In the cool metallic enclosure of a steel sanctum, an elegant British dame basks in the tranquil peace. She explores her phone, a treasure trove of melodies until one intrigues her more than the rest. "Duo of Love" it reads, accompanied by an icon of two swans in an elegant kiss.

Amelia "Ah, the memory. I remember when we were just a wee bit younger, Dave. I hope we will be together forever..."

Rising to her feet, she appraises her surroundings once again, her eyes finding no deviation from the norm. Exhaling a sigh, she brandishes a knife, commencing an uneven stabbing against the wall behind her. Slowly and methodically, dents begin to form on the steel canvas.

Amelia "Well, this is going to take a bloody while ain't it."

Suddenly, a luminous eruption unfurls at the core of the room. From its brilliance, a menacing stranger materializes.

The man is a paradox, an incoherent patchwork of organic and mechanical elements. Half of him is a robotic collage, interconnected by peculiar filaments that resemble wires. Closer examination reveals these to be millipedes, dressed in the hue of freshly brewed coffee. His metallic portions gleam, untouched by decay, while his other half is as white as an untouched snowfall. His eyes glimmer with an unsettling crimson glow. Instead of typical attire, the Major is clad in a gladiator-style skirt and shorts.

Amelia "Hold on... what's that smell?"

She takes a whiff out of the air.

Amelia "Yuck! Why in the plumbing hell do you smell like aged yogurt?

?? "It provides sufficient nutrients for this combat session, Miss Amelia. My codename is M108. I'm here to eradicate you. Resistance is futile."

Amelia "Spoken like a terminator. Alright, buddy. Let's have a go at it!"

She runs around and lands a powerful blow to his nape. Before he can react, Amelia strikes his right shoulder with a karate chop, causing his metallic parts to vibrate. He crumbles to his knees.

M108 "Target. Target. Target is harder than expected. Activating serious mode. Goodbye, Miss Amelia."

In an instant, he compacts into a light particle, no larger than a strand of hair. M108 slides past Amelia's left shoulder and then reappears. His robotic right arm generates a sibilant hiss and...

An enormous, spiraling fist slams into Amelia's back. A hit?

Amelia "Good job hitting that illusion, mate. Now I know your power. As a reward, how about you deal with this while I figure something out? Cheers!"

Amelia radiates a flashy aura.

As the light recedes, the cyborg is confronted with a pair of fuzzy Amelia phantoms. M108 furrows his brows and warps towards the figure retreating to the right wall.

His fist retracts, unveiling an energy blade in its place.

M108 "Initiating butchering mode. Today's Menu, British kabob!"

He impales the figure he perceives to be the real Amelia, suspending her halfway up toward the ceiling. A blaze erupts from his mouth, inciting a scream from Amelia... though not from the burning effigy.

Amelia "Dammit! My super cool sunglasses I got from Dave!"

M108 "Error. Error. There are two targets. Impossible. Scanning database for answers. Ding! Data confirmation. Initiate summoner mode."

Out slithers a triplet of slate-hued centipedes from his mouth. Amelia brandishes her knife and pan, attempting a circumvention to the room's left side, only to be confronted by the creeping trio. One of the anthropods screeches, darting forward.

Amelia "Alright. You go out first!"

It propels itself, aiming its gnashing mandibles at her throat.

In a swift movement, Amelia cleaves the centipede in two. The remaining duo fume and spring forward in vengeance. She slams the leftward one, its head transforming into an unrecognizable pulp. Amelia then darts to the side, evading the final centipede.

Amelia "Now, die-

A surge of energy crashes into the side of her head.

A wave of disorientation washes over her, the scene around her swirling into a blurry, indistinct whirlpool. Something bites at her heels, only to be deflected with a quick kick. The centipede meets its end, plastered against the wall.

M108 "Miscalculation. Next time, remember to ask for additional reinforcement. Activate. Auto fire."

His hand transfigures, morphing from a single revolver to a fearsome array of six.

They train their aim on Amelia. A barrage of energy bolts bears down on her, she brandishes her pan in a futile attempt at defense. Alas, her efforts fall short, and searing reminders of the assault brand themselves onto her arms. Agony flares with every movement. But it's a pain she accepts.

