Machinist of Mana Chapter 104 Wrong

Sasha

The nest was always growing, always expanding, but I was getting worried. At first I hadn't noticed, but it seemed Father had been allowing some of our brothers and sisters to breed unchecked. Our hunters had of course been going out for big food hauls, but I'd thought that had been mostly stored, stored in case enemies attacked us.

It had not been stored, not at all. No, the newest generations were growing like weeds. Most of them were of the old kind, not special children like myself of Greta. There were also an alarming number who seemed to be spawned from my least favorite brother's loins, not something I'd been happy to realize.

Perhaps I'd ignored it, letting it slip my notice as I mostly dealt with the gate, perhaps I'd not wanted to see it. However in the last few months this generation had been hitting the age where they could start to go out into the world and explore. That had led to one after another of them stumbling over to where I was, and a brief look into the matter caused me more stress.

We needed to expand not only our population, but also our area for the nest was too small. In some of the back caves there were goblins practically tripping over one another. They stayed back here too, away from me, away from my smarter brothers and sisters. Father needed to know, needed to know how far this had come.

I slipped through the nest, aiming for his rooms, the ones he'd claimed to live and work in. Even if we weren't getting more subjects for him he still worked, inspiring all of us to try just as hard as he was. It was good too, for I always felt bad for the people he brought in, even if they were helping make the world a better place they still suffered and I hated that.

He was even working when I found him, giving a demonstration to another like us who could heal on how to fix broken bones and cut flesh. The yongling was just now learning to use his powers, but I'd sat through these too, and knew that one day he'd be another asset to us. That alone brought a smile to my face.

“Does something bother you daughter?” he asked once he'd finished and sent the youth away.

“Father, the tunnels are overflowing, we might need to help some of our people to... well lower their birth rate. When I realized how many there were I came to tell you, but I should've seen it earlier.”

“It is of no consequence,” he responded.

“But Father, where will we get the food for them? And the humans are still trying to find us, with this many it will be a struggle.”

“Not for much longer,” he said in a low voice.

“What?” I was confused, worried about what he was planning.

“Well, I was going to gather all you special children soon to tell you, but since you've done such a wonderful job there's no issue letting you know first. Soon we will go to the surface, and once we do these things will no longer be a problem.”

“I do not think the humans will like that at all,” I pointed out.

“Probably not, we'll probably have to fight, but not to worry, I have a plan.” That was good, plans were good, but I still had concerns.

“They might want to fight us,” I told him.

“They most certainly will want that yes, which is why we need more of our own kind. Many more in fact, that's why I've been encouraging the warren to grow for the last few years.”

How had I not seen that? He was making an army, not just a new generation. My blood chilled at the thought of it, of how many would die if we fought.

“Their weapons...”

“Won't matter with enough of us. Most humans aren't very good at fighting, and once we've taken a few key points we'll be able to hold those who are off.”

“But so many will die,” I said, hearing the worry in my own voice.

“A sacrifice that must be made for a better world.”

“...yes father, I understand.”

I understood, but I didn't like it, not one bit. Years I'd stood guard over our home, years I'd done all I could to protect us, to shield us. There'd been times when I'd worried about what he was doing, but I'd always known he wanted things better. This though, this disturbed me, he was going to throw so many of our people into battle, unprepared. And what if he was wrong? What if the humans were strong enough to take us, to hold the city? The young would die for nothing gained. And even if they didn't, how many of them would suffer? Too many.

It felt wrong.

The weight of that hit me like a club to the head, and my mana churned. We had to do right, those like Father and I, for if we didn't, if we did wrong we suffered for it. I knew this, so did he, and that's why I'd followed him, knowing he knew best. This was wrong though, it was wrong, so wrong, so very wrong. The word echoed in my head like a ringing bell, and my teeth clenched.

“Is something wrong Sasha?” he asked. Yes, something was so, so wrong.

“I think I need to return to my duties,” I told him, and I did, my duty to protect my people, the one he'd given me.

“Ah, very well. I'll talk to you again soon my dear.” With that I was dismissed, and I almost fled.

I had to go see someone, to talk to them, and I knew just the person. I'd go to Greta, the smartest of us and we could talk this out, figure out how to make it right again. I found her easily enough, in her little room hovering over some gadget.

“Sister we need to talk,” I told her.

Greta didn't always get me, but she always listened intently. I told her of what our Father was planning, at least what I'd heard, and of my worries. She didn't interrupt, didn't say anything against me, just waited, asking a question here or there, but letting me go on.

“What do you think?” I asked.

“They'll die in droves,” she responded instantly, one hand going to her belly, she sounded shocked, and worried. “Maybe we win, but we'll lose a lot. I looked at one of their new weapons, and they're not something to underestimate.”

Was she? I flashed my mana and looked and saw the truth there within her belly. Maybe that was why she was so contemplative.

“So what do we do? Father doesn't change his mind once he makes it.”

“I don't know.” That admission was enough to make me truly afraid.