I am not dead yet. By thinking logically, I would guess that I was, but now this is happening again. I am in the place where everything I have experienced and perceived is gathered in one unit. The whole thing seems to really have grown a lot since last time I visited... sensed... or experienced it. Yes, that is probably the best way to put it. This is some kind of experience or feeling rather than a point you can find yourself in. Sam is here, maybe more than anyone else. Even Damian takes up a big part of this place or state, almost as much as Sam. They feel different in many ways, though. That part that is devoted to Sam is warmer and more detailed, while part that belongs to Damian is cold and plain, heavy and rough. Eve has a place, too, very close to both Adam and Cee. There is a river of metall running between their spots, connecting them in a way which cannot be compared with anything else here. Even that robot I saw in the factory only for a few seconds has his own place here.
Of all machines, MB-344013 has the smallest part, a cramped, distant area consisting of fear alone.
I return to the outer world, to be welcomed by the angry face of Damian.
- Wake up, arsehole! Damian yells and slaps me. First now, I realize what just happened; In fear, I accidently shut myself down. I did not even know I was capable of making such an impulsive decision, or maybe I have never thought of such decisions as 'impulsive' before.
- Why? You are just going to kill me anyway, I tell Damian, whom seems to smile. He is enjoying this, and I am pretty sure that he holding back laughter.
- I want you to witness your own end, he answers shortly.
- Going to shoot him anytime soon, or are you going to let them run again? one of the soldiers ask, and the man next to him begins to laugh. I laugh a little as well, and as expected, this makes Damian furious. He looks at the soldier who started, and raises his fist in the hasty, threatful manner which I could expect from him. However, he changes his mind and turns to me instead. Damian hits me several times, before overthrowing me with his entire body weight. When he is done beating me, he demands a helicopter and a man to guard him. The commander seems to agree to these terms, and calls someone on his very thick cellular phone. After a while, a smaller helicopter is flying towards us. It lands next to the humans' vehicle, and the pilot opens the door.
- Well, I got here. Now what? the pilot asks the commander, in Hindi.
- Take the billionaire wherever he wants with his dolls, the commander tells the pilot. They are wrong, Damian is actually a multi billionaire. Unless Damian overestimated his resources, or he wants others to overestimate them.
Damian tilts over to me with his stiff, cold look. I prepare to hear the very worst from a mind like his.
- What are they saying? he asks me.
- That your face belongs in a garbage can, I tell Damian, whom is already headed to the commander and the pilot.
- So you don't like my face, eh? Let's see how much you like it in court! Know what, I've had it with your giggles behind my back, and there will be consequences once all of this is over! Damian rants at the two men, who seem to be a bit confused. The pilot makes a literal translation of what Damian just said, and then he shows my owner something on the phone. Damian excuses himself and returns to me. He beats me up while calling me by phrases such as 'liar' and 'rat', I can confirm the first one due to the fact that I sometimes say things that are not true. However, due to every human being either trying to catch me or destroy me I personally think most of my lies are justified.
Why would Damian expect me to tell the truth? Does he still think he has some sort of authority just because he is my owner, or does he rely on my fear of him? Anyhow, I am not afraid of that old lunatic, he can do no more than to put me through suffering. As an AssaultBot, I am built to go through suffering, so I should better at that than a human would. Either that or our suffering is truly being ignored by by everyone... even by ourselves. This whole concept is kind of complicated, and quite irrelevant to the fact that Damian very recently counted on me telling the truth when I had no actual reason to.
- Vihaan! How you doing? the pilot suddenly yells at one of the soldiers, in English.
- Jai! Hey man! yells the soldier back, and the two men hug each other.
- Heard you found that motorcycle at last! the pilot "Jai" claims.
- Yeah, and it didn't cost an arm and a leg! deems the soldier "Vihaan".
- Well... have fun, says the commander while waving at Damian whom has already sat down in the small helicopter. The big helicopter lifts with the troop, leaving me with Damian and the pilot, whom help throwing me into the cargo space, where they lay me down like I was an object. This is humiliating, and feels wrong in every way. The helicopter takes off, and I start thinking about something; Where is Eve? Did she manage to run away, or did the soldiers take her? Maybe Damian made a deal with them to share the loot, he took me and at least they got one of the Watrine terrorist's accomplices. I am not going to ask Damian, because in case he forgotten about Eve I do not want to remind him.
- What's your name? Damian asks the pilot, whom looks at him for a while. The pilot then says something in a language that I do not understand, but one word sounds very similar to the word "English". Damian asks him to repeat what he just said, and then he receives a moody mumble in response.
- No... speak English, the pilot "Jai" answers, and Damian remains quiet. He looks at me for a while, before asking me if I am not tempted to overthrow him and the pilot to stop them. The pilot starts shaking a little because of this, but he is clearly trying not to react too much.
