The camp was outside the castle home of the famous Vorsholstein family of Homunculi, artificially created humanoids literally stitched together. Right now, a male Homunculus, Dr. Delselii Vorsholstein, was busy with his machines. He laughed like the licensed Mad Scientist he was as the machines threw lighting at each other and made noises. Bremfo then came down into the lab. \u201cDoctor, I\u2019ve been calling you for chow time for the past minute!\u201d he snarled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn a minute! It\u2019s almost done!\u201d replied Delselii. Bremfo was about to protest until he remembered something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou mean\u2026THAT project?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, my dear Bremfo, THAT project!\u201d Delselii flicked a few more switches as Bremfo became more excited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re gonna wipe \u2018em out! All of \u2018em! To the very last man!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll destroy \u2018em! We\u2019ll spare no one!\u201d Delselii then threw a massive switch, increasing the lightning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey all have to go! Every single Trinny!\u201d Bremfo was clapping his hands in excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd this engine I\u2019m working on will do just that!\u201d The lighting revealed the outline of a large device being shocked. \u201cOnce this baby is installed in any ship, it\u2019ll create a magic shockwave that will cancel the Scorpion<\/em>\u2019s cloaking abilities!\u201d The engine then shook. \u201c\u2026Er, hold on! It\u2019s not supposed to do that!\u201d The shakes became more violent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s gonna blow!\u201d warned Bremfo. The two then erected a blast screen as the engine exploded. The shrapnel buried itself into the walls, a fan blade burrowed into Bremfo\u2019s head, and the rest bounced off the blast screen. Once it was quiet enough, Delselii sighed and turned his equipment off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBack to the drawing board,\u201d he grumbled as he took his goggles off. Bremfo took the fan blade out of his head. \u201cI don\u2019t understand! The calculations were right! What am I missing?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s think about it over dinner,\u201d suggested Bremfo as he smoothed out his head. Delselii nodded as they ascended the steps. \u201cThere\u2019s always the other project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m still a little iffy about that. I mean, using my own rough drafts like that?\u201d They reached the top floor and saw an exact duplicate of Delselii eating a chair! \u201cOh, Rutambo!\u201d admonished Delselii. The duplicate turned his head. \u201cHow many times do I have to tell you?! This is a respectable castle and we do NOT eat the furniture!\u201d The duplicate then stood up and lumbered towards Delselii. \u201cGet back in your closet! Back in the closet!\u201d Rutambo swung his arm at Delselii. The scientist rolled out of the way and grabbed a large torch from the fireplace, brandishing it at Rutambo. Rutambo roared in horror from the fire and backed away. \u201cBack! Back!\u201d Rutambo hid himself in the closet and Delselii shut the door. He then heard a noise in the closet. \u201cStop that pounding!\u201d he ordered. \u201cIf you don\u2019t behave, I shall take your brain out and put it in backwards!\u201d The pounding stopped and Delselii put the torch back into the fireplace. \u201cNow, what was that about dinner?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next day, Delselii smoothed out his coat and checked his stitches. He then turned to Rutambo\u2019s closet. \u201cYou stay quiet while I meet our guests.\u201d He turned back and the door to the study opened, revealing Arsha, Erodeth, and Bremfo. \u201cYour Majesty. Your Highness,\u201d greeted the Mad Scientist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDr. Vorsholstein, I presume?\u201d asked Erodeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWon\u2019t you come in?\u201d offered Delselii as he shook their hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMuch obliged, Doctor,\u201d accepted Arsha as they came into the room. \u201cYou know, you definitely have parts of your father. He was quite the man. You just don\u2019t find old country doctors anymore. Your family\u2019s quite legendary in keeping that tradition alive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m glad the Royana heir approves,\u201d chuckled Delselii. \u201cEveryone, I will come straight to the point; I\u2019m engaged in two projects.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI heard about your efforts to cancel the Scorpion<\/em>\u2019s cloaking device,\u201d said Erodeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnes know we could definitely use that,\u201d agreed Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnfortunately, I\u2019m hitting too many hiccups on that project,\u201d sighed Delselii. \u201cI\u2019m at a loss, so I need the help of other Mad Scientists, heck, even normal scientists, to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere\u2019s no shortage of Mad Scientists among my people,\u201d offered Erodeth. \u201cTake your pick. They\u2019d be happy and honored to help.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you,\u201d bid Delselii. \u201cYou\u2019re too kind, Your Majesty.\u201d Bremfo grinned at the idea, thankful that his creator has more help on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s the other project?\u201d asked Arsha. Bremfo and Delselii then looked at each other in trepidation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s\u2026one where I\u2019m iffy about it,\u201d explained Delselii. \u201cI have something in my closet to help the explanation, but I must ask for your secrecy unless you feel it\u2019s a good idea to back it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope it\u2019s not TOO risky,\u201d gulped Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYour Majesty, Your Highness, prepare yourself.\u201d Delselii then opened the closet door. \u201cEveryone, meet Rutambo!\u201d Rutambo then lumbered out of the closet, grunting all the while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSweet Heights!\u201d swore Erodeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cH\u2026who\u2026how?!\u201d spluttered Arsha. \u201c\u2026Are you sure it\u2019s\u2026safe?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have methods for keeping him under my thumb,\u201d assured Delselii as he took the torch out of the fireplace. \u201cBack! Back!! BACK!!