➤The ✭ Perfect ✫ World ➧➧➤

[Okami Ameras]

I closed my eyes as I leapt downagain frommy perch, andI strided towards the unconcious nemesis.

Bring me lumber and a wood pole. And some rope. I'm gonna burn this imposter alive.

I glanced up at the screen, and then nodded.

~~~

Lukas was munching on toast in the dining hall when he got a telepathic message from Scarlet. Daddy? Yes Scarlet? Layla needs your help at the vid chat. Ok. She'll need a jolt. ?

Picking up his plate of toast (with one piece still in his mouth) he headed for the vid chat screen.

It was then he saw her passed out infront of the screen with Genesis hovering worridly over her.

Lukas dropped his plate of toast then hurridly started flailing in the air to grab it all before it hit the floor. He managed to juggle it all back onto the plate before setting it down and rushing to Layla.

He saw the gauze and stright out tore it off her arm.

Idiots. His voice sounded strangly demonic.

He then clapped his hands, rubbed them together hard for a moment, and grabbed her arm and started to grip it very tightly while massaging the flesh with his fingers. This slowed the bleeding, and he pulled a sucher out and immediatly started stiching up the wound.

Once that was done he clapped his hands together, his eyesclosed with a look of calm on his face, before putting both his hands against her chest and jolting her nervouse system. It was the Northwest version of using a defibulator... (which would wake her up) And also increasing her metabolism to help her body heal the wound quicker.

~~~

All this happened onscreen as my father worked his Mysic healing skills. He glanced over to the screen and his eyes widened.

Crap, was that on the whole time??!?

Sorry daddy! But it was urgent.

His eyebrows furrowed and he looked closely through the screen. This his eyebrows went up. He pointed through the screen at Nemesis.

NEMESIS! BURN IT! BURN IT WITH FIRE!

Already planned on it!

Oh... Good.

Northeners already were scurring up nervously with a large wooden stake which was about 8 feet tall, some rope, and lumber. I lifted the unconcious Nemesis up, and lashed her to the pole, arranging the wood and kindling around her feet.

I glanced at her bracers, observing them carefully. I lifted one arm and pushed back her palm and out came, dun dun dun da, a hidden punch dagger. I grabbed the dagger with my gloved hands and started bending until it broke off, leaving a useless little stub. I then repeated the same with the other hand.

I then stepped back, waiting... I wanted Nemesis to wake up for this.

Lukas watched through the Camera, and nodded in approval.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

The sudden jolt caused Layla to wake up rather violently. She found herself on the floor, with Genesis trying to help her upright and Lukas practically glued to the screen. She looked down to see her arm all stitched up. Her shirt was dirty, and a small pool of her blood had accumulated on the desk where the knife rested. She would need to clean that up later.
"Did I...succeed?" She asked. But Genesis answered her question silently by pointing to the screen. There stood the tall pole, surrounded by the basis for a fire, with the devil herself strung atop it.
"A witch burning, huh? Does that thing even deserve the honor of such a death, though?" Layla asked with disgust; not toward the actual act, but to the recipient of the burning. She stood up between Lukas and Genesis, watching the screen carefully.
"I thought you hated witnessing a death of any kind." Layla remarked to Genesis, "Or have you suddenly changed your mind?"
"I do. It disgusts every bit of me," He paused, his eyes never leaving Nemesis's face, "But she is the epitome of everything I hate. This burning will not permanently kill her; merely this flesh form will die. I can only hope that the pain and shock will somehow resonate with her and help change her mind on things when she returns anew."


There was the slightest twitch in her leg that signaled her awakening, followed by the outburst of wicked cackling. Nemesis gazed out to the group of Northerners with hazy eyes and a smirk upon her face, "Burn me! Burn me the way your ancestors died long ago, feel their endless pain laced within my own cries and writhe in it! Become the very demons which plague you, Northwest!" She called out dauntingly to Scarlet and Lukas, her eyes portraying the most hideous hatred, "Soon, very soon the Angels will cleanse this world of your evil. Magic cannot win. Only the elite and mechanical will live to see the day that this earth is glorious once more!"
She then focused on Genesis and smirked even wider, "And as for you, Brother... I'll kill your precious daughter right before your eyes, and then I'll use the Angels to destroy your unholy soul. Until that day, live in fear. Fear the unknown with every fiber of your being, because your ignorance will be the death of you."  

