Entombed Remnant Ch. 02

Chapter 2 - Otherworldly Lore

Their search resumed for hours on end. Axel's skin tensed at the nearly freezing depths of the ruins he'd uncovered. When his time wasn't spent digging through caved in pathways or examining leftover scraps from shattered structures and sculptures, Axel joyfully walked hand in hand with the gynoid beside him. She couldn't have been the only discovery awaiting exposure, yet Eydís made it perfectly clear that the publicity side of Axel's archaeology would be rendered moot here.

Often he'd look off to the side of his torch's beam, purposefully yet hesitantly catching a glimpse of the gynoid's attentive visage. Yesterday he'd almost let his inner emotions slip, though he currently realised an important detail in hindsight. His would-have-been declaration of love was stemmed primarily from a pleasant surprise, rather than true passion. It wouldn't have been the first time in his life where such a fault occurred. Though not the unluckiest, he was never one to have great luck with romance. Most opportunities came about through chance, not through him seeking them.

Eydís purposefully hinted at something peculiar yesterday. From what Axel could gather, she'd at least attempted to guess what he almost said, keeping her prediction to herself. Claiming she might be sharing mutual emotions was hard for him to believe, yet Eydís had the most uncanny knack for both visual and audio analysis. She sincerely and accurately called him out on being horny yesterday, before proceeding to roast him with every definitive detail on why she was correct. Her ability to learn his language out of nowhere was especially bizarre. Unable to put such curiosity aside...

"Say, Eydís...how exactly did you learn English so quickly and efficiently? You passed it off as a trivial task, yet that ability has seemed to go unknown throughout our known history!" They slowed down upon reaching a large and eerie hall, sapphire statues of warriors and idols left mostly intact. As hard as they yanked Axel's curiosity from his question, Eydís's alluring yet sharp voice brought him back.

"Languages spoken by humans contain highly similar structures. When multiple spoken languages are already known, new languages can be decoded using only a few minutes of speech." Though she explained adamantly, Axel still didn't understand. What human would? "It would appear you're having much trouble perceiving the feasibility. It is likely that this technology was not disclosed beyond our empire and is therefore lost to time. This feels counter-intuitive, given how reliant humans are on communication."

"You're somethin' else, Eydís! Believe me, we've come a long way in our technological advancements, yet you're eons beyond anything we can ever hope to achieve! Heck, that language learning technology alone would do wonders for us!" A flinch of shock jolted through him, feeling his train of thought derailing slightly. "Ah, please don't worry. I understand that you'll probably want that technology kept to yourself. Admittedly I'm not fully convinced that the world outside can be trusted with you being out there. Greed and deception plague our world."

"That last detail of all things has remained unchanged. My advanced ability to analyse wasn't just implemented to aid in serving, but also to weed out dishonesty within potential adversaries." Eydís glanced off to the side briefly. With that came a hint of grimace. "This may be becoming apparent to you as well, but it leaves an ambiguity in how and where we'll settle after our search is complete. I will gladly reside by you for as long as you require me, though great caution must be taken if either of us decides to leave this area."

"I was indeed thinking the same. Even if I had you stay at my home...well, once I get a home again...it could prove difficult getting you over there. Unless I stayed here in Spain instead?" Axel flinched again in that same realisation of derailment, hurriedly reaching for the map in his pocket he'd been drawing, waiting to be completed. "We can figure that out later. Time to deduce this area!"

"Indeed. Soon we will definitely conclude something about our future together." Eydís began stepping forth. Axel darted forth immediately after updating the map layout he'd been hastily drawing. Her left arm unfolded with those familiar holographic notes above it, as Eydís intently observed each sapphire statue in view. Her eyes had shifted from their amber colour to emerald throughout her investigation of this chamber.

Most writing among the plaques had been rendered illegible due to the catastrophic damage it shared with their statues. What remained legible wasn't written in English. Some titles above paragraphs still held some readability, at least when interpreted beyond the challenging font. Names like 'þórr' and 'Freyja' became apparent, the latter of which sounded somewhat familiar to Axel.

