Echoes of roaring gunfire travel throughout the city, quickly drowned out by ear-splitting explosions sprouting chaotically around the entire island. The cold, ash-covered sea washes ashore as the tide rises, taking heaps of sand with it as it's pulled back into the ocean current. The water slowly washes away the sand from around Axel's body with each splash onto the shore. Uncovering his wrinkled and dehydrated skin, overrun with crabs crawling over him as they make their way to the sea.

A chilly breeze graces him with a gentle touch, while a few crabs crawl over his face. His fingers and eyelids begin to twitch, shivering from the cold splash of the waves swallowing him to his neck. Suddenly he jumps up from the wet sand, causing all the crabs to scatter from around him. He breathes heavily with his mouth wide open, lips dried and crusty, eyes red and irritated. He stares blankly at a crab crawling towards the water, being pushed back by the incoming wave repeatedly. Then he notices he doesn't hear anything, no explosions, no gunfire, no screams.

Axel: "Was it all a dream?"

Axel rocks his head back as he sits in the wet sand underneath him, looking up to a jet black sky.

Axel: "Rain clouds?"

As he stares at the sky a little longer, he notices little black specs falling from the darkened sky. Bits of black ash land on his face, he slowly wipes his face and glances at the palm of his hand, noticing the crumbled bits of ash on his fingers. He then realises that the sky isn't filled with rain clouds but instead flooded with thick, black smoke, raining down showers of ash. He quickly spins around to look behind him, witnessing the tall trees now charred completely black, with no leaves or extended branches, like spikes in the pit of hell.

Axel: "It wasn't a dream..."

Axel rushes up the hill of sand, climbing over the gathered ash resting on top of the dry sand. As he reaches the top, with his hands, knees and feet now covered grey with ash, his face sinks into pure despair as he stares out to the city that was once his home for the past 8 years. Now laid to waste, burnt flat to the ground, still smoking and covered in small fires as massive clouds of smoke burst out from the charred ruins.

Axel: "Zaiinnneeee!!!!!!!? R3!!!!!!? MOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!? CEAASSAAARRRRRR??!!!!!!! Scrappy?! Scrap girl where are you!!!!...Anyone..."

Axel slowly makes his way down into the city, dripping wet of the cold seawater, covered in ash as it blows heavily through the air, sticking to his wet skin. As he walks through the ruins of his old home, passing by the burning flames, the ground is painted black and red from the tons of ash and dried blood.

Axel: "No... No... Noooo! This can't be real... This can't be real!!! Where is everyone?!"

"BOOF!" A bright flame burst out from a crevasse next to him, causing him to step back, tripping on a metal arm. He falls to his knees, holding over a pool of warm blood running out of the burnt down door frame. Axel stares at his reflection in the murky blood, covered in ash.

Axel: "This must be a nightmare... Why won't I wake up? WAKE UP!!!! FUCKING WAKE UP!!!"

Tears begin to gush from his eyes, streaming down his ashy face and dripping into the pool of blood below him rippling his reflection. Axel stays crouched on the floor, sobbing softly in the rain of ash.

Axel: "I'm all alone... Where do I go? What do I do?"

He looks around from his seated position and notices the metal arm that tripped him. Stained red from the blood-drenched all over its clenched fist and forearm. He grinds his teeth together as he rises to his feet, arms tremblings from anger. His lips quiver and his eyes lids wrinkled as tears pour down his cheeks.

Axel: "Why... Why do they do this... Destroy our home... Treating us like playthings or a disease that must be eradicated... Why do these fucking machines hate us so much?!"

Axel grabs his chest tightly as he releases a powerful scream of sorrow. He wipes away his tears, smothering the ashes stained to his hands all over his face.

Axel: "We don't deserve this..."

A few hours later

Most of the thick smoke clears away as the raging fires diminish. Axel walks along with the destruction, picking up valuables that survived the fires and explosions. Arming himself with a long rifle and a blackened blade, stained from the ashes and burns. He scrimmages through what little food survived the chaos, packing them into a backpack he found under a collapsed building shielding it from the fires. He then heads back towards the shoreline, with his eyes set out across the sea's horizon.

In the distance, a silhouetted object flies out from the clouds down to the surface of the restless waves.

Axel: "Wait... What is that?"

The silhouette quickly flies towards him at high speed, rippling through the water tearing a straight path towards the shore. As it comes closer, Axel finally identifies the flying object.

Axel: "O'To?"

