The rest of the carridge ride to the Elven Kingdom was both silent and uneventful. After seeing such a bloody display nobody wished to ride with Minos.
Minos looked out from his carridge to see not just a lush forest, but a forest comprised of trees the size of skyscrappers. Just from a glance you could tell it was ancient. On the Tree branches was glowing fruit, allowing shrubs and grass underneath to prosper.
Soldier began to peep out their transport and take in fresh air.
going up the path Minos could see bright lights and a beautifal wall made of tree root and stone. A large door made no doubt of the great trees surrounding them.
Within the walls resides the Great Elven kingdom. One tree resides in the very middle of it. It's branches filled with both housing and large lantern lights. In the middle of the tree layed a large castle, pillars embezled into the bark. Minos reminsced an old story one his citizens mentioned.
"Yggdrasil."
Minos whispered as he looked apon it's beauty.
////////////
Entering the city gates, Minos tried to cover himself up to not scare the people who might get a glimpse of him. Now covered in a dark ragged robe, Minos can look around. The city was bustling with people, kids were playing, and the smell of food was intoxicating.
So much life, made Minos think back to when the Lust Layer was still under his rule. Such a thought made him homesick, but in the back of his mind, he knew nothing was waiting for him.
Not anymore
looking at the crowd, he noticed an odd turn around. People's faces began to sour, children were running into their homes. Did Minos not cover himself enough? No, they weren't looking at him. They were looking behind him. Getting out Minos walked out trying to get a better look. The people weren't even looking at his carravan, and there didnt seem to be an accident.
Walking towards the back, Minos saw the other carrivan that followed their own.
He could smell blood
A woman cried, children screamed, and people ran.
"Where is my child?"
A grandmother cried
"Where is my husband?"
A woman yelled
"Momma, why are you crying. Where is papa?"
A child asked
Minos's blood began to pump. He realised what exactly what the carridges were. Soldier transports.
He sprinted towards the transport.
"Oi oi, what are you doing?" cried the driver
Minos couldn't care less.
Pulling up the covered tarp, Minos witnessed a horrifying display.
Elves stared back at him, a majority injured and cleary dying. Many had loss of limbs, and some were discolored. A sure sign of infection
Looking to his left, a rather young elf loomed at him with pryed open eyes. despite facing him, he could tell he wasn't looking at Minos. His teeth were chattering, and the blanket covering him wasn't being held up. Revealing the loss of a hand, and burn marks. within his hand was an item Minos was scared to be reminded of
Reaching out to the man, Minos pushed open the blanket. The elf didn't respond. In his hand, the elf was carrying a spent bullet casing.
"Gunfire.. in a place where it's wall guard is lined with archers."
Minos tried to grab the casing from the elfs hand. He began to cry and scream.
"Save me! Save me! Get him away from me! Yellow devil!"
The young elf pushed Minos away, and began to back peddle deeper into the dark carridge.
The public out cry gave Minos suspicious looks.
"Hey! what are you doing!"
The driver reached for Minos, and Minos did the same. Snapping the driver's fore arm like a toothpick, Minos silently walked back to his ride. His heart pumping ferociously
////////////
Entering the capital, Minos was guided to room with multiple tables draped with white tarps, some scientists, and some nobles.
"Ah Minos, i'm glad to see you again."
walking towards Minos was an elf noble.
"I believe we've met, but I failed to introduce myself. My name Goras Pusian, of the Pusian household."
He put out his hand, and Minos obliged. Careful not to let his emotions get the better of him, and crush his hand.
"My name is Minos."
"That's odd, could've sworn you were King Minos."
"That name I have given up already. My kingdom no longer stands. So inturn, I am no longer King Minos, just Minos."
Tapping on Goras's shoulder one of the scientists points to one of tables covered with a blanket.
"I'm assuming you calling me here includes what ever is hidden here?"
Minos walks up to the table and grabs one of the corners.
"Yes, like what you did at the war meeting, I'd like to see if you could identify these creatures."
pulling on the cover Minos reveals an iron mess. Seeing it's yellow color pallet, Minos recognized what seemed to be a sword machine.
"I know what this is, We simply called it sword machine."
"I see, so about these-"
Minos cut off the Noble.
"But, it's not like any model I've been seen."
Goras raised his eyebrow.
"do you not recognize it?"
completely removing the tarp, Minos could tell something was wrong with the machine. rather then carrying it's standard edge. It carried a chainsaw with one arm, and a street cleaner's weapon in the other.
"what the hell is this, abomination?"
The machines body was comprised of other machine parts. He knew that some robots would scrap eachother for parts, but not like this. Not even it's main body was orginal. It was if somebody took multiple concepts, and went off with it. Not knowing what it's orignal purpose was.
"Hey, mind sharing whats the problem?"
Goras walked towards the other clothd table, and revealed what seems to a gutterman. Once again Minos noticed a clear difference in it's design.
Walking up to the machine himself, the differences were hard to miss.
The coffin on it's back was replaced altogether, it's gatling arm was replaced with a staff, the arm that should be carrying it's shield had a warped hand at the end, and the head of it was covered with a large malformed skull on it.
"I can't say for sure, but what ever is making these things, I don't belive fully understand how these things work."
The large malformed skull fully encapsulated it's head underneath and the warped black hand didn't fit it's arm.
"Well according to what witness report we could get, this one acted relatively blind, but the weapon on it's arm allowed it to cast magic at will. The crystals on it are special. they're mana crystals. They were powering it."
Mana crystals? Why would they need to do that. If the demon army was so warlike, why would they take the time to try and alter perfect war machines.
Unless they didn't come fully together.
"Goras, how much do you know of the summoning ritual?"
Minos looked at him suddenly and caught him off gaurd.
"Oh uh. well in that department we only have rumors. Some say it's for fallen warriors to be given another life. Some say it gives the summoner what they either want, or need from anither world. why?"
Another life? What they want? Minos tried to allocate this with the memories he had of his last life.
"The priest wanted somebody to aid them, and I had died in my last life in a fight with.."
Minos's voice trailed off.
"god damn it, even in this life you still hurt those around you."
Minos looked down and gripped his fists.
"Minos? did you think of something?"
Minos did, in fact, he found the exact cause of this wars foundation. The reason why so many war machines are coming here. How the demon army is gaining so much support. The reason why there are so many bodies being summoned is because V1 keeps killing in the last world, allowing demons to summon more soldiers. The reason why they're coming in such a decrepit state must be because V1 is ripling them apart, requiring scrapped parts to be molded on to each other
Minos chuckles
"A machine build to end war is a machine built to continue war. Isn't that right?"
V1
/////////Bonus////////
I decided to make some concept art to help you guys imagine what Minos saw. so here is some concept art of the 2 machines on the table
Here is the Sword Machine
And here is the Arcane Gutterman
Hope you guys like it, and if you guys want, give me some cool ideas.