Chapter 2
Like a faded dream, I try to remember my human life. I can only remember bits and pieces of it. In the meantime, I suppose I should actually begin fabrication of devices to avoid detection. Anything with eldritch tech is a no go for now, as I am unsure if the humans of this universe can detect it or not. I begin to leak out part of my true form, as shadowy tentacles start to reach into the various piles of scrap around me. Soon enough I start absorbing the scrap and other materials. It is mostly steel and titanium, but there are small amounts of gold, silver, and silicates. While this will take longer without an idea of what types of detection we need to avoid, I can hopefully think of a blanket stealth device that doesn't include eldritch tech. I am also going slow in my absorption of material because I don't want to cause things to fall and create noise. It could give us away if there are other people nearby. I'm more focused on thinking up a device than monitoring my telepathy. Which is something I will need to work on soon. I need to try and get my multitasking capabilities to more efficient levels. As I tried to think of ways to remain undetected, Grezha approached me with a clipboard of presumably our current inventory.
"Master Z'oth, I have compiled a list of what we have a decent amount of, and what we have little of. As well as what we might need in the near future," she said, handing me the list.
Looking it over, I held in a sigh. Some of the things we had I wanted to use almost immediately, but was unsure when we would find more. "Good work," I say, looking back at Grezha as she blushes. Not sure what that is about I continue, "I will see about getting something together for easier transport. We will also need to move the ritual circle, as I would rather not have to remake it. Feel free to get some rest, you will probably need your strength for when we move to a better location."
She nods, looking happy? I think? She doesn't exactly have a face, so it is a little hard to tell. I watch her walk back to our now sorted supplies, upon arrival she looks around a bit and pulls out a bed roll. Seriously? They really prepared that much? Oh well. I mentally shrug. Returning to my original task I think on it for a few more minutes, before deciding to pick this up later. Moving on to a simpler project I begin reconfiguring the materials I absorbed into Storage Cubes, patent pending. Folding the space inside for storage without using my void based abilities was a little tricky but I managed to make a few. I proceeded to use the list and gathered the supplies by type and then used the cubes.
When set down in front of something, after activating it, the cube would display a five second countdown. Then it would scan what was directly in front of it, after the scan it would atomically disassemble the items for storage. Not the best, but with what I had it was better than a lot of things, and certainly better than nothing. I proceeded to use two more of the cubes, one for food and one for books. The first was for occult and arcane materials, leaving the fourth for the manufacturing materials and tech that X-213 brings back. I'm gonna need to give her an actual name at some point, instead of an experiment designation.
"Changer? Dopple?" I mutter to myself. "I will think of something, I'm sure."
In the meantime, I need to 'acquire' organic material. And the best way to go about that is to use my telepathy to its full power. To start, I reach out to the nearest group of humans, 5 of them, that appear to be scavengers. Double checking and finding no one within a mile of them, I immediately smashed their wills and commanded them to come to me. Now I get to play the waiting game. While I wait, I need to come to a decision. Do I want a cult now or Shoggoths? The cult will allow me access to more rituals to summon other Elder Beings. Or I can use them to make Shoggoths for construction, which would allow me to clear out these mountains of junk and scrap and turn it into a factory or something.
Eventually, they showed up and my internal debate came to a close. In the immediate future Shoggoths would be better as they can build and fight. As they got closer I felt glimmers of confusion and fear inside their minds, and that fear only intensified as I released more of my true self and transformed my shadow tentacles into a blade. I proceeded to bisect them all at the waist, sprays of blood going basically everywhere. Such a shame, I think to myself, they would have made good cultists.
"Now then, through my words your flesh shall change," I say. "Come Shoggoths, your master has need of you." As the halves of the now dead humans begin to expand and take shape I see my admittedly small efforts already pay off. And within a few short minutes I have ten new Shoggoths ready to serve my will. "Alright, begin assimilating the scrap from the nearby mountains. Begin from the top and work your way down, try to keep noise to a minimum," I telepathically ordered five of them. "And you five, begin excavating the area around the stone platform." I commanded the other five, along with basic dimensions of the space required.
I stood back and watched as they got to work with their assigned tasks. With that done, I recall all my shadows back beneath my skin. Soon enough I shall start a proper conquest, I think to myself.