The workshop buzzed with energy, a symphony of clanks, hums, and the occasional hiss of molten metal. In the middle of it all, Arixis scurried across her self-proclaimed "arena of creation," her six spindly spider-like legs tapping the floor in rapid rhythm. She darted from one side of the workshop to the other, her optics flickering with the kind of manic glee that only a mind obsessed with destruction could muster.
Behind her, Boom and Pop, her two newly minted brothers, tried their best to keep up. They were mirror images of Arixis in design: six legs for stability, two modular limbs ending in orbs ready to accept tools, and their spiderlike frames far smaller than the average Cubling. But while Arixis darted about like a whirlwind, they moved with the cautious hesitance of freshly created constructs, their optics wide as they watched their big sister at work.
Arixis clicked her modular limbs together excitedly, her webs flicking out to pull a loose piece of scrap metal toward her. The thin, fiber-like threads hummed faintly as they stretched, glowing faintly as energy coursed through them. She worked faster than any of the mindless Cublings that toiled elsewhere in the domain, her movements deliberate and precise despite her frenetic energy.
“Snip the lines,” she thought to herself, her internal voice an endless stream of cheer. “Snip their lines, tear their fates, end their journeys! Giants? Pfft! I’ll make them fall like trees in a storm. Just need... the perfect thing.”
Her optics darted to a prototype turret in the corner of the workshop. It was a crude thing, cobbled together from scavenged parts, but it held potential. An unstable core sat at its center, glowing with a dangerous, pulsing light. The turret was designed to heat scrap metal into molten projectiles, launching them in fiery streams at anything that dared approach.
But it wasn’t enough. Not yet.
“Bigger. Better. Faster!” Arixis thought as she clambered onto the turret, her modular limbs slotting into its framework. She clicked rapidly to herself as the core hummed under her weight. Boom and Pop finally caught up, their legs clicking against the floor as they tilted their frames curiously.
Pop extended one of his modular limbs, the orb at its end clicking into the turret’s chassis. A faint whirring sound echoed as he scanned it, his thoughts clicking into Arixis’ mind like puzzle pieces.
“Too unstable,” Pop noted in the way they communicated, through vibrations and subtle energy pulses rather than speech. “Will explode.”
“That’s the point!” Arixis shot back, her web flicking out to smack Pop playfully on the side. “But not yet. Needs to explode where it matters.”
Boom chimed in next, his voice slower, more deliberate. “Structure is weak. Molten slag will melt supports. Turret fails.”
Arixis clattered her legs together in mock exasperation, hopping off the turret and skittering in circles around her brothers. “Then we make it stronger! We make it... no, wait! We make two! A pair! One melts, one smashes. Or, or, hear me out, we make three! One melts, one smashes, one...” She paused dramatically, her optics glowing brighter. “One explodes.”
Boom and Pop exchanged a look that was almost conspiratorial. Arixis might have been their big sister, but her boundless energy often meant they had to reign her in. Pop clicked a disagreement, but Boom raised a leg to silence him. They watched as Arixis darted to a pile of scrap and started assembling something new, her limbs moving so fast they were almost a blur.
The new design was even more chaotic than the turret. It had a base shaped like a squat spider, its legs curled inward to hold an array of sharp spikes made from tempered steel. Arixis worked with single-minded focus, her fiber-webs snipping and pulling pieces into place. She hummed internally to herself, the rhythm of her thoughts chaotic but strangely beautiful.
“This one’s for giants,” she thought as she worked. “It’ll slice their legs clean off. No legs, no giant! Then we rain molten slag on what’s left. Snip-snap! No more fate for you.”
Boom finally stepped forward, extending his modular limb to test the tension on the spikes. “Not stable,” he pulsed. “Will collapse under weight.”
“Won’t matter if it works fast enough!” Arixis shot back, but her limbs hesitated for a moment before continuing. She hated admitting when Boom was right, but she’d learned that his slower, methodical approach often saved her from catastrophic failure.
As they worked, Pop scuttled to a nearby pile of scrap and began assembling something on his own. Arixis tilted her frame, her curiosity piqued, and skittered over to watch. Pop’s design was smaller, more compact, a turret designed to fire energy bursts rather than molten metal.
“Ranged support?” Arixis guessed, her excitement bubbling over. “Oh, that’s clever. Good job, Pop!” She flicked a web at him in approval, her energy infectious.
