Chapter 23-2 That Which Lurks (II)

Chapter 23-2 That Which Lurks (II)

{FRAGMENT LOCATED. LIQUIDATION PROCEEDING. SECURE THE PREMISES.}

-Omnitech Scout Group South-K333

23-2

That Which Lurks (II)

[Draus]--

Draus examined the snakes she tore out along with her eyes and studied them using her Specter phantasmic. Their corpses were strings of matter fused with strips of chrome, each nearly a meter long before she slit their guts open.

Initially, she assumed this was just another rogue miracle assailing her flesh. Plenty of those out here, however, after dissecting the snakes via blade of glass, she found their insides to be filled with a mix of gore and sparking circuitry, and thus assumption turned to suspicion. It was one thing to mutate into existence using someones optical cords as a catalyst. It was another to have fully functional cybernetic organs.

Then the attack on the enclave she was watching began, and all the pieces came together.

The space had been a mountainous region mere moments before. The only miracle present was some kind of pattern-based smoke that twirled up into the atmosphere, forming spiraling columns of gas before descending as arcing tendrils to burrow through the land.

A mist coated the ground, and using the tendrils as cover did she make her approach.

She understood little of the Domain of the Heaven nor its canons, but aside from the bioform mutated from her right eye, little else seemed amisspositivity tame for the Sunderwilds.

The mountain itself was carved in the visage of a face. Not a human one, but a skull of some kind of creature, almost dog-like in its shape. Within the open jaws the mountain were countless shimmering lights bathing steepled temples of stone with dimming brilliance. Their interiors were dotted with countless accretions, and she spotted more than a few patrols walking the trails running to her left and right.

For twelve minutes, she and the Fardrifter surveyed the area. She directed the God of Air to position several pockets of air for her to travel acrossalong with two points of egress should either of them be unable to escape through their own means.

And now, as decloaked warships began their assault on the population, more of Draus cybernetics began to twitch and warp as discordant notes of music filled the air.

Aint a dull moment out here in the Sunderwilds, she growled, vitrifying her reflex booster before it too was compromised.

The thrilling thing about dealing with thaumaturgy was that sometimes there was just no defense. If you weren't prepared, you weren't prepared. If you were on the wrong end of asymmetry, the world would reap what it could from you.

And so it did. And so she dealt.

As she cast her Specter out to better study the attackers, she counted three twelve-kilometer-long carriers spewing swarms of glinting shards free from their opening undersides. Drones. And with how the anomalous music was wreaking havoc on her body, she had a good guess who was crashing the enclave before she could.

Fuckin Omnitech.

The what, how, or why they were doing something here was irrelevant to her. Instead, growing ire began to rise, all externally directed at them. It took more than a little self-control for her to resist manifesting the Arsenalist and making it known who this place truly belonged to. With her Metamind unable to detect any unknown Souls, she probably had pretty good odds of just shattering the raiders.

Still. She exercised caution. Getting into an engagement before fully gauging enemy capabilities was a great way to end up snuffed without knowing how.

It is an ill thing, the Fardrifter said, their voice whispered through the wailing winds. They are killing the children, the weak. The people inside, they are fleeing. I can feel them rushing through the mountains tunnelsmachines are chasing them. Starching the walls into glass with blossoms of flame. The people do not know whats happening. They are on their knees in the temple. They are praying. They are praying.

The God of Airs last words sounded almost mournful. Perhaps it was thinking of the people it once had. People that were long gone.

It was strange to view a god as a glass jaw but Draus really didnt know how else to feel about it. The damn thing was always whining about this and that. Complaining about the world. Breathing and sighing when it couldnt go somewhere. Was almost like a depressed child sometimes.

Invoking her canon of Diffractive Chain, she created shards of glass across the horizon. They bounced from outcropping to cliffside to the interior of the mountain stronghold itself. As she constructed a slotted passageway using a panel of glass she made in the stone, she studied the interior of the enclave and the assaulting forces.

Just as she did, a hefty presence slid into her mind, and Draus reflexively acknowledged Avos arrival with a grin. Thought you'd keep me waiting.

+Sounded urgent. Decided to be quick. Left Marlowe with Kae. Giving her a tour of the city. What do wehm.+ His voice trailed off with a note of surprise. +Omnitech?+

Howd you know? Draus asked.

+Techplaguer can understand the noise its hitting you with. Some kind of tech-jamming distortion. Theres another Heaven of Signals here. Or at least it has a Domain of Signals.+

Shit, Draus muttered. Good to know. Glad I didnt decide to jump the gun then.

+Augs?+

Fuckin bricked. Glassed em. Ill do a suicide after.

He grunted in acknowledgment.

Not sure how they managed to find this place, Draus replied. Managed to chart my own way here usin the memories you cast over to me from the refugeesthe new ones that Essus has been dealin with.

+The family with stones where their eyes should be?+

Yeah. That one. Somethin about them stuck to my thoughts. Just got finished building a route over to another enclave in the area, and decided to take a peek here before heading southwest to hit the next spot. Reckon it paid off.

+Reckon it did,+ Avo agreed. +Omnitech probably bought the memories from a Necro. Or picked it up somehow.+

{More likely they just have an outpost nearby,} Calvino answered. {Their signal seems to be literally washing out like waves of water, with more coming southwest. New Vultuns currently under Paladin lockdown, so I doubt in-city units are involved here.}

To complement the minds words, the Techplaguer sang a shrill screech. Ah. Directives received. A broken [TERRAFORMATION MODULE] has been LOCATED. The Techplaguer erupted into static cackles. Procure the [MODULE] and integrate it into our [SYSTEM] administrator. We must return the [BROKEN THINGS] to function to watch over the children properly. Presently, it is taking eyes. This is a severe infraction. THE EYES ARE NOT ITS TO TAKE. Diagnostics are in order.

