“There’s sothing very wrong with this entire operation,” I say to Clara.
“And I want to know exactly what’s going on.
Everything you know about why these people have an entire factory it seems, with hundreds of these things flying around.”
“I don’t know what you want
to do.
I can’t tell you anything I don’t myself know, no matter how much you try to cajole it out of .”
“Then give
sothing to go off.
Speculation, rumors, little pieces of intelligence that you’ve picked up while investigating this, even if you don’t have all the details.
I need to know.
Because there’s so reason why they are using .
There’s a reason why these people are building chanical copies of , embedded with what appears to be a piece of my own soul or spirit or whatever you want to call it.”
“What do you an ‘a piece of your own soul?”
“It’s the only explanation that makes any sense.
That thing that sent
to the ground back outside, after the previous battle had ended.
It was the core of one of those robots that embedded itself in my chest, right next to my heart.
And it was infused with a powerful binding magic, one that ca close to overwhelming my defenses against such things.
If these ‘robots’ were really just soulless, mindless machines, then why would whoever created them put such powerful binding spells on their cores?”
“Maybe as a failsafe?” Clara asks.
“A failsafe?
That would imply that there was a possibility that these things could run amok.
And the thing is, they could.
Whoever designed these knew that it was possible that they could think for themselves.
Maybe even knew it was likely they would, given the right stimuli.”
“What do you an?” Chloe asks.
“That automaton, if it really is just an automaton and not sothing more.
It was trying to resist sothing else acting upon it.
It was being controlled sohow, but the will that was controlling it was being resisted, to a small extent.
Not completely and not…
I just don’t know, but it really did feel like I was able to connect with the suppressed part of it in the mont right before it broke down.
It… It felt like , and I think it’s all by design.”
“More of you?”
Chloe takes a long and deep breath.
“Are you sure?”
“No.
I’m not going to claim I’m sure about anything.
I don’t have anything else to go off, though.
Just hunches and feelings and…
I’m sorry, Chloe.
For making you go through all this.”
“I thought that was supposed to be my line.”
“Ahem,” Clara says aloud, then switches to the ntal link.
“I think you know more than I do at this point.”
I give my most pointed stare.
“What aren’t you telling ?”
“I told you before, I do not know anything more than I’ve already told you.
I understand your frustration, but the only way we’re going to get answers is to first make our way through here.
And besides, will it not be easier for you to search once you have successfully rescued Miss Jacobs’ mother?”
“She’s my mother too.
In every way that matters.”
“Very well.
And while I too would be indignant if another were using my na and likeness to act in contrast to my ethics and moral codes, that doesn’t change the fact that the best way for you to get the information you want is to continue on to the end of this dungeon and complete our mission.”
“Still, I need to know.
What do you know about this dungeon?
About these robots.
They all seem virtually identical.
Moreover, you said the one that showed up in Chicago had the equivalent fighting power of soone at level 85.
These bots are strong, but they can’t be any stronger than the equivalent of Level 60.
And their strength is all so similar, as all they’ve been designed to be exactly this strong and no stronger.”
“So,” Chloe interjects.
“What do you think that ans?”
“Well, I think that Seraphina isn’t like these clones.
These all seem to be purely chanical.
There’s so trace of my soul within them, but they’re androids, not cyborgs.
The other Seraphina, the one that started all this, was a cyborg.
It has enough organic components to be registered as a System-related creature.
It has the potential to fight and gain Experience and levels and grow stronger.”
“It seems you already know why that is,” Clara says.
“‘Know’ is a long way from conjecture.
I believe these robots are far easier to manufacture.
But ultimately, they are just designed to be foot soldiers.
An army of dispensable minions to be thrown away and produced anew.
As long as they have enough crystals to serve as cores, as well as the right schematics, they can produce as many as they need.
The problem is that I don’t know how many of these are out there.
It’s not like I’m constantly watching the international news, let alone getting access to the briefings you all put together for your intelligence community.”
I dodge out of the way of a beam of white light before I consciously recognize the attack heading my way.
My body reacts on instinct, flying backwards as my eyes saccade around, searching for the source of the attack.
Another beam follows, one which I’m able to more easily dodge, now that I’m looking for it.
A barrage of thirty more strikes toward
from multiple angles, but a series of quick dodges allows
to evade all of them with only superficial wounds.
“So that’s it,” a man’s voice says.
“I was wondering what was going on with my army.
A rogue automaton, I thought.
I did notice that there was an anomaly with one of the bindings.
Dismissed it as just an…
Ah, it doesn’t matter, does it.”
“Who are you?” I ask.
“It truly doesn’t matter, seeing as you’re about to die, but I suppose there are conventions about this sort of thing.
Warrior’s tradition, wanting to know the identity of the one who killed you as you slink off down to hell.
Then again, I’m not much of a warrior.
More of a scientist, and I prefer to keep my work on the down-low; I’m not much for publicity.”
