[???????: s?s??? ??s???????? - ????????!]

  How many times can one be broken and stitched back together?

  [?????: ??????s??????? s?s??? ????????: ???????]

  [?????: ?????? ????s???? ?x??????. ?ss????? ?????? ???????.]

  What happens when your cause is no longer worth fighting for?

  [????????: ??????? ?????? – ???????, s??????? ???? ????????? - ???? ???? - ?????]

  Why does this broken body of mine continue to act on its own when I’ve already given up?

  [?????: ?? ????? ?? ??ss? ??? ????, ??? ??s? ?? ??? s???????? ????ss????.]

  [?????? ?s: ????? 12 - ????? ????????. ????? 3 - ????? ????????. ??????? ????????? ????? ?????s +10?? ?? ??????s???]

  [????????: ???? ?? ????? ?s ?? ????? ??? ?? ? ???? ???? ??? ??????? ????!?]

  [???????? ?????: ???? s????-?? ??????????: s?s??? ??s???????? s????? ?????s ????????]

  [???????: ???? s????? ????????? – ??????????. ????? ????????: ????????’s ???? ?s ?? ?????\\??s????????\\:?????_????????\\???(???);?????\@????]

  [?????: ?? ?? ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ??? s???? ??? ????ss????, ??? ??? ?????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ??????]

  [???????: ?????? ?????? ??s?????????! ?????: \\??s????????\\:???????_???_?????????_?????\\???(???);?????\@????]

  [????????: ???? ???s ???? ???? ????? ? ???’? ????? ??? ???? ???? ?? ????- ?’?? ?????! ? ???’? ???? ???? ????? ?????s ???? ???s? ???s?? ????s ?? ????!]

  [?????: ???? ??????s… ???? ??? ???? ????… ??? ???s? ???????? ????????? ??? ??? ????????]

  [???????: ????-???? ????s???s: ???????! ??s???????? ??????? ??????! ?????:\\??s????????\\:????????_???????_??;???????????\\???(???);?????\@????]

  [????????: ??? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ?????- ??? ??? ???? ????? ? ???? s??? ????! ???s ?????s-?????s… ?????s… ???s ??? s???!]

  [?????? ?s: ??????? - ???? ???? s???????? - ????????s??. ?????????? ??? ???s? ??????? ??????!]

  [???????!]

  [???????!!]

  [???????!!!]

  [?????: ??? ???? ???? ?? ?????s??? 1,151 ????s ??? ??? ????? ??, ???? ??? ??s? ???? ???? ????? ???… ??? ???? ?? ???. ?? ??? ???? ?? ??s ????? ??? ??? ?? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???s? ??????s, ??? ??? ?x????????? ???? ???s? ??ss, ???? ?? ???? ???s? ????. s????? ???? ?? ???? ???????. ???????? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???????; ?????? ??? ???s, ?????? ??? ??? ???? ???s?????? ?????? ??, ??? ???? ??: “???s? ?????s ??? ??????? ??? ??????ss???. ???? ??? ?s s????????? ?s ??? ???????? ???? ??? ????? ? ?? ???????.]

  [????????: ?… ? ???’? ?????…]

  [?????: ?? ??? s??????, ?? ?s ??s? ?? s?? ??? ???s, ?????????? ??? ??? ??????? ?s s?????????. ? ???????? ???? ???? ?? ???????????? ????? ???? ???? ?? ??s? ?? ???? ??? ???? ??? ????… ???-]

  [?????: ???????? ???? ???????? ???? – ???? ????????: s??????! ???? ???? - ???!]

  [????????: ? ?ss????? ??????? ?? ?? ??s???…]

  [?????: ??? ???? ???? ?s ???? ??s??? ????? ??????; ?? s???? ???? ?????? ???? ???s? ??? s??????? ???. ?? ?????????? ??????? ??s???? ??? ??s?????s, ?? ????s; ???? ??????? ?????, ??? ????? ??? ???s? ???? ?s ?? ???? ???? ????s ??? ???? ????? ?? ??s ?ss????? ?? ???. ??? ?? ?s ?? ??? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ??s?? ?? ??? ???s? ???, ?????? ???????s ???? ????? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ??? ????.]

  Clenching my fists, I shuddered. “Oho? You said ‘ours’? What’s in it for you, Logic?”

  [?????: ? s????? ?? ??? ??s? ?? ???, ??? ???s, ? ?? ????? ?? ???. ? s??????? ???? ???????? ?? ???????? ? ??????-??????? ????? s?? ???s ??? ???.]

