The Old World

 "Isaiah, come on! We're gonna be late for school!" Serenity yells. "Coming! Sorry, Serenity! I wasted a bit too much time watching TV last night!" He says. He had brown hair, dark blue eyes, and soft beige skin "It's fine! Just get ready, and let's go! I don't wanna be late!" Serenity says. Isaiah then got ready and followed Serenity out of the door. They then saw that their mother was already in the car. "Hey, kiddos. You two finally ready?" She says, with her usual smile. "Yeah. Sorry, Mom," Isaiah says. "It's okay, Isaiah. Sometimes you just want to laze around. I don't blame you." Their mother says. She had blonde hair, dark blue eyes, and beige skin. "Now hop on in, you two!" She says before they get in. She then started driving. "So, I assume you stayed up watching "The Temptation of the Priest" last night?" She asks. Serenity snickered. "That show has such B-movie quality." She says. "Hey! Sure, it might not have the best budget, but I still like it!" Isaiah says. "I never said that meant it was bad! I actually get invested in the lives of Calidora and Zachary." Serenity says. "Same here. Though, it can be quite cliché and cheesy at times. Like, one line I remember off the top of my head: "Oh, Zachary. Every moment without you feels like the most tremendous torture imaginable! I do so wish you would allow me to bite you. Then, we could be together forever!" Their mother says, quoting Calidora. "No, I could never! I'm sorry, Calidora, but allowing you to taint my blood with your unholy venom is explicitly prohibited by the great Asmata!" She says, mimicking the poses that Zachary was making at that moment. She then laughed before noticing that Isaiah had a grumpy pout. "Aw, come on, Izzy! We're just messing around!" She says, rubbing his head with her hand. He then chuckles. "I know. I'm not actually mad!" He says. "Also, now that we're on this topic, what have you been doing, Serenity?" Their mother says. "Oh, you know... Practice and stuff. Unlike Isaiah, I don't usually have enough time for TV shows." Serenity says. "Hey! I do other things too, you know?" Isaiah says. "I know, I know! I've been to your little gaming nights. But do those really count as "physical activity?" Serenity says, with air quotes. "Mmm... No... I guess not..." He says. "I'm not trying to berate you or anything, Izzy! I just want you to exercise more! You're getting kinda chubby." Serenity says. "It's not that noticeable, is it?" Isaiah asks, placing his hands over his stomach. "Well, no, but I don't want it to become noticeable, ya know?" Serenity says. "Yeah, I guess I get what you're saying. I'll try to exercise more, okay?" Isaiah says. "Good! I just want you to be healthy, Izzy!" Serenity says. "And... I also want you to be able to protect yourself. This world has some dangerous people." She adds. "I know, Serenity. You tell me that all the time." Isaiah says. Their mother then chuckles. "It's so sweet that you worry about Isaiah this much, Serenity." She says. "Yeah... Well, someone has to look out for this dork while he's at school." Serenity says, giving him a noogie. Isaiah laughs. "Stop, stop! You're gonna mess up my hair!" He says. Serenity then laughs, letting go of him. "Sorry, Izzy." She says. A few moments pass, and they arrive at school. "I hope you two have a great day!" Their mother says. "You too, mom!" Serenity says with a wave before they both get out. Eventually, they have to go to their classes. As Isaiah was walking to his class, he noticed a familiar young woman pinning another young woman to a locker. "Althea, what's going on?" He asks, running up to them. "Oh, hey Izz. Sorry about this little scene. This punk decided to pick a fight with me." Althea says. She had deep brown skin, curly brown hair, and silver eyes. "But, don't worry. This'll be over quick." She adds, before punching her in the gut. The woman grunts. "Wait! Let me talk to her, okay?" Isaiah says. Althea looks at him for a moment. "Eh, knock yourself out, Izz. I've got better things to do." She says, letting go of her and walking away. "So, what's your name?" Isaiah asks as she dusts herself off. She had black hair, amber eyes, and bright-white skin. "You may call me Abrianna. