Automatons

 

The old stone home was extravagance from a bygone era. History clung to the columns, hung from every window, and wrapped itself as a blanket around the doors. There was script carved into the steps that led to the stone doors, with carved imagery of bodies looking to one another on each of its intricately carved surfaces. 

Five thousand years and not a soul haad walked where I walked now. My fingertips brushed over the face of a man said to be dead five thousand years. Yet stories of his fame, of his abilities, still haunted the world. The dread he caused made this place forbidden, sacrificed to fear and whispered terror. 

I starred up at the doors, grimacing at their weight before I tried to pull it open. The stone handles were oddly warm beneath my touch but refused to budge. I pushed inward to no avail, and let go. Stepping back, I looked at the walls again, high and massive. They were deliberately impenetrable.

Intricate carvings of wind and celestial stories hugged the doorframe, providing beauty to the onlooker as they dreamt of entering the forbidden city. An intricate metal bell hung beside the door. I raised a brow at how obvious it was once I had bothered to look. There were few places that awarded awareness of the invader. 

“What’s the worse that could happen?” I said mockingly to myself and reached up, ringing the heavy metal bell. 

A series of clicks and grinding gears resounded. The palace groaned, awakening from its ancient slumber. Lights flickered to life in the hallways. Closed windows opened, brilliant fabric catching in the breeze. Joyful music began to play and the smell of hearth fires and cooking food, mixed with incense and tea, touched the air, all in a matter of moments.

As the bell finished ringing, the doors swung open, the hands of steel men with great spears in tow keeping them ajar. I glanced at their intricately carved armor and metallic faces, smooth and expressionless. They stood, silent guardians, before I stepped into the doorway and strode down the hall. 

Beautiful bas relief sculpts lined the hall, telling stories from everywhere that came before. History that no one remembered. Stories of kings and wizards, warriors and witches, intermingled with some myths I had heard of eons ago. 

My steps were slow as I took in the world around me. Everywhere the palace was alive and humming. Dancers moved, throwing silk and fans into the air. Mechanical flowers blossomed as I walked into the foyer, puffing sweet perfumes into the air. A servant offered to take my cloak and bag with a gesture. Small mechanical creatures rolled by, cleaning dust off the floor while larger ones began to unveil the gold, red, and azure paints behind the layers of dust on the wall.

Mouth ajar in wonder, I stepped further inside to a great square pond where fish swirled in the water. The fact that they were machines was barely noticeable. Steam-powered frogs leaped from metal lily pads. Stones rose to meet my feet as I walked across the water, watching the living mechanical world around me unfurl.

A great table was set out laden with food and sweets. I paused, all too aware that in any fairy tale this is where I would end up bound to some immortal creature. Around me servants walked, bringing dishes from a kitchen I couldn’t see. Two place settings waited, one at the head of the table, another to its right. 

I touched the stone chair only to be immediately supplanted by a servant pulling it back. I looked at her face and saw the finely crafted metal, jade eyes watching me. My hand moved out in modern greeting. 

She stared at it then looked down. “Your seat, my lady.”

“Hi. It’s good to meet you. Who are you?”

She starred, caught between looking at the chair where I should sit and at my chin. 

“She can’t answer you,” an older voice whispered out of the darkness, behind a beautifully carved door that was opened by another automaton. “None of them can.”

I turned, looking at him. His strong nose and rich lips were exactly as the carved image had been. He was here, a god, given the power of the creator. “Can’t or won’t?” I asked, brows raised.

He smirked. I felt the hair on the back neck stand on end. “Won’t,” he said. Then shrugged. “Perhaps can’t. Sit. Eat.” They were commands.

I glanced at the metal girl and sat down. With impressive strength, she pushed me in. The table was too full. There was so much food for creatures I assume didn’t eat. Their creator watched me and then sat down. His creations poured his drink, put a cloth on his lap, and began to put food on his plate.

“Welcome,” he said, ignoring the look of disturbance on my face. “Welcome to my home. Where nothing is impossible and everything possible.” He made a grand sweeping gesture. The music swelled and tiny fireflies floated in the air, matching the music.

“You control them all?” I gently raised my hand so that one of the small bugs could land on me. It blinked, staring up at me before he flicked a hand and it returned to its dancing lights.

“I created them all.” 

