With a whirring of machinery, the automaton used it's hulking arms to smack away all of the mutated crowded around it so there was room to stand up. And my was it tall. A few inches taller then myself and those of my kind. Feeling intimidated and worried, I hunkered down to remain out of sight and observe. I was able to get a better look at the details of the automaton now. It had a rather ornate gilded pattern adorning its shoulders, neck, codpiece and knees. Its body was a dulled steel. The left hand had fingers while it's right appendage had a rectangular device on its arm but no hand to speak of. Those menacing, glowing yellow eyes over a metal mask invoked authority. The circular glass mark on it's forehead emanated a beam of light. On its chest was an oval-shaped glass chamber etched with a simplistic linear pattern too dark and tinted to see what was housed inside. Truly, this machine was a marvelous engineering feat.

The mutated were sluggishly climbing back onto their feet. The automaton scanned the area, it's yellow eyes turning red. From its right appendage, a long barrel with cords plugged into the device from emerged. Its left hand contorted and transmogrified into a large blade. One of the mutated began running towards the automaton before being swiftly executed by the blade. Cut into two halves, its innards splattered across the concrete. The others all froze in place. The automaton proceeded to aim its cannon and fired a shot. The lead traveled fast, blasting a hole into the unfortunate victim. It groaned as blood pooled out of its wound and it fell. I could hear another shell being loaded into the cannon. Simultaneously each of the mutated was mowed down by the automaton until none were left standing. I was left tremendously horrified by what I had witnessed. The automatons eyes flashed back to yellow and continued lurching forwards. It was scanning the area now it seems. I hid around the corner of the structure to avoid its gaze. Just... Give it a minute to pass. While the machine mindlessly blew away another wandering mutant, I crept ahead over to the gate device and activated it. The gate began to open up. Just as I had seen before, this gate functioned just like the one from Manus to Pedites. The massive tunnel of sickly flesh and whistling pipes opened up before me. I gazed behind my back as I went in only to see the automaton turning towards me. Oh no. I started running. Running as fast as my feet could take me. A single shot was fired in my direction as the shell blitzed past me over into the neighboring district. I managed to make it to the other side and ran to shut the gate. I gazed out to the automaton as the flesh tunnel slowly closed up. That was too close. Turning around I was in awe at what I was seeing.

Unlike the other districts I had been to... This one was different in terms of its layout and structure. Towering buildings loomed close to the sky and cast shadows over everything else beneath them. The walkways were segregated into sections that went to lower levels. Stairs with neighboring steel rails marked the inclines in the topography. So this was Cor... The center of the city. It sprawled larger and further then the previous sections. A mixture of multi-story residential spaces, industrial facilities, regulated businesses and towering skyscrapers. It was all so grandiose in scope and scale. I didn't even know where to begin. I was most curious about the tallest structures. They seemed to be placed around towards the central area.

This district felt more... Empty. There were no corpses littering the sidewalks. Remnants of the rot remained speckled across various places but it hadn't spread as virulently here. I did see an abandoned trolley or two during my venture deeper into the city. I descended some of these small stairways. Gazed around at all the abandoned structures. Signs of struggle weren't present at all but the passing degradation of time lived on in the rusting steel foundations and iron walls of the buildings. I found myself near an incredibly deep pit... Only to find out that below where I stood were more walkways down below. Miles and miles of steel floors leading to doors and alleys built into the metal structures that made up this place. There was a whole other sector below the surface. These structures around here were all large and tall in their own way. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Bridges were even constructed to cross over the wide gaps. This was unlike anything I had ever seen within this entire city. Maybe I didn't need to go down there. But maybe I did. I'm not sure. What I did know was that I had one goal...

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Above all the rest of the skyscrapers stood out one in particular. It was still quite a ways away but I will make it there. Atop the tallest tower was a spire that could pierce the skies. Neighboring that building were two slightly shorter towers adorned with dual spires that resembled horns. That was my landmark. I began the staggering journey.

I was already tired. A relief this was though, not having to worry about anything threatening my life. The winds were howling louder now. But it was too quiet. I may hear the hissing of a pipe or the creaking of a failing foundation. No signs of life however. Where did everyone go? Everywhere else I saw the corpses of my kind laid to rest on the ground or they become victims of the infected rot consuming them. Not even any creatures were around. Just a vast, lonesome city. Ahead of me I saw a big staircase. At the base area there was a small structure and some benches to sit on. I decided to take a seat and rest for a moment. Across from where I sat was the small structure. A sign hung just above the door frame. It had a symbol. Six lines, two connecting at the top, two connecting at the bottom and two in the middle crossing through one another like a corkscrew. No windows at all. Once feeling had returned to my feet I stood up to approach the shack. There was no way I was getting in easily. A complex device I had never seen had the door locked and my Key wouldn't fit into it. Fine. So be it. I finally began to ascend the grand staircase. The biggest staircase leading to the tallest tower I had ever seen.

Beneath the sky-piercing tower was a majestic courtyard surrounded by walls with sharp metal bars on the top surface. Two human-like statues from the waist up with smooth heads stood apart like guardians inside the courtyard. The right statue resembled my kind but with a stocky body. Their face had lips, gleaming silver pearls for eyes, a thick nose and chiseled jawline. While the statue on the left had cheekbones, bigger lips, a thinner nose and a curvaceous figure with breasts. Two strips of gold ran down their arms and bodies. The condition of these statues were showing their age with cracks in the foundation. Gold plaques with words were installed into their stomachs. Kneeling further ahead not far from the building were two automatons. They remained still, not moving at all. Perhaps they were inactive? With the lack of residents here it could be possible that they have been in stasis for some time. How long? Who knows. I was cautious when approaching. As soon as I set foot into the courtyard the automatons eyes lit up. Their heads lifted and stared me down. I gulped. The automatons stood up and readied their cannons. And that was the sign for me to run the hell back. In this state of panic I tripped and fell. Scrambling to get up, I heard the sound of a cannon going off. Then the pain shot up through my body as one of the shells had struck my backside. Another shot popped off. It missed me. I quickly ran for the stairs and made my way down, leaving a thin trail of blood from the gaping wound.

This wasn't good. I was not going to be able to get close to the tower with those automaton guarding it. I looked around and headed for the nearest street. I was losing blood slowly. Had to find some way to treat myself. Stumbling around these empty streets miles from that courtyard lead me to a medical station sandwiched between two towers. Steel shudders on the window blocked any view inside. I tried the door but it was locked. No... No I was not having this. I took the bladed instrument out and shoved it into the crack of the door, mustering all my strength to pry it open. Specks and flakes of rust spurt off the hinge as it creaked open. I concealed the instrument then grabbed the door with both my hands. Exhausting myself, I managed to get the door open just enough for me to slide my thin body through and get inside.

Past the dust-coated desk and tables there in the very back was an apparatus. A Blood Drive according to the sign on the wall directing me towards it. Finally... I could seal this wound and restore the blood I've lost. As I got closer and readied myself, I heard a nearby door slide open. An ominous creaking of old gears and a heavy steel wheel rolling across the floor. My heart began to race when I heard it approach and stop. I turned around and found myself facing down a medical automaton. It was just like the inanimate one I had seen back in the rotting district. The buzz-saw on its right appendage began to whir and it's single cybernetic eye glowed a dark red. This automaton must have seen me as a rogue patient in need of assistance...