AETHERBOUND: Rise of the Valtheris Empire

{6 Month Later}

In the silent expanse of space, a sleek colonial ship glided through the stars, cloaked from most scanning methods.

Inside, the hum of engines resonated softly, a calm before the storm.

In his quarters, Sylas Valtheris knelt in the center of the dimly lit room. His breathing was steady, his focus absolute.

Sweat glistened on his brow as he manipulated the delicate parts of a circuit board, trying to piece them together.

This past three months, Sylas had fallen into a routine of waking, exercising, eating, working on the Arc Reactor, meditating, and sleeping.

A soft chime broke his concentration.

"Master," came the calm, melodic voice of Sera.

"Another planet that we can borrow from?" Sylas joked.

"No. In fact, I have something better. We are approaching a space station, and they are under attack by pirates. From the communication I intercepted, it would take three days for reinforcements to arrive."

Sylas opened his eyes. The circuit board parts were slowly placed on the table as he stood.

"How far out?" he asked, reaching for his cloak draped over a nearby chair.

"Approximately fifteen minutes at current speed," Sera replied. "I suggest caution."

Sylas smirked, his black eyes reflecting a mix of excitement.

"Perfect. Just in time for me to test my new suit. Prepare the ship for a quiet approach, and remember, nobody must know we were here until we are gone."

"Understood," Sera said. "Deploying Disruption Corvettes."

As Sylas exited his quarters, the ship subtly shifted course, its movements almost imperceptible.

He made his way to the command deck, where the main viewports displayed the space station in battle, surrounded by several pirate ships.

"Status report," Sylas ordered as he entered.

"All systems optimal," Sera replied, her holographic avatar appearing on a console nearby. She took the form of a serene woman with flowing hair, a visage of calm efficiency.

"Disruption Corvettes are in place and ready to go. Boarding party is on standby. I will remain within the ship for operational oversight."

Sylas nodded, a slight grin tugging at his lips.

"Good. Let's see what treasures await."

He turned around and stepped into the elevator that would take him to the docking area.

Not wanting to waste the few minutes he had, he tapped his holo-watch, and his status popped up.

_______

[STATUS]

[Name: Sylas Valtheris]

[Race: Human]

[Type: Aetherian]

[Bloodline: Valtherian]

[Rank: Apprentice (84%)]

[Physical Attributes]

Strength: 1.8

Speed: 2.7

Stamina: 3.2

Vitality: 3.5

[Aetherian Attributes]

Reach: 111

Burden Limit: 103

Aether Control: 120

Concentration: 300

[Fighting Style: Zelat'Vahn (Incomplete)]

[Bloodline Abilities]

Innate Aether Manipulation

Enhanced Physical Traits (Stamina, Vitality)

Regeneration

Enhanced Combat Instincts

Enhanced Aether Abilities

Enhanced Growth Speed

[Aetherian Abilities]

Aether Sensitivity

Telekinesis

Mental Resistance

Mind Trick

[Aetherian Art: (None)]

[Implants: 0]

_______

Sylas chuckled. He had come a long way in six months. Not only had he completed his armor, but he also managed to get this far with his training.

Not to mention Sera's exploits—robbing mines rich in resources such as Osmium for precision instruments and neutronium for starship core parts. Of course, she only hit uninhabited or sparsely populated locations, as well as destroying lone military ships whenever she could.

His train of thought was cut off as the elevator doors opened, revealing the docking area. Sylas immediately made his way to one of the gunships and climbed in.

The gunship's interior hummed with power as Sylas stepped inside, his dark cloak shifting slightly with the movement.

The vessel, repurposed from captured military ships, was a sleek, sturdy craft. (Clone Wars gunships.)

The docking area doors groaned shut behind him, sealing them in as the gunship's thrusters roared to life.

One after another, the formation of stolen gunships lifted off, slipping out of the massive colony ship's hangar.

Outside, pirate ships continued to clash with the Crimson Empire's forces, explosions rippling across the void—both sides oblivious to the incoming fleet.

