The Heart of Invention

Ormanthus—a kingdom unlike any other, nestled in the heart of a vast, shimmering lake. The water glistens under the sun, reflecting the sky-piercing mountains that encircle it like an unyielding fortress. To those who gaze upon it, the lake carries an almost mystical presence—an untamed beauty untouched by the chaos of the outside world.

From the lake's surface, towering stone bridges extend outward, upheld by meticulously placed pillars of dense gray rock. These bridges lead to massive circular platforms, each equipped with rotating mechanical claws—docking stations designed for the arrival of airships. As soon as an airship descends, the claws lock onto its frame, detaching its side-mounted jets before transferring them to an automated rail system. Inspectors carefully examine every landing airship, addressing even the smallest imperfections before takeoff.

The rail system carries the detached components into the heart of Ormanthus, crossing the grand bridges into a kingdom without a ruler. Ormanthus is governed by innovation, not a monarchy or council. Built through the collaboration of the world's most brilliant engineers, it is a haven for visionaries dedicated to pushing the limits of technology. People come here not for power or politics but for progress—some to revolutionize airship design, others to develop war machines, naval advancements, or intercontinental transport.

This city of unbridled invention remembers names not for lineage or wealth, but for their impact on the world. Here, in Ormanthus, genius is the only currency that matters.

Every three years, Ormanthus holds a grand exposition where inventors from across the world gather to showcase their latest creations. The city hums with anticipation as people flood the streets, making their way toward the exposition's central grounds. Within the sprawling exhibition space, an array of inventions stands proudly on display—machines of all shapes and sizes, their creators making last-minute adjustments, fine-tuning every mechanism, preparing for the showcase.

A man strides into the heart of the gathering, his presence commanding attention. Dressed in a black silk suit with a matching tailcoat, his dark beard neatly trimmed, and his hair combed over with precision, he exudes an air of refined authority. In his hand, he holds a makeshift speaker, amplifying his voice over the murmuring crowd.

"Welcome, innovators and visionaries!" he announces, his voice ringing with excitement. "Prepare yourselves to witness the future unfold before your very eyes!"

A wave of cheers erupts from the audience, their anticipation electric. The announcer steps aside, and the first participant strides forward—a tall, black-haired woman with a powerful, muscular build. She wears a thick leather vest and leggings, her eyes hidden behind a pair of tinted goggles. A smirk tugs at her lips as she plants her feet confidently.

"My name is Darya Greaves, and from this day forward, you will remember it."

With a dramatic flourish, she grips the edge of a massive cloth-draped structure beside her and yanks it away. Gasps ripple through the crowd as they behold the hulking machine beneath.

Standing upright like a human, but forged entirely of gleaming white armor, the construct radiates an imposing presence. The gaps between its plated form reveal thick cables and bundles of wires, all converging at a single focal point—its chest plate.

A stunned silence settles over the crowd, whispers spreading like wildfire. Darya, undeterred, rises onto her tiptoes and unseals the construct's chest plate, revealing the machine's beating heart—a mechanical core pulsing with vivid blue energy. Within, a large glowing crystal hums, its brilliance mesmerizing.

Her grin widens as she turns back to the audience, basking in their awe.

"This," she declares, "is a War Construct. But unlike the others you've seen, a dark magic core did not power this one. Instead, its heart is a crystal—one I retrieved from the depths of Ormanthus' waters. You've all heard the stories of their power, but no one has dared to use them like this. Until now.. I built the armor myself; all I needed was a power source and a way to control it. The internal wiring and metallic cables link directly to me, allowing seamless control. And of course,"—she gestures to the polished white plating—"I made sure it looked flashy just for you all."**

The crowd, moments ago frozen in disbelief, now buzzes with excitement. The audience bursts into laughter, their initial tension dissolving into admiration. What was once disbelief now turns into awe.

Somewhere in the crowd, an onlooker whispers, "If she's really pulled this off, we could be witnessing the future of war."

Darya steps back, arms crossed, reveling in the moment.

Her War Construct had just stolen the show.

"Unlike the War Constructs that appear using dark energy fluctuations, Titanus doesn't rely on external spellcasters or unstable dark cores that degrade overtime. With this gauntlet, I can control its every movement—without delay, without restriction."

To demonstrate, she takes a single step forward, and Titanus does the same, its movements fluid despite its massive bulk. A tremor runs through the arena floor, punctuated by the heavy sound of its armored foot settling into place.

The crowd erupts. Cheers, shouts, and even startled laughter ripple through the stands. Some are already on their feet, clapping and yelling, while others scramble to get a better look at the titan standing before them.

In the distance, beyond the revelry, figures cloaked in official garments exchange glances—representatives of various factions, engineers, military strategists. Their expressions range from intrigue to caution.

Darya's grin only widens.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she declares, her voice rising over the cheers, "this is only the beginning!"

She raises her gauntlet-clad hand high. Titanus follows, lifting its fist toward the sky. The blue glow of its core pulses one last time, sealing this moment in history.

With a graceful flourish, Darya lowered her hand, signaling Titanus to stand at attention. The mighty machine, like a sentinel of steel, obeyed her every command, its steps echoing ominously in the grand hall. She turned with poise, her gaze firm, and, with a swift motion, exited the stage, the thunderous applause following in her wake. The machine, a marvel of craftsmanship and ingenuity, trailed behind her, its luminous core pulsating with an ethereal glow, casting strange shadows upon the polished floor.

As Darya made her way to the open space, the crowd's fervor ebbed into whispers, their astonishment hanging in the air like a thick fog. Though the awe of her creation lingered, the arrival of the next inventor, a small and unassuming figure almost lost amongst the towering machines, soon tempered it.