{Terraformation?} Calvino replied.

A whimper sounded from Avos mind. Draus was almost taken aback when she realized it originated from a template instead of the ghoul. A soft voicevacant and distanthyperventilated.

[Fuck. Sleeper. They found a shard of the Sleeper. A piece of the Infacer. Inface. I have to inface. Facefaceface the wall face the wall. Dont make me face the wall.] Glitchthe rogue Omnitech Fallwalker who was once the user of the Datacasterdescended from senselessness into mania.

Got any clue what shes jawin about? Draus asked.

+Mind was broken and fried by drugs when I found her.+

Draus scoffed. Course it was. Can't have anything be too easy for us.

+Alright, alright, Ill lay off you. I never expected youd be a prude, you know, Agnos. Most of your type gets pretty wild in the Nether.+

A blush threatened to form on Kaes face. She denied it. +Marlowe. We just met. Im not having this conversation with you.+



+Fine. Fine. Hm. Another question: how do you relieve stress.+



Thaumaturgy.

+Thats work.+

Then I dont relieve stress.

+Now thats just not healthy. Maybe I can remind you some vics you can watch+

A sudden snort of laughter escaped from Kae. She couldnt help it. The woman was incorrigible.

+Alright. Come on. Stop half-assing this. Talk to me. Or or show me the city up close, at leas. Dont just make me watch through Specters and phantasmics. Go walk the streets.+

I, uh. Kae winced as she remembered a moment from yesterday when she tried to take a walk alone to clear her mind. She came upon a group of children playing marbles. She studied them with curiosity and offered a smile when they noticed her. They fled from her screaming, howling about how she was shadow-cursed. It was slightly hurtful in a way she didnt fully understand. The locals are a bit skittish. They think that I am not bright, is what Avo said. My hair, my skin, my eyes. Only my Meldskin mightoh, maybe I use that. But but yes, they think Im cursed.

The Thoughtcast host snorted briefly. +Yeah. I know the type. Fucking half-strands.+

Kae frowned. Youre being very judgmental. I thought you were supposed to be a good media. One that cared abut the FATELESS.

The other woman scoffed. +Listen. I can sympathize with someone and still think theyre a piece of shit. Shit, most of the refugees and gutter trash are degenerate half-strand bastards who would fuck your corpse on a dare. Damn the rash. Damn them being scapeled by the glassers right after. The problem is if you keep them living like vermin and scum, then trash theyre gonna stay.+

A throb of anger pulsed from Marlowes mind. +Its about the future. Its about who we could be. Most people? Eighty percent of us? Theyll become whatever their environment makes of them. Another ten are going to be pieces of shit. Doesnt matter if you mod them or give them a Soul, theyre just ontologically shitty. But theres ten more left. And those fuckers shine. They shine no matter where you put them.+

And that made Kae understand who she was talking to just a bit better. I see. You sound like you believe that.

+Thats what life taught me. How about you, Agnos? You never did answer me about becoming a renegade god-maker.+

Im not a renegade, Kae said, pouting as she folded her arms. I was She caught herself before she could answer. Damn. This one was good. Very good. Damn her, and her skill at conversation. You are very tricky, Citizen Marlowe.

+Youre pretty sharp yourself, Agnos Kusanade.+

A moment of silence passed between them. Kae sighed. You know what? I am going to take that walk. I am going to have some breakfast. Or dinner. Whichever.

+Hm. Workaholic. Were you always like that?+

No, Istop.

+Fine. What do you want to talk about, if not yourself?+



Kae bit her lip and turned to seek the stairs. It was going to be a long climb down. Damn Avo and his hatred of elevators. You? Whats your life like?

+Ah. Me? Im just your average Guilder-guilt FATED sow slumming it while making imps off the poor. Nothing special about me.+



Cala, Kae began, feeling very much like Draus in that moment. Has anyone ever told you that you are often full of shit.

+Yeah. Pretty much all my exes.+

Well. They were right.

+Never said they werent. You nervous about the trial?+

Footsteps filled the spiraling haemokinetic staircase as Kae made her way down. No. I am tired. And I am ready to face the city. I have to face the city.

+Why? Why do you have to face the city?+

Kae paused on the stairs. Why? Avo offered her a choice. She could have him make a haemokinetic puppet in her stead just like Draus. But that wasnt what she wanted. Okay, that was a lie: part of her very much wanted that, but it wasnt what she needed.

I think I just want someone to stand for me. The Agnos didnt. The Paladins didnt. The Guilds hurt me. Only the cadre cared. Only them. She paused. I want to stand for myself now. And them. I want to stay standing as the Tiers fall and burn at my feet. Is that a good enough quote for you, Citizen Marlowe.

+Its a fucking fantastic quote, Agnos. You mind if I keep it in my memory?+

A breath followed. Why not? You are very good at this, you know that?

+Good at what?+

Talking to people. Making them like you. I expected you to be a

+Stuck-up drug-addled Guilder bitch?+

...Not my words.

+Well, dont you worry: we just met. Theres plenty of that girl in me, and youll have all the time in the world to hate me after.+

Is that a challenge?

+Just what happens to everyone I know.+