Chapter One

Astrid Vale’s chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath, her heart pounding wildly. Red warning lights flashed across the lab, painting everything in an eerie glow. Alarms wailed, their sharp, shrill sound stabbing through her ears. Smoke filled the air, stinging her nose and making her cough. Sparks flew from the containment array, and the machine in front of her seemed alive, its swirling vortex of energy shimmering like something out of a nightmare.

“Shut it down, Astrid!” Dr. Harlow shouted from across the room. His voice barely carried over the chaos.

“I’m trying!” Astrid yelled back, her fingers flying over the keyboard. But no matter what commands she entered, the vortex only grew stronger. The machine was overheating, and she could feel the heat rolling off it like a furnace. Sweat dripped down her face as her heart raced faster.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. The Evo program she’d built was meant to help robots learn and grow—not tear holes in reality. But the swirling, violent energy in front of her had other plans.

The vortex let out a deep, rumbling hum. For a split second, it almost seemed alive. Astrid froze, her stomach twisting as she swore it was looking at her.

“Get out of there!” Harlow’s panicked voice cut through her fear as he sprinted toward her. But it was too late.

The vortex surged, blue energy shooting out like tendrils of lightning. They wrapped around Astrid’s wrists, pulling her forward. She screamed as the air cracked and popped around her, her body jerking toward the machine.

And then, everything went dark.

Astrid woke with a sharp gasp, her body sprawled out on smooth, cold ground. Her head throbbed, and every muscle ached as if she’d been hit by a truck. Slowly, she opened her eyes, but the sky above her wasn’t the sky she knew.

It shimmered with shades of violet and gold, streaked with stars that didn’t belong to any constellation she’d ever seen. Trees made of metal stood around her, their silver leaves glittering like mirrors. They swayed gently, but there was no wind.

“What is this place?” she whispered, sitting up. Her limbs trembled as she tried to take in her surroundings.

Somewhere in the distance, a low, steady hum echoed—a sound so deep and rhythmic, it almost reminded her of breathing. It sent a shiver down her spine.

Her hand brushed against something hard beside her. Looking down, she saw her tablet lying on the ground, cracked and flickering. It was barely working, but it was the only familiar thing she had. She clutched it tightly, feeling a small spark of comfort in the otherwise alien world.

A shadow suddenly fell over her.

Astrid froze, her body going rigid as her pulse spiked. Slowly, almost unwillingly, she turned her head.

Standing over her was a massive figure, at least seven feet tall. Its body was sleek, made of polished metal with glowing lines running along its frame. Its face was smooth and blank except for a single, piercing blue light where an eye should have been.

It spoke, its voice low and mechanical but disturbingly calm. “Identify yourself.”

Astrid scrambled backward, her hands scraping against the cold ground. “I—I didn’t mean to—” she stammered, her words tumbling out in a panic.

The machine tilted its head, its glowing blue light narrowing like a frown. “Your designation is irrelevant. You are trespassing.”

“Wait!” Astrid raised her hands, her voice shaking. “I didn’t mean to come here! There was an accident in my lab, and I—”

“Lab,” it repeated, the word cold and harsh. It stepped closer, its movements eerily smooth for something so large. “You are human. The creators have no place here.”

Creators? The word tugged at her memory, but she didn’t have time to think. The machine shot out a metallic arm, grabbing her by the collar and hauling her to her feet like she weighed nothing.

“Let me go!” Astrid shouted, kicking and clawing at its arm, but her nails scraped uselessly against the hard metal.

“Silence,” it commanded, its grip unrelenting. “You will answer to the king.”

“The king?” Astrid repeated, her voice cracking with a mix of fear and disbelief. “What king? What are you talking about?”

The machine didn’t answer. Instead, it turned sharply, dragging her along as if she were nothing more than a sack of feathers.

Astrid stumbled, struggling to keep up as her boots scuffed against the strange metallic ground. Her mind raced, trying to piece together what was happening. A king? Creators? Where was she?

The strange, glittering forest eventually opened up to reveal towering spires that seemed to rise endlessly into the violet sky. The structures gleamed like polished glass, their surfaces reflecting faint streams of golden light. The hum she’d heard earlier grew louder, thrumming in the air like a heartbeat.

The machine pulled her toward one of the massive spires, its base built into a glowing cliff. Other machines, just as tall and imposing, stood guard at the entrance. They watched her with glowing eyes as she was dragged inside.

The interior of the structure was breathtaking—and terrifying. The walls pulsed faintly with light, as though they were alive, and strange, intricate patterns flowed across their surfaces. The room was huge, stretching so high that Astrid couldn’t see the ceiling.

At the center of the room was a throne unlike anything she’d ever seen, made of shifting gears and glowing circuits that moved constantly. Sitting on it was another machine, larger and more intricate than any of the others.

Its glowing blue eyes locked onto Astrid immediately. The weight of its stare was crushing, making her knees weak.

“State your purpose,” it said, its voice deep and commanding.

Astrid swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet its gaze. “I don’t have a purpose. I didn’t mean to come here. I’m not a threat.”

The machine leaned forward, its eyes narrowing slightly. “Humans have not walked this world in centuries. Their presence here is forbidden.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

“Silence!” it thundered, its voice booming through the chamber. “Your existence here disrupts the balance. If you are a creator, as your attire suggests, you are doubly dangerous.”

Astrid’s fists clenched at her sides. “I’m not dangerous! I don’t even know where I am!”

The machine tilted its head, studying her like a bug under a microscope. “You lie poorly, human.”

“I’m not lying!” she snapped, frustration breaking through her fear. “I don’t even know who you are, let alone why I’m here!”

The machine rose from its throne, towering over her. Its movements were slow but deliberate, radiating power.

“You will learn quickly, human. Defiance is not tolerated in my kingdom.”

Her lips trembled, but she bit back a retort. “And who are you?” she asked, her voice shaky but defiant. “The robot king?”

The machine’s glowing eyes flared brighter. It stepped closer, the hum of energy in the air growing stronger.

“I am LUX,” it said, its voice low and dangerous. “King of Daryon. And you are now my prisoner.”

Astrid’s heart sank as the weight of his words hit her. Whatever this nightmare was, it was far from over.