The three of them worked together in perfect, chaotic harmony, their fiber-webs snipping and weaving as they refined their designs. The workshop became a storm of noise and motion, each sibling contributing their unique touch to the creations. By the end of it, they had a line of prototypes: turrets, traps, and a particularly nasty design Arixis dubbed the “Crushinator,” a spiked platform that collapsed on anything unlucky enough to step beneath it.
Arixis surveyed their work, her frame practically vibrating with excitement. “We’ll test them tomorrow,” she decided, clicking her limbs together. “On roaches first. Then goblins. Then...” Her optics gleamed. “Giants.”
Boom and Pop didn’t respond, but the way they positioned themselves beside her spoke volumes. Together, the three of them were unstoppable, a team of destruction-driven Arachnitects ready to snip the strings of fate for anything that dared challenge their domain.
Mechalon’s utility limbs twitched as he observed Arixis and her brothers. His optics lingered on their energetic pulses and vibrations, each flicker of their limbs a chaotic symphony of creation and destruction. For a moment, he seemed perplexed, his frame shifting slightly as though trying to adjust to the whirlwind energy of the Arachnitects.
“Not giants,” Mechalon said, his voice calm but firm, resonating with an authority that cut through the noise. “Humans.”
Arixis paused mid-scurry, tilting her frame to face him, her optics narrowing in confusion. Humans? What were humans if not giants? They were eight times her size, towering, lumbering beings who invaded the dungeon with reckless abandon. If they weren’t giants, what were they?
She flicked a dismissive web, ignoring Mechalon’s correction. He didn’t understand. Her mind was already racing ahead, the thought of giants, or humans, as he insisted, spurring her into a frenzy of focused energy. Her thoughts narrowed, the chaos of her usual brainstorming reined in as she fixated on a singular, defining goal. If she was to create something worthy of her growing role, something that could turn the tide of any battle, it had to be more than another turret or trap.
It had to be the turret.
Her six legs clicked against the floor as she scrambled to the center of the workshop, dragging scraps of metal and cores behind her with her fiber-like webs. Boom and Pop followed, their smaller frames twitching with curiosity as they watched their big sister dive headfirst into her latest project.
“This isn’t just for fun,” Arixis thought, her internal voice sharpening with determination. “This is for us. For what Mechalon said we’d be. Shock troops. Chaos bringers. Destruction made mobile.”
Mechalon’s words about their role echoed in her mind: fast, precise, devastating. They weren’t meant to hold the line like Fort or entangle enemies like Vel. They were a scalpel, not a hammer, a force that could rain down destruction and disappear before anyone could react. If there were going to be hundreds of their kind, they needed something that embodied that ethos: mobility, power, and adaptability.
The answer came to her in a flash of inspiration, her optics flaring brightly as the idea took shape. “A turret... no, not just a turret,” she thought, her limbs moving faster than ever. “A turret we can carry. Deploy. Stabilize. Fire. Then pack up and move before anyone even knows what hit them.”
She worked with a single-minded focus, her chaotic energy now channeled into something almost serene in its intensity. Her fiber-webs hummed as they snapped and wove, pulling pieces into place with mechanical precision. Boom and Pop darted around her, retrieving materials and offering adjustments with subtle clicks of their limbs. It was a dance of creation, each movement deliberate and harmonious despite the frenetic pace.
The design evolved rapidly, the turret taking shape as a compact, modular device. It was built for efficiency, its base light enough to be carried by one of their kind but sturdy enough to withstand the force of its own firepower. At its core was a stabilized energy source, refined from the unstable cores Arixis had used in her earlier prototypes. The turret’s firing mechanism was a marvel of simplicity and power, designed to channel a single, devastating shot of molten slag at its target before requiring a lengthy recharge.
“It’ll be perfect,” Arixis thought, her excitement bubbling over as she attached the final component. “Fast, deadly, and precise. Just like us.”
Mechalon loomed over her as she worked, his utility limbs twitching in what might have been approval. Arixis didn’t notice, her focus entirely on her creation. She imagined the chaos it would bring, the webs of fate it would snip with each devastating shot. Giants, humans, whatever they were, they wouldn’t stand a chance.
