The siren continued to wail as we made our way back to the walls with a plan that wasn’t nearly as dangerous as last time. Or so we hoped.
As a scavenger, it wasn’t uncommon for one of my ilk to be found outside the walls during battle, trying to score pieces while those with less courage tapered in place, hoping for the battle to be quickly over.
Desperation showed itself in all forms, and though I might get beaten for breaking the scavenging code, it was very unlikely I’d get jailed. That was if I survived the encounter as there were so many things that could go wrong.
We rushed through the coursing crowds, thick now since we were caught in the middle of it all. It’d been a long time since we’d been slow to hit the wall during an emergency—I’d almost forgotten what the messy middle of it was like. A human wave, Elli had once called it.
They shoved and crushed, anxious not to miss the action, and Elli gave me a look that I recognized all too well.
“What if the tin-man drops out of my ruck?” I said, cursing that we'd even had to bring him along.
Elli rolled her eyes, leaping up to the top of a tin-plate roof, and reaching down her hand to help me join her. It wasn’t a particularly tall structure, and I could see a heavy helping of flat squat huts haphazardly rolling through the neighborhood. It was certainly a doable run, but what if I lost CD?
“Worth it,” Elli finally answered. “We lose him, no one will know it was us that had him in the first place.”
“Unless the rat bastard squeals,” I muttered under my breath.
Running forward, we jumped from roof to roof, leaping over gaps between structures, and clanging to the metallic rooftops of the new-tech hovels. These homes were a bit tougher than the scratch and scrabble of the very bottom class, tough enough to take our pounding feet, and as we sped by the mess of people on the streets below, I felt thankful that tin and iron were common in the region. I’d heard before that in many places, serfs could only buy such goods in the black market.
“Hey, get off my house,” yelled a stout woman in a ragged work dress. I glanced at her as she shook her fist at us, before disappearing back indoors.
Elli giggled.
“One of these days, we might piss off someone who can actually catch us.”
“Maybe when we’re fifty,” I shot back, almost missing a leap in my distraction.
Once we were past the majority of the crowd, we took back to some mid-tech asphalt and pushed toward the thinner edges of the mass of bodies. Continuing our clap and clatter to the very edges of the wall, I was surprised to see that the regiments had been called, their burly orange-capped forms lining up in roll-call formation, each of them holding onto a blue-steel plasti-halberd that sparkled the morning rays of the sun.
“Elli,” I began.
“Yeah, that’s unexpected,” she affirmed. We juked around them, then tore again for the wall. The soldiers didn’t react, their super-enhanced bodies evidently preparing for some more important purpose than scavengers making for a quick take outside the city.
The roaming guards that had been up on the walkway had been pulled off. That possibly meant that they were expecting raking fire, and a sensation of electric nervousness suddenly tore through my body.
That meant they were preparing for the possibility that the enemy army was going to reach the walls. Only they didn’t know it was an army but thought it was monsters. The Lord Commander of the city probably wasn’t taking chances. Had he heard back from the lone survivor of the ambush out in the plains? Were they just putting up a show? Or was he making sure that if any monsters or mechs got through, there would be another force that would take them on?
How many of the attackers even were there? We’d only seen a dozen or so stilters and the big rock-thrower.
Coming over the top of the wall, we looked out over the battlefield, where a mess of monsters had spilled onto the field. Their eyes all glowed electric blue, whatever that all meant in the monster world, and they’d come in with several heavies, dozens of house-sized monsters, and a whole lot of lightlings. They were almost as dangerous as the bigger ones in their own way, as their speed and ferocity made up for their size. They barely stood a head or two taller than a regular-sized grown man or woman.
The sight was both confusing and terrifying, making me wonder if we shouldn’t rush back across the wall and warn the soldiers we’d seen on our way. Those weren’t the enemy that we’d seen earlier. None of it made sense. Why would there suddenly be a herd of monsters going for the city?
Then it dawned on me. Barbarians . . .herds . . .and slavery. It was a fucking trap. Almost certainly they’d rounded up and driven these monsters forward, though how they’d accomplished such a feat was beyond my understanding.
Elli pointed, her mouth wide as a Cataphract grabbed hold of a fleshy Ogoran, kicking it back when it belched forth dark-green acid, then stabbed it through the heart. A dozen lightlings were clamoring onto the legs of the Cataphracts, despite the efforts of the Vangers and Toxotai to get rid of them, and the long blare of a trumpet signified the opening of the city gates, and the rollout of Alnda’s finest foot soldiers into the battle.
