Beneath the Hill. Daruis stood in front of the central display table.
The map had grown since the drones began their survey. Terrain lines filled in gradually, streams branching through dense forest while elevation markers revealed the surrounding hills with contour lines.
Below the surface, another map expanded.
A cross-section of the hill showed dozens of tunnels spreading outward like roots.
The fifty mining droids originally combat droids worked in synchronized silence. Their drill arms cut steadily through rock until sparks erupted where the iron vein began. Dark red ore cracked free in heavy chunks before being carried along to the conveyor channels.
"Nexus, whats the extraction efficiency of the bots?" Daruis asked.
"Seventy-three percent optimal, however improvements can be made with more units and higher grade drills." the AI replied.
He watched the flow of ore for another moment. Then he activated the final Fabricator Card in his inventory.
"Use my last Fabricator to create a Mini refinery. Adjacent to the primary extraction tunnel. Thats where the conveyor belts will connect" he said.
"Confirmed."
The chamber beside the mine shifted like an earthquake. Metal frameworks assembled along the stone walls. Furnaces formed in a line, surrounded by automated presses and filtration tanks. Conveyors extended from the mining tunnel directly into the intake port.
The first load of raw ore arrived seconds later. Heat ignited inside the refinery chamber as the extra bots made from the Combat Refinery were sent to start forging Ingots. Molten iron poured into molds while impurities separated into dark slag.
"Production chain established," the AI said.
Daruis nodded slightly.
"Good. Soon I'll have enough iron to sell to blacksmiths in bulk."
Above ground, nothing had changed. The cave entrance remained covered in grass, vines and branches to disguise it.
But beneath it, an industry had begun fueling Daruises ambition.
---
One of the drones returned briefly to the cave entrance before drifting back into the forest.
"Master, the survey range expanded due to the scout bots having upgraded functionality," the AI reported.
"Huh, so they just automatically upgrade the more I use them and how far is the range now?" Daruis asked.
"Five hundred kilometers. To answer your other question, not per say, its more like they unlock their full functions the more they are used."
The central map adjusted as the forest expanded across the display until the hill appeared as a tiny point near the center.
More Rivers and Valleys, with distant mountain ranges, and eventually even movement. Small heat signatures appeared in clusters across the map.
Mostly beasts, but one cluster stood out. Four figures with Humanoid heat waves, this peaked Daruises interest as he zoomed in.
Distance: three kilometers.
Heading directly toward the hill he was on. Daruis leaned slightly closer to the display.
"H–hey get some observation on this section right here?" He commanded with haste and concern.
"Tracking the target" the AI replied.
The drone's were going about their usual scanning of the terrain until they suddenly turned around and zoomed back to the hill at tremendous speeds, eventually arriving at a party of 4 humanoids from above, the visual feed appeared on the screen Daruis carefully watched.
---
Outside the Cave, deep in the forest Alyssa moved ahead of the others.
Three druids followed behind her — lieutenants from the village, each wearing bark-reinforced armor and carrying enchanted bows.
They advanced quietly through the familiar forest as the trees whispered their recollection of a human that passed by. Yes, Druids due to their proficiency with nature had an innate ability to extract information from the trees through sensation and aura. This helps the Druids track anyone, even Daruis.
The hill rose ahead of them, covered in thick forest growth. Nothing about it seemed unusual.
But Alyssa slowed. She crouched near the ground. The soil had been disturbed as she felt the ground, a slight vibrations resonated inconsistently.
"Something passed here recently, I cant really say if its a human or beast" she said.
One of the lieutenants knelt beside her. "Any Tracks that can guide us?"
"Definitely no clear ones." She brushed aside loose dirt. The surface beneath was compacted strangely, as if weight had pressed evenly across it.
Another lieutenant studied the surrounding trees. "No smoke, or scent of campfire. It probably didnt stick around for too long and moved with haste."
Alyssa stood and looked toward the hills in the distance. "The guardian died not far from here." Her hand rested lightly on her bow.
"Whatever killed the guardian might be gone, but If it still lives here," she continued, "it hides pretty well."
The team began spreading out slightly, scanning the area. None of them noticed the small drone hovering high above the canopy.
---
Beneath the Hill
Daruis watched the feed calmly.
"This might be a problem, im not yet ready to have conflict with these peasants, are they Indigenous?" he asked.
"Yes Master," the AI replied.
He studied the four figures. "Organic armor with bows, theyre definitely not soldiers, maybe scouts? What's their intent Nexus?" he asked.
"Most likely attributed to Investigation of the death of the creature, judging by this quick response, killing it might have triggered an alarm of sorts."
That made sense, the dead creature.
He leaned back slightly.
"Do not engage, Continue observation from high altitude."
The drone adjusted its position silently. Below, the mining droids continued cutting through iron. And above, the first visitors to his territory were already searching for him seeking justice.
Neither side yet understood the scale of what the other was doing, except Daruis of course, who increased the audioas he intently listened to the parties conversation.
---1 HOUR LATER----
Alyssa's team moved carefully along the slope of a hill that did not look unusual.
