CH4: Ents VS Drones

My plans were ruined by some dipshit mage with delusions of grandeur. The only reason those robots weren't knocking down the doors of Morgan's college was because the mage college was below vampires on World Gov's list.

The vampire in my arms stared like she didn't quite believe the situation.

"We could help him against it. I've recovered somewhat." She said.

"You're saying I should help him after he ruined my bait," I said.

She gave me a look like my plan had been the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. Why did she have to look sexy while doing it? I sighed and let her down on the branch beside me. Since the forest was no longer burning, one of the branches had become a safe place again.

"Perhaps with Mr. Brown's help, we can seek asylum at the mage's college."

She wanted him to go with her to the mages where; they used terms like mana, ancient runes, wore robes, and carried sticks in the 2880s. It was bad, and I didn't want to leave her. Jason wouldn't understand he was happy sleeping with mutants and vampire hunters. I shivered at the thought. While the vampire hunters hadn't fully become alternate humans, they weren't quite the same as the mega city standard or energy users like my family.

Those who do not endeavor to control are controlled, and flights of fancy can cause energy to transform the body in myriad ways. It's why the eastern ki users are so effective and why mainland Asia was able to kick out the World Gov.

With the right culture, morals, and will, energy can be molded to cause specific effects. The Easterners use a ritual called cultivation to absorb and purpose energy into making their bodies stronger. Father told us not to go there until we master concealment and enhancement.

The Western-style doesn't focus much on the body, or so they claim.

Morgan summoned vast amounts of energy and crafted Norse runes in the air before slamming his staff down. I felt the energy pass by me and somewhat memorized the frequency. The blackened trees around the forest swiftly turned green with an overabundance of life. Roots, vines, and long winding limbs exploded from charcoal and wrapped around the drone. The tentacles struggled to suck the energy from the wood but failed to drain it quickly.

It scanned Morgan, and a panel opened before firing a flare. A red explosion showed through the smoke; it would not be long before more drones arrived. Its barrier appeared, forcing away the winding limbs while more panels opened. A laser fired, and the mage slammed his staff down, summoning large tree trunks to shield himself.

Morgan pulled three golden leaves from his robe pocket, and massive energy waves blasted through the forest. In my father's botany journals, I recognized them as leaves from a young world tree. Those could only be grown in the Nordic countries and were heavily regulated by the Jotuns.

"Mages of the college are far stronger than what the vampire hunters can produce. If you joined, you would quickly rise through the ranks."

"Do you want to join another organization so quickly after leaving World Gov?" I asked.

"They don't have the authority to excommunicate us. This must be some kind of mistake."

"Maybe they'll blame it on the vampire hunters when the Borgs ask them," I said.

A personal carrier drove up with a minigun mounted, and a man covered in Nordic rune tattoos stepped out.

"What is a high inquisitor doing this far east?"

"A friend of yours."

"Inquisitors are the only members of the organization that can threaten us. A high inquisitor can match our nobles for a time." She said.

"Can you tell me your name already? I'm tired of thinking of you as THOT vampire chick?" I asked.

"Maybe I shouldn't tell you. It seems the only card I have to play is my mystery." She said.

"My name is Atom; what's yours," I said and offered my hand.

She smirked, exposing her fangs, and held her gloved hand out.

"Ember Mariska, don't freak out," Ember said.

Shit, I opened my mouth and closed it. Ember had to be a third or fourth Gen, but there shouldn't be a noble above a sixth Gen at most, not one of the Dracula bloodline. Ever since that bastard ancestor fed on a dragon, everyone called it Dracula, and the name stuck. Unfortunately, vampires were hard to sense at the best of times.

My plan for the dragon was one of opportunity. By sensing its energy, I could duplicate it within myself and grow by whole realms of power. Using the drone as a distraction, I could gain power and escape simultaneously. Next time, I planned to bait one of the lizards with far more radiation and heat.

"You thought telling me your name would make you less mysterious. What the hell are you doing here in a backwater like Mississippi? We only have one mega city, a mage college, and I think a colony of mermaids on the cost. That's hardly tourist trap material." I said.

