[The Year 2193 – September 19th, Lands of Alexithymia, precipice Clogwyn - two hours before the raid of the village].
The mountain path ahead stretched, a precarious dance of loose rocks shaped by the force of rivers that once tumbled over them. Thick, dark green boughs arched overhead, competing for the dimming sunlight as they cloaked the path in a haze of shifting shadows. A lone figure stood motionless, like a sentry in the forest, her silhouette a fleeting shadow against the backdrop of a majestic waterfall. The roar of the water filled the air, a sound that seemed almost too grand for the surrounding tranquility. The trees trembled in their wake, the colors of their leaves shifting with the changing light, a living kaleidoscope that glimmered under the setting sun. Quarta inhaled deeply, feeling the coolness of the breeze lift her platinum silver hair. She moved forward, her boots silent against the rocky surface, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon, unblinking, emotionless. The precipice awaited.
"I've reached the top of the Clogwyn precipice. Awaiting further instructions."
She unzipped the top of her military-style coat, the wind tousling her hair, and allowed herself a moment of stillness. Her flawless skin absorbed the fading warmth of the sun, yet her eyes remained hard, unyielding. The world seemed to pause as her voice cut through the quiet.
"Quarta, your first assignment is to protect the Clogwyn precipice, no trespasser should get through, no exceptions," the operator's voice crackled through the comms.
"Trespasser's identity?" Quarta asked, her tone as cold as the mountain air.
"Insights incoming... Raiders from Elpida..."
"Raiders, huh...?" she murmured under her breath, calculating. "How many of them?"
"Total number is 48," the operator replied.
"That's quite a lot..." she exhaled softly, narrowing her eyes. "E.T.A. before the Second Security Line breach?"
"The first wave will arrive in 24 minutes and 10 seconds. Please standby."
"Understood."
Quarta scanned the area, her eyes sharp and calculating, before pulling off her goggles and allowing them to dangle from her neck. She took a long look at the wide-open expanse below, a place where only the rarest of travelers dared to tread. The pristine landscape stretched before her, undisturbed by human hands. Her amethyst-colored eyes, reflective and piercing, fixed on the horizon, yet her mind was elsewhere. She slipped her hand into the inner pocket of her coat and pulled out a small paper book. Without a second thought, she began reading.
"Dealing with 50 raiders on my first assignment... Straight to 'Hard Mode'?" she mused, the corners of her lips twitching upward in a ghost of a smile.
The Lands of Alexithymia had two levels of border security: the first and main gate controlled by local authorities for business purposes, and the second, a less patrolled yet equally formidable barrier. This secondary level consisted of multiple tiers of metallic fences, each one more intricate and insurmountable than the last. The eastern border, in particular, was guarded by the Clogwyn precipice, a natural barrier of towering rock that spanned nearly ten kilometers, towering over the land like an impenetrable wall. No one could cross without first reaching the precipice's edge, a journey that few dared attempt.
Over the past four months, Les Alpes has become the primary entrance to the country due to an unknown event. Despite the mobilization of local authorities, the number of incoming raids continued to increase, leading to severe casualties on the local side. Under the terms of the peace agreement, no official authority is permitted to cross the border without a valid invitation from both parties. Upon being informed of the escalating situation, the King ordered the deployment of Keepers and the doubling of law enforcement in the affected area.
According to the "Mitera Insider," a secret network dedicated to security, most of the trespassers involved in the recent raids were from the lands of Elpida du to the recent coup-d'etat which sparked a civil war. In response, multiple letters were sent to the authorities across the border, urging them to take action to stop the ongoing trespasses, but no reply was received from the Elpidians. The Mitera Insider also reported that the invaders had been hiding within the dense forest area surrounding both sides of the neighbouring country.
"ETA: 10 minutes," the operator's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Quarta's gaze hardened. She stood at the precipice, her feet braced against the rocky ledge, feeling the air grow still. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath, the moment poised on the edge of something terrible.
"Eyes on target!" she called out.
A wave of figures surged into the clearing below—more than 100 people, not the 48 raiders she had been briefed about.