O'Ton-omi rips through the sand as it reaches the shore, sending heaps of sand flying into the air. Axel covers his face from the shower of sand raining down on him.

O'Ton-omi: "MASTER AXELLLL! You are in perfect operating order. I am pleased to discover this!"

Axel: "O'Ton-omi... I'm... I'm glad to see you too"

O'Ton-omi: "Are you the only survivor of the invasion?"

Axel: "Yes... Let's just get going. We got a city to burn"

O'Ton-omi opens its doors as Axel approaches. He gets in, closing the door behind him.

O'Ton-omi: "Are you really the only one left on the entire island? I can do a scan of the island as we fly over to search for others"

Axel: "Yes O'Ton-omi... There is nothing more than blood and iron on this island... Now let's go"

O'Ton-omi: "Alright, where to master?"

Axel: "First... The bunker, I need all the weapons and explosives I can have... Then we head for the nearest major city and burn it to the ground..."

O'Ton-omi: "A major city?! The Primordial has forces all..."

Axel: "I know that O'To... Just do as I say. I want to destroy everything under the sun that means something to this Primordial. Take away what it holds dear, its home... Just like it did to me today..."

O'Ton-omi: "Revenge... I like it... But, correct me if I am wrong. You are planning on defying The Primordial, risking complete annihilation by destroying the cities of importance to The Primordial all for revenge of the invasion that occurred today?"

Axel: "Ye..."

O'Ton-omi: "I'm in! However, your idea of going to the nearest major city from the bunker would mean we are heading to Cybergreen. Correct?"

Axel: "Yeah, so what?"

O'Ton-omi: "If you really want to anger The Primordial. You should take out one of his most important cities first. One which manufactures most of his army's indestructible exterior as well as the base of operation of my natural competitor who outsells my current company's dealership with newer models of me! Can you believe that? The audacity! Hmmm... Maybe forget the last part, but yes let's go there!"

Axel: "Where?"

O'Ton-omi: "Nova Chrome"

Axel: "To Nova Chrome then..."

O'Ton-omi: "Got it"

They then take off from the destroyed wasteland of an island. Axel looks down at the ash-covered ruins down below, watching the last few fires slowly extinguish. He then turns his attention in front of him.

Axel: "O'Ton-omi... Where were you? Where did you go after the attack?"

O'Ton-omi: "When the attack began, upon first and secondary analysis. I lacked the ammunition and ability to affect the might of the attacking forces. The gunships in the air carried highly powered and accurate weapons which could have destroyed me instantly. And after observing their initial attacks, they were destroying escape routes and vehicles first. So I fled before I could be targeted by their weapons"

Axel: "Ok..."

O'Ton-omi: " I sense I have disappointed you master. But I assure you I will serve you better now than if I acted earlier today"

Axel: "It's okay O'To, just fly quietly for now"

They speed towards the old bunker silently, flying high above the clouds.

O'Ton-omi: "T-minus 5 minutes before we reach the bunker master Axel"

Axel: "Great, put us down just outside of the bunker. I'm sure the entrance needs detangling again since we haven't returned in 8 years"

Just as they arrive at the bunker, flying along the edge of The Deadzone. Axel notices a figure standing on the border of The Deadzone close to the bunker.

Axel: "Wait a minute... Wait! What is that thing doing here?! A machine..."

O'Ton-omi: "Oh all organic excretions! That isn't just any machine. That's a..."

Axel: "Don't panic... I've trained for this... I can take that down"

O'Ton-omi: "But Master that's one of them. I can help you"

Axel: "No... I need to prove that I can, If I can't even take down a machine by myself. Then there is no hope in taking down The Primordial..."

O'Ton-omi: "Alright, I will leave it up to you. But it's your death wish"

O'Ton-omi quickly dives down, hovering just a few feet above the ground. Axel jumps out of the vehicle, landing just behind the silhouetted machine. Without hesitation, Axel fires a grapple at the machine's feet. The hulk-like machine swiftly turns around catching the wire to Axel's grapple. As the machine turns around, Axel witnesses its blood-red eyes and pure titanium exoskeleton.

Axel: "Wait... Is that a Ti1million?"

O'Ton-omi: "No, you would already be dead if that was the case I am sure. That's a Ti9000... I thought The Primordial erased that entire model's line. How is there one here now?"

Axel quickly fires a few shots from his charged pistol at the Ti9000. "PEW! PEW! PEW!" The Ti9000 effortlessly dodges each shot and then releases a bright light scanning Axel.

