It was also not unheard of for demons to use these selfsame discoveries and devise them instead as implements to be wielded. Draconic wings, shark like tails, anything it took for them to merge into their mercurial forms to become ever more dangerous predators.
The Demons are defeated, and thank the sky above for that, but still threats loom as do their remnants.
Even to this day we are still delving into demonic ruins to learn more about how they had conquered. It was not uncommon for demonic technology to take that which occurred in nature and turn it more efficient and stylistic per their demands. They would capture animals and research every inch of them and slowly learn how to warp their technology to match their capabilities. They made swarms of mechanical wasps that would carve through steel and infest the gaps in armor, or they would create mechanical leopards who could detect scents miles away and silently lurch through the realm to hunt endlessly.
Expedition Team Heactorious 12 returned from a trip to one of the sky ruins with a rare discovery: an entirely intact Novus grade piece of equipment. Normally Novus grade, the highest rank of demon tech, is either degraded from age, damaged during the battle that killed the demon wielder, or is currently active and outside the realm of feasible capture with limited casualties. The isle with the giant mechanical spider, The Sky Dread, and of course that android girl roaming the isles are all such examples. However, what this team found is a rare example of tech within the realm of testing.
After seeking approval from a high ranking officer, we have elected to commence research.
Description: Apparatus has been dubbed with both an archival title of Novus Grade – UD – 18 and a common title as “Stampede.” The device is a full height equine body sans head. Where the neck would typically be there is instead scaffolding for a pilot to climb and an indent in the shape of a bipedal’s lower section. As well, inside there are 3 silicon textured nodules shaped like tentacles with branching out nerval connectors intended to interface with the pilot’s sciatic impulses allowing for subconscious control. The material of the surrounding opening is fleshy and incredible flexible and latches around the pilot and instantly tenses the artificial sinew inside to support the rider absorb shock during rides.
The overall construction of the apparatus is typical for demonic technology. The exterior shell is by majority a smooth textured recreation of skin supplemented with large sleek sheets of Dyrmite, the mercurial metal that the demons constructed their armor out of that is capable of melting down into a thick oil like substance for storage or reconstruction that then reconstitutes as a sleek near weightless steel. We hypothesize that the fleshier segments are made of a similar metal but were unable to conclude due to its softer state than previously secured samples.
Each leg is detailed with just enough hydraulics to allow for horse grade sprints as well as extremely dexterous and flexible movements. The user would be capable of extremely high jumps, sudden turns, and can even push all their weight on the hind legs. Most concerning during our search however was the presence of genitalia.
Demons, for all their curiosities, had a strange obsession with the breeding process of other creatures. Demons had little need for traditional breeding and would reproduce by repurposing biological material into further Demons, often leading to them just simply corrupting humans into further demons. Despite how rarely genitals were involved in this they always were eager to find a method to indulge and involve these extremities. The stallion length equipped is of considerable size and much longer and thicker than what would be necessary, we can only assume a sadistic streak is being demonstrated with these.
As well, there is an anus and anal cavity but its purpose is far more perplexing unless we succumb to the inference it too is intended for their sexual obsession. The hind is extremely muscular and the overall shape of the body otherwise betrays this strange inflection. This body could carry great weights or break through brick walls.
We were able to determine that inside the device is an inactive command core composed primarily of the strange fungal crystals Demons employ for their more complicated devices. It is most likely it is this core that allows for the more complicated parts of the body to function without extreme amounts of training. We were unable to determine if there is anything nefarious beyond, but that is where testing will be needed.
The Experiment: In order to determine if Stampede would be usable by our forces we would need to conduct a trial run, preferably with someone not greatly experienced so we can determine what the skill floor is for operating these devices, but also with some experience with horses. We raised a petition for volunteers and were pleased to have received one.
Her name was Mable and she is a ranch hand and farmer on a local island. She was 20 years old and had been around horses her entire life. She had short brown hair and freckles. She was partially toned and had a high endurance from her arduous occupation. As far as any of us were concerned she was the perfect specimen.
Overall, she expressed high excitement at giving the device a try. She had friends who lost family to the demons long ago and would like to help see their devices be harnessed for good. When asked, she expressed a high degree of familiarity with horses though it mostly pertained to cleaning their manes and maintaining their physique as it was her father and brother who tended to their horse shoes and handled the labor with riding them and seeing them brought to task. She assisted with training them for riding and seeding the field. When asked, she expressed very literal experience with breeding horses. We elected to not inform her of the horse’s equipment for fear of scaring her away.
