AN: Good good -"Not as long as I would have hoped but still good" Two thousand words is my bar, the last few chapters were only as long as they were because I had to write certain things without cutting myself off.
"Alright," Korban spoke, his voice took on a light tone, "Xenia is best described as the laws that govern hospitality."
"Laws of hospitality?" the priest nodded at the deity's interruption before he replied.
"Yes, and these laws are as follows. For guests, you may ask for hospitality from anyone. But you must not be a burden by overstaying your welcome. This is of course very loose but general guidelines are often better than strict rules in such broad areas." the robes as the lord of all knowledge learned.
The Athenian continued, "As for the host, you must provide your guest with food, drink, and comfort. Usually in the form of a bed and bath though not always. It is also important that if you are a host who is asked to give hospitality, you do not ask your guest their name or current business until you have provided for them."
The lord of Mars hummed when he heard these words, and Korban took this as cause to continue. "Now, both guest and host should give the other gifts at some point before the guest's stay ends. Worthy or valuable presents, that should tie the host's and guest's families together."
After a moment of silence, the Machine God spoke out in the question, "What stops someone from exploiting this system or merely breaking these, 'laws of hospitality.'"
The question seemed to have an almost practiced response, "Xenia is upheld by the gods. Most of all by Zeus who is patron to all guests." this bit of information seemed to be odd to the deity. Though they did not say this aloud.
The priest spoke yet more, "There are many stories of Zeus disguising himself as a normal mortal and requesting Xenia, and if denied or given bad Xenia he reveals himself. Committing bad xenia on either side enrages the gods and they shall strike down the offender. Though some do the smiting for the gods on their own."
Pondering for a moment the deity then spoke, "So because of these stories of Zeus and the other gods disguising themselves. Humans must treat all guests or hosts as if they were gods, lest they be punished for being a bad guest or host." Korban nodded with a small smile, though it was most likely caused by his listener's understanding and not the subject matter at hand.
"Yes indeed, though with you it was very direct. I had not much to give you when I first brought you to my home, you, of course, are without a physical body. So you have no need for food, drink, or anything for the body." the robes seemed to nod in assent to this.
"But what you asked for was answers which I gave to the best of my ability. Though you left rather abruptly so I had no time to think of giving gifts. However, this." the man held the bluestone, "Is lovely. Tell me, what can I give you in turn?"
The lord of machine spirits paused, "More answers would be appreciated." Korban looked like he was about to protest the small requested gesture, "Do not think of this a gift from us. It is a gift from your fellow priest and we gave it to you from him."
Korban nodded slightly, "I suppose that is true. What would you like to know my lord?"
The trinity would have smiled if they had a mouth, "Would you perhaps tell us from where you get your own incense? I would like to either negotiate with this source in the future or create my own source."
Korban nodded of course, "I usually buy some from a merchant in Tritia when I run out. Which isn't often, but I have a good standing with him. If you wish to get some from him or merely speak with him. Ask around for Anatoli and tell him I sent you."
After a pause, the man spoke, "Was there anything else?"
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Meanwhile in Creteonus
Mairus stood over the forge and hammered at the anvil. All of yesterday he had used most of the steel ingots he had been given by the 'Omnissiah'. Mairus was putting the finishing touches on his projects. The blessed hammer was already showing odd improvement.
The man was hesitant to ask for help but it was his own hammer, he could not forge with his bare hands. So he used tools, he eventually tried asking his hammer for aid. As silly as it sounded to him it seemed to help him shape the metal.
He had tried to make his own steel not long after he had been left alone, though he knew it would not be as good as what he was given by the god. His own steel was visibly cruder than the steel he had been given. The smith didn't care though, already he could see improvement.
He had already tested the metal and found it was indeed better than bronze. At least in terms of hardness, the other qualities would take time to see but a small trust had been established between the blacksmith and the deity. Something the man hadn't thought he would ever have to bother with, putting faith in a god, even if it was for good a reason.
It was still utterly new to him, though he would never say that to others. If his customers heard he was a non-believer he may be visited by the guard. He had no reason to want this but when my customers did come for their commissions he would speak to them.
Honesty would likely be seen with great doubt and mistrust, he would be better using minor amounts of truth. 'The God of Machines gave me this knowledge.' Who cared if he said it came to him in a dream, or that he would simply allow others to think Hephaestus had been the one to tell him. It doesn't matter, it was their misinterpretation.
"Good smith, are you there?!" a shout came from outside.
The smith smiled and spoke back, "Yes, I had your sword here sir. I'll be there in a moment!" the smith had thankfully finished the weapon he was commissioned to make before the trinity had visited him. The sword was for an officer in the city guard.
No one major but still important, more important than the least popular smith in the city. After cooling off what he was working on the smith moved to grab that sword from where it was resting on his workbench. Picking it up he then greeted the guard. "Here you are." The bronze shone and was smooth. Its bladed edges excellently sharpened.
The guard smiled as he held it, "Thank you, even if you can't put out as many swords as that other smith what was his name?" Maius sighed as he spoke.
"Qadir?" the guard smiled as he remembered.
"Yes him. He may have help in his forge and make the rest of the guards' equipment. But you have better craft I'd say." Mairus hummed as the man praised him, "Well I have your money here." coins were placed into Mairus hands, "What's with that look, something on your mind."
The smith smiled slightly, "Well, it's a bit complicated. But putting it aside for now, I was wondering if you be interested in taking a look at something. I haven't perfected my use of it yet, but I have a new metal that is stronger than bronze." the guard paused.
"Stronger than bronze? What metal could you possibly be talking of, were you blessed by some god with celestial adamant." the man's tone was one of sarcasm, "If not, do praytell, what you could possibly mean." Mairus motioned for the man to follow.