\u201d Rutambo howled and retreated into the closet. Delselii shut the closet again. \u201c\u2026Well,\u201d he sighed, \u201cwhat do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe\u2019s got the same good looks as your parents,\u201d muttered Erodeth, \u201cbut not much on small talk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re probably wondering how there\u2019s two of him, down to the last stitch,\u201d guessed Bremfo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I will admit, the question did cross my mind,\u201d confirmed Arsha. \u201cFaces like his don\u2019t grow on trees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, but they do grow in the womb multiple times,\u201d answered Delselii. \u201cYou see, a pregnancy where the child has Homunculus DNA is a little different to the usual ones. Whenever the woman gives birth to such a child, the baby comes out in pieces of adults and the parents stitch the pieces together. However, the brain never really completes itself on the first try, so whenever it\u2019s shocked into life, the resulting creature is nothing more than an animal that can\u2019t learn on the level of Sentinas or life-forms like us, so the woman is pregnant again with the same pieces and a new brain that\u2019s slightly better until the right brain is put into the creature.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI get it, the less-Sentina brained creatures are rough drafts of the child.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly, and Rutambo\u2019s a rough draft of me. What\u2019s most remarkable is that the rough drafts only last a few years, living in the wild, but Rutambo\u2019s actually a few years older than me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere did you find Rutambo?\u201d asked Erodeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat was actually me,\u201d answered Bremfo. \u201cI was doing some gardening last month when I heard a roar in the southern woods on the estate. Imagine my surprise when Rutambo came out from the trees. I thought something happened to Delselii and carried Rutambo to the lab only to find Delselii already there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was quite the surprise when I saw him,\u201d remarked Delselii. \u201cI have an idea for rough draft Homunculi, but I need a Realmfleeter\u2019s opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt sounds like the project,\u201d said Arsha, \u201cinvolves using them as cannon fodder.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I wouldn\u2019t put it like that,\u201d replied Delselii, \u201cbut it would help the numbers problem we have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDelselii, I\u2019m not sure I can push such a project. If you\u2019re iffy about it, and accounting for the fact that he wouldn\u2019t understand how to cast spells, much less remember his name, maybe he should be released back into the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t say as I condone this project either,\u201d agreed Erodeth. \u201cWe need soldiers that are at least Sentina level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI just needed to hear your opinion before I formally terminated the project\u201d sighed Delselii happily. \u201cHe tried to return to the woods a lot, so I think he\u2019s more suited to them than inside a building. Thank you for your help on that dilemma, I\u2019ll talk to the Mad Scientists among your people to help with the other one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe better get back,\u201d called Arsha. \u201cMy crew is preparing to retake Realmgate City.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith the amount of people we have?\u201d asked Erodeth as they left the room. Bremfo shut the door behind them and Delselii released a sigh of relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, I guess that\u2019s that for Rutambo, thank goodness,\u201d sighed Bremfo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Maybe a rough draft preserve would be a good idea,\u201d mused Delselii. \u201cI mean, they\u2019re born sterile too, so it would be safe to release all sexes into the wild.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI suppose it could work. But there\u2019s still a numbers problem for the war effort. Unless we steal Jansha\u2019s plans and make our own, we\u2019re hosed! And there aren\u2019t many of my breed of Golem yet!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m not making any Revenants. I hope Arsha has something up her sleeve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over in the open expanses of the Central Continent, just north of Realmgate City, the Shadow Dragons assembled for someone to give a speech. A young-looking male then slithered up and took his place in front of his people. \u201cI thought Lak-tu was still General,\u201d Dalengor whispered to Dotan. \u201cWho\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHis son, Ank-tu,\u201d explained Dotan. \u201cLak-tu\u2019s hibernation egg didn\u2019t survive and neither did his spouse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy people!\u201d called Ank-tu. \u201cI stand before you as my father and mother once did! I promise you; our victory will be assured under my leadership! Glory to Oyed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGlory to Oyed!\u201d repeated the Shadow Dragons, but Dalengor noticed that their hearts weren\u2019t in it for the majority of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026A good start, but I better keep it to myself until I can determine who to trust,\u201d thought Dalengor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The camp was outside the castle home of the famous Vorsholstein family of Homunculi, artificially created humanoids literally stitched together. Right now, a male Homunculus, Dr. Delselii Vorsholstein, was busy with his machines. He laughed like the licensed Mad Scientist he was as the machines threw lighting at each other and made noises. Bremfo then […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[97,237],"tags":[482],"class_list":["post-3259","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-three-realms","category-the-three-realms-book-4-trials-of-light-and-dark","tag-fantasy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3259"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3261,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3259\/revisions\/3261"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3260"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3259"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3259"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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