“You will all follow my lead, I will go in from the front while you flank around their sides. It seems that it hasn’t greatly changed its basic frame, so the main sections to aim for are its chest, where the main battery is held. Or its neck, it is the thinnest piece of material with the least amount of armor.”

I looked at the dozen members of what they called the Flock, all of them had similarities to ‘Iyyov. Mechanical parts extending from one major limb and spreading through the rest of their bodies. However, it seemed that ‘Iyyov was one of the earliest members as his machines covered a far larger part of his body than the rest. Strangely none of them had any mechanisms that spread into their heads, they all stopped strictly at the neck.

“We will all work in trios, group 1, A and B will flank from the left, while group 2, C and D from the right. Everyone check your weapons and cover each other's back. We are hoping to make it out of here with no casualties, but also know that the Saint specifically ordered for this threat to be destroyed here and now. If a single bot remains it will start again, except this time it will be more cautious than ever.”

“Blessed are the Flock.”

“Blessed are the Flock.”

‘Iyyov and the rest of his Flock grabbed their guns from under their seats, moving through each and every part of the weapons. The helicopter they revamped for travel was big enough to carry us all. With just enough space to allow us enough room that we didn’t need to sit right next to each other. Despite this the Flock crowded around on one half and left me alone.

They whispered to each other about me, complaints at what little we had brought. Only myself and a single bone ax, they thought that me being here was some major offense to the Saint. Or they spoke quietly about our selfish nature, how we were unwilling to work with the Flock to create a being of superior flesh and machine. How the Saint was right about us, how we were creatures of violence and selfishness.

It angered Myc, but it angered me even more. This Saint of theirs was more like me than I was probably willing to admit. But all he was, was a self centered man who thought that his way was superior. However, it seemed that both of us were just stronger because we were the first to be infected. There would come a time when I would be just another member of the Collective and I was fine with that. This Saint however, seemed to want to stay the big dog and he achieved it through some religious nonsense.

“We will be landing in five minutes, the compound is only two clicks north. Blessed are the Flock.”

That phrase was starting to get really annoying. We all stood, ready to launch from the hatch as soon as we touched the ground. We had the element of surprise, but it was likely that the XT’s were aware of a random helicopter landing this close to their base. So we needed to get there as fast as possible before a true force was organized.

We moved through the dense forest with relative ease, my enhanced form and their augmented bodies meant both speed and finesse. It only took about 5 minutes, but already the XT’s were standing out front in an orderly fashion. Nearly fifty of the metal contraptions were standing side by side, eyes glowing and heat rolling off the machines like a visible wave.

“XT-489 your attempts at the eradication of our species has been noted and the Saint deems you unworthy. As a machine you are worthy of praise, but you are also incapable of coexisting with other sapients. However regretful it is, you have been designated for extermination to save both this planet and the Flock. I am sorry.”

Every machine stood still, waiting and watching us without making a single move. Until a single machine turned, looking into my eyes and moving forward. It stood in the middle of the soon-to-be battlefield, its eyes brightened and its machines roared to life.

“Species Class Fungoid Hybrid, Hive mind confirmed…”

“Species Class Human Machine Hybrid, Mechoid confirmed…”

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Another machine walked to stand next to the first, its eyes just as bright and its internals just as loud.

“Species Class Machine, confirmed.”

“Machine?”

A pounding finally reached my senses, it was loud and it was coming quickly. We all turned cautiously, careful not to turn away from the true threat to see what the new one would be. Like a wave, a rush of machines came pouring out from the trees, nearly a dozen robots came onto the small concrete floor we had gathered on. They stood staring and just as cautious as the rest of us, seemingly scanning all of us up and down.

The machines were over 12 feet tall, and had to weigh at least a thousand pounds each. They were like giant bipedal metallic people without heads, a large torso that had a pair of arms, a pair of legs, and a second pair of prehensile-like limbs. Its arms and legs were like long segmented flat whips, capable of moving and bending along the dozen jointed segments. Its body was like a single massive screen, an eye-like circle moved around to look over all of us. It didn’t speak for a long time, it just stared, seemingly debating who was the threat. It looked at my form for longer than I was comfortable with, I grabbed the ax at my side just in case.

