Ahead of the Storm - Day 29

Eberron, Four Months Ago

Am…. I….. Wrong?

I….. hold…. In my hand…. The Slayer of God

Ironic…. That I…. Am now one myself….

Ironic still…. That I used the word iron… In a sentence to describe myself.

My first warforged joke. No one capable around me to laugh.

I still process… the memories… of the fleshlings that were my friends. Now I have others.

Where there was Verodemocrium as my guide; there is now the Lord of Blades.

Where there was Eadfrid, the neraph mummy, as my guardian; there is now Lady Vol, the half-dragon lich.

I… have… validated… their crisis mission.

The complete obliteration of both their races, including my own. A validation of the threats that must be expunged from existence.

Annihilation.

Am… I…. Wrong?

Perhaps I could have asked… Scanning memory banks… Meerthan. Warning! Possible syntax error…

But his answer would have been compromised by pre-existing events and/or allies.

Neither he, nor Eadf… invalid pointer, if/or statement auto-correct. Well perhaps Eadfrid could have given an honest answer.

An answer to the problem. An answer to the truth of a choice. Of how I could have saved Cauldron and its near destruction within the plane of Oerth.

So many people would have retained their life essence that seems oddly made up of 80% water.

So many people would be alive.

And in that statement, lies more irony than I can clench my fist over.

To my left and to my right, I see the face of what I was.

In the reflection of my adamantium plating… I… see… what I’ve become.

And within me, there is nothing.

I am a warforged. I have no emotion. No heart.

No soul?

For the living, there is a paradise waiting for them. I, Xenogear, face only termination when my mechanical gears cease to function.

As do my fellow warforged.

As did my fellow warforged.

My true home of Eberron… Is our only true paradise. By definition of an afterlife, we return from where we began. The idea of a God, to true creation, then back to our creators side. The exception being of course, those who are damned to the fires of the hells.

So many, so very many fires.

It is odd…

Prime directive code 1178, is a function within my electrical cortex that states that I am to serve and protect.

Secondary directive 4452, function 12-3 states that I am to create and destroy.

Data cross-program analysis: In Oerth, I destroyed life to protect life. In Eberron, I create life to protect life. In Oerth, I served the people. In Eberron, people destroy what I create.

In Oerth, I was an Outsider.

In Eberron, I am a Warforged.

When I stopped the planar junction and defeated Adimarchus, I knew my purpose was at an end. There was no catastrophe left for Xenogear to stop. All that remained was the final preparations for my greatest creation.

And the forging of the Cord of course.

Verodemocrium would be amazed that this last mentioned item was inspired by his favorite spell.

Compare if = then: analysis correct. Eadfrid always was smarter than that spellcaster, having long ago realized the weakness of the flesh.

Flesh that is so mush easier to pierce than forged mylar dragonsteel.

Too easy?

I am asking too many question of myself.

Sometimes it is as though Nephilim…

No, she is gone, forever….

There are many cancers to exterminate from the heaven for the warforged race.

Scanning… Complete. Small group nearing vital establishment. Threat assessment: mediocre.

Cross referencing efficient counter solutions. Sector 7 army must hold position completely.

Option 2, success rate 100%. One unit; me. Time… two minutes upon first contact for victory.

Checking system upgrades… complete. Departure time requirement… four days.

System test target… Sigilstar. Casualties: 1,546,345. Make sure to send cleanup warscouts to bring bodies to blood drain factory for use in reformulated semi-organic oil for use in warforged titans.

I am Xenogear…

I am… a Slayer… of… Gods.

And all fleshlings will die by my hand.