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get to class." She says before she starts to walk off. "Hey, wait a second! I wasn't done talking to you!" He says. "What else could you possibly need?" She asks, turning around. "I want to know why you decided to pick a fight with one of my friends!" He says. "Well, I had noticed that she's clearly the "Alpha" of the school, and I wanted to earn respect by defeating her in a competition. But, I suppose I underestimated her strength." She says. "Earn respect?" Oh! You're from Katashi, aren't you?" He says. "Yes, why do you ask?" She says. "Because I've heard things about Katashi, and Halix is very different. We don't have those animalistic hierarchies here." He says. "Oh, I apologize. I had no idea." She says. "It's fine. It was just a misunderstanding. Say: I'm sure you could use a friend since you're new here. So, would you like to be friends?" He says. Abrianna is silent for a long moment as she looks at him. "Hey! You there?" He says, waving. "Ah, I'm sorry... It's just... No one's ever asked me that before. But, yes... I suppose that sounds... quite nice..." She says. "Okay, cool! Oh, wait, sorry! I almost forgot! My name's Isaiah." He says. "Pleasure meeting you, Isaiah." She says with a bow as she grabs his left hand lightly and kisses the back of it. His face turns a tad red. "I hope this is the beginning of something beautiful." She adds with a smirk. "Ah, but we should really get to class." She realizes. "R-right, of course! Uh, I'll s-see you later, okay?" Isaiah says. "Very well. Farewell, for now, Isaiah." She says. "Bye!" He says, running off. Eventually, Isaiah's classes were over, and he saw Abrianna. "Hey again, Abrianna." He says with a wave as he walks toward her. "Ah. Hello again, Isaiah. Is there anything you need?" She says. "Uh, not really. But, I do think I should know more about you if we're gonna be friends." He says. "Ah, right... Um... Well... I think I'd rather keep my past to myself for now. Sorry." She says. "Oh, um, that's fine! Whenever you're ready." He says. Serenity then notices Isaiah talking to Abrianna and walks up to them. "Hey, Izzy. Who's this?" She says. "Oh, hey sis! Um, this is Abrianna. She's new." He says. "Hm... Well, nice meeting you, Abrianna." She says, extending her hand. "Pleasure," Abrianna says, shaking her hand. "Well, we best be off. Mom's probably waiting." Serenity says. "Oh, yeah! Let's go, Serenity!" He says, before walking off. Just as Serenity was about to follow him, she gripped Abrianna's shoulder tightly. "If you defile him in any way, I will break every bone in your body... Understand?" She says, staring daggers into Abrianna's eyes. Abrianna seemed to be unfazed. "Perfectly, Ms. Serenity." She says. "Good, then we shouldn't have any problems." She says. "Ren, you coming?" Isaiah yells. "Yeah, sorry!" She says, before running to his side. "So, I hear you made friends with Althea. There any particular reason for that?" She says. His face then turns a bit red. "N-no! I just think she's cool. Besides, I'm not really focusing on that sort of thing right now." He says. "Awww, what a shame. She told me she thinks you're cute." She says. "W-what? Really?" He says with a twinkle in his eyes. She then snickers. "Knew it." She says. His face then turns even more red, after he realizes the trick she just pulled. "You're such a jerk!" He says, pushing her. "Aw, come on! You know you love me." She says. "Hmph!" He says, pouting. She then laughs. "Fine! I'm sorry, Izzy. You know I love to tease you." She says. He then sighs. "I know." He says. Eventually, they reach their mother's car and get inside. "So, was today good, you two?" She asks. "Yeah, it was fine. Izzy made a new friend, and I got a good workout in." Serenity says. "Oh, that's fantastic! I'll have to meet this "new friend" sometime. But, as for right now... what do you two think of eating out before we head home?" She says. "That sounds great, mom!" Isaiah says. "Sure." Serenity says. "Great! Does Oxen's sound good?" She says. "Yeah! Always!" Isaiah says. She chuckles. "Of course. Why do I even take the time to ask?" She jokes as she starts to drive. As a couple of weeks went by, Abrianna and Isaiah got closer and closer... Eventually, she finally decided to open up to him. Isaiah and Abrianna were relaxing at a spring that Isaiah would frequently go to with Serenity and his mother. It was outside their state, but the scenery was worth it. "Isaiah... Do you remember when you asked me about my past?" Abrianna says. "Um, yeah. Why do you ask?" He says. "Well, I think I'm finally ready to tell you..." She says before sighing. "Many years ago, my parents died to a couple of thugs... For so long, I had to survive on my own, since Katashi doesn't have orphanages. It... was actually quite hard... But, one day, when I attempted to steal food from a woman named Aurora, I was sloppy. I expected her to hit me or yell at me, but instead, she asked me why I was stealing, and when I explained my reasoning, she embraced me and offered to help. I didn't know what to say. I had never met someone so kind until that point. She then took me in and taught me manners and everything that I know today. But she's recently become very ill, and... Just like back then... I have no idea what to do." She says. Isaiah then hugs her. "Abrianna... I'm so sorry. If you need help, I'm sure Mom would be happy to." He says. She then hugs him back. "I... I'd like that... Thank you so much... Izzy..." She says. It was the first time she'd used his nickname to address him. "Of course... Abby." He says. Abrianna walked into Aurora's hospital room. She was right. Aurora was in terrible