"IT’S TECHNICALLY TWO GOLEMS." AL EXPLAINS TO DIANNA AFTER SHE HAD FORCIBLY REMOVED THE VARIOUS SPECTATORS AL’S GOLEM HAD ACQUIRED. "THE FIRST IS THE CAT BEAST. THE SECOND IS WHAT I CALL THE PARASITE."

AL REACHES A HAND INTO THE SOFT CLAY OF THE CAT AND TUGS ON A FIRMER BROWN WORM SHAPED GOLEM FROM INSIDE. HE LIGHTLY PRODS IT UNTIL IT COMES UNDONE LIKE A COIL OF ROPE. INSIDE CLEARLY VISIBLE IS THE SIMPLE PIECES OF A GOLEMS CORE. MANA CELL, GOLD CONDUCTIVE TRACES, AND A SLIM ROLL OF COPPER FOIL.

"WHAT…" DIANNA ASKS, LOOKING AT THE PLACE WHERE THE NORMAL RUNE BLOCK SHOULD BE.

AL QUICKLY UNDERSTANDS WHAT SHE’S INDICATING WITH THE LINE OF HER SIGHT. NOT TO MENTION IT WAS THE MORE NOTICEABLE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE. "THAT ROLL REPLACES THE COPPER BLOCK. IT SEEMS POINTLESS TO USE SO MUCH WASTED COPPER. SO I EXTRUDED MINE INTO A THIN FOIL AND THEN ETCHED THE RUNES. I HAD LOTS MORE ROOM."

"THAT’S WHY IT'S ABLE TO ACT SO COMPLEXLY?"

"NOT EXACTLY, THOSE ARE MOSTLY SUBROUTINES." AL POINTS TO A SMALL SCROLL IN THE CATS PAW.

"YOU HAVE… MULTIPLE RUNE STRUCTURES? HOW DO YOU MOVE THE MANA?"

"THIN GOLD TRACES IN THE CAT’S BODY." AL EXPLAINS PULLING A THIN METAL THREAD FROM THE SAME PAW.

"BUT…" DIANNA ASK PROCESSING THE INFORMATION AS FAST AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO REFRESHING HERSELF ON THE BASIC’S OF GOLEMS THAT SHE KNEW. "I SAW THAT BODY GET DESTROYED COUNTLESS TIMES. HOW DO YOU BRING THOSE OTHER RUNE STRUCTURES INTO THE…"

"IMPROVED VERSIONS?" AL OFFERS.

"EXACTLY. IF EACH TIME IT GETS DESTROYED… WAIT, YOU SAID IT EATS THE MANA CELL? YOU AREN’T…"

"EXACTLY I RECREATE THE NEW RUNE STRUCTURE BY TURNING THE ENEMIES MANA CELL INTO A MAGIC TOOL. I GOT IT FROM THOSE BOOKS YOU GAVE ME. THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH COPPER AND GOLD IN THE ENEMY GOLEM’S CORPSES, ALL I NEED IT TO DO IS PERFORM SIMPLE ALCHEMY…"

"NO, I GET IT." DIANNA SAYS PUTTING A HAND TO HER HEAD. "I’M JUST AMAZED. THIS IS THE MOST HIGHLY PRACTICAL USE OF GOLEM’S USING MAGIC THAT I'VE EVER SEEN. I’M WARY TO THINK OF THE POSSIBILITIES."

"IT HAS MASSIVE WAR POTENTIAL." ADRIA ANSWER FOR DIANNA, SAYING HER FIRST WORD IN A LONG WHILE. "THAT’S WHY I’M SURE HE’LL COME."

"WELL IS THAT SUCH A BAD THING. IT’D BE GOOD FOR AL TO MEET THE PARENTS RIGHT?"

"THIS ISN’T A JOKE DIANNA!"ADRIA SNAPS BACK WITHOUT EVEN A BLUSH.

"I’M NOT JOKING. BUT FINE JEEZ. NO NEED TO GET SNAPPY." DIANNA WHIMPERS WITH A SOUR FACE. "IF YOU WANT WE CAN LEAVE EARLY. I DON’T KNOW IF THE STAFF WILL BE OK WITH IT BUT WE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO WITHDRAW AL’S GOLEM FROM THE WILDCARD SPOT."

