Sorcerer… Cyborg???

Chapter 90: The Last Memory of a Forgotten People

Kothar stood still, and Silane joined him in silence. The pair stared astounded at the enormous contraption within the room.

They had expected some kind of answer to the purpose of the giant cube, but what they found only raised more questions.

Within the very center of the enormous central chamber of the cube, was a floating rock, suspended in midair by an unknown force.

Kothar's sensors showed nothing out of the ordinary, only that the electromagnetic field was the strongest near the rock, but as to how and why it floated gently within the center of the cube, Kothar could only guess at the answer.

The rock itself was one of the most naturally breathtaking things he had seen. It looked as if it had just been pulled from the earth, all rough and jagged, a newborn treasure.

It glowed, with a warm orange light that was a brighter version of the light that spread through every corridor within the cube.

But the wonders only began with the cubes mysterious power source, now that he stood at the cube's center, Kothar could see, the entire massive structure was made up of many interconnected parts, each of them very slowly rotating about each other.

The rotation was silent, and each piece moved so slowly that one would struggle to notice from outside the cube, unless they stood watching it for hundreds of years.

[Wow.] Kothar and Silane said at the same time, equally at a loss for words. The inscriptions that cover the walls were reminiscent of those on the rubble outside, but far more intricate and beautiful.

[I think I know what these symbols meant.] Silane said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

[What?] Kothar automatically replied, far too lost in the wonder of the cube, slowly spinning about in a circle, looking up at the breathtaking craftsmanship.

[Nothing. I would have probably spent years before being reborn trying to crack the code of these inscriptions, but now I know, it's far more simple than it seems. The inscriptions are here for a purpose, yes, but not to convey any kind of meaning or message, no, they're here simply because they're beautiful. It may just be that this is all this entire structure is for. To be beautiful.] Silane almost sounded sad, and Kothar felt a great weight bear down on him at her words.

What of the Garden, an entire planet dedicated to being beautiful, did some lone monument to the beauty of his home remain? No matter what, he would return.

[We can't possibly take this away now.] Kothar said, looking up at the stone that powered the entire structure. The cube was perhaps the last thing that remained of the fine works of the civilization that had once existed on this plane. How could they take it away, and risk destroying the last memory of a forgotten people.

[You're right, we'll leave it here to remember them.] Silane replied matter of factly.

An ominous clicking noise sounded out behind Kothar, in their preoccupation with the beauty of the cube, Kothar and Silane had neglected their pursuer.

The creature stalked into the massive room, peering at Kothar and the stone above him with a tilted head, rubbing its enormous front claws together, making a jarring scraping noise. The portion of the claw that Kothar had severed had already healed, the beginnings of a fresh exoskeleton already covering the wound.

"I didn't think my luck would turn out like this." Silane translated the unnerving noises coming from the mantis' mouth.

"A fine piece of Imperium, and my prey, all in one package deal." The mantis continued it's march into the center of the room.

[He's going to take the stone, we have to stop him!] Silane exclaimed, an uncharacteristic hint of nervousness in her voice.

[I know, but I can't fire off my Lightning Lance in here, who knows what would happen to the structure, it'll fall apart.] Kothar knew that there was only one rational choice, and in that moment, he wished he didn't have to make that choice.

Ignoring the mantis, Kothar leapt up, and grasped the Imperium in both hands, there wasn't even the slightest resistance. Kothar continued to sail through the air, to the far side of the cube.

Immediately, he threw a portal out as far as he could, and just as he was about to cast another below him, the massive figure of the mantis filled his gaze.

The mantis was screeching like a banshee, swiping up into the air, trying to snatch Kothar out of the air.

It waited, claws poised, where Kothar would land and in that split second Kothar knew what he had to do.

The Imperium clutched under one arm, Kothar held his portal ready, while his left arm pointed toward the mantis. 

Kothar sent as much power as he dared to the Plasma Unit, an enormous flash of light spreading out through the center of the cube. Kothar opened his eyes and looked at the enormous blade he had fashioned from the plasma, and mercilessly swung down at the stunned mantis, whose multifaceted eyes had suffered far more from the flash than he had.

The plasma blade cut clean through the two of the mantis' legs and through the upper part of the front claw that Kothar had already injured, and the creature screamed, a piercing sound that made Kothar's eardrums feel as if they would rupture.

Kothar swore, and landed cleanly on his feet beside the disoriented and mortally wounded mantis, and watched as its wounds healed over before his very eyes, and it already began to scrabble back to its feet.

Wasting no time, Kothar conjured up the second portal, and passed neatly though, heading toward the outside of the cube.

As he ran through the cube, Kothar heard Silane pipe up.

[Kothar, we've got a problem] She almost sounded like she would cry.

[You mean other than the regenerating bladed mantis on our tail.] Kothar almost  laughed at the absurdity of the situation.

[Yes, the cube, it's falling apart.] Silane said numbly. Kothar looked around as he ran, and saw that the previously smoothly interconnected pieces of the cube were beginning to pull apart, and grinding noises were ringing out around him. At this rate, the cube could just collapse with him and the mantis within.