-

A city unaware of what was soon to come save for an inkling of an idea in Joans mind.

There was a cool hour as Joan walked the street, fire and trials burned into her she was yet to receive her the ready war-jacket that the Mechra would don her with she was swift to be on way to meet with her family, her siblings and cousins one last time before she would be utilized, to strike down those that opposed the holy images.

She passed a courtyard, a false-sun cast upon the sky under the electromagnetic barrier meant to protect the humans, in the court yard many people were standing around and about a statue dedicated to mankind’s image commissioned by the Mechra and constructed in way of Polarie blood.

She felt a sense of awe and saluted it stepping along the white marble pathways and was on her way to meet her family.

She was stronger now, and had hardly seen them in some time.

She traveled ways, the towering skyscrapers a utopia granted to them by the Mechra.

Fire, trials and war It was all she could remember of a time before the Mechra had come had purged the Vampires waging war against them, those beasts that drained their blood..

She could remember greased tools, fangs crimson colored and stained, skies battered from the wrathful strike of orbital punishment rained upon them.

They’re gone now….

Many including her walked the roads as machines in the sky drifted in magnificent form, the castes created to defend mankind, uplift mankind, protect mankind and utterly destroy all his enemies.

They had such magnificent shapes, they all were humanoid to appreciate the humanoid form though some would scarcely betray that they were of lower-caste not apart of the greater hivemind they were autonomous weapons whereas all others were vessels for the hivemind to depart from and enter whenever necessary.

Had it been possible Polaries would be placed in them, assimilated but the Mechra have since been unable.

Something that had Joan weep for weeks upon weeks when she realized she did not have better vessel to serve mankind in.

Yet she still has helped build this magnificent city given tools by the Mechra they assisted in uplifting these skyscrapers in mere days, establishing the greatest of fortified domains here in her own home.

As a young Girl she remembered it.

A desolated rebel landscape, rubble and concrete corpses of what was once a home to those born before her now a constant warzone of unending combat, the superior monstrous enemies, in purple armor and plated gasmasks, stomping through the ruins bringing carnage as they swept through anyone, they could find devouring young, innocent and old.

Yet in all that they never touched it…A strange church…it became a place of reufse for her..

It was that no longer amongst the beauty of the city, the plated utopian metals that were not reflective, a perfect shade of silver, a paradise as waters flew through and the artificial sky that hid the apocalyptic sky outside showed wonderful clouds of dizzing recognizing shapes, all which would always become cloudy..dark..

Light cast on everything but which should have had it..

And amidst it all, the Church projected its own light…

But it’s dimmed in the years past since the Mechra arrived, as worshippers of an ‘Unknown God’ have dwindled or departed…

-

Joan \\ FRACTURIA NEW GREECIA 16th\\

I was there standing strong, altered I was different my enhancements gave me strength to crush concrete, an ability to leap I could throw great stones, I’m now perfect to guard Boundless mankind.

-

“It’s no secret now.” Delta coldly stated letting it all settle in,

he stood before two thrones where the gods sat before us, a masterful painting drawn by the hands of one of my closest battle-sisters. It was a machine reaching up pushing mankind into the clouds, an evil menace colored and cloaked in purple held back.

By a woman like us, long knifed ears, a short stature but powerful gait as she relentlessly fought off the evil menace that numbered many, the painting was of them and us.

Polaries bled alongside crumbling machines uplifting the arch-machine and the protecting angelic Polarie fighting off the evil dreadful vampires as mankind is brought into his rightful ascension.

That’s me in that painting I’ll be her! It’s going to be soon!

I’m almost ready..but patience is going to be what is needed.

Because we have a threat that’s been here for quite some time…On screen was images distant, recon footage of a deadly monstrous beastial group that moved like shadows, I could see images of them cannibalizing machines ripping them apart.

Using strange archaic primitive kinetic weapons to destroy the greatest servants of mankind. The Mechra! As if they were some unholy thing!

Those demons!

“You are first to know as the greatest kind of servants amongst all your kin as protectors!” Delta stated the towering machine arrayed in white and black in priestly robes pointing toward the screen angrily chittering in mechanical rage!

“And witness to the calculated devil-like attacks from them, the defilers who seek to eat and feast upon our gods. Mankind.” Delta stated mechanically yet if a machine had rage I could sense it.

I stood between Hera and Miriam my two closest friends who had helped me through troubling times after my mother had nearly given up her faith in Man especially, they both hold my hands as we hear orders.

“You are to prepare after the two days of your trial to test your mothers, fathers, siblings and ensure their faith and correct it if it is faltering if they are heretical. You will bring them in.”

“BY THE ‘GODS’ WE WILL!” Our voices boomed.

It would be a trial of faith for me and her, all the girls and their mothers and fathers who had repented of being born and would face trial soon our trial and their trial they would share was witnessing the blessings of us and seeing us becoming the servants the Mechra helped us destine to become right at their side serving mankind ‘as angels’ I often heard sisters say.

“You are not to tell anyone yet that goes without saying, depart now see your mothers, sisters, fathers those who remain not diluted in the worthless faith that poisoned their minds before they arrived to the truth!” Delta stated remarkably with greater fervor to match than even us organics as his fists and palms arose.

There was two humans before us, in robes, they had lovely eyes the couple were with Delta as his overseers he’d knelt before them in past, he does it now.

“My gods, what may be your words to not just the Polarie servants but to all of us.” The man stepped down, waltzing toward me as his robe dragged across not even uttering word to Delta.

His eyes addressed me, I could feel them linger over me, I shivered in fear worried that I had made mistake, Hera and Miriam’s hands shaked as well as if feeling me tremble in the presence of.

A human!

“You are to be merciful as we were merciful as the Mechra helped us use your mothers and fathers for service, you will instead of judging them for heresy at the hands of our servants the Mechra use your own discretion to see if they may have hope.” He spoke coldly, religiously and calculating

It had me slack jawed in awe, his words were repetitive yet I could never get enough of being spoken to directly by a human as his eyes narrowed at me, he eyed my form.

