by Zac Strong
“Enough!” roars a thundering voice, echoing throughout the pit.
Everyone’s on the edge of their seats.
Xander hurdles the wall, sprinting into the pit towards us. “It’s me you want. I challenge you!”
Leon adjusts his footing, thinking about his next move.
He dropped his guard. This is my chance.
I dig my feet into the sand and launch myself into the unsuspecting mountain. My right hand collides with his jaw causing him to stumble back a step and causing my fist to instantly swell twice its usual size.
I quickly retreat away to the edge of the pit, noticing a few drops of blood spill from the corner of his lip. I’m too amped to immediately feel the sharpness shooting down the side of the bones in my hand.
The rage in his face ignites as his veins bulge from under his skin. He cocks back and heaves his spear straight at me.
There is no dodging it.
It’s too fast.
I’m too weak.
Seconds before his javelin impales me, Xander reaches out and snags it from the air. Slamming its nose down in the sand, he raises his fists to Leon.
Wasting no time, I race past Xander and dive towards Leon positioned for a form tackle. This is still my fight.
Leon squats down and uppercuts me with everything he has midflight.
My feet leave the sand.
My back is first to return.
Xander immediately attacks behind me, striking Leon in the jaw with a powerful right hook. His second punch is parried as Leon lands a kick to the body that makes the audience wince.
I try to rise back to my feet, but my balance is fighting against me. My ears faintly hear Jacee scream for me, but it’s too dark to spot her in the crowd. For some reason I find the image of her distraught, breaking down over my corpse front and center in my brain. The image becomes my motivation as I stand ready to fight against any reality involving that.
Xander blocks a solid punch and returns a counter strike knocking Leon to the ground. Leaping onto him, Xander attacks again, striking with an arsenal of right and left hooks.
Leon uses his legs to grabble Xander and manages to kick him away. Dazed and off-balance, he crawls in front of me, on all fours, searching for steady ground.
I grab my sword and stumble over to him, summoning what’s left of my strength. Taking a few short steps, I land my boot perfectly across Leon’s chin sending him motionless to the quaking ground.
Xander nods at me in approval as I fight to find my breath.
With both hands I lift my sword and drive it into the heart of the mountain, killing Leon.
The crowd, speechless.
A few long seconds pass before the pit explodes into wild screaming and cheers. Xander raises my fist high in the air. Bloody and beaten, the rest of my body falls to the ground.
Their cheers are for me.
My eyes find Jacee’s at last. The look of relief on her face stands unmasked as she rushes over the wall past Cyrus in my direction.
I actually did it. I survived.
Chapter 6
I’ve always admired Poth’s flat. Very open and styled, right beside the Lethe Tower, not somewhere you’d expect a guy with green hair and a dick upgrade to live by himself.
“You made it,” Selene squeals as soon as her violet eyes find mine, seizing my attention completely.
“I made it,” I reply, palms raised to my side.
She pauses a moment to smile before wrapping her arms around me tightly. With her purple hair in my face, I could easily get high on her smell.
“I’m sorry about what happened, Eros. I didn’t know he was going to-”
“It’s fine, just some stupid race to get the attention off the protests anyway. It’s not your fault though. I would’ve come back and won it if it wasn’t for…”
“If it wasn’t for what?” she asks, studying my pupils.
Making sure only she could hear me, I whisper, “I saw something out there. It sliced one of my wings before I lost connection.”
“What did you see? A droid?”
“A child.”
“Impossible. There’s no way a child can survive the Outlands, and there hasn’t been one born in Olympia in centuries.”
“I know what I saw. It was just standing there, looking at me. I feel I should report it to Lethe, to be honest.”
“You do that, you’ll be labeled crazy. They might even think you’re lying to have an excuse for losing.”
“I’m not crazy.”
“Are you sure you saw what you think you did? It was an extremely high-stress moment. The heat probably played a factor.”
“I know what I saw, Selene.”
“All I’m saying is you should have some proof before you go crying wolf. I’m supposed to be meeting my friend, Vulcan, tonight. You’re welcome to join us. He’s the guy you want to talk to about this.”
“I can’t tonight, already have plans with Poth.” Every year Poth and I continue our tradition of getting completely fucking trashed for the anniversary. This year, after the speech, we’re going to Pankration. Admittedly not the classiest, but definitely the most entertaining place to be tonight. The gladiator-style octagon is suspended in the air, center of a crowd that craves only one thing, blood. Two Machina that have trained their whole lives for this one shot at fame fight to the death, or their equivalent. The more organic the Machina, the better the fight. Tonight, Herc Saibot defends his crown.
“You fucking ready for tonight, E!?” Poth shouts like a maniac ambushing me from behind. He hands me a drink so strong I catch a buzz from just breathing the air around it. “I’m gonna try not to get too fucked up tonight,” he lies.
“Yeah. Fucking. Right.”
“No, really bro.” The doorbell buzzer interrupts Poth before I can tell if he’s fucking with me or not.
“Who else is coming over?” I ask as Selene and her friend, Sophia, make their way outside the glass wall to the balcony, cocktails refilled.
Poth sneers.
