223: Grand Theft Automaton

“Steal it,” Cirayus echoed, dumbfounded. He ignored the pursuing spider Automatons and stare Vir in the eyes. Determined, confident black eyes stared back.

“I believe it’s possible. Knowing what I now know about prana, and after watching Saunak manipulate his Automatons on the way here and within the tower… I think I might be able to copy it.”

Were those words uttered by anyone else, or even by young Vir just a few weeks ago, he’d have brushed them off as reckless and foolhardy.

He’s been to Mahādi. He’s learned from Goddess Ashani herself.

When Vir had stepped through that Ash Gate, he’d changed, and it wasn’t just his power that had grown. His knowledge of prana had soared, and he used strange terms he obtained from the goddess when she imparted her wisdom onto him.

While that all might have contributed to his change, the boy had undergone some fundamental shift in that realm. As a person.

Since then, Vir had taken charge more often, taking the initiative and seeing his plans through. While he’d never been passive in the past, he’d always looked to Cirayus for direction. Even when he’d suggested plans, they’d been tainted by rose colors of naivete. But now? Cirayus found himself considering the boy’s plans more and more.

While the recklessness remained, they were now tempered by the weight of experience and the wisdom of knowing his own limits. Tempered by the weight of responsibility that he now seemed to have accepted.

Ekavir had entered as a boy. Sarvaak returned a man.

And yet, despite knowing all of this, Cirayus had kept him in the dark about the circumstances of his birth. He’d hidden the story of how the Chitran had rallied the other demon clans specifically to eradicate him.

He saw it in Vir’s eyes. The hurt. The anguish.

Cirayus sighed. No lived as long as he had and remained a stranger to such situations. He’d have to apologize to the lad the moment they were free. There’d be a lengthy conversation—one that Cirayus had hoped to avoid until Vir was ready to shoulder the burden—and then, hopefully, Vir would forgive him.

But this was neither the time nor the place for such a conversation.

Cirayus shelved the thought, looking up at the enormous Automaton that towered above them.

Deigning to commandeer a creation of the gods sounded impossible to him. It sounded blasphemous. And yet, hadn’t Saunak done exactly that? The gods hadn’t seen fit to strike him down. Tragic, that.

Saunak was no great warrior. He wasn’t even at the standard of the average demon. He was pitifully weak—but what he lacked in physical strength, he more than made up for with his knowledge. The same sort of knowledge that Vir had glimpsed at Mahādi.

If we succeed… Cirayus dared not grow excited at the prospect. He’d experienced too much to allow such a fool’s hope to fester in him. He’d believe it when it was done. But if could be done… What an incredible advantage that would give them! They’d no longer have to flee from any Ash Beast horde. Perhaps not even from Wyrms!

And if they could take it back to the Demon Realm…

Cirayus shook the thought. He knew exactly how impossible it was. They’d need an Ash Geat large enough to fit it—an event about as likely to occur as the Ashen Realm suddenly vanishing. If it was possible, Saunak would no doubt have returned to the Demon Realm commanding one. If for no other reason than to show off.

“You’re confident you can do this?” Cirayus asked hesitantly. It was as if he was afraid Vir would say no…

“I can,” Vir replied. “Just give me fifteen… no, ten minutes!”

“You have five,” Cirayus said, thinking even that would be difficult. “If you don’t have it by then, we run.”

“Understood.” The boy nodded, then jumped up to the railings that surrounded the monstrously tall Automatons’ at shoulder height.

Cirayus turned to the enemies pouring through the tubes and chutes embedded into the walls. Spider Automatons. Neither as strong nor as intelligent as their larger humanoid brethren, but faster, and in far greater numbers.

Swinging Sikandar lazily, Cirayus lightened its weight just before the moment of impact, then multiplied it tenfold for the briefest of instants, sending a half dozen of the critters slamming against a wall fifty paces away.

Against this horde of godly creations… Cirayus cracked his neck, pointing Sikandar directly at them.

“Come ye. Come to your deaths. Old Cirayus here will keep you company for a spell.”