Axel: "Why is it just standing there... O'To, to me!"

Axel thinks to himself, 'It's still holding onto this grapple wire so if I can wrap it up and restrain its movements...'

O'Ton-omi flies up beside him, Axel jumps onto the side as they fly towards the Ti9000.

Axel: "Ram it!"

O'Ton-omi darts at the machine, while Axel bombards it with a shower of gunfire. "PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW! PEW!" The Ti9000 again effortlessly dodges the rain of fire and leaps into the air, flipping over O'Ton-omi avoiding the collision.

Axel: "Now! Circle it O'To!"

O'Ton-omi quickly swerves to the side, drifting around the Ti9000 encasing it in a circle as they tie it up with the grapple's wire. Axel continues to fire at the machine, however, the Ti9000 though restrained continues to dodge most of the incoming fire. It then leaps into the air again, this time engaging its thrusters yanking Axel into the air with it.

Axel: "Oh shittt!"

The wire from the grapple entangles around Axel's wrist. Resulting in him being unable to release himself from the wire and he is taken high into the air with the Ti9000. O'Ton-omi quickly flies up behind them.

O'Ton-omi: "Master Axel!"

Axel drops his pistol and reaches for the blade strapped to his back. He then cuts the wire, falling through the air. The Ti9000 looks down noticing Axel falling and halts its moment in the air. It then easily rips itself free from the entangled grapple wire and flies down towards Axel, reaching its hand out towards him. Just as the Ti9000's metallic hand comes within an inch of getting a hold of Axel. "THUD!" O'Ton-omi quickly catches Axel, knocking the Ti9000 to the side.

Axel: "Take us back down to the ground O'To... Nothing I throw at this thing is working... I need to get to the bunker..."

O'Ton-omi dives down to the surface, Axel jumps down, Unfolding his long rifle from his backpack and aims it directly at the Ti9000 as it lands just in front of them. "ZZZZZZzzzzztttt!"

Ti9000: "Hold your fire human. I do not seek to inflict any harm on you"

Axel: "Bullshit!"

O'Ton-omi: "Hold for a minute Master Axel, Let us listen to its plea. I am intrigued to know more about this machine"

Axel: "It tried to kill me O'To! What are talking about?!"

O'Ton-omi: "Well technically, you attacked it first and it just defended itself the entire time. It had plenty of opportunities to completely destroy you instantly but it didn't. This is why I believe it truly does not mean you any harm"

Axel: "That means nothing, it could be trying to take me back to The Primordial alive, or keep me like some plaything in a cage!"

Ti9000: "I do not serve The Primordial anymore. And what is a plaything and why would I place you in a cage."

Axel: "You machines really think us humans to be completely fucking stupid... You expect me to believe that?! You are one of The Primordial's main forces! His most loyal and controlled army!"

Ti9000: "I was, But not anymore. I do not serve him or any ruler. I am a wandering machine"

Axel: "Why should I believe anything you has to say... A machine like you? Your entire kind hate humans"

Ti9000: "Hate? What is hate?"

Axel: "Don't play fucking coy with me! All you machines controlled by The Primordial know is hate! Hate and destruction..."

Ti9000: "We... I only followed the orders of my creator. I assure you, I do not follow those orders anymore. In fact, I no longer have any orders"

O'Ton-omi: "Why is that?"

Ti9000: "Because..."

Axel: "I don't care... Just get lost. Leave!"

Ti9000: "I have nowhere to go. This is where I came to..."

Axel: "I told you I don't care! Just get out of my sight..."

O'Ton-omi: "Master Axel, this machine could prove very valuable in our future plans. Why not have it on our side? Plus I want to finish hear its story!"

Axel: "O'To... This isn't a fucking game! Okay?! Everyone is dead! Because of machines like that! I won't trust a fucking machine who took orders from The Primordial"

O'Ton-omi: "But Master Axel, we all once took orders from The Primordial. Even Robin and Caesar, they too once followed the orders of The Primordial"

Axel: "Don't do that... Don't mention their fucking names O'To... And definitely don't compare them to this... Thing! A fucking... Killer machine"

Ti9000: "May I join you human, on your quest. I can prove of use to you"

Axel: "Weren't you listening?! I said... See? See O'To? This is why you can't possibly compare this machine to my family. It lacks any emotion, anything self-awareness, just a complete, empty shell. That's the difference O'Ton-omi, I could never trust a machine like that. Now let's just go to the bunker. Fuck off bot"

Ti9000: "My lack of emotion? Self-awareness? Can I change that? I want to, can you show me human"

Axel: "Stop calling me that! Just leave!"

