Alizra nodded, and then I headed to my storage area to adjust my body while leaving a skeleton behind. I needed to deal with a number of problems today because it seemed that Ned was almost ready to release Thomas and the other Order members. I had lost almost all my bugs in the castle, and getting them back in was getting more complicated. I knew a full-scale attack on the castle would be brutal, so I needed another way.
With Miles gone and the Shadow Rats pushing forward, I looked to my nanobots for an answer. I had been working on them since we first came here, refining the programming to make them more efficient and advanced. Now I want to use them in a bold way. I wanted to create an army of nanobots programmed to fight anyone who stepped foot into my complex and to protect us from Ned's forces. If I could do this, maybe we had a chance of lasting until I could take out Ned and the other gangs, but the clock was ticking.
I had planned on going out to kill all of the Shadow Rats but instead worked through the night as I crafted an army of nano-soldiers. Each of them was only three inches tall, but they could change shape at will and absorb non-platinum around them. I separated them into groups, gave each of them specific orders, and then released them into the city. They created a perimeter around the warehouse and were ready to defend it if anything happened. I ensured they had sensors to detect intruders, and with their help, I hoped to keep us safe, but I knew a storm was coming.
By morning, I felt secure enough to go out and start looking for information on what Ned was planning. It was only a matter of time before he released Thomas and the others, so I needed to find out his plan quickly. I also needed to know where Aquaking kept Alizra's sister, but I didn't think I would have much luck there. We would just have to hope that she was still alive. All I could do now was prepare for the worst as I finally stepped out of my chamber, leaving my exoskeleton behind.
Alizra was already up, and she was looking at me as I walked into sight, so I headed over and entered the cage. During the night, there had been a few attacks, but my nano-soldiers had proven their might but only seriously injured one. They seemed to be only trying to test me, and I proved more than they wanted to bite off.
"Where did you go?" Alizra asked.
"Working on new guards," I said and reached my hand to her, opening it palm up as five of the nano-soldiers materialized from the feet up and then stood at attention.
Alizra just stared at me, not looking very impressed. "This is what you spent the entire day and night on?!" She demanded, and I nodded and then absorbed four back into me, leaving just one.
"How are you feeling? Do you think you could do some testing for me? I need to go and deal with some things after this, but I would prefer to have my nano-soldiers field tested before going in to kill an entire gang. I am sure the Rats know I am coming," I said, and Alizra nodded.
"I would like to see what this little thing can do if you worked so long to make it, but how do you want me to fight?" She asked and added, "I won't lie to you. I am mostly a magic user and normally have a bodyguard for more physical things if it gets that far."
"Magic is what I want you to use, so we will go out into the warehouse," I said, and her eyebrows went up.
"Really? You are going to trust me outside of the cage?" She teased, and I nodded.
"I have secured the perimeter of the complex, and I have eyes on everyone in the building, and there will be no direct line of sight to the outside. This is as safe as I can make it right now for you to come out. As of three hours ago, I lost all visual contact with the castle walls. Whatever Ned is planning is starting to ramp up, and now I will only know when Thomas and the others appear. I know of the current entrances to the castle, and I have them all watched, but this is not my city, and I am sure that they have secret passages to move out of the castle," I explained and turned to walk to the door, but Alzira ran over, and grabbed my big metal arm, and then linked her arm with mine awkwardly.
I slowly adjusted my height from almost seven feet tall to just over six, making it easy for her to walk with me as we left the cage. Alizra looked all around the room and then looked at all the nano-soldiers as they followed us.
"Impressive," Alizra said, and I smiled a little before stopping up and causing the floor to create a twenty-foot ring that was about five feet tall and a door.
"Head inside," I said as the door opened for her, and one of the nano-soldiers was waiting. "I just want you to try all elements on it, and the nano-soldiers will be completely on the defensive. Just remember how big of an area you are in, and try not to go crazy and get yourself hurt," I said, and Alizra let go of my arm, turning to face me.
"You really are concerned for my well-being, aren't you? You are really trying to protect me, so I can be your Queen?" She asked, looking up at me, and I nodded.
"I can't do this alone, and I have to trust someone at some point, but make no mistake, I am still watching you. I just killed the owner of this place for betraying me, and I am about to go kill a lot more people before today is done. Now, get in there, and give my nano-soldier shit. I want you to hit him with whatever you might think is effective so they can learn how to defend against it. I spent this time on the AI algorithm and the way that they absorb information. The nano-soldier will be trying to disable you, but it will do so without seriously hurting you," I explained, and Alizra sighed.
"And here, I thought we had something romantic going here," She sighed and then turned to head inside. "Don't worry, just throw your future wife in an arena with your killer pet robots. Great way to spice things up!" She complained as I walked over to the wall.
"Just call it foreplay."