Mack spent almost the entire night working at the food tent, helping to do the food and serving the light constructs that came from the battle.
By the time the sun was about to rise, no more light constructs came, and Mack could feel the anticipation in the air.
Mack saw all warlocks walking in small groups toward the front line. Even the cooks went out of the tent and grabbed some weapons in a weapon rack by the entrance of the tent.
Mack guessed that all of them were going to fight in the battle somehow. A losing battle had no sparing hands, after all.
"Shit!"
Mack completely forgot to track the green light construct, his ancestor.
And that construct didn't come for food, not at least in the tent Mack was working. There were several tents similar to the one that Mack worked in, and he could have gone to any other of them.
The camp itself was not like a construction with walls or fences like in WWII movies that Mack saw. But more like several groups of five to ten tents. And there were hundreds of similar camps, spanning by miles and miles in a long line. Only a few of those camps had a small earth trench dug around the camp.
Mack also guessed that in the real battle, behind this long line of camps, must have been a city or an important place that they tried to protect, or maybe it was just one of the several battlefronts in this war. After all, it was a war that was happening on the entire planet.
Mack stopped thinking of useless stuff and focused again on what to do.
He had to find the green light construct again.
"Hey book girl. Are you with me?"
[Always. And no, I can't point you toward that light construct]
"It's not that. It's actually a more personal matter"
Mack took a pause, not sure how to talk about this.
"Do you remember I bought from the cube one device that played music, right?"
[Of course. I have a perpetual memory. You also threw it away before entering the first gate]
"Exactly. You see. Music puts me in the mood to do the stuff I need. But only the music I like, from Earth. Not those weird noises from the aliens"
[...]
"And you, have a perpetual memory, just like you said."
[...]
"And is always with me...."
[...]
"Hearing the same music I heard when I was on Earth....."
[Do you want me to sing for you?]
"No! Geez! God no!"
"I want to make a deal with you. I know you have your ways."
"Can you give me one of those devices but with the songs that you heard on Earth while stalking me?"
"If you can.... Name your price."
[...]
"So?"
[It's not against the rules. But is also not in the rules. Because I can't give you anything that is not prearranged]
"Come on girl, there is always a 'but'...."
[But... if somehow you get a music player device, I can pass the songs to it. Because I'm allowed to pass information to you. If that information is not restricted and does not go against the objectives of the tower. Then, it's just a different format of information]
"That's my girl!"
[...]
"Wait. Is not this mask I'm using the same? I mean. I'm 100% sure the sound I hear is not the original sound around me."
[You are correct. The sound you hear is being amplified by the mask using an algorithm. But the mask doesn't have a memory ....]
"It has somehow. The translation!"
[Indeed. But for that to work, I would need to remove from its database several languages. Since its database is made to fit only what is needed. And also, it does not have a way to play the songs]
"Well, it has voice recognition. Even me, a newbie in tech, knows this."
[Well. But for that, I will need to change the code that remains on the small chip in the right ear. And to do that. More languages would need to be removed to free more space.]
"So you can do it. Right?"
[Technically. I can. I'm only giving you information. Even the change in software. It's just the place and how I give you information that changes. But by my estimation, two thousand languages will be removed from the database to put all the songs you heard on Earth, plus the software upgrade. Are you sure?]
"Yes, please! Remove the languages that are less used or not used at all"
[Done]
"What? ALREADY? that was instantaneous!!!! Girl! You have some big brain, don't you?"
[It's just a matter of numbers for me]
"You are amazing! How do a play?"
[Just say 'play music' and the name of the song. Or 'play music' and 'All' to play all the songs in alphabetical order. And to stop. Just say 'stop music']
"Alphabetical order. What a way to sort music. Even shuffle makes more sense. Alas, it's still better than nothing"
[...]
For Mack, music was his most lasting companion in life.
"Music Play All"
And the first song being played was from a rock band that started with AC and ended with DC. Alphabetical order didn't seem so bad after all.
"It's time to get serious."
Said Mack, hearing the familiar song being played by the mask.
He didn't care anymore about the green light construct.
It was time to do things his way. Not how his ancestor wished.
All in black and with the Argonian cape fluttering behind him. Mack removed his sword from the belt and closed his eyes.
He felt the thrill of the song and all his mind went blank from all the thoughts and doubts and questions he had.
He was one hundred percent focused.
Focused on killing all the mages. Or die trying.
Mack opened his eyes, his expressions now completely different from before. The childish attitude was replaced by a ferocious beast.
One step.
Two steps.
Then he started running at a slow pace.
A few meters later. He was running side by side with several warlocks.
And behind Mack.
Hundreds of Hundreds of warlocks were running. Each step was more vigorous. Each step faster.
Minor acts could change an entire battle. Just like a forest only needed a spark to be burned completely.
While still running. Mack raised his sword high in the sky and pointed it forward.
And feeling the thrill of the moment.
"KILL THEM ALL!"
He shouted with all his lungs.
Behind him, all the warlocks raised their swords. And for the first time in all the years doing this test, the Arcane Legacy could hear the warlock's screams.
"KILL THEM ALL!"
The light constructs were not supposed to talk nor scream nor feel motivated.
But it seemed the Arcane Legacy herself forgot the name of the gate.
The gate of Pride.
They could die. But they were going to die with honor. Something his creator didn't have the chance to. To die in his land, and fight with his friends to the death.
"KILL THEM ALL!"