The Way of the Future: Age of Machines(Completed)

Savior

Three pairs of steps sounded through the forest. The sound of grass getting crushed their feet and the dancing of the bushes and branches prompted a settling scenery. The sun's beams shone through the small holes in-between the thick foliage. Artemis, along with his two Elite Androids, were walking through the forest, eight kilometers away from the defense perimeter. Artemis had the idea of exploring personally himself to quench his small yearning for nature.

It has been some time ever since the Machine Network arrived in this world, Artemis didn't have the time back then to appreciate the scenery that was absent from Earth. He had not seen any forms of life for a millennia besides with his artifial organic tissue, now he was enjoying the trees and the sounds of nature.

As the trio continued their walk, a horn broke the peaceful natural silence.

"Source detected" One of the Elite Androids reported. Artemis was intrigued and decided to investigate further. The group carefully walked their way through the thick bushes and came across a tall wooden wall built from sticks and rope. The sticks were the size of logs and had pointy edges resembling that of a pencil. The entire wall was bounded by small ropes tied around the sticks. Voices could be heard from the other side. The wall itself had a vine growing in and around it, indicating it had stood there for a long time. Artemis looked from left to right and noticed the wall to be curving at certain end points.

A village?

He thought. Artemis decided to take a peek of what was going on inside. He turned on his infrared eyes, revealing a cluster of heat signatures near what appears to be a platform similar to that of the gallows.

Beyond the wall was a Tribal Union Village, a loose member of the widely feared Tribal Union. The Tribal Union were a loosely organized union of nomadic villages in and around the Alnub Forest. There was hanging about to commence.

The villagers, young and old were all gathered at the village center, a similar prototype of the gallows stood at the very center, a woman with her face covered by a black mask stood on the platform with a rope tied around her neck. She was about to be executed.

"Hear ye, hear ye!" The village master emerged from the crowd and walked up to the platform and stood beside the lever used to open the doors beneath the woman's feet.

"This woman has disgraced our tribe! and therefore by the laws of the Union, she is to be brought to spiritual justice!" The village master placed both his hands on the lever and readied. Artemis was eagerly watching, processing what he could do to exploit the situation. He only knew the Union as a loose collective organization of tribal villages, maybe he can use this as an opportunity?

Out of the crowd, a small little girl came out shouting.

"Mommah! mommah!" The little girl cried, a crowd quickly shoved her to the ground as the children went and started kicking her.

Barbarians

Artemis thought.

"Behold!" The village master looked more like a crazed lunatic in the eyes of Artemis.

"An abominable offsprings of this woman, we shall hang thee when thou finished with the mating ritual!" The old village master laughed maniacally.

He then raised his left hand and stared at the sun, his eyes quivered as the bright light nearly blinded him.

"Oh here ye, Sun God, bless our souls as we punish thee who mocked your teachings" He turned and faced the woman before finally pulling the lever.

A portion of the wall suddenly bursts, a mysterious projectile cut the rope that was attached to the upper bark on the gallows, saving the woman from being hanged. The two Androids blasted the wall and launched two canisters. The canisters contained a combination of neurotoxins in the form of a gas designed to target motor nerves and cause temporal paralysis. The canisters flew and struck the ground in the middle of the crowd, releasing the gas. The villagers all fell when they breathed the gas, their arms and legs stiffened while screaming in their thoughts.

The smoke from the blast cleared, The trio walked towards the little girl. She was also paralysed and was likely traumatized by the event. Artemis then turned to look at the woman, the black mask was still on her head

"Remove the black mask, EA-2, she might choke" Artemis was unsure of the gender of the woman but was sure the young girl called her 'mommah'. The Elite Android had the designations, EA-1 and EA-2.

EA-2 immediately walked towards the woman, it drew out two spikes from its wrist and sliced the mask. The woman's face was oily and dry, she was malnourished while also bearing signs of physical trauma all-over her skin. Black patches were prominent, Artemis looked into her eyes. He knew the woman wanted to die.

Huh

Artemis thought, he didn't exhibit any special feelings for the woman or girl, he didn't feel any sympathy nor pity. He only saw them as tools he could use.

But for the first time since his awakening, Artemis felt.

Human.

"EA-1 and EA-2" The Androids faced Artemis. He took a look at the village, the houses were mostly made out of planks, the roofs were made of hay and cattle could be seen roaming on small fenced fields. The wooden wall stretched for only 500 meters circulating the village, judging by the people in the crowd, the village was a bit small.

If the village is small, it would seem insignificant in the geopolitical landscape of this world. Sure the Tribal Union would make a fuss, but it's not like they know us. These villagers, though motionless, have their eyes wide open and our appearances have been screwed into their heads. It would be risky to keep them alive.

Artemis remembered a few days back, a hive of 30 goblins was found and captured. This seemed like the time to use them. Goblins understood basic human communication, he would simply torture them to attack the village while the villagers were in a state of paralysis, they will take the blame and nothing will befall the Machine Network.

A smile appeared on Artemis' face as he thought of the idea.

"Central D1, gather the goblins"

[Central Drone-1, copy]

Communications were a bit choppy, seems like they needed to launch a satellite if they were to conduct operations on locations that were too far for the small radar dishes to reach.

"EA-1 and EA-2, carry the two back to the base, treat their wounds and place on beds designed for comfort. Let them rest and serve them any food that can be manufactured, tell the other drones that these are my orders. Seal them inside a room decorated to resemble that of a modern hospital, you have that imprinted in your memory right? put it into good use"

"Affirmative," Both Androids said in unison, the Androids carried the two and walked off into the forest. Artemis took another look of the village and turned his head up to the sky.

"Tribal Unions, Kingdoms and fantasy creatures. This world is not something we can just steamroll"

This energy called M1(Magic) was a thorn in Artemis' mind. It was unknown and highly flexible, if it can breach through space, it could definitely be used for combat. But he didn't know how, the only thing he currently knows is that magic, is.. well...

Magic.