condition. Her skin was pale, and she seemed frail. She was dark skinned with violet eyes and red hair. "Hey! There you are, Clumsy!" She'd say, almost as if nothing was wrong. "Hey, Aurora. How are you doing?" She asks. "Bah, you ask that too much! I'm fine! This'll all blow over, and I can go back to being the one who takes care of you." She says. "How could you be so sure of that, Aurora?" Abrianna asks. "Because I have faith, Abrianna, and I don't believe that the Asmata would take me away from you this soon," Aurora says. "I... I hope your faith is well-placed, Aurora." Abrianna says. "I have no doubt in my mind that it is, Abrianna. But, even so... If she does have a different plan for me... I want you to remember that you are special, so special. I know that you are going to do amazing things for the world." She says, grasping Abrianna's hand. "I... Thank you, Aurora. I... I love you." Abrianna says. "I love you too, Clumsy." She says with a smile. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a woman approaches a large building. She had gold eyes, silver hair, and dark beige skin. A man in a uniform opens the door. He was visibly older than the woman. He had white hair, gray eyes, and light brown skin. "Princess Amabile... Now, you're a sight for sore eyes, aren't you?" He says. "I apologize, Ensio. I got... caught up in my dreams." Princess Amabile says. "Yes, well, I hope you had fun." He says. There is a moment of silence. Ensio clears his throat. "Now then, allow me to escort you to the Queen. She wants to have a word with you." He says, turning away from her. Frieda groans. "Of course, she does." She says, slouching slightly. He then glances back at her for a moment. "Mind your tone, Princess. After all, I'm sure you remember how the Queen feels about your snarky remarks." He says as he starts to walk to the throne room. Frieda reluctantly follows him. "And here is our stop..." Ensio says, gesturing toward the door. Frieda then approaches the door of the throne room but struggles. "Best not dawdle, Princess. I'm sure your mother is getting impatient." Eniso says. "I'm going! I'm going!" She says, before forcing herself to walk through the door. The Queen looked almost exactly like her, just older. While the king had brown hair, light blue eyes, and rose-beige skin. "Oh, Frieda! My lovely daughter! It's so good to-" The King starts to say before the Queen interrupts him. "Silence, Gerald! She doesn't deserve a "welcome home" quite yet." She says. Gerald clears his throat. "Of course. I apologize, Jacqueline." Gerald says. "Mother, I cannot express how sorry I am," Frieda says. "You very well should be! You abandoned us and your kingdom for trivial television shows and movies!" Jacqueline says. "Jacqueline, would you please calm down? She apologized. Besides, she was young." Gerald says. Jacqueline groans, placing a finger on her temple. "I love you, Gerald, but you're way too soft at times." She says. She then gets up from her throne. "Frieda... I want you to understand that I do love you, no matter what." She says as she approaches her and puts her hands on her shoulders. "But your foolish decision affected me and your father, and by extension, the entirety of Katashi. And, as punishment, you are hereby forbidden from leaving this castle until further notice." She adds. "I... I understand, mother..." Frieda says. "Good... Elias, Kiana!" Jaqueline says. "Yes, Your Majesty?" Two of the guards in the room say. "Escort Frieda to her room." She says. "Yes, Your Majesty!" They say, going to each side of Frieda and leading her to her room. Jaqueline then walks back to her throne and sits down. "Jaqueline, was that really necessary? It's not like she's going to leave us again. There's a reason she came back." Gerald says. "I'm not taking any risks, Gerald. Katashi became a mess when she left." She says. "Even more so, you mean," Gerald mutters. "Gerald, I understand that you disagree with how I run Katashi, but it's been this way for generations! Our subjects need to grow up to be strong, and making everything soft like the outsiders do won't achieve that!" She says. Gerald sighs. "I suppose I can never change your mind, so I'll just drop the subject." He says. "I would very much appreciate that, Gerald." She says, resting her cheek on the back of her hand. Frieda was awoken the next morning by the royal advisor, Madam Damonica. She had tan skin, maroon eyes, and brown hair. "Sorry to disturb your slumber, Your Highness, but the King has requested that you join your family for breakfast." She says. Frieda lets out a yawn. "Okay. Just give me some time to get dressed." She says with a stretch. "Of course, Your Highness." Madam Damonica says with a small bow before walking out of the room. Frieda sits at a large table in front of her father and across from her mother. There is a long, awkward silence. Gerald clears his throat. "So, sweetheart, did you have a pleasant rest?" He asks, trying