Five minutes! How in Yuma’s name am I supposed to get this working in five minutes? Vir thought as panic crept into his mind.
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, crumpling them even 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, and Vir felt this wouldn’t be an issue. For while it was Shadow Affinity that he’d sent out, the tablet 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, and if true, meant his plan might not work at all.
He’d hoped to 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 also 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! Just not enough. If only I can see how Saunak does it… Vir thought, as his eyes landed on a 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 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 traps to bring this place down, even if the lad hadn’t told me already. I’d also bet your lackeys would pursue and destroy anything that harms you, even if we escape.”
Saunak cocked a brow. “Smart. And quite correct!”
“So how about you let us go, and we won’t cripple you,” Cirayus offered, implying the opposite was also true. That if they were going to die in here, he’d take Saunak with him. Vir believed it was a fair offer. Saunak knew just how strong he and Cirayus were, and that 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. “Which is why your actions make no sense to me. 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?” Cirayus asked worriedly. “You don’t seriously mean that, do you?”