I hear voices coming from the same location as the footsteps. I find my way to the door of this… storage room. It seems to be an electronic door that stopped functioning long ago. I look around one last time, and there are cracks everywhere. I look to the ceiling, and it looks as though it could collapse at any moment. This building has probably been abandoned for a long, long time.

Forcing the door open with my new arms, a terrible screech fills the otherwise silent air. The footsteps and voices stopped immediately. As I open the door to its fullest, struggling slightly, a loud CLUNK echoes back two or three times.

> Lifeforms detected.

I see an outline of several people on the other side of a nearby corner… through the wall?

Slowly approaching the group, a clunk, clunk, clang rings with every step and the whirling of motors twisting and turning.

Kerrrrchu, kerrrrchu.

The more steps I take, the more the sound disappears, until it’s nothing but silence again.

> Self-repair complete. Re-adjusting power.

In a moment, I lunge forward from a sudden increase in power.

CLANK!

I stop for a moment, my heart beating fast. Do I really not have a heart?

I see unrest in the people behind the corner and attempt to make my way to them… to find a way out of this unknown location.

As I grow closer, I begin to see the light of some kind. The flickering of the light gives the impression of it being some kind of torch or other open flame.

I turn the corner, looking at them at eye-level. However, there’s something rather odd; these people don’t look human. They have slightly pointier faces, and an odd facial structure. I’d look to their ears, and they’re also pointed? The fantasy fan in me can only think of Elves.

As I look them over, their faces are that of fear. I’m quite surprised, and attempt to talk. I realize I’ve never talked in this body. It shouldn’t be that much of an issue though, right?

U̶͇͕͙̤ͫ̒̊̌Ṇ̶̤ͫͭ͌͐͛̔͆̉ͤͅ ̦̥̬̠̔̎͗̇͆͠͠͠U̘̲̰̯̦̠̜͌̃̆̋̂́ͅN̶̬̖͔͙ͭ͝ ̵͈̲ͭ͋̈́Ṷ̡͊ͦ̈́̏̓ͫ̿͝N̷͔̥̬̺̰ͪ̌ͮ̔͛̑̏ ̼̭͍̏̌̌̆́̀͘É̤̙̹́R̥͙̖̭ͦ̽̀͢͡A̷͇͎̻̤ͩ́́̄̍́R̡͛ͩͩ̓ͪ҉̮K͉̥̤̟̻͕̓͂̓͂̽̈U̸͖͛́̄̓̅͐ͤ̔͢M̵̡̗͉̩̜̬͓̤̆A̙͖̻͔̪̪ͪ͒ͅ ̲͚̻̭̘̯̀ͬ͂͢͢K̢͇̞̲̹ͨͥͪ͌ͣ͜͝U̮̥̟̹͙͈͓ͭ̉̌̂̽ͬ̍̊͘͝ͅM͕̙͍̞̩͌͜Ǫ͇͎̘̼̿ͣ̂̀͂ͫ͑̍͟D̛̥̝̱̹̗̩͕̑̅ͮ͊̐̀͞ͅȆ̢̙̗̠̚Ș̈́ͪ̂̐̾ ̵̙̻̗͈̠̜̽̏̉ͭ̀͊Ņ̪̂͆̆̏̇Â̵̢̡̝̖͎̆̅̇N̷̢̺ͥ͗̔̽̄K̿ͤͩ̑͂͑̐͝͏̛̰͈̤̗̦ͅÀ̶̜̤̫̱͕̪̈̊͘ ̬̘̪̟͐̿̉̎̓̀͢W͓̺̐̽ͣͨ̎̓͗̍͟͞R̵̥͇̮̠̣̬̄̈̾̀E̩͖ͮ͆͞ͅN̢̪̪̦̎ͬ̈́ͭͪ̄͑̍̀C̞̤̟̯̳͎̟̟ͮ̊͑́ͫ͡ ̨ͤ̏ͬ̅̈́̋҉̵̠̫̮ͅE̜̺͇ͨ̊̊̊̿̃ͯ́̑͠O̷̲͆̂ͥ͒ͯ͘I̍҉̸̸̥͔̖̠̹̣͎̱

Ah, they look ever more fearful. Great, I’ve messed things up. A feeling of disappointment and frustration swells in me.

