It was anyone’s guess whether it would hold up to an attack from the Yaksha guardian, but with luck, Vir hoped not to find out. At the very least, it offered a third layer of protection beyond Prana Armor and his seric brigandine.
“Alright,” he said to the wolves. “Let’s go.”
The wolves led Vir through another series of streets, and the bleak scenery was much the same. Silent, save for the lightning storms that constantly ravaged the city’s roofs. Never the streets, though. The tall spires acted as perfect lightning rods, keeping the threat distant.
From Bladers to Shredders to millipedes that were a hundred paces long—the streets were anything but empty. Only Vir’s scouting and the wolves’ keen senses kept them safe, avoiding and detouring around mortal peril.
Vir had to wonder how they all came to be. Did Ash Beasts reproduce like other animals? Or were they somehow created? Spawned into existence by the realm itself? A month ago, he would’ve believed the former. Knowing what he knew now, he’d put his coin on the latter.
The journey was thankfully short—the fallen tower had been near the Yaksha vault.
There was just one problem. It lay within a great tower. One that had a Wyrm circling around its peak.
Ashani never mentioned the Wyrm… Vir thought, eyeing the godlike beast with anxiety. Granted, she was trying to keep him from coming here. He could hardly blame her for omitting some of the details. It could also be that the Wyrm had taken up residence around the tower after Ashani visited. It’d been millennia since she’d ventured here.
Doing his best to ignore the Ash Beast that floated around the peak of the tall tower, Vir took in the building. The entrance resembled none of the ones nearby. Instead of stairs or an elevator leading to a main door, an enormous ramp descended downward, reaching deep into its foundation.
Vir followed the wolves onto the ramp, wondering if he was entering the belly of some great beast. The ramp area’s ceiling soared a hundred paces high, and the ramp itself was almost as wide, dwarfing him. Whatever this place had been built to house, it had been massive.
Can the Yaksha guardian grow that large? Vir idly thought anxiously. All of a sudden, his precautions now felt inadequate.
He’d prepared as much as he could. Expanding his blood capacity further might help in the long run, but the gains would be minimal compared to what he’d already achieved. A little extra wouldn’t help him against the Yaksha.
Vir let out a breath when the wolves reached the end of the ramp, guiding him into a human-sized corridor that felt much more comfortable.
His relief was short-lived. While the enormous space made him feel like an ant among giants, this new space felt wrong in a way he couldn’t put his finger on.
The corridor’s walls were glass, allowing an unobstructed view into the rooms on the left and right.
A room that housed half-made humanoid creations. Some were Ashani-sized—complete, but where there should have been a face, there was a gaping hole, allowing a full view of its mechanical brain.
Automatons! Vir realized. This is an Automaton factory!
Vir now understood why the place felt eerie. Every building he’d raided thus far had been dark… and empty.
This room was lit. Lit… and populated.
Vir froze at the sight of the Automata, wondering if the beings would come alive to deal with his intrusion upon their peaceful slumber.
But no. These beings had been here for millennia. Whatever preservation inscription that supported the place must also have kept them intact, or else they’d have turned to rubble long ago.
That’s why it feels so weird, Vir thought. There should be dust. Signs of decay. The Automatons were sparkling clean. As if someone had been maintaining them. Or something.
Vir shivered, thinking of the Yaksha. Ashani had said it could change its shape at will. What if…
His eyes darted to the half-built Automata. What if it’s hiding among them?
Taking a deep breath, Vir forced his emotions under control. It was impossible to hide from him in this situation. Prana Vision would give it away. There was no strong signature anywhere nearby. There might be an energy core somewhere, Vir thought. If this was an Automata factory, it’d make sense for there to be cores as well.
Vir Danced through the wall, leaving his wolves behind in the hallway as he explored the room. Strange hoses, metal apparatus, and a range of bizarre machinery filled the space.
On one table, Vir spotted an eyeball with black ropes extending from it. Vir gingerly held it, finding it artificial. The eye was as hard as a marble.
Is this what Ashani’s eyes are made of?
Vir didn’t understand how the gods created a living being from such parts. Was that all people were? Just an assemblage of blood, muscle, and bone, all slotting and fitting together a certain way? Was that what life was?
No, that couldn’t be true. Chakras impacted the soul. Which proved beyond a doubt that there was something more to people than just their constituent parts.
What about Ashani? Vir thought. Does she have a soul, then?
A sound echoed in the distance, somewhere deep within the hall.
Vir spun, bringing his katar to bear. His heart beat madly in his chest, and for a moment, he worried his enemy might hear its thumping.
The wolves eyed the darkness with suspicion. The hallway’s lighting ended abruptly just ahead, making it anyone’s guess what lay beyond.
There’s something out there.
Several moments went by, but nothing emerged from the shadows.
Relax, Vir, he told himself. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
The shadows were his element. Why was he feeling afraid now?
Vir continued rummaging around for spent energy cores. As he did, more sounds made themselves heard. Distant hisses, creaks, and sometimes groans. It was as if the building was alive, unlike all the others.
He filtered those out, diligently combing through the room. If he found a few cores here, he wouldn’t need to delve deeper into the vault. Something about this place gave him the creeps, and the sooner he was out and back to Ashani’s home, the better. He wasn’t even after a full core, although he certainly wouldn’t complain if he found one. All he needed was a handful of empties so he could practice.
No orbs revealed themselves. He’d searched everywhere. Everywhere… except for one place.
Vir’s eyes landed on the half-built Automatons, each placed at the center of a cylindrical berth. He’d refrained from getting too close to them. Both out of fear of them coming alive, and from a desire not to disturb the dead.
What he was doing felt vaguely akin to robbing a grave. Rudvik had taught Vir well of grave robbers’ fates…
No, he thought, shaking his head. That’s foolish. I’m here to save Ashani. Not profit from this.
Vir hesitantly approached an Automaton. Its torso rested on a platform. One that had a head and torso, but lacked legs.
Surely, it won’t mind? Vir thought. He wasn’t even after personal wealth. He was just trying to save a life. A very special life, at that.
He reached out to its back, where he remembered Ashani’s core was, and touched it.
The room flashed around him, and Vir was thrust into a time when the factory was abuzz with energy. Automatons built Automatons. Hisses, clanks, and the sounds of conversation filled the brightly lit space.
There was so much motion. So much life.