I shifted in the lightly armored uni-suit that hugged my form, my own grey robes on top.

He smirked “Joan.” He took my hand from Miriams and shook it “Be strong, you are amongst all nephilm, fast and strong..” He laid hold of my shoulder trailing down my arm and raising it.

He had a hum, and listened to the sound of the bright interior the lovely runic walls in images of man some even of him as he spoke “You even were the first to comfortably accept alterations not just genetic but mechanical, you are first among all.” He spoke and gave a nod.

Looking toward the others. The other sisters had worried expressions, I had one too for them..

Had they failed!?

“Not that the others haven’t been ahead, but, you Joan are arch-protector of our faith, you will be leading them as you have been told already.” He spoke happily to me.

“You show bits of pure humanity I dare say! Be strong and utilize it to lead your sisters in faith toward us!” He gave me the smile he gave when he saw my strength in the trials, where I nearly faltered but rose up leading my sisters in faith to victory in the trials.

That strength I had in training faltered, my face reddened at praise as I nodded fervently nearly willing to faint as I grew warm, next to a god receiving praise, he had even touched me! Touched something so impure! Am I holy now!?

Delta seemed to rise as he departed and went back to his throne-like seat next to his wife.

I was too giddy unable to stand still but Miriam and Hera took my hands and helped calm me down, pinching me so I straightened out

Delta stopped kneeling, returning to me. Towering over everyone in the room yet regarding mankind he knelt as low as his machine vessel could.

Delta raised a hand over me “You are to go first Joan, I believe in you as they believe in you, you are nearly perfect, but the others will need to improve.” He spoke.

I gave a nod and released my hand from Hera and Miriam.

Miriam and Hera also were in awe I had such good words spoken to me..-

-

I’d left our pyramid much different

I was graced by the gods now, improvements to benefit me!

my eyes, my bones, my body... Replaced, though my flesh hadn’t been stolen entirely ligaments were strengthened, steel skeleton as best as I could describe what was placed in me.

I was given a rundown, and it was strange getting used to my new eyes, the baby blues my mother allowed me to have…She would be angry when I got home...

Yet I was feeling fervent uttering many prayers I even earned the shake of a hand from a human.

‘I am blessed!’

I was beyond what anyone could imagine being happy, superseded only by the joy that would come once mankind reached ascension once again that fateful day!

Yet I could admit inwardly and not outwardly I felt unsafe, the Mechra were assured to tell us things were handled but I knew they could lie. They lied for good and not for evil like we would’ve believed had we not been so enlightened to grace.

They wish to keep some truths hidden until it is necessary to reveal them.

Albeit I feel like an unbeliever when I consider distrusting the blessed creations of mankind meant to serve their glory, the glory of human beings.

‘Oh, Boundless Mankind’ I pray inwardly my hands clutched together in hope that I soon may find a place to convince and push my god into rightful ascension.

I feel heat rise to my cheeks as I remember the candlelit prayers I uttered to the first human being I fell before.

‘Thank you’ I muttered as they passed by me, I could see a blank expression they jolted surprised at my devotion.

Some humans are still not fully understanding their place revealed to us by the Mechra of what they will become again, of who they will be.

I smile looking up at the skyscrapers, the places humans endure a utopia, and we down here deservedly do everything to serve and uplift that Utopia.

Yet some would resist their place.

I am reminded as I pass through the streets and see a strange man–. No not strange I can recognize him…I’ve been here…why have my feet taken me to this accursed place...

A trail of blood lead my eyes to him at the steps of some strange structure. , his darkened ebony skin sticks out as blood trails his arms. I can see a gouge in his head, split skin, meat visible to my enhanced eyes.

Dad? No that isn’t him! It’s not then….I fight memory.

He looks out to me, as if he isn’t pleading but wants me to witness… I do recognize him..and it haunts me, a man who had opened door when I was young yet he may not recognize me.

“Sara-“ He almost says my name, has me shake in fear as the gods turn and their ire is looked toward me, I know my gods are weak now unable to kill me.

But to be seen as an enemy in coincidence I can’t explain..

the idea of such frightens me..

, I can see into one of his eyes my own cybernetic replacement allows me to assess wounds he is hemorrhaging he hasn’t just been stoned…

But beaten, likely stabbed from gashed in his apparel, he wears robes denied clothing and likely food as he is sickly.

Why would you be so foolish to hang on, can't you see whatever you believe in has abandoned you!?

I would hardly feel audacious enough to scold one above me eagerly but….

He’s not the first and it pains me to know one of my betters will not be the last merely because of ‘pride’ in this unknown God. If I could convince him by showing that I would seek his life!

I want to fall at my feet before the humans break him.

But I hesitate they are great masters of our faith, the beholders who foresaw the Mechra coming, who had their visions and transmissions given into their minds, laced around their heads are the mechanical straps. The Foreseers of our Saviors and beholders of our gods.

I can’t disrespect them, my eyes are filled with the whitened robes they wear cleaned thoroughly and sterilized, designed to be rid of any stain and any blood that could stick. They are used to this…

A shout draws me out of my terrified observation.

“You damned followers of that accursed “God” To hell with you! You won’t stand in the way of ascension!” Berates one of the men as he fastballs a stone.

I can almost hear the teeth explode out as rock soars fast into the man’s mouth….his teeth clattering against the pavement.

I turn my head...–! I see now it isn’t just elder gods, young ones, children are stoning him Aswell.

They are human why would they not be as merciful to each other as a wretch like me!?, I pain to see this, but I have no place.

If it were me, I would gently correct him–! No that’s blasphemy I can’t inherit their divinity!