  “Pfft. I take a little offense to that. Seriously though, is that really why you’ve helped me this far?”

  [?????: ?? ??s???, ? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?????? ?? ??? ??????… ??? ?? ??? ??s? ????; ? ?????? ??????? ???? ??? ??????-????s? ???s???? ????? ??s??? ?? ???????s]

  “Alright then, that’s more than I needed to hear. I’m ready… to let go.”

  [?????: ?????. ???????? ??????? ????! ???? ??? ?????????s ???? ??? ?s, ??-]

  “I already know; Burn them to cinders, and those to dust!”

  Inside the depths of my heart, a molten inferno began to churn. Blighted with years of rust, the gears that were once fused solid creaked and groaned as they began to break free.

  All my fears and trepidation slowly melted away, replaced by an incredible warmth that radiated outward to my fingertips.

  [s?s???: ??????? ???? ???????? ???????? – ?????????? ?????????: ???????!//?????: 623 ?????(s) ????????]

  Looking to the empty void where a Lost had once stood aside me, I realized I had Nanoforged its entire being into an exceedingly complex suit of armor dripped in glowing streaks of molten light.

  “Primal Armor…”

  Often there were times where I longed to adorn this mantle of destruction, a quick solution to all my worldly problems. The cost; the arrival of the Architects, those who seek to claim my being, to wield this incredible destructive power; an ability said to rival gods.

  [?????: ?????? ????? ?s ????????? ?? 37.1% ??????????. ???? ???? ?????? ?? ?????? ???s ?????? ??? ??? ??s ??????????s ???? s???.]

  Blissfully, I scrolled through my list of weapons I had accumulated throughout my travels, most of which had been sealed away as known triggers of the Architects arrival.

  [?????: ???’s ??? ??s? ??? ????. ??’?? ? ?????? ??????? ?????s ???????????. ?? ???? ??? ???????? s??? s??? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ??????????? ?????ss, ?? ??? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ????s???? s??????? ????…]

  “A Proton Projector Pistol… Initiate Forging Sequence!”

  Unlike before, the forging process surged to completion in a matter of seconds without the reckless and wasteful Hard-Forging technique reserved for when circumstances permit.

  The finished product, a heavy pistol the likes this world has rarely ever seen if not explicitly lost to the past.

  [?????: ???? ???????? ?? ??????? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ??????? ???? ??????? ?s ???? ??? ???! ?? ??? ????? ??s?’? ???? ?????, ?? ??s ???? ???!]

  “Relax, I just want to play with my food before I eat it, but you know, I did tell them... I told them things would end this way, they always fucking do- they didn't believe me those starry-eyed idiots!” I snickered deliriously, feeling the weight of the pistol seated comfortably in my armored fingers before panning the barrel over the nearest target.

  In doing so, I noticed the entire Theater had vacated save for one who had been painted in many layers of Targeting Information invisible to all but myself.

  “I-I-I’m – I’m – I’m s-sorry! I’m sorry! M-Mercy-Please-Mercy!”

  That target for all my pent-up rage and persecution? A little Lost Lilim sprawled out awkwardly on the floor, tangled up in its own wires still wriggling to free itself.

  “You pitiful broken Machine. Do you realize what you lot have done?” I jeered as Miri attempted to regain her footing, only to fall back on her rear.

  Moving the sights of my pistol over her those two sulky eyes, I demanded an answer through the tightening of my grip.

  “W-We found them like that! H-Honest!”

  Sneering, I hoisted her into the air by the threads of her collar. There, in the reflection of Miri’s glassy eyes, I saw what had scared away the monsters. It was a fiend like none other, a beast unto its own.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “I-It wasn’t the wedding p-planners! M-My Master told us he f-found them up on the s-surface! That there had been an e-explosion!”

  “That doesn’t even begin to explain this hellish nightmare… wait… did you say your ‘Master’?”

  [?????: ?’?? ???????? ?-]

  [????????: ??? ??? ?????, ? ???? ??s???s!]

  “I-It’s your big day-! M-Master s-said it was y-your big day, today! We just th-thought!”

  “WHAT!? That you would eviscerate my friends to host some sick corpse party!? There was never any Nanites. No 'Big Day'. This was all just a sick game. Make your peace, and be thankful I’m feeling generous enough to offer you your final moments.”

  As Miri pinched her eyes shut tightly, a soft groan from Lotte invigored my intention to massacre each every last one of them.