So, an arrogant egotist.
Sounds about right.
I shake my head.
“Well, shall we?
I haven’t got all day to fuck around with you.”
I’m not at all caught off guard by the flaming sphere lobbed toward .
What I am surprised by is the man in a suit of power armor flying up at
at close to the speed of sound, looking like so second-rate superhero in a low-budget Super Sentai production.
He swipes at
with a fist cloaked in violet energy, one which I attempt to bat away and find myself shocked for the attempt.
“That was supposed to remove your heart.”
The man shakes his head.
“I see.
So you’re the original.
I see that Henry’s original idea of embedding the Seraphina data into a human’s geno was not without rit after all.
Unlimited potential, power beyond all comprehension.
The power to reshape the very future, alter that which would otherwise be immutable.
Truly wonderous, is it not, that such things just fell into our hands?”
“The Seraphina… data?
What do you an by my data?”
“Your data?
Your data?
Don’t make
laugh, child!
You’re rely one of the many projects created with the original Seraphina data.
Though, at least I can make sure to let Renault know that he should check the calibration on the cybernetic model he was working with.
As I tried to tell him, it is far too impulsive without being confined to pre-defined paraters.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
“Oh, right, you are still there.
Anyway, it really doesn’t matter.
Errant data that can’t be controlled is just a variable that needs to be eliminated.
Once I dispose of you, our plans can continue unabated."
“Where is Alicia Jacobs?”
“Alicia?
Oh, yes.
I did request one of my subordinates capture her.
I needed to lure Henry out of hiding; he has sothing I want.
But, I suppose, now that you’ve shown up of your own volition, I can just use you to get to him instead.
So, what do you say?
You for Alicia?
I personally guarantee her safety; I’ll even see to it that she’s returned to her ho, safe and sound.
You have my word as a scientist and a researcher.”
“Yeah, well, your word and a buck-fifty might just buy a bottle of soda.”
“Well, I tried.”
He shrugs.
“Well, ti to die.”
I raise my hands in a defensive posture to intercept whatever attack is coming for , but instead, Chloe’s twin swords block the simple but deadly speared hand aid square for my throat.
“Leave her alone!” Chloe shouts.
“And you are?”
“Chloe Jacobs.”
Chloe points her sword squarely at the man’s head.
“Chloe…
Chloe…
Ah yes!
Now I rember.
Henry did ntion having a daughter, but I never imagined she would have taken up the sword.
Everything he ever said about his daughter painted her as ek and innocent, kindhearted.
Soft.
And yet, there’s no mistaking the family resemblance.
You know, I had made the offer to Seraphina, but she was a fool who refused my rcy.
So, what do you say?
Your mother’s life and my personal guarantee of her safety for your cooperation.”
“I say you can get fucked.
I’m taking my mother ho with , and your head and Experience as compensation for her suffering!”
“Well, when you two et again in the next life, don’t say I didn’t offer you a way out, alright?
It’s nothing personal.
Just the fate of the planet, and indeed, the entire universe.”
“Clara,” I say.
“You all keep advancing forward.
Find Mrs. Jacobs and evacuate.
Chloe and I will take care of this asshole in the anti.”
“Are you sure?”
“Never am.
But this is our job, and I don’t think anyone but the two of us is going to be able to do much against a guy like this.”
“Hah.
I’m supposed to be the one giving the orders around here, but instead, I’m deferring to a couple of kids.
But, well, it is the best plan.
Most of my team can’t fly, and just from seeing the speed of those two blasts, I’d be just about the south side of useless.
Anyway, take care of yourselves, and I hope to see you alive at the end of all this.”
“And you as well,” Chloe says.
“Be careful.”
The two of us float side-by-side not far from the ceiling of the dungeon, facing the man in the pastel red power armor accented with streaks of black.
“I trust you’ve had long enough to make your arrangents and say a final prayer to whatever god you worship?
Good!
Now then, let’s begin in earnest, shall we?”
One blow and Chloe and I are both sent crashing toward the surface.
That movent wasn’t just quick, it was virtually undetectable, like so aspect of the suit was actively distorting [Valkyrion’s Perception’.
My [Health] drops by about a thousand and I can feel a few bruises in my ribs.
Nothing that can’t be healed up in short order, but a terrible on if we’re already being outclassed to such an extent.
“You okay, Chloe?”
All four [Mirage Swords] emanate out from her, forming a spinning barrier around her torso.
She spits before placing her hand on her chest and healing the lingering injuries.
“Yeah.
Just my pride that took a hit there.”
“Glad to hear you’re still doing well.”
I cloak my body in a cloak of [Flaming Barrier], a technique that would have been unsustainable just a few hours ago.
But with the [Crimson Heart] burning bright within , I feel that that which was impossible should now be possible.
After all, that is why I was created.
And though I may not be ordered to do so by any higher or lower authority, I still choose to follow this path, of my own free will.
Reviews
All reviews (0)