“Shit, things are getting out of hand, Elli! We gotta move!” I yelled, pointing to a nearby copse of trees. “We’ll hide there and have CD see what to do next!”
She nodded, attaching a rope to the wall and then repelling down quickly. I followed right behind her and we ran across a brief expanse of open field before settling between a small group of thick, tall trees and a single large rock nestled between them. They were surrounded by thick bushes. It was the perfect hiding spot.
I pulled CD out of my ruck, and a moment later his shimmering image appeared, still a farmer but this time as small as a mouse.
“Now what?” he squeaked, Elli stifling a giggle.
“The battle has started, but it’s all monsters. There’re no mechs anywhere. Is there any way you can use your magic to give us an idea of what’s going on? I smell a trap.”
“Trap? So dishonorable. You can take a simian from its tree, but the moment it feels threatened by honorable combat, you can bet it’ll climb right back up and start flinging its poo at you.”
“Did you just say poo?” Elli asked.
CD didn’t answer, and instead, a diagram played out of the ground next to us. It was a bit difficult to see in the shimmering dawn, but the bushes provided just enough shade so we could make out the lines of the terrain and the red circles of the enemy.
There were so many red circles. What looked to be a hundred of them were heading in the direction of the Cataphracts from four different angles, all formed into a flying wedge formation that would allow them to fire their weapons from all sides.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
CD drew arrows to show their tactical movements, and it became instantly clear that our mechs were about to be cut off from the rest of the city.
“What do we do?” Elli hissed.
She had family in the city, of course, and it’s not like we wanted the rest to die helplessly.
I took one more look at the map and then pointed at a group of five mecha coming in from even further off to the side.
“Scan these.”
Mech Unit “Terraform Catapult”
Processing – Codename: Earthshaker
Class: Artillery/Siege
Tech Level: Intermediate Terraformer
Armor Rating: 780
Core Power Source: Geo-Thermal Core (Level 4)
Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: 46%
ESTIMATED ABILITIES:
Geo-Synthesis Chamber: Converts absorbed rocks and soil into dense boulders. Efficiency depends on the mineral composition of the terrain.
Catapult Launch System: Fires created boulders at a high velocity. Capable of adjusting range and projectile size. Recharge time varies with boulder size, probably ranging from half a minute up to three minutes.
Terrain Adaptation: Enhanced mobility on various terrains, utilizing its four-legged design for added stability and maneuverability.
Defensive Shielding: Generate shields using any excess geo-energy, offering protection against incoming attacks for a short duration.
CUSTOMIZATIONS:
Advanced Filtration System, to ensure only the most suitable materials are absorbed for the boulder creation process.
Precision Targeting System, for improved accuracy of the catapult launch system.
Energy Recapture Mechanism, to reclaim a portion of expended energy during boulder creation and firing.
ESTIMATED WEAKNESSES:
Limited Mobility in Dense Urban Environments, due to its size and frame type.
Vulnerable to all types of attacks, especially when the Geo-Synthesis Chamber is active and consuming power.
Resource Dependency: effectiveness can vary significantly based on the availability and quality of local terrain materials.
POSSIBLE SCAVENGE:
Geo-Thermal Core Fragments
Advanced Alloy Framework Pieces
Precision Targeting Optics
PROCESSED DESCRIPTION:
The Earthshaker is a Siege Artillery Mech designed for long-range bombardment, utilizing a unique mechanism to absorb, process, and launch boulders at enemy fortifications or units. Its four-legged design not only provides exceptional stability during the firing process but also enhances its capability to traverse varied terrains with ease. The Geo-Synthesis Chamber is a core feature, allowing the Earthshaker to adapt its ammunition based on available resources, making it a versatile asset in prolonged sieges. The mech's design incorporates an intermediate level of terraforming technology, balancing offensive capabilities with environmental adaptability. Its defensive shielding and precision targeting system make it a formidable mech against both stationary and mobile targets, while the advanced filtration system ensures optimal use of materials for boulder creation.
“That’s the one we saw before, right?” I hissed. “What do you think, CD? Can our forces defeat them?”
CD’s hologram snorted.
“Intercepted transmissions indicate that the city is in panic. All available mechs of every type have been called to the battlefield. I think they would easily win if it weren’t for one more wild card.”
A new screen displayed on the grass, and we gaped as we read.
Mech Unit “Ancient Arsenal Leviathan”
Processing – Codename: Titan's Wrath
Class: Heavy Assault
Tech Level: Ancient Relic
Armor Rating: 1,120
Core Power Source: Fusion-Based Core (Old Tech Level 5) Estimated Pilot Synchronization Rate: N/A
ESTIMATED ABILITIES:
Missile Barrage: Equipped with a limited cache of ancient tech missiles, the mech is capable of massive destruction over a wide area. Each missile possesses unique properties based on lost technology, with a total of five missiles detected in inventory.
