The architecture shifts dramatically the second we enter the main part of the tenth floor. Below lies only contemporary office space, devoid of any individuality or soul, a microcosm of the world that once was. Beyond is something I’d expect to see on the Enterprise. Diodes flicker in various shades of reds and greens. The characteristic ‘beeps’ and ‘boops’ associated with pop computing echo quietly in the background. All I need now is a boxy robot that looks straight out of 1950’s sci-fi and we’ll–

Well, speak of the devil. One such automaton rolls out of one of the side doors and stares at us. It’s small, maybe reaching the middle of my chest. It is tall and cylindrical, more or less, with a little bulbous ‘head’ on top. It has no lenses that resemble eyes, nor a mouth or any other facial features. It moves by rolling on an array of ball bearings that are arranged in a roughly cross shape. In terms of weaknesses, I see an array of small slits at the base of its neck that appear to be for sound output.

I wait for it to approach, not making any sudden movements. I slowly and carefully wave, not sure if it understands the gesture. In either case, I ready my gauntlets to defend. I fully expect it to see us as intruders and attempt to eliminate us. I’d like to study it and exactly what powers it, but I’ll settle for the Experience if it decides to attack.

It whirs as it slowly approaches. It’s not immediately making a move that suggests aggression, but I don’t know how many gadgets it has stored within its body, nor how it will attack if it decides to do so.

“Do you speak English?” I ask. “Can you understand what I am saying?”

The robot is now about ten feet away. It continues moving toward us, and I immediately draw my weapon.

“That’s close enough! Any closer and I will attack!”

It begins to whir faster and begins beeping at an increasingly frenetic pace. Two panels open up, revealing a pair of arms, each affixed with small buzzsaws that begin spinning wildly. Before the panels close completely, I reach out and fire a pair of [Ether Bullets], using my [Trick Shot] skill to spin them into each slot. The first connects with the inside wiring, crimping its arm and deactivating the blade at its edge. Unfortunately, the second is blocked as its alloyed carapace absorbs the attack with no apparent damage.

I ready a third attack, but I get no chance. The automaton moves much faster than I can and launches a sideswipe toward my left arm. I’m able to activate the [Barrier] effect in my glove just in the nick of time. The saw bounces off, sending sparks flying to the ground. I’m safe for another half a minute, but I’m still being pushed backward by the impact force as I feel the effect of my lack of [Strength].

Chloe charges in and wields her barrier like a snowplow, slamming into the robot from the side and sending it thudding into the wall. Her attack stuns the construct for a brief moment, giving me a chance to fire another [Trick Shot] into the opening I’d identified earlier.

The attack is far less effective than I’d hoped. The construct’s armor bends and a few wisps of smoke pop out, but I don’t deal nearly enough to finish the thing off. Chloe continues to barely hold off its attacks, though I’m sure she’s being worn down way too quickly for comfort.

I try the same strategy that I did against the creatures back in the dungeon. It might damage the flooring, but I have to risk it. Two more [Ether Bullets] fly in quick succession. I initially target squarely at the robot’s movement apparatus, but I spin them slightly toward the wall at the last second, hoping to use the wall as a focus to concentrate the concussive effect of my shot. It staggers after the first attack, and then the second manages to topple it.

The creature tries to right itself, spinning its body around and pushing up with its one good arm. Chloe is there, using her gauntlet’s [Barrier] to keep the robot down. She bends her knees for leverage and grimaces as she attempts to fight off the automaton’s greater [Strength] and [Vitality].

I use the opening to start bludgeoning away at the damned device with my [Fire-Forged Bat]. I slam at the joint connecting its foot apparatus to its torso. To my relief, I manage to dent the thing slightly before Chloe is overwhelmed and our enemy forces its way back to its feet. As it gets back up, I see the barest hint of a seam near the back of its torso, about a third of the way up. It’s either a power switch or a potential weakness, and I target it in the next round.

A quick check of my [Ether] stat reveals I’m at just under half my remaining reserve. Chloe might have a bit more owing to class Skills, but I don’t want her to run out under any circumstances. Our opponent has calculated that I must be the bigger threat, as it attacks me with another blunt charge. This time, however, I don’t put up a [Barrier] just yet. I let it get closer, and then at the last second, I sidestep, putting up my [Barrier] as I do.

The ruse works perfectly. The creature attempts to spin around and shift its momentum before it hits the wall, but I’m able to counter the maneuver, forcing it back on its trajectory into the wall. I reach for the switch, but I’m countered at the last second and thrown against the far wall.

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I note that the glyphs on the wall and the Ethertech they empower is incredibly strong. My weak [Barrier] effect barely manages to repel its attacks, but the walls themselves completely stop them in their tracks. My [Ether Bullet] that knocked the robot over didn’t even singe the walls or flooring, let alone break them as I had initially feared. So much research to do once we finally finish this fight!