to avoid the silence. "Uh, yeah! I didn't realize how much I missed my bed." She says. "Well, that's great!" He says. "What about you, father?" She asks. "Oh, it was the best sleep I've had in years!" He says. "I wonder why that is," Jaqueline says, glaring at Frieda. Frieda lowers her head. "Jaqueline..." He says. Jaqueline sighs. "I... I apologize. That was... uncalled for." She says. "I... I really am sorry, Mother. But... I had a dream, and you wouldn't let me fulfill it. So, I had to find my own way." Frieda says. "Hm, I had hoped you'd put your people and your family before your dreams. But I suppose that was too much to ask for." Jaqueline says. "Jaqueline, let's just drop the subject, okay?" Gerald says. "Very well, Gerald..." Jaqueline says. They all continue to eat in silence for a moment. "Well, Frieda, would you mind telling us how the most recent chapter in your life was?" Gerald asks. "Um, sure! I managed to get a few roles. Some were more popular than others, but my personal favorite was a vampire in this little romantic drama. I'm not quite sure why. I guess I just liked the simplicity of the role." She says. "I see. Well, I'm glad you had fun!" He says. "Yes, I'm sure it was... a delight," Jaqueline says. She was now finished eating. "Now then..." She starts to say as she stands up from her chair. "Me and your father have some important business to attend to and I'd like for you to join us. After all, it's been quite a while since I've had the chance to teach you what it means to be the Queen of Katashi." She finishes, as she walks away. "Is being harsh and cold to your people on that list?" She mutters once she knows she's out of sight. Gerald sighs. "Frieda-" Gerald starts to say before Frieda interrupts him. "Dad, originally I believed what mom always told me; that this was the only way everyone could grow up to be strong! But there are so many strong people outside of Katashi! Sure, they're not hardened mentally and physically, but they're still strong!" She says. "You didn't let me finish, Frieda. I'm well aware of what it's like outside of Katashi, and I feel the same way as you... Luckily, you'll be Queen someday, and it will be up to you to decide how you want Katashi to be. You don't have to follow your mother's rules, you know?" He says. "I... I guess you're right..." She says. "Now, we best not keep her waiting." He says, standing up from his chair. "Um, right." She says, getting up from her chair and following him out of the room. Back in Halix, it had been a few months, and Abrianna started to notice a feeling she'd never felt before when she was around Isaiah. She decided to approach Aroura about it. "H-hey, Aurora. Um, I have an inquiry for you." She says. "Hm? What kind of inquiry?" Aurora asks. "Um, you remember Isaiah, right?" She asks. "Oh, yes, of course I do! Haha! He seems like such a sweet boy. What about him?" Aurora says. "Well, I... um... When I'm around him... I feel like my heart is about to burst out of my chest... Yet, I also feel... nice? It's quite the odd feeling." She says. Aurora laughs lightly, only for Abrianna to give her a confused look. "I'm quite sure this is no laughing matter, Aurora. I could have a serious medical condition." She says. This just causes Aurora to laugh more. This also causes her to cough slightly. "No, no... Sweetheart... you're in love." She says. "In... love? I... I didn't expect that to happen so soon, if at all. W-what do I do? How do I approach him about this?" She says. Aurora chuckles. "Just be yourself, Clumsy." She says with a warm smile. "Be... Myself... Okay! I... think I can do that! Thank you, Aurora." Abrianna says. "Of course. Now, go get him." She says, flicking her wrist slightly. Abrianna sighs deeply. "Okay. Wish me luck!" She says, walking away. Aurora chuckles. "Good luck, Clumsy." She says as Abrianna exits the room. "You deserve some more joy in your life." She adds, looking around the white room that she'd become sick of. Abrianna called Isaiah on her phone and said: "Hello Isaiah. I, um... I-I was wondering if... perhaps... you would like to go on a romantic outing... with me?" She says, fidgeting with the tie of her suit. Isaiah was silent for a moment. "I, uh... Sorry, I wasn't expecting this. But, sure! I think you're pretty cool and nice, so!" He says. "Really? Yes!" She says, jumping up slightly. She clears her throat. "Um, I apologize for the sudden outburst." She says. "So, what specific time would be most convenient for you, and where would you like to go?" She says. "Uh, well, I usually go with my family to Oxen's, so we could probably go there! As for a specific date... Hmmm... I think I'm free on Saturday at eight!" He says. "That sounds fantastic. I'll see you then, Izzy." She says, before hanging up. "Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!" She says ecstatically while pumping her fists in the air. It was now Saturday. Abrianna approached the door of Isaiah's