Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale-Chapter 88: Golem’s Gambit

The Forbidden Expanse. The name alone sent a ripple of unease through Kael’s mind. He glanced at Alice, whose serene expression betrayed no fear, then at Astra, whose stoic resolve seemed carved from stone.

"Negative. Inheritor," Astra replied, his expression unwavering, gray eyes steady and focused.

"Is it far from here?" Kael asked, curiosity flickering in his tone. This was the first time he had heard of such a place.

"No, it’s close by—within this island," Astra clarified.

’At least we don’t have to travel too far,’ Kael thought. Turning to Alice, he said, "Alice, let’s gather everything of value from this ruin and return to the Sentinel. We can’t keep the others waiting."

"Understood, Master," Alice responded with a nod.

Kael’s gaze returned to Astra as he continued, "Astra, I want Alice to download all the data stored in this console. The information here might prove crucial later. I’ll review it once we return to Bryndis."

"You are the inheritor. You don’t need my permission," Astra replied firmly, yet respectfully.

Alice carried out the command diligently, initiating the download of all data stored within the console. The sheer volume of information made the task take time.

Kael examined the capsule. ’I might as well bring this back to Bryndis for repairs, should Alice or Astra need maintenance,’ he thought.

He began disconnecting the mana source powering the capsule to safely store it within his infinite storage. The technology in this ruin was far more advanced than what he had recovered from the first ruin, prompting him to take the console with him as well.

Once the capsule was securely stored away, Kael turned his attention to the console.

"I’m done downloading all files, Master," Alice reported.

"Excellent. Help me disconnect the mana source powering the console so we can take it with us. Astra, lend a hand too."

"Understood," Alice and Astra replied in unison.

Kael glanced at the console thoughtfully. ’The holographic projector is impressive—far beyond what this world should possess. Still, I miss the old monitors from Earth. Should I build one myself?’ he mused.

Meanwhile, inside the Sentinel, tensions were rising. Lucien and Isolde paced restlessly, their impatience growing.

The dwarves accompanying them had begun to bicker amongst themselves, their frustrations bubbling over into heated arguments.

Inside the vast hall of the Sentinel, the clamor of heated debate echoed off the stone walls as a group of stout dwarves argued with fervor.

Thick beards swayed and soot-smudged faces contorted with passion as they clashed over the age-old art of craftsmanship.

"Ah tell ye, a hammered blade’s got more soul than any fancy contraption forged in yer metal mills!" roared one dwarf, his voice a booming mixture of pride and defiance.

Durnek, his wild, fiery hair and singed beard a testament to his relentless experiments, bellowed back, "Nay, ye daft fool! ’Tis the controlled fury o’ the forge and the anvil’s true song that maketh a weapon worthy o’ our kin! Not yer flimsy, over-engineered nonsense!" His accent, thick and hearty, added extra weight to every word.

Amidst the robust banter of the dwarves, Lucien and Isolde maintained a markedly different composure.

Lucien’s tone was calm and measured as he interjected, "Gentlemen, if you would kindly lower your voices, our lord’s return is now long overdue." His words carried quiet authority and an air of refined urgency, far removed from the boisterous dispute around him.

Isolde, with her graceful demeanor and soft, thoughtful voice, added, "Indeed, we must remain patient and focused. Let us hope that our lord’s prompt return can restore order to this discord." Her measured tone, imbued with an air of calm reflection, provided a stark contrast to the raw passion of the dwarven argument.

Three long hours had passed since they left the Sentinel, and while the dwarves’ dispute roared on, a growing undercurrent of anxiety began to ripple through the corridors.

Unseen beyond the arched entrance, danger brewed in silence. A sleek ship hovered low to the ground, its stealth mode activated to shroud it from prying eyes. Its advanced technology hummed softly—a silent sentinel contrasting the tumult within.

High overhead, a mighty Wyvern, its scales glistening in the twilight, sliced through the air. It had caught sight of a small, seemingly flying creature darting aimlessly toward the Sentinel.

With predatory instinct blazing, the Wyvern surged forward, its massive wings cutting through the sky. The small creature, utterly oblivious to the threat, pressed on with reckless determination.

In a split-second ballet of fate and fury, the Wyvern and the airborne creature collided violently against the wall of the Sentinel.

The thunderous crash sent shockwaves through the structure, silencing even the vehement dwarven disputes for a moment.

The startled voices ceased as the tremor resonated through every metal and beam. Lucien’s eyes widened in alarm.

"Did you feel that quake?" he cried, stepping closer to Isolde, whose calm expression now betrayed a hint of concern.

"I fear our lord may not be the only one delayed," she replied, her tone retaining its composed clarity despite the looming threat.

The blue sky churned with turbulent energy as the wyvern, reeling from its violent collision with the Sentinel, circled back with a feral snarl.

Its eyes, though clouded by the impact, flickered with a primal awareness—a silent recognition of the Sentinel’s unfathomable presence.

In a sudden burst of raw ferocity, the beast unleashed a guttural cry that reverberated through the air before it dove headlong toward the impregnable structure.

Its massive wings thundered as it propelled itself like a living tempest into the looming behemoth. Razor-sharp talons, catching glints of the fading light, sliced through the air with lethal precision, each swipe searching for a vulnerable fissure in the Sentinel’s venerable facade.