The moment they cleared the hangar, the gunships engaged their stealth systems.

They veered away from the main conflict, skimming along the dark side of the battle, moving in eerie silence.

Inside the gunship, Sylas stood near the cockpit, watching as the space station loomed ahead—a vast construct of reinforced metal and defensive turrets.

Sera's voice crackled through the comms.

"Approaching insertion point. Airlock sequence ready."

Sylas turned to the troops.

"Prepare for breach. Sera, go."

The moment his order was given, the Disruption Corvettes activated, cutting the station's connection to the outside world.

The Reaper Automata were the first to move, their smooth, skeletal frames shifting into motion and the Gladius units followed immediately after.

As the gunship slowed, magnetic clamps locked onto the outer hull of the station.

A moment later, the airlock interface engaged, a small section of the ship's hull extending and pressurizing against the station's exterior hatch.

Hiss. The locks disengaged, and the door slid open with a metallic groan.

The dim interior of the space station stretched before them, quiet yet filled with the distant hum of power generators.

Sylas stepped forward, tapped his chest, and his suit unfolded, covering him from head to toe. He pulled the hood of his cloak up, covering his face completely before stepping out.

His boots clanked against the metal flooring as he entered, his forces moving like shadows behind him.

Behind them, the gunships disengaged and pulled away, heading back toward the colony ship to retrieve the next wave of reinforcements.

Now, they were inside.

And the real battle was about to begin.

*******

Sylas gripped his Aether sword tightly as his sharp gaze swept across the guards scattered around the wreckage.

With his troops spread out and securing parts of the station, he made his way forward alone and soon found himself facing fourteen space station guards.

Surprisingly, none of them seemed particularly aware of his sudden presence, distracted by their tasks amidst the debris.

Taking advantage of their obliviousness, Sylas wasted no time. He swiftly approached a pair of guards checking for survivors.

Without hesitation, he plunged his Aether sword into the back of the nearest guard, killing him instantly.

The second guard barely had time to react before Sylas swung the blade, cleanly slitting his throat.

The chaotic state of the station worked to Sylas's advantage, masking his movements and the brief sounds of his attacks.

He quickly assessed the situation. The guards were armed with primitive kinetic projectile weapons and wore standard-issue armor, neither of which posed a significant threat to his superior equipment or skills.

Even if they had energy-based shields, his Aether sword would cut through them effortlessly.

One by one, he took them down silently—until finally, his luck ran out.

A trio of patrolling guards spotted him and immediately opened fire.

Sylas didn't even bother dodging.

His armor was practically impervious to such rudimentary weaponry.

A slow, predatory grin formed on his lips.

'This was going to be fun.'

The gunfire alerted the remaining guards, and more began converging on his location.

Meanwhile, Sera informed him over the comms that his battle droids were engaging and overwhelming the station's defenses elsewhere, drawing significant attention away from his position.

The distraction worked to his advantage. As some guards reloaded their weapons, Sylas seized the opportunity.

With a swift dash, he closed the distance to one and decapitated him in a single strike.

Another raised his rifle in desperation, but both the weapon and the soldier fell in one effortless swing of the Aether sword.

Some of the guards, realizing the futility of their resistance, switched to knives and tried to engage him in close combat. Though their coordination was better, it was no match for Sylas's skill.

He sidestepped one guard's attack and delivered a powerful kick, sending the man crashing into a heap of metal debris.

Another guard tried to block his sword with a knife, only for the blade and the hand holding it to disintegrate under the power of the Aether sword.

Sylas quickly followed up with a lethal slash across the guard's chest.

The last guard standing tried to retreat, but Sylas pursued him relentlessly, driving his blade into the man's stomach and ending the fight.

Two guards who had avoided direct confrontation earlier panicked and tried to flee, but Sylas cut them down with quick, decisive strikes.

With the immediate area cleared of guards, Sylas paused to take stock of the situation.

Satisfied, he turned his attention toward the station's command center, ready to confront whoever was in charge.