Amelia shoves her hand deep into her inventory.

In a display of dramatic flair, she hurls the bandages skyward. Amelia springs and launches them across the room with a sharp kick. Ricocheting, they unfurl into billowing streams. These streamers circle back to her, latching onto her shoulders, their touch bringing enough relief for her to enfold her arms in the remaining lengths.

Amelia "Take this you tin can!"

She launches her knife at M108. He dodges with a nimble lean.

M108 "That was a wonderful performance, Miss Amelia. Initiating counterattack. Running options... Repeated option found."

Vanishing again, a faint trail of light betrays his path around the room.

He emerges behind her once more.

Amelia "Nice try! But that won't work again!"

With a swift turn, she lands a hefty blow to his skull with her frying pan. His form judders, sparks spewing from his right arm. His eyes simmer an intensified red presence, as though fanned by an unseen force. Amelia retreats a step, observing as M108's hand evolves into a colossal cleaver made from energy.

Amelia "Hold come on! That's bloody bullshit!"

M108 swings forward...

The weapon’s arc was sluggish, giving her enough time to barrel roll toward her knife. A sudden heat wave erupts from the cleaver's impact against the steel floor. The pungent odor of scorched metal permeates the air, her view shrouded by billowing smoke. Frantically scanning her surroundings, she notes a curious absence of smoke in one corner. Retreating to it, she thinks...

Amelia "Okay, Amelia. Think of a way out of this bloody mess. Dave would know but he isn't here. You have to remain cool in the face of danger. I can do it! I can- Hold up... this sound. Some kind of pipe is flowing just outside."

Spinning around, Amelia spots a small fracture in the wall, from which the smoke is escaping. An idea sparks in her mind. She beckons the seething cyborg who hurtles towards her, colliding with the wall. His mechanical arm recoils for a swing at Amelia, but she evades, and his miss results in a gaping hole, revealing a network of open pipes.

The smoke begins to stream towards this newfound exit, like moths drawn to a flame.

Amelia retrieves her knife, driving it into his mechanical shoulder. Summoning her strength, she attempts to leverage the blade against his arm. M108 grunts, avenging with a gut punch. She falls to the floor in pain.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

He raises the cleaver and swings.

Amelia rolls to dodge, but M108 counters with a backhand swing. The cleaver then arcs downward, severing her right foot.

She clenches the knife handle between her teeth, attempting to endure the pain.

With a powerful kick, she strikes at the man's left leg. Unexpectedly, it buckles under the force, sending M108 toppling. Amelia drags herself away, replicating herself into clones.

Regaining his footing, M108 is confronted with two Amelias yet again.

He approaches the sluggish clone closest to him with a response in return. M108 grins and leaps, leaving him to close in on the other Amelia. His cleaver slices through her head, followed by a grisly victory dance on her remains.

Amelia "Jesus. Violent son of bitch. But also very fucking stupid. Time to end this scuffle!"

Amelia uses a syringe to rejuvenate her right foot. Armed with her weapons, she dashes towards M108, her knife sinking deep into his soft, fleshy underbelly, spewing an alien green fluid onto his skirt.

The cyborg whirls its head around, aiming a swing at her neck.

Amelia aims her frying pan and... hits the cleaver's handle. It snaps, sending the blade hurtling across the room to the opposite wall.

Smoke begins to consume the room once more.

The Aspect of Reality sheaths her pan, seizing her knife with renewed resolve. M108 forms a defensive cross with his arms, but she cancels it with a swift kick, thrusting her knife directly into his heart.

M108 "Task incurring on failure. Cannot be accepted initiating backup mode. I sacrifice this harness to her majesty's cause. May my new body lay waste to-

She severs his vocal cords.

M108 clutches at her regal attire as blood cascades from his slit throat. She exhales in relief, her back facing the corpse. However, the millipedes supporting his mechanical arm stir, wriggling their way into the gaping cavity in his chest.

They frolic in the red liquid, coming upon a strange entity lurking within M108's ruined heart.

