Jas stepped back as the War Engineers got to work. This involved moving into a circle around the War Hound and raising their chanicus tools, each of which was distinct yet ford in the shape of a complex tallic wand. Eight Engineers got into position, and then Jessica completed the circle and raised her own.
Almost Jas expected her to begin an incantation, for a wind to pick up and blow her hair, but instead her chanicus began to glow with a fierce, blinding light. The silence ached until the batteries began to thrum, a deep, powerful sound accompanied by steady flickering as they responded to Jessicas will.
The sheer amount of power being channeled here was stunning. One Aeviternum could blast a city block with holy power. Jessica was conducting almost eight hundred points into her construct, and the effort showed.
She leaned forward, jaw clenched, arm shaking as she held her tool aloft, and then her eyes began to glow. Soon they blazed like her chanicus, resplendent with a rich golden fire, and then everything reached a threshold and the light in the batteries surged up the power cables into the Hound.
The war machine ca to life. It didnt move, but suddenly it felt vital and began to give off heat. The air trembled with divine power, and Jas felt it in his heart, his lungs, as if a deep, inaudible bass beat were now playing.
The Hounds ruby eyes kindled to life, a srizing liquid crimson glow, and the perforated exhaust pipes that rose from its rear - its shoulders - began to vent expended divine power into the air in the form of a ghostly blue glow.
Jas waited. Everyone waited.
But the Hound didnt move.
Jessicas eyes had reverted to normal, her chanicus lost its glow. She lowered her arms, stepped back, blinked. Its done.
Thats Jas couldnt find the words. Thats incredible. How do we control it?
I dont know, said Jessica. Id hoped it would co to life like an Animus. War Hound?
No response. The huge machine remained still.
Canis Bello? Still it didnt respond. Jessica frowned, raised her chanicus and focused. A mont later she lowered it. Everything is as it should be.
Huh. Jas scratched his beard. Maybe it needs to detect a demon to activate?
That would be less than ideal, said Jessica. Were not about to invite Nem3s in here.
Jas looked back. Any thoughts, Jelly?
Jessica looked back at them. Jelly?
Dont ask.
Jelly flew forward to flit around the War Hound, hovering here, hovering there, examining the massive machine.
Its ready.
For what?
For animation. Alone it is but a vessel. It needs a pilot.
A pilot? How so?
In response Jelly pulsed brightly, and for the first ti the War Hound responded. It shivered and Jas heard the sound of chanical parts deep within it sliding and engaging.
What happened? asked Jessica, alard.
Hold on. Jas turned, took three steps, then leaped to grab the edge of the upper floor. He hauled himself up and then turned to look.
The top of the War Hound had split open revealing its chanical interior and a golden cradle that size of a magnum bottle of champagne. This cradle had lifted up and split open.
Thats Anima shaped, said Jas quietly.
Correct. The War Hound requires an invested Anima to operate.
Jas shivered with excitent. What are you saying, Jelly? Soone needs to die and pour their soul into their Anima?
No, said Jelly. Though that is optimum and results in the greatest bond. Anyone can transfer their soul into the Anima temporarily. That Anima then inserts itself into the Canis Bello which allows the soul to control it as the pilot.
Jas? Jessica was staring up at him. Update?
The, ah, War Hound requires a pilot. Jellys telling that anyone can drive it if they put their soul in their Anima and then insert it into the Hound.
Silence. The crowd of so thirty Fabricators went completely silent. The War Hound continued to rumble like a parked muscle car.
You can do this?
Jelly?
Yes, Jas. We can do this. In a sense, this is one of my secondary functions. I see that now. Not my primary, but key to my overall utility.
Whats your primary function?
I dont know that yet.
Jas let out a shaky breath. Yeah. Jelly says we can do that.
What happens to you if the War Hounds destroyed while youre piloting?
If I am destroyed while invested, your soul will return to your body. The strength of your Arete will determine how long it will take you to awaken from the resultant coma.
How long could that last?
I dont know.
Jas relayed that information.
Jessica frowned at him. And Jelly says this is how this is supposed to work?
Yes. Jas turned his gaze to the massive war machine. Fifteen feet tall, ponderous and huge, it looked amazing, indestructible. The desire to control it was sudden and unstoppable. Jas couldnt imagine what it would be like to enter battle inside sothing like that, but he couldnt wait to find out.