— —

Five minutes!? How in Yuma’s name am I supposed to get this working in five minutes? Vir thought, as panic crept into his thoughts.

Glancing down, he saw another dozen spiders get blasted off. It was Cirayus’ preferred method of fighting—limit the Spiders’ mobility with a wide-field application of Balancer of Scales before cleaving through them with Sikandar.

It was an especially brutal combination, since while Balancer enhanced the enemy’s weight, it did nothing to strengthen their armor. And because of that added weight, most of Sikandar’s force transferred to the Spiders, destroying them before they were thrown back.

Shan assisted by taking down the enemies that snuck past Sikandar’s blade, keeping the giant free to wield his blade of devastation. Though they’d rarely fought together in the past, their teamwork was impeccable. Rather than feel jealous about it, Vir was filled with happiness that they got along so well.

Regardless, the horde was unending. Vir knew well that if this turned into a battle of attrition, they’d lose. Worse, Saunak would undoubtedly awaken soon, and who knew what other terrors he’d send after them?

Focus, Vir reminded himself, drawing on the Foundation Chakra to calm his thoughts. Though he hadn’t yet broken through, he could still rely on the Chakra to bring him a sense of peace during times of turmoil.

Vir stood on the metal railing next to the Automaton’s enormous head, some fifty paces in the air. The Imperium metal tablet Saunak used to channel his prana into the Automaton lay in Vir’s hands, but it remained lifeless to his input.

Think, Vir! Think!

The first issue that jumped to mind was the difference in affinity. Saunak had used Shadow affinity prana, but Vir felt this wouldn’t be an issue. For while it was Shadow Affinity that he’d sent out, the tablet had somehow converted the Shadow Affinity into Ash Affinity. Ultimately, the signals that reached the automaton possessed the same affinity as Vir.

Did Saunak modify the tablet to accept his affinity? Is that why this isn’t working? Vir thought.

It was a distinct possibility, but if true, meant his plan might not work at all.

He’d hoped that he could trigger the Automaton to do something, even without proper training—Saunak had sent very simple prana pulses to the Imperium creation. Rather than guide its every step, it was almost as if he was sending it commands. Walk. Pursue. Stop. Etc.

Vir couldn’t help compare it to commanding a Bandy. The Bandy knew how to move its muscles to walk and run. It just needed to be told what to do. If the Automaton operated on a similar principle, then Vir didn’t have to sweat the details, so long as he learned the proper commands.

“One minute left, lad!” Cirayus called up. “Tell me you’re close!”

Vir glanced down, and to his horror, found that humanoid Automatons had joined their spider brethren. Cirayus now fought off nearly a hundred foes all by himself. The veteran giant was doing a phenomenal job, but every second, more enemies joined the fray.

Worse—some of the spiders were even clambering up the walls to reach Vir. At this rate, he wouldn’t have a minute. He’d have just about twenty more seconds.

Twenty seconds to not only devise a control scheme, but to get it right.

Vir drove the thought from his mind and focused on bypassing the tablet. Trying a different approach, Vir pressed his hand against the Automaton’s shoulder and surged Ash prana into it.

As usual, the moment the prana left his body, he lost control of it.

Just when he was about to give up, the Automaton’s arm twitched, sending a dozen spiders who were crawling up it flying.

Progress! But it wasn’t enough. If only I can see how Saunak does it… Vir thought, as his eyes landed on the figure that had just appeared below. A figure that made him pale.

The mad thaumaturge had arrived, and he was grinning with glee. He was also waving a white flag theatrically above his head, but the army of Automatons that surrounded him made Vir wonder if the demon understood the significance of that flag.

“What is the meaning of this?” Cirayus asked. “Do you surrender?”

“Well, well, well! Isn’t this just fascinating!” Saunak said, continuing to wave his flag. “Though, I must admit I wished it was the boy fighting, and not you, Cirayus. I already have plenty of data on how you fight, and it doesn’t look like you’ve grown any stronger lately. The opposite, actually. Your reaction time and deadliness are both down from your tournament day highs. Is old age catching up to you? Or just neglect?”

