‘Yep. That’s not right,’ Zhanuk thought, staring at the echo-laden shells as they arched high in the sky from the barrel of the Guardian. To Zhanuk, those echos, the sum effects of attuned mana being fed pure mana, were nearly blinding. In a metaphorical sense. They had so many mana types crammed into them that he could only imagine the chaos that would be unleashed upon their landing.
He was right.
Different echos fought and warred with each other, turning the sand to glass and pulverizing it. There were even a few drops of mana thrown into the shell as well, just to make the area particularly hazardous. With a wing, the little raven cleaned his beak as he saw the devastation wrought by the barrage.
'Definitely not right,’ he reaffirmed to himself. En’gem’ia never, ever, let multiple Clockworks wielding magic into the same area, not unless they were personally loyal or watched by her children directly. The idea that she would be willing to let five different Sky Guardians wield magic was so divergent from her normal thinking that Zhanuk wondered if her daughter was even in charge at all. He dismissed the thought, though. A child of En’gem’ia would never let themselves lose control of a Forgeheart.
There was something else, too. He felt little pangs of mana being used all over the wall blocking the pass, something almost unthinkable, considering the fact that the Great Goddess of Certain Probabilities always contained her mana-dependent machines in cells isolated from the outside world.
Always.
There were two possibilities; either the goddess had gone mad, or there was such an extreme danger that she risked her minions breaking from her control to contain it.
Before he could come to an answer, he felt something press up against the back of his head.
It was the barrel of a gun.
He tried to act innocent, act like a normal bird, but the chilling voice behind him saw through it immediately, “Don’t play dumb. Even I can tell you’re faking it,” the woman behind him said, “Here’s how this is going to go: you slowly turn around, Connect with me, and we introduce ourselves, yeah?” Zhanuk swallowed his spit, hopping around at a rate that made his little bird feet hurt a bit. His first impression of the woman was a resounding disappointment. He expected someone dangerous, mysterious, oozing secrets like a poorly-filled jelly donut.
What met him was a relatively normal human woman, brown hair in a ponytail, pale-blue skin covered in a duster that screamed someone having fun dressing up for the setting, though the crude semi-automatic pistol in her hand dissuaded him from thinking of her as a fool having fun. He shifted his eyes to avoid meeting her piercing red, wolffish eyes, but a burst of mana wrenched his head back to her..
“So, little birdy, what’re you doing out here, all alone?” she taunted, “I can just smell the divine coming off of you, wafting in howls.” That phrasing made it click for him. Only the followers of Hel’ga’thra ever called echos howls, “Oh? Did you figure something out, little birdy? Well, why not share with the class?” She must have been from a different world, a modern one at that, for such a specific phrasing to be used, “Oh, something else? You must be so smart!” she giggled sensually. Also creepy. Very creepy, “You just thought something rude, didn’t you? That’s not very nice. Well, if you’re not going to Connect with me, then I’ll just do the honors!” Zhanuk barely had a moment to process her words before he felt an intrusive presence practically ram into his mind. It was like a hawk circling above him, predatory and hungry, [Oh? It’s pretty nice in here!] the woman laughed in his mind, [Ah, where are my manners? My name is Ursula! What’s yours, little birdy?]
Zhanuk kept his mind clear to avoid giving the intruder any information on his emotional state, merely meeting her eyes as he sent a reply across the Connection, [My name is Zhanuk, eye of Bi’lug’nath. So, what business does a follower of Hel’ga’thra have with a simple scout such as myself?]
The woman gave a pure, radiant smile, contrasting heavily with the playful, even sultry tone she used before, [Aha! So that’s who you’re working for!] she proclaimed, smiling brightly, [Well, that’s five of you for now. I never thought the gods would be so interested in this! I mean, I’ve only met one, but he seemed pretty relaxed all things considered! I mean- Woah, holy crap! That skiff popped like a grape! Hope those poor guys died a painless death.] Zhanuk turned around, locking his eyes on the skiff the weird woman was fixated on. He could only agree with her assessment in every way. The skiff was torn to shreds, blown open like a can and spilling its insides out all over the place. The fine glass, the echos, the mana, and the explosion itself all combined to an area of pure destruction.