"AH VERY GOOD WORK, I WONDERED IF WE MIGHT FIND YOU HERE..." A MAN’S VOICE STOICALLY SAYS, CUTTING THROUGH THE CHATTER IN THE ROOM. THE MAN WEARING CASUAL PURPLE FLOWING ROBES COUGHED INTO HIS HAND SOFTLY AS IF PREPARING TO SPEAK. QUICKLY HIS ATTENTION INSTEAD TURNED TO ADRIA WHOSE BACK WAS TURNED TO HIM. "… ADRIA."

"SO YOU PLANNED THIS?" ADRIA SIGHS, MISUNDERSTANDING THE PAUSE FOR BUILT SUSPENSE. "BUT WHY WOULD YOU GO TO SUCH LENGTHS? I…"

ADRIA SEEMS TO BE TAKING THE SITUATION AT HER OWN PACE. INSTANTLY THOUSANDS OF PARANOID RED-FLAGS SHE HAD CHOSEN TO IGNORE BEGAN TO SURFACE. HER BREATH BEGAN TO TIGHTEN AND BLOOD FLEW FROM HER HEAD.

HOW COULD ANY OF THIS HAPPENED SO EASILY FOR HER. HOW FAR BACK DID IT GO EVEN? THE POSITION IN KNOBBER HILL? MAYBE THE ACCEPTANCE TO THE ARMY ITSELF EVEN? NO, SURELY. HER FRIENDSHIP WITH DIANNA WAS PROBABLY EVEN PART OF HER FATHER’S PLAN, THEY PROBABLY PLANNED THIS TOGETHER. HOW HAD SHE BEEN SO STUPID?

WHAT ABOUT THE PRIEST, HER FIRST FRIEND IN TOWN, A MAN OF SIGNIFICANT TALENT REALLY WORKED FOR SUCH A SMALL CITIZENRY? IMPOSSIBLE, HE MUST BE CONNECTED TO THE ROYAL FAMILY SOMEHOW.

SHE THOUGHT BACK TO THE WORDS SHE HAD HEARD FROM HER FATHER ALL THOSE YEARS AGO ‘...GROW UP.’

WAS ALL OF THIS, SOME HOW JUST FOR THAT?

HER WORLD WAS CRUMBLING. SHE FELT LIED TO, SHE WONDERED WHAT WAS EVEN REAL. EVERYTHING THAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A STEP FORWARD FOR HER WAS JUST ANOTHER STEP IN THE DIRECTION HER PARENTS WANTED?

BUT AL…

AL WAS WHAT MADE HER GROW THE MOST. WAS HE REAL? HIS MEMORY, IS IT REALLY LOST? OR WAS HE PLANTED TOO? JUST SO SHE COULD FEEL LIKE SHE HELPED SOMEONE? JUST SO SHE COULD FALL IN LOVE…

WHAT IS SHE TO AL?

A JOB?

SHE DIDN’T BOTHER TO THINK FURTHER. IT WAS TOO EXHAUSTING, SO MANY HORRIBLE THOUGHTS.

"YOU LIED." SHE UNSTEADILY SAYS THROUGH GASPING BREATHS, NOT LISTENING TO A WORD AROUND HER. "YOU ALL LIED!"

WITH THOSE WORDS SHE BOLTS FOR THE DOOR FASTER THAN ANYONE CAN REACT TO THE WORDS. A FEW GUARDS ATTEMPT TO STOP HER, PERHAPS UNAWARE OF HER IDENTITY OR SIMPLY THINKING IT THE RIGHT THING TO DO, BUT SHE EASILY KNOCKS THEM DOWN WITHOUT EVEN DRAWING THE WHITE BLADE FROM ITS SHEATH.

"WHAT…?" THE KING ASKS WITH A WILD EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE. "WHAT DID I DO? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?"

"ALOT I THINK." DIANNA SAYS WITH A FROWN. "AL, THAT IS A PANIC ATTACK, I THINK YOU SHOULD GO TALK TO HER."

"UNDERSTOOD." AL REPLIES, RUNNING OFF WITHOUT ANOTHER WORD.

"WAIT, BUT WHAT DID I DO? SHE SAID I LIED?" THE KING AGAIN ASKS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY PREVENTING THE GUARDS THAT ATTEMPT TO STOP AL FROM COMPLETING THE TASK DIANNA HAD GIVEN HIM. LIKELY A WISE CHOICE. ADRIA MADE NO WARNINGS ABOUT KILLING TODAY.