house and knocked on it. Isaiah then opens it. "Hello, Isaiah. You look absolutely beautiful!" She says. "Uh, thanks, Abby! And you look as stunning as ever!" He says. "I, um... I'm sorry if I'm a bit awkward. I've never been on a date before." He adds. "Hm... Then this will be a new experience for both of us." She says. "Now then..." She says before she puts a hand behind her back and reaches her other hand out. "Shall we?" She asks. Isaiah then grabs her hand and walks away with her. They arrive at Oxen's and sit down at a table. "I, um... sorry that I didn't choose anything fancy. But this place is very important to me, so..." He says. "I'm more than fine with this, Izzy. Don't worry." She says. A waiter then walks up to them. He was dark skinned with black hair and brown eyes. "Ah, Isaiah. The usual?" He says. Isaiah laughs slightly. "Yes, please, Mr. Giani!" He says. "I figured. And you, Miss?" He says. "Oh, uh... I'll just have what he's having." She says. "Very well, I'll be right back with that!" He says, before walking away. "Heh, you come here a lot, don't you?" She asks. He laughs slightly. "Yeah... I love it here! It's like a second home. Mainly because... It, uh... reminds me of my dad..." He says. "Ah, I'm sorry." She says. "There's nothing to be sorry about! I still have the memories. Besides, I only lost one parent. You lost both!" He says. "Hm... That's true..." She says. "Um, anyway, how's school been?" He asks. "Well, I would say it's been amazing. I'm at the top of my robotics class, and I'm making... passing grades in all my other classes. But, um, what about you?" She says. "Um, well... I'm doing... decently. Bs and Cs... I'm not really... the smartest person ever..." He says. "Don't say such things, Izzy! I'm sure you're intelligent in your own way! You just need to have some confidence in yourself!" She says. He chuckles. "Now you sound kinda like Serenity." He says. "Yes, well... she has a valid point." She says. Abrianna is silent for a moment as she gets lost in his eyes. "You okay, Abby?" He asks. "Hm? Oh, I apologize. I just never realized how stunning your eyes were until now." She says with a chuckle. "I happen to love dark blue, so that could be one of the reasons!" She adds. He blushes slightly. "Ah, well, thank you." He says. Eventually, their food arrives. "Ah, chicken legs and a soda. Of course. Aren't you supposed to be on a diet, mister?" She says. "Hey! I'm trying! It's just so hard!" He says. Abrianna laughs. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone." She says. Eventually, they finished eating and walked out of the Oxen's. "That was nice!" Isaiah says. "Um, really? So, does that mean you'd like to do this again at some point?" She asks. "Sure!" He says. "Okay! Well, um, would you like me to walk you home." She says. "Of course!" He says. "Very well, then." She says, interlocking her arm with his. "Let us go." She says as they start to walk back to his house. After Abrianna had taken Isaiah home, she went to see Aurora. She walked into the hospital room, and Aurora noticed that she was beaming more than she ever had. "Hey Clumsy! I assume it went well?" She says. "Oh, Aurora, it was amazing! Even though we didn't do all that much, he still had fun, and I'm just filled with joy right now!" She says. "That's great, sweetheart," Aurora says. Abrianna then sighs. "This day would be even better if I could run and spar with you like I used to." She says. Aurora looked down. "Don't focus on what you could be doing, Abrianna. Focus on what you can do right now." She says, looking back up at her. "I... I suppose you're right, Aurora. Then again, when are you not?" She says, with a small chuckle. "That's right. Now go on home. It's getting late." Aurora says. "Actually, I think I'll stay here with you tonight." She says. "You sure? I would imagine that chair is awfully uncomfortable to sleep in." Aurora says. "I'm positive, Aurora." She says. "Okay then, Clumsy," Aurora says. Abrianna and Isaiah had been going out for a while, and everything seemed to be going great. Unfortunately, a tragic day struck for Abrianna. She got a call from the hospital. A nurse on the other end told her the words that she never wanted to hear: "This... Um... This is never easy. We tried our best, but in the end, there was nothing we could do. I'm so sorry, Ms. Millicent." She dropped her phone and fell to her knees as tears streamed down her cheeks. A sob escaped her mouth. "So much for your faith." She muttered to herself. Isaiah, Serenity, and their mother had gone to Aurora's funeral. After the funeral service, Serenity approached Abrianna. "I... I know this probably won't change anything, but for what it's worth... I'm sorry." She says, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Don't act like you care!" She says, whipping around. "You've hated me from day one, and you know it!" Abrianna says. "What? That's not true at all! I was just looking out for