“Report, agent.” The clippy but commanding voice stated.
“At once, Her Imperial Majesty.” An old and gravelly voice responded. Slightly muffled as his weathered face was nearly kissing the metal grates.
“The weapon is awake and calm, he has started circulating his cogs.” He took a quick measured breath, “he has broken through to the fifth cog of the metal attribute.” He then went dead silent.
“What of the focus?” She commanded him to report.
“Currently fast asleep on the weapon's bed, she is unlikely to stray from Her Imperial Majesty’s desired purpose.” The old seer stated with certainty.
“And the weapon’s mobile cog?” She demanded with an even tone.
“Since the weapon has taken this path forward, it was difficult to ascertain the best fit for it.” His gravelly voice deepened a tone, “to my understanding, it would be best if the weapon took to the duelist class mobile cog.” As he paused, waiting for his master to make a choice, he warred in his head as he sought the best path forward.
“His other options?” She questioned, skeptical.
“Due to the weapon's state, it would be best if he were to have the least amount of strain on his body until he is able to break through to the seventh cog.” He stated with certainty, knowing just how much power one gains from such a level.
“Make it so, agent.” She paused, searching her memory for anything else to broach.
“You know your path ahead, agent, for the eternal service, dismissed.” she commanded.
“Her Imperial Majesty.” He stated, then got up, saluted, about faced and stalked off into the reception room with practiced silence.
As the many items on her mind started to get checked off one by one, she thought to herself that it was quite enough planning for this hour. She then flexed her magical will with the intent to rouse her empire class mobile cog awake. This morning, there would be a reckoning in the east.
KACHUNCKCLANK KACHUNKCLANK!
—-----------
~4 hours later
—----------------
There wouldn't be a better way to wake up than to be nudged awake by Lady Cerys herself. Somehow, somewhere along the way, I ended up falling to sleep while sitting upright.
Her pristine smile was infectious. “Wake up, young Lord Erec, it is time for you to get on with today.” A small crease in her left cheek told me that she was still slightly worried for my physical state.
As I looked around, I noticed that I was still indeed naked, stinking from sweat and needed to indeed get moving. I manipulated a piece of my metal shelf to quickly retrieve a towel from the servants corridor.
As I made myself decent, I slowed my out of control thoughts and calmed myself. “Thank you, Lady Cerys for your timely reminder” I looked out at the still sleeping world outside, assuming that today would be another grueling day. “I will now get ready, my Lady, take a seat and make yourself comfortable” I manipulated the plain but comfortable magi-steel chair to arrive behind her. I then turned on my heel and quickly, but not too quickly, made my way to the washroom. Remembering a crucial tool, I manipulated the hourglass to enter my peripheral just to make sure I did not slip into the power unnecessarily.
—-------
~10mins later
—----------------
As I re-entered my room, now clean and clothed in military fatigues fashioned in the colors of house Steelblood. I took a glance at Lady Cerys. She was in her mind palace, doing what she may. I quickly picked up my training boots with my will and slipped them onto my feet, the familiar weight grounding me further. I then reached out with my magical will and retrieved my favorite beverage from the servants corridor. A nice no longer hot thermos of stimulants that would make a giant burrowing centipede curl up, never to awaken if it took a swig. I sent a controlled spark of electromagnetic magical energy into the thermos, heating it up. The containers’ structural integrity being put to the test with even that little highly controlled node of power.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Taking a hot swig, I pushed some will into the focused Lady Cerys to alert her of my ready state. Her eyes opened with grace and a smirk appeared on her lips when she saw what I was drinking. “Are the servants put into grave danger by making sure you get your morning fix?” A chuckle almost forced its way through my beverage filled mouth. I made sure to focus on swallowing so as not to cause a scene. “No, my lady, they bring it here while interred in a squire class mobile cog and carry the thermos with tongs.” It was her turn to react, a quick raise of her perfect right side red eye brow and quick few giggles escaped her lips before she could catch herself. I stood there triumphantly as I risked another gulp of this wonder beverage.
As she regained herself, she then changed her demeanor, leaning toward a more serious tone. “Today, you are to accompany me down to the House Steelblood tarmac for assimilation training.” She let another smile grace her lips as she took in my reaction.
If it were proper, I would have given a hearty yes and pumped a fist. But the Steelbloods must retain some manner of decorum. So I snapped an enthusiastic salute. “Yes, my Lady, for the imperial will” I stated.
She then got up from my chair and turned to the door saying, “let's get down there, for the eternal service, at ease” she then started to move toward the closed door. I opened it for her with my magical will, “after you, my Lady”.