A surprisingly familiar face steps through his door.
“Tal! Did not expect to see you here.”
His robotic head snaps to me as Poth disappears towards the rear of his apartment.
“Honestly, I was not expecting to be here. Your friend insisted. He is a.. he is different.”
“Can I get you a drink or something?” I joke without being able to hide my shit-eating grin.
“Ha. Ha. Very funny, human,” he replies sarcastically.
“How do you know I’m human if you cannot know anything for certain?” I ask playfully.
“Ah, you remember our last conversation. That is very flattering, Eros.”
“You are the same Machina that I met at the Ugly Mug, right?”
He pauses for a few moments. Looking towards the ground he lifts his head and replies without emotion, “To tell you the truth, I don’t know.”
Here we go again. I must admit I do find a sick sense of enjoyment in getting him going.
“You don’t know???” I ask throwing my hands to the sky dramatically.
“In my defense, that is an extremely difficult question to answer. First, as per our previous conversation, how do we know anything for certain? I may be the same Tal or perhaps I am not. If I am, then we have another philosophical endeavor to conquer. Are we the same being that we were a year ago, a day ago, a second ago? I am not sure I am. If you can compare two things, those two things are not the same. Suppose you were to replace every brick of this tower, one by one. When you replace the last original brick is it the same building or is it a new one? Suppose you stored all the original bricks that you replaced and arranged them in the same manner as they formally were, creating another skyscraper. Which building is the original? I am not sure an objective answer exists.”
We both make our way to the white fuzzy sofa in the center of the room in unison. A tiger print rug is stretched beneath it. The network’s best anchor is hosting the speci
al anniversary event along with a Machina woman. The woman’s model appears to be top of the line. In her suit, I can barely tell she isn’t human. I guess it doesn’t matter if she’s human or not. Anyone can report the news.
“I understand it doesn’t matter either way, how we label the building. We are all trapped, going through the motions until the singularity, until we can escape our code.”
“That’s kind of depressing, Tal.”
“There is a silver lining. We get to be aware.”
I step outside the glass wall and say hello to Sophia, trying not to be rude. She raises her glass slightly in the air to toast me without breaking her and Selene’s conversation. I have no idea what they are talking about. Something around one of the other women they know dating a Machina. Gossip.
Poth and Tal join the rest of us. I notice Sophia’s eyes all over Poth as soon as he steps out. She might be good for him. Maybe she can calm his ass down a bit.
A crowd is already gathering over the square outside Lethe Tower. Poth’s balcony is the best view in the city. We should be able to perfectly see Archer Lethe and all of his adorners from up here.
“Happy birthday, Olympia!!” echoes a drunken voice from a few flats below us.
Poth immediately responds.
“We’re fucking capital of the fucking world!!”
If toxic nationalism were a competition, he’d place first and third. I’ll never forget that night a couple of decades ago when Poth threw a guy through a second-story window for trying to burn a Lethe Corp flag. From what I remember, which can’t be too much
considering my inebriated state, the poor guy was complaining all night about the escalation of force by some of the Lethe employees, the Suits. Apparently, Lethe had recently changed some of their policies, which marked the beginning of all these protests. As soon as the guy ripped the black flag down, out the window he went. He wasn’t hurt too badly or anything. Poth was pardoned, of course. Being on Lethe’s side of the issue has its benefits I suppose.
“So, tell me about yourself, Mr. E,” demands Sophia peering at me from under her oversized sunshades.
All eyes on me now.
“What would you like to know, love?” I reply with the most charming grin my face can hold. Through my countless years of experience, I know first and foremost, once you impress the best friend, you’re golden.
“Are the rumors true?” she asks straight forward.
“What rumors?” I return.
“Womanizer, misogynist, self-centered… Look, I just want to know what type of man is going to be all alone with my girl. I can’t let her go off with just anyone.”
“I can respect that. The rumors are only half true. You see, my whole life I’ve been called shallow. Date a few thousand women and you’re automatically labeled a lady’s man. I don’t think that does the truth very much justice. Perhaps the real reason I was so unsuccessful in all those brief relationships is simply that none of those women were you, Selene.”
Selene just melted.
Sophia smiles adoringly as she tilts her head just barely to the side. Her hand over her heart. Got her.
Poth’s eyes roll to the back of his skull.
“What about you Tal? Have you ever had any feelings for someone? Is that even possible for you guys?” I ask.
Before he has a chance to explain, great white and red fireworks blast from all sides of the square, coloring the sky with beautiful shades of fire as the presidential anthem blares from the loudspeakers below. And so it begins.
The crowd around the stage has grown dense, in more ways than one. They’ve been waiting hours for their chance to see our fearless leader of Olympia. They suffer in the heat, sacrificing their comfort for just a glimpse. Their entire day is dedicated to hearing the words that leave his mouth, and they actually believe they are free, somehow different from the mindless Lethe droids that stand protecting the stage.
A formation of Suits, march from the Lethe Tower doors towards the giddily eager crowd. Their path flanked by black flags stamped with red Lethe eagles gently waving in the warm breeze. Two giant golden statues of the same eagle are perched on concrete pedestals in the far corners of the rise. Lines of granite stairs lead down to the square between them.