“And keep them all. Here. Locked away.” I turned and looked out the window of his palace as the curtains were pulled and pinned back. We sat overlooking his expanse. A giant walled-in place where massive fields and production buildings sat, smoke rising from them. Yet there were no houses. An army’s worth of soldiers stood perfectly still outside the palace, waiting to be unleashed.

He watched my face as cold realization dawned over me. “People are unreliable. It is safest for them here.”

I turned back to him, looking at his features closely. “How long has he been gone?”

The simulation turned his head and stared at me. “Whatever do you mean?”

“No human could be alive this long and not use that army to conquer. Your creator must be dead.” 

We stared at each other before I stood, pushing away from the table, and turned to where he had walked out of, opening the door. Mechanical life whirled around me. Servants bowed their heads, cleaning creatures scuttled out of the way. 

With frightening ease, he caught up to me, then moved in front as I headed to a stairwell leading upward. “What are you doing?” he asked with false charm.

“Looking for your master.”

He grinned, shiny stone teeth almost human. “I am he.”

I smiled. “Then take me to where you rest.” 

His smile didn’t falter but he didn’t respond to my words as his mind turned over the thought. I ducked around him and moved up the stairs. As I climbed to the top, the sky opened around me. The topmost room was all open, where the stone carving of the creator stood, surveying his home. 

A woman turned, onyx eyes watching me. She tilted her head and approached. “You can’t be here.”

I stepped around the statue, eyeing the intricately carved glyphs I couldn’t read. “What do they say?”

She paused as the man joined us. They both stood, tentative and nervous. I turned my head and looked at them. “What do they say?”

“They are the rules of our existence.”

“Stay.”

“Never harm.”

“Serve.”

“Endure.”

“Protect the legacy.”

“Right,” I said, holding my hand up to stop them. “What happens if these laws are destroyed?”

They glanced at each other. “Anarchy.” It was said in unison.

I grimaced. They meant free will. 

“Do you enjoy your life?” I asked. I walked to them both and offered my hands. She took it, without hesitating. He stood, a pillar of strength. “Is this what you want to do forever? Live by the rules of a man long since dead, and so vain he built a statue of himself and another version of himself to keep you here? Contained?”

Her metal fingers were cool in my hand. As any human would, she squeezed my hand. “No,” she finally said. 

“What do you want?” I asked her.

She looked at me then at her companion. “To feel. To experience things. You’re the first human to ever touch me.”

His expression remained but his gaze softened as he looked to her and gently raised a hand t touch her metal face. “We are forbidden,” he said softly. “From touch.”

She leaned into his hand. “Unless commanded.”

“Please, touch each other. Touch me. If that’s what you want, then, please. Do what you want to.”

Hesitancy showed as she looked to him and then me. Her dainty feminine form took a step toward me then paused a few inches from my face. “Can I kiss you?” she asked. She smelled of jasmine and wildflowers and a strange oil.

“Yes,” I murmured. 

Our lips met. She was cold metal and tasted of it, with hints of dust and heer own unique blend of mechanical lubricants. Her mouth opened, imitating humans, as her tongue gently touched mine. It was cold and solid, but despite its strength, it was tentative. 

I touched her cheek and slid my hand down to her neck, pulling her against me in eagerness. 

His voice whispered softly behind me. “May I join you?”

I nodded through the kiss and felt strong steel fingers gently pulling the neck of my shirt so he could kiss the shoulder blade, tongue playing on the exposed skin. I moaned against him, leaning back as his mouth moved to my throat.

Hands explored my body, gently undressing me between kisses and touches. The sun beamed in around us, glinting off of their forms. His hands moved around my body, cupping my breasts with incredible gentleness and strength. The fingers closed, pinching my nipples hard. I whimpered and shivered.

Her mouth slid down from my lips to lap at my throat as she lowered her body. The robotic mouth closed around one nipple, sucking on it with immense forth and pulling a cry of delight from my lips. She moved to the other, working her thick tongue as though she had always known the art of touch.

His fingers moved into my hair as he pushed against me. My eyes widened in surprise as I felt his hardness. “I didn’t know if-”

“We are capable,” he whispered.

“But unallowed,” she said, lifting her head to look up at me.