With an air of mild anticipation, the next participant stepped forward, a mechanical butler of fine workmanship unveiled beneath a silken drape. The butler, a creation of gleaming brass and intricate gears, stood in perfect stillness, awaiting its master's instructions. The inventor, with a flourish of his hand, bade the automaton to spring to life. It did so with remarkable grace, its movements fluid and precise, as though it were not a mere machine but a sentient being.

The crowd, captivated by the sight, observed as the butler went about its work. With a soft whirr of its clockwork joints, it poured tea, arranged books with meticulous care, and tidied the space in an elegant display of efficiency. The collective gasp of amazement that rose from the audience nearly drowned the hum of machinery.

One by one, the inventors took their turns, revealing wonders of their own design—ships that seemed to float upon the air, powered by strange crystals pulsing with an unearthly energy; carriages that moved with no horse to pull them, gliding effortlessly across the floor. Each invention was more wondrous than the last, a testament to the boundless creativity and ambition of the minds at work in this great age of discovery.

The last inventor and his inventions walked into the center of the crowd. He wears a tailcoat with a hood pulled over his head, hiding his visage. The crowd looks at him curiously, wondering who he is. The man doesn't say anything. He pulls a disk out of his pocket and places it on the ground. Spikes come out of it and dig into the smooth stone ground as the device glows with a red light, sending a strong pulse through the area as the ground shakes. The crowd's curiosity turns to worry and anxiousness as they all back up from the man and the device. The device glows brighter, shining so brightly that the onlookers have to cover their eyes. It lets out a deafening ear piercing sound. The sound of a War Constructs screech. The light slowly fades as it floats off the ground, taking a massive chunk of it with it. Suddenly, a red energy wraps around the rubble as it forms around the device, forming into a towering War Construct that towers over the common house. It lets out a deafening screech as the onlookers, nobles, commoners and merchants of the like run towards the edge of the city where the airships are. But instead of chasing and killing the people, the Construct sprints towards the airships, stepping over unfortunate people who couldn't get out of the way in time. The man from before was no longer there as the Construct smashes through the gate and runs across the bridge with surprising speed for its giant mass.

Once it reaches the landing pad, it grabs the two claws on the sides and rips it off. The landing pads bearings screeches to a stop as the War Construct tears apart the pad. It suddenly jumps into the lake, and all is silent. Everyone inside the kingdom either shook in fear and despair at their loved ones' death, or anxious, wondering if this was the end.

It isn't.

The War Construct burst out of the water, creating waves that covered the bridges. It landed on another landing pad, destroying it as well. The city's guards, who were getting their weapons and into their suits, arrive on the scene. They each hold a large projectile weapon in one hand while a glowing sword rests in the other. The War Construct dives into the water once again, but this time, they follow.

As they all jump in, their suits give them the oxygen and movement speed in the water. They shoot after the Construct, their war suits propelling them forward. The Constructs body effortlessly flows through the water as it heads towards another landing pad, destroying their floating warships as it does. They activate their weapons, firing at the Construct. The War Construct dodges and outmaneuvers most of the blast. Except one. It gets hit on its back end, vaporizing the chunk of stone. The Construct dives into the lake even further, going deeper and deeper until it reaches the lake's floor. The Guards stop chasing it as they no longer have the tools to follow it without losing it.

The guards propel back to the surface, scanning the area in case it re-emerges. They feel the water and surroundings shake, but they're clueless about anything. On the other side of the kingdom, the Construct emerges, bigger than before, as it uses the stone in the earth to substitute its missing matter. It once again lets out a screeching roar, shaking the ground even more, as tables, chairs and anything that isn't nailed to the ground tips and falls over. Guards raced across the kingdom, propelling themselves at full speed.

The Construct, in the limited time available, destroys the other two landing pads quickly, preventing them from using their most powerful weapons, the airships. The guards arrive and quickly unload on the Construct. Two guards hurried to the sides, bursting out of the water and raised their hands holding the glowing blade, swinging downwards towards its head and through its chest, cutting through the mechanical core. The Construct breaks apart as pieces of it vaporize while the others fall into the lake, sinking to the bottom, never to be seen again.

Darya, who watched on the sidelines, could do nothing but freeze in shock and fear. She had made a War Construct to stop something like this from happening. She could even control it, but it backfired. That same control hindered it from doing its purpose, resulting in it sitting. Doing nothing, while that giant War Construct tore through the gate and landing pads.

Protect.

That's what it was supposed to do.

I was helpless.

She stares at the crushed bodies of civilians and a few nobles due to the Constructs charge to get to the landing pads. Her eyes still widen in shock as she surveys the area, she never thought she would see such a massacre. The stench of metallic iron wafers through the air, thick and suffocating, causing her to gag.

And they weren't even the target.

The thought of something much worse, something terrifying, sends a cold shiver through her spine, her legs and hands trembling, cold sweat slides down her head as her knees give way. How could something so cruel happen so quickly? Her mind drowns in her sorrows and despair, causing her to slightly hyperventilate and her eyes blur from tears. She isn't the only one though, the people of the kingdom cry out. As if the heart of the kingdom cried out.

Mothers cradled lifeless children.

Lovers shook their partners, screaming their names in vain.

Ormanthus. The kingdom known for its genius inventions that pushed the world forward. The kingdom of progress.

Had come to a complete halt.

The hooded man who created the War Construct stands on top of a tree a ways away from the kingdom, seeing the destruction he made from afar. He stares, his eyes glowing blue under the hood. He wears a long dark cloak, covering his thin silk suit. He has black leather boots, making it easier to move around without being seen or heard.

"This will be enough, for now"

The man turns his back as he hops down from the tree, falling into a portal gate that formed under him. He drops through, transferring to a place unknown by the world. The gate closes behind him, leaving Ormanthus in despair.