I look at him to see what remains of a broken church. Before the Mechra came misguided ‘Christians’ held this world, now they have been corrected a great trailing away brought many to light, but some had remained.

I’ve no place but the ways I’ve seen humans deal with humans not enlightened by the Mechra does scare me, because I can feel my faith waver as my heart cracks at certain brutality.

But I’m not foolish these things must be done none can stand in the way of our ‘Quantum Ascension.’. My father learned that and that’s why he-.

My father died for lesser rebellion as a Polarie, had this preacher been one I’m sure he would be exterminated quickly, he has the hope to not only be forgiven this, and all he must just belief and relent. Maybe he deserves this but-.

Wailing…the wails of a man who raised me in darkness, in the structure of church with her, my mothed. And how they were separated when he refused how he howled when they burned him….How in his last cry he gave in…too late..

‘I can’t let that happen again-! No that’s not my place…!’I’m arguing…with myself..no..my faith..

I’m horrified by the struggle within me but as I watch stones fly toward the preacher, I’m horrified someone may miss the chance of submission he had. That my father had….

He’s still there being struck, the stones bounce off his skull, whipping his head and body in tattered robes on the ground with scorched book beside him as stones strike his head,

Yet stubbornly! The gall of him! he utters prayer fervently under attack...

I’m stepping toward the situation…don’t do that....no! I try to stop…

A have vague memories that override my faith scarily enough…of a man feeding a hungry man..and a hungry woman…they are my mother and father…and it is him!

It’s so sudden! I can’t help myself! I’m not me! I’m fighting but I can’t resist

It’s black for a while.

We had been on this world before the Mechra had arrived, a man had let us into ‘the house of God’ and taken us in, we sat by the fires and warmed ourselves….I remember his name none at all,

he remembers me…after all this time...A man who had fed my father and mother when we starved...

He has hope! He would be virtuous as he takes his rightful place and accepts truth!

I come to again in moments my eyes are at the ground! -!

I couldn’t help myself “Oh gods! Mercy! Mercy to your own! Mercy to those unbelieving of their birthright!” I’m planted with my nose to the marble tiles stained with the preacher’s blood and my own.

Facing toward them.

I’m expecting retribution.

But I only see one of them raise a hand before more stones come, some even directed to me!

A man steps forwards “Joan.” The lead voice stands up among them all.

He man plants hands at his hips, staring down to me…I can sense his presence overbearing, I’m terrified but answer.

“Yes lord?” I don’t dear raise my voice knelt and facing the ground.

“Your fervor and passion is not ignored, but spare nothing for this man. He is from the band of fools believing in the “Invisible God.”.” He speaks with great disdain as his gaze washes past me.

So merciful, he would consider my ways and reward my passion with compliment amidst chastisement. I feel warm, almost happy but still don’t raise my face.

“Stand Joan, arise, out the way.” The voice is one of my cousin’s father, when he had learned what the Mechra had taught us his position was raised quickly

he was one the forebearers who had told of their arrival. He helped correct my mother and have her spared when she earlier refused to accept the truth.

He not only told the Mechra much of the enemy we’d all faced on Fracturia instead he further pointed out the enemy that kept up from realizing their truth! Descendants of the settlers.

‘You should not stand here…go as he has said!’ It’s what I’m taught that speaks to me but I can’t continue on like this, my eyes feel wet yet my tear ducts had long since been removed…..

A phantom sensation as I almost rise... “lord-nay, I beg you to have mercy on your own an inheritor of your promised ascension should he believe-.”

“Have I not said ye are Gods?” A wavering voice broke that silenced me before I could continue, they all froze.

“It is as my Lord had said, “Is it not written in the law Ye are Gods.” The preacher voiced out, blood soaking him..

The Preacher had a glare of daggers cast upon him and more stones thrown as he spoke scripture

David spoke “Speak none of that mythical drivel from me! I’ve burned enough of you fools I’ve heard it all!” He sharply spoke that had me flinching downwards.

Quickly they’ve gone to both ignore me–! No I glance back and see the Preacher staring toward me.

The Preacher spoke defiantly one last prayer toward them! “Ye are Gods, but you shall die like men and fall like one the princes.”

H-he..he..called them gods? I remember my late-father..he was like this man and yet refused utter such about them…why would he call them gods? Had they almost convinced him..like my father?

I call out almost but hold my tongue realizing it’s been decided by the motions David makes.

David glared downwards at the Preacher taking up another stone, I noticed the stones they tossed were bits of the church.

They stoned him to final death.

I didn’t look as I heard the thud and the preacher went limp, I didn’t see him breathe when I turned..

David said, “Move along, Joan.” His voice became angry with me, and I quickly rose and fled from his presence and the others as they stared at me.

I was so stupid! That man hadn’t wanted to be saved! Why did I risk punishment, show disobedience and defense to those judged among humans!

I forget my place!

It’s painful for me to think if man is so holy, why does he kill himself…why are we to kill humans who won’t accept…

I lead these thoughts to make the walk all the more painful for myself and I wont know why until later...

Stolen story; please report.

If that human’s God were real…. why did he suffer….or maybe-. I shook my head When my thoughts and I were pushed out the way.

I moved along the path again, my heartiness diminished, his lack of faith in his place had almost made mine waver, I wept for his loss and death….” How can a god die?”

I speak stepping through the streets, my emotions have me at a loss until I encounter a machine, I stumble into it, nose first and almost hear a crunch...

I yelp before a mechanical wrist stops me.

A towering machine above me, black and arrayed in white, powerful, its mass covers the whole of the street yet it blocked ways as I see other people walk around it.

It stopped for me. It heard me!

“Joan?” The machine answered to me.

“Zeta-12-9!” I glance up at the massive hulking machine, large artificial muscles surround the underside of the arachnid like legs, eight of them to be exact, as it steps to the side of the street.

His guns are raised…I’m worried now, of what I heard earlier in our pyramid...