"Engage whenever you're ready," the operator instructed.
"Something isn't right..." Quarta muttered to herself, scanning the crowd. "You said there would only be 48!"
Her pulse quickened, and her hands clenched into fists as she scanned the approaching crowd, her senses on high alert.
"Requesting immediate re-scan of the target!" she ordered.
"Scan completed," the operator replied.
Quarta's eyes widened as she observed the people more closely. "Wait!" she called out. "They don't look like raiders to me."
"The nature of the invaders is not within your scope of responsibilities. Anyone who trespasses the First Security Line is to be considered a 'threat.'"
"What do you mean?" Quarta demanded, her voice rising. "Look at them! There are kids... families out there!"
"Shall we request assistance regarding that matter?" the operator inquired, cold and detached.
"That's not what I'm talking about!" Quarta snapped back, frustration building.
"Do you have any difficulties regarding the accomplishment of your first assignment?" the operator asked.
"Yes, I do!" Quarta's voice trembled with rising urgency. "This has nothing to do with my briefing!"
"Engage the protocol of law enforcement immediately," the operator commanded.
"No!" Quarta's voice echoed across the precipice. "I am not here to massacre mothers and children! That's insane!"
Paralyzed by confusion, Quarta was acutely aware that in mere minutes, she would have to make a decision that would determine the outcome of the situation: carry out her assignment or try to resolve it on her own. Torn by her own thoughts, she struggled to decide whether to risk the lives of innocent people from her country and defy the King's orders for a small group of strangers she knew nothing about, including their reasons for attempting to cross the border. Why should she protect these people, after having executed hundreds of others? What if her decision turned out to be wrong? Was she ever right? Which path should she take? Quarta stood frozen on the precipice, lost in the weight of the choices she had to make.
"How can I stop them?" she muttered. "It's too late for talking... Too late for sure... They've already breached the first gate..."
"300 meters to the precipice! Engage the protocol of law enforcement immediately!" the operator insisted, her words sharp and unforgiving.
"I can't engage! Something isn't right!" Quarta whispered, trying to steady her racing thoughts. "This doesn't feel right..."
Fear and frustration welled up inside her as the voice of reason screamed within her mind to stop, to question, to pause before acting. But time was slipping away.
Suddenly, a surge of energy coursed through her body, and the operator's voice rang out one last time:
"Due to your inactivity, you have received a 'Temporary Mandate.' Quarta, you are ordered to halt all logical thought immediately. This order will remain in effect until we confirm the end of your assignment."
A sharp, electric jolt surged through Quarta's body, locking her muscles in place, freezing her in a moment of excruciating helplessness.
"Damn it!" her voice barely above a whisper as her body stiffened, her skin pale and cold under the weight of the mandate.
"Quarta, your first assignment is to protect the Clogwyn precipice, no trespasser should get through, no exceptions," the operator repeated mechanically.
"Affirmative," Quarta responded, her voice empty of its previous conviction.
Her internal struggle raged silently, her true voice screaming inside her head, but it could not be heard. She was a weapon, programmed to obey, programmed to kill.
The moment was irreversible.
Quarta's blood rushed through her veins, her heart pounding in her chest. Her purple eyes glowed with intensity under the bloody sunset, as the group scattered, people fleeing in every direction like ants running from an undefined threat.
"Fifty meters to the precipice!" the operator announced.
She took a deep breath and slowly drew her weapon.
"Physical enhancement activation code – accepted, engage," the operator announced.
"I am a weapon, sworn to protect the endless horizons of his kingdom. Death shall fall upon those who scornfully ignore his orders, guided by the blade of my sword. In the name of the King, I shall take your life," she chanted, and in one swift motion, plunged off the precipice.
A violent crack echoed through the night as Quarta slammed into the ground, the impact sending a thunderous shockwave through the earth. A pillar of swirling dust erupted around her, freezing the onlookers in place, stunned by the force of the crash.
"What is that?" someone shouted in disbelief.
"Can you see what it is?" others asked, fear creeping into their voices.
"Don't get close!"