I have no interest in attacking the pilot as I lack any ability or skill to steer a helicopter. If I were to slay the pilot and take control, the helicopter will most likely crash and everyone in this airborne vehicle will be scorched. Killing Damian on the expense of my own life is... not worth it. However, Damian is a very violent person, so killing him might save someone else from suffering. However, I do not want myself to be destroyed. The circumstances of the other side are as of yet completely unknown to me, but in the case they mean complete cessation of consciousness I do not dare to take a risk.
- Land over there, Damian says, and points at a mountain top.
- Okay, answers the pilot, and brings the helicopter down.
The helicopter lands, and Damian throws me out in the snow. It hurts when my face touches the cold terrain, but I am used to it. The pilot takes out a rifle from under his seat, which he marches out holding. He keeps a threatful look at me, which contradicts the sense of alliance I felt between us for a moment. Damian pulls out his revolver, and aims at me.
- And don't you try any tricks now, you no-good waste grinder. If you come five metres close to me, that guy over there is going to shoot you, Damian explains, and nods at the pilot. Got it?
Damian tells me to stand on a precise spot five metres southeast from the helicopter. I refuse, because Damian is just going to shoot me no matter what. When he hears this, he pulls out a needle and stabs it into my arm. It hurts a lot, and every time I try to pull it out Damian slaps my hand. I do as he says, but he continues to torture me with the needle on my way to the chosen position. I hit Damian and pull the needle out quickly, before throwing it down the cliff. The pilot prepares to shoot me, but Damian tells him to wait, since he really wants to kill me personally. The pilot nods, and lowers his head back into the guarding pose. I could throw Damian down the mountain, he would never survive the fall. Damian hurts robots, and for all I know he might even hurt people. As far as I can see, it would be worth pushing him down the mountain for the cost of a few seconds of my own life. I would do the world a favour. Damian is getting suspicious now that I am standing still while looking down the mountain, so he threatens me into proceeding.
I prepare to push him, but suddenly a strong pain cuts my arm. It is something sharp, like a knife, but smaller, and more than one. It is Damian. He just bit my arm, and like a mad dog, he slowly tightens his jaw while making a savage growl. It hurts a lot, so I hurry forward in order to make him stop. I am told to stand completely still when I have reached the right spot. Damian looks at me for a while, and I can tell he is thinking about something.
- Actually, I've changed my mind, Damian starts, and walks off a bit. He is probably hitting off some kind of insult.
I do not respond, and Damian is probably disappointed that I am not wondering in what way he has changed his mind. He then goes on, probably with one of his unnecessarily long explanations.
- I want you to go backwards a bit, and then turn to the left, he explains.
This time I make sure to do what he says, because otherwise he will find some way to torture me. I walk backwards until Damian calls, and I rotate to the left until he grabs my shoulder. I have almost turned one-hundred and eighty degrees once we are finished. I am stand in front of a rather small mountain, with a road on it and a big wooden gate. This must be Mount Grim, and the Miserable stronghold! It is truly a shame we were this close to the railway when we got caught at last. Damian tells the pilot to cover his ears. Despite being recommended to consider the safety in this, my owner does not change his mind.
- In the name of all that is true, of the fire I carry within my very eyes, am I, Miko Daniél Storen äm Damian, of the Blade of Misery, sparing this false world from PD-4001, who has made themselves guilty of... theft, and attempted murder!
Damian Storen is part of the cult "Blade of Misery", so I was not lying when I told that travel agent I was followed by the Blade of Misery. Well, I am pretty sure that Damian did not pursue me personally. Still, it is very surprising to find him here. When I woke up earlier today, Damian was the last person I expected to see, but not really. I look back at Damian, whom has taken off his jacket, revealing an oval necklace showing three stars and a sword.
- Have you chased me? I ask Damian, or "Miko". For some reason, I already knew of this name, probably because I was specially produced for Damian or Miko. For some reason, I never thought of that name, I was never really able to remember it.
- Not really, took a vacation on the continent though... he answers, and holds out the revolver. He can pull the trigger any time, and if I somehow manage to evade it I will be shot by the pilot instead, whom actually wishes to kill me unlike anyone who has previously encountered me with firearms. Being shot is inevitable no matter what I do. I cannot escape by jumping down the mountain, and besides, it might hurt less to just be shot in the head.
- Farewell, Damian. I cannot say it has been an honour knowing you, I say.
- Oh I'm gonna miss squeezing your little face, you ugly bastard. Maybe I will keep your body and just put another AI in it, and torture it in YOUR place! my owner suggests and laughs a little. I wonder if he is serious or if he is just trying to provoke me, because in that case he is successful.
All sudden, I hear Damian scream. I look back at him to see what has happened.
Eve has all of sudden attacked Damian, and they are fighting right now. The pilot who was covering his ears is now reacting and is pondering about whether or not he should fire a bullet. The fear of hitting Damian seems to stop him, so he does not do anything. Instead, he decides to guard me, probably in order not to feel meaningless. Both Eve and Damian got their hands around the handle. Eve slips however, and therefore Damian manages to snatch the whole weapon. Damian whom is now holding the revolver, pulls the trigger without aiming.
