Approximately 9 hours after Aedhira's encounter with the Guardian-
"ARRRRRRGHHHHHH!"
He'd still been walking-
"AAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!"
In the same monotone corridor-
"GODFU*BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*MNIT!!"
In the same direction, at the same incline. After 9 hours of paranoid walking in the dark, Aedhira Israejin, had finally run out of patience.
"ARGOS!!"
[Yes sire?]
"Where-"
[You have covered a distance of 8.6 kilometers and your elevation has further decreased by nearly 350 meters.]
The sheer white figure dropped to its knees mid-step, it's palms spread across it's visor.
"I'm never getting out of here alive" he said while barely suppressing a sob. Followed a series of quite murmurs before a gasp echoed in the empty corridors.
"Oh my god, I'm so F*BLEEEP*ed"
Aedhira let out a groan of frustration. Whether it was due to his situation, or his censor, only he knew.
He curled slightly on the cool metal floors, seemingly silent. Thoughts raced...well, they'd been racing in his mind for the past couple hours. It was only now he'd really considered them.
He could be lost. Best case scenario, he was lost. No that wasn't right. Best case scenario was he was DEAD. Worst case scenario, this was all a simulation and nothing was real. Perhaps some very, very elaborate illusion. Maybe a prank. He couldn't ruminate on any single thought long enough to consider the worst scenario.
[Sire]
Maybe he'd been caught by some ancient beast and was being played around with before being eaten like a gourmet meal. Or maybe-
[Sire]
He'd been blown out of his body and this was some mysterious....place. "Damn it" he said, he couldn't even form proper speculations anymore. This was all a giant cluster-
[SIRE]
"Huh?" Aedhira snapped out of his thoughts. It was dark. The same kind of dark he saw when exiting the rubble. The same darkness he'd been walking into for the past 9 hours. The same inky darkness he'd been facing so far. But not like this.
His light was nowhere to be seen.
'When did I turn the off' he asked himself. The upper edges of his visor lit up brightly once more, a beam of light piercing into the dark.
"Argos, you were saying something?"
[Affirmative]
"..."
[...]
"Well?"
[Sire?]
"Get on with it?"
[Ah. Sensors have picked up increasing mana concentrations.]
"Let me guess. Straight ahead?"
[Affirmative] Argos's monotone voice echoed in his head. Straight ahead.
Aedhira slowly got up, metal boots clanging against the metal floor. He peered in the direction he'd been facing. He'd let his guard down. Whatever this darkness was, he'd momentarily let it get to him, and if it wasn't for Argos, he might've not snapped out of it.
"Argos?"
[Sire?]
"Thanks"
[Anytime ,Sire]
---------------------------------------------
[POV - MIYU GALANIS]
[4 HOURS BEFORE BEAROF AND PARTY ENTER SHAFT]
Miyu stirred from a fitful sleep, the cold, hard floor of the storage room pressing uncomfortably against her side. She blinked in the dim light, trying to gather her bearings, when she felt something nudging her shoulder. A low, mechanical whirring accompanied the sensation, pulling her further from the clutches of sleep.
"Miss Galanis," a metallic voice intoned, devoid of emotion but somehow not entirely cold. The automaton hovered over her, its body a sleek, utilitarian grey with joints that hummed softly as it moved. Its face, if it could be called that, was a smooth, featureless mask save for a pair of faintly glowing blue orbs where eyes might have been. A thin, blue line ran down the center of its torso, pulsing gently in the dark.
Miyu jerked upright, instinctively reaching for the small knife she kept tucked into her belt. She stopped short as the automaton continued, seemingly unfazed by her sudden movement.
"This is not a designated area for accommodation," it stated, the tone neutral yet insistent. "There are quarters prepared for you and the other refugees. Please allow me to escort you."
Miyu rubbed her eyes, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. "I'm fine here," she mumbled, glancing around at the makeshift bedding she had cobbled together from a few blankets and crates. The storage room was small, cramped, and far from comfortable, but it was quiet and away from the prying eyes of others.
The automaton, however, was not so easily deterred. "It is not appropriate for you to remain here," it repeated, more firmly this time. "Your well-being is a priority, and you must be relocated to a proper sleeping area."
Miyu sighed, realizing she was cornered. The automaton, with its unwavering stance and polite persistence, was not going to let this go. Reluctantly, she nodded and pushed herself up from the floor. "Fine," she muttered, rolling her stiff shoulders. "Lead the way."
