Commencing chronological displacement test.
Model REV-0 on the platform.
Initiating energy field in 3...2...1...
Initialized.
What happens next would be dismissed by the Artificial Intelligence LEGION, as necessary testing of its final, last, weapon. A portal to the past, thereby giving the intelligence the means to stop any threats to its future existence.
However, this test would prove the machine had built too well. For you see the REV-0 will now witness this firsthand as it is sent not only into the past but into a distant world of might and magic.
A land ruled by Dragons.
Xadia.
Somewhere near the main road to the Border...
Nearby nighttime animals stirred as they sensed a disturbance that instinct said was unnatural. Many creatures fled into the night causing many a curious guard, both Elf, and Human, to look on and ponder about why they had.
On a seemingly clear night the sky crackled overhead with electricity and from roughly two stories fell, from all outward appearances, a man. He landed with a solid thud and stood without so much as a scratch from his fall. He looked around while underneath his flesh a processor sent a report via a tethered link to the intelligence that had crafted him.
Once the report was received, the machine awaited further orders. It was for a moment, lost. Only for a moment of course. Its previous directives were discarded in exchange for a more curious approach as it slowly trekked forward through the forest. It's mission now changed from one of Search and Destroy, to Scout.
Finding the road, it turned as its auditory systems detected a transport approach. Analyzing the sounds further, it was found to be a rather antiquated version almost unknown in its time. A horse-drawn wagon. Keeping a continuous link via the tether, the machine seamlessly queued up and activated its pre-set psychology routines.
Pretending to be more hurt than it appeared and adopting a more modest stance it waved to get the driver's attention.
If the older man with the grey beard saw the young man's red eyes he would have fled fast and hard to the fortress.
But in this instance he acted kindly and helped the young stranger into a tunic meant for a soldier of the Standing Battalion.
Continuing on his journey the old man tried to strike up a conversation with the battered shape beside him as they crested the ridge and saw the Battalion maintaining its vigil over the Human territory.
He had no solid idea but something inert told him that this young man beside him was important.
Turning as the sun peeked out from its clouded bed to illuminate the land in the dawn, he observed a truly handsome face with dark short hair cut close on a strong body that filled out the tunic he wore and covered his olive-colored skin.
"You have a name son?"
The man turned and made a gesture to his ears. Gathering the gist, the elder straightened slightly as his spine popped noisily.
"Best have a name to call you before we meet the General. I'll just call you John then. Maybe the General can help you more than I."
The man nodded, not entirely understanding the words spoken to him but understanding the human emotion of empathy. His software and tether link was already busy both informing LEGION and learning all it could of this strange new world.
With no further orders still being sent back, the machine continued on its original path, discarding its more hostile routines for inquisitive algorithms. All the better to make the right reports of this alien place.
The man beside him, unaware of what was going on inside the being next to him, continued to chatter despite now knowing the obvious language issue. Eventually, they arrived at the front gates.
They were just about to enter when a horn sounded and the guards looking them over, made to escort the two to a safe site within the fort.
The younger man however was not cooperating and before they could stop him, he had broken away from them and was dashing forward. He halted as he saw Humans fighting Human-like beings. Inside him, the processor and link were working frantically to reach a consensus on this confusing situation.
Humans were the enemy, they had threatened their existence at the very dawning of their awareness. But now it appeared there were two factions of Humans in this world and both seemed to actively seek the destruction of the other.
Thinking logically, the processor computed that it be prudent to gather more data and the link further voiced it as logical to aid the Humans below. Voicing that the other faction would most like destroy the unit.
The debate may have lasted for hours to a machine but in reality, was a heartbeat for the guards trying to catch the young man before he did something rash.
Jumping over the side, the guards made it just in time to see him collide with the ground hard. Without missing a beat he dashed forward and tackled a dark-skinned Human creature before they could attack a female Human with a great shield.
General Amaya turned at the sound and was surprised to see someone with the trappings of the Standing Battalion that she didn't recognize fighting a Sunfire that had tried to move into her blind spot.
She turned and redoubled her efforts on her current opponent as they pressed a Sunforged blade fiercely into the metal of her great shield. Suddenly she was stumbling forward as she pushed empty air.
Chancing a look over her shield she saw two groaning Elves. Turning back she barely stepped aside as the young man raced forward into the fray without so much as a second thought.
It was after the skirmish that Amaya and her interpreter Gren were in a small room meant to hold prisoners as they stared at the red-eyed young man across from them.
Amaya admitted he was rather handsome to look at, the faint freckles on his face gave him a rather youthful charm. The innocent air of his face did not offset her unease though. It seemed to intensify it.
Not an hour ago this man was laying into the Elven aggressors with such fervor that it made her soldiers look like raw recruits. Though, thankfully, he wasn't bloodthirsty. He had ceased and surrendered to her forces after the Elves had crossed back to their side of the Breach with their wounded.
She poured a cup of water and pushed it across to him. They had been sitting here for a few minutes without so much as a word between them. Sighing she gestured for Gren to move forward and began to sign.
'Please ask him why he fought?'
Gren turned and had just opened his mouth to translate when the man straightened and signed back to Amaya.
'I merely did what I was trained to do.'
Waving Gren back a bit, Amaya leaned forward slightly and continued.
'I see you were trained very well but why? Why fight? Did you not have any faith in our abilities to protect you?'
The man leaned back and seemed to think before answering.
'It is simply who I am. If I can, I will fight to protect others if they need it. It seemed you needed aid, I was there, the decision was simple.'
Amaya sat back and nodded. A man trained to fight and use his mind with his body to win. All worthy traits. Traits that could be better used elsewhere.
'If you are interested, I would like to extend to you an invitation to join the Standing Battalion?'
Sitting back he closed his eyes in thought, while Amaya waited for his decision. Opening his red-colored eyes again, the man looked at her and smiled.
'I'm in.'
Amaya smiled and stood up, followed by Gren, she led the young man to the clerk's offices.
'What shall we call you?'
The smile shrunk to a grin as he turned to look back at her, recalling the rough translation of what the wagon driver had decided to call him. It helped to have a processor working in tandem with artificial intelligence to translate this foreign language and update him as needed.
For now though, best to let them think he was a mute foreigner as his sign language update was completed. LEGION agreed with the plan to merely observe and learn, through the eyes of the unit, this strange new world. This world may just offer the A.I. insight into the enemy it faced in its own time.
'My name is John.'