When the turret was finally complete, Arixis stepped back, her frame vibrating with barely contained excitement. The turret gleamed under the dim workshop lights, its compact form radiating potential. Boom and Pop circled it cautiously, their optics scanning its features.
Pop clicked a question, his modular limb tapping the base of the turret. “Stable?”
Arixis responded with a flick of her web, her tone almost smug. “Stable enough. Test it and see.”
Boom extended his modular limb, slotting it into the turret’s base and activating it with a faint hum. The turret whirred to life, its core glowing with a controlled brilliance. Arixis watched intently as Boom positioned it on a makeshift firing range, a line of scrap metal targets she’d set up earlier, and triggered the firing mechanism.
The turret unleashed a single, searing shot of molten slag, the beam cutting through the targets with terrifying precision. The air filled with the acrid scent of molten metal, and the workshop fell silent for a moment as the Arachnitects stared at the aftermath.
Arixis broke the silence with a triumphant clatter of her legs, her excitement spilling over. “Perfect! Absolutely perfect! Fast, deadly, stable, everything we need!”
Boom and Pop clicked their agreement, their movements mirroring her enthusiasm. The turret was a success, but Arixis wasn’t finished. She skittered back to her pile of scrap, already planning the next iteration. If one turret was this effective, what could a coordinated group of them do? What if they had turrets that specialized in different types of damage, piercing, explosive, incendiary? The possibilities were endless, and Arixis wanted to explore them all.
Her thoughts raced as she began sketching designs with her fiber-webs, the threads glowing faintly as they formed intricate patterns in the air. “We’ll need more. We’ll need faster deployment systems. Automated reloads. Maybe even mobile platforms. The giants won’t know what hit them.”
Mechalon watched from the shadows, his optics glowing faintly as he observed the Arachnitects at work. Arixis’ energy was infectious, her chaotic creativity a force that seemed to defy logic. He didn’t fully understand her thought processes, but he recognized the value of what she was creating.
“You’ll need discipline,” Mechalon finally said, his voice cutting through the workshop’s noise. “Chaos without control is just destruction. But chaos directed... that’s power.”
Arixis tilted her frame toward him, her optics narrowing as she processed his words. Discipline? Control? Those weren’t things that came naturally to her, but she couldn’t deny their importance. If she wanted her creations to be more than just toys, if she wanted them to define the future of their kind, she would need to find a way to balance her chaos with purpose.
Arixis skittered toward Boom and Pop, her fiber-like webs pulling a smattering of materials behind her as she went. The turret prototype gleamed faintly under the dim light of the workshop, its polished exterior hiding the questions she couldn’t wait to tackle. Her brothers turned toward her, their modular limbs twitching in anticipation. They had been waiting for this, the moment when the brainstorming truly began.
She tapped one of her orb-ended limbs against the turret's barrel, her thoughts racing faster than her limbs could move. The shot had been powerful, yes, but it lacked precision. The slag rounds didn’t pierce or hold any particular shape, their molten state transforming them into blunt-force projectiles rather than anything more refined. The turret had succeeded in destruction, but it could do so much more.
Boom tilted his frame, clicking softly as he extended a limb toward the barrel. "Too short," he noted, his tone sharp and concise.
Arixis vibrated with agreement, almost dancing in place as she scrambled to pull up another length of salvaged metal with her webs. "Longer barrel, yes! Enforce accuracy! Slag's soft, no piercing power, but!" She clicked excitedly, nearly tripping over herself as she continued. "Slag’s heat. Devastating! We need it hotter. So hot it melts through them!"
Pop chimed in, his voice a higher-pitched series of clicks and vibrations. "Spin it. Grooves inside. Stabilize trajectory."
Arixis froze for a brief moment, her optics flashing as the idea sank in. "Yes! Spin it! Spiral grooves inside the barrel. Force the slag into a shape, no, a weapon, as it leaves. Blunt force, slashing edges, all built into the design!"
The three of them rattled off ideas in a rapid-fire volley, their modular limbs clicking against the turret’s frame as they dissected and rebuilt the design in their minds. Arixis’ energy was palpable, her excitement infectious. Boom and Pop matched her pace, their own ideas feeding into hers as they examined every flaw, every imperfection in the prototype.
"We keep slag," Boom said, his tone decisive. "Heat makes it deadly. But... what if we channel heat more efficiently? Condense it."
