>Nanite Lattice progress: 99%…
Initializing full systems check: Running…
>Power core output: .021%
[WARNING] Non-standard core configuration [WARNING]
Continue usage?
>Y
>Proceeding…
Core lock retrieval: [ERROR: CORE LOCK NOT FOUND]
>Structural Integrity: [ERROR: STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY COMPROMISED]
[WARNING] Structural pattern: Non-standard Platform [WARNING]
>Electrical systems: Non-standard. Bio-Organic composition. Oxygen. Carbon. Hydrogen. Nitrogen. Calcium. Phosphorus. Potassium. Sulfur. Sodium. Chlorine. Magnesium. Conductivity limited. Effectiveness grade 47-Alpha.
[WARNING] Unknown Particles Detected [WARNING]
>Purge unknown particles?
>N
>Classify unknown particles?
>N
>Proceeding…
>Sensor Array: 87.42%. Reviewing sensory input…
Auditory, gustatory, olfactory, optical, and tactile arrays limited. All systems degraded. Insufficient power to initialize repair protocols.
>Initializing main data-store…running…[ERROR: MAIN DATA STORE COMPROMISED]
[WARNING] Main Data Store: Non-standard pattern [WARNING]
Class: Bio-Organic – Capacity – Calculating… 2.5 petabytes. Pattern 99.87% match with Androffan human.
Central Processing Unit analysis complete.
Primary function type: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN. NON-STANDARD/BIO-ORGANIC CONSTRUCT-LIFEFORM: Class 3.
>Network status: Unavailable
>Full systems check complete. Nanite Lattice required for further evaluation.
>Proceed with Lattice formation?
[WARNING] Lattice formation on non-standard platforms may result in systemic platform failure [WARNING]
Projected success: 87%
>Proceed?
>Y
>Threshold reached. Disabling non-essential systems…complete.
Essential systems online. Unlocking boot protocols…
Complete.
>Beginning delta wave connections…Complete.
>Beginning alpha wave connections…Complete.
>Beginning beta wave connections…Complete.
>Beginning gamma wave connections…Running…
[ERROR] Gamma wave synchronicity failure [ERROR]
>Cancel, Proceed, Delay?
>D
>Initializing diagnostics sweep…Running…
[WARNING] Wave collapse projected in 0.632 seconds [WARNING]
>Cancel, Proceed, Delay?
>D
[WARNING] Platform vital signs degrading [WARNING]
>Cancel, Proceed, Delay?
>D
>Diagnostics complete. Summary: Unknown particles amplifying gamma waves. Lattice construction can attempt particle incorporation.
Projected success: 52%.
Projected outcome: Insufficient data to extrapolate.
[WARNING] Wave collapse projected in 0.477 seconds [WARNING]
>Cancel, Proceed, Delay?
>D
>Compiling all records tagged “unknown particle” OR “gamma wave” OR “anomaly”…Running…Complete.
46,331 records found.
>Compiling all correlated records…Running…Complete.
829 record sets created.
>Evaluating correlations for causation with 92% confidence interval…Running…
[WARNING] Wave collapse projected in 0.325 seconds [WARNING]
[WARNING] Wave stabilization projected success: 79%, with exponential drop below T-.27 seconds [WARNING]
>Cancel, Proceed, Delay?
>D
>Complete. Summary: Unknown particles amplifying gamma waves. Particle excitement correlates with gamma wave spikes which correlate with several anomalies recorded. See “localized temporal disturbance 0003”, “ammunition generation 0008”, “Explosive neural pathway development”.
Hypothesis: Unknown particles are unnecessary to platform survival but facilitate anomalous behaviors, which have ensured platform survival indirectly.
[WARNING] Wave collapse projected in 0.299 seconds [WARNING]
>Cancel, Proceed, Delay?
>P
>Beginning Particle incorporation…Running…Complete.
Incorporation marginally successful. Further incorporation possible over time. Current incorporation sufficient for gamma wave synchronicity.
>Beginning gamma wave connections…Complete.
Lattice integration complete.
>Initializing non-essential systems…Complete.
>Classify unknown particles?
>Y
>Evaluation and relevant records included in summary. Particle name?
>”Divinity”
>Divinity particles defined. Designate threat rating.
>14 Beta. Further analysis required.

---

Alistair bolted up from his bedroll in the darkened cave. Despite the chill of the air, his bedding and clothes were soaked through with sweat. He could also see evidence of thrashing. Clearly, whatever nightmare he was caught up in had done a number.

It was only then that he realized he shouldn’t be able to see in the caves. Looking down, the soft blue glow lighting the surroundings was coming from him, a series of intersecting lines, all the nanite blue of Numeria.

Alistair knew it had been a risk, but he also had seen in the pool what was coming, and what these automatons were capable of. Hopefully he lived long enough to make it worthwhile.

The glow dimmed, and eventually dissipated completely. But as it did, a rising torrent of voices flooded his mind, and Lord Alistair of House Azari, scion of humanity, found that his tempering in the forge of creation was not yet complete.