[Not normal…] Zhanuk let slip through the Connection, noticing a split second later when the smirking Ursula looked down at him.
[‘Not normal,’ huh? Well, why don’t you explain what that means for little ol’ me? Hmm? Or maybe you forgot who’s holding a handgun to your head?] she reminded, voice so sickeningly sweet that he wanted to wretch.
He calmed himself, putting his life over any widely-known information, [These are the minions of En’gem’ia. Do you know that?]
The woman tapped her chin in thought, still holding the gun to his head, [I think I remember something like that in that packet in my head. Contracts are weird, huh? So what’s so weird about robots knowing magic? I think it’s interesting this way!] she proclaimed, laughing.
Zhanuk eyed her for a while as she cackled and laughed to herself, [You’re weird…] he ventured, hoping her twisted sense of humor extended to her own self-awareness.
He was, luckily, correct in his assumption. Ursula laughed even harder as he spoke, nearly keeling over with laughter. He was suddenly thankful for the fact that the explosions of battle were just a mile away, beyond the mountain they were standing on, because her mad cackling would have echoed across the desert otherwise, [Oh, I know, little birdy. Well, I’m just having my fun, you know? I think I’ve been through enough to justify a little fun, you know?] she asked, crouching down and peering at him with her big red eyes. She almost looked like a puppy when she looked at him like that, but without any of the innocence.
[Um… not specifically…] he replied, shrinking a bit.
She shrugged, [Well, that’s a problem! You’ve been the most friendly one of the gods’ servants I’ve met yet! Do you want to hear my tale? I’ll make it interesting! And besides, they’re still trading shots over there, so there won’t be much to miss.]
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
A quick look from Zhanuk confirmed her words, leaving him little choice. [I can’t say no, can I?]
[Nope!] she cheerily replied, [But, you have to promise me something! If you don’t run off, I’ll stop pointing this gun at you. Deal?]
[Deal,] he replied, almost too quickly.
She lowered the clocksteel gun, sitting beside him with her legs crossed. Before he could hop away a bit, she picked him up and placed him in her lap like a house pet. Or an unorthodox lover, depending how liberal she was considering inter-sapient relationships, [Well, it all started a few years ago… It was love at first sight. Have you ever had something like that? Taking one look at some hot crowess and falling head over heels in love?]
[Never,] he replied, some level of wariness gone after the gun was put away, [I am barely a hundred years old, why would I waste time trying to create offspring when I’m so young?] he asked.
Ursula stared for a few moments, shrugging in response, [Well, anyway, I just fell for him. His movements that were so gentle and firm at the same time, his cute quirks that I just couldn’t get enough of, his complete care for me… He was wonderful.] Zhanuk waited patiently for the ‘but,’ [But, it didn't last. After a while, he became… rougher. His considerate self slowly melted, shifted, warped into a hideous monster. He abused me. Beat me. Even made me bleed when he did that in bed with me. I just smiled and took it. Smiled for the benefit of my friends, for my parents, for him… and for me.
[I thought he was just having a tough time, a rough patch. That he would go back to his old, charming self in no time. I was delusional. That prince charming I became so attached to was a facade, a lure. He used it to lure me in, used it as a hostage and threaten me… Then we came here. I thought he would get better with such a radical change in scenery. I was delusional. He used me like a slave, making me do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted.
[Then, just as I came to realize how long gone he was, Hel’ga’thra came to me. He offered me a deal and I took it. Hehe… Josh never saw it coming. I strangled him with my bare hands, took his life energy or whatever it is, and made myself pure again. I took back all the time he stole away from me, took it and turned it into my own power. I loved every second of it…]
Zhanuk stared as she finished, feeling a deep sense of… pity. He had heard similar stories a million times before, but she was the first one he had met that could break away and rebel so violently that Hel’ga’thra took special notice. She rebelled with so much lust for vengeance that the very god of the concept offered her a special deal for power. Zhanuk was suddenly scared for his life. If Ursula noticed his apprehension, she did not show it on her face, even as he sent his reply over the Connection, [I’m… sorry. I… guess that explains your general disregard for personal stability.]
