Aibek eyed the heap warily. As the other gunslingers fled with some of the others on their tail, Aibek shifted with a sigh though did not yet follow - the others seemed to have them well in hand for the moment and Aibek's concern for the small voice that was now silent was growing.
"Do you need anything?" Aibek asked through the door as they reloaded the crossbow - just in case.
Nigrum spring off the ground, jumping towards where the others were fleeing. Landing behind Mihara, he studies them before pressing.
If the pair even noticed Mihara and Nigrum, or the person behind the door heard Aibek's words, none of them responded. The two on the roof continued their flight unabated. No noise came from the building with Aibek.
Shrugging, Azri continued to follow the figures. Fatigue generally wasn't a problem for her, and with a run, she could likely keep up with them. Or perhaps they'd lead her somewhere interesting... it was worth checking out, at least.
Aibek looked around carefully, "Most of the fighting seems to be over, but you should remain just in case. I'm heading to the others with me now, take care, holler if you need anything." Aibek said politely before stepping away from the now silent house.
Crossbow gripped firmly in hand, Aibek raced towards the gunslingers, their eyes behind the goggles scanning around for more clues to this strange place.
The two Gunmen stopped running as the pursuit flagged, turning their guns on their pursuers now that they had built up some range.
Much more concerningly, two more of the riflemen appeared from side streets, walking with a quiet tread, and opened fire on both Aibek and Ayreth. Even Aibek failed to spot them, suggesting they were more stealthy than they might have seemed...
A moment after the enemies turned to fire at the group, Azri raised a hand and sent a streak of fire through the air and towards one of the gunmen(?). Weapons were good, but it was hard to hate the ability to throw fire whenever you wanted... even in undeath, fun was fun, after all.
for
Mihara rushes after their assailants, wincing as one bullet grazes her and another scores a more serious hit.
Frustration built up in the witchwolf as they heard more shots ring out. As Aibek continues running, they felt the bullet deflect around their shadowy incorporeal form, causing a yelp of surprise to come out of the witchwolf. True, the shadow assassin running around in broad daylight wasn't fully in their element but surely they should have seen...
...just want to ensure everyone's safety...this is... came pouring out of Aibek in a growl towards the gunmen as their thoughts burned and spun in frustration at how needless all of this seemed.
Veering off towards the nearest building near Azri, Aibek paused for a moment in the dim shade, the shadows around them dancing with the archon's agitation and pulling at them. Shifting forward, Aibek disappeared into the shadows and soon came out the other end of a path of shadow stuff to take a step and put themselves in the newly arrived gunslinger' face, their tone a low and edged growl, their voice as loud as their rage could hold.
Aibek growled as they kept themselves in the fourth gunslinger's face, the shadows around them arching and twisting around the shadow archon, some already starting to twist in their fists as Aibek decided what to bring out next...
Nigrum moved to attack the attacker closest.
The blow inflicted significant harm to the creature, although it didn't collapse.
The damage to the one Azri faced dropped the damaged attacker.
The one facing Aibek paused, and then fell back as soundlessly as it came, gun aimed wearily in the witchwolves direction.
The other two, however, continued to attack
The other backed away, getting room to fight Nigrum.
Aibek eyed the weary looking person for a moment before launching quickly towards them, hoping to grab about that blasted gun...
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Ayreth follows Mihara in and tries to stop the gunman that is behind Mihara with a flash of dazzling lights.
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Mihara vanishes in a blur and strikes at G3 from behind.
The first bullet to hit Azri simply broke apart as it hit her - the other managed to get through her defenses, but had its speed and power reduced all the same. Gesturing slightly, she sent a bolt of fire hurtling towards the one that had shot her. "You'll need to try harder than that." she noted.
...Alas, she also needed to try harder.
Aibek managed to grapple one. It proved to be less strong than one might expect. For a moment it tried to break free or reverse the Witchwolf's grapple...
...but it failed to do so.
