The next day I walked in holding a sack that contained my hopes and dreams. Sadly, I couldn’t pick just two and ended up with five of my models out of the nineteen models I had at home. Boss sat at his desk and frowned at me as though not sure what I was going to lay on his desk.

  “Well, Runt, show me what you got.” He said with a sigh. I reached into my bag and pulled out the first one. It was a mostly normal looking Knight that had a few minor alterations. “Why do you have training dolls?” I froze at his words. This wasn’t just a big key; this was the monster of all keys, and I could almost see it.

  “Show me,” I growled at him, my eyes both hungry and cold. My mind went to Angelic Layer, Build Fighters, and I could only hope it was something like that. He huffed as he got up and took me to a far corner of the shop. A storage room along one of the walls that looked like it had not been touched in years. Inside was a large table that was covered in dust. “I need to see it.” I said and something in my look at the table convinced him that this was important.

  He had grunts two and five drag it out and set it up. Ten feet across, five control stations, and foot pedals were evenly spaced around the rim. It looked like a wargaming table that I had seen at some tabletop shops. I had looked into warhammer, but couldn’t get into it. The table even had little trees made of cloth-covered sticks. It looked like the trees could be moved or removed to change the terrain. This wasn’t just a key. This was something huge. “Why is it in here?” I nearly howled at Boss.

  “We didn’t need it.” Boss said looking both annoyed and confused. I looked at him, outrage clear on my face.

  “No, why is it in here?” I asked, pleading for him to catch up.

  “Just speak your mind. I don’t have time to play games.” Boss growled back as the grunts looked at us. I sighed as it was clear he would have to have things spelled out for him.

  “This should be in the tavern.” I said pointing at my new toy. He started blinking at me, the gears starting to turn. One of the runts brought out a cloth bag and I could see seven training dolls in it. I licked my chops wanting to look them over, but I needed Boss to catch up first. “How much does it cost to run this?” I asked, my eyes focused on the bag that the grunt placed near me. Boss put his hands on his hips, getting angry.

  “Almost nothing. Each table runs on a small core. That gives you an hour of training.” He said, towering over me.

  “Anyone with mana can use it?” I asked as my fingers reached out for the bag. He nodded, but I was only half paying attention to him. Still not getting it. I thought with a sigh. “If you charged a copper per match, how much money would you make a night?” I asked pulling one Doll out. He looked at me, his jaw-dropping.

  “Like a silver a night at least.” He said dumbfounded.

  “Yes, you have been wasting money. Stupid. I still want to play with one of the Dolls and the table before you take them away. Now go talk with Innkeeper.” I said dismissively as I moved to a chair. He ran out of the shop like a man on fire. I laughed as my hands wiped the dust away from the marvel on my lap. The dolls used a tiny engine that was near the right place but had to be powered by a mana cable that plugged into the table. Silversteel made up a wire frame and Manawire took the place of muscles allowing the Doll to move. I reached for my model and removed the shell of the Doll. It would take some effort, but I could make my model move. I loved Angelic Layer and wondered what it would be like watching my own creations move on a table. It would help me test things, speeding up the progress on an unbelievable scale. It must have taken a watchmaker to make this small wonder.

  Once done, I moved to the table. A Silversteel ring ran around the edge letting the mana flow through the feet and wire connecting the Doll. It was clear the table provided the power to the Doll and the wire acted like a control for the pilot. In a Knight, runes were used throughout the body, strengthening runes in each limb and a ring of them around the legs near the thigh in a human. In a Doll, it only had tiny mobility runes around the belt as well as some others allowing it to move. It was a glance into how old Knights must have been built. I couldn’t take my eyes off my Doll and made minor alterations moving the runes into the body in a space where it wouldn’t grind on the frame. I wonder if I could make ball joints that could be popped out to make it easier to swap out the limbs. I could do it with the Silversteel, iron and copper, but the Manawire would be the issue.

  The table had a tray where the small core was held powering everything. Far too soon Boss came back and took my new toys away with the help of the grunts. I followed them to the inn hoping to see my Doll move and how my plan worked out. The table was installed in the middle of the main room and chairs were placed around it. A grunt came in with a sack of small cores and an interested look on his face. The mana in my bracelet was gone and I only had a trickle left after converting one of my models, but I didn’t care. Putting it on the table, I plugged it in, and looked around. Everyone was looking at me. Was I doing something weird?

  “Go on, test it out,” Innkeeper said and I shook my head.

  “Not enough mana,” I said, failing not to mimic World of warcraft. I stepped back holding my hands up. Innkeeper and Boss sat down on either side of the table. Boss plugged in one of the normal ones and the two started fighting. It was fascinating to watch, if not a little clumsy. I wondered if I could make an upgrade on the table. Innkeeper won and Boss slapped the table outraged.

  “I want a rematch.” Boss called out making me smile. Innkeeper beamed.

  “That will be one copper.” Innkeeper said with a laugh. I joined in as Boss growled, pulled out my doll, plugged in one of the normal ones, and handed Innkeeper a copper. This time he won fairly easily. Boss frowned as he looked over at me at my Doll. He pulled me to a table and started looking over it a little more closely. Some of the others started playing and I glanced at the table, my stomach protesting the smell of the inn. It looked like my idea had worked in a wonderful way. Winter this year would be more manageable, I thought as I turned back to Boss.

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  “It almost looks like a normal Knight. You brought in the hips a little and puffed out the shoulders. How did you get it to move like that? These alterations shouldn’t allow that level of mobility.” He asked, raising one of the arms.