[Okami Ameras]

The Fire was lit.

I watched as Nemesis shrieked and cackled, screaming like a madwoman, screaming that Northwest and those that practice their arts were evil and would be clensed.

I turned to look back at the screen, where Lukas, having finsihed cleaning his hands of Layla's blood by now as he watched, had now turned and offered Layla a piece of toast.

Toast? I beleive it is approprite given the situation.

I looked back at Nemesis, before turning away and waving my hand.

I'll be inside if you need me.

With that I strode into the Palace and left Nemesis there to burn.

~~~

Lukas turned and turned off the vid chat, and he stroked his chin hairs a few times, a look of deep thought in his eyes.

Yep.

He left Layla three slices of toast and took the rest, leaving as suddenly as he came.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

Genesis stood there unmoving, his eyes shut as he considered Nemesis's words. They made him tremble; the slightest of motions that conveyed so much meaning. He heard Layla approach.
"Are you alright?" She asked softly.
"No." He replied, "No, Layla, I'm not... I'm afraid of the things she spoke of. I've done something horrible, and now it's coming back to haunt me. Because of me, so many people will die."
"What could possibly be so horrendous that the new form of Aerilo himself fears it? You're the strongest man I've ever known, and it's uncharacteristic of you to show this kind of weakness..." She leaned back against the wall beside him, brow furrowed with worry.
"I created a monster with my own hands. A whole bunch of monsters, but one especially potent. Those are the Angels of which Nemesis spoke. Not even I know of their full capabilities yet, but if it's any indication... Simply being in her presence is enough to disturb the mind." Genesis shook his head solemnly, "If they are released as soon as Nemesis made it seem, we won't be able to stop them. I'll be the reason for thousands of murders."
Layla placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "We'll make it through this, Genesis. I know that I'm not exactly the most inspiring or talented individual, but I'll do my damnedest to help you stop this. And I know that everyone here will help, too."
He nodded, "Alright. Thank you."
She reclaimed her sword from where she had dropped it earlier, "Shall we start training now? I believe that today's events are reason enough to hurry that process." When he nodded again in agreement, she led him out of the room... after snatching up a slice of victory toast.

• • •

"What do you expect me to do?" Eva questioned him, arms crossed. She was skeptical of him, considering past events.
"I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place right now, Eva. I have nowhere to turn. If I remain here, I'll be slaughtered by that creature or by my own robots who were programmed to turn against me. If I leave... they'll hunt me down, or the factions will proclaim their revenge on me. At this rate, I don't think I'll live to see the end of today... And that's the reason I've called you here." Raowan started to pace uneasily, "Since I'm a dead man walking, I need to tell you everything I can now. You've seen the rewrite code, right? Good. When the simulation crashes, you will see a blank entry space for text. Just imagine that you're typing out the numbers you see in your head. When they're done being entered, your virtual body will be reinstated and granted Admin privileges — you will be able to create the world from scratch. As for the Caretakers, because they run through the simulation, you can shut them down with a master key. All of them except for Nemesis and Genesis; they have separate servers, and I don't think Genesis is even linked to his anymore. You will recall the password when the time is right. That will have its own entry space that you will find instinctually."
"What if I don't remember it?"
Raowan considered this, "Well...if your subconsciousness fails, then there's nothing we can do about it. It's supposed to be failsafe." He stopped his pacing and looked to Eva, a certain softness possessed his features, "I'm so sorry that you've had to go through all of this. I never thought it could go so wrong... Just, please remember: All I've ever wanted is to make you happy, to make everyone happy. And for God's sake, Eva... save these people from Shane and the objects of his influence. He'll be the ruin of mankind. So... I guess this is goodbye. I still love you, Eva."
With one last fleeting glance, he departed into the sea of entranced civilians. A dead man walking. The mastermind to be destroyed by his own brilliance. Eva turned away as he faded from sight, slowly heading back toward her home. Her new home. She wanted to be strong, but she couldn't hold back the single tear she would shed for Raowan.  

[Okami Ameras]

Odessa. Isabella. To me.

Lukas went to his private lab-- a cavern which was seperate from the rest. Here, he exprimented with something similar to what Genesis worked back in the government.

He strode in, and started packing up his equipment. Odessa showed up, a large steel suitcase under her arm, and Isabella, with all her gear packed in a grease and oil stained duffelbag.

We're going to visit Scarlet. Let's start the spiral.

