Intergalactic conquest with an AI

Entire sections of the fleet were obliterated in seconds, and even the smaller Kaelzar war machines were struggling to keep their distance.

"Look closely," Cleo said, breaking the silence. Her voice was cold and steady as her eyes stayed fixed on the screen.

"This creature took a direct hit from hundreds of world-class destroyer cannons and survived. That arm is regenerating right now, right? It'll be fully restored in less than a few minutes."

"This is the kind of entity you might be invoking if you rely on the Lady in White. Are you starting to understand the scale of what you could be dealing with?"

Lilla didn't respond, her wide eyes fixed on the screen as the Kaelzars rallied to fight.

Massive Kaelzar warships hovered into view, deploying an array of heavy weapons that unleashed a storm of firepower against the creature.

At the same time, towering warfare megaconstructions descended from above, their impossibly large frames dwarfing even the creature itself. These behemoths bristled with weaponry and shields, designed solely for battles of this magnitude.

But even these titanic reinforcements weren't enough to turn the tide. The creature's attacks were relentless, its black tentacles swiping through the Kaelzars' forces with horrifying efficiency.

More powerhouses from the Kaelzar royal forces began to join the battle. Tier 7 warriors, clad in gleaming armor and wielding weapons that crackled with terrifying energy, surged forward like a tide of light.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Each of these warriors was a powerhouse in their own right, capable of leveling cities with ease. They attacked the creature in coordinated waves, using formations and tactics honed over centuries of battle.

Yet, even with their combined strength, it wasn't enough.

Every time the creature struck, its blows carried an unimaginable force, sending the Tier 7 warriors flying like scattered leaves. Many of them perished instantly, their bodies obliterated in an instant by the sheer power of the attacks.

Others were sent back to their respawn spots, where they would regenerate a new body and return to the battlefield moments later.

Lilla's mouth went dry as she watched. The Kaelzars were throwing everything they had at the creature, and still, they struggled to contain it.

"Respawn spots?" Lilla asked, breaking her silence. Her voice was quiet, almost trembling. "What are those?" Read the latest on empire

Cleo glanced at her briefly before returning her gaze to the recording. "Advanced Kaelzar technology," she explained.

"For those above Tier 5, their consciousness and memories are stored in a data bank. When their bodies are destroyed, they can regenerate a new one at a designated location."

"It's one of the reasons our empire was able to maintain dominance for so long. But even with that advantage..." Cleo trailed off, letting the footage speak for itself.

The screen flickered as the battle continued to unfold. Despite their near-infinite reinforcements, the Kaelzars were being pushed back. Entire legions of Tier 7 warriors fell, their weapons barely leaving a scratch on the creature.

The megaconstructions fired their planet-shattering weapons in an attempt to pin it down, but the entity's regenerative abilities and raw power made it seem unstoppable.

Emperor Xynithar continued to fight at the forefront, his golden form a beacon of defiance against the overwhelming darkness. His attacks struck true, each blow landing with enough force to create massive shockwaves that rippled through space. And yet, the creature refused to fall.

"Do you see now?" Cleo said, her tone heavy. "Even with the might of the Kaelzar Empire, even with the Emperor himself leading the charge, this battle pushed us to the brink. And this was just one entity. One."

Lilla's hands trembled as she stared at the screen. Her mind was racing, trying to reconcile what she was seeing. The sheer scale of the battle was incomprehensible.

The Kaelzars were supposed to be one of the strongest races in the galaxy, yet here they were, struggling to contain a single opponent.

The recording continued, showing the creature letting out another guttural roar as it unleashed another wave of destructive energy. Ships were obliterated. Warriors were thrown into respawn once more. And yet, the Kaelzars fought on, their forces rallying around their Emperor.

"Why are you showing me this?" Lilla finally asked, her voice shaking.

Cleo didn't answer immediately. Instead, she paused the video again, freezing the image on the moment the creature regenerated its arm fully, its massive form standing tall and defiant against the Kaelzar fleet.

"I'm showing you this," Cleo said, her voice cold and deliberate, "because if you invoke the Lady in White, or any entity like her, you might unleash something like this."

