He stood alone overlooking the grey rock landscape mixed with the red hue of the setting sun. His hand clasped the pommel of his sword that was sheathed at his side. As he gazed at the horizon he flicked his eyes to the massive structure to the northeast. A tall obelisk-like structure of glass and hard light reflected the glint of the dying sun as it lowered slowly to the earth.
Looking down he glanced at the cable before him, its bulk massive and twisted like interlocking Threads. Those rumored creatures of old that twined together. His grey enjil covered his body and protected him from the heat. He cleared his throat and turned gazing at the drag marks that stretched for leagues behind him. He had made it this far and he would not fail now.
A sharp pain hit the right side of his neck as a tender appendage jammed into it. Irritated he turned to the floating enginilliumirnm as it tended to his injuries.
Sustained damage in the cortical region. At risk of collapse. Injecting nutrients.
“Leave me alone,” the enhir said.
A flatulence sounded as the creature adjusted its hydrogen buoyancy and maintained its floating position on his right side. The appendages attached to the bloated gas sack of a creature moved all over his body checking for injuries and assessing his vitals.
“I do not know why I put up with you,” the enhir said. “All you do is prod and annoy me.”
Life debt is owed. Must continue my work. Many calculations are needed.
“Enough,” the enhir said as he reached up and tore the appendages from his neck. “Come. We move. We need to attach this at one.”
Computations predict success is unlikely.
“Silence. We move now.”
Night had passed and at last the sun rose in a fiery orange. He stood up as the first light warmed his naked chest. The enginilliumirnm had been injured when he found it. Large gashes had maimed its side, and it had been losing altitude. Without proper treatment it could not recover and was dangerously close to touching the ground where it would die.
“Release,” he said. His back arched inward pressing his chest forward and then reversed suddenly. There was a tearing sound as the enginilliumirnm removed itself from its host’s back. The appendages tore away from the skin and blood and fluids spilled to the ground. The creature floated to his right side and stabbed him in the lat. The pain fled from the man’s eyes.
Wounds healed. Buoyancy succinct. Hydrogen process reestablished.
“I am glad to hear it,” the enhir said. “Now there is no need for you to feed off my body. I can finally sleep on my back again.”
The enhir looked up at the glass and hard light of the obelisk-like structure that towered over him. All he needed to do now was enter the structure and connect the cable. Pulling the cable behind him he made his way to the opening. He walked through the doorway gazing at the markings along its right curve. The terminal rose from the floor. A rectangle of glass and hard light. Behind it there was only a vast blackness. A void that encompassed the large room.
He walked up to the terminal and with a mighty effort pulled the cable and thrust it into the terminal opening.
Input initiated. Sequences spun. Data collating. Information processing. Systems responding. Awakening presence.
“What are you talking about? What is awakening?” he said. He glanced at the enginilliumirnm which had floated above the terminal. A long appendage floated down and made connection with the terminal.
“What are you doing!” the enhir yelled.
Making corrections. Adjusting information. Bringing forth presence.
There was a sudden flash of light, and he raised his hand to shield his eyes. Then there was darkness. The terminal sputtered and sprang back to life. It glowed in a white hard light. Suddenly the cable jerked, and a red light ran through it like a thread.
“I see now that we have succeeded but more is needed,” the enhir said. “I thought it would be simple to connect the hard metal AI stacks, but I was wrong. My father was right when he said, ‘whoever has energy in the future will have power.’”
The man turned from the terminal and back toward the circular opening. Outside the sun was setting.
I have downloaded the data from this citadel. It seems to have restored my speech.
“One down, thirteen to go,” the enhir said. “And do not even think about feeding on me tonight.”
Before his eyes, fractal patterns and shapes swam in a hard light. He could feel the data overlaid on his vision. He reached out his hand to touch a geometrical spiral before his eyes.
Three hundred miles away a pair of eyes opened in the darkness. Then six more burned in the abyss. It felt the touch of its master and it would not be denied.
Pierce Novak