“Burn in Ash, Saunak,” Cirayus spat, launching a dozen spiders back at the demon, who ducked inelegantly. “Lad? Time’s up!”

Vir neither argued nor hesitated. He’d reached the same conclusion himself, and while every shred of his being wanted to tarry just a bit longer, attempting to unravel the secrets of the Automaton, Vir was not the immature villager he once was. To tarry was to place all of their lives in jeopardy.

He refused to put Cirayus and Shan in more danger than they already were. His curiosity would have to go unsatiated… For now.

Jumping back down, Vir plummeted to the ground. Not wishing to waste such an opportunity, Vir activated Prana Currents around his body, wreathing himself in a vortex of Ash Prana.

His blood saturated… then stretched beyond its limit. Unrelenting, Vir continued fueling more into his body. Just a few more seconds of this pressure and his blood vessels would burst.

But he didn’t need a few seconds. He needed only an instant.

Vir crashed onto a spider Automaton. The force coupled with the prana that surrounded him destroyed the poor spider instantly.

Rolling, Vir Leaped  to the humanoid automaton protecting Saunak and purged every drop of prana he had in his body.

“Eat This!”

The prana blasted into the Automaton, fueling it… until it could be fueled no longer. The sudden torrent of energy overloaded its systems. Its arms and head blew off like a pressure cooker, venting steam… and the Imperium creation fell over—dead.

“Huh. That’s curious. Can you do it again so I can study you?” Saunak asked.

Vir moved to attack, but Cirayus grabbed his arm, stopping him.

“Best you don’t, lad.”

“Cirayus?” Saunak shouted. “Showing mercy!? To me!?”

“Make no mistake, Saunak, I’d like nothing more than to kill you for what you’ve done,” Cirayus said, smashing another Automaton aside with Sikandar. Saunak had only two humanoid guards left… ignoring the army of spiders he commanded.

“So why don’t you?” Saunak taunted.

“Because I know you. I’d bet a seric that you’ve set your lackeys to pursue and destroy anything that harms you.”

Saunak cocked a brow. “Smart. And quite correct!”

“So how about you let us go, and we’ll let you live,” Cirayus offered.

It was a fair offer, Vir thought. Saunak knew just how strong he and Cirayus were, but he knew it wasn't enough.

“Hmm. It’s tempting, but no, I’m afraid,” Saunak said casually. He turned to Vir, appraisingly.

“You're smart, Saunak,” Vir said slowly. Incredibly smart. Which is why you must know that making an enemy of me isn't in your best interest. Just... just imagine what you could achieve in the future if we worked together.”

“Lad? You don't seriously mean that, do you?” 

“Interesting. Interesting. Yes. Indeed,” Saunak said. “Look, I never intended to harm your little wolf. And the thing earlier? That was just a test! Now that you mention it, I would really like to work with you. Perhaps together... yes!”

“I said I'd be willing, but I'm no fool,” Vir said. “You should’ve thought about the future before attacking us. You'd have to do something pretty spectacular to regain my trust.”

He’d have liked nothing more than to prove Cirayus wrong. To show that Saunak could be, if not a friend, at least a useful partner for the hardships ahead.

But now? How was he to trust the madman?

“Hmm. Ah yes. Correct,” Saunak said, as if talking to himself. He still waved his flag, though the exertion was clearly winding him. “I suppose I should make this right, somehow. You want that Automaton, right?”

“Uh. Yes?”

“Very well. It’s yours.”

What?

“You’re… just giving us one of your Automatons.”

“Well, you said it yourself, didn’t you?” Saunak replied. “Would I regain your trust otherwise?”

This has to be a trap, Vir thought, exchanging glances with Cirayus, who nodded. But if it buys us some time…

“What’s the catch?” Vir asked.

Saunak held up a finger. “You have to let me watch.”

“Um, sorry?”

“You can take it. But only if you let me watch while you learn to take control.”