The two followed him, three steps behind, as he walked out of the cavern. He started to navigate the cavern tunnels. Some got more nature like, as if no one lived there, while others were fashoned to look like a network of cellars and basements.

This area is where Lukas started the spiral, jumping and climbing over random collections of things, and he always took a left turn after a while.  

[Okami Ameras]

I closed my eyes for a second, before working my way back to the balconey where I saw the remnants of the imposter still burning, nice and slow. I looked down at the Mech below, and I held my chin as I thought.

I then looked up and blinked, staring off at the sky.

I glanced back at the mecha again.

One that wouldn't be a toy?

I looked down about the crowed, to see if Rey was still there. I spotted her and climbed down, approaching her.

Hello Rey. I have a question.... just how intricate do you think Mechs can get?  

[Hiddochi wolf]

Rey was one of the few still remaining in the courtyard, beholding the ruin of an evil being. She, along with the rest of the Northern people, was scared. The very idea of their enemy being capable of creating perfect human replicas was enough to give her nightmares, in addition to what the impostor had said. What else had they been oblivious to over the years, while occupied with extravagant bliss? Suddenly, these walls no longer felt so tall or strong.
She was glad for Scarlet's question, as it distracted her from the bleak thoughts which now plagued the faction as a whole. She gave a half-hearted smile as Scarlet approached, "It's actually kind of surprising how intricate they can get... Even the most basic models generally require several months' worth of planning for the average engineer. Well, how intricate is the human body? You've got the bones and the muscles which shape and move it, the brain which dictates what happens at any given time, the nerves which interpret certain conditions and send the brain feedback, the vital organs which must all operate in harmony with each other, and the circulatory system and the cells which help self-repair injuries. Now imagine all of that formatted into a mechanical body which must also house a human body, without creating an environment which is unsafe for the human. Mecha are vastly more complicated than robots because of that factor. There's a whole separate process in designing a mech which we call the Cooperative Consciousness, which describes the relationship between the operator and the second body. If the CC is weak or chaotic, the operator will not be able to use the mech to its full potential, and it's truly nothing more than a machine. If it's especially strong, the user won't even be able to tell the difference between his or her own body and the mech's. It's almost like a melding of the two minds; the machine and the man."
Rey gestured over to the test model she'd made Scarlet, "Because of the CC, and how it varies from person to person, each mech must be custom-fitted to the individual. That's why I wanted your feedback on this one, so I could know what exactly you need in the interface to make that special bond. Layla's machine took the CC to a completely different level... hers had real flesh within its armor, a real mind and consciousness. I've heard rumors that it possesses a portion of her own soul inside it, so she could actually transition her mind into it. My mentor built that machine, the first and only of its kind so far."
She frowned in concentration, "The only problem with intricacy is that there's more potential for failure. For example, if the mech is controlled solely by pressure sensors in the cockpit instead of the traditional body-suit method, and if a single sensor misfires and triggers the wrong arm motion... the pilot might have just shot himself in the face without meaning to. There has to be a fine balance between intricacy and practicality, because just like the human body, the machine can fail."  

[Okami Ameras]

Upon hearing of Layla's mech, I grinned wide, and giggled.

Yes... Layla's mec...

I looked to Rey with my glowing peridot eyes. I gestured her to follow me towards the simple mech.

I'll say this plainly, Rey. All mechs in this faction are toys to me. They wouldn't be able to reach the level of CC that I would require to not be hindered by the machienery.

I looked up at it when I reached the Mech.

Even Layla's, flesh and blood as it was, would still prove insufficient. I'd need something that is both mechanical and organic inorder to not only control the mech fluidly but also be able to channel my will through it.

I turned to look at Rey.

My family is coming for a visit; they know enough that they're gonna try their hand at helping build this thing. Among them is my father, Lukas, a Biological engineer; My sister, Odessa, a programming and Electronic specialist, and my mother, Isabella, who was once the greatest mech builder this faction had. But it's bee a long time, and my mom hasn't been updated with all the new parts and mech building techniques.

I tilted my head at her.

I would like it if you helped out, please. With all of us wrking together we just might be able to create a mech that could keep up with me. But you must swear never to try and re-create it.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