Inside, the sudden cacophony stirred Lucien and Isolde from their vigilant duties. Rushing to the nearest window, Lucien’s piercing blue eyes widened in alarm as he witnessed the wyvern’s relentless assault. Isolde’s composed voice cut through the mounting tension.

"Activate the Barrier," she ordered, her tone firm yet measured.

"On it," Lucien replied, his slender fingers dancing over arcane runes that flared to life as a shimmering shield erupted around the Sentinel.

The barrier pulsed with ethereal light, a defiant line of defense against the ferocity outside.

In the great hall, the raucous arguments of the dwarves—once a heated cacophony of clashing opinions—fell abruptly silent, their voices drowned out by the sudden surge of magical energy.

Outside, the wyvern crashed against the barrier, its momentum abruptly halted by the implacable force. Yet, driven by instinct and desperation, the creature roared and resumed its pummeling assault on the invincible shield.

The beast lunged once again, only to be met by a searing beam of radiant light that blasted it backwards. The impact sent the wyvern spiraling, its enraged gaze flicking in the direction of its new attacker.

Hovering nearby, Astra—ever the silent guardian—watched impassively. Its steely gray eyes, cool and calculating, betrayed nothing of the ancient directives that fueled its existence.

From high above, Kael, soaring with the grace of a magician-engineer alongside Alice, his loyal hybrid companion, observed the unfolding chaos. With his voice calm yet laced with excitement, he remarked over the din of battle, freewebnσvel.cѳm

"This would be a good way to test Astra’s new matrix."

Alice, her silver-gray hair streaming in the wind, acknowledged his words with a subtle nod.

The flight spell Kael had woven into Astra’s stored incantations allowed him to glide effortlessly, surveying the clash between raw beast and arcane Golem.

The ground quaked beneath Astra’s feet as the wyvern let out another deafening roar, its amber eyes burning with primal rage. The beast spread its massive wings, sending a gust of wind surging through the ruins.

Without hesitation, Astra’s form shifted. Plates of enchanted metal slid seamlessly into place as he activated his Golem Mode—his transformation unfolding like a technological marvel reminiscent of a legendary armored hero.

But even in this formidable state, Astra did not touch the ground. Instead, he ascended gracefully, hovering in the air with precise, controlled levitation.

Astra wasted no time. His arms, now bristling with mana blasters, hummed to life as the air around him shimmered with arcane energy.

He unleashed a rapid barrage of concentrated blasts toward the oncoming wyvern. The beams collided with the beast’s thick scales, the searing energy testing the limits of his newly optimized combat matrix.

Though the wyvern’s natural defenses absorbed most of the impact, each pulse served as a vital data point for Kael’s modifications.

Kael had warned Astra of the flaws in his previous energy output system. Excessive strain once caused his matrix to lag in the midst of battle.

But now, suspended effortlessly above the chaos, Astra immediately sensed the difference—his internal systems were running smoothly, unhindered by inefficiencies. Kael’s reprogramming had truly taken effect.

Undeterred, the wyvern surged forward, its talons glowing with residual mana as it prepared to strike. Astra’s sensors picked up the incoming assault; with a swift maneuver, he adjusted his hovering position, drifting gracefully aside as the creature’s claws tore into a crumbling stone pillar mere inches away.

Realizing that his standard mana blasts were insufficient against the wyvern’s reinforced hide, Astra initiated the next phase of his assault.

His arms shifted, intricate mechanisms aligning as the Astral Nanites restructured themselves. The soft hum of his previous blasts was replaced by a deeper, more potent resonance—a signal of Kael’s custom proton cannon spell now integrated into his system.

Astra locked onto the wyvern, the energy within his core surging to his hovering hands. A concentrated sphere of blue-white energy formed, vibrating with immense power.

The wyvern, momentarily taken aback by the spike in magical intensity, hesitated—a split second that proved all the difference.

With an ear-splitting whir, Astra fired his new proton cannon. The condensed blast of destructive energy tore through the air, striking the wyvern with unyielding force.

The creature recoiled, its thick scales seared by the onslaught, and let out a pained screech as it spiraled downward, crashing into the ruined landscape with a ferocity that carved deep trenches into the earth.

Before Astra could prepare for a follow-up strike, a commanding voice broke through the clamor.

"Astra, hold your fire."

High above the ruined battleground, Kael hovered in the sky, his gaze sharp and assessing.

His expression was one of cautious approval as he observed the aftermath from his lofty vantage. Alice drifted close by, her silver-gray hair catching the dim light as she watched every move with measured curiosity.

Kael’s eyes briefly met Astra’s hovering form. "Your matrix is functioning at peak performance. No sign of the previous slowdown?"

"Negative," Astra responded in his calm, measured tone. "System efficiency has increased by 75%. Proton cannon output remains stable."

A slight smile tugged at Kael’s lips as his mind raced with ideas for further improvements. "Excellent. But let’s not expend more energy than necessary."

Below, the wounded wyvern—its wings faltering and movements hesitant—let out another guttural growl. Its defiant snarl echoed across the ruins as it struggled to regain control of its flight.

Sensing that its threat level had diminished, the creature beat its massive wings and retreated, disappearing into the gathering dusk.

Kael shifted his attention back to Astra, admiration clear in his tone.

"Not bad for a first test run. There’s always room for further optimization."

Astra inclined his head ever so slightly. "Understood. Awaiting further instructions."

Kael chuckled softly. "That’s exactly what I like to hear. Let’s regroup and return to the Sentinel."

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