Im going in, he called out. Jelly, lets do this.
Holy shit! said Jelly.
Whats wrong?
Nothing. That is now my favored joyful exclamation. Place your body sowhere comfortable, Jas. When you invest your soul in you will lose control of it.
Can I return to it at will?
Tricky. Distance plays a factor. Leaving when you are too far away will result in a temporary coma as you return to yourself.
Huh. Jas pondered this, then pushed the danger away.
Jas wait. Jessica glanced to one side. Im coming up. We need to discuss this. Dont do anything without .
Theres nothing to discuss, said Jas. With gloria and the highest Arete, it makes sense that I take the first stab at this. You said everything was as it should be. Jelly said the sa. The Fourth Wave is going to hit in a few hours. Ill et it from inside the Hound.
Jessica hesitated. What about your team?
They can support from Wings. Jas gave a firm nod. Im going in. He turned, moved to a cent column, and sat against it. Lets go, Jelly.
Close your eyes. Focus on my energy. Push yourself toward . I will do the rest.
Jas did as he was bid. In the warm, velvety darkness behind his eyelids he sensed Jelly hovering before him, a glowing star of gold and silver. He reached for it, yearned for that light, which blazed and grew massive like a sun going nova.
Investing Jas Kelly in Sola Anima
Investiture Complete
The sensation was simple, easy, and Jas felt his sense of self slip forward, unmoored from his body and flying up into the light. A mont later he was hovering within a realm of golden clouds, warm and secure and utterly without body.
We are now invested, said Jelly, his voice coming from all around. If you wish, you can choose to view the world through my central eye.
Jas didnt know how to do that but ford the desire and it beca so. Half of the golden clouds disappeared to beco a fish-eye lens view of the world, the edges distorted, the central area sharply focused. Jas sensed the ability to take control of Kelly, much as a hand within a glove can choose to form into a fist at a monts notice, but the view was changing already.
Jelly flew down to the War Hound and closed into his teardrop shape, then slotted himself neatly into the golden cradle, which retracted as it closed around them, locking them in place.
They slid into the center of the Hounds corpus and Jas sensed more than saw the hull close overhead. The loss of light didnt impact Jellys view, which beca a night-vision blue of the complex iron plates and golden circuitry all around them.
Here we go, said Jelly. Have fun, Jas.
His vision blanked out. Everything turned white, the golden clouds, the fish-eye lens. Jas felt a great rushing roar as a vibration through the essence of his being, felt as if he were falling into an endless hole, and then his world expanded violently and everything was changed.
Imbuing Canis Bello
Gloria Detected
Canis Bello imbued at Gloria Immanence 1
Jas blinked. He was staring straight ahead now, his field of vision encompassing a 180-degree arc. He was high up, head level with the first floor, and his vision was subtly different; surfaces swam subtly as if energy rippled beneath the skin of the world. Colors were over-saturated, and dark corners and shadows gradated to the sa blue night-vision hed experienced with Jelly.
Words scrolled to one side of his sight:
Canis Bello (Glorium)
Apparatus Bellicus Pri
Dinsions: (LxBxH) 12 x 12 x 16 feet
Tonnage: 9 tons
Speed Class: 2 cruise / 5 hard-burn
Aeviternum Pool: 728/729
Pilot and Passenger Capacity: 1/1
Armants: Empyreal Gun, Double-barreled Vault Cannon
Armor: Shaped Adamantino Divinum plates encased in Angelus Steel
Aura: Bronze
Aura Strength: 1
Traits: Vanguard, Intimidating, Gloria Enhancent, Fuel Efficient
Strength: 155
Stamina: 17
Speed: 40
Agility: 25
Power: 90
Holy shit, said Jas, and his voice echoed throughout the parking structure, filtered through the Hounds grill, sounding still distinctly like himself but with reverb and deep rumble like sumr lightning to underscore his words.
The Fabricators flinched and several jerked back in alarm.
Jas? Jessica moved to stand before him. You in there?
Jas could feel the entirety of the Hound. He wasthe Hound. Its body was his body. His legs, his arms, his bulky mass. A sensation of terrible might filled him, a grave and ponderous strength that nothing could stop. He raised and lowered his arms experintally; they had limited range of movent, swiveling his weapons about so that they could target anything in the 180-degree arc before him. To track sothing as it moved behind him, hed have to swivel on his hips.
