**Hi! Yesterday, I launched . This is Book 4 in the series, where Leo and the Seekers receive an Autonomous UI HUD with a system, quests, and upgrades for battle!**

  Manhattan’s skyline glittered against the night sky as Sarah Daniger, known to a select few as the Architect, set her plan in motion. Her fingers danced across the control panel of a secure tablet, activating commands, initiating encrypted communications, and signaling silent calls to arms across the world. She had spent years preparing for this moment, weaving threads that now converged into one powerful tapestry of rebellion, revelation, and reclamation of the knowledge she believed humanity was destined to uncover.

  Back at Fort Horizon, a palpable tension hung in the air. As the Commission’s assaults on Wesirian safe houses escalated, more Wesirian members streamed into the base, their faces marked with exhaustion and grim determination. Each arrival was a stark reminder of the relentless hunt they faced, but it also strengthened the collective resolve of those who remained.

  In the central command room, Leo and Zara sat across from Kade, Samira, and an older man with streaks of silver in his hair, his face weathered but his eyes alert. The man looked up as they approached, his hands stained with the oil and grime of countless hours spent tinkering with machinery.

  “Leo, Zara,” Kade introduced them, his tone respectful. “This is Solomon—a.k.a. ‘The Engineer.’ He’s the one behind the tanks, APCs, and everything else that’s kept you alive so far.”

  Solomon gave a small, tight smile, his handshake firm. “Pleasure’s mine. I’d say you’ve given my machines quite a workout.”

  Leo grinned, a spark of excitement lighting his eyes. “That tank you sent… it was like something out of a dream. Saved our lives back there.”

  Solomon’s face softened slightly. “It’s why I do this—to protect people like you who carry the knowledge forward. It’s more than just mechanics for me. Every machine, every device I design, is a line of defense between us and the forces that would erase us.”

  As they spoke, the base’s entrance opened, letting in a gust of cold air as a new group of Wesirian refugees entered. The exhaustion on their faces mirrored the expressions of so many others who had arrived over the past few days. Samira immediately moved to welcome them, while Kade exchanged a glance with Solomon, the weight of their mission evident in his eyes.

  In her New York penthouse, Sarah watched the updates from her contacts come in, her gaze focused, unyielding. Her plan involved more than simply helping the Wesirians survive; it was about leading the world into a new era of knowledge, with each step carefully orchestrated. Her gaming empire and the tools she’d embedded within Stone Chronicles: Veil of Titans were just the beginning.

  “Activate the Pathfinder Sequence,” she murmured into a secure line, her tone clipped.

  From across the globe, responses pinged back, confirming the release of a specific code hidden within the game. The code was part of her plan—a series of hidden commands that would trigger encrypted messages, routes, and clues embedded within the game. It would enable players like Leo to access information beyond their wildest imaginings, if they had the courage to seek it.

  As the pieces moved into place, she knew the Commission would react. Her surveillance team had already reported increased activity as the Commission tracked the refugees from each fallen safe house. But she was ready. Every move they made was another step closer to revealing the truth.

  As Leo, Zara, and Solomon continued their conversation, the hum of activity around the base was a constant reminder of the battle raging outside their walls. Solomon had been deep in the guts of the Wesirian defense system all morning, troubleshooting issues with the base’s mechanical tanks and APCs. His fingers bore fresh cuts from handling circuitry and fixing up the old tech, but his focus remained unwavering.

  “You know,” Zara said, glancing at Solomon with a raised eyebrow, “for someone who’s constantly talking about old-school engineering, you handle those rigs like a gaming pro.”

  Solomon chuckled, adjusting the heavy gloves on his hands. “Can’t help it. When I’m designing the VR weaponry and mechanical systems, it feels like gaming to me. Just… a little more explosive. And in-game, it’s the opposite—more virtual warfare. You may know me as Ashwin in gaming, but Forge is my handle, but Ashwin Solomon is my birth name.”

  Leo’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Wait… you’re Forge? The guy who cracked Zephyr’s Last Stand on Nightmare Mode?”

  Forge smirked, feigning nonchalance. “Yeah, that was me. Everyone calls me Solomon in real life, but Forge is a name I picked up early on in the virtual world.”

  If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Elias joined them, an amused smile on his face. “So, that’s why he seems like he was born for this. What do you say, Forge? Ready for game day?”

  Forge shrugged with a grin. “Why not? I’ve been meaning to test some new gear in a world without real explosions.”

  Leo’s heart raced, anticipation settling in. It was time. They’d planned this dive into the Stone Chronicles: Veil of Titans together, eager to explore its hidden mysteries and decipher the secrets tied to Leo’s past. With more Wesirians arriving every day, the urgency was at an all-time high—they needed the knowledge hidden within the game, and they needed it fast.

  Zara looked over at Leo. “Let’s meet on the private server. We’ve got a lot to uncover.”

