"Argos, where is the suit?"
[What suit?]
"You know, the SUIT"
[Sire, I truly have no clue as to what you are talking about]
"The....Arstra"
[Ah...I see, why didn't you just say so?]
"The name....its cringe"
[Cringe? Could you perhaps provide me with a translation? I can make an addition to the language codex]
"It's fine.....where is it"
[There is no need to look for it. Simply call it to you]
The homunculus was beginning to get baffled by his Aid's expectations. Yes, he was foolhardy for stumbling off into what might be equivalent to a war zone. Yes, he was doing too many things at once, almost irresponsibly, if one thought about his actions. Yes, he was only 6 days old and rather short.
Aedhira suddenly felt as if someone was badmouthing him.
But he had only a day of familiarity with mana to his name, not to mention even that was rather basic. But he listened to Argos anyway. He felt for his connection to the Arstra....well he tried. It felt like rummaging through a closet full of clothes that hadn't been fully organized. It was....messy. But eventually, he did find one. A connection much thicker than the rest, and pulsed intermittently as his heart did.
He instinctively knew this was the one. There was nothing else to look for. He felt it, as if he had a third hand, or leg, it was an extension of him. A limb of sorts. He beckoned it, through the connection, with a pulse of his own....and it answered.
On a separate floor, a marble-white, short figure, about as short as Aedhira himself, walked to the elevators, dragging an excessively long yet at the same time, aesthetic looking skirt behind it. The skirt was plated with some kind of white metal, it should be heavy, grinding against the floor, but it didn't. The heavy metal skirt hovered an inch above the ground with a white glow. The figure walked into the elevator, looked at the panel. The panel seemed to respond somehow as the doors closed, and it proceeded downwards to the 22nd floor.
On a lower floor:
[Ping received, it will arrive in approximately 10 minutes.]
"Handy. Time?"
[50 minutes till departure]
Aedhira nodded.
He had 50 minutes or so before departure. He wanted to get everything in order for not only the trip, but to make sure his plans for the fort progressed in his absence. So he hailed the Maxims all together.
---------------(SOURCING HAIL)----------------
[.........]
----------------(ACCEPTED)------------------
"Sire?" Monitor's voice crackled through the hail, followed by the visages of Mender, Monitor, and Mentor appearing on the holographic display.
"I trust you're ready for departure?" Aedhira asked, his tone firm and determined.
[Ready and waiting, sire] Monitor replied, his emoji-like face displaying a mixture of anticipation and readiness.
"Good. While I'm away, I need you to continue with the restoration efforts. We've made significant progress, but there's still much to be done. Repair any damaged infrastructure, clear debris from the corridors, and prioritize getting the life support systems online. We may not need them, but the refugees certainly will."
[Understood, sire. We'll ensure that Fort Blanche is in top condition upon your return] Mender chimed in, his voice filled with determination.
Aedhira nodded, a sense of reassurance washing over him. He trusted his Maxims to carry out their duties efficiently in his absence.
"And Monitor, I'm placing you in charge while I'm gone. Keep everyone focused and motivated. Since we're undertaking this venture regardless, I'd rather we do it right. We've taken responsibility for the refugees for the refugees the moment we decided to help them. We should ensure their safety."
[Yes, sire. I won't let you down] Monitor replied, his voice resolute.
With his orders given and his trust placed in his Maxims, Aedhira felt a sense of readiness wash over him. He was prepared for whatever challenges awaited him at the outpost.
"Thank you, all of you. I'll see you soon."
With a final nod, Aedhira terminated the hail and turned his focus back to the task at hand. He had a journey to prepare for, and every minute counted.
"Argos, how much time until departure?"
[Approximately 10 minutes, sire. The Arstra is ready for your use.]
"Good. Let's not waste any more time then. I need to gather my gear and make sure everything is in order before we leave."
As the minutes ticked by, Aedhira hurriedly gathered his equipment and double-checked his supplies. He couldn't afford to overlook anything, not when lives were at stake.
And by equipment, he meant the Arstra, since he didn't seem to own any other equipment.
For the time being anyway.
A sharp ping resounded, as the elevator opened behind him. And stepped out was a figure clad in white, dragging in a heavy-metal skirt behind him. On the sides of it's smooth, bald, white head were the what appeared to be comets, as if it were a winged helm, yet they weren't actually attached to the head. They hovered, just a couple centimeters away.
What was disconcerting was that there was no visible 'face' or visor of any kind. Just smooth, marble-white metal.
It reached out with it's one, sleeved hand towards Aedhira.
Aedhira stood before the Arstra, his heart pounding with anticipation. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the journey ahead....but mostly for what was about to happen next.
"Here we go," he muttered, reaching out to the Arstra. His hand meeting the other one by the palms. Then the it began to disappear.
The sight was disorienting. The way the suit of armor disappeared, was like setting a paper on fire, and letting it burn. The edges, driven by embers would fade, spreading further until nothing remained.
But for each part of the Arstra that disappeared, the same part reappeared in the same manner on Aedhira. Like watching someone turn back time.
In a minute, the two figures disappeared, and only one emerged. Clad in a white that seemed to illuminate the dark rooms of the fort. Mechanical parts shifted around him, fitting him as if a glove on a hand. Small bursts of heat were vented from his back, blurring the image behind him.
As the transformation completed, Aedhira stood tall and resolute, fully clad in the Arstra armor. The engravings on his armored right arm glowed with an ethereal white light, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. Beneath the metal skirt, the glow intensified, casting an otherworldly aura around him. The mechanical parts of the suit shifted and adjusted, molding perfectly to his form as if it had been crafted specifically for him.
But the most striking change was his mask. Gone was the smooth, featureless head, replaced by a visage that exuded power and determination. Two menacing white eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light, fixed in a gaze that seemed to pierce through the darkness. Below them, a futuristic mask adorned his face, its intricate design reminiscent of ancient daemons from legends of old. The comets by the side of his head pulsed with energy, casting shadows that danced across the walls.
With his transformation complete, Aedhira felt a surge of confidence and strength coursing through him. He was no longer just a young child on a mission; he was a formidable force to be reckoned with.
Or he should be anyway.
"Let's do this," he said, his voice resonating with determination as he turned to face the challenge that lay ahead. With a purposeful stride, he stepped towards the Lienus Rail, entering the car, ready to embark on his journey to the outpost.
The engine of the Lienus Rail hummed with power. It groaned, struggling to move after centuries of disuse.
Then it moved, slowly, at a crawling pace.
Then it picked up speed.
The platform belonging to the fort shifted from view, and only the dark walls of the tunnel remained.
Faster.
Faster.
Faster.
The hum within the rail car intensified, and everything suddenly lurched ahead. Aedhira would've been knocked over if it wasn't for the suit.
The gleam in it's eye only got brighter, as the Lienus Rail accelerated more and more.
"Let's get this done"