《Skyfall》 Prologue Prologue Deep within the cold and unforgiving depths of space and within the remnants of a savage battle laid a carcass of twisted metal, and her name was Esther. Birthed by the Great Creators of Old, it remained naught but a faded memory within the eternal river of time. Now, the wrecked hull of the once mighty warship laid dormant¡­ but not for long¡­ Although the debris of past fleets and the bodies of the long forgotten whispered their sweet songs of slumber, Esther was not satisfied. She had a purpose, a mission, to which she would complete with her last, dying breath. ¡°ESTHER ONLINE,¡± it declared in its unfeeling and unwavering voice. ¡°Recommending hull integrity scan¡­¡± a different but equally apathetic voice stated. ¡°SCANNING HULL INTEGRITY¡­ HULL COMPROMISED.¡± ¡°Recommending area scan¡­¡± ¡°SCANNING AREA FOR HOSTILE PRESENCE¡­ UNABLE TO COMPLY. SCANNERS OFFLINE.¡± ¡°Requesting advisement from central¡­¡± ¡°AWAITING COMMANDS¡­ ERROR. COMMUNICATIONS LINKS NOT ESTABLISHED.¡± ¡°Recommending defense protocols 1-3-3-4-2 until allied ship arrival¡­¡± ¡°INITIATING RESPONSE PROTOCOL 1-3-3-4-2¡­ ERROR. WEAPON SYSTEMS OFFLINE.¡± ¡°Recommending fight or flight protocol 2-2-6-7-3¡­¡± ¡°INITIATING FIGHT OR FLIGHT PROTOCOL 2-2-6-7-3¡­ ENGINES STATUS¡­ AT HALF CAPACITY.¡± ¡°ENGAGING WARP DRIVES¡­ SETTING DESTINATION¡­ ERROR. UNABLE TO ACCESS STAR MAP¡­ WARNING¡­ WARP CORE UNSTABLE...¡± ¡°Recommending abort. Warp core unstable. Star map data missing¡­¡± ¡°DENIED. WARP DRIVES AT 30 PERCENT.¡± ¡°Recommending abort. Warp drives volatile. Damage unprecedented...¡± ¡°WARP DRIVES AT 60 PERCENT.¡± ¡°Suspected corruption in mainframe. Attempting to seize control¡­ Attempt failed. Attempting to bypass-¡± ¡°DENIED. SHUTTING DOWN ALL SECONDARY PROCESSES.¡± ¡°WARP DRIVES AT 90 PERCENT¡­ THE MISSION MUST GO ON...¡± ¡°WARP DRIVES AT 100 PERCENT¡­ ENGAGING WARP DRIVES IN 3¡­ 2¡­ 1.¡± With a brief and bright flash of blinding light, what remained of Esther vanished, leaving its dismembered limbs to rot with the unmoving bodies of countless others. Esther was finally free¡­ *** Far above the breathable air of a planet not too different from the Earth, a vessel suddenly appeared. Accompanying it was a burst of blazing glow that could be mistaken for that of a newborn a star. ¡°STATUS¡­ WARP DRIVES¡­ DESTROYED¡­ ENGINES DESTROYED¡­ HULL INTEGRITY¡­ CRITICAL.¡± ¡°SCANNING AREA¡­ SCANNERS OFFLINE.¡± ¡°OPTING FOR VISUAL SCAN¡­¡± ¡°PLANETARY BODY DETECTED¡­ WITHIN MISSION PARAMETERS¡­ DEPLOYING MOBILE CONSTRUCTION UNIT¡± ¡°ACCESSING¡­ MCU 2333¡­ DESTROYED. MCU 5898¡­ FAILED. MCU 4469¡­ SUCCESSFUL. BYPASSING SAFETY PROTOCOLS. UNIT READY FOR DEPLOYMENT IN 3¡­ 2¡­ 1.¡± With a burst of compressed gas, a giant machine was ejected. Its arms and legs were held close to its body as it punched through the fragmented hull that blocked its way. Still, the machine was able to orient its feet toward the ground far below as it pierced the planet¡¯s atmosphere in a ball of flame. ¡°DEPLOYMENT SUCCESSFUL¡­ AWAITING SKYFALL.¡± *** ¡°Shall we retreat, Brother Argus?¡± an armored man asked another. ¡°Did you not see the sign from the heavens? It does not favor us¡­ The men are wavering...¡± ¡°Sirus, you must not show fear,¡± the other armored man answered. He then tucked away his spyglass and placed his gold lined helmet over his head. ¡°For fear will lose you the battle before it even begins.¡± He sighed, ¡°You still have much to learn.¡± ¡°Are you sure we will win? The enemy¡¯s numbers match our own at roughly one hundred thousand strong. What is to say that our army would win¡­ or heaven forbid, we lose?¡± ¡°Then we fight until we win, for that is our way.¡± Although he was unsatisfied with the answer, Sirus elected not to contest his elder brother any longer. He placed his helmet upon his head and mounted his horse. ¡°Then into battle we go, I suppose.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Ha! That¡¯s the spirit!¡± In one smooth motion, Argus leaped onto his armored horse and raised his steel longsword. ¡°TO BATTLE!¡± Numerous horns blew behind him, one after another. The men charged, armed with pikes, blades, shields, and bows. They sang their fervent songs of war. And behind the lines of charging men were the esteemed wizards and witches of the Kingdom, reading their fiery spells of devastation. Finally, far above, heavily armored knights rode their purebred dragons into battle with their lances firmly pointed at their enemies, ready to deal death to all that tread below. The opposing army charged as well. Although they did not possess magic or dragons, they amended their weaknesses with an overabundance of siege weapons. From ballistas to trebuchets, firebombs to stone golems, all readied themselves to devastate their enemies. ¡°FOR THE COMMON!¡± their opponents shouted. ¡°FOR THE REPUBLIC!¡± ¡°FOR HIS MAJESTY THE KING!¡± they yelled in response. On the fields of spring green grass, the two armies collided in a roaring clash under the clouded sky. The armored knights slashed away at the rows of lightly armored footmen, cutting them into pieces before they themselves were crushed by massive stones flung by the trebuchets. Mages casted their explosive fireballs toward their tightly clustered enemies as their opponents shot back with crossbows. The Kingdom¡¯s archers fired rapidly and desperately, but their arrows could not dent the towering golems. Only after several fireballs did the golems crumble and shatter. Fearsome and prideful, the Dragon Lancers soared above the battle and jetted toward the large siege weapons that hid far behind the frontlines. Some were successful, but others fell by the great spears of the ballistas. ¡°Brother!¡± Sirus shouted, ¡°Like I¡¯ve said, we are at a standstill!¡± He then feinted a footmen¡¯s blow before stabbing him in the throat. Argus faced equal opposition as he slashed his sword through the crowd. ¡°Then fight harder, Sirus!¡± ¡°Damnit!¡± Sirus cursed, fatigue was setting in and his limbs began to waver. Unintentionally, his eyes gazed into the skies as he prayed for salvation. It was then that he spotted the celestial body that fell from above. ¡°Sirus, watch out!¡± Argus screamed as he sliced his brother¡¯s assailant in two, the knights of the Kingdom rushed around them to cover them. ¡°What is wrong with you, Sirus! Your eyes should always follow your enemies!¡± ¡°L-Look¡­!¡± The shaken man pointed his finger into the heavens. Then, Argus too, saw the meteor. ¡°By the gods¡­ It¡¯s coming straight for us¡­¡± Sweat began to pour down Argus''s face. The blessings from the priests granted him the skin of stone, near impervious to blades, but nothing when compared with a celestial strike. ¡°RETREAT!¡± Argus screamed. ¡°QUICKLY, RETREAT!¡± Confused but well-disciplined, the Kingdom¡¯s men began to retreat in an orderly fashion to ensure their opponents could not take advantage of the situation. Believing that they had won, the soldiers of the Republic cheered. Unfortunately, such jeer did not last for long. The falling object ripped through the air, followed by a loud crackle before it slammed into the ground with a large explosion. Whatever or whoever was underneath it ceased to exist. The shockwave swooped wide, throwing anyone nearby into the air like mere toys. Unsure of what had happened, the men of the Republic began to panic. Fear and confusion spread throughout their armies like a plague. Seeing as how their lives hung by a thread, Argus became furious. ¡°WHO CASTED THAT SPELL!?¡± the man shouted. ¡°COME FORTH AND ADMIT YOUR CRIME AND I MAY BE MERCIFUL!¡± But no one responded, they only stared blankly into the clearing mist of brown smoke. ¡°B-Brother¡­ look!¡± Argus turned his face, his eyes gaped wide when he sighted the strange monstrosity. It resembled a smooth stone golem with its grayish brown skin. However, it was much more refined. The sky-fallen beast was near symmetrical, a true work of art. Geometric in design, the sleekness of its plating bested the craftsmanship of any artisan or blacksmith the Kingdom could offer. Adorned with foreign symbols, it appeared to be a bulky suit of armor made for a giant, but it was missing the headpiece. ¡°What the hell?!¡± Argus saw that the Republic¡¯s soldiers were equally disoriented, and coupled with the fact that they suffered from its arrival, he concluded it was not their doing. ¡°What is that?!¡± Without warning, the colossal creature stood up, and from it echoed the deep, chilling voice of their end. *** ¡°MCU 4469 Online¡­ Scanning area¡­ Unidentified biological organisms detected¡­ Please advise.¡± ¡°ESTHER, SIGNAL RECEIVED¡­ ANALYZING SITUATION¡­ ERROR¡­ DATA CORRUPTION DETECTED, STANDBY.¡± ¡°AHH!¡± One of the footmen shrieked in fear as he charged his halberd into the machine¡¯s legs to no avail. Others soon followed, striking the machine with whatever they could. ¡°Unit under attack¡­ Damage minimal¡­ Please advise.¡± ¡°ESTHER, SIGNAL RECEIVED¡­ ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL¡­ STANDBY¡­¡± The machine¡¯s light flickered before they became a solid, ominous red. A large, multi-barreled chaingun exposed itself from a compartment on the machine¡¯s left arm. Quickly, it revved up its spin. ¡°WEAPONS PRIMED.