Siren's Elegy Volume 1: Orphans of Ashen Earth

Chapter 13: Creeping Presage

July 23, 4021 09:00 [Manzhouli- Processing Checkpoint to Matriarch 04]

The transport vehicle puffed along the highway, sandwiched between a row of identical transporters, chugging past miles of corroded cityscapes. Indra peered out through the back window of the ancient sputtering machine as it carried him and the other Traitless Homunculi to the Northern Border. He looked through the grimy glass for any signs of life amongst the ruins, spotting a few goats grazing on scattered patches of grass, vanishing into the horizon as the vehicle drove further away. The Homunculi had been sitting in the cramped transport rig for hours, the wardens occasionally stopping the rigs for bathroom breaks and distribution of food and water. They had been issued satin wristbands that displayed a myriad of personal information in translucent blue, including their vitals and coordinates. A few unfortunate Homunculi discovered that the wristbands housed anti-escape measures, managing to run a few meters before the band delivered a prick that promptly knocked them unconscious long enough for the wardens to drag them back to the trucks.

Indra checked his wrist, a holographic display showing his pulse pressure: SYSTOLIC PRESSURE [130 mmHg], DIASTOLIC PRESSURE [90 mmHg]. WARNING, PULSE READINGS INDICATE HIGH LEVELS OF BLOOD PRESSURE AND RESULTING HYPERTENSION. PLEASE CONSULT YOUR LOCAL PHYSICIAN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

He sighed, looking out of the window once again, watching quietly as they edged closer to their destination. He tried to picture what the processing experience would look like, wondering how long the entire procedure would take. The sooner he was able to prove his allegiance to the company, the sooner he would be able to return to Matriarch 07. Perhaps he could even request a transfer to Matriarch 03 to help Akula and the others on the frontlines. He thought about Vivian's words; they lingered in his mind, etching deep into his soul. Maybe he was selfish for expecting her to halt her life for him. Indra brought his knees up to his chest, hiding himself from the world. He would have to let her go. He couldn't waste his energy worrying about things he couldn't change. His first priority was to get through this whole ordeal.

The rig came to a halt, yanking Indra from his somber musings. The doors to the truck swung open swiftly, the wardens exiting first so they could keep a head count of their units. As the Homunculus stepped down from the transport vehicle, he observed other trucks unloading their own cargo from different Matriarchs. Indra noted that the surrounding area had turned dark, finding it peculiar since it was still early in the morning. He didn't have to wait long for an explanation, however, as the other Homunculi stepping outside the rusted metal hull of their vehicles immediately arched their heads back all the way to their spines. Opposing them, towered a monolithic opaque green gate, polished and unblemished, standing hundreds of meters tall, dwarfing the surrounding area, casting a blanket shadow. The gate was flanked by an equally impressive jade stone wall spanning the visible horizon. The Homunculi stared in awe at the structure, mouths agape. Amused by their stupor, one of the wardens chuckled at the new arrivals.

"This monument is called Wángzhě Zhī Qiáng, the Wall of the King. It stands as the barrier between the outside world and Matriarch 04. An impregnable wall that allows no intruder in and no dissident out," the warden explained.

"How long did it take them to build this?" Indra blurted out of curiosity.

The warden chuckled again, "Them? No, him. Just one man built this gate. A testament to his will, his dedication, and his determination. Kǔ Shén cemented his very being into the stone you see before you. It yields to no one, standing firm against all, even Entropy.

Indra stared at the wall, amazed at its sheer scale. He couldn't fathom any amount of people, let alone a single person had the resources to create such a monument. How was he able to build this all by himself? Is he a Homunculus? Even if he was, the energy required to create something of this scale would have accelerated his aging exponentially. The proteins in his body would have denatured instantly, yet he's still alive and far from old... There must be some other way he was able to erect such a monument. Is there a device that can manipulate jade like that? I doubt it. Also, what is Entropy?