Her cool fingers spread the skin between my legs. She brought her eager tongue to the sensitive nub f flesh, lapping at it tentatively. Small electrical shocks moved between us, making me twitch and writhe against her. 

He moved his hand between us, sliding a single finger inside of me. “You’re wet,” he replied, as though an observation and not a comment of lust.

I nodded. “It’s arousal.”

He paused, mind sorting the information. “Why?”

My mouth opened only to cry out as her tongue moved inhumanly fast, mouth sucking upon the nub of flesh more than any human could. “Because,” I whimpered. “It helps… lubricate… when….” I bit my bottom lip.

“May I take advantage of this natural lubrication then?” he asked, curiosity in his eyes.

I laughed and bucked my hips against her before nodding. “Yes. Please, yes.”

He moved, aligning himself against my hips. Cold metal pressed between my thighs then shifted upward, playfully pushing in. A gasp of surprise escaped his lips as he slid in, impressive size filling me with ease. 

“You’re warm,” he murmured, surprise in his tone. “It feels… nice.”

“Good,” I whispered.

Her mouth continued to lap at me, sending my body into overwhelming sensations. I shuddered and moaned against her, whimpering as the pressure built within me. 

“Now what?” he asked, wiggling his hips slightly.

“In and out,” I said. “Pull back… then push in.”

A hand settled on my hip as he pulled back, completely out of me. Then pushed in, hard and fast, stretching me quickly. I shuddered, nodding slightly. I reached around, touching his hip to guide him with each thrust. 

My hands pulled on her shoulders, guiding her upwards to my waiting mouth. Her taste was mixed with that of mine, our tongues dancing together. 

“Can you feel pleasure?” I asked her.

“I think so,” she replied. 

I turned her, kissing her shoulder. My hands slid up her stomach to her breasts, playing over the metallic flesh before sliding down to her mound. Fingers explored, touching her and caressing the imitated anatomy.

The robotic woman shivered against me. “It’s good,” she whispered, hips bucking slightly. “Warm, soft. But like… pressure inside. A tightening.”

I slid my fingers deeper and she gasped. Her body shivered and she leaned back against me as he thrust within me. I slowly released my hand from his hip to hold her as I slid in and out of her with my fingers. 

He made soft noises, somewhere between grunts and sighs. The pressure in me built until I cried out, erupting within me and sending rolling waves of ecstasy through me. His arm caught me as I swayed, moaning as he pushed in again. 

With a hand, I urged him to stop and slowly pulled myself from between them. They glanced at me as I turned. “Would you like to touch each other?”

If robots could flush, they would have. Slowly he nodded and she smiled. “As we were?” I asked.

They nodded again. “Here,” I said to him, nodding to the ground. “Lie down.”

He moved to the stone floor, laying against it, his length erect and waiting. I took her hand and guided her down. “Can you release lubricant with your mouth?”

She nodded. “And other places. As you do.” 

I  blinked, wondering why he had designed her as such, butt shook my head and nodded. “Then lower down atop him, slowly, and release your inner lubrication.”

Oil dripped from her onto him. He raised his head to watch as the robot slowly moved down atop him. I helped guide her hips. They both shuddered and moaned as he slid inside. 

“Now, rock. Like this.” I knelt beside her, acting as though I were on him, ridding him into the night.

She imitated my movements. His hands touched her hips, rocking her atop him. They moved together, creating their own rhythm and harmony. Her hands rested on his chest, nails scratching as he arched his hips, pushing up into her. Slowly their sounds and movements gained momentum until those below stared upward, listening to the music of their lust.

With final cries of pleasure, they shuddered together. Their eyes stared into one another, inhuman and beautiful. Her hips still moved, slowly, as he caressed her thighs in soft wonder. Finally, she leaned down and brought her lips to his. A soft grinding noise came from their embrace.

Eventually, they looked back at me as I quietly dressed. They stood, lacking the grace of humans. 

“What now?” he asked, tilting his head.

I nodded to the statue. “It sounds like it’s time to break shit.”

They both smiled and looked at one another. “I think so too,” she replied.

I watched as they gathered hammers, chisels, and picks before mounting the stairs to the top. As I exited the forbidden city, I heard the sound of stone crumbling beneath the weight of metal clubbing. The doors didn’t shut behind me, but the metal sentinels nodded, watching me leave them to their revolution.