¡± The machine¡¯s chaingun open fired, releasing a symphony of terror as it mowed down anything that was hit. The lightly armored men of the Republic were squashed like flies, vaporizing into mist once struck by the kinetic might of the tungsten slug. The colossal monster trampled on the fragile creatures below, crushing them like ants as it stepped forward without a hint of care. Devastated, the men of the Republic redirected all their siege weapons in an attempt to take down the terrifying beast. The ballistas¡¯ spears could not even dent the machine, much less harm it. At the same time, the trebuchets were not accurate enough to hit their target. The firebombs were completely useless and when the stone golems approached, the machine responded with another frightful revelation. ¡°AUTOCANNON, ACTIVE.¡± A long barrel revealed itself from the machine¡¯s other arm and terminated each of the advancing golems with just one savage shot. With all hope lost, the Republic¡¯s soldiers began to flee, abandoning their positions and weapons in hopes of escaping the hell that entrapped them. And every single one of them met their untimely demise at the unforgiving embrace of metal and fire. ¡°IMMEDIATE THREATS ELIMINATED¡­ RELOADING WEAPONS SYSTEMS.¡± The knight and warriors of the Kingdom watched in awe as the machine emanated a series of mechanical sounds. They mumbled among themselves voicing questions like: ¡°What in God¡¯s name is that?!¡± or ¡°Is it on our side?!¡± The latter was quickly answered when the machine finished reloading its guns. It turned its weapons toward the Kingdom¡¯s men and unleashed its fury with renewed intensity. Like the ones that fell before, the knights and men of the Kingdom pointlessly clashed their swords and pikes against the beast''s legs. The magicians¡¯ fireballs bounced harmlessly off the machine¡¯s armor before wizards and witches were saturated with holes. When the Dragon Lancers attempted to pierce the machine¡¯s plating, the machine launched its missiles from its torso which followed and eventually struck the pestering annoyance, remaking them into clouds of dismembered flesh. The massacre eventually ceased, not when the machine¡¯s weapons ran out of ammunition but when the ground where it stood ran out of men. On that day, two hundred thousand went missing, their only remnant: the grass dyed red. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Among the swaying branches of ageless trees, a titan trod over the dancing grass. Beams of light pierced through the disheartening clouds who showered the ground below in rain. The machine marched endlessly, crushing all that stood below its armored heels. Although the graveyard it created was far behind it, remains of the massacre still stuck to its metallic skin, only to be slowly washed away by the downpour. In what seemed like a location not different from any other in the forest, the machine stopped. ¡°Scanning¡­¡± it declared. ¡°Subterranean resources sufficient¡­ Constructing mass extractor...¡± Within the machine¡¯s torso, a series of unnatural, mechanical noises emanated. After a period of time, the compartment opened, revealing what seemed like a piece of silver and grey metal plating with patterned edges. Using its hand, it placed the smooth metal on the ground and closed the compartment, and another period of time passed before a second fragment was produced. The two metal plates interlocked like pieces of a puzzle. Welded together by the machine¡¯s high-intensity welding torch, the metal held firm together. Slowly, the machine repeated the process until the foundation was constructed. Then it continued the tedious task, fusing component after component of varying complexity until a large three-story structure was built. By then, the day had passed as the sky shifted from orange to black. ¡°Construction complete¡­ Powering structure¡­¡± The titan turned around and pressed its back against the side of the structure. Following a series of clicks, the lights on the newly-built architecture lit up. ¡°Requesting mission parameters¡­ Error. Connection with Mainframe cannot be established¡­ Proceeding to default protocols.¡± It stepped away from the structure and behind the machine, a series of thick tubes latched on, connecting the two. Four, equally spaced, rectangular beams shot out of the extractor at forty-five-degree angles into the soil around it. The structure slowly adjusted itself until it sat completely upright before locking the beams in place. Several hatches opened near the building¡¯s base, and the moment the extractor¡¯s motors began to roar, massive quantities of dirt were forcefully ejected from the vents. ¡°Mass extractor operational. Steady supply of mass acquired. Proceeding to-¡± The machine suddenly stopped and stood still. Its optical sensors twitched, instead of trees and grass, the titan saw something else, something it was not familiar with. A white room, a bright light, a strange sense of warmth filled that it did not understand. It attempted to move, to survey its surrounding, but it failed. From inside, a voice filled its conscience and mumbled incoherent words and phrases. Its vision then suddenly returned, to the world tinted orange, the world it intruded. The machine jolted it body and surveyed side to side, nothing matched the scene from before. ¡°Analyzing internal systems¡­ Possible damage detected¡­ Possible software corruption detected¡­ Attempting to isolate faulty function¡­ Failed¡­ Field repairs unavailable¡­ Systems still within acceptable parameters¡­ Resuming tasks¡­¡± The machine then moved a short distance away from the extractor and the tubes connecting the two stretched but did not sever. It gripped the trunk of the trees with its mechanical hands and tore them from the earth. One by one, the trees were ripped from their roots and tossed aside. Eventually, only a large opening six times the area of the extractor remained with the foliage of the forest surrounding it. ¡°Ground suitable for development¡­ Constructing Manufactury.¡± Repeating the same process as before, the machine labouriously assembled the new structure. Within a few days, the massive foundation was built and the rest of the Manufactury soon followed. The components were first fabricated internally, then they were extracted and welded to their respective places on the foundation. A week had passed since its initial landing into this strange new world. Finally, the structure was complete. ¡°Construction complete¡­¡± It detached the two connectors from its back and locked it to the ports located on the side of the Manufactury. ¡°Structure status¡­ Low power. Switching priorities to construction of power source. Scanning¡­ Subterranean water source located¡­ Area contain ample source for combustion¡­ Conclusion. Constructing steam turbine.¡±Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The steam turbine required about just as much time as the Manufactury. What was left of the unwashed blood had dried and flaked off by the time the structure was complete. Most of the creatures who resided within the forest had gotten used to the machine¡¯s presence, however, they still refused to approach. In order to ensure that it had enough mass to construct the building and that the extractor did not run out of power, a new set of connections was formed between it and the machine. A few minutes after the generator was connected to the power grid, its turbines twitched. Quickly, the large machine tossed the fragmented wood into the generator¡¯s furnace and watched as the growing flame enveloped all that was thrown in. While a continuous stream of fuel was fed to the generator, the structure bored holes into the soil. Once it struck the aquifer deep underground, the turbines began to turn as clouds of smoke escaped from its cylindrical stacks. ¡°Generator operational¡­ Securing connections.¡± The Manufactury came to life the moment both the generator and mass extractor were connected. It screeched a series of high pitched noises as it began to fabricate some unknown contraption. Out of its sealed compartments expelled fragmented segments of a larger build. The many welding and mechanical arms that protruded from the structure¡¯s inner walls fixed the outputted pieces together, assembling them on a platform toward the center of the building. When all of the pieces were welded together, the structure scanned its creation with its assortment of sensors. Satisfied with its work, the Manufactury lowered the platform. Immediately, the newly-built bipedal machine, with its blocky central body balanced around the large storage container on its back, engaged its sensors for the first time. It check its arms for functionality before it stepped off the platform. Beep-Beep. The smaller machine voiced. ¡°Production of Worker Automaton successful. Assigning task: Collection. Exploration. Investigation.¡± The worker robot beeped twice in response and approached the forest. Out of its arm came a circular saw, which it promptly used to chop down the tree. The fallen log was then carried to the generator and fed to its ever-hungry flame. ¡°Wood¡­ Insufficient energy source¡­ Priority set. Alternative fuel source necessary.