The multicomponent miniature is supplied with three die of life and its corresponding base.
-Let's move a bit more slowly; slowly but surely –said the young engineer who Ixxen entrusted with training the Kluch supposed to handle the mechanic devices. We can repeat it all the times you need, ok?
-Yes, sir! –they squeaked.
A crowd of small creatures gave an enthusiastic and frantic nod. They have been created to handle the war engineering devices made by The Order of the Geared Eagle in battle. Learning how to handle them was their first step.
-Very well –sighted the engineer. He wasn't sure whether these creatures would fulfill their purpose, but he knew that was the way to decrease down to a minimum the number of dead soldiers-. Let's start. First, we have to clean the cannon of the device so that no traces of gunpowder of the previous shot are left. Do not forget to check also the tube for the shell.
The crowd of creatures obeyed the instructions in a hurry, running at random, looking for some clothes to wipe the cannons, for sticks to put them into the long tubes; some of them collided head-on, two buckets full of water fell to the floor and spilled their contents. In the end, one of them reached the cannon and put his hand into it to clean it.
-Dooooooone! –he squeaked after a while, while putting out his hand, now black.
-All right, I s'ppose –grumbled the engineer. Now, load the new shell.
All the Kluch broke into a frantic run to reach a small pile of spheres, the projectiles designed for the war machines. When the crowd of Kluch headed for the pile, the young Newborn jumped behind a workbench, covered his head and closed his eyes, waiting the crashing sound of an explosion caused by the collision of the small creatures. However, this sound never came. The engineer opened one eye and saw one of the Kluch crouched before him, with a look of curiosity in his eyes.
-Done –he said-. Do what now? You right?
-Errrh... yes, I was only looking for something I've dropped over here –he answered while standing up and shaking his trousers, attempting to recover his lost dignity-. I'm all right, don't worry.
-Orders?
The Kluch were expectant, looking at their master, waiting for more instructions.
The engineer glanced at the war engineering device, one of the Treuchen of the Newborns: the only step left was to charge the gunpowder. Then he looked at the excited creatures and swallowed hard: he wasn't sure about the consequences of giving them such a command. He started pacing up and down; the Kluch were still watching him closely, excited. The engineer's pace, as if by coincidence, led him to the door.
-Now, charge the gunpowder –he said. Then, he left the test room and firmly closed the reinforced door behind him.
The Kluch looked at each other, completely lost, but soon they were fighting each other to reach the gunpowder and charge the war machine.
Meanwhile, the young engineer was waiting in the corridor, leaning against the wall and casting worried looks at the door.
-What are you doing here?
The question surprised him so much he almost fell down, he quickly regained his composure and stood to attention in front of Ixxen The Hammer, his superior.
-I am teaching the Kluch to handle the engineering devices –he explained, with a nervous smile on his face.
-And? –asked the woman.
The noise of a deafening explosion came from the test room. In no time, they were wreathed in thick black smoke and hit by a sharp burned smell that filled up the corridor.
-Actually, not very good –answered the engineer, with a serious expression on his face-. And now, if you'll excuse me, duty calls.
He opened the reinforced door and entered in, closing it carefully behind him.
Ixxen blinked, confused: she thought she caught a glimpse of fire inside the test room.
Devices built by the mechanics of The Engineers' Guild are many and varied; these war machines were one of the devices their enemies feared most. The Treuchen are the simplest model of a war engineering device, although these are still powerful and destructive weapons.
There are three function-based types of war devices developed by the Newborns: piercing devices shoot big balls designed to kill the toughest and hardest enemies; dropping devices release shells that fall on the target and explode, generating a shock wave that damages many targets simultaneously; fragmenting devices release a rain of shots effective at short distance. The three types of Treuchen are a serious threat for the enemies of the Newborns, trying to survive an actual storm of shells shot from the rear, from start to end of the battle.