He did so, and the upper chassis rotated smoothly, his legs remaining still, his upper half turning to face directly behind him. Realization hit Jas: he could simply spin and move in the opposite direction without having to turn his legs around. This enhancent to the Hounds mobility was huge.
Jas?
One second, he said, his voice booming again throughout the enclosed space, chanical and echoing.
Jelly, you there?
Im here, Jas. Apologies. Ive been screaming silently with joy since we rged with the Hound.
How do I figure out what these different things on the Hounds sheet do?
Focus on them. Ill provide an explanation.
Jas scanned the sheet. Empyreal Gun?
The Empyreal Gun unleashes a stream of superheated Aeviternum in a twenty-yard plu, making it effective against swarms and massed enemies. The intensity of this blast is of sufficient strength to be useful against elite demons up to C-grade, overwhelming Infernum auras and compromising armor. The plus range can be adjusted so that it can be unleashed in a short, lee-range, or up to its full extent of twenty-yards.
Hold up. C-grade demons?
Thats what Im understanding. It seems Nesis is a category, not a grade. Hmm. Yes. Nesis demons are those released before the opening of the Pits, and range from F to D. Nesis 1 and 2 are considered F grade, while Nesis 3 is E.
Jas let that sink in. Nem3s were only E grade? What the fuck would an A grade demon look like?
Then he thought of the Monitors. There was no comparing them to a Nem3, and from his conversations with ladrix had given him the impression that there were far stronger entities at play.
So it goes from F to A?
No, Jas. There are A-grade demons, but Im getting the impression that there are higher ranks than even that.
Well shit. Jas frowned, mind spinning, then forced himself to focus. So the Gun runs on Aeviternum. How quickly will I blow through my reserves if I use it?
It depends on the intensity of your attack. Full range will consu Aeviternum at four tis the speed of lee-range. You will have to calibrate usage as you go.
Fine. And the Double-barreled Vault Cannon?
The Double-Barreled Vault Canon is a formidable weapon that fires Gloria-enhanced Smite 30 mm caliber rounds at 4,000 rounds per minute when in maximum mode, and 1,000 rounds per minute when in limited mode. Maximum mode is effective against demons up to E-Grade and can be sustained for thirty seconds before needing a thirty second cool-down, while limited mode doubles the armor-piercing power of the round making it effective against demons up to C-Grade and requires no cool-down. The Vault Canon is fueled by the Hounds ambient divine power pool, which when depleted taps an Aeviternum to be replenished. Essentially this weapon benefits from the Eternal Fire Benediction.
Fuckin A. So the Gun is a high-intensity fla thrower that can hurt even C-grade demons, while the Canon can fire forever in limited mode or for a minute in max?
Thats right, Jas. Fuckin A.
All right, all right. Lets see. Hard Burn?
You can tap an Aeviternum to quadruple movent speed and double jumping range for twenty-seconds.
And I do that how?
You rely need think it, and I will make it so. I am your interface with the Hound and will implent your desires as you think them.
Sweet. What about these Traits? Vanguard?
Thats a carry-over from your own title and ans that your War Hound gains a 20% damage bonus whenever you are on the forefront of the line of battle.
I dont plan on hiding in the back. Great. Intimidating?
F-grade demons will flee your War Hound automatically, while E-grade demons will break and run if they suffer too many losses. Too many is contingent upon a host of nurical and environntal factors. D-grade demons will not break but will either avoid you if their number lies below a certain threshold or swarm you if not. C-grade demons and up are unaffected.
Gotcha. Gloria Enhancent?
Thats a general upgrade, much like I received upon being Imbued. It raises your stats and makes your Vault Cannon far more lethal than regular Smite bullets. It also gives you Fuel Efficient, which ans the Aeviternum in the Hounds reserve pool will be twice as efficient as other Hounds fuel.
Fuck yeah. And can I still drop Heavenly Assaults?
Yes, Jas. Those can be fueled by either your own reserves or drawn from the War Hounds pool.
Jas froze. Ive got access to over 700 Aeviternum?
Yes Jas. Fuckin A holy shit you do.
Jas? Jessicas concern was growing. Please talk to .
Jessica? Jas swiveled back around, the garage rotating smoothly by, and then lowered the huge Hounds head to stare right at her. He felt light-headed, euphoric, almost giddy. You might want to sit down. This things gonna turn the tide of battle.
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