First contact went well. She admired the construction and considered how surreal it was to see something captured the physique of the beast so closely while also flagrantly displaying a willingness to part from nature for the sake of increase physique. The exposed joints, the additional armor, the lack of a head was all worrying for her and she expressed concerns that it might be too much for her. We reassured her that there were people nearby and prepared.
Despite that this session was intended as a way to acquaint her and let her opt out, she elected to do the test right there and then. “My dad always taught me that if you’re going to do something, do it the whole way and do it early too!” she had said. The researchers on site found her enthusiasm contagious and elected to allow for the early suiting. They debriefed her on what was to be expected and that she would have to be naked for the test.
Session 1: Mable was flushed and disrobed. All research team members were respectful and brought no undue attention. When offered articles of clothing to cover sensitive regions, she declined, referring to her previous philosophy. Again endeared by her philosophy, the research team eagerly helped her climb up the side of Stampede and board.
The device was inert and awaiting the mana to be switched on. Was turned on, it would begin generating its own mana through osmosis as well as absorb from the host. We notified her and awaited her prompting. She laid back against the device (noted discomfort towards the tentacles and their numerous nerval endings, compared them to a tree’s roots) and gave us the all clear. Count down commenced from 10 and at 0 the restraints were removed and a shock of mana stirred it to life.
Glowing lines of cyan mana ran through the flesh portions and immediately the centaur sprung up. She was not secured and was kicked out against the edge of the device, dangling. We nearly deactivated Stampede before the tendrils latched around her legs and latched against her. The nerval endings tapped against her skin and immediately spread out and glued themselves to her skin in a similar fashion to adhesive.
Instantly, once adhered the construct’s balance became flustered and infantile. She had taken full control of the device and just the same as any newborn, she struggled. Muscles flexed and the sound of strain emitted from the joints until they either auto-repaired or adjusted after years of inactivity.
After activation it took her, entirely unacquainted with demon tech, approximately 10 minutes of adjustment before capable of standing without the guide rail. She informed us a foal is expected to take about an hour to adjust to standing so we can either assume she was prepared and experienced in her own methodology or the device was quickly adjusting to her.
Later, after an hour of device usage we noted perspiration and symptoms of heat stroke and requested she be removed. Mable declined, wanting to keep the test ongoing, but it was determined further usage would lead to undue circumstances. She acquiesced and allowed our team to near her.
Team members nearby reported ambient psychological effects. One member reported a sensation of needing to escape and reported an adrenaline rush. Another said they touched the device and were scared at how warm it was. “It wasn’t warm like steel or hot like cookware,” he said. “It was hot the same way other people are. Like… normal flesh.”
Mable was removed and immediately submitted to a physical examination. The doctor reported there were three burn marks on both of her legs where the nerval connections were made. Demons had no temperature restrictions and would often modify their own bodies to suit the devices they used so these burns were mostly likely a constraint they had simply not engineered around. The explanation for the heat as well was rather concerning as it was caused both by the device’s own heat build up with no proper ventilation save for the driver’s compartment, as well as an extreme usage of her nerves.
Despite her obvious endurance, Mable struggled to walk for hours after the first experiment. We asked her to describe the sensation in writing and provided below:
“It was as if I was suddenly strong. So strong. I felt like I could do anything even while I was tripping all over myself! I could run right out that door and go anywhere and fast! Imagine pa’s surprise when I came home and could keep up with him on ever our best racing stallion! I was not a fan at all of the connectors however! That funny feeling you get when you bash your elbow against a fence? It was that feeling but my entire legs and then up my back for minutes! It hurt like hell and it left those nasty burns! I was also aware of another really weird feeling but it was something the science guys didn’t tell me was there so I figured it wasn’t worth bringing up during the research… but I guess you can say now I know how boys feel!”
Session 2: Per regulations, we were required to give Mable a week at least for possible symptoms of corruption before allowing her to return for testing. Mable was very eager and had requested several times to try again sooner, and although her eagerness was admirable and effective, it would be our heads’ if we tested any sooner than the required cooldown.
After the week Mable returned happy to try again. She reported that she had returned to her father and had asked for more information on horse breeding in case the nether regions become involved. We assured her we had no intent to test them on her and returned to our research.
Mable disrobed and expressed a fair share of embarrassment still. This time, Stampede was already online. Since had had ridden it yesterday, Stampede had imprinted on her and was patient and well behaved during her approach. The horse heeled and offered its pod for her to climb in to. She reached out an arm and was grabbed carefully by the tendrils and lifted and lowered in.
