Episode 7.4 - Their Sentimentality - Part 2/2 - End of Arc 2!

"Ko!" a familiar voice calls out. I look up from the ground. A few metres away are Sek and Eshu, behind them a ring of more techno-zombified villagers, each dead-eyed, each standing perfectly at attention.

 My partners look fine, except that Eshu is, crying? I've known Eshu for around six months now, but I've never seen her cry before. She's knelt on the hard ground, hands to her face, crying, rocking backwards and forward even. Sek is knelt next to her, holding her by the shoulders.

Not far from them is Eshu's short blade; stained in vibrant crimson sheen reflecting in the moonlight. Near it is a dead villager, neck cut ope-- well, you get it, more gore in a day full of sights I fear I'll never unsee.

 "She," Sek stumbles on his words, "She was just covering our retreat, and then she just broke down. Ko, what do we do?" He looks to me with scared eyes, and for a moment - a cruel, unfair moment I loath myself for - I hate him for it. Those soft, scared eyes, how am I supposed to answer them? All three of us beaten by our inability to fight the corpse soldier villagers. We got so close, but now, we’re all reduced to prisoners, no more able than those we were trying to save.

"YOU DID WELL, BUT YOUR INABILITY TO HARM YOUR OWN KIND MAKES YOU WEEEEEEEEEEEAK," the commander says, standing at the top step leading into the town hall, surveying his remaining troops. They're mixed in amongst the thralls; five drones are all that's left, each in a terrible state of injury. I'd wager Sek and Eshu had all but won when the reinforcements arrived. If only I'd been stronger, I could have taken out the leader.

"Can it be reversed?" I manage to say, staring up at him. He looms, the drones are tall to begin with, and right now he dwarfs us all, "NEGATIVE. THEY ARE UTTERLY DEAD, DRIVEN ONLY BY THEIR MASTER’S SIGNS. THEY NO LONGER THINK OR FEEL, THEY ARE PERFECT SLAVES IN ALL MANNERS BUT ONE; THEIR BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS WILL NOT LAST."

"Y-you mean you did that to them and it won't even help you for any longer than until they starve and decay?!"

"CORRECT." He waves one arm in a distinctly, unnervingly, human motion, "THIS IS ACCEPTABLE. FIT HUMAN MALES WILL ALL BE CONVERTED AND USED. OTHER HUMANS WILL WORK THE MINES AND REFINERRRRRY. COMBINED WITH YOUR ‘MENUS’, WE WILL REBUILD OUR FORCES. WE WILL TRUMPH."

"What for! Seriously, I mean it, for real, what even for!" I find myself shouting with more force than I realised I was capable of, "Your empire is gone, destroyed by friggin Chutlu. Your programming is irrelevant now; you have no orders to obey. And even if you did, why?"
    I shakily climb to my feet, taking one step closer, "Don't you get it, can't you feel it? This is real now, and that includes you. All these people you hurt are real, I'm real, so are you! You're alive. Whatever is making Escape more authentic, it isn't differentiating between species; it’s treating all its code equally. Robot or not, it’s making you alive!"

The Commander stares hollowly at me for a moment; its flat bulb eyes display no emotion, no inclination of thought. He raises one arm and smacks me across the face. I'm sent tumbling to the floor again by the force.

"Ko!" Sek shouts and begins to stand, but a particular moan of agony from Eshu causes him to stay where he is, torn between who needs him most.
    I tenderly get back onto my hands and knees and signal him to stay put best I can, but my face hurts terribly; immediately beginning to puff and swell. I’ll be lucky if that backhand didn’t break my cheekbone.

"WE ARE NOT DEFEATED, THE MECHANISED EMPIRE HAS NOT FALLEN AS LONG AS SO MANY AS OOOOOOONE OF US STANDS. YOU HAVE REDUCED MY FORCES TO TEN UNITS? THEN I SHALL BUILD TEN THOUSAND MORE. AND YOU WILL HEEEEEEEEEEELP ME."