The young Northerner was certainly surprised by Scarlet's explanation; she had no doubt that the average machine wouldn't quite make the cut, but not even Layla's? That was the most intricate creation this faction had made to date. Until now. Rey hesitated, but an eager smile crept across her face as she nodded once, "That would be a tremendous honor, Lady Scarlet. I shall obey your will and shall never replicate such a machine. If all goes well, this world will soon no longer need mecha anyway."

• • •

"This little trip could either be beneficial to us, or... it could end us." Devon paused, letting the dramatic effect of his statement sink into their minds, "And this is why I don't want everyone coming along. I need a group to stay with the truck, and to continue driving on the original path in the evening. If we don't return by sundown, just go on without us and stop at the Northeast checkpoint. Then... if we don't show up by the next morning, assume we're dead. Got it?"
The row of Westerners nodded with varying levels of energy.
"Good. Those of you going on the exploration trip, come with me."
Chris and a few others stepped forward; a burly man who typically acted as a soldier in times of war, a middle-aged woman who had skills in first aid, and a teenage boy that was excellent at scouting. They carried at least a pistol each for defense. With one last set of farewells, the group started off toward the black city outline.  

[Okami Ameras]

I smiled.

Yes... if all goes well.

I looked at the simple Mech with a thoughtful look.

Would you like me to try this out anyway?  

[Hiddochi wolf]

Rey shrugged, "I don't see how it could hurt anything to try. Even if it breaks, there's no real loss."

• • •

It was within a half hour that the massive ruins came into detail, a towering series of shadows sitting harshly amid the bright sand and the grey-but-sunny sky. They were skyscrapers of a once brilliant town, leaning and rotting from decades of catastrophe. The group paused a good thirty feet away from the entrance, which was determined solely by the fact that it was the spot where remnants of pavement became evident. That was the outermost boundary of where the nuclear blasts reached. Before them lay a miracle; it was the single surviving island of civilization that existed between the blast-zones.
All five of the Westerners held their guns at ready, eyes scanning the dark city for any signs of life. Chris winced, "Does anyone have the feeling we're being watched?" He whispered. They all gave a quiet affirmative response, then stopped to listen. Dead silence everywhere. Not even the wind dared to whisper its enchanting song. They slowly proceeded forward.
A violent, invisible force tossed Chris to the ground, causing him to drop his weapon. The others immediately huddled in a circle around the boy, facing outward with their weapons. The woman called out over her shoulder, "What happened? Are you injured?"
"N-no." Chris gasped, "I don't know what it was, but it felt like something shoved on my back! It was really strong and sudden." He explained as he stood, helping them to survey the land. Still no sign of any life.
A hideous scream escaped the large man's lips just then, followed by a gurgling noise before he collapsed to the ground unconscious. The woman knelt down beside him, checking his vitals, "I don't know what's wrong with him... He's completely unscathed..."
Devon uttered a yelp of surprise and pain, falling to his knees as he clutched his head tightly with both hands. He struggled with a mental foe for a long, tense moment before landing on his side in the sand, panting with exhaustion. He was trying to verbalize something in incoherent bursts, but was cut off by the scout's sudden outcry, "Over there!"
Chris looked where the young man pointed, a dark mass rising out of the sandy ground. It crawled first on all fours, then straightened out into a feminine, humanoid shape. Her skin was a medium shade of grey, formed of reptilian scales that seemed to absorb any light which contacted them. Her arms were abnormally long and muscled, with slender hands and clawed fingers. Long, black hair framed a mouthless face, and two large sapphire eyes shone almost unnaturally bright beneath the dim luminescence of a glassy orb embedded in her forehead. She was clothed by a torn black garment with belts and pouches strung across her waist and chest. A thin, wire-like tail dragged behind her with a spiked tip. The creature did not make any movement except to blink.
Chris froze in place. He could have fired a dozen bullets at her by now, could have ran a good distance away, could have hidden behind the others. But instead he remained, held by the oddest sensation of fear, distant familiarity, and safety. Yes, he somehow felt safe. He recalled his nightmare and the beasts which inhabited it — was she the dark monster that killed his friends? No... that's not right. He thought a while before remembering the dream's conclusion, and decided that she was one of the creatures who helped him. But there was something very unsettling about his discovery; how did he even know this woman?
When he dared to glance to his allies, he found the others equally frozen. Then, as he looked back to the mutant woman, his eyes were met by the gazes of dozens of others. Creatures of all different types now surrounded the Westerners, some of which were clearly hostile.  

[Okami Ameras]

I nodded, and started to climb up the Mech. I opened it and slipped inside, settling into the cockpit. I looked around inside, taking in the details.