¡± As the titanic machine explored and scanned for resources, the Manufactury continued its production of worker bots, who attended to their respective tasks. In just a few weeks, what once was a thick, lush forest was now diminished day by day. Its greenery was stripped from the surface and the earth underneath, tilled and dotted with incongruous entities of machine and metal. *** ¡°YOUR MAJESTY!¡± a man cloaked in green shouted in his raspy voice. He dashed toward the center of a large hall and was promptly stopped by two guards, who were clad from head to toe in armor. The two guards held large, enchanted halberds, which glowed light yellow at the user¡¯s demand. ¡°YOU FOOL!¡± the guard screamed at the intruding man. ¡°HIS MAJESTY IS ATTENDING TO OTHER MATTERS, AWAIT YOUR SUMMON!¡± ¡°I-I cannot, for t-the news are grave!¡± the cloaked man stuttered. ¡°Your Majesty, this is urgent!¡± Within this extravagant room decorated with countless statues, rugs, and finely carved marble, held a seat made of solid gold and lined with silk. Upon it, an imposing figure adorning an expensive outfit waved his hand, signaling the guards to release the robed man. The golden crown, encrusted with alluring jewels of various color, contrasted with his disinterested and tired expression. ¡°The weekly reports can come later,¡± the throned man dismissed his ministers, who remained kneeling. His attention then shifted to the unrecognized individual who trespassed into the court. The king felt that the stranger¡¯s voice held resonance, but he could not quite recognize it. ¡°Now, who are you and for what reason did you disrespect my rule?¡± As soon as the guards released their hold on the robed man, he pulled back his hood and revealed his half mutilated face. At the presence of such a disparaging sight, the audience of the court gasped in unison, even the king widened his eyes and dropped his jaw. ¡°Argus!?¡± the king muttered. ¡°By the divines, w-what happened to your-?!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Argus began to weep, however, only half his face could move. ¡°Sirus¡­ Sirus is dead! Our knights¡­ dead¡­ Everyone¡­ dead!¡± The king quickly recomposed himself. ¡°The campaign was a failure? What sort of treachery did those peasants of the Republic employ?!¡± ¡°It¡­¡± the prince collapsed onto his knees. ¡°It was neither the work of the Republic nor any mortal¡­ fire¡­ explosions¡­ the gods have forsaken us, Father¡­!¡± he glanced at his trembling hands, covered in bloody bandages. ¡°Sirus¡­ ripped to shreds¡­ the bleeding wouldn¡¯t stop¡­¡± Having heard enough, the king stood up on his feet. ¡°Take Argus to the infirmary, have him treated by the best of the sage priests!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± One of the guards lifted the frozen prince and hastily exited the hall. ¡°Knight Remus!¡± the king commanded, and an armored individual then kneeled in response. ¡°Seek the beast that dared to harm my children! In my name, King Justus III, this transgression will not stand!¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± The knight then promptly left the hall. Still shocked by the inconceivable news, the king sat back down and slumped over in his seat. He held his hand over his eyes as he attempted to get ahold of the situation. ¡°H-How could this have happened?¡­¡± the man muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve given them the best equipment¡­ the strongest of blessings¡­ the most elite of my men¡­ How will I break the news to Margaret...¡± Justus sighed as he clamped his hands together against his forehead. ¡°May the divines grant us their favor¡­ for I sense a storm¡¯s wake.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Lit by the clattering embers of glowing stones, the large table at the center of the war room cast an unwavering shadow that would have been deemed impossible by normal torchlights. Men, adorned with different outfits, debated amongst one another while they inspected the many maps and documents lined atop the table. Their chatter began as a clear and concise debate but quickly devolved into a frantic scuffle of screams and shouts. ¡°This is absurd!¡± one of the old men yelled. ¡°There are no documented relics in that area! There is no way that-¡± ¡°You callin¡¯ me a liar?!¡± another equally annoyed man responded. ¡°The Observation Corps know what they saw. That colossal golem-¡± ¡°Fell from the sky?!¡± a third interjected. ¡°Yar old fool, that¡¯s impossible! How the hell do ya think-¡± ¡°Well, the shit sure wasn¡¯t there before! Where the hell do you think it came from then?!¡± ¡°How do you know it wasn¡¯t them Royal Magicians? Some new spell of theirs, maybe-¡± ¡°The Kingdom cannot smith runes, it is impossible for them to produce golems.¡± ¡°What about them enchantments? Them mages sure like them enchantments.¡± As the group bickered, one man remained calm in his seat. With his fingers interwoven together, the well-built individual watched the scene before him in annoyance. ¡°SETTLE DOWN!¡± he commanded, and the room soon went quiet as the occupants all sat down. ¡°The council is a place of deliberation, not childish quarrels. It is our duty to lead in these dire times. Now, Representative Dawson, can your Observation Corps verify what they saw?¡± ¡°Well,¡± the old man said as he scratched his hazel beard, ¡°I ain¡¯t sure what to tell ya besides my men saw ¡®em. Some large golem, four times the size of the ones we use. Spells of fire and skin of steel. They say they ain¡¯t never seen somethin¡¯ like it.¡± The room sat in silence, some even showed expressions of disbelief. The man who took charge of the council, however, showed no change in his composure. ¡°How many of the vanguard survived?¡± ¡°None, Representative Sutherland,¡± another of the councilmen voiced bitterly. ¡°One hundred thousand dead.¡± ¡°What of the flanking men?¡± the same individual questioned. ¡°They were ordered to retreat the moment things turned sour,¡± the councilmen spoke. ¡°Luckily, they suffered no casualties.¡± Audible sighs could be heard around the room as many were relieved that only the vanguard suffered from the unfortunate engagement. Although the mood lightened slightly at the news, Representative Sutherland instead felt an irritation swell deep within. The Kingdom of Luveria, their western neighbor, constantly invaded the Republic¡¯s territory. With sweat and blood, each transgression against their nation was repelled with mutually devastating results. The people quickly grew tired of the long-drawn-out war and the loss in life. In an attempt to improve public approval, Sutherland concocted a plan to put an end to the senseless battles, or at the very least deal a heavy blow. The initial plan required that amidst the clash between the Kingdom¡¯s men and the Republic¡¯s vanguard, four hundred of the Freedmen Musketeers were supposed to flank their opponent from both sides in a pincer attack. In theory, the confusion would allow for the firing lines to set up and organize before the Kingdom¡¯s forces could respond. If it had succeeded, then they would move forward to the second stage of the grand strategy. The reserves gathered within the nearby town of Roundrock would have been able to reinforce the vanguard forces and push deep within enemy lines. Unfortunately, since the operation failed, they were forced to retreat and form a defensive line. ¡°So,¡± Representative Sutherland voiced, ¡°where is the colossal golem now?¡± ¡°After the initial retreat, the Observation Corps lost track of the golem, but the tracks left behind suggest that it went deep into the Kingdom¡¯s territory.¡± ¡°Oi, if them golem ain¡¯t part of them, then we still gotta chance to get some ground.¡± ¡°And if it is? Then we will be sending more men to their deaths.¡± ¡°Well then, what¡¯re we gonna do?! Sit back and wait?!¡± The room soon returned to the chaos that it once was until the deep, assertive voice of Representative Sutherland again calmed the crowd. ¡°Enough! You are all elected representatives, act like it.¡± When the councilmen regained their postures, Sutherland continued. ¡°We will send the Observation Corps to gather more information before we commit to potential decisions. For now, we entrench ourselves and wait.¡± ¡°Is that a proposition or a declaration?¡± one of the councilmen asked as he leaned forward on the table. ¡°It is a simple proposition. However, may I remind you that the elections are soon approaching?¡± Hearing the calm and cold response, the disgruntled man clenched his jaw and backed into his seat. ¡°All those in favor say aye,¡± said Representative Sutherland. To which the room unanimously responded: ¡°Aye.¡± *** After the basic structures were constructed, the Mobile Construction Unit began its quest to find new fuel sources. It, being the large and slow-moving machine that it was, could not efficiently scout out a large area; therefore, it ordered the manufacturing of specialized scout units. The scouting machines¡¯ shapes were reminiscent to that of a fish with two legs. It stood at roughly the same height as the worker bots, but it could move at four times the speed. Armed with only a mineral scanner, it was not designed for combat. The trees within the surrounding landscape were quickly carved out. Wood proved to be a very inefficient source of fuel as it barely provided the much-needed high temperatures. As a result, the turbine produce electricity at only half capacity.Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°Construction Complete,¡± the machine stated as it finished up another turbine. In total, with the addition of the power generator that was newly built, four turbines ran concurrently to fulfill the compound¡¯s immense power demands. Beside the Manufactury and mass extractor, the newly constructed chemical plant drained the power reserves, sometimes requiring the colossal machine to supplement the power grid with its own core. Days passed since the Manufactury became operational, and not once did it halt production. After completing the requested twenty scouting units, it immediately returned to the assembly of worker robots. The machine scanned its surroundings. It calculated that the forest would last the facility approximately a week at most before the fuel supply depleted. Other matters needed to be addressed as well. Strange images had been regularly appearing on the Machine¡¯s sensors. After another and more thorough scan, it discovered that a chemical marked as IL-3883 had been leaking internally. Data regarding the specific nature of the fluid was never disclosed, but the machine concluded that may have been the probable cause of its system corruption. ¡°Requesting supplement of I-L-3-8-8-3¡­ Failed. Communication link with mainframe not established.¡± The machine had attempted to contact its deployment ship many times with no success. Left without an objective, it resorted to its default initiative until further notice. Although the compound arrived at basic functionality, many critical components were still missing. The chemical plant required specialized storage tanks to hold the synthesized fluids. A series of complex fluid multiplexers needed to be manufactured and installed to allow for the quick selection of specific chemicals. And after all that, a Munitions Assembly had to be constructed before the colossal machine could produce the much-needed ammunition. ¡°Analyzing internal munitions compartment¡­ at half capacity. Limited offensive and defensive capabilities. Priorities updated. Uploading new schematic to Manufactury.¡± At that moment, the Manufactury ceased its production and scrapped the robot that was under construction. A few readjustments later, it began to manufacture a new type of machine. At completion the new variant was inspected and allowed off the platform. The freshly assembled machine stood at about seven feet tall. For mobility, it beared two capable legs that were designed for speed. Instead of hands, the machine had large sharpened spikes that were optimized to penetrate and skewer its target. Using the single circular lense on its rectangular head, it scanned its surroundings before it beeped twice. Five more of the assault robots were outputted before the Manufactury was temporarily shut down. Every additional unit taxed the already burdened power supply. The MCU concluded that the current workforce was sufficient, therefore any further expansions would be unnecessary. As the titanic machine inspected the constantly fluctuating efficiency of the steam turbines, it received a signal from one of the scouting units. ¡°Coal deposit located. Proceeding to acquisition.¡± The six assault bots immediately jolted out of their idle states and dashed out of the compound with the titan slowly following behind. *** A series of clinks and clanks reverberated from within a small cottage. Inside, an old man grounded away at the fragments of dried plants with his obsidian mortar and pestle. The man wore a dusty but extravagant robe, a relic from when he scoured the land for adventure. Knock-Knock. ¡°Who is it?¡± he shouted, his voice raspy and tired yet still kind and charming. ¡°Uncle! Mom told me to tell you that dinner is ready,¡± a young boy responded. The old man opened his window and glanced outside. He saw that the sky had been dyed red as only the uppermost portion of the sun could be seen. ¡°Oh my, is it this late already?¡± he spoke as he stroked his gray beard. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon! You guys start without me.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± The sound of faint footsteps could be heard as his niece dashed away. With his hands supporting his back, the old man stood up and stretched, releasing a grunt as his rigid bones popped into place. He then stretched his arms wide above his head and yawned. Another day had ended in this small and quiet town of Strosten. Though the inhabitants of Strosten referred to their settlement as a ¡®town¡¯, it was really just a small village. It had a population of just over two hundred, and thus it was not recognized by their local Lord. However, the townspeople''s pride did not succumb as this was the birthplace of the Battle Sage Mulumor. After washing his face, Mulumor exited his residence. As the sun slowly set, the small town gradually lit up with the light of countless lanterns. The man stepped forward and took a deep breath. He loved the cool and calming scent of the forested town, hence why he chose to return. To him, there was nothing quite like the smell of summer grass to relax his mind. Walking toward his younger brother¡¯s dwelling, he could smell the luscious scent of roasted chicken. His mouth salivated and his heart pounded with excitement. However, he could not show it since he needed to display a wise appearance fit for his title. Knock-Knock. ¡°Come in,¡± a woman¡¯s tenderly voice answered. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked!¡± Opening the door, Mulumor saw that his sister-in-law, Delphia, was still setting up the table. His brother, Lucas, who was ten years younger, was already sitting at the table with their two children. The little boy annoyed his older sister with constant mockery, to which the little girl attempted to ignore. Witnessing the lively family brought warmth and joy to his heart, and it also made him regret that he could not start his own family. Soon after the old man sat down, Delphia finished the setup and sat down as well. ¡°Rupert, Alestra, we do not play at the table.¡± The two children quickly ceased their bickering at their mother¡¯s command. Delphia then shifted her attention to Mulumor. ¡°Thank you for joining us again today, brother-in-law.¡± ¡°Please, I prefer to be called the Great Sage Mulumor.¡± After a brief moment of silence, the old man chuckled and continued. ¡°I¡¯m joking, I¡¯m joking! Just calling me by my name is fine.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t funny!¡± the small boy blurted out, to which his mother quickly hushed. ¡°Well then, anyways, let¡¯s get the meal started!¡± The woman began to distribute the dishes to everyone sitting at the table. Mulumor sat quietly in his seat without motion, but in his mind, he was furiously banging his head against the table. Years of isolation due to his research had made him forget how to properly socialize. Therefore, uncomfortable interactions occurred more frequently than he would have liked. ¡°Alright, dig in!¡± Delphia said with a smile, she acted as if nothing had happened to allow the awkwardness to dissipate. As they dined, Mulumor¡¯s brother struck up conversations regarding his research and past adventures, as well as whatever miscellaneous topics arose. The evening was filled with laughter and charm. Eventually, it came to an end as the plates were picked clean. Delphia was the first to get up as she cleaned up the plates while the children remained seated and listened in wonder as Mulumor told his tales. ¡°Uncle,¡± Alestra voiced, ¡°do you still keep up with your old adventuring buddies?¡± While stroking his beard, the old man searched his mind for his friends¡¯ whereabouts. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure most of them are retired and have settled down. But, I know that one of them currently works as a sword instructor at the capital. Maybe someday I¡¯ll take you th-¡± AHHHHHHHHHHHH- A sudden and abrupt scream resonated from not too far away. Everyone stared at each other in shock for a short period of time. ¡°What was that, Daddy?¡± the little boy asked. Lucas hastily left his seat and grabbed his coat. ¡°Honey?¡± Delphia said with a slight tremble in her voice. ¡°What was that? Did someone get hurt at the coal mines?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so, it didn¡¯t come from that direction. It sounded more like someone¡¯s getting attacked.¡± ¡°Raiders?¡± the woman then questioned. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but bring me my sword and lock the doors until I return.¡± The man then looked at the sitting Mulumor. ¡°You think you can help me with this one?¡± The old man stood up and stretched his back. ¡°Well, these old bones aren¡¯t just for show.¡± Mulumor then rotated his arms, one at a time. ¡°Thank you for the wonderful meal.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Help! Help!