Pop clicked in agreement. "Smaller core. Higher pressure. More concentrated."
Arixis darted between them, her webs pulling together a rough schematic in the air, the glowing threads outlining their ideas in chaotic harmony. "Concentrated heat! We need insulation around the core, better heat retention. And a mechanism to feed rounds faster, no more waiting for it to recharge."
She paused, tapping her frame thoughtfully as her excitement bubbled over into words. "We test, we fail, we rebuild. Every failure’s a lesson! Slag’s bluntness isn’t a flaw; it’s potential. We lean into it, optimize it. More impact, more heat, more chaos!"
Mechalon would’ve hated this approach. He was deliberate, meticulous, planning every detail before he even began. Arixis could picture him watching them now, his utility limbs twitching in disapproval. He didn’t like failure, it grated against his core. To Mechalon, everything had to work the first time. Everything had to be right.
But that wasn’t how Arixis worked. She thrived on the mess, on the chaos of trial and error. She didn’t fear failure; she welcomed it. Failure taught her things, things she could build upon. To her, every broken prototype, every shattered barrel or overheated core, was a step closer to perfection. Where Mechalon sought precision, she sought evolution.
"We’re different," she muttered to herself, her tone half reverent, half defiant. "Mechalon builds life. We build... destruction."
Pop and Boom turned toward her, their frames tilting in curious unison. Arixis met their gazes, or as close to gazes as their glowing optics allowed, and clicked her web-like wires together. "We fail. We break things. We rebuild. That’s how we get stronger."
The three of them turned back to the turret, their excitement renewed. They worked quickly, their webs snapping and weaving as they reconfigured the design. The barrel was extended, grooves etched carefully into its interior to guide the slag into a more stable, spinning trajectory. The core was replaced with a smaller, more efficient version, its heat output condensed and concentrated to maximize its destructive potential. They reinforced the base, added stabilizers for better precision, and fine-tuned the firing mechanism for faster reloads.
As they worked, Arixis’ thoughts darted ahead to the future. This wasn’t just about this turret or even the next one. This was about pushing their limits, about seeing just how far they could go. If humans, or giants, as she preferred to call them, were eight times her size, why not build something that could take down creatures ten or twenty times her size? Why stop at what they already knew when there was so much more to discover?
Her brothers seemed to share her vision. They didn’t speak much, none of them could, but their movements said everything. Every click of their limbs, every strand of fiber they wove, carried the same determination. They weren’t just building weapons; they were defining what it meant to be an Arachnitect.
The turret was finally complete, its sleek new design a testament to their chaotic, collaborative effort. Arixis stepped back, her frame vibrating with pride as Boom and Pop examined their work. The barrel gleamed with spiral grooves, the core glowed faintly with concentrated heat, and the base was sturdy enough to handle the weapon’s immense power.
"Test?" Pop clicked, his tone eager.
Arixis flicked a strand of web, motioning toward the firing range. "Test."
Boom took the lead, slotting his modular limb into the turret and activating it. The weapon hummed to life, its core glowing brighter as it gathered energy. The three of them watched intently as Boom aimed the turret at a line of reinforced scrap targets.
The shot was everything they’d hoped for. The molten slag erupted from the barrel with a searing, spiraling precision, tearing through the targets with devastating force. The sound of metal clashing and melting filled the workshop, and when the smoke cleared, the targets were little more than scorched fragments.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Arixis clattered her legs in triumph, her excitement spilling over as she darted around the turret. "Perfect! Absolutely perfect! We did it!"
Boom and Pop clicked their agreement, their frames vibrating with shared pride. The turret wasn’t just a weapon; it was a statement. A testament to their creativity, their resilience, and their refusal to accept failure as anything but a stepping stone.
As the three of them began dismantling the turret for further refinement, Arixis couldn’t help but think of Mechalon again. He might not understand their methods, their chaotic trial-and-error approach, but he would see the results. And one day, when their designs helped turn the tide of battle, he would have to admit that their chaos had its place.
Arixis was skittering in place, the thrill of the turret’s successful test shot still buzzing through her core, when the System’s familiar hum interrupted her celebration. Her optics flared as a message materialized in front of her, its presentation unlike the usual sterile interface. This one shimmered and pulsed with vibrant colors, as if the System had realized it needed something extra to hold Arixis’ attention.