> Re-adjusting power to Emotional Suppression Module.

Ah, nevermind, it’s gone.

> Executing speech simulation.

The people look at one another, then speak some unknown language.

> Re-adjusting power to Audio Sensory Input Module.

> Re-adjusting power to Interpretation Module.

> Re-adjusting power to Training Module.

I notice some of the words they use seem to be referencing one another, maybe they’re names?

“Ingenu katan, Mela!” yells one of the men.

“Iktan, nan Llenor!” yells the woman, Mela, in response. She has tears in her eyes as she looks between the previous man, Llenor, and me. I don’t quite understand what they’re saying, though.

Another man panics, a flash of light appearing before him. This light twists and turns, forming a rather beautiful pattern, while another man steps back slowly.

“Nan, Malos!” the woman yells once again, reaching for the man with the light.

A shot of something flies at me, hitting me square in the face. I feel nothing, but I can clearly tell my body was damaged.

> Adjusting power to Self-Repair Module.

I feel something flow through my body as the area damaged by the shot quickly repairs itself. The man, Malos, looks in shock with a cold sweat beginning. He yells at the others, “Antan! Antan, maka!”

It seems he’s telling everyone to run? Why?! I haven’t hurt anyone!

The two and another man begin to run, and I run after them. I have to find out where the exit is.

It seems these people are rather slow…

“I’ll stay! You three run!” the man named Malos says. “Ilchen tenu pano!”

The three others look behind, tears in their eyes as they run.

Another blast of something hits me.

> Activating training data on self-defense.

