The Magi's Society

A hard crash and the sound of screeching metal against metal as Mevi and the Sentinel careened down into The Castle cityscape. Crashing against one of the tall tower-like structures the Sentinel put its armored body between Mevi and the metal wall, producing an ear-piercing metallic echo. Mevi was huddled close to the Sentinel’s chest, with one of its large arms holding her tight while the other arm flailed at the metal building. Mevi could barely see around herself, but as her sight escaped the smothering body of the Sentinel she could tell the ground was quickly approaching. Suddenly the Sentinel found purchase against the metal structure, stabbing its clawed gauntlet into the surface and cutting through the metal in a great swath as the two of them fell downward. The claw made a screeching clatter unlike when the Sentinel silently climbed the wall before, but it soon stopped their rapid descent.

Alarms seemed to be going off all around them, their cover blown before their rescue mission had even started. The Sentinel didn’t waste any time, pulling out its claw from the building and dropping to the ground at a more manageable descent. The Sentinel then began ferrying them deeper into the metal alleyways of The Castle. The two of them hid themselves away into the first dark alley the Sentinel found. Their landing zone was quickly left behind as the two of them disappeared away from the clamorous search for the source of the damaged building and echoing noise.

As Mevi was carried into the strange facility, she was finally admitted enough leeway to poke her head from the tight embrace of her protective Sentinel. Despite the bright lights lining the spike-shaped buildings, great shadows covered many areas of the ground and roads. The densely packed buildings stretched high to compete with each other and formed into twisting spires like a field of dead metal trees. The lights which illuminated the area so brightly also cast long shadows against the ground below them due to the tightly packed buildings. Their size, style, height, and even material seemed to vary so greatly that no building looked even remotely similar to the others beyond a tendency towards tall and thin. The inside of the facility looked more alien than the outside looking in was intimidating, and the purpose of the buildings could only be guessed at by Mevi. Yet as she and the Sentinel stopped to hide within a dark shadow, Mevi could almost sense a foul presence dominating over the facility’s bounds. The foul stench she sensed outside the facility was replaced by an overwhelming presence that seemed to watch her every move.

The Sentinel slowed to a stop, it had dashed from alley to alley and hid them in various shadows to progress them quickly into the facility. Mevi hadn’t seen, or even heard, any mobile constructs for a minute or so now and the Sentinel seemed to agree. Mevi was gently placed on the ground, but she did take note of several spots of pain along her waist and legs where she bore the brunt of spraying shrapnel and the vice-like grip of the Sentinel during the crash. Regardless, Mevi brushed herself off and the Sentinel seemed content to stare at the small girl. Mevi shared the glace with the Sentinel but quickly looked up towards the central spire.

From within the facility the central spire towered like a cruel barbed tooth, piercing upwards beyond what seemed necessary. Its farthest reach seemed to almost claw angrily towards the extremely distant ceiling of the cavern. Jagged teeth seemed to line the top parts of the spire like barbs or serration. As Mevi looked on at the spire it almost reminded her of an evil dagger, one meant to inflict pain rather than kill or give mercy. Mevi knew the foul aura and dominating presence emanated from that spire, but she had no clue how to reach the center of the facility. Again Mevi looked at the Sentinel, who stared down at Mevi as if she would know what to do next. Mevi was tempted to speak to the Sentinel again, but didn’t want to risk any unnecessary noise in case there was some way they would be heard.

Mevi needed a plan, and she knew she had none. Her tactical ability was nonexistent, and her knowledge of what the Sentinel could do was apparently equally nothing. She could only rely completely on the Sentinel and its skills. Pointing towards the central spire, Mevi hoped the Sentinel would understand. The Sentinel looked towards her direction and seemed to contemplate what was behind her gesture. The creature stood idly, both arms vacantly dangling at its sides while its large weapons were slung under arm and magnetically held against its back. The Sentinel at times seemed to have no thoughts or intelligence behind it, it so often moved less than a statue and it could almost pass as one. Yet Mevi had been proven time and time again that the creature thought a great deal, or at least understood a great deal. The Sentinel stared towards the spire, seemingly in what qualified as deep thought. Then the Sentinel silently turned its head back towards Mevi, then began to walk forward into the alleyway.

Mevi followed the Sentinel, hoping that it understood her as it did before despite the wordlessness of her command. The two of them walked in the dark alley, making their way slowly towards what Mevi thought was the main road. Mevi hoped the Sentinel’s intent wasn’t to walk down the main road, otherwise they should have just entered through the main gate and ran down towards the spire in the first place. Yet it was quickly evident that the Sentinel intended to sneak towards the road, despite the massive frame the Sentinel stuck close to the ground in a low walk. Keeping close to walls and shadows the two of them made seemingly easy work of hiding behind and within the shadows cast by the large buildings. Their path led to the edge of the road, somehow finding shelter in a shadow that crept close enough to see up towards the spire.