"I BET SHE REALIZED THAT YOU HELPED HER GET PLACED IN THE MILITARY YA DUMMY." DIANNA REPLIES WITH A GLARE AT THE KING. SEEMINGLY UNFRIGHTENED BY THE FIERCE GLARE OF THE GUARDS SHE CONTINUES "AND SHE DEFINITELY REALIZED ANYTHING ELSE SHADY THAT YOU’VE BEEN DOING. YOU KNOW YOU PROBABLY RUINED A LOT OF HER HARD WORK. SHE NEEDED TO GAIN TRUST AND NOW IT'S ALL BEEN SHATTERED. IT’LL BE A WONDER IF SHE EVER TRUSTS ANOTHER HUMAN SOUL."

"I DIDN’T…" THE KING STUTTERS LOWERING HIS HEAD. "I JUST WANTED TO HELP HER. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE HER WHAT SHE FELT LIKE SHE NEEDED."

"SHE FELT LIKE SHE WANTED TO GET IT HERSELF. NOT FOR IT TO BE GIVEN." DIANNA SIGHS WITH A SHAKE OF HER HEAD. "THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WERE WHEN YOU WERE A KID."

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?" THE KING REPLIES WITH A HUFF. HE THEN TURNS TO HIS GUARDS AND BEGINS SHOOING THEM IN THE DIRECTION HE INTENDS TO GO. THEY QUICKLY FORM AN AISLE AND HE WALKS THROUGH, LIKELY BACK TO THE BOX TO CONTEMPLATE WITH THE HELP OF HIS WIFE. IT WOULD PROBABLY BE HER SAYING ‘I TOLD YOU SO,‘ THOUGH TECHNICALLY SHE DID.

DIANNA LIGHTLY MURMURS ABOUT SOME PEOPLE NEVER CHANGING, BUT IT WAS UNCLEAR WHO SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

«§»

AL ENDED UP CHASING ADRIA ALL THE WAY TO AN EMERGENCY EXIT. ONCE WRENCHED OPEN ONLY AN EMPTY RAINY PLAZA SEPARATED THEM. ADRIA SEEMS TO NOT CARE ABOUT THE RAIN AND SIMPLY CONTINUES WALKING.

"ADRIA…"AL CALLS THROUGH THE HUM OF THE RAIN. "WHAT IS…"

"DON’T FOLLOW ME." ADRIA SHOUTS BEHIND HER CONTINUING TO SHIVER THROUGH THE EARLY SPRING RAIN.

"I CAN’T DO THAT."

ADRIA TURNS AND STARES AT AL WITH A TEAR-FILLED GAZE, "AL, STOP!"

WITH THAT COMMAND SHE AGAIN TURNS TO RUN AWAY BUT SHE IS HALTED IN PLACE WITH A STRONG GRIP ON HER WRIST.

"NO." AL SAYS SHAKING HIS HEAD. "I WON’T."

"YOU LIED TO ME DIDN’T YOU?" ADRIA CRIES RIPPING HER HAND FROM AL’S GRIP. "TELL ME THE TRUTH. YOUR MEMORY, EVERYTHING YOU TOLD ME, WAS ANY OF IT TRUE?"

AL PAUSES A MOMENT BEFORE ANSWERING.

"NO. IT WASN’T TRUE. I POSSESS ALL MY MEMORIES." AL EVENTUALLY SAYS WITH A NOD, CONFIRMING ADRIA’S WORST FEAR.

"SO THEN MY FATHER…"

"THE PRIEST?" AL ASKS COCKING HIS HEAD.

"WHA… NO… THE MAN IN THERE. HE PUT YOU UP TO ALL THIS RIGHT? HE..."

AL SHAKES HIS HEAD RAPIDLY. "NEVER MET HIM BEFORE."

"WHAT? THEN WHAT’S GOING ON? WHO EVEN ARE YOU!? WHAT IS REAL IN MY LIFE? ARE YOU? IS DIANNA? OH, WHAT AM I SAYING, OF COURSE NOT. I’M SURE SHE’S BEEN MY DAD’S PUPPET SINCE DAY ONE."

"I’M NOT REAL." AL ANSWERS FIRMLY.

"DON’T TELL ME THAT." ADRIA CRIES OVER THE NOW POUNDING RAIN. "I NEEDED YOU TO BE REAL MOST OF ALL."