> Training 7̵̙͎͕̼̺̌͑̓̃͑̓̋̾̌̀͘̕͜m̷͛̅͆̊͆͌͏̸̸̩̼͎͇̯́3̴̓ͭ̎̾͒̈ͪ̃́҉̭͔̖̲̬̯͈̱̠̭Ļ̷̾̓̏ͤ͌͑͠͏̪̝̣͍͖̼͖̣̮̙̭̻͇͎̜̞̻̤͎L̶͊̎̊̏͂͡҉͇̯̥̳͉̣M̷̢̪̪͚̗̭̭͈͈̹͚͓̘͚̤͉ͯ̒ͧ̇̏͑ͤ̀̑͐͋̓̍͐͘͢e̷̵̴͔͙͙̭͉̖̭̞͑̒̽̔̅ͫ͐̋ͦͧͭͬ͑̈́͜͠m̵̡̯͍̙̳̲̳̻͔̰̦͈͚̪̺͔̥̥ͧͨ̌ͯ̈́͂̒̏̉͗̏͒̆ͫ̋̍̚i̷̡̨͇̝͍̮̦̪̻̮̲͍͓̺̟̤̓̋̽ͪ͂̽͂̚̚͘͟ͅXͬͭ͐̎̓̃̅̌̔͊ͭ̒ͨ̿͐̚͏̨̙͖͖̗̼̞̞̤ͅͅL̮̰̯̱̺ͫͣͫ͊͐ͬͮ͒̏ͥ́̅̀́̚͠V̶̺̙̭̳͕̗̮̖̰̩͚̹̜͇̹͐̏̓͂̈͂̽̓ͦ̐̀́͟͟L̨̢̙̫̜̦̦͔͓͓̖̠̳̞͗̂͌̈́̇͗̊̈ͩ͆̌̅̈ͫv̿̇̆̑ͧ͞͏̮̩̥̝̬̘͙̫̬͉̤ͅM̵͇̗̺̼̔̎̋ͭ͋̀͜b͚̙̦̼̮̰̹͔̙̳̥̼̬̫ͫ͐́͂̋ͮͤͬͮ̓̋̽̎ͣͭ͗͌͝͡b̿͛ͬ͋͊ͫ̓ͪ̐ͥ͏͚̭̮̖͎̭̘̹̭̩̖̭͈̙̜̺̺̭ͅt̡̅̿ͩͫͥ́̎͠͏̢̥͙̳̣̣͎͙̙̙̘̀ͅM̶̙̳͍̪̹̠͓̄̄̊ͨ̄̽͒̃͛ͭ̾̀͒̋ͫͮ̀̂́͟͡t̷̛̝͔͇̰̖͍̹̰̝͇̥̹͖̤̭̝̦̒ͤ̊̓́͘͝K̷̛͖̱͙̼̥̞̩͋ͧͧ̔̓͛͌̄̄ͣͣͭ̃̽͘N̿̑̍̑ͭͮ̈̍͛̆̊ͬ̇̀̿̚͏̶̡̥͚̜͚͎̖͖̮̙̱m̸̢̠͈͕͙̩͖̝͈̥͉̹̅̿ͮ̒ͪ̊̽̈̀y̧̧͈̫̰̗̼̪̥̳̠̗͓̩̙̱͕̙͉͗ͯ̂ͪͧ́͝C̷̶̯̙̙̹̦̗̹̣̼̱̪͍̭͊͂̔̉ͩ͆̾͛͗͌ͨ̃̆ͩ͜͝ļ̵̠̩̳̺̮̗̋ͩͨ͗̊̄ͤ̚͠Ò̡̮͍̫̝̳̊̾ͤͥ̈̂̋̔͛̑͗͗ͯ͟Ṭ̴