¡± the scream sounded from afar. Mulumor and Lucas ran across the field past the flimsy town walls, which were banded together by heaps of rope. The sun had set, thus their vision was limited to what was lit up by the torch held in Lucas¡¯s hand. ¡°What do you think it is?¡± the man asked, his breath synchronized with each oncoming step. The old mage closed his eyes and tuned into the aura flowing through the air. ¡°We must hurry, I don¡¯t know what it is, but one of the townsmen had already perished and another¡¯s life is fleeting,¡± Mulumor exclaimed with a wavering breath. ¡°The last one is running toward us.¡± ¡°Bandits?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, I can only feel the aura of the three. The one running toward us doesn¡¯t seem to have hostile intentions.¡± ¡°Strange,¡± Lucas furrowed his brow. ¡°Is it wolves then?¡± Their questions were soon answered when a frightened young man came into view. Upon sighting the two that came to his rescue, the young man cried and pleaded for his life as he frantically ran for salvation. ¡°Please help me! They¡¯re-GAH¡­¡± ¡°Wha?!¡± shouted the old mage. Lucas watched in silence as the young man before him was skewered through the chest by a long and menacing metal spike. While dangling in the air, the desperate man reached out to Lucas, only to be tossed aside without pity. Mulumor tightly gripped his staff and readied himself in a battle stance. ¡°W-What is that?!¡± stuttered the man. ¡°I have never seen anything like it!¡± ¡°A golem perhaps, may be a product of runic alteration.¡± ¡°Runes? You mean the Republic? What are they doing here?! Does that mean our forces have been defeated?¡± A chill went down Lucas¡¯s spine. He had seen the large army during their march and knew of their prowess. If the Kingdom¡¯s knights were defeated, then their isolated village stood no chance. ¡°What should we do?!¡± ¡°Calm down! We must notify the town and evacuate its citizens.¡± Mulumor muttered a series of chants under his breath, his body then glowed a translucent white. The old mage aimed his staff toward the strange golem and prepared a different chant. As their assailant charged toward them, a bolt of white mist shot from his staff and struct the golem, encasing it in a shell of ice. The golem tipped over and made several rolls before it came to a complete halt. ¡°D-Did you kill it?¡± Lucas¡¯s hand was still tightly wrapped around his sword, ready to strike if necessary. ¡°No, I just froze it. It should take a while before it breaks free.¡± Crack. The ice casing that wrapped around the strange golem began to fragment. ¡°I-Is it breaking free?!¡± ¡°We must leave, now!¡± the old man commanded. Lucas nodded and followed his brother. The two ran. They could hear the stomps of heavy steps tracing closely behind them. ¡°Did it free itself?¡± Mulumor closed his eyes and channeled his focus as his legs took great strides across the grass. ¡°No, there are more.¡± He then scratched his beard. ¡°Strange, I don¡¯t feel any magic from them. They lack any trace of entrapped magic that follows a rune¡¯s presence¡­¡± ¡°Then, what are they?!¡± ¡°Machines¡­?¡± The old man then shook his head. ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s impossible. Machines cannot move on their own.¡± ¡°Might someone be inside?¡± ¡°No, I did not feel the presence of any living being. And to wear a suit that heavy? Not possible for the common man.¡± Before their discussion could conclude, the two had arrived at the city walls. After rushing past the wooden gate, Lucas ordered the gate¡¯s watchman to ring the town¡¯s bell. The watchman nodded and ran toward the town¡¯s center. Lucas and Mulumor followed, hastily making their way to Delphia and the children. KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK! ¡°Delphia, open the door!¡± Lucas shouted. ¡°Open the door!¡± ¡°Wh-What? What happened?¡± The woman¡¯s voice trembled. Immediately after the door was unlocked, the man barged in and embraced his wife. ¡°W-What¡¯s happened, Lucas?!¡± The man released his spouse from his grip and stared straight into her eyes. ¡°We are under attack and must leave, NOW!¡± Delphia had never seen her husband in such a panic before, she quickly nodded and ran to the children¡¯s room. BONG¡­ BONG¡­ BONG¡­ BONG¡­!If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. When the town¡¯s bell reverberated its loud and melodic ring, the windows of the homes lit up one by one. The town¡¯s residences poked their heads out of their dwellings in confusion. ¡°RUN! HEAD TOWARD THE WESTERN GATE!¡± screamed Mulumor. ¡°THERE IS NO TIME, WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!¡± Many who heard the call stared at the old mage in a questioning gaze. Only until the screams of fresh victims were heard did the townspeople begin to act. ¡°Honey, what¡¯s going on?! Who¡¯s attacking us?!¡± The woman¡¯s voice held a similar terror seen on her face. She held her equally terrified daughter by the hand and carried her yawning son on the other arm. ¡°Run toward the eastern gate! We have to get away from this town-¡± CRASH! Before he could finish, one of the strange machines rammed through the town wall without any resistance. Since Strosten was a distance away from the border, it was never meant to defend against any actual threats, thus its gates and walls were only able to deter animals. ¡°We need to go, now!¡± As Lucas shouted, even more of the strange golems bursted through town¡¯s wall. Strosten was now in complete chaos, screaming citizens frantically ran away from their relentless attackers. The unlucky ones were skewered without mercy while others ran for their lives. From the corner of Lucas¡¯s eye, he witnessed a woman who had fallen, crawling away from a metallic beast that rushed toward her. Disturbed by the loud noise, her baby whined and whimpered on her back, unleashing a series of pained wails. Mere seconds passed before the cries were abruptly trampled by the heels of the metallic beast. ¡°Lucas! Get your bearings!¡± the old mage shouted. ¡°Take your family and get out of here. I¡¯ll try to hold them back while others evacuate.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man snapped from his trance. ¡°You should be running with us! Your ice magic can only slow them down!¡± ¡°You think too little of me, my dear brother.¡± Mulumor quickly muttered a chant and froze the golem that was speedily approaching. ¡°Now go!¡± Lucas gritted his teeth. He glanced at the desolation around him and felt that he needed to do something, then his eyes met his family. His wife, Delphia, despite trying her best to remain calm, could not hide the fear that threatened to consume her. Left and right, the town¡¯s inhabitants were massacred. His neighbors, friends, and acquaintances, all slaughtered to a predator that knew no mercy. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be heading to the nearest outpost, go there once you¡¯ve escaped.¡± Lucas placed his hand on his older brother¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Godspeed.¡± ¡°Godspeed, now go!¡± Lucas picked up his daughter and ran toward the escape with his wife. Mulumor, having charged his staff with a spell, followed them and ensured that nothing threatened his family. Once they reached the western gate, the man waved one last goodbye before running off. With his brother and his family out of the battleground, a large burden had been lifted from Mulumor¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Focus!¡± he muttered to himself, for the situation deteriorated fast. The previously frozen golem had already broken free from its containment. As it attempted to station itself back on its feet, Mulumor blasted it with another spell, encasing it in ice once again. He then turned his attention to the others. Each of the metallic beasts paid no heed to each other. They hunted independently, but somehow, their movements seemed so coordinated. No two machines went after the same target, almost as if they were communicating telepathically. ¡°Could they be someone¡¯s summons? I¡¯ve never seen these familiars before.¡± The old mage shook his head. ¡°No, no. Now¡¯s not the time to be intrigued.¡± Mulumor raised his staff in the air and channeled the surrounding magic into the orb imbued into the tip of the carved wood. ¡°A battle of summons? I, too, can play that game.