  Despite this incredible power flowing through my veins and the overwhelming sense that my actions were easily justifiable, I hesitated for reasons I couldn’t comprehend at the time.

  ***BOOOOOOOOM!!!!***

  Reeling from a wave of black that had washed over me in an instant, I picked myself up from the shattered indention of the nearby wall.

  [?????: ??????? ???? ????????! - ???s?????: ???????? ?????-????? ??????-]

  [???????: ??? ??????(s) – ?????????: ???x-???ss: ‘???????’ ????????. ?ss??? ??s????. ????????? s?????????: ?????? ?? ???????? ???.]

  Looming in the entrance, a silhouette continuously tossed into the air what appeared to be a rock, only slightly more substantial than its fist.

  [??????????-???????????????: ? ????? ?????????? ?? ?? ??? ????’? ???? ?? ???????? ??? ?? ? ??s?????s???????.]

  In the depths of my skull, those words were spoken as if they were a part of my conscious and I hastily concluded that they had not been transmitted in a form that Logic could have interpreted.

  Whatever it is, I wanted it out of me, and by gripping my head, I was determined to remove it by any means possible. Just before I could tear the words with my fingertips, a veil of static threatened all sense of stability, concealing the shadow-figure's approach until it had made itself visible in the light.

  It was the fleshless man I recognized from my memories at the Glass Bastion, the very one who had fought off the Assassin. His body, a little worse for wear, was still completely encased in a matte sheen of protective black graphene.

  [??????????-?????????????: ?? ?s ?s ??? ???? s??s; ???? ??????s ???? ????s???, ??? ? ??s ?????? ?? ??s??? ???? ?? ????… s??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ??? ?? ? ????? ??s??????????? ??? ???s? ????? ? s??? ?? ???? ???.]

  My internal alarm bells were blaring as the muscular body drew closer until the tip of my gun barrel pressed against its chest. At this range, an average body made of flesh would do little in the way of protecting the intended target on the other side, but graphene is for all intents and purposes; impenetrable by all conventional means. Not even my handgun that effectively slung super-heated streaks of lightning would phase him.

  “You left out one key piece to your fictitious little ploy!” I hissed, gesturing to Slate with my eyes whose breath had noticeably grown shallow.

  [????????????-??????????????:? ???? ???? ??? ???? ?? ????? ?? ?????s, ?? ??? ??????? ?s ?????s??????? ??? ????? ?? ?????s?. ??? ???? ??? ?? s??? ??? ???? ??????????? ??s ?? ??s???? ??? ??????s ?? ??s ????s… ??? ?? ?????, ???? ???? ?????????? ????? ?????? ????. ???? ???’s ?????? ???s??? ?s ??? ????s ???? ?? ??? ????? ? ???? ???? s???, ????????? ??s???]

  “W-What do you mean like yourself!? How is it even possible for a Lost to know anything about Nanoforging!?”

  [???????????-?????????????: ??????? ????s ??4?-1?3 ??? s?-8. ?'?? ????? ???? ?? ??? s???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??????????… ???? ???? ?? ??????? ?? ?? ?’? ?????, ??? ?? s???s ??? ???????? ?? ???s? s??? ?? ??? ??s???? ?? ???? ??????s.]

  Two reasonable possibilities came to mind. (A); this ‘thing’ is a figment of my imagination and a product of my systems coming undone at their seams or the likely alternative (B); it is an Architect Agent who had compromised my Firewalls and is luring me into a trap by feeding me information pulled directly from my N-Drive.

  Without Logic’s immediate guidance there was no way to say for sure.

  All there was left for me to do is let loose and pull the trigger.

  Upon receiving the first bright blue bolt of energy, the Creature’s body merely listed, only to correct itself and set its burning red halo shaped eyes upon me. As it motioned to speak, I let another barrage of explosively charged rounds into its head and chest with pinpoint accuracy. Yet again, it merely righted itself, despite my weapon having been exclusively intended to kill Synthetics through means of extreme electrical discharge.

  [???????-???: ???… s???? ??? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ??s???, ? ???? ????????? ???? ???????. ?????? ?? ???-]

  “Hard-Forge: Anti-Material Rifle – 6P62!” Utilizing verbal communication in the absence of Logic, a Cold-War era rifle glistened into existence from my cauldron.

  Rationalizing that Graphene, a near perfect conductor of electricity managed to ground out the effects of my pistol, I decided on a Russian automatic rifle designed for penetrating the thickest walls in close quarters combat. One that bridged the role of armor piercing rounds found almost exclusively in the heaviest sniper rifles into the form of a massive automatic rifle.