As Mevi looked up the cobbled road, the gateway leading in resembled more a monster’s jaws than any door or entrance. She became possessed by the fear of something that dwelt within these gates, the dominating presence pressing itself harder the longer she looked towards the angry spire which was the king of this metal forest. Her senses warned her against going further. Some part of her, which was only disgusted by this place before, was now terrified and her mind darted towards the thought of racing down the road and out the gateway. Yet Mevi recalled her companions, and then remembered her mission. She needed to save her people, she brought them here and must ensure their safety regardless of some disembodied fear. Whatever task her Lords Magi gave her here was important enough to postpone her own mission to the planet below, and so Mevi shook free of the gripping sensation of terror. Recalling where she was, Mevi looked around and saw the Sentinel staring at her intently.

Shaking free the residual feeling that poured from the spire, Mevi returned her mind to the task at hand. Both she and the Sentinel looked around in an attempt to find a way forward. After the Sentinel’s loud entrance, the walls seemed swarmed by many different constructs. The base of the walls and the wall’s walkways seemed patrolled by many lookouts and guards, which seemed to dissuade the Sentinel from repeating their previous strategy. What choice was left was the road, or some path currently unknown. The obvious solution was not one they could risk to take, the main road was watched and constantly illuminated by bright spotlights. From her brief memory atop the cliff Mevi couldn’t recall any clear way to progress besides the gates. The facility was built like an impenetrable fortress with layers of walls, each built higher than the last. Even if the Sentinel could attempt to scale the walls, by the time they reached the inner wall the height they would need to climb would surely spell death if even a small mistake was made. The Sentinel seemed to be contemplating this, looking back and forth at its surroundings trying to gauge the land’s value in different places. Mevi began to regret the idea she had begun to form, and dreaded its proposal.

“Sentinel.” Mevi said quietly.

The Sentinel turned to look at Mevi, its gleaming red eyes staring in blank expression beneath the full golden helm.

“I think we will need to let ourselves be taken, I can’t think of any way for us to reach the center without a fight breaking out.”

The Sentinel stood to its full height after the remark, obviously not impressed, and began to lead Mevi back into the deeper parts of the alley.

“I don’t like the idea either, but Zelkan, Saerin, and Ouapi were clearly taken to the center of the facility right? We can’t very well fight off a horde of robotic monsters can we?” Mevi frantically whispered as she followed the Sentinel.

The Sentinel stopped when they were enshrouded fully in darkness, the environment painting what Mevi thought was the Sentinel’s silent mood.

“If you have a better plan then we can try that first, but I can’t see any way to go forward. The walls are too high and there are too many guards…”

Mevi could barely understand the Sentinel, but in some unique way it seemed to express emotion very vividly. Through completely mundane movements, slight changes in the way it stood or walked, and even physically moving to different places to stand in a certain way. The Sentinel almost seemed to be trying to converse with her, but after Mevi’s admittance to their situation the Sentinel went quiet. Mevi could not tell, but it almost looked as if the Sentinel was clenching its fist in frustration. Yet the creature’s posture was so normal it was impossible to tell. After its silent debate with itself, the Sentinel moved to flank Mevi. The point was conceded, despite their attempt to infiltrate the facility and even their progress this far, it was clear when they were outmatched. Mevi could not guess at the Sentinel’s powers, skills, or even apparently what tools it carried, but Mevi could tell when someone felt defeated. The Sentinel walked behind Mevi the same as if they were in a completely normal situation, but it almost felt like the Sentinel’s boots were weighed down with dread.

Despite their effort, the two of them returned to the edge of the shadows onlooking upon the main road. As Mevi prepared herself to walk into the light, something caught her eye. Across the road, hiding within a shadow just like her, was a man. Not like the constructs modeled after humanoids, but what seemed to be a flesh and blood person. The man seemed to stare towards her desperately, hiding behind a cluster of scrap metal within an alley across from Mevi’s own alleyway. His eyes begged for Mevi’s attention, and more so than that to prevent her from revealing herself. Almost as Mevi stared at the man, the Sentinel spotted him and the man spotted the Sentinel. His face filled with panic and he darted back into the shadows. Turning quickly to the Sentinel Mevi demanded, “Sentinel! We need to follow that man, they might know something if they haven’t been captured yet!”

