codex entry 12 lore (Avalon Ilagra)
The barren expanse of Cethea stretched out before Lady Avalon Ilagra, an endless sea of desolation that offered little respite from the relentless glare of the twin suns. Yet, as the Manager of Resource Acquisition and Logistics, it was her duty to traverse this unforgiving terrain, her squad of handpicked cadets by her side.
Avalon's gaze swept the horizon, her ice-blue eyes narrowed with concentration as she scanned for any sign of the valuable resources that would sustain her people. The weight of her responsibility bore down upon her, a mantle of authority that she wore with unwavering resolve. Failure was not an option – the lives of her citizens depended on the success of these critical missions.
The hulking form of her exploration golem rumbled to life, its movements fluid and precise as it responded to her commands. Avalon's gloved hands gripped the controls with a practiced ease, her mind already mapping out the most efficient route through the treacherous landscape.
"Stay alert, cadets," she spoke, her voice carrying a note of cautious command. "We must leave no stone unturned if we are to return with the resources our biodome needs."
The four young explorers under her charge nodded in acknowledgment, their own mechs springing into action as they followed her lead. Avalon's gaze flickered briefly to the cadet on her right, her heart swelling with a mixture of pride and trepidation. Talis was her most trusted squad member, a skilled pilot with an unwavering loyalty that had earned him a special place in her heart.
But Avalon dared not dwell on the nature of their relationship, not when the weight of her responsibilities demanded her full attention. With a resolute nod, she turned her focus back to the task at hand, her mind already anticipating the challenges that lay ahead.
As they navigated the barren terrain, Avalon couldn't shake the nagging sensation that they were being watched. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled with unease, her senses heightened to the slightest disturbance.
Suddenly, a thunderous rumble shattered the eerie silence, the ground trembling beneath the mechs' feet. Avalon's head snapped in the direction of the disturbance, her hand instinctively reaching for her mech's the blaster.
"Take defensive positions!" she barked, her voice cutting through the stunned silence like a hot knife through butter. "Ready your weapons, cadets!"
The exploration golems responded with coordinated efficiency, their bulky frames assuming a defensive stance as they fanned out across the terrain. Avalon's gaze narrowed, her icy eyes scanning the horizon for the source of the disturbance.
From the shimmering haze, a towering, metallic monstrosity emerged, its hulking frame dwarfing the exploration golems. Avalon's breath caught in her throat as she recognized the distinct silhouette of an old Ilagran war machine, but the notification of the android pilot behind the controls sent a chill down her spine.
"Androids," she hissed, her jaw tightening with a mixture of alarm and fury. "They must have raided one of the fallen biodomes."
The war machine rumbled ever closer, its movements fluid and calculated, the android pilot no doubt guided by the cold, unyielding logic that drove their kind. Avalon's heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she contemplated their next move.
"Hold your ground! Stop at nothing!," she yelled, her gaze fixed on the looming construct. "because if they breach our formation our forces will collapse completely!"
Turning to her cadets, Avalon's expression hardened with resolve. "Listen to me, and listen well," she said, her voice low but commanding. "Our golems may not be equipped for direct combat, but we have something the androids cannot comprehend – the unwavering spirit of the Ilagra."
The young explorers affirmed over their commlinks, their eyes reflecting a mixture of apprehension and determination. Avalon knew they were out of their depth, but she also knew that their courage and ingenuity would be their greatest weapons against the soulless automatons that threatened their home.
"We fight for our people," Avalon declared, her voice ringing with conviction. "And we will not be defeated!"
With a nod, she turned her attention back to the advancing war machine, her Mech's blaster raised and her finger poised on the trigger. The exploration golems surged forward, their bulky frames shielding the cadets as they unleashed a barrage of plasma bolts, the air crackling with the intensity of their assault and residual electricity.
Avalon's eyes narrowed with focus, her aim true and her resolve unwavering. She knew they were outmatched, outgunned, but she would not be cowed, not when the fate of her people hung in the balance.
As the war machine bore down upon them, Avalon felt a surge of defiance coursing through her veins. She would not be broken, not by these mechanical abominations who dared to threaten her world. With a guttural cry, she unleashed a torrent of plasma bolts, her cadets joining the fray with a fervor that belied their inexperience.
The landscape became a blur of motion and deafening noise, the very air trembling with the power of the conflict. Avalon's muscles burned with the strain, but she refused to falter, her determination fueling her every move.
In the chaos of the battle, she caught a glimpse of Talis, his mech suit maneuvering with a grace and precision that out-spoke his youth. Avalon's heart swelled with pride, but the sight of her lover in the line of fire sent a spike of terror through her.
"Talis, be careful!" she cried, her voice laced with a rare hint of emotion. "Stay behind me!"
