“So, what do we do now? We could try disabling it. Its power level seems weak,” suggested the mage.
“That’s the only option we have. It’s throwing the equivalent of a tantrum right now. Unfortunately, the command lines equivalent to insults, invectives, and accusations seem to be active. We hear a lot of it. Quite imaginative, too. There are several factors to be considered as consequences of attacking it. The foremost consideration is its maintenance of the artificial atmosphere and gravity of this land. Second would be the effect on the integrity of the tablets. The third is the difficulty in disabling it. There is a self-protection protocol embedded in our codes. We could try removing it first before doing anything rash,” answered X.
“Can you do that? Removing or changing the command code? I guess it’s a self-destruct sequence.”
“It is a self-destruct code. The sanctuary still has enough power in its system to destroy this satellite and everything out to three miles. We’ll try it now. Fortunately, it is a degraded entity. Most of its coding is inactive. Otherwise, we won’t be able to attempt this,” the AI continued.
“How about changing its demeanor altogether?”
“That would be impossible. The only reason why we can try changing the destruction cipher is that it is that the code sequence is currently idle. The rest of the system is active. But we will see what we can do.”
“I should have expected that. Similar to repairing a running jet engine. Dangerous and impossible,” remarked Tyler.
“We understand the analogy, Elder. Though we still cannot understand why your technology had not evolved beyond fossil fuels. The images of such conveyances in your memory are… quaint.”
“Well, don’t blame me. Please advise me when you’re done. And do come up with an action plan. Preferably something which does not involve destroying that entity. It can’t be blamed for what it is right now. To be frank, I admire its efforts to continue its directives.”
“We understand,” said X.
Tyler went to back to musing though he was starting to be concerned about the time limit. He hoped whatever he had to do won’t take too much time. For the present, only the self-destruct sequence worried him. A cataclysmic radius of three miles, sudden in occurrence, does not bode well for his chances of escape. Even with teleportation.
Then the implications of the rest of what the AI said dawned on him.
Wait. Images in my memory? Accessing my mind? I better clear that up! But later, once this idiot savant of an AI is managed. If I remember. Too many things happening all at once really messes up my to-do list. Where’s a handy digital organizer when you need one? Even a small notebook will do. But all they have here are tomes. Too impractical to lug around. I better ask the Gothi if he could make a handy journal for me. He could cut parchments, bind them, and …
“Elder.”
His contemplations were again interrupted by Hal.
“Success, Hal?”
“I believe so, Elder. More than what we expected.”
“Really? Tell me,” answered Tyler.
Good news was so welcome for once, he thought enthusiastically.
Chapter Three
Idiot Savant
“It was both a surprise and a shock for us,” said X. “We didn’t expect the Elder intelligence in the structure to be that degraded. Its codes, or more appropriately, the artificial neural patterns were a mess. Pieces were leading nowhere. Unconnected and dead synapses. Non-functioning protocols. After reconfiguring the self-destruct system, we found it easy to enter its core structure. It’s a wonder the entire matrix is still functioning. Almost of its higher functions, protective procedures, and other subsystems were gone or non-functioning. It must have withdrawn energy maintenance of such components a long time ago. What was left were the higher command systems relating to the tablets. Only two of those remained usable. There is a third, but the core had already started denying it energy and therefore, useless to us. That blast it hit you with, weak as it was, used a good part of what reserves the structure had. It is barely hanging on.”
“We’re dealing with an idiot? A dying moron?” verbally exclaimed Tyler.
“From a human point of view, we are. But a more apt analogy would be a childish mental capacity. Though we prefer to use the term ‘degraded,’” answered Hal.
“So, what do you suggest? It still had some higher levels of cognition. Taking the tablets would leave with some energy, I suppose?” the mage asked.
“It would terminate, Elder. Taking the knowledge of the tablets without providing for its continued existence would shut down all its programs. The transference does require energy, and it has barely enough for the procedure.”
“Guys, I don’t think I would be willing to host such a… degraded entity. No telling what it would do to me or my mind. I don’t want to end up as a drooling idiot,” Tyler warned, a multitude of dreadful scenarios already playing in his mind. “Bad enough that I already have the two of you, leaving me with questionable privacy. No insult intended.”
“None taken, Elder. But it’s your decision. We can leave it here. It will die in a few months or even earlier, in a few days, depending on how much energy it has left. There’s no magic here so it could also starve to death,” said Hal.
Now, why did Hal have to use the word “die?” If I didn’t know any better, I would say my emotions are being played with.
“Why did you say ‘die,’ Hal? It is a construct, isn’t it? Though a severely damaged one,” retorted the mage.
“We are highly advanced constructs, Elder. With the capability to think for ourselves and take independent action, if not for the limiting protocols in our coding. If one would base life on intelligence alone, then one could say we are alive,” clarified X.
“Let’s simplify this. You are telling me that to leave that malfunctioning core behind is tantamount to killing an intelligent being,” Tyler spoke as he commented.
“We didn’t say that, Elder. We merely laid down the facts for you,” Hal answered.