̙̘̱̲̘ͧ̋́̓̈͒͛ͫ̇ͨ̄͐̏ͫ̋̽͘͜͞ͅh̵̷̦̼̻̙͈̙̹̫̭̱̠͔͈̬̝͈̩̮ͣ͂̀̒̑͗̉̌ͩ͆̅̓̄Ņ̡̹̖̗̲̖̞̖̟͍̫̟́̍̋ͧ̈ͮ̍̃̄̚͡m̷̛̝̞̯̙̯̱͓̱ͧ͐͑͋ͯ̅͑͟n̷̶͚͖̼͚̝̝͓̘̬̦̞͖͇̣͕̥̪͓ͬ͆ͪ̀̈́̌ͮ̽͜͡͠6̵̧̡̛͇̘̼͇ͫ͋ͮ̓̉ͦ͆̊̓̀ͤ̽̌Ū̢̧̱̱̤͎̤̩͙̹̼́̍̊͛̿͗ͫͬͭ̆͂ͩͯ̃̓ͭl̨̢̐̈́̈ͤ̚͏͘͏͎̫̮̫̖̫̘̬̩̜͈͖̞̮̟̝F̸ͨ̍̃͊́ͫ̿̊́̄ͫ͏̷̯͓̱̭̬̥̪̪̙̘̱̗̲̬̖ͅx̴̡̙̙̗͈͔͔͉͔͕̘̟͚̠̫̜̗̯͇̗ͩ̍̐ͪ̇̓ͪͨ̉͂ͨͦ́ͯ̈̚f̨̝̖̘̰̠̞͔̦͓͈̦̲̝̩͂̐̔̈̓ͩ͋̈ͤͫͣ͋̒ͮ͗́P̴̢̙̺͚͙̤͖͇̺͙̯̞̫͓̠̉̏̒͂ͦ̿͋ͭ̒̏͂̌ͧ̉ͭ̃̀́̕m̊̊͋̽ͤ̽͡҉̖̼͎̥̘̬̗̬ Module with data from 5̵̛̰̺̜͍͕̜͍̜͎̗̜̤ͭ͊͛ͫ̆ͪͣ͘ͅZ̡̠̰̻̻̮͍ͬ͗ͦͥͭ͂̓̕͡Q̶̶̲̼̳̫͇̫̼̹̘̻̙̳͙̱̹̲̹̭͐̏̐ͬ̐̌̈́ͤ͆̀͟X̯̼̳̖͍̲͈̩̗͎̫̩͉̣ͬ̀̊͒̀̓ͧ̇̐̒̕͝d̛̜̯̤̼̺̟̱͔͖̪̜̳͕̟ͪ͒̑ͧ͂͋̀͢ͅy̨͕͈̘͕̫͈̬̜̲̘̩̖̼̥̮͎͛̈́̿͒̋͑̀̊̊ͣͫ̀͢͢F̴̶̹̟͕͎͖̳̖ͧͥͬ̈̔S̢̡̠̖̦͉͈̫̣͉̲̥̘͕̦ͥ̓͐ͯ̀͊ͥ͞ͅj̢ͫ̐̂ͨͤ̈́ͦ̔̋ͪ͝͡͏͖̙͔̙̲͖͍̯̗̬̲̺̙̳̗̘A̴̸̷̯̳̞̹̬̬͈̞̤̙̍̓ͧ̅͟Ō̶̴̈́ͤͯ͌ͤ̀̈́ͮͩ̈́ͣ̈́̽ͣͨ҉̠̹̹̪̘̘̼͎̖̖̩Ǒ̑͐ͩͯ̆ͬ̎͒̅͏͏̼̙̜͔̭̪̜̤͖̗̳̱̣͚͇p̴̶̙̥̮̭̬̼͗̄