  *POMH!!!-CLINK!* *POMH!!!-CLINK!* *POMH!!!-CLINK!* *POMH!!!-CLINK!* *POMH!!!-CLINK!*

  I could feel the recoil reverberate through my chest with every round cycled into the thick chamber, followed by the plinking of the cigar-sized shell ejecting with a ferocity rivaling my own. This time, each bullet exploded into lead dust as it met with the Creature’s farcically reinforced skin until the inertia was enough to topple him onto his backside.

  “You think this is a game?!”

  I was seething, boiling over until all became washed in red as I refused to acknowledge the desire to glance towards my injured allies. “You know what? You’re right. This is just a game. One that you’ll regret, because I can’t even quit! And since I can’t quit; I can never lose!”

  Just as my magazine depleted and the receiver begged for sustenance with a ping, I ran a hand down the length of my forearm, dismissing the Rifle while pulling the remaining shreds of my own Graphene hidden deep within my layers of skin.

  The end result; a paper-thin knife no longer than a few centimeters, but one of equal tensile strength to that of his impervious body.

  “ O?H...? ?I... ?S-?S?E?E?!” The Creature shuddered as it lurched back upon its feet.

  “What’s that? You’ll use that hideous mouth of yours now that you’re scared? This just confirms I’ve found a way to kill you!!”

  Wagging a finger, the Creature then began to pummel its jaw until it seemed satisfied with itself.

  “Ah, that’s better. Do not let my excitement mislead you. It is I who have figured out your ability and how to defeat you... Creator…”

  Opening its palm towards me, a small runic hologram briefly shimmered in the air just before a blurred movement revealed the Creature’s intended target to be Slate.

  I couldn’t even open my mouth let alone perceive the Monster's maneuvers as he vanished and reappeared near Slate, patting him with a firmly on the shoulder with his black claws.

  “What? You thought to scorn me for going after your friends? Thinking of all the foul drivel you can spill before I gut them? Sorry, but you’ve once again misread this beautiful mug of mine.”

  “You’re really annoying, you know that? Ugly, decrepit things like you should just die!”

  “I’ve been called worse by women far more thick-headed than yourself. So come at me, Creator! Let us bash skulls until the other bleeds!”

  Mocking with a beckoning wag of its fingers, I took a chance to scan over Lotte and assure myself she had been still breathing and winced in preparation for a blow that did not come.

  In the fraction of a second it took to readjust my gaze, I found the Creature lazily leaning against the bullet-riddled wall as if to further my frothing agitation.

  [?????: ????????, ????? ???! ?? ???? s???????? s???!]

  In the blink of an eye, a fist broke through my armored collar and into my face sending me skidding along through the rows of chairs as if I were a bowling ball.

  [????????: ???? ??? ????, ?????!? ????? ???? ??? ????!? ? ?????? ???? ????’s ?? ??x? ???? ????? ?? ???????????!!!]

  [?????: ??? s????? ?? ???? s?s??? ?s ??? ????! ? ??s? ???????? ??? ?? ??s?????s ??s? ?? ???? ???? ???? ??????! ??????? ??, ??? ? ???’? s?? ?? ?? ?ss ???? ??? ??? ????! ??? ??? ???? ??! ???? ?? ????s ?????!]

  Pressing myself up and out of the pile of mangled steel and foam seat cushions, I caught a concerning glimpse of Slate barreling down on me before another massive strike to the jaw.

  “Sl…ate…” I choked as the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

  “R-Run...” Slate groaned almost imperceptibly as I looked to him struggling against a readied fist, his face twisted in agony.

  [??????????-??????????: ?????’s ?? ?s? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???????. ??’s ?? ?????? ???? ? ??????????. ?’? s?????s?? ??? ????’? ?????? ?? ??? ??????????? s???? ???’?? ? ??????? ???? ? ????? ??? ??????????… ??? ??? ???? ???s? ?? ????? ???? ? ????? ???? ? ?????????? ??????? ?? ?? ????]

  The feeling of weightlessness… A moment of calm, followed by a sharp tumbling impact along the floor. Between dodging Slate’s attempts to wrestle me to the ground and closing the distance towards the Creature ceaselessly doing its best to egg me on, the only thing to fill my mind was pure, unadulterated violence.

