Daniel Luna, still half-asleep, leaned back in his chair, bancing between reality and drowsiness as the Ether carried him through the clouds. Below, the city of Lumen sprawled out— a city created by his corporation and located amidst the mountains of Ecuador, not far from Cuenca.

  Lumen, like the corporation itself, was born shortly before the Fourth Technological Revolution—an era when governments and mega-corporations began to uncontrolbly integrate artificial intelligence into society.

  Fifteen years had passed since the construction of the Lumen Tower, rising in the center of the city, seemingly piercing the sky. In those years, the corporation had grown from a small group of fifty enthusiasts into an international giant. Its innovations had transformed medicine, education, infrastructure, and energy.

  Even the Ether itself, gliding over the city that early morning, was born in the corporation's research facilities. Its official name was the electromagnetic sliding apparatus. Its engines generated a powerful electromagnetic field interacting with Earth's magnetosphere, allowing it to levitate and maneuver as though gliding along the invisible magnetic flow lines of the pnet.

  For the commercial market, the apparatus was given a more resonant name—Ether. In just five years, it had spread across the world, becoming the symbol of a new era of mobility—thanks to the manufacturing capabilities of Lumen's multifunctional factories.

  It was an elegant cabin with seats for five passengers. Powerful engines, located on either side of the apparatus, generated the electromagnetic field, enabling it to float over cities. Most of the body was made of durable polymer gss, providing passengers with panoramic views, while the artificial intelligence Eva silently controlled the flight.

  But the technological race was not standing still. Just a few years after the first models of the Ether were released, corporations worldwide introduced their own versions. Human civilization was forever changed. Now, not a minute passed without hundreds or thousands of these floating machines gliding across the sky, symbolizing the new era.

  But the Ether was not the first invention of Lumen to change the world. The corporation's calling card was Maria— a Development Model, an Artificial Intelligence for status assessment and a ptform for improvement projects. It was created to modernize society and bridge the gap between developed and developing countries. But Maria also served as the perfect tool for creating corporate cities.

  After the unch of Maria, her analogs were created— AIs, each dedicated to a specific field. Eva— the Mother of the World, controlled social elements: from the autopilot of the Ethers to stabilizing internet connections and managing urban infrastructure.

  Hephaestus— the Creator of Knowledge, was an AI used in Lumen's universities. Its flexibility in presenting knowledge and interacting with students helped Lumen's Central University become one of the top educational institutions in the world.

  Panacea— the Healer, used advanced scanning technologies to scan the human body and a vast database of diseases, enabling her to diagnose with perfect accuracy and adjust treatments. She also performed surgeries where precision down to nanometers was required.

  Demeter— the Mother of Earth, controlled food production on farms and hydroponic factories.

  Ats— the Guardian of Creation, managed production chains in multifunctional factories, providing the city with everything necessary for life.

  Thanks to Daniel Luna and Lumen Corporation, all the residents of the city lived, not just survived. Every person had a measured life. Thanks to the AI systems, production became autonomous and automated, creating a demand for humans to be distributed not as individuals, but as intellectual cells. The wise leadership of Daniel Luna, together with Lumen, allowed the residents of Lumen to forget about primary problems such as food, water, housing, medicine, and education. With the use of AI systems, all these basic needs became accessible to every city resident. People began to focus on self-development, creating new technologies and advancing the arts. The creations of Lumen's residents were patented by the corporation, ensuring its financial stability, further modernization, and reinvestment into the city. Daniel Luna created an unbreakable cycle of stable development and autonomy. He was the first.

  After Lumen's success and the active implementation of AI systems, other countries followed suit. But while Daniel Luna sought to ensure a stable and possibly happy life for the city's residents, others saw only profit in this. And so began the fracture of the world. The governments of some countries transferred power to corporations, which used AI systems to increase profits, while others took control of the corporations, granting them full authority over production and human life. They also began to build their own corporate cities. But, unknowingly, with each passing day, they were bringing civilization closer to the brink.

