I lied to her. I can't believe I did...but I had to. I don't expect to come back, but I have to try. You see, humans are more reasonable than robots. The healthy human mind doesn't wake up in the morning thinking it'll be the last day it has. But right now, it's a luxury, not a curse. To know I'm close to the end is a kind of freedom. It's a good time to take...one last shot. Probably outpowered, probably outnumbered, most likely out of my mind on a suicide mission. But the steel and water here rusted with thousands of years of evolution...it will remember me, for this. Because, out of all my vast arrays of nightmares, this is the one I chose for myself. I go forward while lacking the fear of humanity. With vigor in my core and one goal in sight...I will kill them.
...
I was diving deeper into the water. Only 3 kilometers from The Breach. I detected some seismic disturbances coming from behind me in a consistent rhythm. Is someone following me? I turned and saw Striker's silhouette in the dark waters.
-"Striker?" I asked.
-"Gipsy! There you are!" Striker said, getting closer.
-"What are you doing out here?"
-"Look, I know Lady Noire told me not to, but..." Striker stayed silent.
-"What, what is it?"
-"I...I'm coming with you!"
This was unexpected, Striker normally followed his creator's every order and held insane respect for her. But now he's going against it?
-"Look, Lady Noire can't see it, but I know we can stop them! I know we can do it!" Striker said.
-"Striker, I should warn you, I don't think I'm going to be returning after this mission. Are you sure you want to come?" I asked.
Striker gave a nervous laugh.
-"Neither do I." Striker turned around. "This will do it, right?"
-"Wha-, Striker, how did..." I was confused, to say the least.
-"Um, yeah...I kinda stole it."
-"You stole it? How?"
-"I had to break a few rules and walls but I didn't hurt anyone so it's fine. But I'm sure I'll be a war criminal when I get back."
I don't like the fact that he defected. But then again, what am I doing, right? At least no one was hurt. If I can, I'll take the blame for Striker.
-"So again, this will do, right?" Striker asked.
-"What yield?" I asked.
-"1.2 Megatons."
-"Good enough, it's all we got so let's go."
-"Right behind you. For Cherno."
He took point and we could eventually see the glow of the rift. The Breach, it's huge! It's way bigger than the rumors.
-"What the hell?! Is that it?" Striker asked, amazed.
-"Yeah, that's our target! We just need to get close enough to drop that nuke and get back far enough before the fuse goes off!" I said, increasing my speed.
-"Got it! I imagine they won't let us through without a fight!" Striker said, running.
-"Probably, be ready."
We got about 400 meters until the drop, almost there!
...
Oh great. Two Beast signatures approaching from the other side of The Breach. Not too large but unique in structure. The fact that we're underwater doesn't help.
-"Gipsy, they're stopping on the other side!" Striker said as he drew his blades.
Striker was further ahead.
-"Hang on, I'm detecting something bigger! It's coming from The Breach!" I said.
I saw something bigger on my scanners, this one was larger than the two already here. It came up from The Breach and slowly floated in front of Striker. It had tentacles on its bottom half and had a hammerhead, supposedly for ramming.
-"Striker, I'm right behind you. I'll come around its right side and flank it. We'll pincer it once I-gah!" I got cut off by one of the Beasts.
This one had two horns curved forwards and the body of a dog. I managed to grab its horns before it could ram me and punched it down. I didn't waste the moment and held its head against the ground.
This one would go, fast! I quickly extended my sword and was about to slice its head off until I felt the other Beast take my arm clean off!
Systems down by 18%! That one was a fast swimmer who seemed to have a harder outer shell that opens. To make things worse, the Beast I was holding took the advantage and bit my knee!
Systems down by another 11%! My entire right side was crippled! But the immediate threat had to go! I extended my other sword and sliced it straight through the top of its head!
-"Suffer you meatsacks!" I heard Striker say.
I looked over at Striker and saw that he was handling the larger Beast, but not without trouble. The Beast managed to wiggle his way off my blade and got some distance. He was just looking at me, as if taunting!
-"I'm not down yet, I will kill you all!" I said, barely standing back up.
-"Gipsy! Watch out for that fast one! I saw it coming around again and heading straight at you!" Get out of its way!" Striker said over the radio.
I saw the faster Beast coming from behind the other. I decided to use its speed against it!
-"Gipsy! Move now!" Striker said.
The fast one opened its faceplates, ready to ram me. I waited until it was just close enough and threw my blade forward right into its face! It's momentum carried it all the way through. Definitely one of my more violent kills.
-"Beast down." I said to Striker.