She giggled, [Thanks, little Zhanuk. Now then, wasn’t there something else I was asking before? I think I got sidetracked…]
[You were asking about En’gem’ia’s Clockworks,] Zhanuk answered.
[Oh yeah, that! So, please continue.]
[As I was about to say-] Zhanuk explained the basic structure of En’gem’ia’s military forces, including the Forgeheart and the EX models, emphasizing the fact that so many Clockworks capable of using magic in any form was strange. In response, Ursula drew his attention to the fact that disregarding the idea that the Forgeheart rebelled was shortsighted. He hoped she was wrong, but was not going to ignore advice given in good faith.
And in good faith it was. Once he got past her unstable personality quirks, tragic backstory, and odd disregard for the suffering of others and herself, not to mention moral disregard, she was a good person underneath it all. Still problematic, though.
[So you’re saying that they can just create new Clockwork models any time they want? Wow…] Ursula marveled.
[In the worlds with flight capabilities, blimps and airships are deployed to contest air superiority,] he added, looking up at her.
She squinted a bit as he said that, pointing to the horizon, [You mean like those?] she asked. He whipped his head to where her finger was pointing and a shiver went down his spine when he saw what she was pointing at.
Airships. Three of them. Flying in formation, with large cannons on their undersides aimed at the wall. [I think your theory about the Forgeheart is suddenly much more possible… I need to contact Bi’lug’nath.] The fact that there were airships flying in the sky was bad. Very bad. For the defenders of Granulous, at least. For him, it meant that he was stuck on the ground for the foreseeable future.
Before he could begin the ritual to contact his god, a bone-hawk flew over the two of them, landing a few feet behind them. Its pure white feathers gleamed in the afternoon sun, even as it hopped over to them. Zhanuk Connected Ursula and his conversation with the newcomer. [Finally,] the newcomer said in a voice with tones beyond being male or female, [I thought I would be in that shield forever… So this is what you’re doing with your free time, Zhanuk? Getting in the pants of a human girl? One whose…] it paused for a moment, smelling the air, [...made a deal with Hel’ga’thra?]
[It’s nice to see you too, Vunka,] Zhanuk replied dryly, [And I would rather be here than at the wrong end of her gun. Besides, you’ve been trying to have your relations with that lizardman girl for nearly two decades now. Also, she’s the one who put me here.]
Vunka rolled its eyes, [I’ve not been trying to ‘have relations’ with the girl. I’ve been watching over her and making sure she doesn’t die. She is a good cover for me, you know.]
[And you want to boink her?] Ursula asked. Zhanuk was happy the vengeance-seeker was on his side.
The bone-hawk paused for a long while, [And why are you here? Should you not be looking for the man who stole your fragile virginity or something?] it sneered.
[First,] the human began, [Rude. Secondly, I already strangled him with my bare hands. Thirdly, I’m here to see who's looking at this little battle for the world. Hey, back to the original question, is this lizard girl cute? Is she one of the bubbly-cheery types?]
Zhanuk shook his head, [No, she’s more of an ice queen type. A bunch of childhood trauma stacked up on top of itself.]
[Ouch,] Ursula commented, [Huh, so you’ve got a heart of gold after all!]
[SHUT UP!] Vunka screeched over the Connection [So what if I love her? What’s got to do with you!?]
Zhanuk took one look at the approaching airships and turned back to Vunka, pointing to the constructs with a wing, [Those?] he asked, [I doubt they’ll spare your little Cecilia like this. Just go be with her and protect her if it gets messy.]
Vunka took one look at the airships and scowled, turning back to Zhanuk and Ursula fuming, [You better make my report for me, Crow. I’ve got business to deal with.] It flew off at a blinding speed, cutting through the air like a bullet and diving into the screaming battle below.
Ursula giggled as the bone-hawk left, petting Zhanuk across the head affectionately, [Do bird-human relationships happen often?] she asked.
[Meh,] Zhanuk replied, [Usually in a psychic sense. It can be more intimate and enjoyable than being purely physical.]
[Huh. Cool,] She replied as Zhanuk began to report to his god. He had a lot to discuss with him and very little time to do it.