Timothy Eli and the Light Guard Trials

Sub-Chapter 14: Bots Like Us

“Let’s see him get through Dover,” he replied.

As he spoke he pulled his hammer from its holster. He gripped and extended it causing it to become larger and smaller at will.

“Now game on,” Pete replied getting ready.

Aeneas shook his head like he was trying to wince through the pain. He grabbed his jaw and moved it back and forth.

“So, there’s a Dom here with you,” he replied. “From the feel of it, a pretty powerful one.”

His words threw me. What was he talking about? Was Sean here? Or was he talking about Pete.

“What are you talking about?” Pete replied taking the words out of my mouth.

“I’ll show you what I’m talking about, whoever it was who appeared to protect you. Therefore, if I smack you around a little while longer they’ll stick their nose out long enough for me to rip it off,” he replied pulling off his jacket and tossing it down angrily.

I had no idea what he was talking about but Aeneas’s demeanor had clearly changed, he seemed less composed. Before he was a little angry, now he was livid, and I also sensed a bit of fear in his disposition. The power had him rattled and he was afraid but why?

“Try it,” Pete replied.

BANG! Dover attacked high but Aeneas blocked him on contact.

“What is this a subatomic bot?” Aeneas groaned holding off. “Thinking outside of the box?”

BANG! BANG! BANG! BOOM! The two changed pace going at each other with mind blowing speed.

“Pete, that won’t be enough. I understand you created the bot to compensate for your lack of speed and close range fighting ability but you’ll never win because the bot isn’t powerful enough,” Uriah replied. “He can’t think as fast as a true living breathing being.”

PING! PING! PANG! BOP! BOOM! The bot was going toe to toe keeping in step with Aeneas but it was obvious Aeneas was simply toying with it. Just as the two were going to collide again Aeneas disappeared and reappeared behind the bot punting it like a football high in the air.

“Close but no….”

BANG! Aeneas head almost detached from his head. Pete swung his hammer like a boomerang smashing the demon with a direct hit.

“Awesome!” I exclaimed raising my hands.

Aeneas flew across the ground and skipped across the yard wrecking through a couple wood fences before landing in a heap in the middle of a grass field. He fought to stand but crumpled still reeling from the blow.

“Bravo, I couldn’t have done it better myself,” Uriah added.

Pete nodded catching his hammer with one hand like a boomerang.

“Like I said, I’m a Virt too,” Pete replied. “I understand the limitations of my bots better than anyone. My plan was never to let my bot fight for me, he is simply an extension of my ability.”

GRRRHH! POOM! Aeneas grunted in anguish punching the ground in anger creating a crater.

“I’m going to destroy you for that” he replied in a calm yet erupting stern manner.

Before I could blink he was gone and heading for Pete.

“Bring it,” Pete replied with a smirk.

POOF! BANG! Aeneas appeared in front of Pete but before he could strike the bot intervened sending him in the opposite direction.

“Watch the birdie,” Pete replied flipping his hammer like a coin with one hand.

WOOSH! WOOSH! WOOSH! WOOSH! Pete began to spin with his hammer like he was throwing a shot-put building so much momentum that the wind around him took the shape of a tornado.

“Try blocking this one,” Pete replied launching the hammer toward a vulnerable Aeneas.

PUPF! Aeneas let out as the hammer collided with him. His body looked like it was about to snap in half from the impact of the blow.

“Impressive,” Aeneas replied coughing up blood from the blow.

BOOF! BUFF! BOOM! He ricocheted off the ground and flew into the already destroyed remains of the barn with bone shattering force.

“That blow,” I replied recognizing it immediately. “That bot, it fights like Sam, it’s almost identical.”

“Exactly,” Pete replied confidently. “I made him using Sam’s algorithm. You know me, I use every advantage I can. I wanted to make bots that excelled at the abilities that I lacked. Two of those areas are close range reflexes and speed, because of that, I had to rely on Sam. All that sparring we did didn’t go to waste. I uploaded Sam’s practice sessions and created software for Dover based on his algorithms and tendencies, and although Uriah is right about the limitations, with me running point I can work to my strengths using them to take some heat off my weak points.”

“Do you have one for me?” I replied my curiosity peaked.

“There not clones, Tim. They just take small algorithms based on fighting styles. They are extremely generic at this point,” he replied a bit annoyed.

“So, do you have an algorithm based on me?”  I pressed.

“Tim, No,” he replied.

“So, what are you saying Sam’s fighting styles better than mine?” I added thrown.

“Tim, this is not the time for that, besides, Sam is the exact opposite of me. I needed someone who’s strength’s where the antithesis of mine and he fit the bill,” he continued.

I shook my head. There was never a wasted experience with Pete he was a pure genius. He was the same in everything he did always deducting, preparing, and putting himself in the best position to succeed. He thought of every scenario and had a plan for the backup of his backup plan. That was just the type of person he was.

“Things just got a little more interesting,” Aeneas replied tossing a large wood column off of him.