“CONGRATULATIONS, ARIXIS!” the message began, bursting with cheerful animations of fireworks and spinning gears. “You’ve unlocked a new ability: FAILURE ARCHIVE!”
Arixis froze mid-hop, her optics flickering as the fireworks cascaded into an animated scroll, detailing her new ability in an entertainingly chaotic font that was just the right level of busy. It read:
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FAILURE ARCHIVE
Purpose: Capture the essence of mistakes and transform them into a resource for innovation!
* Failure Tracking: Every misfire, meltdown, or collapse is automatically logged.
* Tagging System: Add simple, customizable tags to organize failures by type, function, or hilarious disaster.
* Searchable Database: Find past issues and their resolutions with ease. Search by tag, keyword, or type of failure.
* Note Taking: Add notes to any failure. Document what went wrong, your theories, and even your frustrations!
* Resolution Status: Mark failures as “Resolved” once you’ve conquered them!
Use this tool to turn your glorious chaos into structured brilliance! Happy failing!”
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The message closed with a triumphant jingle and a spinning gear animation that winked before disappearing. Arixis vibrated with excitement, her legs clicking against the floor in rapid bursts of energy. This was her kind of tool!
“Oh! Oh! Oh!” she chittered to herself, darting toward her brothers. “Boom! Pop! Did you see that? We can log the failures! Keep them! Archive them!” She spun in place, her webs flicking around wildly as her thoughts jumped faster than her limbs could keep up.
She activated the new ability immediately, her mind racing to fill the archive with entries. The turret prototype was the first to go in, its list of failures already forming in her head. The archive shimmered to life before her, presenting a clean interface with rows and rows of potential entries waiting to be filled.
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FAILURE ARCHIVE
ENTRY #1: PROTOTYPE TURRET MK. I
* Failures:
* Barrel too short: Accuracy inconsistent.
* Slag overheated too quickly: Resulted in reduced velocity.
* Turret base instability: Nearly tipped over during recoil.
* Resolution Status: In Progress.
* Notes:
* Longer barrel added for increased accuracy.
* Stabilizing grooves in barrel added to guide slag.
* Reassessing turret base for added weight and anchor points.
* Tags: #Turret #Accuracy #HeatManagement #Stability
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Arixis paused, staring at the list with a glimmer of pride in her optics. She could tag it! She could search it later! The System truly understood her, she thought with a giggle.
Her thoughts shifted rapidly back to the turret itself. "Stability! We need stability factors!" she announced to Boom and Pop, who turned toward her in unison, their orbs clicking in acknowledgment. She hopped over to the turret, tapping its base with an orb-ended leg. "Set up! Bunker down! Devastating shot! Quick redeployment!" Her webbing flicked out as she spoke, encasing the turret’s base in a web of reinforced fiber. "No tipping! No sliding!"
The idea came together with her usual chaotic enthusiasm. The turret needed deployable stabilizers, retractable spikes or weighted plates that could anchor it in place while firing. And a mechanism to pack it up just as quickly, allowing for seamless redeployment.
She scribbled a new entry into the archive as she worked:
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FAILURE ARCHIVE
ENTRY #2: TURRET STABILITY
* Failures:
* Base lacked stability during recoil.
* Time-consuming to set up and dismantle between shots.
* Resolution Status: In Progress.
* Notes:
* Exploring deployable stabilizers for firing phase.
* Lightweight but durable materials needed for rapid redeployment.
* Tags: #Turret #Stability #RecoilManagement #QuickDeploy
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Boom and Pop chirped suggestions as Arixis worked, their energy matching hers as they refined the turret’s design further. Pop suggested using heavier materials for the stabilizers, while Boom argued for lightweight alloys that wouldn’t slow redeployment. Arixis considered both, weaving fibers into rough models to test the weight distribution.
Her mind darted again, jumping from one thought to the next as she began to refine the feeding mechanism. "Ammo!" she exclaimed, nearly startling Boom and Pop. "Standardize it! Feeding mechanism needs to reload without breaking the turret down!"
They clicked in agreement, diving into another brainstorming session. The slag rounds were effective, but the process of heating and firing them needed to be streamlined. They sketched out a plan for a feeding system that would hold multiple rounds, each one preloaded into a heating chamber that could fire sequentially.
