The Emperor's Custodians led the three of them into the Throne Room. Fully armed in gleaming golden armor, they gripped activated guardian spears, completely prepared for battle.
Surrounded by them, Lox could not help swallowing. His mind was frantically sounding warnings—if they dared make any unusual move, the guardian spears of these Emperor's protectors would fall without mercy.
The Custodians were the pinnacle creations of the Emperor's bio-alchemy. Their transformation had to begin in infancy. Under the influence of bio-alchemy, candidates would begin to metamorphose on their own, both physically and spiritually.
Beyond extraordinary martial prowess and combat skills, Custodians also had to master politics, physics, geography, astronomy, history, philosophy, art, and countless other fields. Every Custodian's alterations were individually tailored, strengthening the advantages within their genes until they reached a state of flawless perfection.
The final doors slowly opened. Through the widening crack, Lox caught sight of the darkness and faint light within the Throne Room.
A dense white mist, like steam, poured from the gap before immediately vanishing.
The Custodians remained at the entrance to the Throne Room, watching as the Sigillite brought Lox inside.
Then these powerful guards stood at the doorway like statues and began their vigil.
Though he had prepared himself mentally, Lox was still utterly stunned by what he saw upon entering the so-called Throne Room. The blood in his veins seemed to stop flowing, while the surface of his skin continuously sent tingling sensations back to his brain.
The Throne Room was far more than a room. It was an immensely vast space, so broad that its edges could not be seen. All manner of unknown machines filled it, and Lox did not recognize the overwhelming majority of them.
Massive pipes wide enough for a fully armored Custodian to walk through crisscrossed the