~~~

The grey scaled creature was quietly joined by one which was similar in apprarance, though it was unclear her phisique.. However, while the other's were a medium shade of grey, this one's were a pure white, like snow, with long silver hair, and eyes the color of emeralds Her orb was smaller, and the flesh lifted up and seemed to close over it for a second, before opening and exposing the orb once more. She wore long white robes with golden yellow flares, which were clearly too large for her, which hid her figure. Over her robes she wore a long and large strange white cape that seemed to have ribs in them. She looked to her companion, then back to the odd grpup of creatures that had approached their home-- and sanctuary. She stayed silent.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

Neither group made a move, maintaining the tense atmosphere as they awaited their opponents. As he observed the other creatures, out of the corner of his eyes Chris saw a brief, transparent ripple in the air directly ahead of the dark female's orb — like the outward flow of water as a drop contacts the surface. Then, his sight was overcome by a series of sudden, strong images flashing through his mind. Six Caretakers patrolling at the edges of the city, led by a suave-looking government man dressed in a black suit. A stack of guns and knifes. A pool of blood trickling through the ruins. A Caretaker holding its weapon at the narrator's throat. An intense pain pulsed through his body then, originating from a massive headache that seemed to seep into his very bones. He distantly felt his face contact the sand, but it was more of a fleeting, dreamlike sensation compared to the vision's deep pain. A few more flashes of weaponry and death appeared before the pain subsided, and in its absence, a curious and questioning presence entered his mind. He realized that it was asking if he was with the government.
Chris came to his senses with the right side of his face halfway buried in sand from when he fell. He glanced up to the darker female, making direct eye contact as he raised his hands in surrender, signaling that he meant no harm. He focused really hard on his memories of West and the other factions, and how his family was killed by machines. The creature tilted her head to the side in a curious manner, showing that she had seen what he wanted her to. Another ripple distorted the air as a silent communication effort spread across the group of mutants. The more hostile creatures ceased their battle stances, and one even proceeded toward the group of humans in a gesture of help. But the young scout misread his intentions, and fired off a couple bullets into the mutant's chest.
"You idiot!" Chris exclaimed at the teen, watching in horror as the mutant stumbled back a few steps and then collapsed in a pool of thick, blackish blood. The orb from his forehead ceased glowing, and after a few seconds, disengaged itself from the creature's flesh and landed in the sand. The entire group of mutants writhed in pain where they stood, some emitting a horrid screech while the mouthless entities suffered in silence. They were experiencing all of the pain the dead one faced in his final moment.
Their pain grew less intense as time wore on, reduced to mere shaking in the limbs. Chris anticipated an attack, but no such thing occurred. Instead, the minds of all five Westerners were invaded by hostile presences, knocking them unconscious with violent spasms of pain.
Once the humans fell uselessly to the sand, a few of the mutants ventured forward to carry them. The dark female grabbed Chris and hefted him effortlessly over her shoulder, then gestured for the white creature to carry one of the others. She led the others into the dilapidated civilization, weaving her way through piles of rubble and collapsed towers. As they reached the innermost sector of the city, the sunlight was almost completely obscured by the overreaching skyscrapers, casting a permanent shadow over the streets. She abruptly stopped, knelt down on a slab of concrete, and leapt head-first into a gaping hole in the ground. She shielded Chris with her arms from the impact as she tumbled into a roll, before catching herself on her feet once inside the underground cavern. They walked a ways into the series of pitch-black tunnels, until they saw the luminescence of dull lights in the ceiling which revealed a small, empty storage room. There were no doors or windows other than the entryway. She carefully set down Chris in the corner and waited for the others to do the same. Then, a silent question popped up among their species: Who would stay to watch over the humans?