"I’M NOT. I’M NOT EVEN HUMAN, OR FROM THIS WORLD." AL CONTINUES, LOOKING AT HIS HANDS WITH AN UNFAMILIAR EXPRESSION.

ADRIA LOOKS AT AL WITH AN INCREDULOUS LOOK. "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I’M BEING SERIOUS HERE DON’T JOKE AROUND."

A CRACK OF THUNDER RINGS IN THE ARENA LIKELY INDICATING ANOTHER BOUT HAD BEGUN.

"I’M SERIOUS, I’M SOME SORT OF FAKE SOUL MADE IN ANOTHER WORLD STUFFED INTO A HUMAN BODY. I’M A MACHINE, A GEARBOX, AND EXPERIMENT. I MIGHT AS WELL BE A GOLEM." AL SAYS NODDING A HEAD TOWARDS THE ARENA. "IT’S THE BEST COMPARISON I CAN FIND. IT’S WHY THINGS COME TO ME SO EASY."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? YOU’RE HUMAN. I’VE… I’VE SEEN IT." ADRIA ANSWERS WITH A BIT OF BLUSH GROWING ON HER CHEEKS. "YOU MAY BE A BIT…"

"I’M REALLY NOT." AL CUTS IN GRIPPING AT HIS CHEST. "THE SKIN AND BONES MIGHT BE HUMAN BUT UP HERE, I’M NOT THE SAME. THINK ABOUT IT, YOU KNOW ITS TRUE."

"NO. NO, YOU SOUND INSANE AL. HOW IS…"

"WELL EVEN THIS NOW. I’M JUST READING ALONG A CONVERSATION TREE. NOTHING ABOUT ME IS REAL. EVERYTHING IS VARIABLES AND SUBROUTINES. IT’S ALL CAUSE AND EFFECT. IT’S ALL FAKE."

ADRIA DIDN’T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO REPLY. SHE DIDN’T HAVE A CLUE WHAT AL WAS TALKING ABOUT. "THAT DOESN’T MAKE IT FAKE. I… I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU, OF COURSE YOU’RE REAL. OF COURSE YOU’RE HUMAN."

"THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE." AL SHAKES HIS HEAD DENYING HER EVEN THAT. "THERE’S NO ‘ME‘ TO LOVE. A HUMAN CAN’T LOVE A MACHINE. WHAT IS THERE TO LOVE? THE MANNERISMS I COPIED FROM THE SIXTY EIGHT BODY SHAPE MATCHES IN KNOBBER HILL? OR IS IT THE WORDS I'VE STOLEN FROM ALL YOUR FAVORITE BOOKS? I MAY AS WELL HAVE BEEN HAND TAILORED FOR YOU TO FALL IN LOVE WITH."

"STOP." ADRIA SAYS SHAKING HER HEAD. "IT WON’T CHANGE ANYTHING. EVERYONE WORKS LIKE THAT. EVERYONE IS JUST… WE ARE JUST PRETENDING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WE ARE DOING. PLAYING A PART WE WANT TO PLAY. I DON’T CARE IF YOU THINK IT WAS A LIE. IT WAS REAL TO THE PEOPLE YOU IMPACTED, IT WAS REAL TO ME."

"BUT I…"

"I THOUGHT I NEEDED TO HELP YOU, TO PROTECT YOU. I THOUGHT YOU NEEDED ME." ADRIA WIPES HER FACE OF TEARS AND SMILES. "I THINK I WAS PARTIALLY WRONG. IT WAS ALSO ME WHO NEEDED YOU. YOU’RE A CURE TO THE SCAR I’VE LEFT BANDAGED. I DON’T CARE IF YOU WERE DROPPED INTO MY PATH BY MY FATHER OR A HIGHER POWER. I DON’T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE. I LOVE YOU, IT’S THE ONLY THING I KNOW IS TRUE."

"IT’S IMPOSSIBLE." AL SAYS SHAKING HIS HEAD. "YOU CAN’T LOVE A MACHINE. IT WILL DO NOTHING BUT BRING YOU PAIN."

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! I WON’T LET YOU DECIDE THINGS FOR ME, THERE’S NOTHING I HATE MORE THAN THAT!" ADRIA SHOUTS PUNCHING AL IN THE CHEST.

