Something stepped into the edge of the clearing.
Not a person.Not an animal.
A shape — slender, white, geometric — emerging from between the trees like it had always been part of the forest and simply chose to become visible.
Alex pulled Kayden slightly behind him.
Phineas's entire soul left his body.
"Oh PLEASE tell me that's a friendly alien toaster—"
Kayden couldn't speak.
Because the clearing reacted before he could.
The silver light around them rippled outward,washing across the grassand blooming softly around the creature.
A welcome.
APEX whispered:
"Citadel scout construct.Model: Arclight Observer."
Alex whispered back:
"Observer?So it's… watching us?"
"Watching him."APEX corrected.
The construct stepped fully into the clearing.
It stood about Kayden's height.Lithe.Graceful.Its body formed from interlocking plates of smooth white alloy with faint blue lines threading across its joints like veins made of light.
Its head was triangular, featureless except for a single vertical slit that pulsed with quiet, soft luminescence.
Phineas hid behind a tree.
"THAT IS NOT A FRIENDLY TOASTER—THAT IS A MOVING FURNITURE PIECE DESIGNED BY A COSMIC INTERIOR DECORATOR—"
Alex didn't move.
Kayden took a shaky breath.
"APEX…is it dangerous?"
APEX's hum was steady, almost gentle.
"No.It is greeting you."
Kayden blinked.
"Greeting… me?"
The construct took another step.
Its movements were fluid — no whirring, no mechanical ticks.Just soft shifts, almost organic.
Then—
It knelt.
Right there in the silver clearing.
Folded one leg down, lowered its triangular head, and bowed.
Kayden's chest tightened.
"W-what… what is it doing…?"
Phineas squeaked:
"ALEX YOUR BROTHER JUST GOT KNELT TO BY A COSMIC VACUUM CLEANER—WHAT DOES THAT MEAN—"
The construct slowly lifted its head.
The vertical eye-slit glowed brighter.
And a soft tone vibrated through the clearing —a language of resonance, not sound.
APEX translated instantly:
"Recognition.Designation:Alpha Root Variable."
Kayden froze.
Alex's grip on him tightened.
Phineas whispered:
"Alpha Root.Again.WHY DO YOU KEEP GETTING TITLES?I DON'T EVEN HAVE A JOB."
Kayden's knees wobbled.
He wasn't used to being bowed to.
He wasn't used to being recognized by… whatever this was.
The construct rose gracefully.
It extended an arm —its hand shifting from solid alloy into a softer, translucent shape,like light made into a glove.
A gesture of offering.
APEX spoke softly:
"It wishes to show you something."
Kayden swallowed.
"What… what does it want me to do?"
"Touch its interface."
Alex immediately stepped in front of Kayden.
"No.Absolutely not.You just got stable again.You are NOT plugging yourself into alien tech."
Phineas nodded so hard his neck cracked.
"YEAH—LISTEN TO ALEX—HE IS THE ONLY REASON WE AREN'T DEAD IN SIX DIMENSIONS—"
Kayden reached forward anyway.
Alex grabbed him.
"Kay—don't."
Kayden looked up at him.
"It's not forcing me.It's… asking."
Alex's eyes hurt.
Soft.Afraid.Loving.
"But why you?Why always you?"
Kayden whispered:
"…because I'm finally starting to remember what I am."
Alex opened his mouth to argue—
But the construct shifted.
The ground around it glowed faintlywith the same silver tone that embraced Kayden earlier.
This was not a trap.
It was a recognition ritual.
APEX confirmed:
"Accepting contact is safe."
Kayden nodded once.
Alex lowered his hand slowly.
"…I'm right here.If anything happens—"
Kayden smiled weakly.
"I know."
He stepped forward.
The construct didn't move until Kayden was only inches away.
Then it lifted its hand.
Kayden lifted his.
They touched.
soft light bloomed.
Not blinding.Not painful.
Just warm.
Like a pulse greeting another pulse.
Kayden inhaled sharply as resonance spiraled from the construct's hand into his own —not invading,not overwhelming,just syncing.
APEX whispered:
"Synchronization: partial."
Images flickered at the edges of Kayden's vision.Not memories.Not dreams.
Blueprints.Paths.Coordinates.Lines of geometric light forming a map.
Kayden gasped.
"What… what am I seeing?"
APEX answered:
"Future vector points.Citadel routes.Possible paths for your awakening."
Kayden staggered.
Alex caught his arm immediately.
Phineas screamed:
"TURN IT OFF—TURN THE ALIEN OFF—"
Kayden shook his head.
"It's not hurting me.It's… showing me options."
The construct's glowing slit dimmed and brightened again, pulsing gently like a heartbeat.
Then it spoke —not aloud,but through the resonance touching Kayden's mind:
"choose."
Kayden blinked.
"…choose… what?"
APEX interpreted:
"Direction."
Alex frowned.
"Direction for what?"
APEX hesitated.
Then:
"His evolution."
Kayden's heartbeat stumbled.
The construct released his hand gently.Then stepped back.Once.Twice.
The silver clearing rippled outward as if bowing with it.
And the construct spoke again:
"alpha root.we await your path."
It turned.
Walked into the trees.
And dissolved into light.
Gone.
Kayden stood shaking, staring at the space it left.
Alex wrapped both arms around him.
"Kayden… hey… look at me.You okay?"
Kayden nodded slowly.
Then whispered:
"…they're not trying to take me."
Alex blinked.
"What?"
"They're… preparing me."
Phineas flopped onto the grass in despair.
"NO.NO PREPARING.NO EVOLVING.NO SPACE DESTINIES.CAN WE CHOOSE THE PATH WHERE WE DO NORMAL BOY THINGS—LIKE HOMEWORK—AND EAT SNACKS—"
Kayden didn't hear him.
Because the clearing pulsed again—once—a soft echo of the construct's presence.
And APEX said the final line with quiet weight:
"Operator.The Citadel has acknowledged your awakening."
Kayden whispered:
"…I know."
And the forest held its breath.