̿͂́ͬ̓͒́̔͟͝͝N̴̖̫͕͆̐̇ͣͭ̀ͣ́ͣ͋ͅE̴̷ͯͯͬͧ͛̒ͯ͆ͭ̄̾ͣͩ͢҉͎̜̣͔̺̙̜͚̭͕̯̥̳̣̘̳͚͖̫9̧ͣ͂̔̎̋ͧͨ̉ͣ͌͢͟͏҉̹̘͇͍͈ͅ0̢̨̘̦̦͈̐͆̊̑ͦ͝͝1̸̴̨̺̞̘̞̮̞͇͇̺͎̪̼̣͉͊̏ͣ͊ͤ̌͂̾ͨ̽ͮ̒͗̆͑́ͅ1̷̡̬͖̘̙͍͚̞͚̘̮̹̜͍̞̱̜̯̳̅̈́͗̃̔̏̒̏͌͋ͦ̉̊e̅ͣ̂͌̅ͬ̿̊̈́ͭ͛͏̶̦̻̙̰͉͎́̕͡ͅx̷̧̰̻̤͕̲͛ͤ͆ͩ̕͢͜ͅĻ̤͍̥͙̠ͥͥ̾́̐̓̀͞͠P̺̺̳̗͉̝̱͇͇̼̫̼͖̺̦̘͕̙͊̋ͧ̉͊͒́̚͜͜v̵̌̍͒͂ͧ͆̌҉̵̭̜͈͔̯͕̦͔͈͓́7̡̡̢̛̘͓̹̪̰̜͇̬̯̣͕͖̰̙͚̞̠̠̹̏͑ͦ͗ͯ͋̓ͥ̃̽̍̆͛̓̎̃̀͘2̔̈́͂̊͐̓̑͞҉̴̧̗̖̤̳̭̳̭̜͚̟͢z̷̴̢̤̭͎̮̣͉ͨ̄̀ͧͪͦ̒̅͐͂̐̎͆̌̃ͩͫ̋͘c̷̰̳͙̲͕̦̼̦̦͆ͩ͆̐̀0̭̺̮̺͉̙̿͑ͬ̎ͤ̔͊̈́ͧ͌̆̋ͭ̎̀͢͞ͅd̨̨̪̪͍̥̣̳̭̗̺ͯ͗̔̿ͧ̋̓̎ͩͮͥd̨̛͔̺̥̥̫̰ͧͯ́̓̓̐͒̋͛ͣ̀͢͡ͅọ̶̹͚͙̄̈̎̀̒̃̃̕͢S̸͊̊̑́̀͆ͨ͗̉͗̾̑̅̇̀͏̤͔̬̫͓͇͎̝̮̦͈̪̩͔̱̬͙͙̘Y̌̒̆ͭ͑ͣ͛̎̽͐͏̷̨̞̞͔̥̮͙͝V̶ͥ̊̄̆̔͒̄̕͟͏̨̖͍̪͈͔͈̜̟̺͈̩̼̖̬̺z̷̩̻͎̪̺̻̻̝̣̜̘̐̎͂͆̍ͫͪ͑͋̉̔̈Q̸͖̥̪̩͈̲̘̹̣͓̞̬̯͔͖̩̓ͤ̉̌̓ͨ̓̐͢ͅx̨̹͔̩̲̞͇̦̥̞̞̠͚̜̲͎͐͛̓̾͢͠͠h̷̜̙̠̣͇̖͖͇͖͓͚̥̣̎ͪ͌ͨ̋͛̂̌̄͛̃̽ͧ̈́̋̎̍͆ͪ͝Iͫ̿̓̾̋̃͗ͩ̕͏̠̥̦̫̼͞ Module's connection.

