"We've found an abandoned base, one of our own. Old-fashioned automata linger around the area and lots of good raw material to be harvested, however, when we sent Automata to investigate…" Scarab continued as she held up a small hologram.
A large beam of orange flame emitted from what seemed to be an opening within the base, incinerating an Automata on screen before the video cut out.
"That's not magic…" I whispered…
Cecil pointed at the screen. "A Dragon's breath weapon…"
"Hahaha… hahah-!" I laughed, happily ruffling Scarab's hair.
Scarab smiled with joy. "Once you eat lunch, you can head off immediately-... We can watch over Cecil here!"
I smiled again, and turned towards Cecil who was smiling as well. "Samuel told me to take good care of you, so, if you need anything just ask one of the Automata. I'll be back in just a while. Make sure to behave, okay?"
"Will do!" They happily remarked.
Scarab assigned an Automata assistant to her while she led me off towards the brand new dining hall. In only 18 hours this space station had been expanded and made way more useful. While Automata aren't the greatest at problem solving, they are absolutely exceptional when it comes to everything else.
The Amount of Mana in the air was good, and it was all clean as well…. Hah… lovely.
There is only a certain amount of Mana within this world, the power of the nodes to create Mana from their generators is a powerful tool. I can certainly feel its effects as I walked through the now brightly colored hall-ways.
Now… time to think of a strategy…
Based on its fire breath, there are a total of 5 options that might be viable as to what type of dragon it is… based on the actual size of the breath weapon, it is likely an Adult.
Our potential list for a full-scale dragon is Red or Gold Dragon. Our other potential candidates are Tiamat, a Dragon Chimera, or a Half-Dragon.
If it's Tiamat, well, that's nice. The Queen of Chromatic and Evil Dragons is by far one of the best allies for I to have, despite our falling out. She's a multi-headed dragon, one with each of the chromatic variants. If it were her, we would be seeing other forms of breath weapons being used.
I don't see how a Chimera would have such a powerful breath weapon, and it's atypical for a Chimera to be able to breath in space… in fact, the only ones capable of that would be the Gold and Red dragons, not including the Gemstone dragons due to their psionic nature and lack of a subtype that breathes flame.
If it is a red dragon, the situation will be quite rough. They are highly territorial, have a terrible temper, and are quite fond of destroying and killing. As for a gold dragon, the opposite is mainly true. I can certainly negotiate with.
The dining hall was quite large, though, quite empty. Despite being able to eat within their design, the Automata don't eat much at all. Magically created food isn't nearly as good as food from scratch, but the food here is atleast good enough to satiate any guests that would need to eat.
"Hello! Welcome to the Dining Hall, Lord Avery! We don't have much of a selection, but we hope it's up to your standards in quality!" A short automata sat in front of the menu, offering aid and service with the machinery that produced the food.
I scouted the menu, lots of unique and different things. Some foods are as old as I, others as new as this world.
"...hmm… that looks nice." I mumbled, placing my finger against a singular dish.
The Automata ran off to operate the machine. "Right away, Lord!"
Hah, and so begins the cycle of being called lord or king… hogwash.
So I ordered a short plate of… noodles with a red sauce? Something called 'Spaghetti', which came with 'Meat-Balls'. I was unsure what meat type it was, as it was simply not from a creature I have nor the souls within my have ever seen.
I'm… terribly excited.
A full meal in my stomach and something so interesting I can't stop thinking about it, returning back as well… There a manner of things I wish to experiment with on that Angel Child.
I certainly enjoy this experience, the thrill and excitement of things going my way…
"Thank you, it was a lovely dish." I smiled humbly towards the short automata.
"T-thank you so much!" It smiled with a relived and weary expression, the Automata seemed to have been very nervous to share this dish with me. While it wasn't anything grand, I could taste emotion out into it… the hard work of the automata's experiences.
I turned towards the Automata as I wiped my mouth with a napkin. "Such a wonderful chef, to experience such things… I can tell you've had the skin beaten off of you many times, haven't you?"
It meekly and shyly hid behind a short menu. "U-um, I-I suppose?"
"Mm." I got up after fully finishing my meal. "Continue your hard work. Empyrea needs people like you."
"E-Empyrea? That is…" It mumbled.
I smiled as I walked off. "That will be our name once again. Glory to Empyrea."
"G-glory to Empyrea-!"
"Haha-! Empyrea? Haven't heard that name in a long while…" I heard a familiar voice peak from behind me.
I swiftly turned around, sweat upon my brow, to find a soft red glow illuminating a dark corner in the cafeteria. The lights blitzed off for a moment, and just suddenly, a flash of red lightning illuminated the room once more.
"Samuel…" I grit my teeth. "You said you'd be here in a month…"
He laughed with a wicked grin. "Haha~~ oh, Avery, no way I could wait that long-! Oh, the nostalgia~..."
"Here to pick up your child-?" I put my hand to the side of the Automata who, in a panic, began clinging to me. "Cecil is just down the hall, you could find her easily-"
"Oh, of course~ haha- but, not yet~! We have some unfinished business, Great Dragon-!"
A horrid scraping noise accompanied by the singing of electricity within the air filled the dreadfully quiet cafeteria as Samuel drew out his blade.
It was thinner than before, only the width of a hair, and the neon-red pushing from the blade glistened off of Samuel's casual outfit. He had no need for armor, because he knew I could never hit him so long as he had that blade.