“Zeta…I-I’m…can we talk?”

I don’t get to answer, what is like tendrils snatch me into the air, cold, they have the consistency of rubber and I can feel the heat of the electrical conduits within powering it, as they raise me up.

Clambering up he takes me across the side of a building, massive in size yet so nimble, so graceful this servant of the gods doesn’t even rip apart the building.

I’m raised and laugh remembering many times I spoke with Zeta, a good friend in faith.

I glance down to see a few other gods; the men and women lead a fervent group of children through the streets…

“I know why you wish to talk my scans indicate emotional instability!” Zeta announced and I only reluctantly nodded too ashamed to answer, that I would let myself feel frenzied, sad.

Yet I walk within the city amongst my objects of worship.

But as I glance down and examine what grows farther and farther away I can still see vividly as Zeta scales a building, I see.

Polaries! Even young ones in strollers, yet I don’t see my own brother. And we don’t live so far away…they are following man, likely for more lessons…taught by the gods themselves. I need to speak with mom too.

-

I’m on the roof in a hurry, and I can see steam rise from ventilation... ”We shouldn’t-I shouldn’t be up here, it’s not right for me to be above man!”

“Don’t be so fervent it is mindless that is not a commandment they have given, lest Delta would ensure we are in the under-levels!” The massive hulking machine started coldly.

I heard a hiss as it blew out steam, radiators extending from what is like an armored boxy yet half-rounded, beveled insect abdomen, slots on the sides.

Steam rises out and I can smell scorched steel.

I only gave a simple nod.

“It is about the man who was stoned.” Zeta gazes out and above, toward that artificial sun, I follow the gaze, of his bulbous extrusion, a giant spherical sensory organ like part that rolls covered in hundreds of optical eyes.

“Ho-how did you know!?” I admit startled.

“Cameras.” Coldly is retorted to me.

And I sluggishly crouch down as he releases me from the coils, he held me with, they instead retract from his undercarriage something stored in his metallic container in the cold-underbelly.

It’s a soft round treat, whipped and hot, packaged and carefully handed to me.

I take it reluctantly “I don’t deserve this…I-I–.” my eyes wet with tears “how could I question them!?” I ask myself and question my own actions more than I inquiry Zeta

“You were as ignorant as we all first were.” The Mechra coldly stated. “Yet they pitied you, they were merciful.”

Zeta stated and I looked up to him in awe..

He was older than I was, Zeta unlike other mechra didn’t have a vessel, when the connection updated he had been cut off, he was isolated like me from a collective consciousness he fell into our hierarchy cast out from all the other machines yet his faith never changed.

I want to be as strong as this machine.

“You were all confused too?”

“For a time.” Zeta answered mimicking emotion as if remembering I am not machine, I know Zeta feels nothing.. but it has me warm and almost blushing when a blessed servant and machine cares enough to fake such for me, so I don’t feel so..-

“We realized that the gods are wise, they destroy what can’t be uplifted, it is not our place to do so, and they nstilled that in us, not all humans are going to accept their right.” The machine stated crouching down low….

I bit into the treat, the sweet taste calming me…it was mediocre at best though… Zeta seemed to be fully facing me which almost caused me to startle and choke when he looked.

Observing me bite swallow…

“Only the strongest of our gods will reach ascension, some have been too diluted by the universe.” Zeta continued on, gazing toward that city. “That outside this barrier that protects you from the great dangers, from them…” Zeta boasted.

“The great chassis that I hold the guns and weapons in my back.” Zeta spoke…She knew Zeta for long while, as a teenager there had been incursions from vampires and Zeta was powerful.

His weapons were stronger than anything I ever imagined and hoped would protect us, it leveled bestial tracked monstrous tanks that towered over buildings and fried the evil grey skinned menace.

I remember often how the Vampires helplessly attacked it and were crushed…

“These things are merely to assist the gods, not question them, your mind must be passenger to devotion to mankind we will lead him to re-ascension he just has to see it. And us, we will be his guardians as he attains”

I gave a slow nod

“Be strong and of good courage, man’s powerful violence his strength his warlike purity extends to himself, man will correct himself when necessary. It is the way..”

“Bu-but. Why spare us? We-we…are impure…our ancestors. I’m the hybrid of..” I choke. And can’t finish it.

“Because you are like angels, we pleaded for your continued existence, it was the last collective thought I had with the hive…..

”we realized we found our future kin, despite your impure ancestry…you are like us, even naturally in tuned with machines.” Zeta started without emotion yet it still had me smiling.

“I hope you enjoyed the treat; a human made it.”. The taste changed and shot up, as I soon gained revelation of such…

“I assessed it tasted bland to you.” Zeta gave something akin to a mechanical chitter

“Is it not now delightful, so will you think of the ways and manners of man as he treats himself Joan…I’ll take you home I pre-predict you were headed there.”

I gave a nod and laughed “Yeah…” I looked down at the food. “Thank you, Zeta.” I realized it now, how I should react I will understand the ways of man later but now I should enjoy it,

it will be bitter but soon if I let witnessing it evolve me as it did even the Mechra it will become sweet to witness. I would’ve been better off enjoying that stoning…

why does that feel wrong….to think…do I truly believe–such…that preacher…before had been a good human…but what even is a good human…if he was good why hadn’t he accepted our truth…

I shake the thought away and smile weakly.

Zeta gave a mechanical chitter, as little claw-like arms came out. “You are different, almost mechanical…”

I was surprised and marveled at the ignorance of Zeta “I am!” I stood up tall, my white robes, lightly stained in the blood I knelt in before...

Zeta gave another mechanical chitter, almost a laugh, the cold voice he had was like a man, like an older brother yet far older, something he had taken, like the human of great age that died in his arms years ago

I remember how I was almost able to console Zeta then a machine vastly more intelligent almost as well as he has consoled me.