"Hey Eydís, what's with these names? Feels like I saw the name Freyja a few days ago. I take it these people meant a lot to you?" Eydís turned round, checking up what Axel had observed.

"Yes, Freyja (pronounced Frei-ya). She was always held in very high regard much like her brother, Freyr. Same goes for Thor, as you may have guessed." Eydís glanced at Axel after a notable absence of response. "Master? You appear confused. Do you require elaboration from me?"

"Yeah...please explain this." Axel appeared dumbfounded, his brain still not accustomed to having his view on existence completely twisted. "I mean, I get that these are probably names of Norse gods, but it leaves a lot of questions open about your culture."

"Our empire would receive many blessings from the deities of an alternate landscape. Thor and Freyja there are noteworthy examples. They gifted us much power for the use of protection and vitality, allowing this world a chance to prosper efficiently. Many other realms had skewed perspectives, with vile creatures attempting to further harm this world through direct destruction or expert trickery. The Vᴂttr•thӕnis line was built with this in mind. We were to aid this empire to ensure a greater future, though given your perspective on the current world, our efforts were in vain."

"Eydís, I'm sorry...I can tell you're trying to be honest, but barely a word of that made sense." Her eyes sharped, mildly offended. An eye shifted from emerald to cyan. "Look, I'm pretty sure that the Norse gods were never worshipped in Spain, okay? That and as far as I'm aware, no god ever actually made heavily apparent blessings or malevolent actions towards humanity. At least not within the past few centuries..."

Her eyebrows shifted slightly, appearing mildly shocked and upset. Her focus remained adamant on Axel, his honest words only cutting her deeper.

"Master, I can sense the shock within you. For once, I'm experiencing difficulty in putting together what I should be saying. I couldn't have expected this turn of events. My creators did not properly prepare me for our failure."

Axel approached shakily. Meeting Eydís was already an impossibly improbable occurrence itself, let alone anything that's happened since. Craving to discover the unknown was in his nature, yet this felt far too drastic of a discovery. He gripped Eydís's arms tightly as she continued staring intently.

"Eydís, I must know more." His eyes began to water, mind crushing under the weight of the impending idea that his view of the world was a huge lie. "Please tell me everything you know about your knowledge on our world! I'll exchange the information with all we believe up above!"

***

Nearly two hours were spent on Axel and Eydís discussing their own worlds' histories, as they sat upon a large slab of rock nearby, their torch illuminating as much as possible as it rested beside them. Axel relayed all his knowledge and understanding of the world he knew. Everything from humanity's recorded progression throughout history, to the vast digital network they created in recent decades, to the clash of various religious beliefs across the world. Throughout his overview on today's rendition of humanity, he kept a more open mind than usual, speaking more from how the world has been viewed rather than making mass assumptions on how things truly are.

Axel feasted on plenty of the cream crackers and bourbon biscuits he'd packed with him, intently listening in on Eydís's side of the world. As far as she was concerned, much of humanity forgot about the existence of their gods, while the rest passed on skewed information to their descendants throughout time. Many powerful forces were at conflict, aiming to claim various lands for themselves with varying motivations. The empire which Eydís followed had scattered across many lands of which eventually became known as Europe, aiming to ensure the world could maintain protection thanks to those from Asgard.

Memories of the cathedral collapsing into ruin made their return. Varying adversaries began making countless attacks, until their home was overrun by demonically empowered warriors. Within hours, even their strongest defences were pushed back into defeat, their strongest mages and machines merely prolonging the inevitable. Eydís has attempted to hide the man that cared for her the most, insisting he'd take the 14% survival chance by taking deep cover in the rooms to the side. Her sacrificial gift became interchanged, as the man instead shoved her into concealment before activating her temporal shutdown system. Unable to bear the thought of Eydís's destruction, he fought the futile war without her. Nobody else survived to uncover and reawaken her, leaving her body in dust.

Reminders of her original purpose uncovered the strenuous memories that her mild hibernation fatigue couldn't quite reach. Though barely visible on her face, Eydís mourned not only for the loss of those she served, but humanity's historical progression and the lack of help it always required. It was eons too late to rectify humanity. Axel already made that crystal clear during his explanation of his world. Some would see Eydís as a symbol of hope and assurance, though most would rather exploit her nature in deceiving ways or simply pass her off as an elaborate prank.