She yelped out as the clamps came out and soon the device was back under her control. (A scientist with southward eyes reported Stampede immediately became erect upon coupling and this erection never fully receded for the duration of the testing.) With the apparatus under her control, we noted the lack of an adjustment period now. She was fully capable and moving around as if it were second nature. We immediately impressed upon her a strict limit of an hour less her burns return or worsen.
Interior tests began. We first tested her upper body strength of her normal body. When compared to the control test of her outside the suit she had gained a considerable deal of strength in even her upper body likely due to the bracing of the apparatus. We began carefully ladening the apparatus on its back with weights to determine its carrying capacity. Easily, it carried 2,000 pounds without any signs of discomfort and still capable of its sprint. With full flexibility and a great degree of control, this frame would become incredibly popular in both caravans and rescue missions where a great deal of supplies must be carried with both great efficiency and pace.
We asked Mable how she felt and she said it felt “really nice to carry so much stuff!” We were pleased and pressed on to keep going with the interior tests before we reached our safety concern. We had her navigate around the building, showing that she indeed could navigate stairs with ease as well as leap on to taller ledges. Her push weight was incredible and her kick strength placed dents or out right domed our current armor.
After these tests we reached the end of our allocated testing. Mable again protested, wishing to test longer. It took longer this time to convince her and greater psychological effects were reported by those who arrived to help her be carried out of Stampede.
Physical examination confirmed the return of the burns which had deepened even further than before. Her heartrate was accelerated far beyond her normal resting rate and did not decline to averages for hours, prompting us to keep her overnight for further examination. Strangely and noted by the same sceptic prior, Mable exercise no caution or embarrassment over her naked form.
Mable was able to walk sooner than before but there was still a long lag between her capabilities. We can only assume that the increased bandwidth would leave a similar effect on any pilot as a principle.
The next morning we reexamined her. The burns had healed again but the circular patterns they left were still discernable to trained eyes. As well, one scientist noted that “her eyes weren’t that blue when she first came in.” We wished to exercise caution, but Mable desired to do the rest of the tests required of us. We wanted results, and she wanted to keep going. Who would we be to decline?
Session 3: As per regulation, there was a week’s wait before Mable could return. When she did she showed a great deal of enthusiasm. She happily stripped and walked right in to the testing chamber without asking for permission. Stampede walked towards her as she approached, as if sensing her presence or exercising some degree of remote control?
It bent and she climbed inside. The same painful process of connecting began only this time she did not vocalize any discomfort. She gasped happily and squeezed at her arms, admiring them and smiled down at her body. The erection returned right away and she trotted around for a moment. We allowed her this jovial moment before reminding her of the testing.
Outside testing was done today. We took her out to the field and loaded Stampede with enough gear to over encumber the typical pack horse. When she ran the field she broke ever record we had for traditional flesh and blood race horses. She was fast and ferocious inside Stampede and was already displaying that incredible dexterity we had determined would be present. She darted between poles, leaped across platforms, and dodged sling shots.
We noticed by the end of the hour that her eyes were violently cyan, visibly glowing. When prompted for removal time, she declined fervently and began to back away from us. Mable had been amicable despite her symptoms, but this was the first time she made it clear she had no plan of removing herself from the suit. Outside in the open air where mana was abundant and Stampede was fully operational we had no way of disabling the device. We tried bluffing that we could, but she did not believe us.
One scientist in our team, a woman named Lyla, believed she had an answer. She had read Mable’s previous psychological reports and offered Mable something to make it a fair deal. Mable remained stationary. Lyla fell to her knees and crawled between Stampede’s legs. She kissed the tip of the erection. Mable emitted a very shaky, shuddering moan.
Lyla performed oral to her best abilities, jerking off the length and planting a plentitude of kisses and suckles at the head. Eventually Mable collapsed and Stampede ejaculated. An unlucky scientist walked over and collected both Lyla and a seed sample from the undercarriage. Lyla went to the washroom to disrobe and clean herself and Mable was removed from the device with her dreary eyed woozy lipped permission.
Stampede followed us back in to the building as we carried Mable back to the lab for her physical examination.
Both of her eyes had been partially converted in to Novus grade Demon Tech and now would glow whenever she was conjoined with Stampede and was straining herself. As well, the burn locations had now turned black beyond what we considered an achievable tone for human skin. The substance was extremely similar to the fleshy portions of Stampede. We kept Mable over the night for examination and noted that these modules continued to grow throughout the night becoming more pronounced and wider throughout the night.