"What if I say no?" I growl back.

"THEN I WILL SHOOT THE FEMALE IN THE LEG. IF YOU STILL REFUSE, THEN THE OTHER LEG."

"You bastard!" Sek finally loses his composure, trying to stand and dash forward in one motion. One of the thralls grabs him before he can get far, and pins him face-first and snarling to the cobbled ground.

"SHOULD THAT PROVE INSUFFICIENT MOTIVATION, I WILL PROCEED TO FEED HER SLOWLY TO THE BIO CONVERTOR. I WILL HAVE YOUR EYES AFIXED OPEN SO THAT YOU CAN NOT LOOK AWAY AS SHE IS REDUCED TO ENERGY, ALIVE. SHOULD THAT FAIL, I WILL REPEAT THE PROCESS WITH THE MALE."

"You're scum," I mutter, "I was right, you have come alive, but all you've used that gift for is to be absolute utter scum."

"FEAR NOT, I SHALL NOT HARRRRRRRRM YOU IF UNNECESSARY. THE GIRL'S STRANGE CONSTITUTION INTERESTS ME. I WOULD RATHER STUDY YOU ALL. FOR NOW WE MUST REBUILD. MY FORCES HAVE DWINDLED TO SINGLE DIGITS."

That’s it then? What can we do now? We betrayed Lila, and for what? We could neither selfishly protect the villagers for our own ends, nor try to defend them to prevent their blood being on her hands. We could do nothing, we could save nothing.

 And look there, at my two most important people in the world. Lila dubbed me our group’s leader once - well, I sure have gone and led us somewhere truly terrible, haven’t I?
I don’t have it in me to hurt the thrall villagers; even if they’re only corpses reanimated. I just don’t have the strength to strike them without hesitation.

 Could she, I wonder? Would our mistress have been strong enough to put them to rest, to smash through the drones, armour or not? To save that boy, or the men in the tunnel, or those swaying feet in the square. But maybe that's where strength comes from; her decision to turn a blind eye to these villagers’ suffering, that too is strength. Her cruelty is strength. Her decision to protect her own, to glean a slight advantage of information over the enemy at the cost of a thousand human lives - what is that if not incredible strength?

That silver beings will torture us, I know it deep down. Even if doing so were illogical, he’s no longer running on logic, is he? Escape is making him real, giving him feelings far deeper than a faceless deployable unit in a video game was ever meant to have, and his solution to that is being cruel. He’ll kill two of us before long, if only to sate his own amusement. Perhaps the third he’ll keep alive only as a brain in a jar, to access the menu and nothing more.

 Can I protect the ones I care about from that? If I move fast, I’m still armed, I could reach them before he can stop me, I could–


Ya ‘K, that's about all I needed to hear and confirm, thanks boo."
     The voice that calls these words down from above is perhaps the most welcome sound I've ever heard. I felt so close to breaking, I was… That voice is coarse and impish; it fits her so well while being utterly befitting of a regal lady ruler. I love that voice.

"ALERT ENEMY INCURISO--" one of the other drones cries. He's cut off midway as a skeletal figure bisects him with a single stroke of his scimitar blade, the two halves of the metal man falling away from each other with a clatter. A diminutive warrior wearing a top hat turns its back on the two falling halves and actually attempts what looks like a wink in my direction.

 "Misstress, Tom!" I cry out. I can't stop the tears, however unfitting of the situation. The handful of other drones all collapse too, an Estolpfo standing over each one breezily. I stare up. So does the drone commander: "YOU?"

"Ya me, howdy," Lila replies. The commander raises his energy cannon. Tom moves. Everyone says I'm fast. Lila praised me for it, but I guess that's the difference between tier one class and two, because Tom might as well teleport. I feel the movement of air as he passes me. In a split second, the commander’s gun arm is simply gone.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" he roars, "WE HAD AN AGREEMENT."
Tom's blade flashes with the slightest movement of his wrist and slices off the drone's other arm. It smacks against the steps harmlessly.