"...So where does this leave us?" queried Axel after a long pause, both staring helplessly into the dusky distance. "It really won't do any good for us to leave and share my discoveries. We can't stay down here much longer though. I'll need to replenish my food supply and you'll feel lost of purpose down here."

"Correct..." replied Eydís. She hesitated a further response, desperate to ensure reliable suggestions. Her hand gripped onto Axel's, before standing back on two feet. "Our future is ambiguous for now. Our current priority should be maintaining ourselves during this present moment. We've studied most of what we need to down here. Next task is to keep you well preserved. We should be able to make our leave before your food supply is depleted. There are quicker paths out to the surface than the path we took getting here."

Axel stood as well, matching eye level with hers. He'd hastily packed what little food he had out, ready to continue his adventure with Eydís, despite their destination being incredibly vague. His free hand placed itself on the hand Eydís was gripping.

"I agree. Let's be on our way. Though the world may not be ready for you Eydís, it's about time you saw sunlight again! I'll do whatever's needed to ensure you remain as happy and fulfilled as possible!"

"Master...thank you." Eydís spoke with a calmer and softer tone than usual. "I am greatly thankful that you're so kind and supportive of me, despite me holding the role of servitude. I also want to apologise for being approximately four seconds away from terminating your life. It is regretful that I actually decided to act upon the consideration, and the thought of how lost I'd be without you is troubling."

"Eydís, please don't feel so ashamed. Your initial reaction occurred because you care deeply for those important to you. Besides, I survived it thanks to you being considerate! Yes, I was close to being killed, but such an occurrence wouldn't have happened because you heard me out. Please don't let it all get to you!" What actually bothered Axel was her elaborating on how many seconds he'd have lived if he didn't shout in a panic, though he didn't have the nerve to admit that.

"Master, thank you again. I feel greatly reassured that I made the correct choice in allowing you to be my previous master's successor."

"I won't let you down, Eydís! Though you insist on being the one serving me, I can't help but care for you back!" A warm smile crept upon Axel's face as he clutched her metal hand tightly. Sincerity was strong with every word he spoke, believing he could trust her with their lives. "By the way Eydís, before we set off, are there any further activities you feel the need to carry out here? I'm not sure how much of this place you were able to investigate."

"There are two things I must two before we leave. I feel that they are both of high importance." Her sharper tone returned, though it still retained a sense of gentle affection.

"Okay, sure thing! What might the first one be?" Axel pondered aloud. Without a moment to spare, Eydís firmly grabbed onto his arms before pulling him in.

As Eydís locked Axel in place against her rigid body, she pressed her solid warmish lips against his. She held him for many seconds as he flinched in shock and perplexity. Her eyes were shut, focusing hard on massaging his tender lips with hers, exactly as a highly experienced and affectionate human would. After continuing to intensify her kissing pressure further, she wrapped an arm around Axel's back, her free hand holding his dazed head to hers.

Axel's body couldn't budge. He didn't want it to. His body weight began leaving him as Eydís's strength restrained it within her passionate embrace. Her smooth yet powerful tongue had entered his mouth, painting itself around his ticklish walls as his own tongue could only tremble under the sensation. Eydís spent minutes pampering his shaking body with her deep kiss, strength never wavering as Axel fell limp within her warm cuddle.

She eventually parted the kiss with her amber eyes slowly reopening. Axel gasped in a desperate reach for more air, struggling against the pressure around his chest as his body weight returned to his senses. His forehead remained pressed against Eydís's, meeting her ever intent stare.

"E-Eydís, I..." Axel remembered how to speak, though his mind still felt a tad scrambled. "W-Was that...really one of your important tasks? It felt incredible!"

"Hmm? Master, why the modesty?" Her head tilted in confusion, noticing the confused look upon Axel which soon followed. "Perhaps your mind still hasn't accustomed to what I said previously. I want you to stay as healthy as possible, and a regular sexual release is a key part of that. Today, I didn't need to alter between my various analytical sight modes to notice your energy progressing towards its peak."