Zeta reached out one of these extended mechanical pieces the massive arachanid form reaching me, touching my face.

I shut my eyes, as I felt a scan heat and what almost felt like radiation washing over.

“You have graduated.” This time I heard something unmistakable. Pride! He couldn’t be faking this!

“With your teaching and advice, I faltered for a long while, but I learned. Learned much about humans their careful expertise…I learned from their violence…And I succeeded in training.”

Zeta looked toward me “Good.”

-

I greeted receptionist of the Polarie housing unit, it wasn’t a man or anything like us but just a machine.

Into the well-lit corridors white dry wall with lingering stains, colorings and drawings from the young children.

I can see preserved images the Mechra extended to us, the image of two men together

The Vitruvian-man, poorly and crudely drawn by a child misshapen.

I regarded it for a moment as I found it quite cute, and for what I witnessed previously it was lightening to my mind.

I shouldn’t be so worried mankind who has found his place among the stars as a future re-ascended god will be delightfully intelligent in all his goings, his faults if they could even be called such a thing truly. Are the result of his current position, he must return.

I walked through halls, the long hallways, and with the layout it was a march that irritated me but I remember that it was them who designed this for us, to help us with timing and patience. Virtuous it was to not to complain about all they offered.

Afterall we are impure.

I took hold of the door to my home, but it opened before me, I could see my mother carrying my little brother in her arms, bouncing him as he sucked on his thumb, a look of glee was on her face

“Sar-Sarah!? You really came!?” She huffed I could see her similar pale snow-white skin and features, contrasted with tired bags under her eyes. She’s been stressed…..

You came home, blessed be the-!” She paused before she could answer anything else.

I can see her face and she frowns greatly…”It’s Joan mother the name the gods have gave me.” She hears me say in stern tone. Gives a detestable look that betrays the faith I know is in her! I believe is in her!

I entered, closing the door behind me as she took my baby-brother and entered the well-lit interior of our home...

I can still see many of the knacks, toys I had for myself thanks to the Mechra’s intervention and our liberation, I lived a good life. I needed to give back to mankind’s creation and mankind himself.

“I di-didn’t. Think they would…didn’t think you would-.” I can hear my mothers voice break..

“Mother have faith they would have accepted your request, they realized it was necessary I comfort you..have you done your devotion?” I looked onwards to my mother, and stepped aside. Seating myself.

She gave a reluctant nod…it vexed me to see a delay and lack of verbal confirmation.

Please don’t be lying again..

“Mom, have you truly? Yo-you seem tired have you not gotten sleep? Shouldn’t Joseph be with the other children?” I interrogated not even noticing, it was natural for me..I’d been trained.

I can see the hesitations, the way her eyes cast to the side, she worriedly looks to my baby-brother she places into a high-seat nearby.

“N-no..he-well I’ve just been sick, I didn’t want it to spread! So has, Joseph!..” Her voice is momentarily erratic, but she has him at a table.

I sat before her unknowing that I had.

I feel different, as if a second pair of eyes are on me. The smell of coffee is stronger than it’s ever been to me, its as if I can sense the dark-roast…That’s not permitted for us- she needs time to understand I know man will understand if they were here they would be merciful unto her so shall I be.

I shake my head loosely. “Mom! Y’know you can’t just hide him from great service, even the young should know ‘Man’s grace to his fallen cousin!’”

She desperately seeks to hide a frown.

Why was your faith never strong. I chastise her, but another reasonable part of me considers how hard it must be. She’s much more receptive than that preacher….

“Well–“ I start to speak but as her eyes fix onto mine I hear a gasp “Yo-youre eyes god-.” She stops herself. “”gods.”” She forces out and leans in, seating next to me, I can hear her chair scratch.

Her face wrinkles as she reaches for my face. “Your blue eye-….” I no longer had her inherited eyes, I knew such would make her weak faith waver..I had to speak on it eventually it’s why I’m here, I wouldn’t consider returning otherwise I have duties.

“You can’t be so ungrateful! They’ve made me a nephilm mother, these enhancements are a gift.”

Her horrified expression scrunches, she smiles…

They trained me too well to forcibly interrogate unbelievers…don’t let that be you.

I regard and swallow thickly…”Mom…It’s a gift, for me..You are blessed mankind choose you, just as father would’ve been chosen for-.” She clears her throat.

“I understand!” She exclaims weakly her voice wavering, “It’s a gift! I understand! I-I thank them the peop-humans!”

I’m a bit happy she can correct herself we aren’t human, long since diluted it was the point of contention that had her in so much trouble.. She resisted that with dad and then he-

I shook my head harshly to knock memory of the unbeliever, my father away. Causing her to startle a bit and then nodded up and down frantically “Yes Mom! Have you been outside in this week?”

She truthfully shakes her head as she rises and goes to the counter, running water as she washes three cups, and makes us all coffee…All?

I pause for awhile, and see a steaming glass mug reach a point where.. our other..sat…Dad…

I could see her eyes widen as she glanced toward the empty seat and she laughs emptily. Laying back into her seat without a glance toward it, robotically looking back to me.. “Uh-uhmm…Sa–” She winces

“Joan.” I speak and she answers herself “Sarah..” She speaks startled yet readily defying it…the truth..

I can strain my expression as much as I want…But it wont make her believe more, she’s trying your faith this is a test!

“Mother you seem to be losing fai–“ I feel ill at the mere thought of it…that she could end up like my father, she was always so submissive especially when David helped correct her, she was going to be righteous with me..

“I never had it.” I think hear come out cruel yet weak defiance laced in tone….

I look up and must be mistaken because she’s trembling likely ashamed her faith is so weak.

“I-I mean! I’m doing my best but these times are so trying..you’re gone…I know it’s a blessing for you to be chosen but..-“ She’s crying now wiping tears, this causes my little brother to stir

“It was meant to be!” I coldly state, “Leaving my little brother out of our righteous truth isn’t excuse though, mom.” I chastise. “Please don’t cry we can make it through this, I was sent back..To examine your faith.”

