There is a reason why aether-monsters includes the word monsters. Hymns and poems to even the most rigidly academic book all agreed upon this one central tenant.

               Records and histories were clear on one thing. From the moment they appeared, they were driven by an insatiable need to kill any and all humans in their path.

               A fact made quite clear to Nick, as he watched the mass of fur and claws, of snapping canines and screeches, surge toward him.

               Kobolds. Blind, but able to hear and smell twice as well to compensate.

               The row of droids stood in front of him, spread along the length of the cavern. A shield between him and the approaching monsters. He clenched the handle of the staff.  

               The old feeling rushed through him, the one he felt when faced with impending conflict. The world narrowed to two choices. Fight or flight.

               He looked behind to the rain and forest below.

               A foolhardy option. Even if he managed to survive the fall, which he didn’t feel like verifying, he’d still need to contend with everything else out there.

               That left fighting. He turned toward the approaching mob.  

               He didn’t know the full capabilities of these droids. They fought well, at least from what he saw in the dream battle.

               Not that he’d see the same results now. Kobolds were rather low on the rung of monsters. Monsters they still were however, which made them lethal, especially in packs.

               He could make out five of them, with one leading the charge.  

               There didn’t seem to be a need to give any orders, but it didn’t sit right with him to just stand there. Valdric always harped on about avoiding idleness in a fight.

               He looked to the floating row of black and violet constructs floating beside him, and to the remaining bits of rubble and gemstone shards on the opposite wall. He may as well churn out more weapons and droids if he could.

               Nick took his first step sideways, right as the closest kobold lunged through the air towards the center-most droid. The monster’s claws stretched out, earthen aether swirling around them and casting a dim brown light in the tunnel.

               Anticipation creeped up his spine.

               The sight would have struck hesitation and fear into a rookie. Two things the faceless droid showed none of. The instant the Kobold was mid-air and its trajectory was set in stone, the droid moved.

               It crouched, leaning forward while extending its arms without locking them in place. The sword petered out from its hands; the tip aimed directly at the Kobold’s avenue of approach.

               Nick stopped as he recognized the movement. He saw a glimpse of his father on the plains, salt-peppered beard and unruly hair, showing him the same form years past. The Long Tail Guard. One of the twelve Imperial swordsmanship forms, and the same style he had passed on to Nick.

               The droid squeezed its shoulders and lunged, the movement starting from its legs, up the hips, and arms. Pressing the sword forward like a projectile. The dark blade caught the Kobold mid-air, cutting through its chest, the location of its core, in a spray of blood.

               The monster shrieked, wailing its arms as it wriggled on the blade like meat on a skewer. Before the claws could knock the sword out of its grip, the droid drew back, sliding the weapon out and letting the kobold fall.

               It landed face-up in a growing pool of its own blood. Its screeches weakening to squeals. The wailing arms reduced to twitching. A momentary struggle before it stilled completely.

               Cracks splintered over its body and the corpse shattered. The pieces evaporated into nothingness, leaving behind a glowing brown agate. The earth-based gemstone was kicked aside as another Kobold leapt into the fray. Followed by its remaining brethren.

               The droids fought back, and Nick felt them like they were extensions of his body. He didn’t recall this from the dream-battle. The phantom connections from before thrummed, as they drew his skills from memories as arms and legs drew blood from the heart.

               One droid raised its sword up, flexing its hips and knees, before bringing the full weight of the blade down on a charging Kobold. The weapon slammed onto its skull, shredding through fur and smashing its head against the ground.

               Another droid stood against the wall; sword wound over the shoulder. It swiveled and dashed away from an incoming claw, letting it sift past and strike rock.

               The kobold squealed as it lost its footing, and the droid made its move. It stepped forward, pivoting with its knee to whistle the blade around and shearing off the kobold’s arm. Before the monster could utter a single cry, the blade swept back and lopped off its head.

               Nick’s eyes shifted to a droid trying to parry a kobold lunging from the left. He knew one of his weaknesses was an overemphasis on his right side.

               Violet light flashed upon impact, causing the entire tunnel to light up and reveal another set of kobolds straggling forward. Gray bits of the droid’s arm clattered along the ground as the kobold’s claws shredded through its limb. The droid teetered back, holding its weapon with its sole good arm. Half the green bar below its nameplate turned red.

               It appeared that along with his skills; they had also inherited his flaws.

               The Kobold pushed through the hole in the line to finish off the droid. Nick stepped forward to intervene when the staff in his hand flared blue.

