The Machine God

Chapter 282

Alexander had waited long enough.

After the reveal of their new pathway to power, they’d discussed details about some of the abilities their clan members had access to. Classes that ranged from simple to strange. Even shared pieces of the ritual they performed, but without actually giving away the core part that mattered.

That’s when Wargah and Selvah had gone on the offensive and revealed that they had access to artifacts belonging to the Empire of Stars, and that they were willing to share them with all the clans with only a few conditions.

Alexander had agreed to let them negotiate from a position of strength, with a couple of caveats.

First, that whatever deal they made was fair and equitable to all clans, though he had no problem with them using their newfound bargaining power to secure a trade. One that would ensure the future of their clan.

He still didn’t understand why it was so important, but it obviously mattered to them that they secure someone with the right gifts.

Second, when it was time for him to leave, he’d be taking the best staff and spellbook with him. Along with a copy of any translated notes on the spellwork. For Auggy. Right now those were the ones from the Discipline Ship, but there was still time for him to find something better.

But so far the clans were just dancing around the point without actually heading toward any resolution.

He dropped, feet first.

Wind tore past his ears. His hair whipped upward. The yurt’s opening rushed toward him, a dark circle growing wider by the second.

Droney’s voice rang out below, cutting through whatever argument had been going on inside.

“The Exalted Machine God approaches.”

Alexander burst through the opening and stopped instantly. One moment he was falling at terminal velocity, the next he hung in the air above the unlit firepit without so much as a tremor. His metal boots pointed downward, his arms tucked behind his back. The white suit jacket he’d washed in the mountain stream still carried the faded brown stains of dried blood that wouldn’t come out. The black chest armor sat strapped over the top. His gauntlet gleamed on his right hand, and the sleeve over his cybernetic arm was rolled to the elbow, exposing the metal beneath.

Forty pairs of eyes stared up at him.

The reactions were immediate.

Baldie scrambled backward off his mat, tripping over his own advisor. Hairy froze in place. Arryet’s elderly advisors pulled her behind them, shielding her with their bodies.

Tresko watched calmly, his hands resting on his knees.

Geetra was on her feet before Alexander had finished his dramatic entrance. Her blade cleared its sheath in the same motion, her center of balance dropping low, weight forward on the balls of her feet. Ready to lunge. Her eyes locked onto him and didn’t move.

Alexander raised his chin and looked down at all of them.

Then he let his Will loose.

His Domain bloomed outward, and with it the full, unrestrained weight of his presence crashed down on every person in the yurt. It pressed against their chests, their shoulders, the air in their lungs. Everyone in the room felt it at once, the crushing awareness of something so far above them that the gap defied comprehension.

He kept his powers in check, but otherwise spared no one.

Wargah buckled under the pressure. Minlah dropped to her knees. Even Selvah sagged where she sat.

It was necessary. Before he offered them anything else, before the negotiations continued, before a single word left his mouth, they needed to understand what he was. He could not be commanded. He could not be manipulated from a position of assumed equality. And whatever he gave them, he gave freely, because he was strong, not because he needed something from them.

The cybernetic fist first. Then the velvet glove.

Geetra’s blade arm shook. Her teeth were bared. She hadn’t lowered the weapon even an inch, and Alexander respected that even more. But her legs were trembling with the effort of staying upright.

Then her own Will pushed back. It was raw and inexperienced, but without any doubt strong. It was like watching a baby tiger take its first, shaky steps.

Tresko, who’d paled under the mental assault, but otherwise maintained his composure, did the same. His was not quite as powerful, but the resistance was more controlled.

The two elders protecting Arryet were next, their Wills combining to shield their charge along with themselves. Then Wargah. Around the room, the other Tier 2s did the same, one after the other.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

None of them appeared to have done it before, which meant none of them had encountered another capable of expressing their presence through their Will. But defending yourself against it came naturally. The need was instinctive, and the method intuitive.

It was the first step to fully actualizing their Will. He could have shattered most of them with force. Pierced Geetra’s and Tresko’s with superior skill. But instead he pulled his presence back slowly.

The pressure vanished.

Alexander spoke, and Droney translated. “I am Alexander Rooke. I’m known as the Machine God in my world.”

He rotated slowly in place, casually turning his back on Geetra and her knife. His gaze swept the yurt, taking in everyone.

“There, I am known as one of the Divine. What you call Exalted.” He paused, creating a rhythm between his words and Droney’s translation. “I have come to speak with the clan leaders. To convince you of the necessity to begin preparations, to arm yourselves, and to be ready for war with the Empire of Stars.”

Silence met his words. The clan leaders and elders shared looks with each other, but none spoke.