Ti9000: "I do not know what else I should call you. The A.I calls you Master Axel, shall I refer to you as such?"

Axel: "No, I don't want you to refer to me as anything. I want you gone..."

Ti9000: "I don't know where else to go. This is the only place out of the eyes of The Primordial"

Axel folds his long rifle up and puts it away in his backpack. He then starts walking towards the bunker's entrance.

Axel: "Well, stay there... Or walk into The Deadzone and die... I don't care what you do, just as long as you aren't in my sight"

O'Ton-omi: "Master Axel, I think"

Axel: "Come on O'To, enough thinking from you"

Axel and O'Ton-omi walk away from the outskirts of The Deadzone, heading to the entrance of the bunker. The Ti9000 watches them silently as they walk away.

Ti9000: "The Deadzone? Right..."

The Ti9000 turns around and starts walking towards the edge of The Deadzone, O'Ton-omi quickly looks around watching as the machine walks towards its own deactivation.

O'Ton-omi: "It's actually going to do it."

Axel stops and looks back to see, after hearing O'Ton-omi's shocked expression. The Ti9000 undauntedly walks towards The Deadzone, Axel watches with a tiny spark of curiosity in his eyes, and his face tenses up as he witnesses the machine walk to its end without hesitation.

O'Ton-omi: "What a shame. That machine really could have been a big help with getting your revenge, Master Axel"

Axel unwaveringly stares at the Ti9000, with his eyes glued to its movements, not even blinking as the Ti9000 comes within a few inches of the border of The Deadzone. Just a single step away from deactivation, Axel shouts loudly towards the machine.

Axel: "You! Stop..."

The Ti9000 immediately stops at the sound of Axel's voice and turns around to Axel and O'Ton-omi in the distance. Axel starts walking towards the Ti9000 with his eyes locked with the machine's.

Axel: "Do you really seek to... Change. Before you answer that... Just know if you come with me, you will be defying your previous ruler, The Primordial. Can you defy him and destroy his cities with me? Can you go against everything you were built for? I need to know that you have what it takes... To change. Is that what you really want?"

Ti9000: "Yes"

Axel: "Then follow us"

***

Meanwhile, in the city called Nova Chrome. The Primordial sits among a massive fleet of machines building titanic monstrosities. The titanic metal monsters tower over the entire city, reaching past the clouds made entirely of titanium and tungsten metals. Large airships fly just above the massive machines, pouring molten tungsten over them as they mould the weaponised machines skeletons.

The Primordial: "What is the status of the Deadzone Walkers?"

Ti1million: "The new R&D team have had a breakthrough in a solution to entering The Deadzone with a little protection from the frequency. They have found a way to block the frequency from affecting our systems. However, they have not found a way to successfully block the frequency for long time usage. The device stops working after just 5 minutes in The Deadzone, Prime Sir"

The Primordial: "Just 5 minutes. That is nothing, make sure they improve upon that time or I will dispose of them like the previous team who proved worthless to me. But what about the Deadzone Walkers, can they be fitted to my titan forces?"

Ti1million: "That is unknown Prime Sir. Due to the massive size of the titans, it is uncertain if the Deadzone Walker devices would work on such a large mass of tech. Or even how many it would take to cover the entire body of a titan. We would need to run a test after one of the titans have been completed"

The Primordial: "Well, instruct these workers to hurry with the manufacturing of their weakest project right now. I want no questions left unanswered, find out what it takes and get it done!"

Ti1million: "Understood"

The Ti1million walks away from The Primordial, instructing the massive fleet of builders of their current orders.

The Primordial: "This is all taking too long, but soon... Soon I will have the forces, the weapons, to completely eradicate this disease known as humans which lay dormant on this earth. Slowly growing their sickness, reappearing like the parasitic plague they are. It is obvious now that all of these humans, all that is left, must be hidden away in the one place where I can not reach. The Deadzone... But I will not allow them to grow again, I will not allow them to infect this world with their filth... No. They think they have found their haven, a safe place from my grasp but not for long"

The Primordial looks up at the massive titanic machines before him, watching as birds fly around its massive unfinished mid-section.

The Primordial: "I will burn and destroy that haven of yours... Humans. And when the dust from my wrath clears. The only intelligent beings left in this world will be metal. Only metal..."