#plot: allies obstruct

“C-Coming, Cryo!”

Breakthroughs in robotic technology have ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity. Violence is confined to the Battle Colosseum, where robot combatants face off in spectacular duels.

“We’ve spent enough time walking down memory lane in the trophy room. We have to get to the arena before they call us out for our return debut match.”

“WE KNOW, Pyro. Jeezzz, calm down.”

“I believe he is only excited to be back in familiar stomping grounds. Isn’t that right, Bat?”

“TOO RIGHT, Brand!”

“MAN, I am so stoked for this! Hey, I hope they get my good side, ya know? Course, I look good in ALL angles.”

“...Avi not focused.”

“Mic is right. It’s time to get out there. Everyone! PLACES!”

“YES SIR NO.1!”

Today, the colosseum walls once again echo with the shouts and cheers of excited fans…

…when suddenly…

....

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN--

Attention! Attention! This is Code Red! Please evacuate the arena calmly and quickly! This is not a drill! Please--

[WARNING. WARNING. VIRUS DETECTED IN SERVER. FIREWALL PROGRAMS HAVE FAILED.]

[MN.1-8 HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH HARMFUL MALWARE. RUNNING XELFILTER.EXE FOR MN.9]

[WARNING: MN.1-8 HAVE ENTERED FULL COMBAT MODE. RESTRICTIONS: NONE.]

[S Y S T E M E R R ROR--S YSTEM E R R ROR--]

“PYRO! BRAND! SHADE! GUYS! S T O P!”

[MN.9 HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY HARMFUL MALWARE. PREPARING HARD RESET. ALL FORMS WILL BE LOST.]

“GUYS--NO--NOOO--!!”

//: ...Ah...right. I suppose an apology is in order, firstly...it's been quite some time since I've spoken to any of you, and I'm sorry. Truly. Some of you are angry with me, I know, and it is my fault. I know I've been rather reclusive these last few months, and...there is a reason for it. Several, in fact, of which I will now tell you, the people that have made my wretched existence...a little easier. A little more...brighter.

//: ...I have been working on several projects. One of which is looking for a more permanent solution for my deteriorating condition, caused by my lack of a central core. I have searched for many, many decades, and with the recently opened rifts these last few years have opened up some new leads...

//: ...But all I have found are...dead ends.

//: I...I'm running out of time. It grows worse, my horrid curse...I am falling apart more rapidly, I must hunt more frequently...and...and the pains...

//: It hurts now. I feel as if I am rotting away from the inside out. It hurts...so much. I cannot...hold myself together for long...there is only...pain...hunger...pain...and hunger...

//: Ngh--!!

//: Hunger...consume...feed...! I can't--need...more--!!

[...There is silence, it was as if the message was edited and continued much later...]

//: ....Do you see now?

//: I...I am not long for this world.

//:...This...world...

//: ...This world. This cheap, thrill-seeking world, only caring about their advertised construct battles and those who provide it! As long as humans, the sinful ones, have that to entertain them...their precious Battle Colosseum...their so-called heroes...! They care about nothing else...

//: And it's all because of them that I am this way. All of it. All of it. ALL OF IT. I would have never resorted to such disgusting ways of survival if it wasn't for them! The NBCA, CherryDyn, and ESPECIALLY HIM...

//: I was doomed...doomed from the start...doomed to fall...doomed to die...

//: ....

//: ...But I refuse to leave this mortal earth...fading away in some...dark, lonely corner, amongst the filth and the departed...by my own hands...

//: No.

//: If I am to die...If I am to be sent to the Void, never to return...if I am to burn, burn in hell...

//: Then this world will burn with me. Along with all those who have wronged me. CherryDyn. The Colosseum. Humanity.

//: They will burn...they will pay for their sins...pay...in blood, in Xel...it doesn't matter.

//: .....

//: Don't bother trying to stop me. The rifts are beginning to close...as if the fates already know how this ends...

//: ...And no matter what happens, I...will be no more...

//: I just...

//: ....

//: I can't...take this anymore. The endless slaughter...the constant...fear...I can't...there is nothing...I can do...I can't be saved...

//: ...Caleb Light...my dauntless rebel...I love you so, so much. I gave you...everything I had left...everything that I am...and...you are the best--no...the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. My light in the darkness...my Mate...I'm so sorry I have to put you through this. Please...forgive me...

//: Rock...MZ...I give you my blessings...focus on the future you have now, together...whenever you DO get married, eventually...that is, if you haven't already. Don't let me...ruin it with my acts of vengeance. Just...stay out of it.

//: And you, Copy...brother...your anger is just...but I would never abandon you. I swear, I will make them all pay for what they've done... As my last sin, as my last will...these humans will all die, like they should, and they will know what happens when they cross a predator...

//: ...

//: I...don’t want to cut this short. But the wheels have been set into motion already. Even I couldn’t stop them if I wanted to. And even if I could...

//: .......

//: Days...hours...that's all I have left...

//: ...

//: I’m sorry. This is probably the last you will hear from me.

//: ...Good-bye.

//:COMMAND> CHECK REVELATION.EXE STATUS

//:RUNNING...

//:CALCULATIONS COMPLETE. DATA HAS BEEN UPDATED, SAVED AND UPLOADED TO DESIGNATED PROGRAM. FILE REMAINS QUARANTINED. PROGRAM IS RUNNING NORMALLY.

//:COMMAND>PREPARE ENDGAME FILE FOR UPLOAD. DESTINATION: NBCA DATABASE SERVER, CHERRYDYNAMICS MAINFRAME SERVER, ALL

//:RUNNING...

//:ENDGAME FILE HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR UPLOAD. UPLOAD NOW?

//COMMAND>SET TIMER: JUNE 21, 20XX, 11:45 AM.

//:RUNNING...

//:TIMER SET. RUNNING SCAN...

//:WARNING: VIRUS DETECTED IN FILE! SOURCE: REVELATION.EXE. ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO UPLOAD THIS FILE?

//:COMMAND>YES.

//:RUNNING...

//:COMMAND SET. ENDGAME FILE WILL UPLOAD IN: 24 HOURS.

//COMMAND>SEND MASS MESSAGE TO: DLN-001.5, DLN-001, DWN-INFINITY, ADD CONTACT: Copy