I jumped away from a stray log the size of my body before grabbing Ember and jumping for dear life as the forest began marching. The mage and the High Inquisitor were chanting together in German and Swedish, forcing their energy into the trees around us to mutate them with two different magic schools relying on the same pantheon.

The trees grew beards, glowing blue eyes, and long noses. Ends of limbs became fists as more drones fell into the forest.

"We should go."

"That's what I said earlier, but you wanted to attract a dragon with radioactive smoke and a forest fire," Ember said.

"You don't know me, woman. I might have everything under control." I said.

I gave her a fierce look, and damn, she was beautiful and didn't back up an inch. My senses chose that moment to tell me something interesting was happening.

The high inquisitor suddenly became extremely interesting. I sensed something energetic in his chest. My eyes widened at the massive balls on this guy. The vampire hunters really shoved MN drive in a man's chest. Tattooed Nordic runes transformed MN Particles into energy. Somehow, the vampire hunters found a way to rig infinite energy or mana in this case. Long red glowing veins covered the man's chest from the artificial organ.

Never before had I felt so jealous until 6 drones blasted the guy at once with six lasers. The tree men in its way were no protection. I could feel the energy in the air decrease from the drones waving their tentacles.

Each droned drained an area of energy up to a certain point. The drones were built to kill even a high inquisitor with an infinite energy device in their body.

Destroying the drones would require a complete overhaul of my rifle and techniques. Concealment had to be mastered, and my energy control needed work.

Penal slaves mined Mississippi Mythril, keeping the price high enough to be publicly unavailable. A little lobotomy and men worked; it was the ultimate luxury of Borgs. It would have been cheaper to use drones.

I lowered my energy until I matched Ember. She gave me a look like another revelation had been dropped on her.

With a deft movement, I pointed to home, and we started our retreat while Morgan Brown made his last stand with a failing army of tree men. He was like a dying bonfire; each move on the tree men's part weakened him further. Lasers flashed as the drones flanked the man.

Ember and I managed to get half a mile before Morgan fell.

Atom: World Gov has drones with energy sensors. Once we cross the fence, we need to go to ground.

The drones drained Morgan, and for a moment, I felt the energy within the machines as it was processed. However, my energy sense wasn't equipped to detect the artificial energy the drones converted Morgan's energy into. Before I knew it, they were as undetectable as vampires. No amount of boosting my senses could detect something over a mile away.

"Without the bleed wolves, they won't be able to find me," Ember said.

I nodded that made some sense. The drones couldn't detect Ember themselves since she was a vampire; her energy felt inert, like a part of the scenery. Bleed hounds tracked by scent, and when they detected the hounds dying, they sent one of their own.

"My brother will be angry that I brought you," I said.

"Are either of you vampire hunters?" Ember asked.

Jason: My girlfriend is here, so we can have a party.

"No, but my brother's girlfriend is an inquisitor. She thinks we're hedge mages hiding from the law and using our primitive runic formula." I said.

"Isn't that what you are?" Ember said.

I should say yes to hide from the law and maintain our secrecy. But at this point, that would be even more suspicious. To that end, it would be wise for me to choose another avenue.

"In our opinion, the mages are the hedge mages. Using terms like mana, ancient runes, and wearing robes feels hokey."

I smiled like my statement was the most natural thing in the world. Using terms like mana casting spells with chants, staves, and runes felt limiting. They didn't strengthen their bodies; they drank weird potions made from mutated plants, and their most powerful members were ancient graybeards.

The more I thought about it, the clearer it became that we were in the right and the entire Western world were the ones who were completely insane.

Jason: Emily suggests we leave for the college and join immediately. Reports of strange machines attacking mages and vampire hunters on every front are coming in. Former vampire strongholds are empty, and many more powerful mutants are on the warpath.

Atom: Are you trying to convince me or yourself? Do you want me to say it's a good idea to move from our well-placed protections before we master concealment? Should we go to the mages who wear their aura on their sleeves and know nothing of subtlety? Is there a cabal of assassins that would take us in instead?

Jason: Get your ass here with the vampire; we need to get this catfight out of the way and make a plan.