The millipedes greet this being with reverence, offering themselves as sacrificial meals. The entity agrees, consuming them with no remorse, and then... it begins to grow.

Amelia "Wait, what is that fucking sound?!"

Turning around, she is met with the sight of M108, swollen like a balloon.

Amelia "You can't be serious! Fine, I'll just cut you up again!"

She lashes out at the engorged figure, but her blade deflects off, akin to a ray of light bouncing off a mirror. The creature's flesh contracts, reshaping itself into a form reminiscent of slimes from RPG games.

Its mechanical arm detaches, rejected by the gloopy entity.

Suddenly, the arm is enveloped in a chorus of metallic rattling and scraping before it shatters into seven fragments. These pieces morph into dazzling orbs of light, ricocheting around with staggering speed. Several traverse her form, yet they leave her uninjured. The blob-like creature edges closer, prompting her to flee...

Amelia "Ok, my attacks aren't working on the damn thing. I wished I prepared more firepower. Like an explosive for would be a real ace right now."

Pausing, she observes one of the lights pulsating rhythmically, its pace hastening with each passing moment.

An abrupt tremor shakes through the chamber as the light comes to rest, morphing into a jigsaw of metallic fragments forming the letter "R". The entity ignores Amelia, intent on its course toward the letter. She leaps to obstruct its path.

Amelia "Not so fast, mate!"

An elongated, club-like projection smacks her in the head. The impact stings but isn't fatal. Surprised, Amelia seizes another opportunity to plunge her blade into the creature, yet the knife merely bounces off again. The creature shivers, sprouting another limb, brandishing both like whirling cudgels.

She manages to deflect several strikes with her pan before retreating from its attack radius.

Amelia "Not to self, do not try to attack it. If I can't stop it then I have to take what it wants away!"

Amelia races towards the metallic "R", striking it cleanly with her pan. It soars through the air, colliding with the left wall. The metal contracts, reverting to a pulsating speck of light. Swiveling, she sees the amorphous blob pulsating with a deep red hue, steam billowing from its every pore. The two limbs sprout jagged bones.

Amelia "Okay, now I'm definitely not going away near that-

One limb extends, swinging aimlessly and missing its mark.

Amelia "Whew that was a close one. Come on! Is that the best you could do?!" "Okay. Maybe provoking it wasn't a good idea. It'll probably just gonna make it worse. There has to be a way I can hurt the thing somehow. Oh, wait, those metal letters. Why did it want them?"

Two more flickering lights capture her attention, solidifying into form adjacent to both Amelia and the creature. The chamber trembles yet again. The manifestation of the letters "O" and "S" induce a severe pressure, forcing both Amelia and the creature to the floor, as if gravity had magnified tenfold. Amelia peers down at the steel.

Amelia "Hold these are...

Cracks begin to web across the ceiling and floor, extending and coiling toward a focal point that aligns with the floating letters.

Amelia "Aha! That can work! Oh, mister Slime! You are so bloody dead!"

Amelia rises, knocking the metallic letter toward the slime. The creature stalls, trying to slink away. The metal makes contact, only to rebound off the amorphous entity. She retreats as the two letters dissolve back into their luminescent forms.

She keeps a cautious eye on the lights while retreating.

Amelia "May these things only do damage when those letters emerge out of them. So maybe... similar to a video game mechanic, I could somehow hit them toward that bloody mess. Gosh, if only I had a mirror or something reflective...." "Hold on! I have that!"

Pausing, she retrieves her phone. The slime creature deepens in its red hue, brandishing its club-like appendages in a sweeping attack. Amelia ducks, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the force of the thorny bones clashing each other sends a shard flying. It pierces her upper torso, puncturing her ribcage just shy of her left lung.

Amelia "Argh! Damn, this bloody stings! Come on... just a bit longer!"

A pulsating light surges directly toward her.

She greets it with a swing, deflecting the light back towards the slime. It traverses the creature, reappearing behind it. The shaking intensifies, and the monstrous blob collapses into a flat puddle. Cracks appear around it as portions of its biomass shrink.