"OUR SURVEILLANCE SUGGESTED DEMON KIND NEVER BREAK THEIR OATHS!"

"Did it?" Lila muses ever so absently, "Maybe the fancy high-class lords, true enough, but a verbal agreement under duress? Eh, I suppose maybe some Lords would follow that."

"THEN WHY?!"

"Pft, were you not planning to come attack me once you could? Not much of a moral high ground, fella. I felt like breaking it, simple as."

"ILOGICAL," the commander is now screaming, a tinny mechanical shriek of frustration, "HOW COULD SUCH BE POSSIBLE. A SOCIETY WITHOUT THE CONTRACTUAL DEALINGS OF THE EMPIRE NEEDS AT LEAST PRIMITIVE OATHS TO FUNCTION. WITHOUT THAT, YOUR HOMELAND WOULD BE ANARCHAL; LAWLESSNESS WOULD RAIN, BUSINESS DEALINGS BECOME UNTENABLE. THE STREETS WOULD BE LINED WITH THE DEAD!"

"Well, ya. I don't know where you were spying on, the Sovern’s court perhaps, but that sounds like my hometown to a tee, heh."

"ILLOGICAL, YOU ARE ILLOGICAL. ILLOGICAL, ILLOGICAL, ILLOGICAL. YOU ARE TOO FLIPPANT TO BE A COMPETENT COMMANDER. TOO SENTIMENAL, TOO UNTRUSTWORTHY, YOU CAN NOT DEFEAT SUPERIORITY......."

Lila frowns, "What's up? Someone got your tongue? You're kind of entertaining, but if you're done with the cliche speech, I'll end this now."

"THEY WILL DIE!" he beckons to the thralls, the villagers with their heads in the vice-like headsets.

"They already did, you saw to that," Lila replies more coldly, her body language immediately tensing.

The commander takes a step back away from Tom.
"......I DO NOT WISH TO DIE."

There is a long moment’s pause. I nearly fill it, but something about Lila above me tells me I don't need to.
     "Major, move," she says, "Behind me are a dozen desecrated walking corpses, behind them are bodies hanging and a machine sopping wet with the blood of those screaming in agony until their final moments. And you, the orchestrator of all that, tell me you fear death?"

The commander backs away again. Tripping on the doorway frame behind him, he falls onto what passes for a robot's backside, "STAY BACK."

Tom steps aside as instructed, Lady Lila floats closer, "I can respect evil even if my adorable subordinates can't. I could even appreciate the efficiency of your cruelty, I really could. Like bravo dude, you’re methods are top-tier eco-friendly, real diabolical shit you got brewing man.
     But you dare do this? You dare to beg for your life? To plead fear, to be scared of the end? You’re kidding me, right? One big joke, ya? You don't get to take lives if you're not willing to lose your own someday, you utter piece of shit!"

"PLEASEEEEEE--" One of Lila's fingers, just her pinky in fact, shoots out, hardening, lengthening into a long, violent spear. It skewers the commander’s chest, not even pausing for a second, it breaches his upgraded armour and emerges out the other side. For a few moments, the Commander is lifted up into the air. His mechanical feet sway in the breeze, just like those of his victims.
And then, unceremoniously, his limp body hits the floor.

"GAHHHHYAAAAAAA," I turn in shock at the sound of agonising screams. The platoon of zombies collapse one by one to the floor, clutching their heads before going still.

"They were only kept moving by a drone's signal. If they've seized their false living, it means Tom's other squad has wiped out what drones were at the mines monitoring the enslaved villagers."

"So, it's over?” I ask.

"It's over,” Lila replies.

Sek, now freed, crawls his way back to Eshu, who's still trembling.
     "What you stabbed, it wasn't alive anymore, Eshu," Lila calls over, but she doesn't even react to the sound of her voice. "Tch," the demon clicks her tongue, then floats over to me, immediately holding a hand to my cheek, she begins healing my face. On impulse, I find myself grabbing her hand, pressing it fully up against my face, and just leaning into it. The tears won't stop.