  The group made their way to a small, dimly lit room near the barracks. Inside, rows of VR headsets and gaming consoles lined the walls, and each station had been set up for optimal security and soundproofing. This was where they would be operating, safe from any external interference.

  Zara took a moment to adjust her headset, then looked around at the team with a thoughtful expression. “Before we dive in, there’s something I should mention. I took the liberty of contacting the rest of our team members and asked them to meet us in-world. So far, none of their names have been reported to the Commission, but given the situation, we may have to arrange some extra protection for them in the future. For now, let’s settle in and get to work. We have a mission to complete, and every piece of intel we can gather will get us closer to the truth.”

  She looked at each of them, her gaze resolute. “This isn’t just about completing the game—it’s about uncovering information that could change everything.”

  Forge nodded, cracking his knuckles as he took his place at one of the stations. “Let’s do this. Time to see if the new Stone Chronicles can handle the real Forge.”

  Leo slipped on his headset, excitement mounting as he logged into the private server Zara had set up. The familiar sights and sounds of the game’s main hub loaded around him, transforming the room into a sprawling virtual landscape filled with towering monuments and intricate, mythical architecture. Every detail seemed alive, vibrant, charged with a mystical energy.

  One by one, the team members joined the virtual space—Nexus, Cipher, Nova, Valkyrie (Zara’s avatar), and Forge, who now wielded an oversized hammer on his shoulder with the same confidence he’d shown with tools in real life.

  “Alright, team,” Zara said, her voice steady as it echoed through the virtual landscape. “Welcome to Day One of Stone Chronicles: Veil of Titans. Our mission? Locate the first of the ten mythical sites. On is in The Artic. Rumor has it that it’s hidden beneath the Northern Lights, guarded by mystics who possess knowledge of eternal wisdom.”

  Leo scanned the map, already drawn into the adventure. “I’m ready. Should we split up to cover more ground?”

  Cipher, his avatar a blend of tactical armor and cyber-enhanced features, shook his head. “Not in this game. We stay together, move as a unit. The Artic’s mystics are said to warp reality, to guard the hidden sites. Best not to face that alone.”

  Nexus, the team strategist, nodded in agreement. “Besides, we don’t know what kind of puzzles or traps are in The Artic. We’ll need everyone’s skills to make it through.”

  Forge—the in-game version of Solomon—grinned, hefting his oversized hammer. “And if all else fails, I’ll just smash it.”

  They laughed, the camaraderie and familiarity easing the tension of the task ahead. Despite the high stakes, Leo felt a sense of comfort here, a unity that transcended the screen. This wasn’t just a game—this was a new chapter in the war they were fighting. His teammates weren’t just players; they were his allies, each one bringing unique strengths to the table.

  The team set off, navigating through virtual snow-covered forests and frozen cliffs as they made their way toward The Artic. The night sky above was streaked with the shimmering auroras of the Northern Lights, casting an ethereal glow over the landscape. The crisp, icy air seemed to crackle with energy, and Leo felt his breath hitch as they approached a glistening, frozen lake.

  A notification flashed across their screens, the words stark and foreboding.

  Warning: Entering Hyperborea. Proceed with caution. Reality may shift.

  The lake’s surface shimmered, distorting into a kaleidoscope of colors, and the ground beneath their feet pulsed with an otherworldly energy.

  Nova, the team’s explorer, crouched to inspect the lake’s edge, his eyes wide with awe. “This isn’t just code. It’s like… like the game itself is alive.”

  Cipher ran a scan, his fingers dancing across his console. “There’s an adaptive algorithm at work here. I’ve seen similar setups in top security systems, but never in a game.”

  Zara’s voice remained calm and steady. “Stay focused, everyone. Hyperborea holds knowledge we need to unlock. Whatever we face, we face it together.”

  The team moved forward, stepping onto the lake’s surface with caution. Each step sent ripples across the frozen ground, and as they moved deeper into Hyperborea, the world around them seemed to warp and twist, strange symbols and shapes flickering in the air. The auroras above seemed to pulse in time with their steps, casting shifting lights over the team.

  Forge raised his hammer, his stance ready. “Looks like we’ve got company.”

  From the mist swirling over the lake emerged ghostly figures, the mystics who guarded Hyperborea’s secrets. Their faces were shrouded, their forms ethereal, and as they moved, the air grew cold, their presence sending a chill through Leo’s bones.

  “They’re not hostile,” Leo said, studying their movements. “They’re… guiding us?”

  The mystics pointed toward the center of the lake, where a towering monument began to rise from the ice. It was an obelisk covered in ancient symbols, each one glowing with an inner light, radiating an energy that was both inviting and foreboding.

  https://veiloftitans.com/join to support us and become an active member of our VOT community. If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider purchasing or reviewing Veil of Titans: The Lost Megalith on Kindle for just $0.99.