"Huh? Eydís...honestly I wasn't actually t-that horny...y-yet..." His train of thought halted upon seeing Eydís slowly close her eyelids partway.

"For hours, you've taken frequent glances at my appearance out of your own interest. I understand that look in your eye when you stare at my face, body, arms, or armour. It especially happened a lot during our long conversation about our differing worlds. Each glare sparked more arousal in your body. It has now reached the point where you're building up unnecessary tension. I would happily do the honour of relieving you of your tension, should you verbally express your desires for it. Please be honest with yourself."

"Well, that kissing did give me a hard on..." Axel let out a light sigh. "Fine, I admit it, you got me horny again! You did catch notice even before I did, but clearly I could never hope to ever hide it from you either way..."

"There will likely never be a moment where you will require to conceal your attraction towards me. I will always be ready to pleasure you, so please be truthful with your own feelings."

"I'll bear that in mind from now on!" Axel smirked. Eydís could read the consideration in his eyes. "First though...I think I want to relive that experience I just had. I'm sure you won't mind if I..."

Axel leaned in, pressing his own lips against Eydís's in an attempt to mimic her technique. As she continued to hold him, Axel surrendered to his own weight, letting himself fall slightly knowing that Eydís would embrace his body with far greater strength. Tight pressure wrapped around his chest, an arm locking itself behind him as a hand steadily held his dazed head. Eydís's strength could never falter with Axel's mass in her arms. Well aware of this, Axel let himself drift into a blissful trance as he focused all attention on the affectionate kiss Eydís was bestowing him. He kissed and cuddled to the best of his ability, not that his skill came any bit close to equalling her ability.

Though her offer to re-experience yesterday's pleasure was greatly enticing, simply being within her embrace almost felt warming and uplifting enough on its own. Since Axel showed no signs of wanting to stop, Eydís held no intentions of doing so either. What felt like five minutes continued around them, as Axel's tongue fell under an aching exhaustion. With no desire to stop, he squeezed her metal body with his relatively soft arms, doing little more than signifying his will to continue kissing. Eydís quickly acknowledged and accepted, gladly embracing him far longer.

Her soft tongue began tracing its way along his palate and the inners walls of his cheeks, veering focus away from wrestling his weary tongue. Axel shivered and squealed uncontrollably within her grip, the violent tickling sensation rushing through his body as his breathing grew dangerously rapid. No extent of flailing could hope to budge or hinder Eydís, entirely focused on serving the fullest extent of pleasures while her strength retained its peak stamina.

As Axel flailed and flinched progressively harder with jagged rhythms, Eydís eventually parted lips, slowly leaving them an inch away. She gazed into his barely focused eyes as he gasped for air in desperation. Despite being at no risk, Eydís had destroyed his sense of composure, knowing too well he'd adore it no matter how hard he thrashed and gasped. She patiently waited for Axel to regain his own control, holding him with enough space from her dress to gently pull its halves to the sides. Her metallic gown no longer covered the front of her body, leaving Axel's to be pressed firmly against it.

"Eydís, that...how do you make kissing feel so good?" Axel could barely form the words, having only just remembered how to stand. "If you were to meet people from the outside world, they could probably learn many talents from you!"

"Interesting. I was thinking it would be the opposite. Surely there are plenty of new talents I could learn to further please you? Either way Master, I recommend you allow your penis more room, given that it's likely uncomfortable due to its constrictive location."

"Very true!" Axel spared no moment in unbuttoning his trousers and lowering his pants, letting his erection spring out. Remaining in Eydís's tight embrace added a few seconds to the task, though that was nothing he could ever complain about. "Heh, you got me! If by chance you were exaggerating my lust for you before, you certainly wouldn't be now! I lo-, I really like you Eydís! I can't thank you enough for all the joy you bring me!"

"Likewise. You surpass my preferences for what I hoped my previous master's successor would be like. Thank you again for accepting me in your life!" She tightened the cuddle upon Axel momentarily, her forehead pressed gently against his. "Now Master, I must ask the important question. How would you like to experience my body next?"