When she awoke from her nap we conducted further testing. Her own carrying capacity had greatly increased and her strength was considerably improved. When examining we determined that small segments of her skin had changed and was in the early stages of conversion into Dyrmite. She seemed startled by this but not nearly to the degree we considered healthy. Later in the night her stomach had begun to harden, her abs becoming pronounced and Dyrmite plating now lining her front. Her breasts were more pronounced and her legs were becoming similarly plated.
We had no idea why it was converting her or how it was getting this much corruption and converting material inside of her and Stampede was no longer heeding our commands or our ramshackle attempts to turn it off. Stampede was fully charged now and would resist anyone save Mable. We determined Mable was a risk factor and would not allow her anywhere near Stampede until we learned more about what was happening to her.
Lyla as well was placed aside and examined. The effects of the seminal fluid was exactly as we feared. The locations where she had come in contact had begun to be converted into the same Dyrmite demons themselves were composed of. Her hands had turned darker and claws began to grow out of the ends of her fingers. Her left cheek was stained dark and her eye had already turned red. Lyla’s psychological report was deeply concerning as she struggled to remain focused and her attention turned often to Stampede or Mable’s condition. We determined it unwise to allow the two together, let alone anywhere near the apparatus.
Without informing them, we made plans to have Stampede transported to another location and island as soon as possible. We contacted HQ and requested an airship as soon as possible. HQ replied and as well hired a mercenary immune to most demon tech named Gwen to assist. They would arrive in a few days, which was much longer than we were hoping for but it was all we had.
Mable continued to provide psychological feedback, give in writing below:
“Please let me back. Just one more time. Stampede is the best I’ve ever felt. The power in that thing, the power! I can hear him crying out to me, he just wants us both to be happy. I don’t want to go back to the farm, I don’t want to go back to being another girl walking on two legs in this broken land. I want to march on four, carry the weight of this sad world, I want to help so bad. I was meant to this do, I always was, so please! I promise, I’m still human! Stop sending your scientist to get blood samples, stop letting them tick and tack off my new parts to test if they’re metal. I know this is scaring you, but I’m not scared! Not anymore! Me and Lyla and Stampede just want to leave.”
Captivity 1: Never before have we kept a specimen this long—a person! Mable remained in her room. We immediately had an incident where she was able to break open the lock on her door with her new increased strength. Guards reported and quickly were able to restrain her. We unfortunately had no choice but to keep her chained to her bed with similar restraints as we’ve used on monsters before.
She insisted she wasn’t, but something felt so wrong with those words. She was naked, laid on her knees and looking up at us. She was naked with blotches of dark spreading across her arms and legs. Her feet had solidified into metallic hooves. We hypothesized that pilots were made slightly more equine to further alleviate the adjustment lag between sessions. The nodules from her nerval link burns had grown more and were now fully featured plug sites where the nerval tendrils could simply slide inside and be sealed and ventilated properly. That’s why the cockpit was so hot: the pilot was intended to be the ventilation.
Hot air was pushed through the tendrils and in to the pilot’s mechanical chassis where it was then properly ventilated out, the pilot themselves entirely unphased by the heat. This explained the intense lag, the burns, and heat stroke as well as why the operation time was so low for what was likely a restless war machine.
Mable submitted to tests. We determined her lungs now had incredible capacity and she could hold her breath for extremely long durations. As well, her breath was now chilly and suitable for what it was Stampede reshaped her to do. She had also begun to grow a tail from behind. She was very willing to let us touch her wide chubby tail and encouraged us to pet the underside and draw nearer to her nethers which we declined. The tail actually ended in little nerval endings similar to Stampede’s implying that now her ability to communicate would be increased. This might be why her original session had even taken those fifteen minutes as their bandwidth was effectively cut in half.
She was also starting to grow two horns out however their purposes remained elusive. Her vision had improved a fair deal based on some test we performed to pass the time. All of our tests, however, never went without a request from her to see either Lyla or Stampede.
Lyla as well was changing still. She had grown a similar tail as the substance spread unevenly, still contained mostly to her hands and one side of her face. While Mable was still clearly herself, Lyla’s psychology was much more effected. We theorize that the substance Stampede had emitted was intended to pacify targets until they were secured. Pesky little things like thoughts and strong identities were suspended until a later time.