As the two walked the blacksmith laughed, "Haham no it is not. It is much humbler than any divine metal either you or I have heard tales of. In fact, I am sure you shall see it is quite normal even if it is a remarkable metal. To forge it well I had to go through trial and experimentation." 'Not a falsehood, merely omission I did have to be told of it first'
The guard seemed a bit uncomfortable, "Why are you telling me this?"
The smith spoke, "You are one of my few consistent customers. Even if it is only to fix your equipment. I figured you would like to see what I could offer. This metal," Mairus pointed to what he had been working on before picking it up, "is harder than bronze. As a soldier, you do not need to be told how important that is."
The sword was made of crude steel and had yet to be completed but it served as an example. "Could you show me?" the smith nodded and showed the blade resist wear and tear. Before showing good bronze perform worse at the same tests, "How do you make it?" the guard asked. Mairus smiled at that and shook his head and smiled.
"That I can not tell you, but I would be more than willing to provide you with the first of my pieces when they are done. Should you be interested of course." the officer frowned slightly before nodding.
"What would you ask for it, price-wise. The blade I mean." the smith seemed to ponder the question for a moment. When he gave the officer his price the man almost gasped, "I meant when the blade is done. How much would that cost?"
"I just told you." Mairus stopped a wider smile than the one he already wore from appearing on his features.
"But that is barely more expensive than the bronze blade you just sold me!" the smith nodded and forced a questioning look onto his features.
"Yes, it is better than the bronze in many ways so it is more expensive." the guard shook his head vigorously.
"But this is an entirely new metal, completely new! You haven't even told me its name! Why is it not much more expensive?" the smith shrugged.
"Well, because it doesn't need to be so expensive, maybe I will increase the price as I master the metal. Or when demand increases. Not now though," a pause, "It is called steel, it just felt like the right name." the guard turned to the side slightly and silently repeated the word.
Before the officer could speak again the smith smiled wider and said, "Say, do you have any friends who would be interested in my new product?"
The guard almost creased his brow before he replied, "I...I'll ask around."
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Near Dimitis
The tri-part deity moved through the fields of crops that were all around Dimitis, each strand of grass, each plant, all living things from the bugs in the soil to the birds above were seen. As they moved they saw them deeper than any ever could, each cell all parts were looked upon. Their structures understood, biology seen. Its secrets found.
All of this required intensive focus, all differences noted into their infinitely expanding nonmaterial mind. It was because of this seer focus that not more than twenty meters away people watched their robes.
Some were farmers, others were walking from the village to see the deity as they moved. They could not gauge what the lord of all knowledge was doing. Even if they had been told by the trinity the crowd would be unable to truly understand what was happening. They had no references to understand such advanced things.
For the smallest and simplest parts of living, things were anything but simple. Each was a marvel of existence. Each death and rebirth so common yet so wonderous when seen. The stars held beauty but the dust those stars made formed greater beauty. Life.
Imperfect as it was, it was beautiful. 'If you can see flaws and mistakes, that is cause for celebration. It means you are better or can see better in your own mind. If everything was flawless you would have no room to grow, no progress. Perfection can be found in machines. But even machines have flaws. So progress will march on until that perfect is found.'
As the deity continued to look upon biology to learn of its processes a memory came to their sight causing pause due to lack of focus. Through the eyes of a Tech-priest, they saw another of their servants picking at a body. The body was rather foreign it appeared to be a specimen of alien fauna.
"Excuse me," the words in Techna-lingua came from the mouthpiece of the deity's viewpoint servant, "Magos Biologis, I was wondering if you might enlighten me to your current task. I wish to put any findings you might have into our central cogitator repository." the priest in the deity's sight looked up from their task.
"I am cataloging this species of hostile fauna and its features for reference, the planet we just visited was host to many of them." the deity's view shifted due to their priest inclining their head to the side.
"I am sure your entry of my information will be later appreciated by any Mechanicus fleet that stops on that backwater. Since they will not be as surprised as we were." a pause, "I shall send you my findings soon Calculus Logi." the title just as neutral as the Lexmechanic had said their own job title. Neither knew the other by name after all.
"Excellent, machine spirit guide you." the priest nodded before turning back to the alien corpse. As their viewpoint servant left the priest muttered under their breath, "Genetors." the word was almost dirty, "Flesh should be shunned, especially alien flesh." the priest repressed a shudder at the words.
Once the memory faded the lord of all machines noted the small crowd of people at the edge of the field they floated through now. The Machine God paused to look at them before they moved slowly towards the people. None of them were disturbed, though none were comfortable with their approach.
As they came within six meters the lord of machine spirits peered into the humans before them as they had with the plants and animals before. Their DNA stood before their eyes, the differences, what made them different. All of it was brought bare before their immaterial eyes. 'Soon, but first, we must prepare.'
Two meters, "Was there something you wanted?" the question came in a soft tone. The people stood slightly awkward for a moment before one of the crowd spoke.
"We heard yesterday you made yourself a temple and answered some questions." the robes nodded before they replied to the man who had spoken.
"Did you have questions of your own?" the man was about to speak before a woman next to him spoke.
"We were all wondering what you were doing in the field I would think." the man nodded, the crowd mostly nodded.
"We see. To answer your question we were gathering knowledge of plant and animal life." the crowd seemed a bit surprised, 'Perhaps because of our machine focus.'
"What did you learn?" the man asked in a strong voice, though he was clearly hesitant despite that lack of verbal stumbling.
The robe's hood turned to the sky for a moment before looking back at the crowd. "Too much to explain." it was almost harsh in delivery, "But if you have any more⦠specific questions. We do enjoy sharing and teaching."
AN: Hey guys question, was there anything that the Machine God wanted to ask Korban? I do not remember, just want to make sure that even if there was I could just say they asked him off-page in that first bit.