               Light whisked out from the orb toward the droid, swirling around it. Gray matter reformed around the stump, until it became a new arm and hand. The bar below its nameplate turned from red to green.

               As the droid parried away the incoming blow, Nick looked at the staff and then at its open blue screen.

               Label: Basic Energy Capacitor: NEZRA- 14526181
               Power- N/A
               Energy Capacity: 0/100
               Recommended Class: Generalist

               Description: Basic Generation 1 Armament. Repairs and restores droids by expending energy.
               Recoverable Resources: 10 Minerals

               It was essentially healing staff. This would be useful.

               He had spent enough time dawdling. Nick rushed to the other wall, picking up piles of cobblestones as the droids proceeded to dispatch the monsters one by one.

               He tossed them into the refinery and the construct buzzed to life, the noise joining the sounds of clacking movements and screeches of pain.

               Nick watched as the second wave of kobolds fell, and a third wave strode forth. Brown light illuminated the tunnel as more agates were left behind. He pondered just how much energy and minerals those gemstones could provide. Especially given how much he netted just from shards alone.

               By the time he pressed the option to create a sword, the last kobold plunged itself at the wall of droids, falling as multiple swords punctured its body.

               Nick relaxed, easing his grip on the staff. This all went far easier than he expected, as he hadn’t expected the droids to perform at that level of skill.

               A loud bellow grated his ears and rumbled through the cavern. Something thumped, sending vibrations clamoring up his knees. Another thump followed. And another, and another. Pebbles on the floor rattled with each step.

               Maybe he spoke too soon.

               A hulking shape appeared from the darkness below, sharpening into a mass of fur and muscle three times the size of a kobold. Its head was long, resembling a dog with the added addition of scars crisscrossing its cheek. The mouth was snarled open, revealing a jaw lined with scores of sharp teeth and an even larger set of canines. Its limbs bulged with muscle, with a left arm far larger than its right and covered with fur a shade darker than the rest of its body.

               Nick knew these creatures. Partial-aberrations, formed from areas lacking enough natural aether to support them.

               The droids braced themselves as the kobold let out another roar and heaved its chest. A brown glow enveloped its entire body. Solidifying and hardening into dark stone plates.  

               The same power Cedric used. It was essentially a kobold juggernaut. The bestiary did not mention this.

               The minecart stood in its path and the kobold slammed it out of the way with its left arm. The metal box flew, smashing against the wall with the noise of warping metal echoing through the tunnel.

               Before Nick could yell out another command, the kobold charged toward the closest opponent.

               The droid shoved its sword forward, the sword-tip striking the plate on the giant’s chest. It left a chip but punctured no further.

               The blade stopped short of a full puncture. As the kobold juggernaut careened forward, its sheer weight and momentum pressed the sword, and consequently the droid, backward. The droid’s feet slid against the ground, crouching in an attempt to drive the sword deeper.

               The right thing to do, if it was up against a human opponent. However, this foe was no human.

               The kobold’s shoulder shifted, and the sword was flicked aside. The droid tipped, losing its balance right as the monster’s claws swept into its chest.

               Violet light burst as the droid’s body shattered like glass striking the floor. The green bar above its head instantly turned red, and vanished with the nameplate. Its sword teetered and clanged along the floor. Followed shortly by its head and remaining arm.

               The kobold juggernaut let out a victorious roar as the droid’s legs, now missing a body, crumpled to the floor.

               The other droids moved in, and the kobold wound its massive arm back.

               “Dodge!” said Nick. “Watch for its arm!”

               The droids halted, stepping away from the moving aberration right as the arm swept across and cleaved through empty air.

               The kobold juggernaut recovered and went on a rampage, swinging wildly and with ferocity, forcing the droids back and giving them little opportunity to retaliate.

               Paralysis struck him, as he didn’t know what to do. He never had to tackle a foe of this stature on his own before.

               The next swing forced the droids back further, until they were standing right next to him.

               The armory’s door opened, revealing a sword. Nick grabbed ahold of the weapon with his free hand, and dashed away as the kobold’s slammed its claws where he just stood. The attack missed him, instead striking the three constructs.

               Violet flashed upon impact as the constructs exploded in a spray of light and gray debris. The kobold juggernaut didn’t seem bothered by it and kept plowing, its other arm caving in the head of another droid. The mangled bits of its body clattered into the wall.

               Nick was down to four droids. He had to do something. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before he was next.

               Looking at the kobold juggernaut, he noted gaps between the armored plating. He recalled the words of the Northlander woman from the ship. A remark she made while watching Cedric fight.

               Attack the joints.