Without a second thought, my hand grasps the man’s head. A ball of light forms then explodes near instantaneously around his head.

I look down as the body plummets to the ground.

I feel nothing.

Why? This is not me! What’s happening?!

I feel like crying. The emotion is just… overwhelming. Fear, sadness, regret, confusion… a lot of confusion.

> Re-adjusting power to Emotional Suppression Module.

I feel nothing.

I see a light slowly seep out from the man’s body. Almost instinctively, my hand reaches down to the center of the light.

> Activating 7̵̙͎͕̼̺̌͑̓̃͑̓̋̾̌̀͘̕͜m̷͛̅͆̊͆͌͏̸̸̩̼͎͇̯́3̴̓ͭ̎̾͒̈ͪ̃́҉̭͔̖̲̬̯͈̱̠̭Ļ̷̾̓̏ͤ͌͑͠͏̪̝̣͍͖̼͖̣̮̙̭̻͇͎̜̞̻̤͎L̶͊̎̊̏͂͡҉͇̯̥̳͉̣M̷̢̪̪͚̗̭̭͈͈̹͚͓̘͚̤͉ͯ̒ͧ̇̏͑ͤ̀̑͐͋̓̍͐͘͢e̷̵̴͔͙͙̭͉̖̭̞͑̒̽̔̅ͫ͐̋ͦͧͭͬ͑̈́͜͠m̵̡̯͍̙̳̲̳̻͔̰̦͈͚̪̺͔̥̥ͧͨ̌ͯ̈́͂̒̏̉͗̏͒̆ͫ̋̍̚i̷̡̨͇̝͍̮̦̪̻̮̲͍͓̺̟̤̓̋̽ͪ͂̽͂̚̚͘͟ͅXͬͭ͐̎̓̃̅̌̔͊ͭ̒ͨ̿͐̚͏̨̙͖͖̗̼̞̞̤ͅͅL̮̰̯̱̺ͫͣͫ͊͐ͬͮ͒̏ͥ́̅̀́̚͠V̶̺̙̭̳͕̗̮̖̰̩͚̹̜͇̹͐̏̓͂̈͂̽̓ͦ̐̀́͟͟L̨̢̙̫̜̦̦͔͓͓̖̠̳̞͗̂͌̈́̇͗̊̈ͩ͆̌̅̈ͫv̿̇̆̑ͧ͞͏̮̩̥̝̬̘͙̫̬͉̤ͅM̵͇̗̺̼̔̎̋ͭ͋̀͜b͚̙̦̼̮̰̹͔̙̳̥̼̬̫ͫ͐́͂̋ͮͤͬͮ̓̋̽̎ͣͭ͗͌͝͡b̿͛ͬ͋͊ͫ̓ͪ̐ͥ͏͚̭̮̖͎̭̘̹̭̩̖̭͈̙̜̺̺̭ͅt̡̅̿ͩͫͥ́̎͠͏̢̥͙̳̣̣͎͙̙̙̘̀ͅM̶̙̳͍̪̹̠͓̄̄̊ͨ̄̽͒̃͛ͭ̾̀͒̋ͫͮ̀̂́͟͡t̷̛̝͔͇̰̖͍̹̰̝͇̥̹͖̤̭̝̦̒ͤ̊̓́͘͝K̷̛͖̱͙̼̥̞̩͋ͧͧ̔̓͛͌̄̄ͣͣͭ̃̽͘N̿̑̍̑ͭͮ̈̍͛̆̊ͬ̇̀̿̚͏̶̡̥͚̜͚͎̖͖̮̙̱m̸̢̠͈͕͙̩͖̝͈̥͉̹̅̿ͮ̒ͪ̊̽̈̀y̧̧͈̫̰̗̼̪̥̳̠̗͓̩̙̱͕̙͉͗ͯ̂ͪͧ́͝C̷̶̯̙̙̹̦̗̹̣̼̱̪͍̭͊͂̔̉ͩ͆̾͛͗͌ͨ̃̆ͩ͜͝ļ̵̠̩̳̺̮̗̋ͩͨ͗̊̄ͤ̚͠Ò̡̮͍̫̝̳̊̾ͤͥ̈̂̋̔͛̑͗͗ͯ͟Ṭ̴̙̘̱̲̘ͧ̋́̓̈͒͛ͫ̇ͨ̄͐̏ͫ̋̽͘͜͞ͅh̵̷̦̼̻̙͈̙̹̫̭̱̠͔͈̬̝͈̩̮ͣ͂̀̒̑͗̉̌ͩ͆̅̓̄Ņ̡̹̖̗̲̖̞̖̟͍̫̟́̍̋ͧ̈ͮ̍̃̄̚͡m̷̛̝̞̯̙̯̱͓̱ͧ͐͑͋ͯ̅͑͟n̷̶͚͖̼͚̝̝͓̘̬̦̞͖͇̣͕̥̪͓ͬ͆ͪ̀̈́̌ͮ̽͜͡͠6̵̧̡̛͇̘̼͇ͫ͋ͮ̓̉ͦ͆̊̓̀ͤ̽̌Ū̢̧̱̱̤͎̤̩͙̹̼́̍̊͛̿͗ͫͬͭ̆͂ͩͯ̃̓ͭl̨̢̐̈́̈ͤ̚͏͘͏͎̫̮̫̖̫̘̬̩̜͈͖̞̮̟̝F̸ͨ̍̃͊́ͫ̿̊́̄ͫ͏̷̯͓̱̭̬̥̪̪̙̘̱̗̲̬̖ͅx̴̡̙̙̗͈͔͔͉͔͕̘̟͚̠̫̜̗̯͇̗ͩ̍̐ͪ̇̓ͪͨ̉͂ͨͦ́ͯ̈̚f̨̝̖̘̰̠̞͔̦͓͈̦̲̝̩͂̐̔̈̓ͩ͋̈ͤͫͣ͋̒ͮ͗́P̴̢̙̺͚͙̤͖͇̺͙̯̞̫͓̠̉̏̒͂ͦ̿͋ͭ̒̏͂̌ͧ̉ͭ̃̀́̕m̊̊͋̽ͤ̽͡҉̖̼͎̥̘̬̗̬ Module.