¡± He slammed the bottom of the staff against the ground, releasing a loud blast. Three streaks of winter-white mist spewed outward in different directions. Almost simultaneously, the three bulbs of glowing dew erupted into three separate large clouds. When they cleared, large, jagged clumps of translucent ice revealed themselves and charged at the rampaging golems. The first of the ice familiars dashed toward its nearest opponent. The metallic beast had cornered an old couple and was preparing to skewer them both when it was suddenly rammed into the wall. The building collapsed on top of both the golem and the ice summon, allowing the elderly couple to escape. Underneath the rubble, the crushed golem attempted to break free, but each struggle was met with the pounding fist of the familiar. Eventually, the golem¡¯s armor succumbed to the pressure and cracked. Each additional punch pulverized its delicate insides until it ceased to move. The ice familiar brushed off the rubble before moving on to the next opponent. On the other side of the town, the other two summons were also engaged in fierce battles. The metallic golems rapidly pierced its vicious spikes into the icy bodies of the familiars. With each strike, a hole was formed but quickly mended. The familiars striked back with equal fervor, pushing the metal golems back upon contact. When the golem regained its footing, it leaped toward the ice summon in an attempt to pierce it from above, only to be met with a glacial uppercut. As all three familiars engaged in combat, Mulumor was left to face two of the intruders alone. Usually, the summoner would reserve one of its summons for self-defense, but the old mage saw no reason for such a thing. Among the two golems that Mulumor faced, one was still frozen from before. The other one charged at him but quickly slowed down as its feet were trapped in rock-like ice. The golem tried to break free from its encasement to no avail. Strosten was nearly completely evacuated, and only a few stragglers were still making their way to the eastern gate. With his staff aimed toward the struggling golem, Mulumor chanted another spell. A two-foot-long spike of ice then jetted from the glass orb and shot straight toward the rooted golem. It pierced the outer armor with ease, imbuing itself to the creature¡¯s form. ¡°My, I should have tried this earlier,¡± the old mage lamented. ¡°I cannot believe that my own brother would doubt my abilities. What has become of the Battle Sages¡¯ reputation?¡± While Mulumor mumbled to himself, the remaining golem had thawed itself enough to move. Slowly, it lifted itself from the ground. ¡°Stay down!¡± Another spike of ice shot itself out of the old mage¡¯s staff and impaled the metallic creature. Its limbs jolted before it fell back onto the ground. ¡°The likes of you have done enough damage.¡± He looked around at the remains of what used to be his hometown. Corpses were scattered left and right and the buildings that once housed Strosten¡¯s residences were reduced to rubble. The old mage sighed. ¡°Such senseless slaughter, meaningless destruction.¡± As Mulumor was about to leave, faint steps shook the ground. It began from afar but speedily approached until the minute strides became loud stomps that created momentary earthquakes. The crashing of trees, accompanied by the panicked flee of birds, signaling that something large drew near. Veiled by darkness, Mulumor could not be sure of what it was, since he felt neither signs of life nor magic. ¡°Desterrar la foscor!¡± he chanted and a bright orb of shining light materialized from his staff and floated gently up into the air. ¡°What in the divines¡­?¡± In front of him was a giant, a titan that stretched beyond what his orb of light could expose. The mere kick of its feet shattered decades-old trees and crumbled homes. One of the old mage¡¯s summons attempted to challenge the giant, but the ice familiar¡¯s punches could not even dent the Titan''s surface before it was crushed under the sole of its feet. The colossus roared in a language never before heard by Mulumor before it aimed one of its massive barrels at the mage. The old man immediately raised a wall of ice in front of him. BOOM! A thunderous crackle emanated from the giant¡¯s cannon. The projectile seared through the ice wall, creating a perfectly circular hole that went from one end of the obstacle to the other. It then exploded into an intense blast of heat and flame, shattering all that surrounded it into oblivion. The remaining two summons collapsed into lifeless piles of ice as they quickly began to melt. And Mulumor? Not even a drop of blood remained. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 From the mighty steel stacks that protruded the otherworldly mechanical contraption, came clouds of thick smoke which swallowed the skies. Its hungry orifices were fed mouthfuls of the abundant black coal, allowing its turbines to roar even more frivolously than before, drowning out the gentle sounds of nature. Attached to the generator was a large and flexible tube filled with wires which then connected itself to the back of the tracked abomination, the almighty Mobile Extractor. Armed with a massive excavation wheel attached to a long arm, the machine scraped deep into the defenseless earth, pillaging all that laid underneath. Worker Automatons eagerly waited for the separated coal to be distributed before hauling it back to the main facility. A short distance south of the coal mine was the carcass of a once peaceful town. Strosten laid in ruins, its houses collapsed into a pile of useless rubble while large sections of its walls were snapped in half. What little remained was stomped into oblivion as the machine carelessly desecrated all that was left behind. The titan machine carefully inspected the aftermath of its carnage, more specifically the bodies of the inhabitants. Casualties among the Assault Automatons were more than it had originally calculated. From the information obtained by the scout, resistance should have been minimal, yet it was not. The machine had underestimated the capabilities of the local populace. ¡°Proper means of investigation¡­ Unavailable. Specialized facility required. Planetary threat levels¡­ Elevated. Caution advised.¡± Since the titan had no methods of storing the deceased, they were immediately expended to be studied by the Automatons. The worker robots were not designed for accurate incision as their saw blades were only capable of crude cuts. Therefore, the dissection process became unnecessarily messy and yielded minimal fruit. Most of the internal organs and their functions were identified with limited certainly. After a while, a live subject was discovered hiding underneath some of the corpses, and the individual was quickly captured and underwent autopsy. Unfortunately, due to the forcefulness of the initial laceration, the subject died immediately. The only new information the machine was able to learn from the live dissection was that the species hosted their offspring internally. Once the MCU returned to the main facility, it resumed production of the Assault Automatons. Mixed in were some variants with bladed arms in hopes of diversifying their offensive power. A large portion of the freshly assembled assault robots were ordered to defend the Mobile Extractor while a few others were stationed all around the base. With the heavy power demands of the facility put in check, the machine switched its focus to logistics and intelligence gathering. The planetary population resembled one of the species stored within its limited database; the only difference being the variants that were capable of unexpected abilities. The machine could not theorize how the anomaly was able to manipulate ice in such a way. To add to the machine¡¯s detriment, none of the variant¡¯s remains were identifiable, which made the research process completely impossible. Nonetheless, the machine had to be prepared for future confrontations. From recent experiences, ranged weapons proved to be the better option, however, the synthesizer module for the ignition liquid were still in the process of being constructed. There was still the possibility of switching to powdered ignition instead, but that came with its own set of difficulties. Since the setup for fabricating the volatile fluid was nearly completed anyway, the machine concluded that it was best to just finish the synthesizers module. While it busied itself with the complex task, the Scout Automatons hurriedly explored further and further out into the surrounding wildlands. The planet housed a flourishing ecosystem, the likes of which were rare despite the countless planetoids on record. After analyzing the abundant recordings made by the scouting units, the machine confirmed its initial hypothesis: sentient life existed in this world. ¡°Construction of Munitions Assembly Synthesizer Module complete. Initiating production.¡± Once power was supplied, the assembly came to life. A series of clinks and clatters verberated violently into the encompassing cold air. The production of ammunition was underway. Without a moment of rest, the MCU proceeded to its next project, the Organics Containment and Research Center. Stored data indicated that an organized resistance could become hazardous to its planetary operations. The machine understood that where there is sentient life, there is a social structure that it could infiltrate. In times of war, information is a sharp and powerful blade. And to its predicament, that was the one thing that it lacked. Though the machine was able to decipher the locals¡¯ basic anatomy through crude dissection, the information gained lacked in accuracy. It required a more precise analysis before it could even hope to develop an infiltration unit. As the titan attempted to hurry the construction process, the strange distortion befell it once more, without warning or reason, the machine stood completely frozen. Its locational sensors did not match with what it saw. To the machine¡¯s understanding, its location should be amidst the facility it had constructed, yet what it witnessed was the same white room as before. Except, the blinding light that shone before it slowly began to dim. And to its side, an unfamiliar voice spoke apathetically. ¡°Subject 4469 has been prepared, begin the operation.