I stumble back to my feet and shake off the woozy feeling as I analyze how best to approach. Chloe suffers a nasty wound to the arm as she mistimes her [Barrier] and dodges the resulting swipe a split second too late. Blood oozes from the ugly laceration, and I see bits of pinkish flesh being flayed apart as the full effects of the robot’s powerful saw arm make themselves visible.

I see red. I abandon all pretenses of restraint or mercy. I never wanted to fight the robot. As a fellow being from another world, I had hoped we could have been allies, or at least beI would have gladly let it continue on with its unending duty. But now that it’s hurt my best friend, I want it scrapped. I want it beaten and broken just as it tried to do to her!

I lunge forward, taking advantage of how Chloe is distracting the damned hunk of soon-to-be scrap metal. I slam my weapon at the automaton’s head with all the force my meager [Strength] can muster. And to my great relief, I manage to topple it. Another bash knocks it over, and I’m able to quickly identify the switch from earlier and press it.

The creature powers down, but I don’t relent. I don’t know what this damned thing is capable of, and I don’t care that my class dislikes my destroying Ethertech like this. But I set future concerns aside as I work through my frustrations. Another bash, and another, letting the bastard break apart until its insides are scattered about just like it tried to do to Chloe.

“That’s enough, Sera!” Chloe says, breaking my aggressive rage. “We won. It’s–”

“But I– I let it hurt you, Chloe. I’m sorry.”

She’s already healed her wounds. Her arm looks good as new as she pulls me into a hug.

“I know you worry about me. But I worry about you, too! And I don’t want you to beat yourself up just because I got hurt!”

I open my mouth to protest, but she cuts me off.

“I knew there were risks involved from before I first went into that dungeon with you. You told me it was dangerous. You and my mom both warned that there was a chance that I might get hurt. Or–”

I shake my head. “But my promise.”

“We both know that you’re not invincible, Seraphina. You’re strong. Physically adept, mentally quick, decisive when you need to be, and you’ve got a greater intuition of the System and its potential than probably anyone else on the planet. You’re going to do great and wonderful things. Whatever it is that you were sent here to accomplish. And you don’t have to do it all alone.” Chloe laughs. “Besides, I’m just fine! Although I think I liked my first arm better.”

“You ripped off your arm and regrew another one?” I practically spit take.

“No, but it got you to laugh!”

I stare incredulously at Chloe’s mockery until I hear the whir of another robot in the distance. The two of us nod silently. I grab the construct’s good arm before we tiptoe over to the room where it crawled out of. I close the door behind me. My hands are still shaking in fear of having to fight another one so soon.

I trace out the glyph that I identified earlier as corresponding to ‘locking’ or maybe ‘sealing’, etch it onto the wall, and infuse a small amount of my [Ether] into it. It won’t last forever, though. My [Mind] stat, suppressed by the properties of the tower, is only allowing me to regenerate about ninety percent of the [Ether] I’m spending. Still, that’s good for a few hours. Just have to hope there won’t be an army on the other side waiting for us when we make our escape.

I see the tension easing from Chloe’s shoulders as she drops her pack and pulls out some water and a few crackers. I’m stuck by the door, maintaining the lock as more whirring continues just outside, so she has to feed me. It’s… nice, being taken care of like this. I don’t know if I’d feel comfortable living my entire life pampered like this. But on a special occasion, like a birthday? Yeah, I think I’d be interested in living like the luxurious queens of old. Minus the lack of modern amenities.

Once the whirring finally quiets down, I take a moment to peek at my [Status]

[You have scrapped a Sentry Robot (Level 12). You have gained a boosted 840 Experience.]

Damn, just barely not enough to gain a level from the encounter.

[Level: 9; Experience: 2,380; To Next: 10]

[Current Stats: [Health]: 412 / 543 ; [Ether]: 125 / 271]

[Current Stats: [Strength]: 15; [Speed]: 18; [Vitality]: 31; [Mind]: 31]

Seems I’m a bit more battered from being slammed into that wall than I realized at the time. As I take some deep breaths and the adrenaline and endorphins subside, the full body ache starts to set in. My head throbs and my shoulders both slump and threaten to quit on me. Then my stomach growls, which is more than a little annoying, considering we just ate not even an hour ago.

Chloe puts the food away as I deactivate my locking glyph and very, very slowly open the door. I tiptoe forward, looking both ways several times. I notice a flash of something flickering toward me from my right. I pull my head back in a panic, only to realize it was just a strand of hair. Another deep breath to relax and calm my nerves. Once I’m absolutely, completely sure the sentries are gone, the two of us slip back into the hallway.

“Go on, or turn back?” I whisper.

“We’ve made it this far in one piece,” she says. “And I’m feeling lucky.”

I giggle. You always are, Chloe. You always are.