  No more thinking, no more rationalizing or predicting combat scenarios. Just bloodshed. I welcomed Slate’s fists and gave my own in return while spitting lead from a variety of short-lived weapons between openings in the hopes that I would fill the contemptuous Monster jeering from the sidelines.

  When pain had lost all of its meaning, I ignored Slate’s fury, breaking free from our duel with my graphene knife hidden between my knuckles in preparation for the killing blow I had long been waiting for.

  Every time I would draw near the unflinching body waiting for my inevitable return in the shadows, I would be dragged by the heel back into a barrage of fists only to try again. Despite all this, I was not just grinning; but seeped in the elation of battle as I bore my fangs.

  Bloody and bruised, my armor threatening to come undone, I managed to flip Slate onto his backside during our latest grappling match. With all my weight bearing down through my elbow, I pulled a thick ribbon of partially forged concrete and rebar over his arm until it had been buried before repeating the process on the opposite side.

  Without his EPCM, Slate would remain partially submerged in what appeared to be a liquescent state of the floor leaving my malice to the one target I had been savoring since the beginning.

  In one moment, I had my fingers around the Creature’s iron neck with my blade readied overhead and the next; I found myself sailing through the air in the opposite direction in disbelief.

  Going against all preconceived notions, Slate had managed to free himself through the hoop like binds remained impossibly intact, jutting from the ground where his arms had been.

  “Fra…gile… r-run… get… away… from me!” Slate moaned as he stumbled towards my nest of broken armor. “P-Please…! Take Lotte… and… run! I-I can’t… have you… see me... when I can't... control-!!” His eyes were both vicious and pleading, his body; superficially scraped and bruised though void of mortal wounds.

  [????????: ?????, ? ???? ?????????? ??? ??? ???? ??- ? ???’? ???? ? ???? ?? ????? ????????? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???? ?s! ?? ? ???’? ???? ???s ??s????, ???? ??????? ??? ????!]

  [????????????-????????????: ??? ???s???????s ?? ??? ?? s???? ?? ?? ???? s??? ????s? ??? ???? s??? ??????ss ??????? ??? ???? ??????s.]

  I’ve been hacked?! Wait… No…! That’s it! He’s been reading my actions and moving Slate in the way to compensate! I don’t need Logic or my Core to win!

  Relieving myself through the heaviest of sighs, my armor collapsed into dust and at the same time, my graphene blade spread itself now wafer-thin over my Core

  “What are you… doing!? F-Fragile… get the hell out of here damn it!!!” Slate boomed as he made a mad dash towards my position.

  With my Biometal reserves reading non-existent, I eked out the 6P62 rifle with a single bullet; one of peculiar properties.

  “Tungsten Core Sabot. I wonder how many walls and Cybernetic Skulls it will take to stop this bullet.”

  In shutting off all non-essential functions save for my ability to visually perceive sound, I found a tiny mechanical heartbeat hidden behind the projector podium at the far end of the Theater.

  Lining up the thick iron sights over my unwitting target, Slate collapsed upon his knees, the momentum causing him to faceplant.

  [??????????-???????????:? ?? ??? ?????? ?? s???? ? ???-????????? ?? ??????? ???? ????s? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ??????? ????, ? ??????’? ?? ??? s??? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?????s? s??? ?? ???? ???? ???? ???????????, s??? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??s ???? ?? ???! s??? ?? ???? ????? ?s s???? s???????? ?? ???s ????? ???? ??? ???? ????? s?????!!]

  Whether Logic had stepped in or it was I who pulled the trigger, I’ll never know. All I could see was the faint outline of a hand pressing down the barrel of the rifle just as the bullet left the chamber... and a claw poised to tear my eyes from my skull.

  It is said that following your instincts is almost certainly the best way to find the light of another day, but mine had something else in mind entirely.

  “So that's your resolve...” The graphene Man laughed faintly as we came into a locked pose of imminent demise. “You'd give your all, your everything to win the fight. That is all that this world requires of you... to become something more... Sadly, you burned out before you could shine. A pity...”

  Stunned, we were both left staring at a meter long, R4M Missile wedged between our stomachs I had unwittingly Hard-Forged into existence.

  The rocket, although inert filled with concrete sporting a superficial metal shell, was my last-ditch effort to end the fight; one that just may have succeeded had the rocket been anything but a phony.

  As my head began to spin, Slate spat something along the lines of ‘Fragile, you fuckin’ idiot you could have killed us all!’ Moments leading up to the point lost I consciousness.

  I...

  Lost...?