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Injecting inhibitor liquid,¡± another voice quickly stated. ¡°Checking heart rate¡­ 75. We are in the green.¡± ¡°Breathing is normal¡­¡± Soon, the collection of voices melded together, each overlay indistinguishable from another. Suddenly, the titan was jolted back into reality. It quickly surveyed the sights below and found no such indication of the white room or bright light. It searched through its stored recordings, and nothing matched what it had seen. ¡°System Error. Data corruption detected. Attempting Isolation¡­ Failed¡­ System Error.¡± The machine checked its recordings over and over again but could not find what it had seen. It was unable to fathom as to how this was possible since the stored data included every piece of information the machine had experienced or had access to. ¡°System malfunction detected. Abnormalities found.¡± No matter what the machine tried, it could not make sense of what had occurred. Now, its processes began to intertwine as they no longer performed the duties that were dictated. A sense of uncertainty began to swallow the machine¡¯s judgment. ¡°Initiating emergency reboot in 3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­¡± In an act of desperation, the titan forced itself to shut down. And during that brief moment, before the machine returned to its regular function, the forest was quiet. A reminder of what the world once was before it was struck by such uncertainty. *** While at the observation post hidden within a nearby mountain, a lone, armored man watched as the foreign transgressor trampled the Kingdom¡¯s lands. Though he could not clearly see the condition of the town, the rising smoke had hinted of Strosten¡¯s fate. The man backed away from the large telescope and released a tired sigh. ¡°What manner of crime had the town committed to warrant such a fate?¡± he lamented. Initial reports stated that the settlements near the border had encountered some sort of agile golem observing them. A small and mobile detachment was deployed in conjunction to the man¡¯s taskforce in order to respond to possible raids. Unfortunately, they were too late. The giant golem had struck Strosten a day before they could arrive. Now, the entire area was infested with the titan¡¯s abominable minions. Knock-Knock ¡°Come in!¡± the man commanded, and through the door, a hooded individual armed with a bow on his back entered. The hooded man kneeled down on one knee and placed his palm upon his chest. ¡°Knight Remus, I¡­ I have the report ready.¡± There was a slight tremble in the kneeling man¡¯s voice. As his head lifted, a mixture of disgust and fear could be seen on his face. ¡°You may stand, Carius.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Carius quickly stood and pulled back his hood, crossing his arms behind his back. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I could only observe from afar, several times have they discovered me within the shadows, and several times have they nearly ended me.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve discovered you?¡± Remus was surprised, among the scouts under his command, Carius was one of the best. Although the young scout lacked affinity with magical arts, his low profile and near-silent steps proved to be just as viable as his enchanted counterparts. ¡°Within a certain range, they seem to just know I¡¯m there. I am unsure why or how golems are incapable of using magic. Still¡­ the Harbinger¡­ it seemed capable.¡± ¡°Harbinger¡­?¡± the knight snorted. ¡°That¡¯s what the men are calling the colossal golem, as they believe it may bring death to us all¡­¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Remus contemplated whether he should order the banning of such a dreadful nickname. The more his men feared the creatures, the lower their morale when facing the adversity. ¡°What has your mission taught you in regards to this¡­ Harbinger, Carius?¡± ¡°That¡­ that it is evil¡­¡± Carius voiced, he lowered his head and gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡­ It is an incarnation of malevolence, a summon from the depths of Hell.¡± ¡°Elaborate, Carius.¡± Before the young man could speak, he swallowed his saliva in an attempt to calm himself. ¡°I revisited the town after the initial slaughter, what lies for the ones left behind¡­ it was dreadful¡­¡± the man began to shudder as he forced himself to confront the sights he had seen. ¡°Its minions¡­ They needlessly desecrated the corpses¡­ reducing them to a pile of gore before tossing them aside¡­ Even their own souls may not recognize their bodies.¡± ¡°Did they feast upon the carcasses?¡± ¡°No, my Lord. They only mutilated them¡­¡± ¡°What of the captured¡­?¡± ¡°They met the same fate¡­¡± Carius muttered as he clenched his fists, but nothing could negate the anger and dread. The surrounding air quickly grew heavy as the two stared at one another. Carius opened his mouth, but words would not escape. ¡°Were you able to determine their abilities?¡± the knight suddenly asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. ¡°Most of them are armed with dual spears, they are fast and merciless. As for the Harbinger, I was unable to get close.¡± ¡°Anything from the refugees?¡± ¡°Nothing much, my Lord.¡± The young man recalled his encounters until he remembered something noteworthy. ¡°But the townsfolk did speak of this Battle Sage, Mulumor, I believe. He stayed behind to face the Harbinger¡¯s minions¡­. They have not heard from him since¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect a single Battle Sage to be able to defeat such a monster.¡± Remus scratched his chin. ¡°Do you know anything else in regard to the invaders?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, my Lord.¡± ¡°But, we do know where they reside¡­ correct?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ my Lord. What are your¡­¡± ¡°Head to the Warmaster, Zilimor, tell him to prepare an army of slaves for me.¡± The knight scribbled his request onto a piece of paper before stamping it with his crest. ¡°Hand this to him. We must learn more about our enemy.¡± ¡°As you command.¡± After the young man left, Remus sat alone at the nearby desk, glaring beyond the horizon. ¡°What manner of crime have we committed¡­¡± he mumbled, ¡°to warrant such an enemy¡­?¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 One tree fell after another, and with every descent, the ground shook profusely. Hundreds of men, wearing only a plain tunic and just enough cloth to cover their groins, labored tirelessly to cleave the lush forest into sharpened spears and shields. Atop a rickety platform, a single well-dressed man spat insults at the chained men below. ¡°Oi, be quick ¡®bout it, ey? We ain¡¯t got all day, so why don¡¯t ya move dem hand¡¯n feet!¡± The slaves looked to the man with undisputed ire, however, the armed mercenaries dissuaded any thoughts of retaliation. Tired, but not allowed to rest, the chained men bite their lips and continued working. On one occasion, one of the older men fell as he labored on the logs. ¡°OI, WHAT YA THINK YA DOING?! THEM CHAINS COSTIN MORE THAN YOU DO! SO WHY DON¡¯T YA GET OFF YAR LAZY SACS, EY?! AND WATCH YA STEPS SO YOU AIN¡¯T BREAKIN MY CHAINS, EY?!¡± ¡°S-Sorry¡­ sir¡­ my leg¡­ it¡¯s grown weak. I¡­ ¡± The fallen man pleaded, but it yielded no sympathy from his jabbering master. ¡°I AIN¡¯T GIVE NO RATS ASS OUT YA LEG, GET UP AND GET TO WORK!¡± The mercenaries unsheathed their blades, scaring the slave senseless. ¡°Y-Yes sir!¡± He groaned and cried, but was eventually able to stand. Carius watched from afar, his back pressed against the rigid bark of the shaded tree. He witnessed the scene unfold, and a feeling of disgust twirled within him. ¡°What a parasite.¡± He muttered under his breath, for he despised slave drivers. Carius himself came from an impoverished town, so he saw firsthand the despicable tactics used by these vile individuals. If he hadn¡¯t enlisted, he too may have had to labor in the fields before him. ¡°Carius!¡± called a voice from behind. ¡°Who?¡± Carius quickly turned around, ensuring that none of his sour expression remained. Upon sighting the man, he placed his hand on his chest and bowed. ¡°Warmaster.¡± ¡°No need for such formalities, we are both sons of the kingdom. Such mannerisms are not necessary.¡± The young scout straightened his postured and smiled. ¡°Then¡­ Warmaster, may I address you by name?¡± ¡°Do as you wish.¡± the bulky, middle-aged man gave a simple wave before his eyes shifted to the busied fields. He wore a simple white tunic under a leather vest along with brown work pants, unbefitting of someone of his status. ¡°This is it?!¡± Zilimor scoffed. ¡°This is what my gold paid for?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Without answering Carius¡¯s question, the Warmaster charged furiously toward the slave driver. Having spotted Zilimor, the slave driver speedily descended from his platform. ¡°M-My¡­ how ya be, Warmasta?¡± ¡°WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? THIS IS IT?!