  “The feet, hips, and arms are the major changes. If anyone studied the human body they would see that we don’t walk like alligators on frying pan feet. I need Battery if I am to fix the others into Dolls.” I said, feeling an echo of hunger pain. When was the last time I ate? “I also want a table like that in our shop for testing.” I said, eyeing a plate of cinnamon rolls that Innkeeper took by our table. Boss nodded and looked up at me.

  “Done. How long will it take for you to alter Astreal?” Meathead’s mech. I tapped my chin thinking about all the work I had to do.

  “About a month, maybe more. It depends on Battery. He is my limiting factor. I need more mana. I could easily drain the mana batteries, but that may limit other work that needs to be done with it.” Boss just laughed at my words.

  “Show me the others and.” He turned to the other table where three men were cheering as two fought. “Innkeeper, get this idiot some food.” I gulped down some drool that I had not noticed was building up. I pulled them out of the bag that I had somehow remembered to bring with me but wasn’t happy about them. They weren’t Dolls and couldn’t move on their own. I would have to turn all my figures at home into Dolls as quickly as I could. This was going to cost me a lot in Manawire and making those mini engines was going to take a lot of mana and five silver a small spool. I needed more goblin cores for my bracelet. Maybe some gold to upgrade it. He looked over each one, smiling as we talked. Innkeeper brought us a pitcher of beer, two cups and a large bowl of stew. They were on the house when the man realized how many coins he would make from my idea.

  “Okay this one I understand. Mounting weapons to the arms, legs and back is common, but no one has ever mounted a wand. The armor panels on this one will make it heavier, but I get the idea of shielding for the delicate joints. Why does this one have a travel pack though?”

  “Extra mana storage. Think of a long-range mana intense battle unit that or one could easily hold people, gear or even a small living compartment so the pilot never has to leave the unit.” I said as I gulped down the stew and beer. The beer was awful, but the stew was nice and filled my empty belly. Finally, I pulled out the last one. A small metal wolf stood on the table between us. He looked at it blankly as though it was a spider.

  “What the hell is that?” He asked, as he frowned. Boss picked it up and started moving the legs, tail, and even opened the jaw. I was able to make those ball joints, but not the type I wanted to so I could swap parts. “Knights always look like people.” Boss said moving the jaw open.

  “This won’t be a Knight.” I said my smile evil and on full display.

  “It’s too small, a core and engine won’t work on it.” Boss pointed out.

  “I plan to build a new engine.” He put the figure down like it was a precious delicate tea set and looked at me blankly. I nodded glad he was treating my baby like the flower it was.

  “Only the Kavos Empire knows how to build engines.” He stated and I could see an echo of hope in his eyes. I tilted my head to the side again and took another bite of stew. It needed salt but was really good or maybe it had been longer than I had thought since my last meal.

  “Wrong. I know how and I think I know how to make it better.” I said thinking over the plan in my notebook.

  “Of course, you do.” Boss said leaning back and laughing as he turned to the table as a two-on-two fight started up. One of the watchers was eyeing my Doll. I laughed and drained the last bits of my stew before pulling out my notebook and flipped to a page holding it out to him. Boss turned it this way and that. “I have no clue what the hell that is.” He said with a smile.

  “Let me build it and I will show you." I said taking the book back.

  “Fix Astreal first.” Boss said getting up to go back to the training table, my Doll in his huge hands. I nodded and waved for another bowl of stew to Innkeeper.

  “Get me more mana and I can break this world.” I said sipping the weak beer. Boss looked at me worried but with a strange smile on his face.

  Two days later, I was in the inn testing out the newest iteration of my wolf. I was very wrong in my first one. The joints were all wrong. This table saved me a shit ton of time and work. The only downside is I had to give it up to the townsfolk whenever the idiots wanted to play. I needed a table for myself, but that would come in time. I was able to rent out some of my Dolls for three copper rounds. It didn’t cost me anything and would give me a chance to see them work. Whenever they did, I would watch sometimes or just tinker on my new project. In the evening it would get lively and even tournaments would be held nightly with pots and bets.

  Innkeeper was very happy with me; Boss was very happy with me. The only ones not happy were Meathead and Battery. Battery couldn’t be helped, and I really didn’t care. Meathead was upset that his ax was impossible to use. Like I told him it would be. He ended up hanging it on his wall and was now training with my weapon full-time.

  I was lightly sipping on the local swill as I let the wolf clop around the room. God, I needed to get some wine so I could have a proper drink. Suddenly Woodcutter came in and looked worried. It was raining that day, but that shouldn’t be anything to worry about. I was a little worried about walking home in that storm, but it couldn’t be helped. I may need to invent the umbrella.

  “We have to evacuate the town. The dam is about to break.” Woodcutter shouted to the inn. Everyone started scrambling and crying. I was pissed by his outburst. My house, my Dolls, my Knights. Fuck this hard in the ass. I stood and shouted, making every eye turn to me. It should have made me uncomfortable, but I was far too mad to notice or care.

  “FUCK THIS! I’m not about to let everything I hold dear get destroyed. Everyone with even a particle of mana meet me at the dam. Someone Get Meathead and tell him to bring every scrap of metal he can get his hands on. I’m going to fill every hole even if,” I took a deep breath before crying out, EVEN IF I HAVE TO STICK MY DICK IN IT!!” I expected the townsfolk to be outraged, question me, or even someone to hit me. I stood on the table for a moment breathing hard as I looked out at the gathered masses. They started cheering and I lost my anger not fully understanding what was going on. What the fuck? They all cheered? I stood there for a moment; my head tilted to the side. Someone slapped my back, and I raised my fists ready for a fight. It was Hunter and he was smiling at me. What the hell was going on?

  “Right on, Alex.” He said as he waved everyone to the door. I followed, one question on my mind. Where the hell was the dam anyway?