One of its appendages falls.

Shifting sideways, she sees the newly formed letter "E". Drained, the slime musters what remains of its vigor, attempting another swing, but its effort falls woefully short.

Amelia "Sorry, but I have to do this."

Three pulsating lights catch her attention.

With a grin adorning her face, she hops around the chamber. With a flourish similar to a baseball swing, she strikes one of them. The light penetrates the slime, but Amelia skillfully bounces it back. The second and third light engages in a curious game, constantly ricocheting between ceiling and floor. The motion ceases with her help, the three lights converging onto the slime.

The letters form and the creature is pulverized.

Amelia "The last letters are TTA. So Rosetta? Whose name is that?"

?? "I can answer you, young lady."

A sense of panic surges as she scans the vacant chamber. Abruptly, the lights morph into letters once more, congregating at the room's center to coalesce into a humanoid silhouette. It waves its arm...

?? "Not to worry I am a friend. Not a foe. My name is Jackal. Jackal Cage."

Amelia "Okay, "Jackal". How can I trust you?"

As the male figure approaches Amelia, he extends a hand. She attempts to grasp it, but...

Amelia "Woah! You're a hologram!"

Jackal "No more like a specter. Just an irony of what I did in the past. Young lady, are you a British noble?"

Amelia "Why of course? Wait, now that I hear it. Your accent is a bit British. Who are you?"

Jackal "That's a good question. My past isn't well known in British media I presume. Where do I even start? Let's take a seat first."

The pair settle down, with Jackal gesturing to the shard of bone protruding from her chest.

Jackal "You got a little something sticking out, lass."

Amelia "Oh yeah forgot about this."

Jackal winces as she pulls the bone out. Amelia then fixes her wound with a syringe.

Jackal "That's a fascinating technology. We didn't have that during my time or maybe it did exist but only in a different country."

Amelia "Yeah, my friend Claire, told me that these were developed in Germany in the year 2023."

Jackal "So the latter was the answer, huh? Oh well. Time to tell you my story..."

It was the year 2021 and I was a thief at the age of 23. I was just a small-time robber who raided only convenience stores so most of my charges weren't severe. However, I was caught each time due to my skin being as white snow and my eyes as red as roses. I have albinism but to an extreme end. To the point that some people say that I radiate light. It wasn't ideal for a growing thief.

One day, I wanted to test my luck and tried to steal something big so I aimed for a local museum. That was when it all changed with a single accident. I was climbing down from a ceiling window and took a blood diamond but I was caught in the act by a guard. I climbed and climbed but suddenly something caused my rope to swing around. The diamond dropped right onto the young lad's head.

After that, I forgot about the diamond completely and ran away wearing as many clothes as possible to hide my skin. I was worried and my worries were justified. The person I killed was a noble who took up night guard duty to gain work experience. They ordered agents from all over the country to chase me. They even blocked the airports so I couldn't escape.

It went on for years. The people who even made a single contact or helped me in any way were tortured for information, and most of them died from it. The guilt weighed down on me but I kept going because there was one light in my life. My childhood friend who was also my girlfriend. Her name is Rosetta.

I made sure to only visit her in secret when no one was looking but that didn't help. She was killed and her corpse lay flat on the floor of her apartment. I gave up. I expected the authorities to show up but instead, a strange man approached me. He told me that I could be free of charge so I accepted his hand.

Amelia "So that's how you joined them. I can somewhat sympathize with you now."

Jackal "Thanks but that was the fabricated truth they implanted in my head. You see my rope was going haywire because someone was shaking it that day. Those authorities that chased me. I recognized them as my cultist colleagues. Everything was a lie. I only request I have is that you avenge us. All the Majors that been tricked."

Amelia "Alright, I understand."

A smile graces his face before he disperses into the air... The wall ahead of her breaks open.

Dave "Yo, babe! How it's going?!"

Amelia "Dave! Everyone! How did you-

Gwen "No time for questions."

Kanji "She's right. We will discuss things after we gather everyone."

Amelia responds with a nod, joining in the digging effort.

(To be continued)