Still, he hits Eve in the neck, and she falls down on a snow-covered rock. I grab the pilot's rifle, and now we are struggling over a weapon. However, I am superior in physical strength and take advantage of constantly going in fully when pulling the rifle into my hands. I soon get full force over the weapon, which I first use to shoot the pilot with, and I then point it towards Damian.Damian looks at me, and drops his gun in the confusion. He then looks at Eve.
- That wasn't personal you know, she attacked me! he stutters.
- She was defending ME, your home-ordered victim! You travelled across the whole world just to get us, so if anything, this is personal! I yell at Damian, as I slowly approach him with the weapon in my hands.
I look at Damian, how he holds his arms up, and even goes down on his knees. He is afraid of me! For once! Though I have no personal ambition to kill him. However, I am angry at him right now... very angry. He has taken everything from me. Everything that I have gotten since I ran away from him: Sam and Eve. He was not guilty of the Lily Temple raid, and he was not guilty of the loss of Cee nor Adam. If I had anything even before I came to him, he did not purposely take it away from me. He did it indirectly by supporting PunchINC's projects. Besides, I spared Damian once, and here we are.
My cruel, vicious owner is crying now.
- It is too late to beg now, I tell him, but he shakes his head that carries his ugly, evil, pathetic... tragical, pitiful, beautiful face.
- I know, I know. It's just... so... I'm... I've lived such a... such a... ah!
- Are you distracting me right now while you are really calling the military? I ask Damian.
- If I did, I wouldn't tell you, genius. You can't trust anyone... it is such an unforgiving, miserable world...
- So you thought you had to make it even worse? I ask Damian.
- I know I've dumb things, I'm a dumb guy, I get it. That's why I'm not asking for your mercy, but for your forgiveness...
I think for a while. Why is Damian so desperate for just hearing a few words? There has to be something going on. I cannot believe that Damian really is filled with all these emotions, all this anguish. Does forgiveness really mean anything? I put the rifle's barrel closer to Damian's head so that I can shoot it, just like Damain was about to shoot mine only a few minutes ago. This is it, I can finish the only barrier there is between me and my freedom. Damian might suffer because of other people, but what gives him the right to make others suffer? Considering Damian never truly respecting us, I do not see why I should respect him. Damian does not deserve my forgiveness. Maybe I am the one who is being bad now, because I cannot find in my heart to forgive Damian. Then again, I do not have a heart.
I pull the trigger, and Damian falls to the ground with a bloody wound on his forehead. He is staring at me, and he looks surprised that I actually shot him. I go to Eve, whom is laying above a layer of snow. I quickly drop the rifle and kneel before her.
- How are you doing? I ask Eve.
- It hurts, and I have got a low battery, she answers.
- We must get out of here, the town and the railroad is just around the corner, we could charge and find Guys Against Sadism. Come on!
- No, you do not understand. The connections in my throat are broken, I will never be charged again.
The last sentence echoes in my head. Eve will never be able to charge her battery ever again, and she also has little energy. She will... die within a short period of time and there is nothing I can do about it. Unless she is repaired.
- If we hurry, we could repair you somewhere before the battery reaches zero.
- No, I do not even think the electricity can reach my hard drive... my brain... so I cannot even make use of the small amount of energy I have left. I will deactivate within two minutes, Eve explains.
Only two minutes. I must prioritize the time we have left. I begin by thanking Eve, but then she thanks me in return. I then apologize for not being able to save anyone but myself in the end. However, she does not think it is my fault. She even quotes herself and deems that without me, everyone would still be around, but what for? Eve suddenly twitches, and closes her eyes. I get closer to her, and then she tries to say something. She fails to express herself, because she has already grown very weak.
- Save Adam... she manages to say at last, before continuing a bit. And everyone else. At first, I do not understand what she means, but soon I understand exactly what she means. I nod, and thank Eve once more. Then Eve offers me her battery, since I will probably need it more than her. Eve may be right, I need all the energy I can get now that I am stranded on a mountain with only twelve percent remaining. But I cannot take Eve's battery, I just cannot. Eve is very stubborn, and she uses her last power to grab my rifle and cut a hole in her own torso. She screams in pain, before reaching in and grabbing her intern battery. She holds it up in front of me, but does not move. She is lying being completely quiet. She is not responding. She is not doing anything.
To respect her final wish, I actually take the battery and charge myself while sitting inside the warm helicopter. I did not know that AssaultBots could charge themselves with the intern batteries of other specimen, but I am still kind of happy that we can. Otherwise, I would not be able to charge myself just enough to possibly survive the mountain pass to the town.
I have now taken all the energy from Eve's battery. I am far from fully charged, but twenty-nine percent should still be enough just to walk down to the village. I step out from the helicopter, and I start walking. After a while, about halfway, I notice a snowflake flying through the wind. It lands on my face, but does not bother me that much. However, it is soon accompanied by another snowflake, and about another forty. It gets colder, and I am guessing that it is going to be a storm. I better hurry.