“We are the Furelegatum, peace keepers of all sentient life in the universe. We have deemed the machines known as XT-489 a threat to all sentient life. It is a harsh punishment, the extinction of a species, but we will not let the legacy of our masters die simply so you may live.”

With a rush of bulky metal parts and hard steel, the Furelegatum rushed forward to meet the XT’s. The Flock and I were nearly as surprised as the XT’s, but we were unwilling to let our advantage go to waste. So with a single glance we rushed in, flanking from the sides and being as cautious as we could.

I moved in with my ax held in a steel grip, I moved into the left side of the fight. I wanted to destroy as many of the XT’s as I could before the new machines started to count me as a threat as well. So with nearly twenty deadly weapons made of steel and carbon fiber standing in front of me, I dove in ready to make scrap metal.

The machines shared senses, and like Myc seemed to have ever advancing minds as their numbers grew. They moved around each other like a dance, performing intricate movements that made it hard to watch a single machine through the cacophony of the battle. So I didn’t, with the new and improved storage capacity that Myc begrudgingly accepted, I could turn this fight into a drawn out battle.

The machine's strategy seemed simple but effective, using enough bodies to stall me and the Flock so it could focus its efforts on the new threat. The defensive techniques and unwillingness to focus on wiping out either of us allowed it to send out nearly thirty XT’s, so it was a nearly three on one against the Furelegatum.

I wanted this fight to be over, but I also didn’t want it to deem me a threat worth taking out first. So I used a simple hit and run tactic, slashing and bashing at any semi-important piece that came within range. Slashing limbs or crushing chests, wearing down the hunks of metal without ever truly taking a single one out of the fight.

However, my efforts were noticed by the whole before long, it seemed that the Furelegatum’s massive size was only a hindrance in this style of combat. The damaged bots pulled back and switched with the nearly undamaged ones that the Furelegatum attempted to take on. I was now fighting about 25 fresh bots that sought a quick but definite death on my part. I had wanted to continue my relatively safe and effective method, but unpredictability was the most effective fighting technique.

I would need to change my style from my usual human form to something more combat effective. Myc slowly grew plates of bone across my more vulnerable areas, covering my chest, head, upper arms and legs. Just as several bots came to slash at me, I moved to allow them to smack against the thicker plates in my chest and arms. Using the split second before they were able to pull back to cleave off two of their heads with a single swing.

They all backed away to spread out, attempting to avoid any more collateral damage. They all moved in again, spacing out their attacks by a mere second. It made avoiding attacks and getting solid hits even more difficult than before. So with a quick burst of flesh, four vine-like tentacles exploded from my back. All tipped with a long bone blade, whipping through the air with what seemed like a mind of their own. So as soon as another barrage of attacks came, several were deflected, while the rest I took to allow the tentacles to whip through the bot's joints. Slashing and tearing limbs with relative ease as they moved faster than either of us could keep up with.

However, as before this would be a drawn out fight, they had numbers and I had stamina. The XT’s drew in close with a more defensive use of their wings, stabbing forward making long slashes through my clothes and bone armor. Willingly taking damage in an attempt to wear down my armor and find my weak spots.

It only took a few lost limbs and a single down bot before they figured out that the armor only extended to just above my joints. With precision and speed they were able to dig deep enough into my arm and legs, cutting joints and tendons. The damage slowly built up as with each joint that was slashed meant I was less capable of defending myself.

Just as I leaned down, the armor segments covering my back were slashed and torn to bits, Myc had finished the adjustments to my legs. Turning them from the simple single bend of the knee into a more alien version. Two large segments bent at the new knee, forming a ‘Z’ like pattern with a large single bone poking out of the back of my ankle with a small blade forming on the end. The design was a better version compared to Liz’s attempts, it was faster, more flexible, and allowed more weight to be put on the ankle without worrying about breaking or tearing.

With a burst of speed that surpassed anything I could have achieved before, I broke through the small pile of machines that had gathered on top of me. Hopping nearly 20 feet in the air, before plummeting back down into the small pile smashing into the heap of metal and wire. Before jumping back out to single out an individual bot, swinging my ax at its throat as it stabbed forward with its bladed wings.