Chrysalis: Destiny Foiled

The sun was beginning to set in the dense forest, casting long shadows across the forest floor. The sound of rustling leaves underfoot could be heard as a lone Cybernetic 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 stumbled through the underbrush.

She finds herself lost in the dense forest with the canopy of leaves above her blocking out the sky. Despite her rudimentary implants that give her exceptional sensory and navigational systems, the dense foliage made it difficult to find her way as she was wandering aimlessly without a directive path to lead her way. With the sun setting in the horizon, she quickens her pace, hoping to find shelter before nightfall.

As she walked deeper into the woods, the 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 marveled stopped in the sight of the beauty of nature. Her battle-scarred body consisted of tungsten carbide, gleamed in the dappled sunlight that filtered through the trees, and the sound of her footfalls echoed through the silence of the forest.

Her body was a marvel of science and engineering, a profound combination that made her the ultimate warrior. But despite that, it is still bound by the chains of time itself. Once, her arms were encased in sleek, metallic plating, with razor-sharp claws that could tear through anything with ease, now, left with a thick layer of rust, as a result of countless battles and skirmishes.

Only the inner tungsten carbide coating was left glistening among the rust sticking around it, like a gem in the rough. Her legs were equally imposing, with thick, gnarled joints that whirred and hissed with each movement, once similarly equipped, with powerful pistons and servos that allowed her to leap great distances and move with lightning speed.

A glowing blue orb sat at the center of her chest, peeking through the 𝘬𝘰𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦, pulsing with energy and power. It was the core of her rusted cybernetic body, the only remaining source of her strength and vitality. And yet, it was also a reminder of the unwanted sacrifice that she had made that turned her to become the ultimate warrior.

She had forcefully given up her flesh and blood, replacing them with machine parts and circuitry. It had not been a painful and dangerous process as she struggles not to remember the time they turned her into one, but one thing is assuring that they had left her more of a killing machine than a man. Though she was not the only one, she has been left alone, marking the symbol of a project --Chrysalis, that was deemed to fail from the very beginning.

Despite its battle scars, however, the 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 exuded an air of quiet confidence. She had survived where others had fallen, and had emerged from each battle stronger and more determined than ever before.

As she continues walking across the dark, illuminated path, her joints creaked and groaned, the sound of metal on metal that is a testament to the immense power that was once contained within her body. And yet, despite its fearsome appearance and once, overwhelming strength, and her own attestation of losing her humanity, there was a humanely hint in the 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪's gaze. Her blue eyes were filled with a sense of purpose and determination, as if it was driven by something deeper than mere programming.

She was lost in thought and was not aware that she will never be immune to the dangers that lurked in the woods. Before she knew it, she found herself face to face with a group of 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘪, their movements silent and quick as they sprang out from the shadows.

The 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 had little time to react as the ninjas closed in around her, their swords glinting in the fading light. But even as they attacked, she refused to back down, her oddly huge mechanical blade flashing as she fought back with all her might. The 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘪 were skilled and deadly, their movements lightning-fast as they sought to overwhelm the lone 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 with their numbers. Though her body is almost in the verge of destruction, her spirit is unbreakable, and she met their attacks with a fierce determination.

But despite all of that, she was overpowered by their numbers. Her right arm was severed --separated from her body, and she was pinned on the ground. And as she was held down, her mechanical body broke and malfunctioned. She struggles and listens as warning screens of error clouding her vision and ringing in her ears.

One of the 𝘚𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘪 assassins stood right in front of her and before she could utter a single word, a blade cuts right through her core, which sends electrical impulses to her brain that made her cry out in pain. She could feel her consciousness slipping away as warning signs filled her vision. He had always known that death was a possibility, even for someone like her, but she had never imagined it would feel like this.

As her vision began to fade, she thought back to the life she had lived. Created in a laboratory and designed to be one of the perfect soldiers there is to exist, she had been given enhancements and upgrades that made her faster, stronger, and more resilient than any human. For decades, she had served her masters faithfully, fighting in countless battles and completing countless missions without question.

But as time went on, she had started to question the purpose of it all. Was this all there was to life? Killing and destroying for the sake of those in power while listening to all of their "saving humanity" bullshit? It was a thought that had gnawed at her, even as she continued to serve.

Now, as her systems began to shut down, she found herself feeling something she had never felt before: regret. Regret for all the lives she had taken, regret for all the orders she had blindly followed, regret for never having the chance to truly live, regret for not taking up the oath that she swore for a very long time.

"Warning! Core Damage is 76% Attempting Repairs--"

As the darkness closed in around her, She realized that she had been given a gift: the gift of mortality. It was a gift that she could never truly appreciate, but she sees it as the greatest gift of all. For in death, everyone is free from the endless cycle of war and destruction, and anyone could find peace in it, but there is still something within her that refuses her to die yet, something that will surely leave her death in despair. She can't die like this yet, as long as she could not find her brother, she cannot die.

"Attempting Medusa---" In a split second, her consciousness winked out of existence, leaving behind only the broken shell of her body, so as they thought.

Without a word, the ninjas lifted her broken body and carried her to the edge of the nearby Sumire river. With a quick motion, they threw her into the water. It was a ritual they had performed countless times before - a way of disposing of their enemies and erasing any evidence of their actions. They watched the river carry the 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪's body away.

They couldn't help but wonder if there was more to life than death and destruction. They knew that they would continue to serve Shogun's orders, but they also knew that their actions had consequences - consequences that they might never fully understand.

As the 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 deemed herself to be unconscious, she felt herself being pulled into a strange and ethereal realm, a plane that should not logically exists. She swivels around and felt that everything in her body was intact, and she was flabbergasted of the situation. In all of a sudden, Voices whispered inside her mind, and she could feel a presence, that something or someone is watching over her.

At first, She was frightened, unsure of what was happening to her. But as the voice spoke to her, she felt a sense of calm. The voice was warm and comforting.

"Akari..." her name.

"Death shan't be patient, and willn't wait longer for those who linger in slumber, unwilling to face reality. Wake them up, for the nightmare may soon become his reality!"

"Wake him up, Akari!"

"Akari..." the 𝘉𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪 muttered.