As we made our way there, I kept my hourglass closer behind me, but kept my focus on the task ahead and Lady Cerys. Even if a Mobile cog was a weapon of war mostly, it was still incredibly interesting and something I at least respected. I wondered what class I would get issued. Even though every imperial mobile cog was crafted head to toe to fit into classifications specified by the guild supervisors, they were often also custom fit to better match a knights’ needs on the battlefield. Maybe I could get a spell blade class mobile cog sometime down the line. The Ars Metallica is just a customized spell blade class mobile gear scaled up at the king class specification. As we made our way there, some of the windows facing rightwards reflected Lady Cery’s face. On it was an expression of both grim determination and sheer anticipation. I assumed that this would not be the run of the mill first time piloting I assumed it may have been.
Just getting to the main floor, we approached the front entrance bastion opening out into the main courtyard. It was a sublime level of beauty that would have made me pause if I hadn't lived here my whole life. Every garrison guard piloting their squire class mobile cogs that saw us snapped to attention as we passed.
These roughly eight meter tall mobile cogs often were equipped with a standard issue imperial garrison loadout. A pole arm, likely a Voloss war hammer, a sallet style helm fitted with magical will lenses and with a mail coif that had the Steel blood surcoat stitched onto the middle, a mail hauberk with a steel plate cuirass protecting the most vital areas, riveted vambraces and pauldrons that covered the mail sleeves proficiently, riveted greaves and shinguards that covered mail chauses well and riveted boots that had mail covering them for added protection.
All hung and secured on a padded frame that kept the weight off the pilot. The pilot strapped in with their padded undergarments being secured to the frame using straps.
The ‘powered’ part of the machine, the cog engine, surrounded the pilot on synergy, adding another level of both danger and protection. On low ready, these cogs made barely any noise, but in combat would make sounds ranging from metallic clicking to clanking as they sucked up the magical will of the knight. These cogs stow upward when unused or when dismounting.
These are relatively cheap but protective and usable for a day for most four cog personnel of the garrison. Any longer may result in complications. Ranging from magical cog backlash to latrine issues.
As I made my way through the courtyard, my sight caught the emerald green glint of Lady Cery’s eyes looking back at me. “You must really admire those suits of armor, young master, you veritably could not take your eyes off them!”
Realizing my folly, I attempted to go for a save. “Ah, so Lady Cerys noticed, I bet the armor her ladyship pilots will be even more stunning than these third rate kits” I grinned with my best ‘I'm sorry, but I'm a noble so I cannot say it outright’ look.
She liked that less, for some reas- oh, I just demeaned her physical form by glorifying her armor over her. Rust dammit. Lately I've been out of sorts with my newly attuned power, something as trivial as this wouldn't have formed into such a blunder. “What I meant to say is that, you are my ground in this reality, my focus, my axis on time” I made a slight flourish half bow that could be considered an apology in some situations for nobles. Here it was meant to compliment her. “So do not even for a second, my Lady, lower yourself to such extremes.”
She smiled, at least placated by my maneuvering. Then turned back and continued to lead the way to the tarmac.
—------
1 hour later
—---------------
As we finally made our way through the walled compound of the tarmac, which is also the armory and air field of the castle, I finally laid my eyes on three sets of mobile cogs.
One salamander class mobile gear, most likely her Ladyship Cerys’. It has the southern kingdom’s crest on it: a single flaming, red sun surrounded by a green cog. This kingdom, the kingdom of Welles is known for its now dormant volcano and bad lands harsher than the frozen north.
Her armor had a fine burgundy finish complete with slightly greenish lining around the pauldrons that had two enormous focuses on the right sight pauldron. The bascinet with a klapsinvisor made it look like a red ogre, just less ugly. On the helm and in the would be breathe holes were insulated mesh that probably had both oxygen tubes and magical will focuses. There was extra insulation disguised as a combat pourpoint on the torso. Any plate that was showing had truly impressive enchantments for sure.
To pilot a 12 meter salamander class mobile cog, one would have to be a 7 cog of a general heat attuned element.
Truly impressive.
Her weapons of choice were a spiked war hammer and a full height palisade shield. Which were laid out in front of the mobile cog.
One chameleon class mobile cog. This, I hadn't seen around here ever. It was surely big, 15 meters, but it was unmarked and sported a pure black overcoat complete with a hood and a magi-weave mesh face plate protector. Completely blocking the faceplate. Any armor that was showing was brigandine. Pure black brigandine.
The weapon of choice for this mystery attender was a simple knight’s arming sword. Held in the right gauntleted hand.
Judging by how I would not yet be able to pilot a 10 cog requiring mobile cog, this must be for an instructor or mediator.
Then there it was. An 8 meter duelist class mobile cog. It had a number of swords on a rack next to it, behind that rack, another rack with war axes, war hammers and shields, behind that was pole arms of varying types.
The duelist was in a mail-scale plate setup with the helm being a houndskull bascinet. It had a black, silver and red shoulder hood, those two later colors denoting the house crests of house Steelblood and house Dohiedron, the great steel oak and the red hour glass. Which were placed strategically to be seen from every angle.
A breath hitched in my throat when I felt a magical will I knew all too well.
Gerald.
Or whatever his name was.
He was coming this way.