Mihara and Nigrum were able to finish off the remaining gunslingers shortly thereafter.
Aibek felt the pushback from the person before them and hearing the combat behind them pushed further to pin the gunslinger. If they can get this one to just stop, and take away that blasted gun...maybe...maybe some answers, some understanding, something better could happen.
Aibek was able to pin and disarm the final combatant, leaving the field clear...for now.
"Now then," Mihara remarks pleasantly as she alights next to the pinned combatant.
"Perhaps you'd be amenable to telling us what's going on here?"
As Yao spoke, Azri began to simply pat one of them down, looking for any kind of instructions, group affiliations, identifying marks, or other things that might serve to help them get a better understanding of what was going on here.
Aibek pinned the gunslinger down, an annoyed growl escaping as they flung the gun away with one hand, maintaining the glare until they heard Mihara.
Glancing up, Aibek shrugged as the gunslinger had said nothing to them so far. "Unfortunate about all this, and the other three...tying this one up might be required if they're like the others." Aibek comments, the frustration still clearly there in their posture and tone, but slowly starting to begin to fade, as they turned their attention back to the gunslinger.
Once the creature was secured, it was obvious it was a construct. But...not a simple one. It seemed more alive and grown than something of metal should. Beneath the food was a sculpted face that nevertheless moved like flesh and muscle, glass eyes darting from face to face.
In response, it answered, "You have trespassed on our home. Father wishes no strangers here. We follow his wishes. You approached our Sister. Father wishes no harm to come to her. You refused to leave. My Brothers will remove you. It is Father's will."
Nigrum had not put away Tsui as he approached.
"May we speak with this Father of yours? Then we would not be strangers. Also we did nothing to harm your sister, approaching is not harming."
"Your Father's will isn't very impressive." Azri told the construct. "I offered you a way towards more long-term security and fulfillment of your Father's will, and you ignored this for your short-term obsession. And here you are now, entirely unsuccessful and likely to call down much worse upon the realm you claim. I'm curious, do you actually understand your mistake? Are you sentient and sapient enough for that, or is you mind merely a doll's?"
Once secured, Aibek stepped back, the sight and words turned Aibek's annoyance into confused contemplation.
"I approached the area due to the pleasant smell of soap, then I heard this...Sister in the small windowless building. I could only hear her, neither of us opened the door...she seemed small, unsure, and went silent after the shooting started. She also spoke of this Father and was unaware and surprised that Khalharum had more than 50 people in it..." Aibek said, looking from the subdued construct to the others as they spoke.
"I had thought them a child from the sound of her and the way she spoke, nervous but curious, devoted to their...parent, lack of knowledge but interested about the world outside their home area..." Aibek pondered out loud for a moment as if trying to both put together the pieces and try to figure out the answer to Azri's question.
"Father will speak if he wishes." The machine considered. "I am...old. Primitive. Not what was wished. But loved. So long as we obey Father's wishes, no mistakes are possible." Looking at Aibek, it added, "Khalharum was of no consequence when we arrived. Only after we built did you come. We did not believe you would be an issue. But...she is curious. You were kept from her until your danger could be assessed." Glancing over at where its brothers lay, it added, "It is great."
Aibek followed the constructs gaze and sighed, "I've been told similar before, more than a few times...but many become dangerous when attacked. Even after the shooting started, I pleaded for the fighting to stop to speak and fulfill the duties that brought the others and me here for our and your owns wellbeing and was shot at further for my trouble even as I was trying to prevent bullets going through the door to hurt your Sister. From Khalharum's perspective, your village appeared out of nowhere recently. I mapped this area not a moon ago and none of this was visible to me...and with the other oddities that have happened in and around Khalharum lately, seeing if there is a connection or if any here were harmed by any of it who might want help seemed prudent." Aibek said as their thoughts hurried through their mind and out of their mouth, not sure what they wanted to convince the construct of...the importance and reasonableness of their duties maybe, that they were more than just a threat but people, that they had not come here to harm anyone...