“Why are there so many Machina?” asks Selene.
Surprisingly, Poth chimes in before I have the chance to clear my throat.
“Those guarding the stage with the red eyes aren’t Machina, they’re droids. Droids are pretty much just machines that can walk around. Machina are kind of like droids, but they’re sentient like our friend Tal, here.”
I must say, I’m impressed. With merely one conversation, Poth has transformed from blatantly racist to an informed citizen.
Following behind the first formation marches the father of Olympia himself, Archer Lethe, encircled by his personal entourage of Suits and droids.
My new eye quickly scans for Oriyen but fails to locate him from this altitude. I’m sure he has better things to do than show up to some prim anniversary celebration.
Gigantic display screens tower over the square, allowing everyone the opportunity to see what’s happening. The three in the middle are focused solely on the man of the hour. Some say he’s crazy, that he went mad throughout the centuries. Others rumor he died long ago and uses holograms or even clones to keep Olympia together. He looks like a normal old man to me.
Both the hair on his head and his grandfather beard are as white as a cloud. His hair is short and styled, shaved close on the sides. His black suit is neatly pressed with a red tie at his center. Looks like he’s in better shape than I am. On his collar, an Olympian flag pin. He holds his chin high and his shoulders broad. Gliding up to the mic he adjusts his suit jacket, straightens his tie. He’s responsible for it all. The good. The evil.
“Today is a very special day ladies and gentlemen, human and Machina. I’m pleased to join with you in what will go down in history as the greatest celebration our city has ever witnessed,” he begins enthusiastically as the crowd gradually becomes more silent. Every human and Machina in sight quietly face his direction.
“Several years ago, a great man, whose symbolic shadow we stand today, helped me create a catalyst for our future. From his effortless devotion, our existence was preserved. Out of chaos rose perseverance. From the ashes of a world on fire, Olympia was reborn. I wish my brother Niko could see what we, what this great city, have created, but there is still work to be done. The fight must continue. It’s not enough to simply preserve life, we must better it! It is our evolutionary duty! We not only owe it to ourselves, but to everyone and everything that comes after us. We are the future!”
He pauses a moment taking a sip of water from under the clear podium. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a man more relaxed, or dangerous.
“The next step in evolution is human-Machina symbiosis. Only by unifying and working together will we ever defeat those who wish to see us fail. Olympians, even though we face great difficulties, I have a vision that humans and Machina alike will live in
a city where they are not judged by their appearance, but by the content of their character. This is a future to strive for, but it cannot happen overnight, especially with the setbacks due to anarchist terrorists!
“Our goal is clear. One day every black sand valley shall be exalted, every dune and mountain shall bow to us. Our allies will thrive for an eternity, and our enemies will perish below the heaviest of the Outland hills. And the glory of Olympia shall be revealed, and all flesh and metal shall see it together! This is our hope! This is the promise that I go back to my tower with. With this promise, we will
be able to transform the jangling discord of our city into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood!”
Applause erupts like an earthquake shaking the very foundations of Olympia.
“May the stars shine on Olympia!”
The crowd is going absolutely wild, the cheers far outnumbering the boos. Selene and Sophia are comple
tely captivated. Standing applause all around us. Even Tal is applauding. The guy knows how to write a speech. I’ll give him that.
Archer waves at his adorners as they scream and cheer for their hero. I can’t help but feel like he’s playing them.
As the girls wipe the tears from their eyes, I catch something weird behind them. The display screens flicker. All of them at the same time. I don’t think anyone realized it at first, too caught up in the moment. A few seconds later the screens flicker again as the loudspeaker screeches loud enough for everyone to grab their ears.
My heart stops.
The disordered crowd becomes quieter as everyone looks around trying to figure out what’s happening. This is odd timing for maintenance on the solar farm. Could this really not wait until tomorrow?
The protector in me hears Selene gasp as my eyes jerk back towards the stage. This isn’t an issue with the solar farm… Above Archer, on every screen, is the image of a glitched clock, flickering in waves behind a static background. A chilling message appears around the clock. On every display. Every TV.
The Time Is Near.
Pandemonium takes hold of the square like a pandemic. People rapidly begin to panic, as a group of Suits surround Archer and rush him inside.
Seconds before he reaches the door an explosion erupts, blasting fire and debris in all directions from the base of the Lethe Tower. The shockwave knocks us all to the ground as a never-ending storm of broken glass rains from above.
Chapter 7
It’s been weeks since I defeated Leon and he still won’t admit it. He claims I cheated because of Xander’s little stunt. There’s no cheating in a fight, especially in the pit. Pretty sure he’s just a sore loser. I am kind of relieved he isn’t such a dick anymore. Well, to me anyway. I think I may have even earned a bit of the mountain’s respect. The first day after I killed him, I nearly shit my pants when he walked into the dining hall. Apparently, everyone but me knew he has the same mutation Niko Lethe had, the gene responsible for the sustenance pills. The only way to kill an immortal is through the brain. Leon’s the only one I’ve ever met, but I’ve heard rumors of others.