No signs of habitation or recreation were visible, but the ground told a different story.
"Something has been moving here, I just cant put my finger on it, this is probably what Alyssa was talking about" one of the lieutenants said in frustration after hours of unfruitful searching.
Alyssa nodded and said with a smirk. "Now you understand my struggles of being the lead"
The disturbances were subtle. Neither footprints nor beast trails. Just slight compression in places where it should not be.
She was about to signal a wider sweep—
Then something moved near by. All four of them turned at once as their senses caught on immediately.
A figure stood between the trees several meters ahead. Humanoid, but wrong in every sense of the word.
Its surface was smooth with no fur or bark armor like them. It also wore no clothing like the humans. Light reflected off it unnaturally, like polished stone or metal.
It did not breathe or shift its weight like a human, it had watched them for quite awhile.
No one spoke for a second out of pure fascination and suprise. Then suddenly the figure turned and ran into the forest.
"Move!," Alyssa said immediately and they gave chase.
---
The figure was fast, not like ancreature, but consistent. Its movements were precise, each step placed without hesitation or fear.
"What the hell is that thing, It's not human!," one lieutenant said as they ran.
"I know," Alyssa replied. Branches struck against their armor as they pushed forward. The terrain shifted, but the figure never slowed. It moved as if it already knew the grounds and navigation.
"Cut it off," Alyssa ordered as the team split.
Two flanked left. One broke right. Alyssa continued straight.
The figure also adjusted. It changed direction slightly, forcing them to correct their approach.
It was leading them. That thought crossed her mind, but she did not stop the chase for this abnormally fast creature.
"Don't let it reach open ground!!" she said as she vaulted over a log in her path.
Arrows were drawn but not released. They needed it alive no matter what. The figure made a sharp turn near a fallen tree suddenly by jumping onto the side of a tree and propelling its self to the left with great force, gaining distance to land and continue running.
But that was its mistake. One of the lieutenants closed the distance first, tackling it from the side. The impact knocked both of them to the ground.
The others followed immediately. Alyssa reached them last.
The figure struggled—but not like a living thing. Its movements were strong, but uncoordinated under pressure.
They pinned it to the ground as I struggled fiercely. "Shit, its pretty strong, do something Alyssa!" a lieutenant shouted as he used his body weight to supress it.
"Just keep holding it," she said as Vines responded to her call.
From the nearby ground, thick roots rose and wrapped around the figure's limbs, binding it tightly to the ground, it stopped moving.
Not because it was tired but because something in it had shut down.
Silence followed as they all looked at it properly for the first time.
Its body was smooth and seamless with no visible joints in the way they understood. No visible muscles or veins too.
One lieutenant reached out and tapped its arm with her knuckles, a dull metallic sound answered.
"What is this?" she asked. No one responded, they were just as confused as her, curiosity creeping to the surface as questions emerged.
Alyssa crouched beside it. She studied its face but there were no expression.
"It moved like a person, but i bet its not one," another said quietly.
Alyssa placed her hand against its surface and it was Completely cold. "If it's not a creature then what is it, i cant sense any vitality from this thing," she said.
They did not answer immediately. Her eyes narrowed slightly.
---
They stepped back slightly, giving space while still keeping the figure restrained.
"Do we destroy it?" one asked. "If it's dangerous, we shouldn't bring it back."
Another shook his head. "Or we should understand it before deciding anything."
Alyssa intervened. "If this killed the guardian," she said, "then destroying it tells us nothing."
She looked down at it again.
"If this is a tool used by the enemy…then someone is using it. And we need to know why and how "
That mattered more than the object itself. The group fell silent. Finally, one of the lieutenants spoke.
"We'll take it back for study and research, And if it's a weapon of sorts, we learn how it works before facing more of them."
That ended the discussion. They secured the bindings further and the vines tightened for good measure.
The figure did not resist, it almost seemed lifeless, almost. "Lift it," Alyssa said.
Two of them carried it, its weight far heavier than it should have been for its size.
They began moving back toward the village.
---
Daruis watched the feed without expression, a cold calculated gaze only ever present.
The drone hovered far above, its optics focused on the group retreating through the forest.
"The bait was successful Master, nice thinking " the AI said.
"It was a close call Nexus, the droid only served to distract them for now before they come back. Hehe, now they have something to focus on." He nodded slightly.
The hill was no longer under immediate threat, from these trespassers, if they found out about him and subdued him ...'I don't think that would end well' he thought
The drone feed zoomed slightly as Alyssa walked at the front of the group.
"Master, She doesn't seem convinced, I advise being more cautious from now on," the Nexus noted.
"Yes i hear you, but she doesn't have enough to act on her suspicion" Daruis said.
They spoke as Alyssa seemed worried and agitated, she wasn't fully sure if this could possibly be the thing that harmed the Gaurdian or something else was at play.
That was enough for Daruis, he turned away from the display, "Continue monitoring and follow them, i want a full scope of their settlement," he said.
The search party moved further away, carrying something they did not understand.
And for now—That was exactly what Daruis wanted.