Aibek glanced towards the windowless house the sister had been in. It seemed sad to keep anyone in such conditions. A lot of what the construct said made the shadow archon feel uneasy. Memories of the past flickered around the edges of their mind, the shadows moving around Aibek, twisting with anxiety and protectiveness.
"We cannot hurt Sister." The machine considered. "Query - what would you do if potentially hostile intruders carrying significant armament and powers entered your city, replied to all instructions with ones of their own and refused to leave? From our studies of mortals, I do not believe you would have acted differently to us." After a moment, it added, "By our perspective, returning the ruins of that place to life is a strange act. Oddities are only odd from some perspectives."
"Maybe," the creature replied in a level tone. "That has not been our experience but Father claims mortal kind is...chaotic, different, variant. Mortals we have met attacked us without warning. Raided our settlements. Took us away. Please explain - how do we tell one sort of mortal from another?"
"I gave you a specific plan and outline for how to successfully get what you wanted." Azri pointed out. "Do not try to pretend that you had no options there, or that the only possible reaction was totally obeying you or totally ignoring you. It's called negotiating - talking things over in hopes of coming up with a mutually acceptable agreement. And I take offense to the chaotic thing. Some are, sure, but I like having clearly understood rules and guidelines for people to follow."
"You gave us a choice that did not follow our instructions, either the ones we follow nor the ones we gave." The machine blinked, slowly. "Only Father can negotiate." It considered. "No disrespect was meant. 'Chaotic' in this instance referred to the unpredictable variety of mortal life, and the variety of ways we are treated. We find it difficult to predict."
Aibek looked over to Ayreth and Azri with a small smile before returning their attention to the construct, "...Maybe you're right, on the whole odd and chaotic thing, for me at least, I have never said I don't have some double standards nor that being in Khalharum isn't odd for me. However, I think most would view a devil temporarily connecting the area to another plane as an oddity along with the Towers appearing to fix themselves and sudden appearance of floaty lights that went through a weird tear in the sky - and a village fully formed where there was none as concerningly odd, at least a bit. I mean, I lived in the Plane of Shadow for quite a while, where due to immortal corruptions certain places sometimes move, and yeah... And many who've attacked us ended up being possessed...let's just say oddness and many hard to predict things have happened around here in the last few months, and kinda hoping you and yours both haven't been hurt by it nor part of what's caused any of it - that devil who possesses people gets a lot of people involved. And the others of your kin were shooting near the building your sister's in, bullets sometimes go through buildings, not a risk I'd want to take with mine for non-identified strangers - my siblings would likely have my hide for trying - but where I come from has a few more catching traps and we can usually tell the Sworn - who think they will get a divine boon for killing us - from others by how they talk and what they wear...and I think I may be proving her point about talking more than saying go away. At least when in the mood to do so Aibek shrugged with a gesture towards Ayreth, previous frustation bubbling over into babble.
"However, I can believe you and yours were not in a position to negotiate - I've...worked in similar structures. Usually in such limited hierarchies there is place others can go to petition and talk to the one in power. Does your father have such a place or would your father be willing to meet maybe on some sort of neutral ground outside the village? Really, just trying to reduce the amount of unpredictability and uncertainty for all of us and that will require talking to him. Also trying not to get shot at more and to get back in time to buy bedcloth material, that would be nice.
"You are correct," the machine spoke. "We have no choice in the instructions that we follow." Considering, it added, "Father does not wish to be disturbed. We cannot disturb him. Only our Sister can approach him at this time. If you wish to speak with him, you must speak with her."
Nigrum leans Tsui on one of his shoulders.
"How about you go ask the little one. I'll clean up the mess. I don't think it's good to leave metal men lying about."
Unless stopped he goes over to start picking up what's left of the constructs.