The Sentinel looked towards the spot the man once was, and understood the assignment immediately. Grabbing Mevi, who already prepared herself to be carried, the Sentinel darked back into the alley they had just come from. The Sentinel’s memory was perfect as it searched the darkness for what it was looking for. As they raced from shadow to shadow, the Sentinel traced their path to one of the taller structures in the area. A curving and spiked thing, with spines stretching upwards. Yet that aesthetic facade gave the Sentinel exactly what it needed. A mighty jump sent the two of them upwards, and Mevi was hanging around the Sentinel’s throat with her legs wrapped around its body like a strange silver-haired animal. The Sentinel reached the lowest of the curved spines, and quickly began to hoist itself upwards following the flow of the spikes. The illumination’s source came from the uppermost reaches of the spiked structure, and the strange spines exploded out of the structure in such ways that the Sentinel could briefly hide within small shadows. Yet even as it hid, the golden armor escaping through the remains of the cloth coverings glowed like a beacon when they passed from one thin shadow to another. Despite the golden sheen, the speed of the Sentinel allowed their quick passage. As the Sentinel reached a high enough perch, it pulled itself to the top half of the spine and readied itself and Mevi to fly once again. Illuminated by orange-glowing glory, and hearing the faroff yelling of mechanical alerts, the Sentinel moved to secure Mevi, but she was already prepared. As Mevi hugged close to the Sentinel’s body the two of them were thrown forward into the air. Darting through the air like a golden falling star. The Sentinel’s raw power was enough to propel them far across and above the cobbled road and to the other side of the facility.

As the Sentinel flew through the air, it turned its body intending to have its back meet the building they careened towards. With one arm holding Mevi close yet again, and the other prepared to grapple against their descent, they hurtled once more into metal structure and fell towards the dark alley below. The silvery blade caught their momentum and slowed their fall, and the speed of their flight confused the constructs so much that they split into several groups both searching where they had come and spreading out into the facility where they were going. Yet the Sentinel’s speed outmatched the confused constructs easily as the two began to race once again from shadow to shadow. A new hope ran through Mevi as she was carried forward, if there was a living person here they might have a way to pass through the facility unseen.

Blaring alarm sounded around Mevi and the Sentinel, but as the Sentinel raced through the dark and hidden ways within the facility the sound quickly faded to nothing. The Sentinel had picked up the trail, Mevi noticed when it stopped briefly to investigate a piece of unassuming terrain. It quickly darted from building to building as it followed tracks Mevi couldn’t even comprehend. Then, as the Sentinel turned a sharp corner, they were upon him. A man hiding behind a pile of sharp rubble, staring towards the light of the main road with fear and worry evident by his trembling. The Sentinel, despite its size, made few sounds even when running at full speed. They stopped in the alleyway and were positioned behind the man. Mevi was let down and she gestured for the Sentinel to back up into a hidden place behind her. Walking forward, quietly but not with intent to hide from the man, she approached the cowering individual. Turning fast at the sound of Mevi’s footsteps, the man was terrified to see Mevi but also seemed equally confused. Looking back and forth between her and where she had been only a few minutes ago, it was clear the man wondered how she had reached him so fast. “Please calm down, we escaped the guards so you’re safe.” Mevi said, attempting to reassure the man’s fears.

“Oh no, you don’t understand. Once you stir them up they’ll keep on coming. You have no idea.” The man’s voice was strangely eloquent, like he might’ve once been a noble, but he was gruff and almost sad in the way he spoke.

“My friends were taken, do you know where or why?”

“If they were taken, they’d be better off dead. You should get out before that big robot comes back. I saw it following you, how did you escape it?”

“Well, I actually didn't. It is my… my friend.”

When Mevi mentioned the Sentinel, as if on cue, the Sentinel revealed itself from the shadows. The gruff man fell backwards and almost began to scream, but he covered his own mouth to stifle and muffle his own cries of fear. Tears welled in his eyes and he darted his head back and forth looking for an escape. Mevi moved to get in between him and his desperate search for escape, “Please! The Sentinel is friendly, it protects me. We came here with three others and they were taken. The Sentinel managed to escape with me, but we need to rescue my friends. Please just calm down.”

The man was still panicked and terrified, but managed to gasp out, “It looks like the bigger guards further in. How can you trust that thing? Did you reprogram it?”

“I wouldn't know anything about reprograming… But the Sentinel was given to me, I suppose you could say. It protects me, and it can protect you from the constructs as well. We can help you get out of here, but we need to find my friends first.”

“Get out? Even if I wanted to, the walls are too high and there are too many. You are stuck here like us.”

“Us?” Mevi asked, her hope growing at the prospect of more people hiding here.

“Damnit, me and my loose lips.” the man swore to himself, staring with a sort of fearful anger towards the Sentinel.

“Please, if there are more of you, and you can help us, I am sure we can help you somehow.” Mevi pleaded.

“I… I can’t let that thing come close to the rest of us. But if it does follow your orders… I can’t make this decision. If you really want our cooperation, you need to wait here. I am going to get some people, if I come back we’ll have to strike a deal. If I don’t come back, get out of here if you think you can. Your friends are probably goners anyway.”

Before Mevi could say anything or ask another question, the man picked himself up and ran. He ran fast away, looking back only once towards the Sentinel like that was what he was running away from. Mevi was left with the Sentinel in the dark alley looking out towards the main road. Activity was spiking even compared to before, strange flying constructs darted around the edges of the light’s illumination. Mevi and the Sentinel hid against the base of the structures and piles of rusting rubble to avoid detection. But there was no knowing when the man would return, or if he would return. Regardless, Mevi had to take the chance. So she waited.