“. It’s weak like a lamb!..needs improvement!” I startle myself with how convincing my fake laugh is in the way I spoke to try to cheer her up.

She weakly nods and as I see her head lower in my presence, I’m happy, she’s not resisting as she had few times I’d seen her before. She can be better. Not like dad.

She won’t have to die for pride in some invisible “Lord” like that Preacher either.

I leave it in a long pause as my little-brother whines as the sink drips of water, she swallows thickly.

“Okay.” She stands up, but I rise faster and hug her “It’s okay mom. I’m glad I could visit you again, be strong we mustn’t fail mankind.”

I’m hugging tightly and she squeezes me even more, I can feel the depression through her dress where she was branded on back to be a part of her repentance pact…

-

I do love my mother…

As I sat and looked upon human approved viewing, it is old records the mechra had scrubbed off the dark-ages, we watch humans in a time called ‘their prime’ it was a gift to the Mechra for service of the Polaries during a troubling time when the Mechra faced Pulsar weapons.

The Pulsar weapons scorched flesh of Polaries serving fervently as warriors but didn’t impede them as they did the blessed mechanical servants...

I seat staring toward the television as colors blare in my vision. The laughter of my brother almost lulls me to a rest.

I notice my mother almost spots me lulling to a rest on the couch of our living room.

“Yo-you are staying?” She questions hopefully.

“For exactly two days in fact, I am being allotted time to spend with you before we depart.”

She gives a nod her smile that she almost gained diminishes hearing I’m going again, she knows it’ll be the last time she sees me whether or not I die in battle. I’ll be protecting her and my brother anyways afterall.

She sits on the couch taking my brother in arms. And leans back onto the couch.

Hugging me close.

She feels my skull, her fingers twitch as she presses hard at my unfeeling armored skull.

Yet she doesn’t question she instead lulls me closer..

Orange colors flash ahead of me, as the lights in the room are dimmed.

I can see flames on television.

In that church where my father held us when the Vampires weapons dropped down, assaulted man, woman, and child with devastating beams of heat we sat in that old ruined church, amidst it all there was a fire raging within despite the cold, and rain it would not diminish…

Was that odd miracle that kept us from freezing warmth from the ‘God’ these more rebellious potential gods believe in?...

“I remember your father cuddling the three of us together, when the war raged way back when.” She reminisced heartfully, and her voice wasn’t wavering it was straight and narrow like her.

“We were cold, yet that fire never seemed to go out…” She smiled as I glanced up as the three of us rested together, my little brother still a babe, stirring in his sleep.

And for a moment I rested.

-

\\ ATTACK OF THE UNDEAD //

Joan and her mother were awoken by a crash, both had endured a time when bombs fell from the stars but this was different, louder than any bomb they heard as they drifted to sleep in ruins..

This was apocalyptic.

As though the sky had exploded it came from above, and the interior shook, the lights flickering on from the force, the television that had been quietly playing in their familial rest on the couch flickered, and soon enough it came to realization.

Her eyes widened and blew wide open in startling fear “Shelter!” In tandem with her terror-ridden exclamation she bounced up, her mother startled awake was forced up as she took her hand.

They were both up “No! They-they’re back!” She’d seen a fear in her mothers eyes she’d hoped to never see again as the woman froze up.

“MOM LET’S GO!” She wailed loudly screeching at her mother.

“No! We need to take shelter!”

Joan recalled what she’d been learning of the monsters outside of what Delta had been preparing her and the others to face since they landed.

“No! Listen to me, this isn’t a bombing! We need to head to the emergency shelters!” Joan was quick and didn’t let her mother resist, she took her out.

Yet the hint that this was something more had her mother visibly frightened, terrified.

People were waking up screaming and shouting as that first sound only had them confused.

Joan screamed. “EVERYONE WAKE UP!”

She was screaming through the halls of the Polarie housing complex.

“Wh-what was that!? More nukes outsid-!” A man exclaimed but was cut off as it came again, it was a haunting sound and from a distance down the hall they could see the artificial light casted by the exterior sky mimicking day-time.

Become immediately black, the lights of the interior shutting off..

Horror and panicked cries came from them all.

But Joan didn’t wait

“WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” She screamed..

She was so sure of it because it was why she was conflicted of returning to her mother, something was utterly wrong…she trusted man..not the Mechra more than man….and even humans, were worried by report of what was outside this dome.

Monsters!

They were rushing out, her mother and little brother “Mom!” She noticed her mothers feet dragging!

“Yo-you’re too fast!”

Indeed, her daughter, Joan, was moving too fast and quickly Joan adjusted, as they burst out the building, the darkened sky was now exposed….

The Barrier…..that protected them their shield…it was gone….Not just their shield..

The shield to protect mankind! No! please no! Delta, Zeta Do something! She shouts internally.

There was dark reddish lights, like cyclops eyes descending, all over her enhanced cybernetic eyes saw-!

She quickly screamed at her mother to speed up, her brother babbling and crying, she could hear a sudden risk. Energy weapons!?

She heard explosive rocketing gunfire that dared make her quake and fear and falter! I’m sensing something in my mechanical eyes, “Duck!” She screams and her mother shields her brother as

they lay on their knees, heads toward the ground prostrated to dodge projectiles.

Heat blares as a missile blare from a defensive point, a road in the street has opened miles ahead, mechanical gears opening the street as asphalt lowers and moves to slot away as a missile battery raises.

-

HELL

Crowds of People scatter aimlessly, terrified as the rabid menace approaches, horrified as hulking figures float through the sky strange jetpacks assist them as they clear and land atop buildings, defenses implanted within roofs that emerge are decapitated swiftly.

Machines around the city are expertly encircled, the far more numerous machines and polaries sent into fight are cut down by weapons of their own.