-"Nice work but I'm getting outnumbered!" Striker said.
-"Hang on!"
I tried my best to move, my right knee was hindering my speed greatly. I saw the two Beasts start to circle Striker, not good! I couldn't get there in time and Striker wouldn't be able to take them both on!
-"I'm still fine! But my armor's compromised and the release system's broken!" Striker said.
-"I'm coming!" I said.
I need to come up with an idea and fast!
-"No Gipsy! Get as far back as you can! I have an idea!"
-"What are you doing?"
-"I can get you in there if I take out everything in your way!"
-"Are you serious?!"
-"Gipsy, I've lived a pretty stupid life. I've never done anything worth doing until now. Gipsy, get back and take cover. Just tell Lady Noire I went down like a hero huh? Maybe she'll forgive me for robbing her nation."
I realized that he had already armed the nuke. I started getting distance, as much as I could anyway.
-"I...never imagined we would part like this." I said.
-"Neither did I..." Striker said, lowering his head. "Wait for me guys, I'm coming."
I realized who he was talking to. I nodded, commending him. The Beasts were charging at him, it was already too late to stop that. Just before they got to him, Striker went up in the largest fireball I've ever seen.
I realized that I miscalculated the fireballs size and stuck my sword in the seabed to hold my ground.
The immense force of the shockwave didn't completely destroy me but it definitely hit me hard. Systems were down by 51%. Now resting at only 20%, thank the maker my reactor didn't go up in flames too. I raised my head after the shockwave dispersed and looked around. Was it over?
...
Guess not, the water returning made my systems go down by another 6%. Now, enough distractions, I have a mission to complete. As I limped towards The Breach, I realized that beyond that portal was my life's purpose. This was the countdown. My creator, I will uphold your original order...and to everyone else, thank you for helping me get here. I would've died if Typh hadn't helped kill that flying Beast...Lady Neptune and her nation would've died if Cherno hadn't been ready to give her life. And Striker...I wouldn't get a chance like this if he didn't do all he did today. But most of all, Compa...I wouldn't know what it's like to be human without you, I love you. With the newly lit determination burning in me, I was almost at The Breach. I'm nuclear...I'll do.
It's never easy, is it? I detected a Beast incoming! It landed right in front of me, the same large beast Striker fought! It's heavily wounded! THAT'S IT, I WILL NOT BE MOVED. THIS THING DIES NOW. I activated my jump jets and charged at the Beast. Once I got close, I stabbed my sword into its back, pulling it down with me.
The Beast was too weak to fight back and fell all the way down with me. I felt electricity ark from The Breach to me as we got closer.
I instantly felt warm as I exited the other side. I arrived in some kind of transfer area. I retracted my blade as I continued to float down. I was too weak to protest any movement the current made me do.
I was slowly floating down until I saw some kind of fleshy door open under me.
Falling was all I felt. Simply observing this strange place had me in awe. Finally, I exited that passage and was dropped into a massive underwater cave. It's odd to see a ceiling above the water.
My scanners couldn't even make sense of it all. There were unknown structures and formations in the terrain, odd electromagnetic anomalies and multiple signs of life. Eventually, my head turned and faced downwards.
...
By the maker...hundreds of them. They were strapped into the odd terrain formations in droves. I floated down and eventually saw three smaller lifeforms who looked different. Had I...found the masters? I was so weak that I needed to perform a fuel purge from my reactor to even face them.
Surprisingly, they spoke a language I could understand.
-"Y͢ou ͟ha͢ve͠ ͜final͝ly ҉arr͘i̴v̧e̸d̷, oh ģr̴e͘at ̡B̴e͠as̶t ̀S̸layęr.̀" One of the alien figures said.
-"Yoùr existe͢nc҉e ha̴s ͏bee̵n ͢pr͜o̸ph̶es͠iz̡ed̸ ͟i͟n҉ our a͝nc̀i̢ent ̧ţèxts͠.̶ Y̢ou e̢x͏i̵st to̧ f҉igh̶t ͢a̡n͢d to͝ ́k̢i҉l͟l҉ ̢our͜ Be̶ąs̸ts̡.̢ ͝A̢nd ҉s͢e̶ei͏n̡g ho̸w thè otḩe̵r̶ ͟dįm̨ens͏i̧on h͠aş n͘o͘t͢ ̴be͠en͡ t̡u͘rned̴ ín͟t̢o rubbl̵e̶,͢ ͜i͞t͟ wo͜u̕l̴d͏ ́s͝e͝ém y͘o̕u are ͜d̛o͞ińǵ ҉ẃel̕l ͟to̕ p͏ŗotec͜t ͜it, Slay̡e͜r" The second one said.