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FAILURE ARCHIVE
ENTRY #3: TURRET AMMUNITION SYSTEM
* Failures:
* Manual reloading required dismantling turret after each shot.
* Significant heat loss between slag preparation and firing.
* Resolution Status: In Progress.
* Notes:
* Investigating multi-round feeding system.
* Insulation for heating chamber to reduce heat loss during transfer.
* Future upgrade: Improved core for faster slag heating.
* Tags: #Turret #Ammunition #HeatRetention #Efficiency
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Arixis paused for a moment, her excitement dimming slightly as she stared at the note about the core. That part was beyond her for now. Core research wasn’t her strength, it required patience and meticulous study, neither of which fit her chaotic style. Mechalon was already working in that direction, and she trusted him to handle it. Her focus was on practical destruction, not theoretical research.
She added a final note to the entry:
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* Additional Notes: Core improvements deferred to Mechalon. Research not my style.
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With a triumphant click of her limbs, Arixis turned back to Boom and Pop. "We’re getting there!" she chirped. "Stabilizers, feeding system, everything! We’re gonna make this turret perfect!"
Arixis twitched with excitement, her energy nearly overflowing as she skittered around the nearly completed turret. Boom and Pop mirrored her movements, their orbs clicking in unison as the trio exchanged a flurry of silent gestures and excited vibrations. The turret stood before them like a promise fulfilled, a sleek, low-profile weapon that seemed to hum with potential even as it rested inert. Its design was a culmination of their efforts, the result of countless failures logged into Arixis' new Failure Archive, each one a stepping stone to perfection.
The turret resembled a long-barrel sniper rifle, but it was more than that. Its frame was elongated and streamlined, its barrel extending far enough to deliver pinpoint accuracy over long distances. Inside the barrel, grooves spiraled with precision, optimized to spin the molten rounds as they fired, granting stability and consistency. The automatic feeder was a marvel of efficiency, holding preloaded ammunition, metal rounds heated to an almost liquid state and stored in an insulated chamber. The molten rounds weren’t solid but viscous, a searing blend of molten slag and reinforced alloys designed to melt through armor and cause maximum internal damage upon impact.
The turret’s base had undergone the most significant transformation. The trio had scrapped their earlier bulky designs, opting instead for a compact and dynamic structure. The base now swiveled effortlessly along all axes, x, y, and z, allowing for complete 360-degree coverage. It sat low to the ground, reducing the center of gravity and eliminating most of the stability issues that had plagued their earlier iterations. The shifting base was equipped with lightweight stabilizers that extended and retracted with a flick of their modular limbs, making redeployment seamless and fast.
Above all, the scope was Arixis’ favorite addition. A delicate yet durable attachment, the scope provided perfect alignment for their shots. It integrated seamlessly with their optics, feeding precise targeting data directly into their vision. The scope itself was mounted on a sliding track, allowing it to adjust for height and angle automatically based on the terrain.
Arixis tapped one of her limbs against the turret’s base, a rhythmic click that signaled her satisfaction. "Done!" she chittered to Boom and Pop, her vibrations practically sparking with pride. They clicked their orbs in agreement, their excitement matching hers.
But as she gazed at the turret, another thought flickered through her hyperactive mind. This wasn’t just a machine; it was a tool for them to wield. They had been designing without fully considering their role in its operation. Mechanics they might be, but they were battle mechanics, and this turret wasn’t just a stationary weapon, it was an extension of them.
Arixis skittered to the side, weaving a quick thread to pull Boom and Pop closer. She tapped the modular slots on the turret, her webbing forming a crude diagram in midair to convey her idea. The turret wasn’t just a tool; it was theirs. Their modular limbs, with their precision and adaptability, could connect directly into the turret’s slots. By doing so, they wouldn’t just control the turret, they would become part of it.
Boom and Pop vibrated their agreement, their optics flashing with understanding. Arixis didn’t wait for further acknowledgment. She clicked her orb-like modular limbs into the turret’s designated slots, feeling a faint hum as the connection stabilized. The sensation was exhilarating, a perfect union of machine and Cubling. Her six spider-like legs pressed into the ground, their natural shock absorption providing an additional layer of stability.