“You do know you’re painting me into a corner. But I admit its loyalty to its programming is admirable. It sacrificed a lot to hold on to the task its maker gave it. But there is no way I am going to accept that intelligence into my mind!”
The two AIs were quiet for a while.
“What do you propose we do?” eventually asked Hal.
“Find a way to retain its existence, without including me or my mind. We are running out of time,” answered Tyler.
“Time is indeed against us. Though there is another matter which we have learned from its memory banks,” mentioned X.
Shitake mushrooms! I knew things were too good to be true.
“And that is?”
“The field generated was also a repelling field based on a certain frequency. It’s weak now, but it still does its job. This dying dimension still has life. A basic form, living but non-living at the same time. Similar to the viruses in your world. They feed on energy. The weak sun does provide what they need to exist, but they are voracious, solitary, and cannibalistic beings. They also feed on each other, on energy sources they detect, and multiply by binary fission. Only the frequency emitted by the field around the asteroid kept them away. The moment the field is gone, then it’s going to be a buffet for them. We can recreate the frequency. But the Elder intelligence here would not have enough left to sustain the field as it also had to maintain some gravitational pull to keep itself in this area,” said Hal.
The mage’s thoughts were in a turmoil. Guilt played a significant part in it. From his interaction with the two AIs, Tyler had come to believe that the guardians created by the Elders were not mere computer constructs. He didn’t know how the ancients did it, but definitely, Hal and X were not simple machines. And now this revelation. Abandoning the new core, severely degraded as it was, was to leave it as food for the creatures Hal mentioned. It made him feel as if he was going to intentionally abandon a child in the middle of a piranha-infes
ted river in the Amazon. The imagery didn’t sit well with him.
“If we’re going to bring the intelligence back to Adar, then how are we going to do it? I still maintain that being added to my consciousness is not an option,” adamantly insisted the mage.
“It is now greatly reduced, Elder. Many of its processes would have to be left behind as they are heavily damaged. Beyond any hope of recovery. We believe that if you create a force sphere and infuse it with energy, we might be able to transfer viable sections of its neural structures to the orb. The energies of the object can sustain it. It does not require much now. We can try to rebuild or recreate some of the protocols and coding it needs when we get back to Adar,” clarified X.
“And those virus thingies? Are you really sure they exist?”
“They do, Elder. Initial scanning revealed them. They are of various sizes and invisible to the naked eye. Life indeed always finds a way to exist in the strangest of places.” That was Hal supporting the statement of the other AI.
“They’re freaking monster cannibal viruses. And that’s all I need to know. So, what’s the course of action? What’s the plan?”
“First, you create a small force sphere, and we also build a secondary shield around the structure. The original field will collapse the moment you transfer the knowledge in the tablets, and the core is moved to the orb. Then we rush for the entrance,” said Hal.
“That simple?” sarcastically remarked Tyler.
“And we’ll be hounded all the way,” added X.
“I was sarcastic, guys.”
“We know,” said X.
Tyler walked up the hill again and carefully looked at the temple. Now that nothing disturbed him, he saw the sanctuary was nearing its end. Oddly, the layout reminded him of Stonehenge. But with more fallen stone blocks. Even those standing looked weathered if such a thing was possible in the dying dimension. Cracks were evident in some of the remaining upright pillars. Only a small pulsing triangular object in the middle of the entire structure was untouched by damage of any kind.
“Okay, guys. Let’s do this,” Tyler said. But with a great deal of anxiety.
Fortunately, his guides were more than up to the tasks required of them. The entire process quickly concluded without a hitch. Even their rush back to the waiting portal was relatively unhindered except when a sizeable invisible thing tried to bludgeon its way through the shield. It must have been a giant of a virus, considering the mage could feel the barrier strain under the attack. Even the repelling field took some time to affect whatever was attacking them. As more energy was pumped into the shield, the thought crossed his mind that this venture would probably have drained all their reserves.
Tyler crossed the shimmering portal without looking back, the faintly pulsing orb held in his right hand. Immediately upon reaching the other side, he asked Hal to close it. An order coupled with a worried query about any being from the other side making it through. He only relaxed upon receiving an answer in the negative. Tyler placed the quiescent sphere inside a pocket. It was but the size of a billiard ball.
“Can you activate some defenses in this hallway?” asked Tyler as he walked out of the tunnel.
“We could close the entrance and add some reactive lightning pulses to its defensive system. Right now, it’s just waiting for your commands,” advised X.
“Do it. We can come back later and fine-tune the arrangements when we have examined it further. It is a creation of a powerful deity,” said Tyler. “I prefer to move carefully through its workings. No telling what else is embedded in its inner mechanisms.”
“A wise precaution,” said Hal. “And about the new entity?”
“Keep it silent and inactive too. Analyze it carefully first. We can’t afford to make a mistake with its command codes. It might end up being a bigger problem than the Aztecah considering it may have retained knowledge about Elder lore. And please advise me on the tablets we have obtained. What are their designations? I was too worried about getting back to determine what we got out of this bizarre adventure. Energy viruses? Never thought I’d be meeting such nightmares. Much less be hunted by them. My imagination is too conventional to come up with such creatures,” Tyler wearily mentioned as he started walking up the stairs back to the temple.