AL HARDLY REACTS TO THE HIT, ALREADY USED TO MUCH HEAVIER FISTS IN SCHOOL. "IT’S TRUE. I’M SORRY."

"AH, WELL I DIDN’T WANT TO INTERRUPT, BUT IT SEEMS I NEED TO INTERVENE AGAIN." DIANNA’S VOICE CALLS FROM BEHIND THE TWO.

"WHEN DID YOU…" ADRIA BEGINS TO ASK WITH REDDENING CHEEKS.

"NEVER MIND THAT. JEEZ, ALWAYS GETTING IN TROUBLE AND MAKING ME CLEAN IT UP." DIANNA MUTTERS WAVING A HAND TO ADRIA AND FREEZING THE RAINDROPS IN MID-FALL. STEPPING UP BESIDES AL SHE QUIETLY WHISPERS THE WORDS I RELAYED. "AL. STOP AND RESET. RE-CATEGORIZE JINX LIBRARY DATA AND EVERYTHING RELATING TO GOLEMS TO C QUALITY. PURGE CONVERSATION TREES, THOUGHT PROCESSES, AND ANYTHING CONTRADICTORY FROM PROFESSOR SKEPTER. AL, FOLLOW YOUR HEART."

AL’S HEAD DROPS WITHOUT ANOTHER THOUGHT. QUICKLY FOLLOWED BY THE DROWSY EYE OPENING AS HE HAD THE FIRST DAY.

"THERE. YOU’RE ALL FIXED. IF ONLY CONVINCING HER HAD BEEN THIS EASY." DIANNA SAYS SWIPING AT AL’S HAIR AND RETURNING HIM TO FACING ADRIA BEFORE VANISHING INTO SOFT MIST AND RESTARTING THE RAIN.

ADRIA FOR A MOMENT WAS CONFUSED BUT HER MIND FILLED IN THE MEMORIES DIANNA ERASED QUICKLY

"I’M… AM I REALLY ALLOWED TO LOVE?" AL ASKS, GENERATING THE CONVERSATION TREE ON THE FLY. "IS THAT WHAT THIS FEELING IS?"

"MHM, YOU CAN. AL YOU ARE A HUMAN, SAME AS ME." ADRIA NODS

"..."

"LOOK AT ME AL." ADRIA SAYS STEPPING CLOSER AND RAISING HIS HEAD FORCIBLY.

"I CAN’T." AL REPLIES AFTER GLANCING UP ONCE WITH HIS EYES.

"WHY?"

AL AGAIN GLANCE UP AT ADRIA’S SOAKING WET FORM. "BECAUSE YOUR DRESS, IT’S…"

"I THINK THAT REACTION MEANS YOU ARE HUMAN." ADRIA SAYS SMILING AGAIN. "AND WELL, I DON’T MIND IF IT’S YOU."

AL, DOING AS HE’S TOLD TURNS HIS HEAD UP TO FACE ADRIA HEAD ON. HIS CHEEKS TINT A LIGHT PINK INVOLUNTARILY.

"WOULD YOU SAY ‘YES’ IF I SAID ‘LET’S JUST RUN AWAY AGAIN’? MAYBE ANOTHER COUNTRY OR ANOTHER CONTINENT?" ADRIA ASKS RESTING HER HEAD ONTO AL’S SHOULDER.

"YEAH." AL REPLIES WITH A NOD.

"I THOUGHT SO." ADRIA SAYS WITH A SIGH. "AND WHAT IF INSTEAD I ASKED YOU TO GO BACK INSIDE WITH ME? WOULD YOU SAY YES? WOULD YOU SUPPORT ME, IN SEEING MY FAMILY AGAIN. AND DEALING WITH WHATEVER SHOULD COME OF THAT."

"OF COURSE." AL AGAIN NODS. "ALTHOUGH I’D SUGGEST GETTING A TOWEL FIRST."

ADRIA CHUCKLES LIGHTLY BEFORE CONTINUING HER INTERROGATION. "AND WHAT IF, AFTER I GET A TOWEL, I’M CONVINCED TO COME BACK? TO STAY HERE. TO BECOME A PRINCESS AGAIN. WOULD YOU STILL STAY WITH ME?"

"YEP."

"I SEE." ADRIA REPLIES MULLING OVER THE VARIOUS OPTIONS SHE HAD GIVEN. "SOMEHOW THEY ALL FEEL LIKE GOOD OPTIONS NOW."