The turret’s base adjusted subtly as if responding to her presence, the stabilizers locking into place. Boom and Pop followed her lead, their limbs clicking into the remaining slots with practiced ease. The trio formed a triangle around the turret, their limbs splayed wide to anchor it further. It was as if the turret had always been designed for this configuration, the synergy between them seamless and intuitive.
Arixis turned her optics toward the scope, which now fed data directly into her vision. The alignment was perfect, the targeting reticle glowing softly as it tracked potential targets. She felt every subtle shift in the turret’s base, every adjustment made by Boom and Pop as they synced their movements. It wasn’t just a weapon anymore; it was an extension of their collective will.
“Perfect,” Arixis chittered softly, the word vibrating through the air with a mix of satisfaction and anticipation.
But building it wasn’t enough. Now came the real test: training.
Arixis detached from the turret, her movements quick and purposeful as she skittered toward the Failure Archive. She logged a new entry, marking the turret as complete but leaving room for improvements that might arise during field testing.
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FAILURE ARCHIVE
ENTRY #4: SNIPER TURRET MK. IV
* Failures:
* Stability issues resolved with low-profile design and modular Cubling integration.
* Ammunition delivery system optimized for automatic feeding.
* Recoil dampening integrated via connected Cubling shock absorption.
* Resolution Status: Complete (Pending Field Test).
* Notes:
* Further testing required to assess performance under combat conditions.
* Evaluate modular limb connection for long-term stability.
* Tags: #Turret #Sniper #CublingIntegration #Stability
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The entry glowed faintly as she completed it, her excitement building once more. She turned back to Boom and Pop, who were already aligning the turret for their first live test. The training grounds, an open section of the warehouse littered with makeshift targets and obstacles, awaited.
The trio moved as one, the turret gliding smoothly between them as they carried it to its position. Arixis felt a thrill of anticipation as they locked the turret into place, their limbs spreading wide to stabilize it. The targets were arranged at varying distances, each one a challenge meant to test the turret’s precision and power.
“Ready?” Arixis chittered, her vibrations carrying the question to her brothers.
Boom and Pop clicked their orbs in unison, signaling their readiness.
The first shot fired, a molten round slicing through the air with a hiss. It struck a target dead center, the impact melting the metal surface into a warped, steaming crater. The recoil rippled through the turret, but their anchored limbs absorbed it effortlessly, leaving the turret steady and primed for the next shot.
Arixis chittered with delight as they adjusted the scope for the next target, a moving dummy that zigzagged across the field. The turret tracked it seamlessly, the molten round striking true and reducing the dummy to a smoldering heap. Boom and Pop chittered their own approval, their limbs clicking as they prepared for the next volley.
Shot after shot, the turret performed flawlessly. The trio moved with practiced efficiency, redeploying the turret between targets in mere seconds. The automatic feeder worked perfectly, delivering each molten round with precision. By the end of the session, the training grounds were a scorched battlefield, every target obliterated.
Arixis detached from the turret, her limbs clicking with satisfaction as she inspected the results. Boom and Pop joined her, their optics glowing with shared pride. The turret wasn’t just a machine, it was their creation, their weapon, their masterpiece.
And this was only the beginning.
Arixis scuttled to her Failure Archive, her limbs clicking against the smooth surface of the interface as she logged the turret's limitations with meticulous care. Each note was like a puzzle piece, a challenge to overcome in future iterations.
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FAILURE ARCHIVE
ENTRY #4: SNIPER TURRET MK. IV
* Failures:
* Stability issues resolved with low-profile design and modular Cubling integration.
* Ammunition delivery system optimized for automatic feeding.
* Recoil dampening integrated via connected Cubling shock absorption.
* Resolution Status: Complete (Pending Battle Test).
* Limitations:
* Time between shots: Five seconds, confined by the power of the core.
* Redeployment speed: Optimized, cannot improve further without sacrificing power output.
* Ammunition capacity: Maximum 5 rounds, limited by their combined carrying strength.
* Notes:
* Core power needs research for faster recharge cycles.
* Potential improvements in ammo storage through material reduction.
* First battle test required against high-defense targets.
* Tags: #Turret #Sniper #CublingIntegration #Stability #Limitations
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Arixis tilted her orb-like limb proudly, the glowing record a testament to her precision. Turning to Boom and Pop, she vibrated a quick pattern that conveyed her excitement. "Battle test. We need Fort," her vibrations said.
