Chapter 3
Alex’s hands tightened on the joysticks. The roar subsided, replaced by a deep, resonant hum that vibrated through the pilot’s seat and up into his bones. It was more than just sound; it was a physical sensation, a living pulse that courled through the Arosaurer’s very being. The status lights on the dashboard glowed a steady, reassuring green. Nominal. All systems nominal.
He’d done it.
A genuine smile, wide and unrestrained, spread across Alex’s face. His creation, his dream, was alive. It felt like a physical ache, a pressure building in his chest, but it wasn't pain. It was… joy. A single, hot tear escaped his eye and traced a path down his cheek, a stark, emotional contrast to the cold, hard engineering that had brought him here. He let it fall, unheeding.
Outside the workshop, a small voice cut through the lingering resonance.
"Alex? Are you okay in there?" Rhian’s voice, tinged with concern, crackled through the Zoid’s external speakers.
Alex fumbled for the comms button, his fingers clumsy with excitement. "Yeah, Rhian! I'm okay! More than okay. It’s… it’s perfect." He looked down at his hands, then back at the glowing console. "It's perfect."
The sheer power humming through the Arosaurer was intoxicating. Alex wanted to feel it surge, to test its limits. He needed more than just workshop diagnostics.
"Rhian, I'm going for a quick run. Just out to the plains. A little field test."
He barely registered her reply.
"Alex, wait! Safety first! What if the other Wardens see you? They'll think you're a Titan!"
Alex didn't consider the implications. He just wanted to move. He wanted to feel the Arosaurer sprint, to test those powerful legs.
With a surge of amplified energy, the Zoid lumbered forward, its massive frame straining the workshop's integrity. It pushed through the flimsy outer wall with a groan of tortured metal and wood, emerging into the blinding sunlight of the Veridia outskirts. The Arosaurer’s legs coiled and sprang, propelling Alex forward.
He heard Rhian’s distant voice, a small, sharp sound against the wind rushing past the cockpit.
"Idiot! Alex, you idiot!"
But the sound faded quickly as the Zoid hit its stride, thundering across the open plains. The wind whipped around the Arosaurer’s head, carrying away her protest.
The plains stretched out before the Arosaurer, a vast expanse of ochre grass rippling under the midday sun. Alex, nestled within the Zoid's metallic skull, felt a grin stretch across his face. He eased the throttle forward, and the ground beneath the Zoid’s feet began to blur. The initial lumbering gait transformed into a powerful, ground-eating stride.
"Whoa," he breathed, the sound swallowed by the Arosaurer’s internal hum.
He pushed the speed higher. The wind howled past the cockpit, a joyous roar that echoed the Zoid’s own mechanical cries. The Arosaurer responded with a series of sharp, excited chirps and clacks.
“SKREEE-CHAK-CHAK-CHAK!”
Alex laughed, the sound exhilarated. This was it. This was everything he'd worked for. The grass became a green-brown smear. He was flying low, faster than any ground vehicle, faster than he’d ever imagined.
"SKREEE-CHAK-CHAK!"
He glanced at the terrain data flickering on the console. The open plains were convenient, but visibility was too high. Wardens patrolled these areas. Running into them now would be a nightmare. He needed to push further, deeper into the scrublands, and then into the forest bordering Veridia.
"Alright, big guy," Alex murmured, patting the joysticks. "Let's find some cover."
He guided the Arosaurer towards a denser patch of scrub, then veered towards the treeline. The Zoid’s massive form crashed through smaller trees, its movements still surprisingly agile.
"GRRR-RR-VUMMM..." The Arosaurer rumbled, a sound that seemed to convey understanding, or perhaps just the thrill of movement.
"Yeah, I know," Alex said, a touch of mischief in his voice. "Nobody needs to know about this little joyride."
He urged the Zoid into the shadowed depths of the Xylosian forest, the dappled sunlight filtering through the colossal trees. The Arosaurer's optics adjusted, casting a faint red glow on the forest floor.
"HSSSSS-THT!" A soft hiss escaped the Zoid, like a sigh of contentment.
Alex grinned. This was perfect.
* * *
Alex steered the Arosaurer deeper into the Xylosian forest. The trees here were gargantuan, their trunks wider than any building in Veridia, their branches forming a dense canopy that turned midday into a perpetual twilight. The air grew cooler, thick with the scent of damp earth and strange, sweet-smelling flora. Sunlight filtered through the leaves in shifting patterns, dappling the forest floor in emerald and gold. The Arosaurer’s heavy footsteps crunched on fallen leaves and snapped twigs, a surprisingly loud sound in the otherwise hushed environment. Alex felt a sense of quiet satisfaction; the forest was a perfect place to stretch the Zoid’s legs, away from prying eyes.
He guided the Arosaurer through a particularly dense thicket, its metallic claws easily clearing the path. Suddenly, the Zoid’s audio sensors picked up a series of high-pitched noises ahead.
