The Mechanical Era

It was the final day of the summer, one day before autumn starts, causing the leaves to turn from a lush green to a warm orange before falling down to the ground. Consequentially, it was also the time when the demand for "Lumer's fertilizer" increases significantly, as farmers from the city buy a lot of it to pour it over their crops.

As a lot of farmers in his area is also starting their farm, Kyle expects the prices to be even higher than normal. Thankfully, he managed to secure 2,00 barrels of it as soon as he got the loan from the bank.

Although it won't be enough to cover his enough for the entire field, as he would need 50 barrels more, it should help with saving some money. He had also bought up the steam-powered machinery and brought them over to his plot of land.

With the help of his two boys and a few HeklorKloch technicians, he was setting up these machines to start operating in the near future. There were also a bunch of other workers, who were busy putting up steel pipes on the fields, connected to the steam engine.

The boys were on the field, helping the technicians and workers to line up the pipes and connect them in place. While they were at it, they exchanged a few jokes with each other, all having a good time while they worked.

Kyle was found inside a tall wooden cabin he built himself, to protect the expensive machine from the weather. While the main structure was held up by bricks pasted onto each other with cement, the walls and roof that protected the machine were made of wooden planks.

Along with Kyle, was a HeklorKloch technician, wearing a short sleeve acorn gray shirt embedded corporate emblem on his shirt pocket, pants, brown calfskin shoes, and a leather belt. He had brought a toolbox, to help him set up the machine.

"Sir, can I have my screwdriver?" asked the technician. Kyle headed him a wrought iron rod with a line tip on the top edge, with a handle made of wood. Once Kyle hands it over, the technician starts to screw a nail in place.

The two continue to set up the steam engine. They assembled it together part by part, as requested by Kyle, who wanted to know how the steam pump worked on a fundamental level. Once the steam pump had been set up, the technician walks out of the cabin and instructs the other technicians on the outside.

"We are done! Connect the pipes to the main pipe over there!" he shouted, pointing to the pipe exposed on the outside, before coming back in. In the meantime, Kyle examined the strange machine.

The pump was an imposing machine, towering over Kyle as it stood over ten feet tall. It had a large boiler sitting at its base, surrounded by a web of pipes and valves, all made out of wrought iron. Next to the boiler, Kyle examined the massive flywheel, connected to a series of belts and gears which power the pump mechanism.

As he looked onward at the machine, the technician walked up to Kyle and spoke, grabbing his attention.

"Alright, sir, the steam pump itself is fully set up. Now I am going to instruct you how this machine works so that you will be able to operate it by yourself."

The technician went on to explain to Kyle how the machine worked, how he can operate the machine, what the gauges tell him, how to fix any minor issues, and so on. Kyle made sure to listen to every detail of what he said, even asking him to reiterate any parts that he got confused about.

"... and that is about it. Do you have any questions sir?" the technician asks Kyle.

"No. You explained it perfectly. Thank you."

"Very well sir. Now, could you lead me the way to where you would want the threshing machine to be installed? It is kind of easy to get lost in a large place like this."

Before Kyle can answer, his brain forces him to turn his attention to the shouting occurring outside.

"Um... can you please give me a minute? It won't take long."

"Of course!" the technician replied. Kyle came outside the cabin and dashed over to where the sound was coming from.

"Demons! Demons! Coming from the forest!" a masculine voice shouted. Kyle had managed to reach the front gate. From what he can see, a man wearing hemp attire, riding on top of a majestic black horse.

The horse just stops outside the gate and turns to Kyle, allowing him to analyze the stranger's face more. He had deep brown eyes, with a round bald head, and a thick mustache. He wore a long-sleeved hemp tunic, dyed reed flower green, a belt holding up his brown pants, and a pair of calfskin boots. On his back, was an FLM-18RC rifle, the same weapon that Kyle used.

"Hop on, Partner! We don't have much time!" he insinuated.

"Hop on? Why? What is going on?"

"Demons! Partner! We have spotted some demons coming from the south of the forest! A lot of them! They are making their way through the forest and we need help! Can you help us?" the man on the black horse asked Kyle.

"Of course, I can! Just give me a minute to get my gun. Alright?"

"Oh right! Of course! Alright, partner. Be quick!" Kyle rushed back into the steam pump cabin, where the technician was.

"Hey, there has been a sudden event occurring around that requires my presence. I want you to tell your men and my boys to wait inside my cabin.

I will be back soon to instruct you where to put the threshing machine. Until then, just take a well-deserved break. Understood?"

"Alright, then sir. I will."

Kyle then left the cabin where the steam pump was and entered his home cabin through the back door. He made his way to his bedroom and took his FLM-18RC, a pouch filled with bullets, and a powdered flask filled with gunpowder he hid in a wooden chest. He first loaded up the weapon, and head out of the cabin.

On his way to the door, his wife stopped him. She had spotted him rushing inside the house while cleaning the dining room.

"What is wrong honey? Why are you taking your gun?" She asked. Kyle turned his head and told her the truth.

"There were a bunch of demons spotted. I am going to help them to take care of them."

"Alright. Be careful honey," she replied, before allowing Kyle to leave the cabin. He then walked right up to the man, holding his gun.

"Alight. Let's go."

Kyle rode on top of the stranger's horse, across the dirt roads of the area, all the way over to a bunch of other farmers, all holding their guns to them. While some were pointing at the forest, others were talking to each other discussing what to do.

When one of them spotted the two men riding on top of their horses, one of them smiled and waved. He had short black hair, with bottle green eyes on a diamond-shaped face, wearing similar attire to the man riding the black horse was wearing.

"Oliver, you made it! Who is this gentleman that you managed to bring?" the man asked.

"Well, Martin. This is uh..." Oliver spoke, realizing he had not asked Kyle's name. Thankfully for Oliver, before he could embarrass himself, Kyle jumped in to finish his sentence.

"Kyle. Kyle Moneymaker. Glad I could be here."

"Moneymaker! That is a fascinating name. I don't suppose that you happen to be rich, do you?" he asked in a joking manner. Kyle just smiled and replied.

"No. Not yet at least," he replied. Martin, seeing that they have managed to get over a dozen people to come, shouted a command.

"Alright, everyone! Please gather around me! I have a strategy on how we can defeat the demons!" he says. The farmers all gather around, keeping Martin at the center.

"Here is what we are going to do. We are all going to be pairing with 3, defending one part of the line. From each pair, only one should shoot at a time. So while one is reloading their weapon, the other could fire at another one quickly. Does everyone understand?"

The men nod in unison.

"Good. Because remember everyone. We don't know how strong these creatures are. We might have to use a few bullets to take one of them down. All we have to do is wait till those DEF agents arrive. Got it?"

The men nod in unison again.

"Good. Now go!" he said.

Kyle was partnered up with Oliver and Martin. They all dashed over to their position and waited for the demons to arrive. A sort of dotted thin line formed across the landscape, acting as a barrier to the farms behind the men.

They pointed their guns at the trees. Through the gaps, they can only see darkness, and a few glowing eyes looking upon them.

"Are you nervous Moneymaker?" Oliver asked.

"I am, but I am also a little excited!" Kyle replied truthfully.