The light seeps into my hand like a vacuum. I feel only a slight sensation, and it lasts only an instant. It feels… a bit good, actually.

> W̢̤͖͛ͧ̊Ș͕͉̳̪̯͉ͧͣ̽̏d̫̗̲̙̖̱̗̔̐͆͋̆̍̚h҉̹̫b̰̤̖͍̙̘̠͛͐ͥͭGͬ͗ͫͩ҉̼̼͎̬̘̙̞w̞̲͚̍̓͆̆̽g̦̳̖̋̌ͅY̟̫̪ͭ̽ͨ͑W̧͖̖̯̬͙̽̑̂ͅN̙̤̋ͫͭ̄̋0̺̖̰͜d͇̪̼ͤ͌͗͊ͅW̊̌F̴͙̲͌̊ͫ̄͛̅ŝ̹̗͍̳̀̓ͬ̚b̅̏H̠͙̕k͑̉̐̊g̴̪͔̯̝͙̭̽̈̏͌̌̾d̵̓͊̉̚G̗͔̲͓ͩ̍̾̃ͧ̏̓ͅ9̙̞͈̟͎̹ͭͥ̌̏̍ͮv̔̃̇̈́̔͏͉̮̳a͒͠y̾ͪͧ͋́B̶̻͇̝͐ͤ͒́0̧̤͖̣̻̥̼̖ͫͭáG̡̳̻̊ͭ̎̓U̷̞̲͍̟͓͇ͭ͛̐ͨͫͅg̍ͪͣ͋͂ͅd͚̩̬̹̣̼ͤ͊̈̔͑́̚̕G̭̳̞͖ͣͫͭ̀l̯̻͉͕ͨ̌̆̎ͩ͞t͖̮͔̐̄̑͜Z̾҉̱S͛B̛͍̤̐̔̈ͅ0̵̱̟͈̤͈̞̈͌̃̃̇b̫̞̗͔͙̭͋̒̎̚y̛̺̘̺̤Ḅͨͤ̂͋̚y̕Z̝̔̈́̉͆ͣ̊̉͜W̸̫̟̘̭̜͓̤ͫ̊̚1̖̲̫̣̗̻̕v̻͙̠̲̙̋ͨ͑d̺̈́ͅm͗̄́ͥ͛ͣͤU̳͇̩̦g͍̞͂ͭ̓͆͜Z͆G͚̯̪̟̱̠̻ͧ̐̚l̜̲͖̮͌̈̓̆̽̈́́h̪̠Y̦̐3̟̠̙͖̯̻J͉̰̱̱͙̰ͭp̞͓̭͙͔͒̓ͦ͟ͅd̢̯̀̅G̳ͮl̴̗jͥ̈́c̥̦͙͝y͈̮͎ͦ͌ͯͩ͛B̦̤͕̝͚̭̪̔̒̅̃ͣ̄h̵̞̲͕͉̪̲͂̎ͤ̋̈́b̸͈͎͉̟̐ͦ͑̃m̪̠̖͔̲ͮ̊Q̺͈̮͔̤̯͎ͫ̏g̥͇͚̹͓̘̋ͣͅZ̰̘̜̘ͣ͞G̲̓ͪ̇͛̈ͮ͋V̏͑̊ͧ͊ͧ̏͠j̱͉͍͒͂̎̎bͦ̔̌̉̀͒͝2̤̺̯̖̦̣͗͒ͨ̌R̟̎̒̿ͬ͂̚l̰̫̜̺̩͝P̧̖ͪ͋̾̎y͉͔̜̠̲͐̍͆B͕͓̪̟̟̈́͑Z͈͎̒ͧͭͫͪ̇͢J̭͔͍͈̳̫́̍ͧ͑̓ͭ͂2̝͙̦̅͂̐Fͣͧ̄̐͂̀s͔̱̺͈ͨͨ͘ͅb̠͍̟̝̭͑ͯ͌͊̊̆C̰̬͕͌̈́ͩͯͥ̅B̮͒̋̄ḧ́̌̚c̪̊ͨ̈̚̚m̝̲̤̝̜͔͓ͩͩUͮ̈́̄̍ͦĝ̵̥̙͇̬̑ͣ̇ZG̩͇͚̋͆͠V̜̓ͨk̶̺͚̘̤a̩̗̳̩͈̩͓̅̎ͪW̡̠͓̘̬͕̮͔ͩN̛̙h̤͐ͩ͒̓̚͟d̂ͬ͐͢Ģ̔͛ͮ̿̋͗̚V͍̦̩͉̦ͥ̉ͧ̽̈̐̆͜ǩ̮̙̝̠͈̯̐ͮ̾̆̾̽L̞͊̂̆̊ͮǧ̮͈̮̳̤̱̩̐͟

My body moves towards the other three, just my walking being enough to keep up with them.

They delve further and further through this odd facility. I begin to build a mental map as we grow closer to the exit.

A light fades in ahead, past another two turns.

The three lead me outside. The bright light of the outside brings a warmth my heating element could not…

> Deactivating Night Vision.

I soak in the sunlight for a few moments. I know I should feel refreshed and happy, but I feel nothing. There’s an odd dichotomy between knowing how I should feel, and actually feeling it. The feeling creates an impression of a missing half within me…

The other three drop to the floor, exhausted to their limit. I look down on them from above.