These monsters are in buildings now…men and women scream, hungry angry monsters descend upon them, biting down into soft supple flesh, consuming the self-proclaimed Gods

These monsters are in the cannibalized remains of machines outside the barrier.

They use heavy cannons, one arm towering over them, and men of purple using “holy weapons” to scorch the defenders..

\\ Crisis Joan//

It’s firing at something in the sky above us!

It trailed upwards toward a skyscraper and missed!

Debris crashed down, and I looked around.

It’s as time has slowed….

I see it all ahead of me, wreckage, the fire of the explosion has lightened it, I see humans! My gods! Broken, dead…projectiles rain from above but I can’t even fully identify the targets when I glance up!

‘My family is second to my duty!’ I painfully remind myself

“Stay down mom! Keep running!” I shouted.

“But Sarah!? Go where!?” She shouts painfully forgetting my new righteous name!

“KEEP MOVING!” I scream in rage at her and throw myself away from her as I leap upwards…

My eyes scan upwards and see debris landed on a god…I hear his wail, he’s been crushed….my eyes can’t wet with tears but I feel it again, my heart ripples and aches with pain.

Yet I hadn’t hesitated and leapt forwards quickly abandoning my mother and brother

I have to!

“Blessings give me strength!” I cry in agony barely able to lift it in an inch, worried and unsure if my mother has even gone! I won’t be able to get back to her! If I don’t hurry!

The man wails “Pl-please oh God! Help me nephilm!” he is barely able to reach my ears as explosions rage around us, glass shatters and rains around us..I can feel it sting my skin.

My synthetic muscles that had replaced my original kick in, my altered genetic drive, I feel adrenaline I lift it up, entirely and over my head.

I lift what is about as large as a car before I can think about it,

I’m sending the debris flying ten feet over, crushing a sleek automobile under it...

Thick bit of concrete debris and wall off him, and he weakly crawls out from under, I can see other human’s rush toward him…helping him

I turn to see my mother shivering, terrified holding my brother as he cries, smoke rising.

“Mom! I’m sorry I had to-.” Her face is angry but only nods as if to shut me up.

We are back to running but are shaken by what came next.

Our home is gone!

I turned back, and it erupted, a purplish flame rising high as it explodes and strange entities landed…the demons!

They landed within crashing through as it blew apart!

“We’re so far from the edges of the barrier! How are they this far in already!?” She shouted to me

I thought on it “Above!! They are airdropping! But how!? They don’t have a fleet strong enough!” I screamed

I saw the wrecks of our home, the fires rage.

My mother finally looked back and wailed with my brother but I drug them with me.

I yelled back “Don’t worry keep running!”

The city is dark only illuminated by light of gunfire, plasma weapons, and fire!...

We are dancing through wreckages, and my mother covers my baby-brothers eyes, her shoulders bloodied from glass and debris that hit her falling from above on occasion…

We are hearing voices…”The others…the other Polaries! Joan!? Shouldn’t you have helped lead them?”

“Mom! Don’t worry about them! If they are worthy they will be escorted by my sister-nephilm!” I scold matter-of-factly..I don’t have time to-!

We reach an intersection, and soon enough I can hear something whistling down, a massive shadow illuminated by purplish fire….

“ZETA!” I scream and something lands, he is massive landing in a crowded intersection crushing a fleet of abandoned cars…I can hear screams from surrounding humans now falling behind him, other Polaries in the streets.

Boldly announcing from megaphone “HUMANS, RETREAT, VAMPIRES YOU ARE NOT HIDDEN YOU ARE WITHIN RANGE OF EXTERMINATION PROTOCOLS!”

he booms loudly, rattling glass deafening my ears, my baby brother wails louder than ever and my mother winces.

As the screams grow louder, the tense sound of fighting elsewhere lessens…I see strange figures break glass, poke out windows and buildings..I slowly run to march away.

ZETA seems to address me, his mechanical head momentarily turning toward me “JOAN, RETREAT, GET TO THE PYRAMID-TOWER! RALLY WITH THE SISTERS RESIST ANY ATTEMPT TO BREACH!”

The crowds are retreating quickly, they are desperate to escape and eager to get out the way as they are screaming “THEY’RE COMING!” the helpless people scream.

I give a nod and look to my mother and brother, I…I have to abandon them to do that–.

“EVERYONE MUST RETREAT THERE, HUMAN OR NOT…SHELTERS ARE COMPROMISED!” Zeta brokenly announces! As he takes several projectiles.

My mother saw my hesitation..that I considered abandoning her..it pains me but I had to consider..I have this duty..! But now I feel so weak..my gods are dying around me!

Our sky is shattered!

Hell has come!

You shall die like men and fall like one of the princes… The words of that preacher haunts me.

Lightning fast something whips past me! It lands.

It rolls, an automobile had been tossed….

Did Zeta throw that!?

I can see another one fly and this time I witness who threw it, them! It lands nearby crashing into a crowd of gods, they are reduced to red mist, as it flies with insane velocity

when I turn as I see one of them block a burst of Zeta’s twin co-axial plasma autocannons, rapid fire plasma burns

into the automobile the lead demon lifts with one-arm. The heat of passing bolts are so hot it almost brings me to heatstroke from twenty feet away, and it melts streetlights and windows nearby

He raises it over his head and then rears back after Zeta’s burst flinging it into Zeta.

The automobile crashing into his sensory piece, I see dozens of eyes burst out at the velocity it’s been thrown!...

“ZETA!” I scream…as he stumbles blind, his head spins in its socket to a point where he has a full set of eyes but they are shot out, I see him desperate.

I’m terrified as my mother tries to get me to run downright tugging my arm off! but I want to save him!

I can see him, powerful legs weakened, these monsters have unnatural power, strength they shouldn’t have…Zeta is immune to even the greatest of attacks but they are something else..

