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Anxious Passerby
Hey! Watch where you're going!
Pepe
S-Sorry, effendi! I was in a hurry. Are you okay?
Anxious Passerby
Well, I supposed nothing's broken.
Anxious Passerby
Where are you off to in such a hurry? Don't you know there's trouble?
Anxious Passerby
First those metal constructs sent all the gems in the city to the Great Bazaar, now they're tearing down houses and chasing us out of the bazaar.
Pepe
The constructs are tearing down houses?
Anxious Passerby
Yeah! There are flying stones and debris everywhere.
Pepe
I need to see what's going on!
Anxious Passerby
What do you think you can do, girl?
Anxious Passerby
Hey, girl!
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Pepe
...No one's here. They've all gone.
Pepe
By Horakhet...
The streets, usually bustling with people, are now empty, save for constructs moving in pairs or triplets.
They raise their arms, and houses turn into sand.
From the fallen sand, tall pillars and walls emerge.
Pepe
Yikes, that almost hit me.
Mio
Meow...
Pepe
...?
Pepe
Who was that...?
Mio
Mrow...
Pepe
Huh, where did this critter come from?
Mio
Meow!
Pepe
Go, this is no place for you.
Pepe
Go! Shoo!
Mio
...
The animal is not daunted by her shooing and instead sits down to leisurely lick its own fur.
A suspicious Pepe decides to go around it. As she takes a step, the animal looks up and gazes straight into Pepe's eyes.
In that instant, Pepe feels as though her feet have become nailed to the ground.
But it is such a small animal.
She gathers the courage to take another step forward.
A deafening roar stops her. She feels her eardrums hurt.
She cannot imagine the sound coming from a tiny animal that barely reaches her shins.
She covers her ears and closes her eyes, wincing as the sound wave almost knocks her over.
As her ears stop ringing, she feels a massive shadow descending upon her.
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Pepe opens her eyes to see a formidable creature prowling in the middle of the street, faint patterns with a wondrous gleam roving upon its sandy fur.
Transfixed, she meets the beast's gaze and feels as though her very soul is being drawn into those golden eyes.
Her breath and heartbeat seem to fall under its control, ready to cease at its will.
Unable to move a single muscle, she watches helplessly as the beast slowly approaches, its crimson maw parting...
And swallows her whole.
All goes dark.
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Anat
Anat, Acting Curator of Varjavandabad Museum. Yes, we are aware, but unfortunately we do not have the resources...
Anat
Our experts are being deployed across the city. We do not currently have the manpower to assess your losses...
Anat
Of course we value your sponsorship, but...
Anat
Anat, Acting Curator of Varjavandabad Museum... no, we are unable to offer any comment at this time.
Anat
...What? No, the museum is already on lockdown. No collection can leave the building.
Anat
The museum has nothing to do with the constructs in the city...
Anat
*sigh*...
Anat
Anat, Acting Curator of Varjavandabad Museum...
Anat
*cough* *cough* Sorry, we're getting a lot of sand and dust here.
Anat
I assure you, on behalf of Varjavandabad Museum that we will offer restoration services at the earliest opportunity...
Anat
*cough* *cough* ...Appraisal?
Anat
The constructs have built a statue in your garden? And several pillars? May I have a description?
Anat
...Yes, the ornaments you described fit the traits of first-century art style. It had gone into decline prior to the founding of Menat-Ha'mait, and many of its techniques are considered lost.
Anat
I will send someone as soon as possible.
Anat
Titi, can you go over?
Medjehtiqedti
Do you think it's possible? That the constructs can build, sculpt, and master techniques believed to be long lost?
Anat
I don't want to, but...
Medjehtiqedti
Looks like you have a bad feeling about it too.
Anat
Which is why we need to see it to believe it.
Medjehtiqedti
...
Anat
What is it, Titi?
Medjehtiqedti
You said 'see it to believe it', right?
Carried by the dry winds, sand creeps up like an overflowing river, covering the feet of fleeing passersby.
Grains of sand gather before their eyes and form into shapes, as though poured into invisible molds.
Pillars and walls begin to rise from the streets.
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[backgroundTween(xFrom=100, xTo=50, duration=3)]
Anat
...
Medjehtiqedti
Beast reliefs and patterns imitating Originium circuits, coupled with the worship of sundials and time, representative of the era when Lugalszargus's influence was at its strongest.
Anat
Titi, now's not a good time...
Medjehtiqedti
This might be the 'memory' of the constructs. Can it even be counted as a form of restored artifact?
Medjehtiqedti
But we didn't see any constructs nearby—
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Anat
—Ruuuuun!!
Medjehtiqedti
Where did they come from, anyway?
Anat
*pant* *pant* Questions later, Titi! You've got to run faster than me, and pull me along!
Anat
We... we're done for if we run at my speed!
Medjehtiqedti
Don't worry, you're running fast enough. Hang in there, try not to pass out, and let me observe them a little longer...
Medjehtiqedti
Oh, and don't look back. Probably not good for your heart to see them smashing the curator's favorite murals to pieces.
Anat
Wh-What?!
Anat
The museum that the curator entrusted to me... the padishah's favorite museum... it's all over...
Anat
Have mercy on me, Shahanshah! Watch over me, Exalted Lugalszargus!
Medjehtiqedti
Watch out—!
Anat
Great Horakhet, I pray to you again! Allow your child to see your face again! I-I want to see the sunrise tomorrow! I want to see it shine once more on the museum!
The babbling Anat trips and falls.
Titi catches her just before her face hits the ground, but the two of them hear a loud noise.
It sounds like a machine turning on.
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Ajani
*pant* *pant* Narantuya! We finally found you!
Ajazi
We haven't heard from you since you bought us drinks last night! We were so worried!
Narantuya
I haven't had a shut-eye in days, so I slept in longer. What's there to worry about?
Narantuya
Anyway, good timing. Give me a hand.
Ajazi
Why are you still helping other people carry stuff?
Narantuya
Shh, I'm not doing this for anyone else, it's for myself.
Narantuya
This is obviously an old statue. Better to get something out of it than to just leave it on the streets.
Ajani
But Narantuya... Isn't it made by one of the metal constructs?
Narantuya
Huh? What metal constructs?
Narantuya
Lay it out for me slowly. I might have slept too soundly last night and missed some headlines.
Ajazi
I thought you were the sharp one, Narantuya. How could you have missed it? There are weird metal constructs all over the street. Didn't they come at you?
Ajazi
They're tearing houses apart, making walls and pillars out of sand... and grabbing gems. Maybe you should check?
Ajazi
Everyone lost something last night, from onyx necklaces on their necks to astrolabes that simulate the moons and stars.
Narantuya
Is that what happened to your hairpin?
Ajazi
Wha... where did my hairpin go?
Narantuya
You got one thing right, I'm sharper than you.
Narantuya
And I'm starting to feel that something is off.
Narantuya
Anyway, now that I have the intel, time to come up with a plan.
Narantuya
Take off any gems you're wearing and hide them. If those metal constructs are robbers, let them come for me first.
Narantuya
Join the fleeing crowds and get your smoke bombs ready.
Ajani
But where do we go?
Ajani
Everyone else can hide in their homes or at least stay in hotels behind locked doors. Are... we going back to the sewers?
Ajazi
No problem, I know the way. I'll help us find our sleeping bags.
Narantuya
No... we're going back to the museum.
Ajani
The museum? How could that place be safe when they'll hire people like me and Ajazi?
Narantuya
Think about it. Who are the experts on caravan routes, desert terrain, dune movement, burdenbeast habits, and tribal faiths? Bandits, meaning us.
Narantuya
So, who are the experts on the dead coming back to life, ancient curses, and necromancy? The museum folks.
Ajani
...Makes sense.
Narantuya
I hear something.
Narantuya
Perfect timing. I want to see what those metal constructs are all about.
Narantuya
—Alright I get it now. Let's go!
Ajazi
Are we practicing our escape?
Narantuya
No, this IS the escape!
Narantuya
Let's hope smoke bombs work on these things!
She turns around, raises her hand, and prepares to pull the pin on the smoke bomb—
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Suddenly, the streets grow quiet.
The sound of marching machines disappears.
All the metal constructs Narantuya can see slow down.
They stop chasing them and gather around Narantuya.
Calm and docile, they watch like tamed burdenbeasts as Narantuya walks past them.
—And back.
Narantuya
What the hey...?
Narantuya
Am I dreaming?
Ajazi
It's not a dream, Narantuya. I pinched myself just now. It hurt.
Narantuya
Thanks. Then I won't try it myself.
Narantuya
What's going on?
Narantuya
Say... I saw a shadow of the river god the night before.
Narantuya
Maybe it really did bless me.
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Narantuya
I understand now.
Narantuya
Ajazi, Ajani, go on to the museum without me.
Ajani
What about you?
Narantuya
Divine duty. I need to find someone.
Narantuya
The river god must have wanted me to act the hero, and show Aspasia that I'm the boss.
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Woof
'Those who stand by me need no longer be enemies of your warriors.'
Woof
The jewel constructs are following the pact of the two human sovereigns a thousand years ago. They recognize her blood...
Woof
You were right, Zubayr. She is the descendant of Kharanduu Khagan.
Woof
Come, young Nightzmora. Walk into the dream—
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