               Feasible, but there was another problem. Namely, the inability to strike at all. Not without risking themselves. To fix that, he needed to force it into a vulnerable position.

               The droids backed away as the monster grunted, sweeping its overgrown arm and catching nothing but air.

               He felt the blood pounding against his chest as the thing recovered and advanced.

               A sensation which gave Nick an idea. He looked down at his right arm, eyeing a vein under the skin.

               Reclaimer expeditions used it to draw monsters into favorable terrain for battle. Typically taken from the rookies. A potent yet common substance which flowed through his body.

               It was going to hurt, but not as much as dying to this monster.

               Nick moved against the wall, as the Kobold wound its arm back for another strike. He pressed the edge of the gray blade against his arm, feeling its sharp edge against his forearm.

               He braced himself and slit his skin open. Blood poured out. Violet wisps spindled immediately from his body, whirling around the open wound.

               The kobold juggernaut stopped, sniffing the air. It growled, rearing its head in Nick’s direction.

               The action had its desired effect as the monster lunged after him, and the droids moved out of the way.

               It took every ounce of Nick’s willpower to not immediately move as the hulking monstrosity charged. Instead, he whisked his bleeding arm against the wall.

               Only then did he leapt out of the way; with as much energy he could muster from his legs.

               Nick flew through the air, longer and higher than he expected, narrowly avoiding a collision with the ceiling. All in all, he wasn’t prepared and fudged the landing, rolling along the rock floor.

               A loud boom thundered behind him as the kobold collided with the wall. Vibrations knocked dust from the ceiling, causing it to flutter down and obscure his vision.

               Nick heaved himself up, looking towards the kobold. The monster dawdled back, teetering side to side. Its legs uneasy, visibly dazed from the impact. Cracks splintered from the impact point on the wall, along with the earthen plating along its left shoulder.

               Nick wasted no time and pointed to the kobold. “Attack! Aim between the plates!”

               The remaining droids swarmed toward the hulking giant. Swords hacking and chipping away at the exposed elbows and knees. Blood spurted out.  

               However, the kobold remained standing, and roared, swinging while it struggled to maintain its balance.

               The droids dodged away from the blows, and the kobold’s attack went wide, leaving it open for another barrage of attacks.

               More wounds sprouted along the joints, but again the monster remained standing. It attacked again, with more focused this time. Slowly regaining its senses.

               The attacks weren’t enough. Nick felt rain droplets behind him. He turned to see he was only several paces from the cavern entrance.

               Even if we joined in, he doubted he could do much more himself.

               The kobold waltzed about, attempting to grab one of the droids with its claws.

               Another idea caught his mind. The same one that brown-haired girl attempted against Miri earlier. He didn’t know why he didn’t try it before. Probably because it had been years since he practiced it. Valdric called it the small man’s advantage.

               He wasn’t sure if it would work, but he’d have to try.

               “Grapple it down!” he said. “Arms first. Legs last!”

               The kobold juggernaut swiped at a droid who ducked out of the way. As the limb passed by, the droid dropped its sword and latched onto it.

               The kobold snarled as the droid wrapped its entire body along the length of the arm like a snake. The monster tried to bite it off, but the droid pressed its feet against the neck, keeping the jaws locked in place.

               The kobold’s other arm moved to tear off the offending nuisance, only to stop as a second droid grabbed on and locked it down as well. A third swerved in to secure its left leg, while the fourth did the same to its right.

               All four droids heaved in one fashion. The kobold roared as it collapsed face-up onto the ground.

               It twisted and turned, trying to regain its footing to no avail.

               A single individual could submit a larger and stronger one with the art of grappling. All with the simple mechanic of proper leverage. The kobold had to contend with four.

               The droids shifted their position, locking the joints and hips into place, and the monster was reduced to snarling, shrieking, and snapping its jaws helplessly.

               The fight was essentially over.

               Nick sighed with relief. He looked toward the dark depths of the mine, satisfied there weren’t any more monsters to contend with. At least for now.

               Best to finish this one off in case more do show up. He let the staff clatter onto the ground, and walked forward. Both hands gripping the sword.

               He stepped over the kobold’s chest as it continued to struggle and snap blindly into the air. No pleas for mercy nor any signs of fear. Just whatever singular drive drove its soul. If it even had one.

               As Nick looked down, he came to realize what Valdric said long ago. A saying he himself inherited from past reclaimers.

               There was a simplicity in killing monsters.

               He tipped the blade over the gap between its chest plates. Directly over where its core should be.

               And slammed it down.