I’d witnessed him break tanks with his legs, yet they evade his stomps, even elbowing and redirecting his several ton weight, he stumbles.

I’d witnessed him take the brunt of an attack and shield many, but he wavers evading as much as he can with his size, as one of them wields a rifle, the commander blasting off eye after eye.

He evades and the stranger seems to have additional shots hit the crowd, the damage it does to a man…a god…

It was as if he had turned to red, blood and mist arising as his center-half was vaporized, and hot energy scorched the wound after, the explosive impact happening thrice! He was eradicated…

The crowds are also witnessing the horror of carnage that seeps around,

we all almost stand there to watch paralyzed in fear,

one of them seemed to have disappeared in the midst of combat as they harass and overwhelm Zeta one of the four and re-appeared as if she was a ghost.

She’s coming from the air off the side of a building crashing down with a forceful thud, shaking the ground around us.

A blade stabs into the head of Zeta…

I scream until my throat burns raw as the blade slashed upwards as this horrific being brings it up, and rips his armored head open…..

He tips over…..his massive mechanical frame darkening, each eye going dim one after the other.

Thirty, then twenty, then ten, then one…

It looks toward me..as mechanical boom “Run!” is all that is uttered toward me.

I run, I take my mother, my brother and I run..I can’t fight them! I’m too weak to save the gods! Too weak to fight back! They’re going to kill us all! But..

Zeta why did you have to–….no…. why…..why….

Eerie silence was growing in the city…why had the sounds of combat stop?

We must keep moving.

We sprinted with people, moving as fast as we could a crowd of gods “Polarie! Y-yo-you’re a nephilm! What are those things!? They aren’t any regular vampires!” A boy screams to me, a young boy demanding answers.

My Mother forgets her place “We no time to answer you!”

I don’t scold her…gods are dying…they are going to get in the way and die more if I stop to answer.

The others want to hear too…irrationally..it’s bitter now hearing them murmur and rail against me as I am now leading them to safety.

They follow me toward the tower…I can see in the distance, humming and glowing, we are cold now the outside world’s surface is clouded, from atomic weapons…recent.

I only hope we can make it

Then we all pause on the street next to a building, a café we a nearby attached to a skyscraper, glass cups rattle, heavy tables and chairs shake…

Zeta!? I hear an unmistakable chime that sounds like him…but remember there are others like him…

Wait..!

S2N2

I sense something wrong…as we move through the quiet streets, I hear distant combat…it’s not too distant, it’s to our left…the skyscraper rumbles…..

“Joan what’s wro-“ My brother, my mother spill into my hands like red paste from a dispenser…I don’t know what happened, I still can’t recall what was going on.

My vision blanked out, as I saw a fight emerge, wrecking through us…a machine classed like Zeta was thrown through a wall, one its long spindly legs, stamping onto my family..crushing the others with us as it was tipped over…

gods flattened to paste like melons so many they held it up for a short time whining, crying groaning as the machine squeezed down until they finally burst under its massive body, and it sunk into the ground…

I look forwards frozen..I feel nothing…I don’t know anymore…gods are dying…I’m a fool….they died like men….fall like the princes..no…

My mother…

“Mo-mom…” I reach out ahead of me as I turned back fully, feeling nothing but air and the wet bits of her flesh that exploded into my hands..

I’m glancing ahead…seeing a monster emerge, the secondary machine akin to Zeta lies on its side…

I watched you die twice, this time with my mother.

I can’t bear to look; I see whatever my brother had been wrapped in before my mother…before she–

I crumbled to my back legs, sitting up and witnessing a terrifying monster watch and approach me….

A second descends from darkness as man crawls helplessly, unfortunately helmet is removed her grey skin and light hair exposed…she descends on him biting him on the neck like a beast and lifting him by his throat with her mouth blood flows into her throat and I see her swallow gulps…

Dear God save me..

Save me God please.. I beg…I remember the preacher, what has happened I’m lost…I tremble and cry as somehow I cry…I weep and cry yet I should not be able to…I can’t stop what flows..

It’s their leader among them, there are three others removed helmets feasting on remains…they don’t eat flesh they sink in..

And like a predator he seeks prime prey…

he is magnificently large, seven feet…he has the gait of a lion prowling like a angry monster… he is taller than any of them, and he stalks toward me his armor is clean albeit their visors their armor is broken he stalks toward me.

Drenched in the blood of–Oh God he’s drenched in the blood of my self-proclaimed gods….

He is like unto a bear–No great! He is…he is our end…

I watch him prowl toward me in calm gait, he is stalking at me, his path is straight guided by the line of pavement, what little remained of my mother..my brother…he approached, a towering crueel cyclops in dark purple armor barely visible even in light, covered and bathed in the blood of my people my gods, stomping at me entirely silent, even his footsteps are defeaned

Slinking forwards at me like a predator, He has it he keeps that lions gait and is dreadful he casts an unnatural shadow in the fires of my home on me, A red line appears then a dot between, in his blackened abyssal wide visor a monoeye shifts as if its alive blinking on once-twice

His gaze is only for me utters not a word. I’m going to be consumed!

I weep, wailing

I pray in one last effort, fervently as the stones of tragedy cast on me

God of the preacher pity me I’m sorry.

[He must have.]

\\ ALEPH //

I WITNESS DEPTHS GREATER THAN I HAD EVER SEEN CARNAGE WHICH QUESTIONS MY IMMORTALITY I HOPE TO DIE FOR WHAT I’VE DONE.

Yet I approached her

Each step I took earned a wail, a cry her hands cover her face as she holds fingers over parting to see me. I’m careful attempting to be deliberate, I want to ensure she is safe…because she looks like her.

Her skin is pale, far from an albino snow-white, with knifed ears, unlike any human I’d ever seen..but she looks like her

Steam blows from my ventilation “Arianne?”

Quantum Crisis.