"The thing that most people forget is that the gearborn aren't stupid. They are entirely unhuman and more like animals. However, they were made for war and battle. It is where they are the best," Derrin was saying as they walked.
"In fact, there were many times in the great war that they outsmarted us. They moved their forces far better than we had. They had been preparing for years when we only discovered their antagonistic presence a few months before the true war began. That being said, it doesn't mean they are infallible."
Red nodded. "That's obvious. The two of us escaped from them."
"That really wasn't what happened, but sure. They clearly hadn't been expecting Ayjax Centura to burst in. In fact, that is likely the gearborn's greatest weakness."
"Ayjax?" Red raised an eyebrow.
"No," Derrin shook his head, "it's their cockiness. If they were truly all-powerful and tactical, they would have leveled the island without need for the pirates or anything. Then they would have taken what they needed and left."
"But they won't do that because they view humans as…" Red coughed, "...inferior beings."
Derrin nodded. "Correct. They tend to believe that anything they send is enough. When it isn't, they don't usually get smart about it either. If we win this battle, the gearborn will likely just send more robots to shore."
"That also means they should be able to be manipulated quite well in an actual battle," Red briefly considered this fact.
Most of his strategies surrounding the pirates had been to cause big enough distraction to pull their people away from the important points. In this battle, the important point was Zara. However, the gearborn didn't seem like they'd fall victim to the same fault. They would think themselves too strong and powerful.
But that didn't mean the ole' bomb and run strategy wouldn't be effective. In fact, the gearborn's overconfidence could be even better than the humans' weariness. Fighting multiple humans was easier than multiple gearborn. So, the gearborn separating themselves a few at a time would be perfect for them to take them out one at a time.
"That is indeed a possibility. Nevertheless, we need to remember what our true mission here is…"
"To rescue Zara, I know. Without her, our chances are slim to none."
Red glanced behind him to notice that Vizim had stopped walking a few paces back. His friend seemed to be visibly shaking, and his fists were tightly clenched at his side.
"Are you alright?"
"Me? Ah, yes. Yes, I'm… I'm perfectly alright…" he trailed off and stared at the ground.
"You're scared, aren't you? I understand if you don't want to do this. It is a damn crazy plan that we've got going."
He shook his head. "No, it's… I do want to help… I just don't think I'm made for this like you two are."
Red blinked in surprise. Made for this? He certainly was not. He was not interested in being here at all. Yet, a part of him registered it as true. The part of him that was still contemplating the voice he had been hearing.
Derrin stepped past him and clapped Vizim on the shoulder. "You have already done more than anyone could ask of you. While your help may not have been as, um, crazy as Red over there, you were a stabilizing factor. Without your assistance, we would not be alive, Vizim."
"So, if you can't do this, then so be it. Everyone has their limit. Our limits are just different than yours and aimed at different things. I could never survive in a room full of engineers, but you would thrive. Despite what many say, our world is not built on war. It is built on engineering. And in that, Vizim, you have not even found your limit yet."
Vizim stared at his feet, but the shaking seemed to have stopped. "I'm sorry, it's just that you two might die out there, while I'm too much of a coward to… to…"
"You have nothing to apologize for," Red cut him off. "We've got this, don't we, Derrin?"
"We do indeed."
"Besides, you will be far more helpful doing something else at the moment."
"Something else?" Vizim glanced at him uncertainly.
Red grinned. "Well, let's just say a hunch, but my guess is that as soon as the pirates hear fighting within the cavern. They're gonna come running. Once the fighting is all over, assuming we win, we'll be injured and weak. We wouldn't stand a chance against an armada of pirates."
Vizim narrowed his eyes. "In other words, what you are trying to say while also trying to sound as cool as possible is that the pirates will be coming through these tunnels."
"Fair guess, actually," Derrin agreed. "You want to trap the tunnel, don't you?"
"I feel like we're now starting to actually make a good team," Red laughed. "And yes, that had been my idea. We have the supplies with us anyway. Probably not enough to trap everything, but at the very least, you can trap the mouth of the tunnel once we arrive."
"Bloody hell, what is with you and explosives?"
"Don't lie. You guys love them just as much as I do."
Vizim scoffed, and Derrin let out a light chuckle. Despite the seriousness of the situation and what was to come, Red was glad to feel a moment of laughter amidst it all. Deep down, despite what he had been telling himself and Vizim, he was not confident. His heart had been working to suppress that effect. It would have been detrimental and possibly deadly if he let it smolder.
That didn't mean the knowledge of it wasn't there, though. He very much knew what they were walking into. They really had no plan, no proper materials, no nothing except themselves. To make matters worse, they had a time limit. If they didn't finish before the Pirate King returned, all would likely be lost.
All of that was in the future, though. What was far worse was the knowledge of the Gearborn. They didn't have a herald with them, and not that herald, but as much as he hated to admit it, the herald had affected him. He was wary of the robots, and wariness led to mistakes.
He could not allow that. If they were to win what was coming, he needed to focus…and deal with that strange damn voice.