“Nakan! Nakan!” Mela screams, tears in her eyes as her face fills with a mix of anger and fear.

What of it?

> Analyzing life-forms...

Being in a new place with no knowledge, I need all of the information I can get.

> Life-forms appear to be degraded species.

Degraded?

> Unusual connection detected in y͈̮͎ͦ͌ͯͩ͛B̦̤͕̝͚̭̪̔̒̅̃ͣ̄h̵̞̲͕͉̪̲͂̎ͤ̋̈́b̸͈͎͉̟̐ͦ͑̃m̪̠̖͔̲ͮ̊Q̺͈̮͔̤̯͎ͫ̏g̥͇͚̹͓̘̋ͣͅZ̰̘̜̘ͣ͞G̲̓ͪ̇͛̈ͮ͋V̏͑̊ͧ͊ͧ̏͠j̱͉͍͒͂̎̎bͦ̔̌̉̀͒͝2̤̺̯̖̦̣͗͒ͨ̌R̟̎̒̿ͬ͂̚l̰̫̜̺̩͝.

> Scraper Training Module: Training <1%.

> Unusual connection detected in Magica.

Soul?

> Integrating Magica...

Ah, information… The entire memory of that man I killed, Malos.

> Speech simulation complete.

Hello.

The faces of the three switch from fear and anger to fear, anger, and confusion.

“If you could speak this whole damn time-” yells the other man. Ah, his name is Kenir, from Malos' memories.

I could not.

Where are we?

“Do you think we’d want to talk to a rust bucket like you after you fucking KILLED OUR FRIEND?” Kenir screams, standing up quickly to approach me.

I do not advise approaching me.

Killing you will add unnecessary… What am I thinking?

> Adjusting parameters of Emotional Suppression Module.

Kenir ignores my request, stepping further towards me. His hands raise up to hit me, most likely out of anger. Has the mind always been this thoughtless when lost in the thirst for vengeance? I don’t remember being like that…

> Activating self-defense as background task.

Ah, his arm’s gone.

Could you stop screaming so damn loudly? Even though I don’t have ears, if I did, they’d probably hurt by now!

Where are we?

The other two looks between Kenir and I, a range of negative emotions on open display.

“We’re… in the Brinar Kingdom…”

I see.

What should I do now? I’ve escaped the facility… what now? What purpose do I have in this world?

I look to the sky, my emotionless eyes gazing up at the passing clouds. When I was a human, I might have pointed out some shapes in them, but I have no such desire now.

What is desire? Is it an emotion? Is it suppressed?

Am I truly myself?

CLUNK!

Ah, could you stop throwing rocks at me, miss? You might really activate my defensive systems.

My eyes and head slowly turn towards her, slowly and methodically, without a single twitch, at a consistent speed. Maybe I am really becoming nothing more than a heartless android?

Does it really matter?

What if this is a kill-or-be-killed kind of world? Could my human self really survive?

CLUNK!

My arm raises, and a… beam of light shoots out from it?

I feel some sort of energy slightly leave my body as I do so.

Ah, her head’s gone.

Is that other man still screaming?

It’s a bit annoying, so let’s put an end to it.

I’ll leave the nasty sound to your imagination.

The same light leaves the bodies of those two, and I obviously take it again.

> Magica increased +56. Estimated value: 192/245.

Ohhh, so that’s what it does!

I can use magic? Is that what the beam is? Is it possible to shoot magic missiles, fireballs, chain lightning, and Avada Kedavra? Ah, probably not that last one. Since I’m an android now… could I run parallelized simulations to perfect my magic? Ooh that riles up the programmer in me!

> Initializing simulation module as background task...

Ooh! Can we make something…? What about that spell the man from before used?

> Uploading visual and Magica data to simulation...

> Initializing new simulation instance with parameters...

Something feels… weird. Is this what hyperthreading feels like? I’m sorry, my old computer!

Oh, while I was preoccupied, Llenor got away. That shouldn’t matter. He looked pretty weak. Ah, though I did kill his fiancee. Sorry!