Planet Lord: The Rise of Civilization

The aftermath of the collapse hung heavy in the air. Dust and rubble coated the survivors as they trudged out of the ruined structure. Exhaustion showed in every step, but no one complained. They couldn't afford to.

Rael wiped a layer of dirt from his face, his sharp eyes scanning the group. Some soldiers leaned on each other for support, medics patched up the injured, and the engineers inspected fragments of ancient technology they had salvaged. Each piece, no matter how small, could mean a technological breakthrough for their civilization.

"Set up camp here," Rael ordered, his voice firm but calm. "We regroup, rest, and move only when everyone is ready."

Kael nodded, already instructing soldiers to form defensive perimeters. His voice carried authority, giving people a sense of security amidst the chaos.

Nearby, Lyssa sat cross-legged, her datapad glowing with a series of symbols and readings. Her fingers danced across the screen, eyes sharp with focus. Rael watched her for a moment before stepping closer.

"Anything useful from the ruins?" he asked, tilting his head toward her.

"More than useful," she replied, eyes locked on the data. "The energy readings we picked up earlier... they weren't just from minerals. There's something deeper underground, something still active."

Rael's brow furrowed. "Another ruin?"

"Not a ruin. Something... intact," Lyssa said, glancing up at him with an intensity in her gaze. "This one might not be dead."

Silence hung between them for a moment. Kael, having overheard, approached with arms crossed.

"You thinking what I'm thinking, Rael?" Kael's eyes gleamed with resolve. "If it's intact, we can't just walk away. If another faction finds it first, they'll gain a technological edge. We can't afford that."

"Or it's a trap," Rael countered, his eyes narrowing. "If we go in unprepared, we could lose more people."

"That's why we don't bring everyone," Lyssa said, standing up. "We send a small team — elite scouts, minimal risk. We slip in, get what we can, and leave before anyone even knows we were there."

Rael sighed, the weight of leadership pressing on him. He glanced at Kael, then at Lyssa. They were right. But that didn't make the decision any easier.

"Fine," Rael finally said. "We go in, but we do it clean. No mistakes."

---

The air grew colder as they moved through the narrow passageways below. The echoes of their footsteps bounced eerily against the stone walls. Their squad consisted of Rael, Kael, Lyssa, and five of their best scouts. Each of them was hand-picked for their ability to adapt in unknown territory.

Their lights illuminated ancient carvings etched into the walls. Strange figures that resembled humanoid beings stood in procession, each one holding what looked like a sphere.

"Looks ceremonial," Lyssa muttered, her eyes darting from one symbol to the next. "These figures are repeating. It's like they're passing something down."

"Or guarding it," Kael said, his eyes fixed on a mural of a large, crowned figure at the end of the line. "I don't like this."

Rael's hand hovered near his weapon, ready for anything. "Stay alert. If you feel anything off, speak up."

The deeper they went, the stronger the sense of unease grew. It wasn't fear, exactly. It was more like being watched. The group moved in silence, their breathing shallow and controlled.

Finally, they reached the end of the passage, where a vast chamber opened before them. Unlike the crumbling ruins above, this chamber was pristine. Smooth metal walls reflected the soft glow of floating orbs of light. In the center of the room, levitating within a field of crackling blue energy, was a spherical device roughly the size of a boulder. It pulsed with a gentle hum, as if alive.

"Is that…?" one of the scouts began, his voice hushed in awe.

"A World Codex," Lyssa whispered, eyes wide with wonder. "This is it. This is what we came for."

Kael knelt, eyes darting across the room for traps. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Lyssa. If it's still intact, there's a chance its defenses are too."

Rael stepped forward, his gaze locked on the Codex. "Lyssa, can you shut it down safely?"

"Give me a minute." Lyssa crouched by a nearby console, her fingers tapping commands into its surface. Symbols on the device flickered in response.

Rael watched her work, but his attention stayed on the shadows moving at the edges of the room. Something wasn't right.

"Kael, keep an eye on our flank," Rael ordered, his grip on his energy blade tightening.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Kael muttered, his eyes scanning the room like a hawk.

Time dragged on, and with every passing second, the hum of the Codex grew louder.

"Almost done," Lyssa said, her voice filled with tension. Her eyes flicked back and forth as she analyzed the command strings. "Just a few more inputs and—"

The moment Lyssa hit the final key, the air shifted. Gears deep within the walls groaned to life, and ancient panels slid open. Everyone tensed as metal constructs emerged — humanoid figures with smooth, obsidian-like armor and glowing red visors.

"Defense constructs!" Kael shouted, raising his weapon. "Positions now!"

The constructs moved in sync, their motions fluid but precise. They didn't walk. They glided.

"Lyssa, what did you do?!" one of the scouts yelled as he fired at the nearest construct. The bullets pinged off its armor harmlessly.

"I didn't do this!" Lyssa snapped, retreating from the console. "They must have been on standby mode. I only disabled the energy shield, not the whole system!"

"Talk later, survive now!" Rael's blade flashed as he met the charge of one of the constructs. Sparks flew as his energy blade clashed against its armored forearm. He ducked, spun, and drove his blade into its neck joint, causing it to spasm before collapsing.

"Focus on the joints!" Rael shouted. "Target their movement points!"

Kael fired off a volley of precision shots, each one hitting the exposed joints at the arms and legs of a construct. It jerked and collapsed to the ground.

"Got it!" Kael grinned, but his celebration was cut short as three more constructs glided toward him. "Of course there's more…"

Lyssa's mind worked in overdrive. "If I can reverse the command sequence, I might be able to shut them down remotely."

"Do it!" Rael growled, pushing another construct back with a powerful kick. "We'll hold them off!"

The battle became a blur of movement. Sparks, metal clangs, and the hum of energy filled the chamber. Rael's arms burned with fatigue, his breathing sharp and short, but he didn't falter. Every time he brought down one construct, two more rose in its place.

"Lyssa!" Kael shouted as he ducked behind cover. "They just keep coming!"

"Almost there!" she yelled, typing faster than she ever had in her life.

Suddenly, the air grew heavy with static. The constructs froze mid-motion, their red visors flickering before dimming entirely. One by one, they collapsed, lifeless.

"Done," Lyssa gasped, slumping to the floor. "I shut them down."

Silence fell over the chamber. No one moved for a moment. Then Rael sheathed his blade, his eyes still scanning the room for movement.

Kael gave a short, relieved laugh. "Next time, we do things my way."

"No," Rael said, glancing at the World Codex. "Next time, we bring the whole army."

The group surrounded the Codex, and Lyssa smiled for the first time since they'd entered the ruin.

"This changes everything," she whispered.

Rael nodded, his eyes hard with resolve. "Yeah. And it's just the beginning."