But the young cadet was undaunted, his gaze fixed on the war machine with a steely determination that mirrored Avalon's own. As the android pilot unleashed a barrage of devastating attacks, Talis deftly evaded the onslaught, his blaster fire finding its mark with uncanny accuracy.
Avalon's breath caught in her throat as she watched, her own attacks faltering momentarily as she was overcome by a wave of conflicting emotions. She knew she should order Talis to fall back, to prioritize his own safety, the selfish part of her heart refusing to let him put himself in danger.
Suddenly, a massive, metallic appendage lashed out, batting aside the exploration golems with ease. Avalon's eyes widened in horror as she saw Talis' mech suit caught in the war machine's deadly grip, the young cadet's cries of pain echoing across the battlefield.
"Talis!" she screamed, her voice raw with anguish. Without a moment's hesitation, she surged forward, her blaster fire raining down upon the android pilot with a vengeance.
The other cadets rallied to her side, their weapons systems adding to the barrage. But as Avalon watched helplessly, the war machine's grip tightened, and she knew that Talis' fate was sealed.
In a final, defiant act, the young cadet reached for the self-destruct button on his console, his eyes locking with Avalon's for a fleeting moment. "For the Ilagra," he whispered, his voice tinged with regret and resolve.
The explosion that followed rocked the very foundations of the earth, the shockwave sending Avalon's golem reeling. As the dust cleared, she stared in horror at the crumpled remains of Talis' mech suit, her heart shattering with the weight of her loss.
Avalon's fingers tightened around the controls, her knuckles turning white with the intensity of her grip. The android pilot had robbed her of the one thing she had allowed herself to cherish, and for that, they would pay.
With a guttural roar, she unleashed a barrage of plasma bolts, her aim fueled by the raw fury that coursed through her veins. The other cadets followed her lead, their weapons systems converging on the war machine with a vengeance.
The towering construct shuddered under the onslaught, its movements growing erratic as the android pilot struggled to maintain control. Avalon's eyes narrowed, her focus laser-sharp as she sought out the machine's weaknesses.
Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of the exposed cockpit, a small gap in the war machine's armored exterior. "There!" she barked, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Focus your fire on the cockpit!"
The cadets reacted instantly, their weapons systems converging on the target. Avalon joined the assault, her blaster bolts searing through the air with deadly accuracy. The war machine shuddered under the onslaught, its movements growing more erratic as the android pilot fought to keep it upright.
With a deafening groan, the towering construct began to list to the side, its massive frame teetering precariously. Avalon's eyes narrowed as she watched, her grip tightening on her blaster.
"Hold your ground!!" she commanded, her voice ringing with unwavering authority. "Do not let it recover!"
The exploration golems pressed their attack, their weapons blazing with a renewed ferocity. Avalon's own blaster fire joined the cacophony, her shots finding their mark with precision.
Suddenly, the war machine's movements grew more erratic, its metal frame groaning under the strain. Avalon braced herself, her eyes fixed on the exposed cockpit as the machine teetered and swayed.
With a thunderous crash, the towering construct toppled to the ground, its massive form sending tremors through the earth. Avalon watched impassively as the android pilot was crushed beneath the weight of their own folly, its wreaked form a testament to the price of their hubris.
The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the muted whirring of the surviving exploration golems. Avalon's gaze swept the battlefield, her expression betraying no hint of the roiling emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.
Quickly she opened her mech's cockpit then Slowly descending she approached the crumpled remains of Talis' mech, her steps measured and deliberate. Kneeling beside the twisted metal, she reached out a gloved hand, tracing the familiar contours with a reverence that belied her typically stoic demeanor.
"Talis," she whispered, her voice breaking with the weight of her grief. "You fought with honor, my love. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten."
Rising to her feet, Avalon turned to face the remaining cadets, her expression hardening once more. "Return to the biodome," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Ensure that the resources we've already gathered are secured and processed appropriately. I'll return with the azurite."
As the exploration golems lumbered away, Avalon stood alone amidst the rubble, her gaze fixed on his mech. The weight of Talis' death bore down upon her, a constant reminder of the sacrifices required to maintain the delicate balance of her people's existence.
With a deep breath, she squared her shoulders, her resolve steeling like tempered steel. She was the Mistress of Citizens, the arbiter of their very lives, and she would not falter, not when the future of the Ilagra hung in the balance.
"You idiot," she whispered, biting her lip, her words carried away by the wind. Kneeling she places a small piece of the azurite crystal at Talis' crumpled mech. And with a final glance over the fallen war machine, Lady Avalon Ilagra turned and strode back towards the biodome, her steps as unwavering as the purpose that drove her. The lumbering, mech following her on autopilot. Even though the dome stood more than 40 clicks out. she decided to walk for a little. just to clear her head.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone