Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 606: The City of Tomorrow

Chapter 606: The City of Tomorrow

Clang... clang

The sound of iron smiting iron echoed within the underground forge filled with several smithies and covered in soot.

But it wasn’t from one location within this cityscape forged from iron yet ravaged by time with flowing lava streams serving as the only source of light.

It was from everywhere, from the east to the west, to the south and the north.

The loudest echoes, however, came from the center of the city and stood at a higher pedestal than other areas, serving as the source of the flowing magma streams.

Standing tall at the city center was the largest smithy in the city with a large chimney at its top constantly emitting smoke.

Within this smithy, several short humanoid beings scurried about, wearing very little clothing to combat the terrifying heat within the city.

Despite the lack of adequate lighting, these humanoid beings didn’t seem to be impeded as they moved about their task with maximum efficiency, hardly speaking a word in the process.

They all served a common purpose, working to aid their master in any way possible.

And so as they worked tirelessly, did their master.

He was the reason for the loud echoes within the smithy.

Radiating a divine aura that seemed to be weakening by the second, kept alive by the constant hammering of his hammer, he stood within a lava pool donning heavy armor, unaffected by the heat.

Just then, he sensed something, causing him to pause, his glowing red eyes scanning the area around him.

Glad to see you are alive and well, Dhuhtia.

He quickly turned, his eyes falling upon the one that had spoken.

They widened for a moment before relaxing.

Vessina, why are you here?

He spoke in a hoarse tone, sounding like a dying old man.

You need projects to maintain your current state, don’t you?... Well, I’ve brought the biggest project imaginable.

Saying that the purple-skinned Succubus stretched out her right palm, revealing a multi-colored orb.

Dhuhtia’s eyes once again widened as he asked.

Such pure divinity. Where did you find it.

Does it matter?

Silence followed before Dhuhtia responded.

Alas, it does not.

Thought as much. Now here, forge a GodKiller out of it.

You would expect me to create a weapon that can kill me?

If it’s any consolation, I doubt it would ever be pointed in your direction. Its wielder shouldn’t have any quarrels with you.

Dhuhtia’s eyes narrowed before he replied.

I see. Then I accept your request.

Hearing that, Vessina’s expression revealed her satisfaction as she extracted the divinity from within the orb before passing over the yin-yang aspects, with Dhuhtia reaching out to catch it, heavy chains clanging as they moved with his hands.

You know, whenever I see you in such a state, I have to accept the saying, pride comes before a fall. You were the master of an era but with your own hands, you orchestrated your downfall.

Once upon a time, you wouldn’t have dared to speak that way to me.

Would you like to dare that I would?

Are you here to annoy me or do you plan to complete the deal?

Vessina smirked as she replied.

What do you want?

Something is brewing, something that could potentially help remove these shackles Khanna placed on me.

What would you have me do?

Your Authority. Grant me access to it for a one-time use.

Oh my?... Who would have thought there would be a day when a god would require the aid of a devil? It is quite intriguing, don’t you agree?

Do not test me, Vessina.

A giggle escaped Vessina’s lips as she replied.

Fine then, we have a deal. But do not blame me if you end up corrupted by the Negative Zone as a result.

I accept.

As the aether rippled in acknowledgment of the pact between Dhuhtia and Vessina, the latter vanished, leaving Dhuhtia to return to hammering, and that he did, with the echoes of his work resounding through Iron’s Keep.

***

Cinerath, otherwise known as the City of Tomorrow.

It was a mythological place, a whole other dimension belonging to Khanna, the Goddess of Automation.

Serving as an extension of her Will, it best represented what she held authority over.

The city was one of technological wonder or at least, as much wonder as was possible in a world powered by steam.

Even as he was from a far more advanced period on Earth, Alex had to admit that it was indeed deserving of its title as a city of tomorrow.

Everything was forged from brass, starting from the gas pipes and mobile homes to the cars, airships, steam-powered golems, and much more.

One only needed to think about any technology currently available in the entirety of Eventide and they would find that a more advanced version of it was in this city that seemed to be finite and infinite at the same time.

Ana couldn’t stop staring in apparent wonder while Ulysses could barely restrain himself from gasping multiple times from the moment he stepped past the Boundary and into the city.

Led by the Automatons, they moved toward the center of the city, and even as it seemed to be far away, after a few minutes, they had arrived at their destination.

It was a workshop large enough to be considered a fortress with two steam-powered golems standing guard at the entrance.

The gates opened up, revealing a passageway into the workshop.

"You may go in." The Automaton that had led the group intoned with Alex and the others, exchanging looks before nodding their appreciation at him, after which they made their way inside.

Yet again, their walk was brief, with the passageway quickly opening into a workshop that felt a bit too small compared to the size of the fortress.

Alex guessed this was another effect of the disordered sense of space within the Goddess’s divine kingdom.

In any case, their attention was quickly drawn to the woman at the center of the workshop, standing over a table with a blueprint placed before her.

She seemed engrossed in her study as she stared at the blueprint, seemingly disregarding the presence of Alex and the others but Alex was not to be fooled.

If she had partial omniscience about all steam-powered technology being used in Eventide, there was no way she wouldn’t have total omniscience within her divine kingdom.