"Let's dance, shall we~?" He held the blade out. "Show me a good time…"
I threw the Automata away from me, blocking the blade of the Murasuma with my right hand. I immediately felt a searing pain from it as it scorched my flesh with the red lightning.
"Bring me a weapon, any weapon-!" I yelled to the Automata that picked itself up.
Samuel made a light cut across the cheek with a swift blow that I only dodged away at the last moment. "C'mon, I've been waiting so long-! Hit me-!"
Samuel adopted a stance and made a horizontal cut against my head, I raised my arms up in defense of my face- letting the blade slide against my forearms but protecting my eyes.
"Gah-! I just fucking ate, don't blame me if I puke all over you asshole-!" I yelled out at Samuel as I brought my body mass down, sweeping at his leg with my own.
"I sing prayers for the rain!" He yelled in response as he hopped backwards. "O', great flood of god that wiped out all evil, cry forth and bring me a mighty storm-! Lightning Bolt-!"
As Samuel raised his hands, multiple blue magical circles spun out from his eyepatch into the air. The thunderous noise of a lightning storm boomed for a second before an arc of lightning pulsed out towards me, a simple yet powerful spell when upcasted.
"Chaos Shield-!" I yelled at I conjured a magical barrier, the lightning clashing against the purple flames that erupted from my palm.
"Oho~, your signature magic… Now, that's bringing me back~~ haha~!" Samuel chuckled as he rushed me once more with his blade hanging down low to his side.
I growled in annoyance as I raised my shield to block the Murasuma. My faith was shattered when the blade cut through it as if it were nothing, then slashing through the ride side of my torso.
"Oh my~ it seems you forgot, my blade automatically dispels 9th Level or lower magic-! And, in case you forgot this as well, only gods can cast spells higher-! Haha~!" Samuel laughed once more as he licked his blade clean of my blood. "And, last I remember, you had your privileges revoked~ even you can't cast that high of magic without some serious consequences from Atlas."
"Grah-! Searing Torch of Ares, enhance my flames and give me your strength-! Investiture of Flame!" I yelled as I blocked against more and more of his blows, casting a spell was difficult under pressure and constant attacks.
Large, white flames burst out from the floor- coating the area with a searing hot flame of divine fire. To an Angel, it was nothing, but this domain expanded the capabilities of all fire dramatically.
I built up a ball of Chaos Fire within my mouth, stuffing my cheeks with and heaving back before unleashing a mighty breath weapon on Samuel.
He hopped back, barely dodging the purple and black flames. I began pushing forward against him.
"Gah-!" He yelled out as I began rushing him now, slashing at him with claws draped in Chaos Fire.
"You can't be fucking serious, attacking me RIGHT when I was about to do something important for the sake of my people-- you crazed asshole-!" I yelled back, cutting away at his arm and bashing away his sword with the other as he cut back at my hands.
Samuel laughed as he regenerated swiftly, cutting back at me again and again as we exchanged blows. Neither of us cared about dodging anymore. "If it weren't for your plot armor, you'd already be dead you immortal fuck-!"
"There is no 'Plot'! My life isn't some stage play, you clown-!"
I made a swift jab to his face, hitting and breaking his nose in a meaty crunch. "Gah-! Bastard-!"
"You right, the only stage you have is your fucking ego-!" Samuel yelled back with a grin, jumping and kicking at my chest. The force sent me away a few feet. He followed with bursts of radiant energy as he yelled "Radiant Bolt-!"
"Chaos Shield-!" I yelled once more, blocking against the radiant bursts.
"You… you are weaker, and yet… so much more potential." Samuel stepped towards me slowly.
I grimaced as I lowered my shield. "How so-? I feel nothing but weakness…"
He smiled. "Mmm… I see, you don't understand that body of yours. You deny it."
"What do you mean-?"
Samuel raised his palm slowly, and brought his other to his eye-patch. He lifted and revealed the glass eye underneath.
"Look deep into that eye. My true Halo lies underneath, see how it spins-?"
"It's… wobbly. Inconsistent." I mumbled as I gazed. It was a thin yellow ring with a quarter of it missing.
He smiled. "Yes-! Now, I see yours… and… oh my… if I were to take my more feminine side, I'd fall for you~ haha-!"
My expression soured. "What do you mean, pervert-?"
"Well, you know how Angels are both genders--"
I threw a short bolt of flame which he sliced away with his sword. "The OTHER thing, asshole."
He stood, motionless for a bit, holding his sword out towards me. Time passed normally, though sweat dripped down my forehead rapidly. I heard the metallic footsteps of automata rushing down the hallways, their yells of commands over microphones and the shaking of their equipment on them. I lifted my left hand out towards the doors and shut them from a distance using Alchemy.
"What's wrong…?"
"Hmm…?" Samuel murmured… "I wonder…"
He moved mechanically for a moment, his arms moving up and down like an automatic hammer, before snapping back to fluid motion. "Mm…"
"Samuel-!" I yelled, moving forward a bit and placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Enough! Enough!" He flicked my hand away. "Fuck, why now…?"
"What happened?!"
"Perhaps it would be better for you not to know…" Samuel looked back towards me, his mouth in the same sadistic smile but with a sadness behind his eyes… it was as if he were crying behind a clay mask.
I rubbed my hand against the side of my arm where his blade slashed against my forearms. It stung terribly despite being so light. My defense is just high enough to stand his careless swipes, there was no doubt in my mind that if he was truly trying to kill me… he very simply could right now.
"What's going on, man?"