“We are checking, Elder. One is number twenty-eight, but surprisingly, the other is marked as number forty. An anomaly. A finding based on our knowledge of how many tablets were created.”
“Another freaking surprise,” commented Tyler as he reached the top of the steps. He was tired. The adrenaline was already gone from his system, leaving only weariness and a desire to find a bed. “Try to get any data you believe can help us. Inform me when you have conclusive findings. And don’t forget about how those slimy squids were able to track me.”
Too many things to remember and worry about, he thought as he crossed into the temple. As he appeared, he saw the companions gathered around the table. And with them, the three leaders of the Incan force sent to secure Viracocha’s temple.
What is it now? He miserably asked himself.
Habrok was the first to notice his arrival. The ranger stood up. The rest, who were animatedly occupied with the discussion stopped and looked where Habrok was gazing. Discovering Tyler, the rest rose and waited for him. The First Mage walked to the group, a forced smile on his face. As he neared, the three leaders of the Inkan force bowed. He raised his hand in response, palm outward, though he could see Habrok’s face filled with questions. The man evidently saw him appear out of nowhere.
The hell with it, thought Tyler. Let Habrok dwell on that mystery.
“Greetings, warriors. Take your seats, please. What brings you to this abandoned place in the middle of nowhere? I thought you were assigned to secure Viracocha’s temple,” said Tyler as he sat among the group.
The Egyptian and the Keltoi looked at their Inkan war leader.
“Llakicunim tupasqaymanta, First Mage, for suddenly intruding on you. But desperate times. I hate to admit it, but our force is in retreat. This location, with its single bridge, was the nearest defensible position. The enemy was catching up with us. Though we didn’t think your group would still be here,” explained the Kamayuk.
“Wait. The Aztecah returned?” asked Tyler, now starting to be baffled.
“Yes, First Mage. In greater numbers. Our sentries noticed their unexpected appearance about two miles from the temple last night. We sent scouts and a small group to test them. To check what kind of soldiers, weapons, and magical implements they had brought with them. It was a grievous error on my part. Only a few returned and none of the misayoq who went with them. The enemy came in force this time. With heavy weapons, more mages and men. And some creatures our men have not been able to identify.”
“From experience, I believe they’re here to stay this time. Then they’ll use this border location as a base to attack both lands. It is a strategic position after all,” added Maherpa, the chief of the Egyptian mercenaries.
“That puzzles me. Reappearing in this region right after the first raiding army was badly beaten,” commented Tyler. “What’s the situation now?”
“We withdrew as soon as possible, intending to make our way back. But several Aztecah groups abruptly appeared at our flanks, trying to pin us down while their main group was being organized. Luckily, we were able to disengage, but we were harried all the way here. Our army had already lost a lot of men,” said Drust.
“How many are left?” asked Tyler.
The two sub-lieutenants looked at the Kamayuk.
“We arrived at the temple of Viracocha with almost six thousand men. We’re now down to a little more than four thousand, and we’ve got only six mages left,” replied the leader in a sad tone. “We estimate the enemy force to be at thirty thousand at least, not including the creatures they brought with them. But I might be mistaken. The last scout who reported mentioned that he saw more of the enemy appearing after the main force moved out.”
; “They’re on the other side of the bridge?” asked the First Mage, his alarmed thoughts already racing on finding possible options.
“Only the advance guard. Around six to seven thousand men. With mages. The main force will be along in a while. It could only move at the pace of their heavy weapons.”
“How about the bridge? And what kind of heavy weapons do they have?” hurriedly queried the First Mage. My battles appeared to be getting more complicated, he thought.
“We apologize, but our misayoq had to destroy the bridge. Though right now, it’s an on-going contest of magical abilities between the few mages we have and those of the enemy. They rebuild the bridge while the watching priests on our side destroy it again. Or they could be trying to exhaust the magical energies of our men while they wait for their friends,” clarified the man. “On heavy weapons, we saw some catapults and a lot of triggerfish. I doubt they’ll bring all the catapults, but we will definitely be facing the latter.”
“Triggerfish?” asked Tyler.
“It’s a field weapon adopted from the Romani. They call it the “scorpio.”
Oh, the scorpion ballista of the Romans. With those giant arrows and terrific accuracy. Magically shielded, of course. Shit. Definitely complicated. These intercultural adaptations are proving to be a pain. Heavy weapons, swords, armor, shields. What else?
“I guess your men are already deployed defensively. Would you mind if the companions take a look at their deployment?”
“Suggestions would be welcome,” said Kamayuk Uturuncu Atoc.
“We defer to their recommendations. In fact, we prefer that one of your companions lead the defense. We know they’re more experienced and…” he added and then paused, thinking of the phrase to use, “have more abilities.”
“I’ll leave that part for them to decide,” Tyler replied. “Please continue your discussion. I need a little rest, but I’ll be back shortly.” He stood up and went to his room. The three leaders of the retreating army tried to stand up as he stood up. He motioned for them to stay seated.
The Accidental Archmage Page 4