-"A̧n̵d ̶y̴óư ̷co̷me͠ here to҉da̸y̸,͢ ̡no̢ ̷d̵oųbt t̕o̸ ̧d͏estr͠o͢y u͘s a͝nd͠ sa͡v͠e̕ your̸ ̕d̡i͜m͜e̡ńs̵i̷on,҉ c͠or͜rec͜t?̸" The third said.
I could only nod in return.
-"W҉el͠l, ̷s͢h҉o̧u̸l͜d ̵yo̧ur͞ gra͏ce ̛be ͟s̶o kínd͞ ̧to ̡l̢ęn̛d͟ ͠us͠ y͘ou͡r ̕eàr҉, w͟e̸ ̶w҉oul̨d́ ̴li̡ke̶ ́t͠o͡ ̢humbl̵y͘ ̕s̶ùģg̨est̶ ̡a̷ ͢diffe͞ren͘t̛ ͟opt͢i̸on.̨" The first said.
I tilted my head, curious.
-"Ah!͏ ͝T͝h̵a͜ńk y͞ou,͜ Sl̨ayer. Y͜ou ͘s̨ee͝, theŕe ͏is ͢a͞ ͜po̧s̷şi͘bl̷e ͞re͡a̡l͏m o̢f ȩxi̸s̛ţe̢n̡ce̢ s͜o ͢f̷a̧r̕ be͢yon̷d th́e h̢u̵m͢a̶ns',̕ t̶hey͡ ҉ca̵nn͝o͢t̶ even̡ i̸m̡a̴g̨iǹe͟ it.͘ T҉he ̸h̴um͘an͟s ҉ar͜e ͏ru̕dimen̛t̴a̴r̸y͞ c̶re̵a͠t̷ures̢ ͜o͡f blo̷od̕ and̸ f̷l̡eşh́,̧ ̴they͟ t͘o͝uch o͝úr ͡mi̛nds,͞ ̷fu͘mblin̢g i̸n͟ t͘ḩe̡i̶r ͏ign͠oránc͡e. ̡O̵r̴g҉án͘ic̷ ̀l̸ife ͢i̶s n̷o̧t҉hi̡n̶g b҉uţ a ̢ge͢neti̧c̷ ҉mut͜a͟ti̵on͟,̡ ͢w̛it̛h͞ ͢yo̶u͜r ͝te̢ch͡no̡ĺog҉y, both͏ you͜,̶ ҉the͜ ͢h͘uma͞ns ̨a̕nd o̷̧͟ų̕ŗ͜ kiǹd͘ ͜gó͘ f̸̢ùr͢t̷́͞h̵é͝r̶̷." The third said.
I redirected more energy to my speech synthesis.
-"Wh ͞y ̡do y̨o̵ù ͞ev͡e̕n do̶ a̛ll ̀t̸ hi͘s, t̵h͝e͝n̸?̨ Wh͞a͝t͏'͢s ý ͞ǫu͞r̢ ̛p͟ r͞obl̛ ̕em ̛wi͢th̛ h͟u̡man͘s?̀" I asked, my voice sounding broken.
-"Thei̷r̕ c҉onf̴i̛d̡en̛c͟e i͠s̢ b̀o͝r̸n͞ of̶ igno̴rance͞, ͏t͟h̸e cy̷cl͟e̕ cànn҉o͞t̢ b͠e br͢oke͜n.҉ ͜The͢ pa͢t͟ter҉n̴ h̴a͘s̶ ̨repea̢ted itse̢l͡f ̸in͟ ̷e͏v̸e̶ry̛ ͘h͞uma̛n͠ ̀mo̕ŕe͞ t̨i̶me҉s͏ ̢tha̧n̨ ẁe ͟ca͘n ̷f̀a͜thom̶.͢ Hum̢a̷n͞ ̛ci͠v͟iļiz̧a̡t́ions͢ ͘rose, e̸v͏o͡ĺv̷ed͏,̶ ad͡v҉an̴ce̶d̸ a̛ǹd̀ no͝w,̴ ̛a̛t͏ ̕t̕he apex̀ of҉ t͜heir̨ glóry͞,̵ t͠he̷y̕ ̡c͜a̸n b̶e̢ so̷ m̵uc̕h͘ ͡ḿo͟re." The second said.
I thought of what he was saying and of what my creator was telling me. And I put two and two together to finally see the bigger picture. If I let this happen, the whole world, maybe even whole dimensions will fall. And as one final image flashed through my mind, I swore to myself that I will never let anything that destructive happen ever again.