[The dust began to clear.]
"A human wouldn't survive that... Then... it can't be!" a man muttered, stepping back in horror. "No way..."
"...A 'Machine?!" another voice exclaimed.
"You've got to be kidding me! After all this!" someone nearby cried.
"How?! Why here?!" another shouted.
The most agile man of the group, sprinting faster than the others, reached the edge of the precipice just as the dust began to settle. More than forty young adults cautiously backed away as a silver-haired figure slowly rose from the ground.
"That's a Machine!" they screamed in terror.
"We're doomed!" some older voices cried from the rear.
"This is how it ends," moaned an old woman.
"I don't want to die!" others cried.
A small part of the group turned and fled toward the forest, while those nearest to the precipice scrambled to climb it. The remaining members of the group closed in around Quarta, their voices rising in anger.
"DESTROY IT... THERE IS NO OTHER WAY!" the toughest-looking man shouted.
"TEAR IT APART! DESTROY IT!" others clamored, surrounding Quarta with murderous intent.
In battle, there is no honor, no code. The groups stood on the Clogwyn plain, speaking different languages, from different cultures. The only thing they had in common was something dear to protect, something to fight for. Today, there would be no mercy. Quarta stood as the final obstacle to their freedom. Many had died to reach this point, and those who remained were willing to die without hesitation for their cause.
Quarta's fingers gripped the whip-like hilt of her weapon, which instantly transformed into ten inches of cold steel, gleaming in the fading light. She pointed the blade at the man holding a weapon.
"Damn Machine!" he shouted, charging toward her.
Quarta's skills in close combat were amplified by the 'Body Augmentations' provided by the Mitera System, giving her unmatched strength and speed. Despite her short stature, she was deadlier than many men twice her size.
As the man closed in, she struck with terrifying precision, her blade slicing open his chest in one swift motion. This was no mere attack—it was a warning. A demonstration of the insurmountable difference in strength between a Keeper and a group of men.
"What the…?" he stammered, clutching his lacerated chest, stumbling backward in shock and agony.
Her warrior instincts fully awakened, knew there was no time for words. Her eyes fixed on the remaining aggressors. Silence fell as their leader collapsed, slowly succumbing to his wounds. In that moment, the crowd transformed into a wild, enraged beast, charging toward her with a collective, primal fury. Stones were thrown, and others advanced with wooden sticks and makeshift weapons, all determined to avenge their fallen leader.
"Fools..." she muttered, her inner voice begging her to stop.
Agile and impossible to track, Quarta moved with lethal precision, slicing and stabbing her opponents as though they were paper. Blood trailed in her wake as she darted through the crowd like a shadow, her piercing purple eyes the only thing visible, framing the emotionless face of the executioner. No one would be spared.
The once-beautiful green field was soon stained red, the sunset above them now mirroring the bloodshed below. Quarta knew that once combat began, there would be no turning back. No one would lower their weapons until it was over. It would come down to the last man standing.
"No way we can win against a machine like that; no human can!" shouted a bystander, dropping his weapon.
"CURSE YOU!" they all yelled in unison.
What remained of the group was now trapped, with no escape. The forest was too far, and they were too exhausted to push forward. Some men lay dying, clutching their wounds.
"We're all going to die!" they cried in panic.
"SAVE YOURSELF!" yelled the man who was barely alive, gasping for breath.
Some of the people in the rear dropped to their knees, the will to fight draining from them as they witnessed the fate of their comrades who had dared to challenge the Keeper. Others fell into desperate prayers, pleading for mercy. The few who could still move began retreating toward the forest, but Quarta pressed forward, cutting down everyone in her path—no regard for age, sex.
The mandate to accomplish her mission and eliminate the invaders began to blur in her mind, her conviction wavering. Who was truly right in this conflict? Each side had something precious to protect—some fought for their loved ones, others for their lives and future. The battlefield had always been a place of endless suffering, fear, and doubt. For some, it was a cycle of guilt, actions that could never be undone. For others, there was no alternative but to fight.
In the end, only the strongest would emerge victorious. And today, that was Quarta.