"What's that?" Alex muttered, tapping a control on his HUD.
The console chirped. Proximity Alert: Multiple biological signatures detected. Small to medium size.
Alex slowed the Arosaurer. He didn't want to startle anything unnecessarily. A moment later, they burst into a small clearing. Several creatures, about four to six meters tall, resembling bipedal lizards with feathered crests, were foraging amongst some large, glowing fungi. They looked like a cross between a velociraptor and a rooster, their scales a muted brown, their crests a startling crimson.
The Arosaurer’s sudden appearance and the sheer scale of the machine sent the creatures into a panicked frenzy.
"SKREEE-EEK!" one shrieked, its crimson crest flaring.
"CHIRP-CHIRP-CHIRP!" another cried, stamping its clawed feet.
They turned tail and bolted, disappearing into the dense undergrowth with a rustling of leaves and a flurry of frightened chirps.
"Whoa," Alex said, a chuckle escaping him. "Guess they weren't expecting company." He patted the Arosaurer’s console. "Good job, big guy. Didn't even have to scare 'em too much."
The Arosaurer responded with a low, pleased rumble.
"GRRR-RR-VUMMM..."
Alex considered the creatures. Rank E, maybe D, at best. Nothing for the Arosaurer to worry about. It was built from Rank D Allosaurus components, after all, with the System’s optimizations making it far more capable than its base rank suggested. Still, it was good to see the forest was alive. He nudged the Arosaurer forward, deeper into the green.
Alex guided the Arosaurer through the dense forest, the towering trees forming a cathedral of green above. He found himself thinking about the Arosaurer’s capabilities, about what it could really do. The earlier encounter with the feathered creatures had been interesting, but hardly a challenge. He’d built this machine for more than just scaring off small game.
“Come on, big guy,” he murmured, patting the console. “Let’s see what you’re made of. A little bit of a run, that’s all.”
He half-wished for something more substantial to test the Zoid against. Not a Rank S world-shaker, of course, but maybe a solid Rank D or C. Something that would make the Arosaurer’s hydraulics sing and its autocannons bark. A proper opponent, something that could make him sweat.
Then, he heard it. A low, guttural rumble that seemed to vibrate through the very bones of the Arosaurer, followed by a series of sharp, earth-shaking bellows.
“GRRRRRR-OOMPH! ROOOAAAR!”
The sound was immense, primal. Alex’s HUD flashed, proximity alerts pinging insistently. The radar painted a massive heat signature moving through the trees. Definitely not a Rank D. This was bigger.
“What is that?” Alex whispered, his earlier wish suddenly feeling a lot more real, and a lot more dangerous. He nudged the Arosaurer forward, drawn by the sheer power of the sounds. The Zoid’s head swiveled, its red optics scanning the dense foliage ahead. A low, inquisitive rumble emanated from its throat.
“VUMMM-ROO?”
“Hold on,” Alex told the Zoid, his voice tight with a mix of apprehension and a strange, growing excitement. “Let’s go check it out.”
The Arosaurer pushed through the dense forest, its massive form tearing through the undergrowth with surprising ease. Alex felt the Zoid’s powerful legs coil and spring, propelling them forward. The low rumble that had first alerted them grew louder, punctuated by the splintering crash of massive trees being uprooted. Alex’s HUD painted a clear picture of the disturbance: a single, immense heat signature, moving at high speed. It was large, too large for any Rank D creature he'd encountered before, but not quite the colossal scale of a Rank B or A. Definitely a Rank C, maybe a particularly robust Rank D. He’d seen charts of the local fauna, and the size and destructive path suggested something like a Timber-Crest Bull.
He recalled what he’d learned about them. Massive herbivores, typically placid, but fiercely territorial. Known for their immense strength and their unique antlers, which could apparently channel seismic energy. Ten meters tall at the shoulder, the data said, with a mass that could make the ground tremble. And they were usually found in forests like this.
Alex’s heart hammered against his ribs. A Timber-Crest Bull. He’d only seen them from a distance, and never one in distress. This one seemed to be in a full-blown panic, crashing through the trees like they were made of kindling. It was heading vaguely in their direction, its bellows echoing through the wood.
"A perfect opponent," Alex breathed, a grin spreading across his face. This was exactly what he'd been hoping for. Not a territorial dispute, but a distressed animal, perhaps fleeing something else, which might make it less predictable, more desperate.
He patted the Arosaurer’s console. "Hey, big guy," he said, his voice tight with anticipation. "You ready for this? A real test."
The Arosaurer’s response was immediate and sharp.
“SKREEE-CHAK-CHAK-CHAK!”
It was a high-pitched, metallic screech, a sound of pure, unadulterated Zoid aggression. The clicking that followed was the rapid cycling of its jaw servos, ready to bite down on whatever dared stand in its way. Alex’s own excitement spiked. That was the sound of a machine eager for a fight.
"Alright then," Alex said, gripping the joysticks tighter. "Let's go meet our friend."