Akhenamen walked through Cygislax’s underground tunnels. The whole underground complex was now at least three times wider than the exposed city above. Most of the Cygilite’s troupes and the seventeenth legion now lived below ground. Excluding the three wolf Authorities that had chosen to go to sleep in their stratum with the other Calamities.
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The underground complex had become far more populated with the first Cygilite forges being built, ready to create new Legions to populate and protect Oleron and Cygislax. For now, Akhenamen had three Legions being produced, each in its own forge.
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He was bringing back and creating new bodies for the minds of the first, second, and third legions. They were perfectly suited for his needs, as they were specialized in defensive warfare and using huge and powerful mechanized vehicles to fight and defend a position.
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Their bodies, for now, lay dormant apart from their Cygiteks, which had been awakened early so that they could quickly organize a deployment of their legion right after their awakening. This was all phase 1 of the Akhenamen plan.
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For now, all his efforts would be concentrated on Cygislax, when at least half the legions would be brought back, then he would start Phase 2, which was to terraform Oleron and start the construction of his defensive matrix.
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“How long until the Legions are ready to be awakened, Ascylla?”
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“The first three legions will be ready in one week, all with the newly improved bodies you have granted them most graciously, my Hierarch. As for all the legions? That would most likely take us six months.”
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“Very well… What about the construction of the Hyper-Fauna’s forge?”
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“Cygislax is allocating the resources necessary; we should face no troubles. And with the payment from our new “allies” from the first batch of our commercial products, we’re able to easily supply our Liquid Silver Fabricator with pure materials. We’re also keeping the rare materials, techniques, and items within our newly built vault guarded by the Twins and their Beyonders supporters.”
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“Good. When will we be able to upgrade them?”
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“Not for a few years, my Hierarch. The Liquid Silver Fabricator is one of our most advanced technologies. Upgrading them would require putting on hold our repair plans for months.”
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“Very well. What about the new districts?”
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“As you’ve instructed! We now have six districts underground. The Residential, while mostly empty, is complete; the Weapon and Armor Factories district is at 75% completion. We’ll soon be able to supply our Legions with the brand new weapons and armors your blueprints have given us!”
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She stopped for a bit, re-adjusting her glasses, yes, Ascylla had taken to having glasses for reasons unknown to him. Akhenamen really didn’t care, and she was free to do whatever she wished. Her snake-like tail hits the floor excitedly.
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“Our third most advanced district is the Legionic Smithy. We have 7 out of 20 of our Legionic Forges fully built, we just started with the 8th today. And should be done in six months! The last five Forges will be quite impressive and complex to build, to say the least!”
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“Fourth, our Mega-Constructs Forges district has just started construction. The fifth and sixth are currently still being fully planned out, my Hierarch!”
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“Great. What about the Stratums of Cygislax’s upper city?”
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Akhenamen was sitting on his chair, listening to Ascylla’s reports, one hand against his cheek as he analyzed every piece of information he obtained. It was all… according to plan.
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“The Seventeenth Legion has also fully acclimated to Cygislax, my Hierarch. They are currently guarding Cygislax’s upper city as instructed. Is it true you are going to go and train Sofya tomorrow?”
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“Yes.”
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“Very well, I’ll be clearing your schedule for tomorrow.”
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“Thank you, Ascylla. After tomorrow, why don’t you and Syllena accompany me to a simple picnic?”
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“W..what?! But my Hierarch! I must make sure the construction of Cygislax goes as your perfect plan intend-”
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“Do not be worried, shall I remind you I'm in a constant link to the entire consciousness of our kind? If there are any problems during the two hours you’re gone, I will know. In fact, consider it an order. You will accompany Syllena and me to relax a bit.”
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“... as you wish, my Hierarch.”
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Akhenamen laughed at her surprisingly emotional outburst. Unlike what some people would believe, Ascylla had absolutely no romantic intentions toward him; she was a Cygolite, too, so he could feel her consciousness. And she saw him more like a big brother than any romantic interest.
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He was loyal to his wife, may she rest in peace, until he could bring her and his children back. He knew he would succeed, but he did not know yet. How could he in good conscience ever think about cheating on her!?
