B4 Chapter 466: Lost Treasures, pt. 2

A single solid rap against the door announced the Castellan’s return.

It jolted Kaius from his contemplation. After he and his team had reviewed their gains, they’d taken the moment of quiet to cycle. He could still feel the fizz in his Aspects. The Castellan’s one-sided beatdown had inspired a mania in them, one that was fading the longer they waited.

Channelling that fervent energy by cycling proved profitable: he was brushing up against something. A pressure, or barrier of some sort. Packing more essence into his pillars had grown harder, tougher — like they were ready to burst.

No doubt he was approaching the first breakpoint of refinement. He’d have to see if his team had made similar progress later. For now, the Castellan had returned.

“My lord, may I enter?” the automaton’s tinny voice boomed, causing Kaius and his team to straighten in their seats.

He shared a look with his friends, noting their slight frowns — a reflection of their own tension. It kept him feeling stiff and jittery; the animal part of him still jolted at any sign of the Castellan so soon after that battle. It would have been impossible for it not to, regardless of the fact that it had been nothing but deferential to him.

Hells, that deference made him more uneasy if anything. A being halfway through the third tier was a bloody mythical thing — power that could have strode into any king’s court on the continent and demanded an audience, at least in the lands he knew where mana had once run thin.

“You may,” Kaius replied, pushing the thought from his mind.

The automaton had said it would fetch a prosthetic for him, and that was the most important thing of all. Even if it was a crude thing, simply being able to limp around would be enough. Though he suspected — considering the artifice that surrounded him even now — that the prosthetic would be far more advanced than that.

Entering a moment later, the Castellan stooped low — its immense stature too tall for even the raised ceiling of the Head Researcher’s quarters.

It was empty-handed, but just as easily it could have stored a device in a spatial artefact. Certainly such a thing wouldn’t be beyond the bounds of a creature of its strength. Hells, the damn thing could teleport, so he knew that spatial abilities were within its toolbox.

“I appreciate your patience, Lord Unterstern. Much of the facility is in a deep state of disrepair due to the current directives disabling active maintenance. The drones are skilled, but things have degraded to the point that their simple minds need guidance for more complex problems.”

“Were you still able to retrieve a prosthetic?” Kaius questioned. It would not be the end of the world, he could admit, but he wasn’t fond of the idea of relying on others for assistance while his leg regrew.

The Castellan inclined its head. “Of course, my lord. I have it stored. The medical wing had sealed itself off due to degradation — I had to assist the drones in the repairs.”

Kaius made a mental note: he would have to ask the Castellan later if the facility could be restored now that a thinking automaton had returned to wakefulness. It could wait, though — he was far more interested in restoring his ability to walk.

“May I see it?”

“Of course, my lord,” the Castellan replied.

Approaching the table they had gathered around, the Castellan flourished a hand.

There was a subtle pop of displaced air as a short, stubby thing appeared on the table’s surface.

They all leaned in.

It was odd, to say the least — fascinatingly complex, just as he’d hoped. Two rings were stacked with a handspan of space between them, each as thick as his thumb and twice as wide. Two bar-supports connected the rings before they flowed down to meet in a thick pylon of steel or a ball joint. Another pylon lay below — though only just over a handspan and a half long. It was stubby, eventually terminating in a skeletal foot.

It was almost like somebody had laid closely fitting armour over bone, and even if it was short, Kaius assumed there would be resizing enchantments involved.

“How does it work?” Ianmus questioned, leaning over the table to get a better look at the ring of inscriptions encircling the inside of where the prosthetic would attach to Kaius’s thigh.

“The limb is based on the principles of automata, though this is merely a standard-issue artefact. A minor binding will allow the limb to move in accordance with your natural impulses. It is sturdy and tough, so it will be hard to damage, but you will not be able to feel it. It will likely struggle to hold up under the extremes of your speed and strength. I would recommend avoiding combat — though it should not break if you are forced to do so. You’ll just notice its slower reactions and lack of sensation.”

“It will move like a normal limb…” Kaius sighed in relief. “Thank the gods.” Lacking sensation was no big issue. No doubt it would be awkward, but if it was as responsive as a numb leg, that was far better than he’d dared hope for.

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Curious about its details, he peered deeper with Truesight.

Lunthracian Pattern Self-adjusting Leg Prosthetic:

Unique – Tier I

Lost me left leg pacifying an uprising in Minras Tor. Bastards rigged a cart to blow to take out the Centurions we had — bit of shrapnel from the clankers took my leg clean off, armour or no. My right? That was my wife. No, I don’t want to talk about it.

A rune-scribed mechanical prosthetic, stamped from imperial steel, and enchanted with the bare minimum to connect to the user’s nervous system. Adjusts to fit most individuals. Standard issue.

Artisan-wrought Artefact.

Prosthetic (Leg)

Durability V, Self Repair II, Form Fitting II, Link II

Well now, wasn’t that interesting? He’d expected a creation of the Empire to be good, but not quite this fantastic. After all, the Castellan had implied it was a common medical device. From the looks of it, it would be quite durable.

It would be idiotic to pursue a fight until he properly healed. At the very least, it looked like the thing wouldn’t immediately snap on him if he was forced to fight.

“Is there anything else to it?” he asked.