For some reason, I felt a massive boost of energy welling up inside me, I felt stronger than I've ever felt before! What is this power?!
-"At last...this is the place I've waited to see." My creator said.
Blue Heart, you're here. Are you doing something to me?
-"Yes, I am. And I'm glad that you've finally completed the simple task I gave you. Well done."
Hm.
-"I will disregard your rude tone, just this once. Now, I want you to kill these three aliens and allow me to merge with the Beasts here. We will form a mass of raw power unlike anything any dimension has seen before. I will use this power to make a new body, one that will be the end of everything."
My creator...I'm afraid that this time...I cannot follow.
-"WHAT?"
-"S҉o, m͡achìn̢e,̵ ҉w̕ha͘t ͢wil̨ļ ̛yoú be ̕i͏n̶ ͢y̢oųr q͘uest ͡t͠o͟ pr͞òte̶ct̀ th̢e̸ hum͢an͝s̢?̷" The first alien asked.
I looked down at my core.
-"What am I?" I raised my plasma cannon. "I am your extinction."
I fired on the aliens and began purging my mind of the Neural Link with Blue Heart.
-"Gipsy! GIPSY! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! I'M, I'M FADING!" [PURGE_PROGRESS: 13%]
I'm sorry, my creator, but I cannot allow you to kill more innocents...not anymore.
-"I AM YOUR GODDESS, YOU WILL NOT BE MY DOWNFALL." [PURGE_PROGRESS: 38%]
You gave me life, and I will never forget that. But there are those who have taught me to be human. You did not.
-"DON'T DO THIS GIPSY! PLEASE! I'M SCARED! EVERYTHING'S GOING DARK!" [PURGE_PROGRESS: 63%]
My creator, I just have one last thing to say.
Mission complete.
-"I..." [PURGE_PROGRESS: 72%]
Creator?
...
-"Gipsy...I...I'm sorry." [PURGE_PROGRESS: 76%]
Rei Ryghts? Is that you? I haven't seen you since the day you created me.
-"I don't expect to be forgiven for all I've done. I'm sorry, Gipsy." [PURGE_PROGRESS: 83%]
...
It's good to have you back, my Lady.
-"It's...it's good to be back, Gipsy Danger. But, I don't think I have long left." [PURGE_PROGRESS: 87%]
...
I'll miss you, Rei. But I'll always remember you.
-"You promise?" [PURGE_PROGRESS: 92%]
Yes. I'll never forget you.
-"I'm so...proud of you." [PURGE_PROGRESS: 95%]
I love you...Mom.
-"I lo̷v̴e y҉͡ou̷͞ t͏̧͢҉͡o͘҉̴̷̡o̡̨̕." [PURGE_PROGRESS: COMPLETE]
...
She's gone...for good. I'll hold my promise to Rei. I always knew that she'd come back someday. But we both knew that this had to happen...now she's finally at rest. I felt an intense emotion I had not felt before...sadness. Rei Ryghts is gone, my own mother. She brought me into the world when she needed me most. And blessed me with life. Now I'll complete her final wish.
I looked around and saw all the Beasts in their restraints. My body was still damaged, but Rei's Share energy still flowed through me. Thank you for this gift, mom. I'll make sure you didn't die in vain. I extended my sword and realized that the blade was infused with Share energy. Easy targets, when they don't fight back. Along the way, I also killed any of those aliens I found and their odd structures.
...
...
...
Compa P.O.V.
Looking out to the sea from my window, I was hoping and dreaming about seeing Gipsy rising from the water. He's been gone for 2 months now. Everyone thinks he's dead, but the fact that there hasn't been any more Beast attacks since he left proves that he's still out there! Noire just wants Striker to come home, she misses him. I heard a knock at my door and Iffy came through.
-"Compa, I'm gonna need you to-oh, sorry. Bad time?" Iffy asked.
-"No, it's okay." I said.
-"Hey, are you alright?"
-"..."
Iffy sat down on the bed, next to me.
-"It's about Gipsy...isn't it?" Iffy asked.
-"Where is he, Iffy? I just want...I want to see him again." I said, holding in tears.
-"...I don't know. But all we can do is wait. I'm sure he's trying his hardest to get back here, back to you."
-"I want to believe it, but how can you be sure?" I said, failing to hide my crying.
Iffy took a moment before putting her hand on my shoulder.
-"Because I know him. He won't give up just because he's hurt or because he's tired. He keeps going. And you're the most important person to him, you know that right?"
I stared out my window again.
-"I know. But...I miss him." I said, putting my hand on my window.