  Within just a few years, the world was finally divided into the Western and Communist blocs. However, as a result of this division, a third party emerged— the dissenters... The neutrals. Countries that could not accept the ideologies of either the Western or Communist blocs. The reasons were varied: some due to a ck of necessary resources, others due to principles.

  But time went on. The implementation of AI systems and the division of the world brought about their own problems. Due to the repcement of humans with machines, a rge portion of the popution lost their jobs, leading to a rise in crime and the formation of criminal organizations. In pces where the corporations didn’t look, new powers emerged. Over time, people lost the ability to receive education, access healthcare, or secure their livelihoods. Only corporations could provide these opportunities. Those who couldn't find employment within the corporations were left alone under the rule of a new criminal elite. The decline of human civilization had begun.

  Nevertheless, if there is power, there will be opposition. And so, the Legion emerged. Unknown, hidden in the shadows, believing machines to be evil, they began terrorist attacks on all corporations indiscriminately, damaging production chains and plunging countries into crisis. Time and again, they struck at the heart. Their goal was not fear or an attempt to expin the threat of AI— they struck to destroy everything reted to machines, regardless of human lives.

  Cyberattacks, terrorist explosions at factories and data centers caused a new problem, accelerating the decline of civilization and leading to a prolonged crisis. This was the first and st time the Western and Communist blocs came to a common understanding. Building machines took time, and production had to continue. Under pressure from corporations in both blocs, the Human Rights Council authorized the development and use of cloning technology. Ordinary people did not accept this, but their words no longer mattered in a world where power was divided, yet not given to the people.

  The first clones were unstable, but the research departments of the corporations quickly improved them. Over time, creating clones became a routine task for corporations and states. Thoughtless biological machines, in eternal svery, were meant to repce the damaged equipment of the corporations. However, their exploitation was far from ideal. Due to constant work in extreme conditions, clones couldn't st longer than a year. As a result, the production capacity for cloning had to be increased, and the cost of creating them significantly dropped. Consequently, clones became cheap expendable materials, repcing machines, and not falling under human rights ws. The attempt to survive by corporations and states, their attempt to get out of the crisis – every action they took led the world toward its end.

  As a result of the use of AI systems, repcing humans with machines, and the creation of clones, the divided world reached the final stage of its existence. In an attempt to get richer, gain power, and spread their influence, the Western and Communist blocs began the Cold War. Still behind the scenes, but the world was already engulfed in fire.

  But Lumen, once created to be a beacon for the development of humanity, for the creation of a new, possibly perfect world, became the st line of defense against the colpse that was rapidly approaching. While the Western and Communist blocs fought each other and the Neutrals struggled to survive in the battle of two titans, Lumen Corporation, led by Daniel Luna, desperately sought salvation.

  “Attention. Landing procedure initiated.” — Eva’s voice echoed in the Ether cabin, pulling Daniel Luna back to reality. The man, looking about 45 years old, opened his eyes. The first rays of the sun peeked over the Ecuadorian mountains and illuminated the city, which was waking up. They also bounced off several strands of Daniel’s long gray hair.

  The man gnced around, then stretched in his seat. He had been unable to sleep that night, just like many nights before. His mind was tormented by thoughts until, exhausted, he fell into a half-sleep that sted several hours until the arm went off. Ethers were increasingly taking off from the roofs of buildings. The flow of people on the streets grew denser. The city was welcoming the new day. Far in the distance, clouds were forming, soon to bring rain to the city.

  The Lumen Tower was getting closer. The metal and gss glistened brighter under the sun’s onsught. The Ether’s engines adjusted, the vehicle hovered in the air, and began descending. A few minutes ter, the Ether touched the roof. The door opened. Daniel Luna exited the cabin and headed for the building’s entrance. Ahead of him awaited a long and difficult day. A day that would leave fewer chances for salvation.