Chapter 16: Architect
The silver figure walked through the crashed wreckage of the ship, looking for anything that might be of use, but its endeavors went unsuccessful. The ship had crashed here over a hundred years ago; anything useful would've already eroded beyond use.
But there was one thing that it could use. The entire ship was made of metal. He could break that down and use that metal to create something of use. With a plan in mind, it released its silver tendrils. The tendrils lashed, wrecking the ship. Wherever they passed, the metal was melted and instantly absorbed. The silver figure's body instantly began growing larger and larger as more and more metal was absorbed into its body. After absorbing enough, the tendrils stopped, receding back into the creature's body.
"Activate architect sequence," it said.
<60000000 blueprints retrieved from personal database. Connection with Omnisiah required for other blueprints. Which would you like to use, Architect?> the creature's internal systems blared.
The creature recalled the pitiful amount of blueprints it had. It recalled the time when it still had its connection to the Omnisiah, the time where it could access trillions of blueprints easily. Now it was only limited to a few million. But no matter, it would do with what it had.
It was time to do what it did best: build. The silver figure was an architect of its race, the Omnisiah. A hivemind of sentient machines. Its purpose in the hive was to build and expand, with the sole goal of exterminating all life in the Consoms. And this planet shall soon feel its wrath.
"Address me as Horizon. Fetch me basic assembly drone blueprints," it said.
A red screen materialized in front of Horizon. Millions of blueprints flashed by the screen, but Horizon was unfazed.
<1000 assembly drone blueprints found.>
Horizon nodded as he filtered through the 1000 blueprints manually. He found the one he needed and clicked on it. The holographic screen faded, replaced by a 3D blueprint hologram of the drone.
It was rather large, being about 1.5 meters tall and 4 meters wide. It was armed with all manner of tools, identifying it as an assembly drone. It was also armed with a low-caliber machine gun. Rather primitive, as it used physical bullets rather than energy-based ones.
Horizon nodded. This would do nicely.
From Horizon's back, eight tendrils sprouted once more, moving towards the 3D blueprint. The tendrils flashed through the blueprints, building it. It started with the base. As the assembly drone was being built, Horizon's figure began shrinking again, becoming smaller as it used the material he had collected from the ship.
After a while, the drone was done being assembled. Horizon circled around it, satisfied at its creation.
It needs power, he thought. But he hadn't finished analyzing that foreign energy, mana, so he couldn't use it as a power source just yet. He approached the drone, placing his hands on top of it. He began channeling power from himself to the drone.
The drone sputtered, turning on. Its fans whirred, lifting it up. It levitated off the ground, its four fans whirring with power. It adjusted its camera, facing Horizon, awaiting instruction.
"Begin disassembling this ship. Collect all metal available. Report to me when completed," he issued the instructions.
The drone clicked with affirmation as it whirred into action. It approached the nearest wall, a blowtorch coming online. It began melting the metal, collecting it in a chamber on its back. Horizon observed this. Its efficiency was terrible, he thought. Probably due to the fact it was an ancient model.
Time for the next issue.
"Locate the anti-matter drive," Horizon said to his internal system.
An invisible wave of unknown energy radiated from Horizon, traveling at light speed through the world.
A holographic sphere appeared, with a red dot glowing on the side of the globe. That's quite far, Horizon thought. It would take quite a while for him to be able to retrieve it, but he had to, no matter the cost. It would boost his progression in this world by multiple factors, as energy wouldn't be an issue.
Soon this world shall fall under my command, Horizon thought, his red eyes glowing brighter.