The Golem Adventurer

Chapter 31 - Letters from the Past

The machine began to whirl the moment I gave the green light. The berth I was strapped to began to flatten as it rose into the air. Behind me, a small conveyer belt started to move; a large assortment of parts were now being carried over to my position.

[SCAN COMPLETE. CURRENT ASTURITE FORMULA IS OUT OF DATE. SEVERAL FIRMWARE UPDATES ARE AVAILABLE. UPDATING... COMPLETE. SYSTEM WILL NOW RESTART.]

Wait, is it goin-

....

..

.

[REBOOT COMPLETE. OPERATING SYSTEM AND ALL ANCILLARY PROGRAMS ARE NOW UP TO DATE. CONTINUING OPERATION IN SAFE MODE.]

-g to reboot... me?

"You back with us, Arlan? You were out for a couple of minutes." Erwyn's voice rings out of my sight.

"Um, yeah. I had to restart." I replied.

"Uhh, I'm not sure what that means..." he stated.

[COMMENCING DISASSEMBLY.]

The arms went to work, surrounding my body like a flurry of tentacles. Whizzes and whirls echoed around me. I started losing control over every extremity until I was a complete quadriplegic. I became nothing more than a stump.

I could hear Aelinor in the background directed at another person, "Why are you looking away?"

"I-It's weird seeing Arlan like this! It's like watching him getting torn apart!" I could hear Tessa's voice wavering in the background.

[NOW UPDATING ASTURITE FORMULA ON CORE BODY.]

Some of the arms reached towards a slot running along their pivot and returned with a magnitude of needles. Another arm had reached for a hose attached to a large syringe. The hands began to work fast as a multitude of magic circles began to hover around my body. The hose started to drip a viscous mercurial fluid onto my chest as the needles began, to my utter shock, puncture and sew the fluid through my chest. These things must be either atomically sharp or a huge concentration of mana is being channeled through them.

Only a few minutes had passed until the needlework had finally stopped. My once blocky torso is now fully covered in almost soft and fabric like material with a metal plate covering my torso. My upper chest looks much sharper and more defined. It's most definitely a step up from before.

[CORE FRAME UNIT UPDATE COMPLETE. NOW UPDATING INTERNAL COMPONENTS.]

My chest cavity opened to reveal my core. The machine reached inside with tiny hands and tools. Bits and pieces were surgically removed only to be replaced with more refine looking parts coming from the assembly line. Splashes of liquid mana hit my face as the tubing inside my body was replaced. Another hose filled with the glowing liquid was brought down to inject more into my body as new tubing was attached. Even the plating around my mana core was removed, engulfing the ceiling above me in a blinding azure light, only suddenly disappear as fast as it appeared when the liquid metal was poured on it and weaved into a new shape.

[ALL INTERNAL COMPONENTS ARE NOW UPDATED. TESTING FUNCTIONALITY...]

My body begins to spasm as electrical currents were suddenly being pushed through me. I guess this is what the safety harnesses were for. Good thing I can't feel it, at least.

[ALL COMPONENTS ARE RESPONDING POSITIVELY. NOW ATTACHING UNIT SEGMENTS.]

Two arms and legs were brought in and attached to each of the sockets on my body. I'm like a doll on a factory line. Pieces of me were being screwed on and welded. Even the tubing was being reconnected. I could see sparks flying from the corner of my vision.