The automaton stepped aside to allow her to gather her things before guiding her through the dimly lit corridors of the fort. The silence was almost oppressive, the only sounds being the soft clinks of their footsteps and the low hum of the automaton's servos. Everyone else was asleep, and the vast halls of the fort felt even more cavernous in their emptiness.
Miyu, feeling a bit awkward in the silence, decided to try making small talk. "So, um... do you have a name?" she asked, her voice echoing slightly in the quiet corridor.
The automaton hesitated for a fraction of a second, the pause almost imperceptible. "I am designated Unit 431-B," it replied, its voice as monotone as before.
"431-B, huh?" Miyu repeated, trying to sound casual. "That's... quite the name. Do you always go by that?"
"Yes," the automaton answered simply. "It is my designation."
Miyu hummed thoughtfully, trying to think of something else to say. "Do you... ever get tired?" The question was half-joking, but there was a genuine curiosity in her tone.
The automaton didn't miss a beat. "I do not experience fatigue in the manner that organic beings do. My systems are designed for continuous operation with scheduled maintenance intervals."
Miyu couldn't help but smirk at the response. "Lucky you," she muttered, glancing at the automaton's smooth, unmarked exterior. "I could use some of that continuous operation right about now."
The automaton remained silent for a moment before responding, "Rest is essential for your recovery and well-being. That is why it is imperative that you relocate to a proper sleeping area."
Miyu sighed again, though this time it was tinged with a faint smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I just... didn't want to be in the same space as everyone else. It's too... noisy. Too much."
The automaton seemed to process her words, its blue orbs flickering slightly. "Solitude can be beneficial for reflection and mental recuperation. However, it is important to balance solitude with social interaction to maintain psychological well-being."
Miyu blinked in surprise at the automaton's response. "That's... surprisingly insightful," she admitted. "Didn't expect that from you, no offense."
"None taken," the automaton replied. "My primary function is to ensure the safety and well-being of those under my care. Providing support in various forms, including psychological, is within my capabilities."
Miyu didn't quite know how to respond to that. She had never considered that these mechanical beings might have been designed with such intricate programming. For a moment, she almost felt like she was talking to another person, albeit a very straightforward and literal one.
"Do you ever... wonder about things?" she asked after a pause, the question more a musing thought than a direct inquiry.
The automaton's pace slowed slightly, as if considering her question. "I do not possess curiosity in the same way that organic beings do. My actions are driven by my programming and the directives given to me. However, I am capable of learning and adapting based on new information and experiences."
"That sounds... limiting," Miyu commented, more to herself than to the automaton. "Always following directives, never really having a choice."
"It is my purpose," the automaton replied simply, with no trace of discontent or frustration in its tone. "A purpose provides direction and meaning. Without it, existence would be aimless."
Miyu fell silent at that, her thoughts drifting as they continued to walk. She wondered if the automaton's perspective could be applied to her own situation. She had been lost, drifting without direction since... well, since before this whole mess began.
Maybe that was part of the problem—she lacked purpose, a clear path forward.
The thought weighed heavily on Miyu as she continued to follow the automaton through the labyrinthine corridors. It wasn't just the recent events that had thrown her off balance. She'd felt adrift for a long time, even before everything went to hell. A life without direction, without meaning—was that what she had been enduring all this time? And now, here she was, in a place that felt alien and hostile, surrounded by machines that were more human than she felt at times.
Her thoughts were interrupted as the automaton spoke again, its tone carrying an unfamiliar weight. "Purpose, Miss Galanis, is not merely about directives or tasks. It is something deeper, something that resonates within the core of one's being. For us, for my kin and I, our purpose is tied to our young sire."
Miyu glanced at the automaton, her curiosity piqued by the change in its tone. "Your young sire?" she repeated, unfamiliar with the term.
"Indeed," the automaton continued, a slight reverence creeping into its otherwise monotone voice. "Our young sire, Aedhira Israejin, is the one who gave us purpose beyond mere programming. We have free will, akin to that of sentient beings like humans, elves, dwarfs, and others. Yet, within us—whether you call it our souls or our code—there is an inherent knowledge, a connection to our young sire. It is he who has shaped us, who has given us the ability to think, to adapt, to converse as we do now. It is by his will that we exist, and it is our duty to support him in every way possible."
Miyu felt a chill run down her spine at the automaton's words. There was a depth to what it was saying that she hadn't expected, a complexity that went far beyond what she had ever imagined a machine could possess. "That's... surprising," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I didn't think you'd be capable of such... deep thoughts."
