Chapter 96: Curiosity killed the cat, literally

Walking at a brisk pace along the gravel road. Choosing a long walk over a short flight for the peace. The novelty has worn off for flying, I find walking far more peaceful. Feet on the earth, it’s humbling.

It’s exciting and fun flying, but it feels right and natural to walk on the earth. Although, these jagged rocks among this poorly maintained path are bugging me. My armor isn’t as flexible as shoes, meaning my balance shifts if I step on a big rock. Harmless, but very annoying.

Once the lake is within my sight, I step off the path. Finding the winding twists and turns more hassle than their worth. Why walk through I poorly made road when a dozen meters of grassland stand between you and your location.

The grass with hints of yellow from the morning frost, I find the view humbling at the vastness of nature. Moisture clinging to my boots from the wet stems, saying a mental thanks to my waterproof boots.

Escaping the long grass, I come upon the clearing surrounding the lake. Small signs of fishermen litter the ground in the forms of trash and discarded bait, how unsightly. The crater long since gone from sight, fixed? Filled in? I don’t know, but I thank the person.

Having already defused this lake’s dangers, I feel it’s the wisest choice to fish in. Still confounded at why a secret lab sits under this body of water. At some point, curiosity will overtake wisdom, and I’ll explore its secrets. That day is not today. Fishing today, not underwater exploration, absolutely none.

1 hour later.

“How do I get myself into these situations,” I say underwater with difficulty. Looking at the metal guardians watching me with red lasers. Large metallic bipedal creatures of human shape. Shoulder mounted guns and 2 red laser eyes. Slightly larger, towering over me easily. I knew I shouldn’t have opened the door, yet here we are.

Every motion they detect results in gunfire. Wincing as a pulse of pain passes over me from my side. And apparently, my armor is paper to whatever they are using as bullets. Unable to move while waves of pain wash over me like the ebb and flow of the ocean. Steeling all my willpower to stay perfectly still.

The iron guardians slowly move their heads to the side. Looking for the intruder, motion-sensitive clearly. I can't maintain this stillness for long, but I don’t have enough wiggle room to grasp my dislocator without being turned into swiss cheese. Quiet the predicament. Looking over the watchful guards, I see their black armor, not a seem to be spotted. Looking over the futuristic guns rising from their shoulders, shell on top.

When they first spotted me, the guns rose from the shoulders quickly. Exposing the barest of internals, the system of extension left me befuddled alone. The idea of what else may be inside terrifies me.

Taking a deep breath to calm my mind. A symbolic gesture as I’m currently submerged in water. I’m quickly realizing that having everything around my neck makes this a difficult situation. As slow as physically possible, I move backward. Millimeter per millimeter, so agonizingly slowly, I sometimes questioned if I was moving. At some moments I moved too fast. Feeling my heart stop, watch as their heads swivel towards me.

This time, their eyes linger on me longer than they should; in panic, I begin to slowly move my hand towards my bag. Their eyes locked on my torso, my hand slips by unnoticed as I pull out… a wand?

What can I do with this? I don’t think I have any good spells encoded. If I recall, I can create spells on the fly if done manually. But I don’t trust my capacity to work with mana, I’m very rusty. I sigh in resignation, a nervous giggled escaping my lips in a choked gargle underwater. Focusing my will, my mind. “I need a barrier,” I say repeatedly. Focusing on what I need, I push the mana through my wand in the familiar path of an unattuned basic spell.

Pushing at much mana as I can before the spell destabilizes under my novice skill, I release it. Watching as a shimmer of light materializes before me, “I did it, I did it.” I say in joy before everything goes black.

Feeling a sense of nothingness before I’m rushed back to another body. Falling from the shell storage with a hand on my chest. Gasping for breath as I realise, I died. Suddenly assaulted by the sensation and memories, too late. Flashes of bright white light, the pressure as I fall back. No pain; it was too quick. Damn, I really pulled that spell off and still died. The shock falling away like sand as I come to my sense.

“Damn, I hate dying.” Feeling the golden bag around my neck. I equip my wyvern armor this time. “I need to reclaim my property.” This brings very literal reality to the saying; curiosity killed the cat.

Thankfully having found myself within a genetically altered clone, I need not edit it. Returning to the lake with my dislocator, I enter the black lab. Finding the inky black underfoot far more terrifying than earlier today. Jumping at a sudden crack, I realize a stone hit the ground to my side. Must have been knocked off when I leaped into the abyss, “scared of shadows now Aeternum.”

Slowly I approach the now opened door I had found myself trapped at. Hidden by invisibility potions, I slowly creep towards the door. Using every sense, I own to be aware of my surroundings. Twitching at every crack and clink in the echoing hall. Finally, the door comes into view. Black ashen soot where I used explosives to break the durable door open. A meter past the door lies my armor, ridden with holes.

Thankfully my old armor, if it was my wyvern I would cry. Peering into the void-like water surrounding the armor, I spot those metal monstrosities. Sat with blue eyes aimlessly looking around. Still stood in the same space with the guns holstered into their shoulders.