Then Tresko took a breath. “What… was that?”

Alexander met his gaze. “I think you know. You’ve felt what it’s like to have superior strength or speed. Or maybe it’s your mind that’s sharpened. Thoughts connect faster. Memory recollection is better.” He grinned. “We call that superiority ‘superhuman’ where I come from, but it’s also a bit tangled up with having superpowers. What you just experienced was a superhuman Will at the peak of Tier 2.”

He shrugged. “I also threw in a bit of my Domain for good measure. It’s great practice for when you inevitably face someone like me.”

Geetra straightened, but her knife remained in her hand instead of being returned to her sheath. “Domain.” She grimaced. “That is a power which belongs to the archmages.”

Alexander shook his head.

“No. I mean no offense, but the Empire has worked hard to keep you ignorant of many things. Your Will is yours alone. It belongs to you. And a Domain is merely an extension of that Will and whatever power you hold in your soul.” He gestured to the room. “And I have not met a single person in this world that does not have power, no matter how small it is.”

Arryet leaned forward, gently pushing the elders still trying to shield her without looking too obviously like they were. “You are from the World of Dreams?”

He nodded.

She continued. “Why do you steal our mana?”

Alexander sighed. This was going to take a while.

***

“... and yes, you’re right, a hovercar is a little bit like a horse and cart. It’s kind of like taking all the energy of a bunch of horses, and packing it into an engine, which I already explained three times, to make it fly.” Alexander took a breath. “But the point is that we don’t need your mana. Understood?”

Tentative nods and shared looks of confusion met his question.

They’d been talking for hours. Hairy had given up his mat for Alexander to sit on, and the others had gathered around him, hesitant at first, with more and more moving closer as he explained superpowers, toasters, aliens, holos, robots, and more.

Even his superhumanly reinforced throat was beginning to tire.

Alexander exhaled and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Okay, look. I feel like we keep getting distracted. Let’s get back to discussing how I can help you.”

Geetra squinted at him. “And why do you want to help us anyway, Al-lex-ando Rock? What do you want in return?”

Her awkward pronunciation of his name had somehow gotten worse again.

“I explained that already. In fact, I’m actually quite famous back home for being very anti-establishment. Besides, the Empire of Stars are a bunch of slaver assholes and I hate slavers.” He held up a finger. “And we have a saying. ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’”

Tresko shook his head. “That is a dangerously simple philosophy. What if the enemy of your enemy is also secretly your enemy? When you clasp hands in trade, he will stick a knife between your ribs.”

Several others nodded.

Alexander groaned. “Okay, forget the saying. Look, I really don’t need anything from you. I’m stuck here until the gateway home opens, or I find another, and I’m just trying to make the most of it.”

“So you want us to help you open the gateway,” Geetra said, nodding to herself.

“What? No. It’ll open by itself in sixteen to seventeen days from now.”

“Yes,” Geetra said slowly, like she was explaining a difficult concept to a child. “And you will need our help to fight your way through the Stars to get it. This I understand.”

The others nodded again.

Alexander closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and tried again.

“No. I don’t need any help getting home. I’m just waiting until it opens.”

“Why not?” Minlah asked. “You said He Who Whispers was guarding it. They will surely have more wizards waiting now that they know for sure that you need to use it.”

Alexander grinned. “That’s their mistake. They’re thinking about stopping me from reaching the gateway.” His grin widened. “They have no idea what’s going to be waiting for them on the other side when it opens. I have a lot of friends.”

There was a collective sound of understanding.

“Does that mean you have many enemies, Alex-ando?” Arryet asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.

Alexander’s mouth opened, but the rejection died before it materialized. He closed his mouth. Then he nodded.

“I guess I do. But that’s only because I stand up to people like the Empress. We have a lot of powerful assholes in my world.” He turned to include the others. “Which is why I want to talk about how I can help the clans by borrowing more wands and staves. Spellbooks, too, if you have any idea where I can find those.”

Hairy tugged his beard. “You mean to return them then? Once we have learned to make our own, perhaps?”

Alexander shook his head. “Of course not. That would be stupid.”

Hairy frowned.

“We can show you the maps,” Tresko said, cutting in. “The Stars have many strongholds, but most of their forces will be made up of those from the clans and cities who wish to earn their wands. The Stars have always been so. The People of the Earth perform most of the labor, while the Stars send an overseer or administrator to manage their operations.”

Alexander nodded. “That should work. It makes things a bit harder, but I’ve been trying to avoid killing people without staves. I figured out those are the conscripts.”

Someone sitting outside the ring of clan leaders leaned forward.

“Can toasters be used to warm underwear?”

Alexander sighed.