"Something that even an empire like mine struggled to contain. If you're not prepared to face the consequences, then abandon your plan now."

Lilla stared at the frozen image on the holo screen, the terrifying creature towering above the wreckage of the Kaelzar fleet. Her chest felt tight with fear, the weight of the decision pressing down on her.

But even in the face of such overwhelming odds, a spark of determination flickered within her.

"I still want to choose her as the symbol of our faith," Lilla said finally, her voice steady despite the tension in her body. "After all, as I told you before, I already have a clue about who the son of the Lady in White might be. If we make both of them the symbols of the new religion, it would be safer, don't you think?"

Cleo's golden eyes narrowed slightly, a glimmer of curiosity lighting up her expression. "Oh? Tell me more about this idea of yours," she said while leaning forward slightly. "And also, who exactly do you think the son of a Tier 9 entity could be?"

Lilla hesitated, her hands fidgeting as she thought about how to respond. For a moment, she questioned whether revealing her full thoughts to Cleo was the right choice. But after everything Cleo had done to help her so far, she decided to trust her.

Taking a deep breath, she looked Cleo directly in the eyes and spoke with total determination. "I plan to make the Lady in White the goddess of our religion, and her son would serve as her envoy. The prayers and calls would be directed toward her son instead of her."

Cleo raised an eyebrow; her curiosity piqued even further. "Why to her son?" she asked, resting her hands on the table as she leaned closer. "From what I understand of most religions, they pray directly to a powerful deity, not to a creation or subordinate of it."

Lilla clasped her hands together tightly, her nervous fingers still fidgeting. "Well... remember how I mentioned that I have an idea about who her son might be?"

"I remember," Cleo replied, her voice calm but firm. "But you haven't provided any actual information about this mysterious son yet." She folded her hands and waited patiently, her piercing gaze locked on Lilla.

Lilla took another deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "The thing is..." she began, her voice quieter now, "I think Rex is the son of that entity. The son of the Lady in White."

Cleo's expression didn't change, but the silence that followed was deafening. Her golden eyes bore into Lilla's, clearly processing the statement, waiting for her to continue.

"As I've already told you, my eyes are... different," Lilla said while trying to gather her thoughts. "You already know about the gift she gave me and how I can see things as they truly are. And that's why I think Rex is her son."

Cleo tilted her head slightly, a spark of intrigue flickering across her usually stoic face. "And how do your eyes confirm that?"

Lilla hesitated again, playing with her fingers as she tried to find the right words. Finally, she just blurted it out. "The Rex I see with my eyes... he doesn't look like the Rex you all see. He looks completely different. He looks like the Lady in White, but in a male form, his skin, his hair, even his eyes. He's her reflection, but as a man."

Cleo's expression remained neutral, though her fingers tapped the surface of the table thoughtfully.

"If what I'm saying is true," Lilla continued, her voice growing more confident, "then directing the calls and prayers toward Rex would be much safer. We wouldn't be invoking the void or any unknown entities."

"We'd be calling on him specifically. That way, we'd be controlling the focus of the religion, and the risk of summoning something else, something dangerous, would drastically decrease."

When she finished speaking, Lilla looked at Cleo nervously, waiting for her reaction.

Cleo finally leaned back in her chair, her lips curving into the faintest smile. She nodded slowly, her mind clearly processing the implications of Lilla's plan. "I see," she said after a long pause.

"If what you say is true, then your approach does make sense. By focusing the prayers and worship on Rex, you're effectively minimizing the danger of calling on the void. If he truly is connected to the Lady in White, then he could act as a stabilizing intermediary."

Cleo tapped her chin thoughtfully before continuing. "And since you see Rex differently with your eyes, you could use that to your advantage. The statues and symbols for your new religion could be modeled after the Rex you see and not the one everyone else does."

"That way, the humans wouldn't suspect that you're aligning yourself with us or selling out to the Kaelzars. It's… a smart move, Lilla."

Lilla felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw Cleo nodding in approval. But she also noticed a faint glimmer of amusement in Cleo's eyes, as though she was finding this entire situation deeply entertaining in her own way.

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