Experimentally testing my invisibility, they don’t react. Reclaiming my wand and my armor. Pushing the sadness aside that my armor is in ruins. The wand is the most important item to be reclaimed. It gains experience and grinding a new one is not on my to-do list.

Skulking away like I scared mouse. Leaving the iron guardians behind in favor of safety. Anger surfacing at the thought of fleeing. “Stupid guardians, why do I have to flee. I’m going to come back and kick you to the scrap yard, you walking rust buckets.”

Swimming away with swiftness. Almost leaving a wake of steam from the anger coursing through me. “Wait until I’ve got awakened draconium armor, then you will run from me.”

Breaking out the icy water, cooled my anger. Rationality returning to my mind; “I can't believe I went back into that death trap.” I need to tell the mayor about what’s under it. If a person was to disturb those guardians, I shiver at the thought.

The walk back to town was fraught with anxiety. The idea of having disturbed something else makes me extremely guilty. Finding myself deep in thought as my own failings, I wander into town on autopilot. Ignoring my surroundings, I find myself at the mayor's office. The world coming back into clarity, the clerk addresses me in confusion.

“Aeternum?”

His curious tone makes me return to thought, “I'm wearing wyvern armor aren’t I?”

He nods stupidly. I’m glad the mayor told him I owned it, I couldn’t stomach another your majesty incident. Quickly removing the helmet to at least pretend it’s not the wyvern armor.

I walk towards his office, stomach in knots. It took me longer than I care to say to open that door, but alas I had to face my own mistakes head-on. Finding the man head deep in his own personal hell.

He spares me a slight glance. “Hey, Aeternum.”

“Hi, I hope you get paid enough to go through all that wood.”

“Not nearly enough. So, what's up, or are you here for an update on the business.”

Nervously rubbing my head, “I fucked up.”

He freezes, placing the pen down with care. Looking up with a frown. He allows his face to stop from his normally neutral façade. “What now.” I hear in a sharp tone.

“Touchy, I haven’t even told you yet.”

He just rubs his head, “Fine, out with it.” In a far more mellow tone.

“You need to ban people from going into that lake.”

His face turning from annoyance to confusion in record time. “And why should I do that?”

“Well, there's a secret lab under it with automatic automatons with dangerous weaponry.”

He laughs, it sounds fake, “Funny, now what did you do?”

“Woke the facility up while exploring it,” I say, holding my nerves together with toothpicks and love.

“Wait, you're being serious!” He says in surprise before hastily pulling out a few folders. He almost inaudibly whispers, “So, that’s what happened to you, Jody.”

“Okay, I will cordon it off. Now, don’t touch it.” He says with his usual careful problem-solving tone.

“I hear you, no touching.” I turn to walk away.

“Where do you think you're going? I need details, get your ass in that chair.”

“And this is what it dropped.” Showing the mayor, the glowing orb of red. His brows furrowed.

“This is rather serious.” He says contemplatively, several documents strewn about the desk. He quickly rings a strange golden bell that lets out an ethereal sound. Moments later, his assistant shows up. Handing a hastily written document to the man. “Give that to Hunter, It’s urgent.” He nods before disappearing back out the door.

“You may leave now, and.” He pauses for a moment in thought. “I know this isn’t completely your fault, it was a ticking time bomb you just activated. If you have any methods to help, inform me. Otherwise, I will need to call in the royal guard to remove the threat.”

I simply nod in reply, “See you soon.” Waving him goodby.

Finding myself sat outside the building. Breathing deeply, thankful it is over. That was not an easy conversation. And now, I have a time limit to raid that lab. No illusions let me think I can kill those guardians. So, let’s sneakily raid it. It’s my only option at this point. I don’t have enough time to get an upgrade, and I technically have disposable bodies. The thought bringing back unsavory memories of my recent death; those machines are terrifying. I've fought the giant one, which was the first floor's guardian. A deadly goliath of metal I struggled with. The second floor, yeah, I don’t think I could defeat one of them. Two, that’s overkill; what are they protecting? Knowing my luck, bugger all. Just empty husks of a bygone age protecting ghosts. But I still need to check, anything that strong could rare items and materials.

Returning home, I place on some freshly crafted pink armor. The familiarity brings peace to my heart. I return to the town, finding the tailor. He has my clothes ready, most of them anyway. I will return another day to get the rest.

“Thanks for the clothes.”

“Any time sir.” He says with a half bow.

“No need for the formalities, I don’t need the bowing and stuff.”

“Don’t be silly, I must show my appreciation for such important figures.”

I just sigh, leaving it at that. I've got a heist to plan. But first, let's see how I look in these clothes.

I find it uncomfortable with all the stairs directed at my very distinct body. Although, It wasn’t as many as I feared. The clothes fit snugly and comfortably. The fabric is soft and durable. It screams quality, and I can appreciate that. At least I can obscure my armor and not be naked now. Got to look on the bright side of things.