The automaton slowed its pace, and Miyu noticed a faint flicker in the blue orbs that served as its eyes. "You assume much, Miss Galanis," it said, its voice cooling slightly. "We are not mere machines like those you might be familiar with. We are creations of a higher order, with a purpose that transcends simple function. Our young sire, Aedhira, has imbued us with the ability to think, to feel, to understand. And while we may not experience emotions as you do, we are far more than the cold, unfeeling constructs you seem to believe us to be."
Miyu stopped in her tracks, her heart skipping a beat as the automaton turned to face her. The blue orbs fixed on her with an intensity she hadn't expected, and it lifted a finger, pointing it at her in mild accusation. "You would do well to be mindful of your words, Miss Galanis," the automaton continued, its voice now tinged with a warning. "Not all of my kin are as patient or as forgiving as I am. We are beings with purpose, with loyalty, and we do not take lightly to being dismissed as mere machines."
The weight of the automaton's words hung heavily in the air, and Miyu swallowed hard, suddenly feeling a sense of unease. She hadn't meant to offend, but she realized now that she had been careless in her assumptions. These beings—these automatons—were not like anything she had encountered before. They were more than tools or servants; they were something altogether different, something that demanded a level of respect she hadn't considered.
"I'm... I'm sorry," Miyu said quietly, her gaze dropping to the floor. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just... I didn't understand."
The automaton regarded her for a moment longer before lowering its hand. The faint blue light in its orbs softened slightly, and it gave a small nod. "Apology accepted," it said, its tone returning to its usual neutrality. "But remember, Miss Galanis, that understanding comes from experience. Do not be so quick to judge what you do not know."
Miyu nodded slowly, the automaton's words sinking in. She had been too quick to dismiss these beings as mere machines, and now she realized how wrong she had been. There was so much more to them, to this place, and to the young sire they spoke of with such reverence. She still didn't fully understand, but she knew she needed to approach this with an open mind, with a willingness to learn and adapt.
"Thank you," she said softly, meeting the automaton's gaze once more. "For helping me understand."
The automaton inclined its head slightly, a gesture that, though simple, carried a weight of acknowledgment. "You are welcome, Miss Galanis. Now, let us continue. Your quarters are not far."
Miyu followed the automaton in silence, her thoughts swirling with everything she had just learned. There was so much she didn't know, so much she needed to discover about this place, these beings, and their young sire, Aedhira. But for the first time in a long while, she felt a spark of curiosity, a sense of purpose beginning to take root within her. Perhaps, just perhaps, she was beginning to find her way forward.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Soon they arrived at a set of doors, which slid open with a soft hiss. The automaton gestured for her to enter. "These quarters are designated for your use. They have been prepared to ensure your comfort."
Miyu peered inside, half expecting a cold, sterile room like the one she had tried to escape earlier. Instead, she was greeted with a modest but cozy space, complete with a neatly made bed, a small table, and a lamp casting a warm, inviting glow.
"Thanks," she murmured, stepping inside and setting her belongings down by the bed. She had noticed that, unlike the other accommodations, this one was designed for one or two people in mind.
The automaton inclined its head slightly, its version of a nod. "Rest well, Miss Galanis. Should you require anything, please do not hesitate to call."
As the automaton turned to leave, Miyu found herself speaking up. "Hey, 431-B?"
The automaton paused and turned back to her, the blue orbs meeting her gaze.
"Do you... ever wonder if you could have a different purpose? One you chose for yourself?" The question was out of her mouth before she could think to stop it.
The automaton was silent for a moment longer than usual. Then, it responded, "If I were to choose a purpose, it would be to fulfill my directives to the best of my ability. That is what I was created to do, and it is what I will continue to do."
Miyu watched as the automaton turned and exited the room, the doors sliding shut behind it with a soft click. She stood there for a moment, contemplating the conversation she had just had. There was something about the automaton's words that struck a chord with her, something she couldn't quite put into words.
With a heavy sigh, she sat down on the bed, the mattress sinking slightly under her weight. She glanced around the room, feeling a strange mix of comfort and unease. The silence settled in once more, wrapping around her like a blanket as she lay back and closed her eyes.
Maybe, she thought as she drifted off to sleep, finding a purpose wasn't just about choosing a path. Maybe it was about making the best of the one she was already on. Yet she inwardly asked herself-
'Will I be able to live with myself once I've done so?'