The air reeked of burning oil.
Lena's boots sank into the mud with each step, her mood darkening under the overcast sky. She tightened her red hood, shielding herself from the biting wind.
She glanced back at the towering machine trudging behind her, its rusted legs creaking. Once a rescue unit, now a relic, the mech followed her with steadfast loyalty.
War-torn debris littered the coast—twisted metal and shattered glass lay everywhere. Lena's eyes fixed on the distant plume of smoke against the pale sky. Another skirmish for dwindling resources. More people killed.
Lena's mind drifted, memories flooding in. Her father’s warm embrace, his voice steady as he promised, "We'll rebuild, Lena."
The day the rescue mech arrived, it was a beacon of hope in the aftermath of the Corp wars. They named it Titan, their protector. But that hope faded as time corroded its joints and rust caused the paint to flake from its surface.
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Lena's thoughts wandered to her brother, Sam. She could still hear his laughter, see his wide-eyed wonder. He loved Titan, spending hours tinkering with its circuits, fascinated by its intricate design. But as the post-war situation worsened, their world descended into chaos and destruction.
Lena’s steps faltered at the shoreline. She saw a small, weathered robot half-buried in the sand. Its eye flickered blue amid the decay. She knelt beside it, tracing the familiar contours. Sam's creation. He called it Scout, a companion for exploration. A sob caught in her throat.
The wind howled, echoing distant battles. Titan halted, its shadow engulfing Lena and Scout. She leaned against the mech, tears mingling with the rain.
"I'm sorry, Sam," she whispered, her voice breaking.
The mech warmed its surface where she leaned, offering comfort in its own way. They held the moment in silence as gathering storm clouds blended with the thickening smoke on the horizon.
Lena rose, her resolve hardening. She couldn’t change the past, but she could fight for the future. With a final glance at Scout, she turned and continued along the shore, Titan lumbering behind as they disappeared into the mist.