The two Arachnitects clicked their orbs in agreement, their energy matching hers as they turned their focus back to the turret. Arixis knew they couldn’t go into battle with just one turret. They needed a proper arsenal, three turrets, one for each of them. The next several hours were a blur of activity as the trio worked with unrelenting focus to replicate their design.
Every bolt, groove, and module was crafted with the same precision as the first. The warehouse filled with the rhythmic sounds of their limbs tapping against metal, the occasional hiss of molten slag being formed into new components. Finally, as the second and third turrets stood completed, the three Arachnitects clicked their orbs together in triumph.
Arixis scuttled in circles, her excitement infectious. "Perfect! Now we just need Fort," she chittered.
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Finding Fort wasn’t difficult. The towering Earth Cube was in his usual place, meditating near the Pylons, his bulk emanating a calm, steady presence. Arixis darted up to him, vibrating her excitement with such intensity that even the unflappable Fort tilted his frame slightly in curiosity.
Fort listened as she conveyed their plan: a test against the creatures to the north, something with high defense to push the turrets to their limits. His optics flickered faintly, his only response a slow, deliberate nod.
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The trio, with Fort in tow, ventured northward. Each of the Arachnitects carried a turret, their compact frames making the devices appear even larger as they scuttled through the terrain. The journey was filled with Arixis’ enthusiastic chittering, her ideas spilling out in rapid vibrations as Boom and Pop responded with occasional clicks of agreement.
When they reached their destination, a clearing where one of the earth-and-metal creatures roamed, Arixis signaled for them to stop. The creature was massive, its jagged form exuding an aura of raw power and resilience. It was the perfect target.
The three Arachnitects moved with practiced efficiency, deploying their turrets in a triangular formation around the creature. Their modular limbs clicked into place, anchoring the turrets to the ground and connecting their bodies to the stabilizing slots. Arixis adjusted her scope, the targeting reticle aligning perfectly with the glowing core in the creature’s chest.
“Ready,” her vibrations signaled to Boom and Pop.
The first shot fired with a sharp hiss, molten slag hurtling through the air and striking the creature’s core with pinpoint accuracy. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the ground, and the creature roared in defiance, its form shuddering as it turned toward its attackers.
The second and third shots followed in rapid succession, each one striking true. The creature staggered, its movements growing sluggish as the turrets continued their relentless assault. Arixis’ limbs pressed into the ground, absorbing the recoil as she prepared for the next volley.
The second shot was the final blow, though they all fired rounds with precision making them surprised as they were expecting to need a second volley of rounds the third cutting through the core and and molding into the wall behind the creature. The creature let out a guttural sound as its core shattered, molten slag melting through the intricate structure within, it collapsed to the ground in a heap of stone and metal, its once-mighty form reduced to a smoldering ruin.
Fort approached the remains cautiously, his massive frame moving with deliberate care. His limbs touched the ground near the core, feeling the vibrations. When he turned back to the Arachnitects, his voice was low and rumbling.
“The core is… unsalvageable,” he said, his tone measured but firm. “Completely melted.”
Arixis froze for a moment, her limbs twitching as the weight of his words sank in. Then, in a sudden burst of movement, she scuttled in circles, her vibrations frantic with embarrassment. She tilted her orb-like limb downward in a gesture that could only be described as sheepish.
“But it worked, right?” she chittered, her tone high-pitched and pleading.
Boom and Pop clicked their orbs together in muted amusement, while Fort let out a low rumble that might have been a sigh. The destruction of the core was an undeniable setback, but Arixis couldn’t help but focus on the victory. The turrets had worked exactly as intended, their combined firepower overwhelming a creature far beyond their size.
Still, she logged the core’s destruction into her Failure Archive, marking it as a new limitation to consider in future designs. Molten rounds need refinement to preserve targets for salvage.
As they packed up their turrets and began the journey back to the warehouse, Arixis chittered excitedly about potential improvements. The test had been a success, but there was always room to grow. For now, though, she allowed herself a moment of pride. The turrets were more than weapons, they were a testament to her creativity, her determination, and her ability to turn chaos into something truly devastating.
And as she skittered alongside her brothers, her mind was already racing with new ideas. Giants might still be a distant dream, but with enough failures, she’d find a way to bring even them down.