Ambition

The dust in the air quivered and skipped around frantically like a small child with a thorn in their foot, the wind that appeared now and then led this cacophonic band, like the conductor of an orchestra.

Tiny pebbles, pushed by the wind, rolled around the pitiful remains of what had once been homes, schools, and hospitals. Among the rubble, there was no sign of rodents; no rats scurrying around searching for food among the dirt, or no flies dancing among the broken sewage pipes. Nothing.

Lifeless. Squeezed dry of the essence of life. A hopeless world. A dead one.

There was no present, there was no future. Only an ugly past.

Funnily enough, however, there was still beauty.

Light? Hope?

No.

But amongst the darkness, some places were not so dark.

Nature.

Nature is never ugly.

Cruel? Yes.

Harsh? Yes.

But there existed within these things beauty, a strange beauty that lived in all of nature. Behind its hideous face was a pretty elegance.

The red sky was so red it looked like a sponge that had been soaked in blood. Yet, it was a beautiful sky.

Under this shroud, among the debris and rubble which littered the streets, on a large rock sat a massive figure. He was hidden amongst the dust and the shadows, but despite that, he was still fearful. Maybe it was because it was not a physical factor that struck fear in one's heart. It was something beyond that...

It was something one did not have to see to fear, one just had to feel.

The dust cleared, just a little. The silhouette became visible and revealed a man. No, not a man. Something that looked like a man, but a man that was mad entirely of steel. This...man, though his eyes were not seen, one could suspect his gaze could crack the glass.

He, whoever he was, he was waiting.

Oh, and he was angry. Very, very angry.

~~~

Alden skipped amongst the stones that littered the streets, as he carefully found his way back to the boss. He was moving as fast as his broken body could move, to reach the Boss before he created more troublesome Tanks.

As he moved, he finally arrived at the open space where the furnace was located. He slowed down and hid behind a building, and realized he was close enough to sense his dagger.

"Shoot, 4 more Tanks!" Alden thought to himself. "But it's better, I miscalculated something. I only have 50 EXP after killing those Tanks." Alden decided not to overthink it and just take down the Tanks.

Alden focused until he managed to pinpoint the location of the dagger. Then he double-checked the location of the tank and finally, he let his blade fly. The 4 Tanks, which thankfully, were low-level ones were easily dispatched and Alden felt it was safer to reveal himself. Although he was confident in his new skill, he knew with it he could not beat the Boss. He needed something new.

Alden walked into the open space, as carefully as he could, all the while searching for other tanks or even the boss himself. He shot a worrying gaze at the furnace, which had a few silhouettes that were not visible within.

"Don't worry, human. They will not awaken anytime soon. " A deep voice said. Alden spun his head to see a shadow sitting under a broken-down house, on the top of a large stone.

Alden got into a defensive position, ready to fend for himself.

"Calm down, " The figure said, standing up slowly until he was upright. "I do not intend to kill you, I just wish to talk, that is, at least for now."

"Talk? What could you want to talk about?" Alden forced the words out of his throat.

"You have impressed me, human. Greatly. You have the potential to be frighteningly powerful...but this is exactly why you must fall, " The figure paused, before asking a question. "Do you know who I am, human?"

"No, of course not, " Alden replied raising his brow.

"Mar Kirr, " The figure said, and as he spoke he came forward. The shadow crept away from it, revealing a metallic man standing in the light. The Tank Boss, Mar Kirr it said its name was. "I am of the Terrian race..." The Tank paused, deep in thought as he stroked the surface of the furnace which he was now standing by.

"No, I was once a part of them. Not anymore, " Mar Kirr said, his voice now heavy with emotion.

Despite the fearful nature of the monster before him, despite not wanting to engage in conversation with this alien creature, despite all of this...He was curious. Alden was curious as to what story existed behind this monstrosity. Alden was curious as to why it was so...human?

He needed to know.

"What happened," Alden's voice was filled to the brim with curiosity, and the question stuck in the air for a few seconds, until those few seconds turned to a minute, and just as it seemed he'd get no reply. An answer came. An answer that was soaked with sadness.

"I was banished, " The monster sighed, and when it continued speaking, its voice was changed. It was no longer sad and grim but instead, the voice was now cold and harsh, emotionless.

"My people were peaceful, and we had a strong love for knowledge. Our peaceful nature...their peaceful nature, got in the way of their ambition for knowledge. They would not go to the ultimate lengths in pursuit of knowledge. They were restrained, chained by their conscience and their morals. I, however, saw beyond just morals and ethics, I saw what lay far ahead, but the price for reaching that glory..."

Mar Kirr placed his hands behind his back and looked into the flames before him.

"I was willing. I could sacrifice anything, morals or whatnot to reach what I desired. My people, however, called me a lunatic, a madman, I was ostracized for having ambition. I was mocked for seeking knowledge, for seeking the future!" Mar Kirr clenched his fist as he spoke, his voice shook with anger and Alden just listened silently, to the tale Mar Kirr narrated.

"I was banished, exiled by my people. Abandoned and alone, I began to travel desiring nothing but knowledge. I learned many, many things and discovered much more. All I learned, however, was that all I learned had no value because while I could learn all the world's knowledge...I had no use for it."

The voice changed, going from angry, to something akin to hopeful or happy.

"Luckily, I found my master, otherwise I would have been lost, stranded in the ocean of darkness. He offered me a chance to create what I willed with my knowledge, anything I wanted he would provide the resources for it...all for the simple price of allowing him access to whatsoever I create, " The tank said, its voice sounding full of appreciativeness.

"Look, " Alden said, his dagger raised, still ready to attack. "I don't know much about you, but it seems like your master is using you. The moment you lose your worth. When you grow useless, he will abandon you."

"You know nothing!" Mar Kirr raised his voice which was reverberating with anger. His voice was lowered when he continued, and it was filled with venom. "All this," Mar Kirr spread his hands out as he spoke. "It would not be possible without my master. He deserves to have the best of what I create, my real masterpiece. Years of hard work and dedication, only he is worthy enough to use my creations." The Tank pointed to the furnace as he spoke. Then he dropped his hand, and slowly began to walk toward Alden.

"Now, enough talk. Let's get this over with, " A large greatsword manifested in his hand as his powerful steps carried him closer and closer to Alden.

"I agree," Alden said backing away cautiously. Suddenly a swarm of rocks flew toward Mar Kirr, rocks that Alden had imbued with gravity beforehand.

"Worthless struggling!" Mar Kirr's voice boomed as he sliced through the storm of rocks. What he didn't know was that Alden had used the stones as a cover to creep in close using [GLITCH]. Alden imbued the staff with as much gravity energy as he could, so that not only did he increase the speed of his weapon, but he made it as heavy as possible in the last second before the attack made contact.

"Weak!" Mar Kirr said, raising his arm to stop the attack, a magnanimous shockwave formed, throwing Alden back a distance away.

Alden felt a terrible pain tearing at his body. Ignoring the pain, he immediately got up from where he slept and ran towards the Tank. A storm of stones followed him and he sent the stones flying towards Mar Kirr who used his greatsword to cut down the attack.

The wind created from his attacks was more than enough to blow away the stones, Alden attacked again, this time with a downward swing.

The tank raised his sword to deflect the attack and, right at that moment, Alden's dagger flew towards the Tank boss, causing sparks as it hit his metal body.

"Aaarh!" Tank cried out pushing Alden away with his sword and swinging in Alden's direction.

Alden raised his staff to block the attack but was sent flying, this time, he was flying straight in the direction of the furnace.