Aegis Field Generator: Creates a powerful shield around the mech, capable of deflecting energy-based attacks and reducing the impact of physical attacks. Operable for a limited duration before requiring a long cool-down.
Quad-Core Empowerment: Enhances the mech's physical and energy attacks through a series of core compartments diagonal to its central core, significantly increasing damage output for short periods.
Temporal Stasis Trap: Can deploy a device that generates a temporal stasis field, disabling enemies within a small radius for several seconds.
CUSTOMIZATIONS:
Ancient Alloy Reinforcement; makes the armor exceptionally durable against most modern weapons.
Energy Siphon System: allows the mech to drain energy from the surrounding area to recharge its core.
Precision Guidance System: increase the unerring accuracy of its missile barrage.
ESTIMATED WEAKNESSES:
Limited Ammunition: Once its missiles are expended, its offensive capabilities are significantly reduced.
High Energy Consumption: The advanced systems consume vast amounts of energy, leading to potential vulnerabilities if the core is depleted.
Pilot Synchronization Difficulty: The ancient tech requires a highly specialized pilot; lower synchronization rates may result in slower response times.
POSSIBLE SCAVENGE:
Fusion-Based Core Fragments
Ancient Tech Missile Components
PROCESSED DESCRIPTION:
The Titan's Wrath is a Heavy Assault Mech, a relic of ancient technology far surpassing the capabilities of contemporary designs. Its imposing presence on the battlefield is matched only by its devastating arsenal, particularly the limited but incredibly powerful missile barrage. With armor reinforced by materials lost to time and a core that harnesses fusion energy, it represents a peak of mech warfare technology that has not been replicated in modern times.
The Aegis Field Generator and Temporal Stasis Trap offer both defensive and offensive strategic options, making it a formidable opponent against any who dare challenge it. Despite its strengths, the Ancient Arsenal Leviathan's effectiveness is tempered by its limitations, including its reliance on a finite ammunition supply and the demands it places on its pilot for effective synchronization. In the hands of a skilled pilot, however, it can change the tide of battle, making it a wild card of unparalleled power on the battlefield.
“I—I don’t even know what most of that means!” Elli hissed. “CD!”
“This is old stuff from before your people devolved into what you are today,” CD replied, his eyes sparkling. “Behold the power of the ancients!”
We peeked out from behind cover, eyes roaming over the battlefield as Alnda’s mechs and soldiers were desperately trying to get rid of the monsters before engaging the enemy mechs.
The Cataphracts were fighting both monster and Barbar, a horde of easily one hundred stiltwalkers encircling them on all sides, while knots of the enemy mechs fought running battles with the Toxotais outside of the circle’s edge. Vanger constabulary and Alndan foot soldiers clashed with monster lightlings and Barbar infantry, hulking men who wore no armor and wielded what looked to be electric greatswords, axes, and hammers, their blades sparking erratically as the men swung and chopped at the enemy before them.
From the forest stomped the Earthshakers, sucking up and grinding dirt, the process taking too long to be effective in a quick battle, but that wasn’t their role in battle anyway. Once their projectiles were done, more of our mechs or even the wall would tremble.
The Cataphracts cut through the stiltwalkers and monsters alike with equal ease, killing over twenty within a single minute. Toxotai attacked them from afar, launching three-foot-long bolts that shredded mech frames and exploded monsters. The tide was halted, and the soldiers were pushing in from the back, clearing the lightlings and providing support to the stiltwalkers, who were too unwieldy against smaller targets.
Then a piercing, shrieking sound cut through the din of battle, and the ground erupted as a blastwave shook the entire battlefield, chunks of monster meat, mech parts, and general debris flying in all directions. Several small pieces slammed into the trees next to us, and we ducked, hiding from the blinding light. The battle halted for what felt like an eternity as everything spun around me, my ears deaf to any sound and my eyes barely able to make Elli out who lay below me.
I blinked the pain away and looked up through the bush. Where the White Knights had stood only moments before, now was a blackened crater filled with shattered mechs and the unseen bodies of their pilots.
The Barbars cheered as the forces of Alnda hurried to retreat back into the city. Another ear-splitting shrieking sound followed, and I spotted a cylindrical device that CD outlined with red lines, as it soared through the air. A second later, it hit the gates of Alndal.