"Mistress, thank you..."
     Lila sighs, "A thank you is better than an immediate sorry, I suppose. Honestly, what were you all thinking?! If you…” She stalls and breaks eye contact with me. Is she, blushing?
"If you really felt that strongly, you should have asked me again! I know iIwas firm when I said no, but if it really meant so much to you that you'd go this far, then! Then...then…"

"Mistress?"

Pulling away from me, Lila flails her arms, blushing all the more, "Look, I just. I knew you'd left, ya know! I have a telepathic link, I can even hear what you're saying if I want - not that I, it’s all anime junk - but I can damn well sense you running off!"
    She floats in a cute, frustrated circle, "I should have stopped you sooner, but I was just, so...so!"

"So?"

"Why didn't you just talk to me damn it, you idiot!!"

The tears finally stop, and a small laugh escapes my lips.
    "Hey! Don't go and laugh at me, does your indulgence never end!"

I lean forward and hug her, "Eh? Errr, what?”
    "Thank you, Mistress."

"You really hurt my feelings, ya know," she pouts, "Still, I am glad Tom convinced me to come. Though I still have to punish him for letting you go in the first place."

"Grake Grake?!" the Major exclaims.
    "Ya, ya," Lila mutters next to my ear, "You're all so disobedient.”

She pulls away gently and looks over to the others, "We'll stay here the night, Sek, Tom, find a house that’s mostly intact and get Eshu lying down, she might be better with some rest."

"Errr, right you are," Sek replies, looking relieved to have avoided a scolding of his own. Eshu is still out of it, huddling on the ground. Lila is probably right, though, hopefully some rest will help; I’ll trust Sek to see to that for now.

"And as for you, miss runaway instigator," she turns back to me, but I've already made up my mind and interrupt her, "I know what my punishment should be," I shout through puffy eyes.

"Huh? Err, You do?"

"Make me your blood sister!"

—
"Ko, you're not serious?" Sek says.

"I take that comment to mean you both know what she just asked, then?" Lila replies slowly.

I nod firmly, "In the game world you’re from, you could become family with various demon characters. There was no Grand Imp character in the game, but I have no doubt it's a power you have."

"I do," Lila nods, "But it is one way, and it hurts extremely."

"I don't doubt it!"

"I think perhaps you should do a little more!" Lila protests, but there is no bite to it, "You really, are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure." I finally get back to my feet, eyes a mess, cheek horribly swollen, my white hair and armour alike covered in dust and blood, I pledge myself, "I never want to be weak like this again. I never want you to have to do 'evil' because you're having to protect someone as weak as me! If you lack a conscience, then I want to be it for you. I want to protect you and be with you! I don't want to just curse you for not safeguarding the thing I want - I want to protect those things and you myself! Please, Mistress!!"

Lila is silent for a long time, just staring me in the eye, her beautiful amber irises. Before, my back was to the moon all night, but now it is in front of me, up high in the sky, farming her floating form; right where I always want to be looking from now on.
"Tomorrow," she says at last, "It's been a hell of a night for you all. I'm going to go heal what villagers I can over at the mines. You three rest up. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

"I'm coming with you!"

"Eh?"

"I can wrap bandages or somen’. Sek, you'll mind Eshu for me?"

"If you insist," he sighs halfheartedly.

Lila's shoulders slump, but she nods wryly, "Alright then, come on, prohibitery sister."

I beam a smile.
     I saw so many terrible sights this night, I nearly lost everything, I caused that boy’s death, and I saved no one... But when I look at her, it all melts away. That probably isn't healthy, it probably isn't the right way to deal with all this, but she saved us, again. Just like she always does. This is what I want to do - I realise what she is to me now, in this world I can’t not face fully and whole heartedly, I know what Lila Rowan means to me at last.

End of Arc 2!