motionless amid the wreckage, his breathing steady though sweat dripped down his temple. He looked at the small drone in his hand, its green light fading into darkness.

"Good work," he murmured, wiping the sweat from his brow.

He remained still, his breath heavy, shoulders tense, eyes locked on the old building where the children still lay.

One step... two steps...

Each step echoed faintly over the shards of metal and rubble. The drone was now completely dead, but traces of its energy still clung to his skin. A reminder of what had just transpired.

As he drew closer, the air grew quiet.

No hum of machines. No sparks. Only the sound of his heartbeat. Then, through the thinning dust, rows of transparent capsules emerged. Some cracked, some intact. Inside them lay the children, their small bodies motionless.

Alaric's gaze sharpened.

He knelt beside the first pod.

Inside was a boy, perhaps ten years old, pale and dry-lipped. Thin metal cables clung to his chest and temples, siphoning away what little life remained.

Carefully, Alaric removed the cables one by one. Each one detached with a faint sound—zzzt... click... zzzt... click... like the quiet cries of a dying machine. His hands didn't tremble. He moved with precision and care, as if freeing flowers from a bed of thorns.

"Wake up… You're free now."

The boy stirred weakly, eyes moving beneath his lids before they slowly opened. His gaze drifted across the ruined room, then settled on Alaric's face.

"B... brother?" he whispered hoarsely.

Alaric nodded once.

"Yes. I'm here."