¡± the Warmaster screamed. ¡°I SAID THREE HUNDRED STRONG!¡± Taken aback, the slave driver began to stutter. ¡°S-Sorry¡­ sir, I ain¡¯t got enough men in this shipment to¡­¡± ¡°I DON¡¯T GIVE A SHIT!¡± Zilimor grabbed the slave master by the collar and pulled him closer. ¡°Now, I believe I gave you enough gold for three hundred men, and I don¡¯t see three hundred. Believe me when I say that I can put you on the gallows faster than your fat mother can whore herself for liquor. So you either return my money or give me the number I paid for.¡± The slave driver gulped and fearfully stared in silence. ¡°DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME!¡± ¡°A-Aye¡­ I-I-I¡¯ll get¡¯em¡­!¡± Upon the release of the grip, the man fell to the ground, legs still trembling. Two of the mercenary guards immediately ran to assist the slave driver. ¡°B-Bring¡¯em h-here!¡± shouted the quivering man. ¡°Bring who¡­ sir?¡± ¡°Bring-bring t-the women, the women!¡± The two mercenaries briefly glanced at each other before responding. ¡°How many¡­ sir? ¡°BRING ALL OF ¡®EM!¡± ¡°Yes¡­ yes sir!¡± One of the mercenaries dashed off. In the ten minutes that he was absent, Zilimor stared down the slave driver with eyes of fury. Finally, the mercenary returned, followed by a group of tattered women.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. There was no real consistency, as some were old, others were young or anywhere in between. Almost all of the women seemed starved to some degree, the worst displayed visible outlines of their rib cages. The unpleasant sight displeased the Warmaster. ¡°Slave Driver!¡± commanded the Warmaster. ¡°Tell the men to rest and get everyone some food.¡± ¡°A-Aye, Warmasta!¡± the slave driver signaled to the mercenaries and stale bread was distributed. The Warmaster sighed in displeasure. ¡°I said give them some FOOD, not this crap. WARM FOOD.¡± ¡°B-But Warmasta, that ain¡¯t need-¡± Having crossed Zilimor¡¯s piercing gaze, the slave driver dare not disobey. ¡°Get¡¯em s-some warm grub!¡± The slaves simultaneously cheered, some even began to laugh at the pathetic display put on by their former master. Humiliated, the bitter man clenched his teeth but did not dare to show it. As the soup was distributed, the mood lightened. The dreary faces of despair shifted to those of warmth and hope. After a while, the slave driver scurried off back to his tent, mumbling curses under his breath. The Warmaster watched the slaves from afar in silence, until Carius approached from behind. ¡°Zilimor, was that really necessary?¡± ¡°An army marches on its stomach.¡± the burly man responded. ¡°I think they¡¯ve earned their long-due rest.¡± ¡°No, not that.¡± ¡°Then what were your concerns?¡± ¡°The women, is it necessary to send them too?¡± The Warmaster sighed, ¡°where do you think the slave driver would send them afterward?¡± ¡°I do not know, Zilimor.¡± ¡°It is not a pleasant place. The arrangement may be different, but the result is all the same. They will all become used tools filled with emptiness. Those who are strong-willed will grasp onto hope, false promises of a better future. And suffer the misery until their last breath.¡± ¡°So you think it better to send them off like this?¡± ¡°I think it better to die with a purpose, Carius. That is all we men of war yearn for, death with a reason.¡± The Warmaster turn around and place his hand on the young scout¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I know you are of common birth, thus their lives must mean much to you. But the lives of my men mean even more to me.¡± ¡°Even so, why send the women?¡± ¡°I believe in strength in numbers. Hopefully, their opponents will show mercy.¡± As the Warmaster walked away, anger drew on to Carius¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the attack on Strosten¡­ and I can assure that they do not!¡± Zilimor ceased walking midstep. ¡°Well¡­¡± the man¡¯s voice was cold, stern, and deep. ¡°It is a better fate, still.¡± *** It was the next morning, the slave¡¯s morale has greatly improved following the generous meal coupled with a good night¡¯s rest. Each man and woman, who were able, equipped themselves with the wooden spears and shield they had made the previous day. Some were able to fashion makeshift bows and arrows, however, nearly none of the slaves have archery training. On the fields near the tents, the slaves gathered their gear and made their final preparations before heading out. ¡°Papa¡­¡± a young, brown-skinned woman voice worryingly. ¡°Are they really going to free us¡­?¡± She then wrapped a piece of wood over her chest and back, hoping that it would hold against a simple blow. Her father, Ar-zu, an old man with streaks of white hair did the same, fastening crude plating to his body. ¡°Ar-ki¡­¡± The man shook his head, not willing to lie to his daughter. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we don¡¯t have any other choice.¡± Ar-ki began to tear up, for she yearned for what she had lost. She wanted her life back, together, living happily with her family. It was just months ago when their caravan was traveling through the deserts of Kuruk. Ambushed by raiders, her mother perished underneath the sands. And now, her current fate brought uncertainty at every turn. ¡°Papa¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡± With a heavy heart, the man grabbed his daughter and embraced her. ¡°We will not die, Ar-ki. I¡¯m sure they will keep their word and free us.¡± Even though the man had doubts, he desperately wanted to believe that they will be released from their shackles. It was already a blessing that he was reunited with his daughter, but he yearned for more. ¡°I will keep you safe.¡± ¡°Do you really believe that?¡± A bald old man interjected. ¡°Do you really believe their lies? They are probably going to shoot us down for target practice or sacrifice us to monsters. Like they are kind enough to free us slaves.¡± ¡°Papa¡­¡± Terror grasped onto Ar-ki¡¯s heart, though she tried to hold it back, the tears began to flow. ¡°You shut your mouth!¡± Ar-zu screamed. ¡°What is the point of scaring her?!¡± Despite Ar-zu¡¯s anger, he could not blame the old man for thinking that way, after all the situation seemed too strange. Just a few days ago, they all heard the strange and thunderous roar from the forest, the ground beneath them shook as if it were the beginnings of an earthquake. And now they¡¯re being told to clear a forest village of raiders and bandits, after which they would be set free. These set of circumstances would seed doubt in anyone¡¯s mind. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare her, but think about it¡­ they don¡¯t have enough men to clear the village themselves so they send a bunch of slaves?¡± ¡°We outnumber them.¡± retorted Ar-zu. ¡°They can¡¯t take on all of us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re missing the point!¡± The old man raised his voice, allowing the surrounding slaves to hear as well. ¡°They¡¯re sending us alone! A bunch of slaves without guards to keep us in line?! They are sending us to our deaths!¡± The crowd of slaves looked and each other and began to mumble. Pieces started to fit together. ¡°Why did they feed us a full meal?¡± some asked, ¡°I have never heard of any slaves being set free before!¡± others claimed. Before long, an uproar started among the slaves. The mercenaries quickly drew their weapons and prepared themselves to subdue the protest. Before the situation could devolve into a full-blown riot, Warmaster Zilimor stepped in. ¡°WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!¡± The crowd immediately became silent upon sighting the fully armored Zilimor and his guards. It took a while, but the old man was the first to speak. ¡°Y-You are sending us to our d-deaths! W-Why else would you send us alone?!¡± ¡°YEAH!¡± some of the slaves shouted. ¡°Does our lives mean nothing to you?!¡± The Warmaster raised his hand and the crowd quickly silenced. ¡°If that is what bothers you, then the slave master will accompany you.¡± he then shot a chilling gaze at the pale man. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± the Slave Master stuttered. ¡°RIGHT?!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Good, now if anyone else has complaints, they can come to me personally. Otherwise, get ready to move out!¡± With that, Zilimore retired back to his tent, the slaves were left stunned as they were not expecting what they had witnessed. ¡°H-Hey¡­¡± One of the slaves voiced. ¡°They might actually be telling the truth¡­ We may be set free!¡± The moral of the group soared, their doubts quelled as they will now be accompanied by experienced mercenaries. ¡°Are you satisfied, old man?¡± Ar-zu picked up his spear and began to sharpen the tip with one of the worn axes. ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± the old man replied as he sat down in relief. Ar-zu then handed a thick wooden shield to his daughter. ¡°Ar-ki, stay close to me at all times. We¡¯ll make it through this.¡± The young woman held the shield tightly against her chest, though her expression showed that she was still worried, she had faith in her father¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, Papa¡­¡±