               The kobold shrieked as black blood spurted out from the wound. The blade failed to punch through, so he drove it deeper.

               Moments passed as the shrieking changed to choking. Nick continued to exert force, until the kobold juggernaut stilled completely.

               The action caused something to simmer up from the recesses of his mind. A wave of happiness. The cold of the cavern. The stench of the corpse. All of it was washed away.

               Nick looked at the lifeless body and felt a smile creep up the corner of his lips. He felt the urge to laugh.

               Lightning flashed and thunder followed, knocking him back to his senses.  

               He stepped back, holding a hand against his head. What the hell was he thinking?  

               Lightning and thunder came again, as the storm outside grew in strength. His eyes caught his reflection in a puddle, similar to the one from his past nightmares.

               A tuft of gray hair over a set of eyes. One a normal brown, the other an unnatural yellow.

               The madness hadn’t gone away after all. It was still there.

               The words of the voice echoed in his mind.

               We shall see what you are.

               Nick bit his lip as the violet wisps finished healing the wound along his arm. Even with this new power, he still needed to be weary of his old burdens.

               Out here, he’d have to be careful with not just his surroundings, but also with himself. Doubly so now.

               Another blast of cold air swept through the tunnel, causing him to shiver.

               He looked to the darkness of the tunnel. Regardless of his greater goals, it appeared he would have to shelter here. At least until the weather got better.

               The four droids stood up, moving behind him as the final kobold crumbled away. The corpse vanished, leaving behind a brown agate. Nick picked it up. It was far larger than the rest strewn along the cavern floor.

               [Potential Resource] [Minerals- 386, Energy- 237]

               A princely sum, for the effort. Enough to replenish his losses, and to make more.

               Nick realized not only could he make more. He could build an army.

               It felt like as if he unearthed a small piece in the purpose of this ability. He looked at the four remaining droids.

               The green bars below their nameplates were anywhere from a quarter to half red. He’d have to remedy that with the staff. He also however, noted the levels besides the names of each droid had changed. Gone up. Three were level 4.

               The last was level 5 and it appeared to be flickering. Like a button to be tapped.

               Nick flicked his hand over it and a blue screen popped up.

               Label: Basic Droid: NEZRA- 14526181
               Level- 5
               Class: None

               Description: Basic Generation 1 Droid.   
               Recoverable Resources: 25 Minerals
               [UPGRADE] Move within proximity of factory to upgrade.

               Upgrade? This was a new development.

               Before, any further exploration however, he needed to take care of some basic necessities. He left the screen open and looked at the droids.

               They looked back at him. Still and faceless. Awaiting his next command.

               He felt like he was getting the hang of how the worked.

               “Gather up the gemstones,” he said. “We have work to do.”

               ***

               Nick stood by the factory, looking at the screen in front of him.

               The second factory he created, along with another refinery and two more armories. The set of three constructs floated side by side.

               Two sets of arsenals, as he dubbed them. Droids surrounded them in two formations. One set facing the mine entrance, the other facing the tunnel.

               Nick felt like he had yet to explore their full potential. There wasn’t anything human about them, which for the moment alleviated any disquieting notions of beings enslaved to his will. Was it technically slavery? They didn’t exactly seem alive, but they also seemed far more complex than machines.

               Philosophical conundrums aside and his own survival at stake. Nick chose to use them according to what he knew them to be capable of. As soldiers.

               Each formation had sixteen droids in three ranks. First holding swords and shields. Second holding spears. A separate third rank, consisting of two droids with the “energy capacitor” staff to serve as a healer. An antiquated tactic in the era of Bracers and Innatum, but enough to handle any threats he knew of. At least here.

               It was enough to provide him peace of mind.

               That and warmth. The wall of extra bodies did a fantastic job blocking gusts of wind which billowed through.

               Nick stood by the factory, reading through a blue screen with a list of promotion options.

               [Support Droid] Level 5
               [Offensive Droid] Level 5
               [Defensive Droid] Level 5

               The instant he selected upgrade; the droid disappeared into the coffin-like part of the factory. No other information was available on the list. Nick shrugged and flicked his finger over the [Support Droid] option.

               A bustling noise rippled from the factory as the violet lines and circles around it flared to life. Nick stepped back, waiting for the process to finish.

               The bustling stopped and the coffin opened. A droid stepped out, different from the rest. Inscribed over the normal gray body were violet lines and circles, similar to the one covering his left arm. The markings stretched over its previously featureless face.

               Its head turned toward Nick.

               “Greetings Mechanar Nezra. Requesting orders.”