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“Good. Now you may go back to watching over the reconstruction project if you wish. In the meantime, I have someone that I must visit.”
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***
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Akhenamen’s body walked above Oleron, his steps calm and slow, not in any way in a hurry; in fact, he was taking this leisurely walk to watch around, trying to spot any interesting plant or even some animals. As Oleron was home to a unique fauna and flora, he wished to make his defensive matrix leave some space free for Oleron’s fauna and flora to flourish despite his people’s expansion.
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“I’ll have to visit Ulgatoth, in fact. I’m sure the ruler of Oleron should know about most beasts that inhabit its kingdom. I hope he will not be upset that I haven’t visited him until now.”
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Below him, Akhenamen could see the fins of some of the great and enormous sand manta rays they had once spotted with Sofya, Ascylla, and Syllena, happy to watch those majestic beings play again. He stayed for a bit, looking at them jump and glide through the sky.
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He had to admit such massive beings would be hard to contain in any way, but he would figure out a solution to preserve Zenthia’s unique fauna. Earth had lost so many of its once beautiful animals… whales, tigers, rhinos, most had disappeared not long after 2035.
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The death of the last whale had been a massive hit on the population, which had caused so much unrest against the mega corporations that when Vermillion appeared and proposed to resurrect and bring back so many of Earth’s extinct species, like the whales, most of the planet went behind them.
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So what if they had hegemony? They had never abused it in dozens of years. Akhenamen very much intended to make sure his plans would be eco-friendly. Did that make him sound like a goody two-shoes? Maybe… and in a few years, he would be whipping out entire civilisations, so he would like to save what and whom he can save.
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His inner thoughts soon stopped as he peered down, staring at the figure standing below him, Orikon the Gale Glaive. Akhenamen allowed himself to drop down from his tri astromath construct, suddenly appearing silently before Orikon after shattering the distance between him and the ground, his hands behind his back.
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While his true rank was that of an Authority, someone as experienced as Orikon easily felt Akhenamen’s stats were far higher than they should be.
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“Hello, Orikon. I hope I am not bothering you.”
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“Not at all. So are you here to take up on my offer? With your new rank and stats, I’m sure you’ll have no problem beating an old man like me.”
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“I would not underestimate a warrior who has lived for as long as you, Orikon. And we promised we would use only pure skill and not our Transcendent laws and intents. I will even forcefully restrict my stats if that is what you wish.”
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“So you do have honor. I know many would have taken advantage of such a sudden increase in strength. What do you wish for us to start training together?”
“Glaive. I received a glaive long ago, and while I believe I have outgrown its use, I must admit I really like the weapon’s aesthetic. Learning to use it properly would remove any excuses I had to restrict myself to long range fights or just using my fist to fight. My glaive barely handled the last fight I was in.”
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“Well, I already spotted one mistake. Your weapon isn’t weak or useless. There are no useless weapons. What makes a glaive deadly isn’t its quality but the one who wields it. And the Laws and Intents related to Glaive wielding they have mastered, but that’s another matter.”
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“Ah… That is true. Where should we?”
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“From the very beginning.”
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Orikon stood up, taking one last gulp from his gourd, making a loud gulp, the alcohol he drank seemed to be fresh and cold. It made the air fog a bit around his lips now. He pats his belly and burps a little before cracking his neck with a groan.
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“Fuck… I sat down for too long, didn’t I? No matter. Let’s begin.”
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He opened his hand, and two wooden poles equipped with a heavy-looking stone shaped like a glaive’s blade at the end appeared, and he threw one at Akhenamen. Taking a fighting position that looked basic but was already much better than anything Akhenamen had achieved. Not that he could be blamed, Akhenamen’s future memories had left out his glaive fighting experience and the training with Orikon.
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“Let’s start basic and simple… in front of me, Akhenamen, get ready. We’ll see how your instincts are. Try to restrain yourself to the stats of an Authority, or I won’t be able to judge accurately.”
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“Very well… I am ready for you, Orikon.”
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Akhenamen took a similar pose, his enhanced mind able to perfectly copy Orikon. He wanted, for once, to achieve something without the System’s help. No help from it at all. Just his own understanding and hard work. Was it stupid and prideful for Akhenamen to want that? Maybe… but every man should have a bit of pride.