It was during the second day that Lyla exhibited a strange behavior. Her single growing horn had finally grown out long enough to push past her hair, pink and slightly glowing. Her red eye went wide and her body shivered. “Mable?!” She looked around the room frantically and scanned every corner. We were unable to determine what the trigger was but we suspect the horn had a capability we were unaware of.
Captivity 2: It was the early morning of day 3. I returned to the lab to discover that things had begun to go greatly awry. At some point, approximately 4am, Mable had seized upon a greater capacity for remote control.
Stampede entered an active state and began marching towards the exit. The active guard reached for the alarm but was immediately seized upon. Stampede exuded a greater mental effect entirely focused on the guard and paralyzed him in full fear. Upon further examination we concluded him unfit for duty and mandated a vacation until his faculties returned. The fear effect was strongest the first day, he was operational shortly after but became entirely frozen at any mention of Stampede.
From there Stampede broke through the door easily undoing our every attempt to reinforce the room. The apparatus raced down the hall, paralyzing anyone who came near with a quick burst of fear. Stampede burst through the door at this point to Mable’s room.
Mable was ecstatic for its return. Stampede took the opportunity to lay its cock upon Mable. While those nearby reported it as Stampede taking advantage of Mable I would report it differently: it was masturbation. It was folly to consider these separate entities at this point. Every movement was orchestrated by Mable, was precisely to her desires. Stampede was tender but excited, thrusting and pushing as it can. Mable’s body continued to change. Her own genitals became more pronounced and puffy and its capacity quickly caught up to what it was Stampede needed.
After climax, Stampede snapped its hooves in to the chains and broke them away. Mable released herself from her restrained, kissed Stampede’s chassis, and then used her powerful tail to push herself up in to the pod. The tendrils latched into each of the circular nodules that then squeezed around the wires and latched tight. They glowed cyan as the lightly armored surroundings merged in tight around Mable securely fastening her. Her front armor plating now perfectly matched Stampede. Cyan lights on her stomach and right below her breasts ignited. Her eyes glowed in tandem.
She marched to Lyla’s containment and kicked open the door. Lyla quickly crawled below Stampede who’s underside opened revealing a nest of tentacles. Stampede grabbed Lyla and sealed her inside the equine body. Mable then turned, her sclera black, a smile on her face. Stampede then raced out and burst through our front door.
Outside, Stampede was halted by a confrontation with the requested assistance. They made contact with the mercenary named Gwen, herself an entirely Novus android. We missed most of the details that followed save for eye witness accounts sharing that it was a short battle that ended with Stampede and Mable escaping with Lyla contained inside.
We asked Gwen what happened, who told us: “She seemed fine!” and “She promised she’d be good, so I figured I’d give it a chance. It is as they say, ‘give it a chance, the worst it can do is bite your butt.’ Maybe our butt will be bitten, or maybe it won’t. I’ll accept half pay for this job, unless she comes back to bite our butts, in which case I’ll defeat her and then take full pay.”
Upon requesting to research her as well, Gwen told us she had “a lasagna in the oven” and left.
Conclusion: Novus Grade – UD – 18 “Stampede” is deemed unsafe for human usage. Any amount of piloting this apparatus will result in transformation. By the time a pilot is trained to adequate levels their mental faculties and body will be warped beyond human and will become difficult to control. Stampede has yet to be retrieved. Reports share that Lyla had been fully converted into some sort of demonic shape but are inconclusive.
One interesting report did emerge from a nearby island sharing word of a freak blizzard that had entrapped several researchers. It was apparently some strange mechanical centaur who arrived with fresh supplies and then guided them through the snow to safety. She requested no compensation and then left without further incident. Similar reports of a slightly shy and very horny centaur have spread, a woman who only accepts payment in special horse rides and praise. We believe this is Mable and that she was truthful in saying she kept the majority of her humanity.
Requests for further research have yet to reach her until one day Lyla returned to us. We were confused, but she clarified. “I am a scientist.” She said, poking her horns even as they glowed pink. “Just hope you don’t mind if I share some confidential stuff with my wife, she can see most of what I can you know. She wants to know more about these apparatus, and about that robot girl that helped her calm down.”
Despite Stampede being unsafe, we have concluded Mable herself does. Research shall continue on other apparatus, with Lyla remaining as a partial demon and reported expert with council provided by Mable through psychic link.
Further research will be shared through established channels. If you are reading this, you know already.
THE WORLD WILL BE MADE WHOLE AGAIN
Horizons Research – The Sky Sentinels