"See, this is why you need contingency orders. Sometimes, situations occur that aren't covered by existing programming. Following orders is good, but if you can't recognize when it's time to go against them because that's the best way of fulfilling your goals, then you're useless when it counts. Unless you want to reduce your ability to help your Father, you need to learn some independence." Assuming they could, anyway.
Aibek considered what was said, glancing to Azri, "Sometimes, those in power want their subordinates that way, no matter what those subordinates want, and when those in power hold your existence and everything in their hands..." Aibek said, voice trailing off quietly, mixed feelings and thoughts flickering clearly over their features, their shadows moving about. Aibek sympathized with the constructs more than they wanted to think about...if such happened to flesh and shadow, how much more easily to them...
Turning their attention to the construct. "Do you wish to come with me to try to talk to your sister? And agree with me not to pick up a weapon against or otherwise try to harm each other? I would like to unbind you, but I will not risk the others if we cannot come to an agreement on at least the latter point..."
"We will be more...completed, later. Free will will not serve our survival now. Or so Father says." Glancing at the fallen machines, it adds, "We are not alive enough to be revived, but machine enough to be repaired. They will...exist...again, once that can be done."
Considering for several, it shakes its head. "I cannot believe you are not a potential danger. You destroyed my kin with ease compared to most of your kind. Even with our advanced weapons. I cannot, therefore, take you to Sister. Also, I do not know where she is. She will have escaped via the tunnels."
Nigrum comes back with the metal men piled over one shoulder, Tsui finally away.
"Belief, what does that have to do with it. If we were a danger we would not have wasted our time talking to you. We would have not allowed your sister to escape if she was with in speaking distance. Clearly we are superior to others you have encountered and unable to be driven away by force. So tell me, if we were a danger why would we still be talking to you? Wouldn't we just break you and track down you sister? No, we are dangerous to provoke, we are not dangerous by disposition."
He shakes his head, what kind of guardians were these.
"By provoking us and choosing not to help us contact your sister and father. You have suffered losses and left them even more defenseless then they were before. Wouldn't it be in your best interest, as much as your sister and fathers, to be reunited? That way you can protect them and your kin can be repaired. I doubt anyone else on this island is capable."
Then again Nexus metal men came to mind. But considering the state that Nexus was in, it may not have enough power yet to repair other machines. That was assuming their were similar enough. Simple things these constructs. The sword was ruthless once bared, yet never mindless, always mindful.
"Yes," the machine replied, "Unless your actions lead to Father's death. I am unclear as to what would happen then." It is clear that, while intelligent enough to understand the arguments presented, the machine doesn't have the free will to accept them, regardless of its own thoughts and feelings.
He turns to the others, not wasting anymore of his breath.
"Do you want me to track her? Wouldn't be the first one I followed into tunnels recently."
His memories of his latest bounty still fresh. If this one proved difficult he would consider enlisting the kobolds help if he failed.
"If you think everyone with the power to be a danger is, then you make an enemy of the world." Azri noted. "What you need is to understand the motives of each group, thereby determining which are actually a threat and which can be negotiated with. We, for example, are very willing to negotiate with any group that's not outright evil. We didn't attack first, either - your group did. Had you not done that, it's quite unlikely we would have harmed you at all."
Aibek listened and considered, finally turning to Nigrum "As much as I'd rather not as she's done no wrong and seemed to be trained to really fear outsiders & I don't want to scare her further...finding her quickly is probably the best way to get this done. I suggest I come with you since she's already spoken with me, hopefully she'll recognize my voice and make this a bit easier. All going would likely be seen as aggressive and watching this one and looking for any other threats and possibilities while in the tunnels may be best. " Aibek suggested, looking from Nigru to the others.
Aibek considered Ayreth's comment,"I meant I go with Nigrum to track the sister, as she has been taught to fear outsiders, I thought a small group with someone she's already spoken to might be helpful in getting her cooperation and easing her fears as well as useful to have people here to keep an eye out but you're right in that the tunnels and their Father are a large unknown in my thinking that I'm making some guess work on..." before looking to the others for their input.