my brother!" Serenity says. Abrianna scoffs, before punching Serenity. Serenity grunts. "Damn! Are you really that convinced I hate you?" Serenity asks. Abrianna would then notice that Isaiah was watching. "I-Izzy, I..." She starts to say, but Isaiah interrupts her. "Stop... Abrianna, I understand that you're hurting. But hitting my sister is a line you shouldn't cross. I'm sorry, but... I'll have to think about our relationship for a bit. Come on, Serenity. Mom's waiting." He says. Serenity starts to follow him. Abrianna groans in anger, before tackling Serenity and punching her. "This is all your fault!" Abrianna yells. At this point, Serenity finally started returning her punches. "Abrianna, stop!" Isaiah yells, running toward them. He then attempts to pull her off of Serenity; only for her to hit him with her elbow, causing him to grunt, and fall back onto the ground. Serenity is then filled with anger. She uppercuts Abrianna and pins her to a wall. "You just went way out of line, Abrianna!" She yells, punching her in the face over and over again. She then throws her onto the stairs of the altar. "I don't want to see you around me or my brother ever again." She says, before walking away with Isaiah. Abrianna pants heavily, before she starts to sob. "I just want you back, Aurora... I just want you back." She says, hugging herself. As soon as Abrianna got home, her anger rose once more. She pushed a bookshelf onto the floor and flipped over the living room table. Before she could cause any more damage, she noticed an old photo of her and Aurora, and it halted her anger. She walked toward it and was bombarded with memories. Eventually, her mind stopped at the words: "I know that you are going to do amazing things for the world." Then, suddenly, that was the only thing she could think of. The overwhelming pain and hatred twisted this memory, and its meaning became something darker. "Yes... Yes, I will, Aurora." She mutters to herself, before walking away. It had been fifteen years since that day. Isaiah hadn't even seen Abrianna. It was like she just disappeared. Although, he did start to notice a company on the rise called: "Militeck." Which specialized in creating advanced technology. He then noticed that Abrianna did, in fact, own it. But, he thought nothing of it at the time. Eventually, he noticed the newest invention from a commercial. "Militeck has been hard at work these past few years to bring you technological advancements that will better humanity. And this is our latest and greatest invention yet! I present to you: The Automaton." A female voice says. The voice blabbered on about its usefulness and functions until finally, it ended with: "Militeck; bringing you a better future, one technological advancement at a time." Once again, Isaiah didn't think much of it. He just assumed Abrianna had moved on and was happy for her success. It wasn't long until almost every person in every state had an automaton. Everything seemed perfect. That is, until one fateful day. The automatons commenced an order that was programmed into it from the very beginning. Any person over the age of four who had an automaton was killed in cold blood, and any remaining citizens were imprisoned. Few managed to escape into forests. A few of those people being: Serenity, Isaiah, and Althea. "I... I knew Abrianna was mad, but I didn't know she was this mad." He says shakily, before falling onto his hands and knees, panting. Althea grunts, punching a tree. "I wish I had beaten the hell out of that psychotic bitch when I had the chance!" She exclaims. Serenity just looked around at the group silently. They all had one thing in common. They all lost someone to Abrianna. She then shuts her eyes tightly for a moment. "We're still here..." She mutters. "We're still here and we can still do our best to avenge the fallen." She adds. "Yeah, and how are we going to do that? We're just a small group of people!" A man says. "There's gotta be more survivors. We can't be the only ones." She responds. "Even so... we have to fight! We have to... If not for ourselves, then for the people that we once held dear. We... are The Remnants of the Old World!" She says. As the days went by, more and more survivors joined their cause until they had fifty members. One of the newest members suggested that they repurpose an underground military base that he knew about. Serenity thought the idea sounded perfect, so they started their walk to the base. Eventually, they reached it and entered through the door. The door led to a staircase, which led to another door that was locked with a passcode. Needless to say, this place was pretty secure. At least, by pre-automaton standards. They opened the door, only to be greeted by soldiers. "Drop all your weapons." One of the female soldiers says. She had reddish-brown skin, short purple hair, and green eyes. They slowly disarm themselves. She then notices an outline in Althea's pocket. "All of them..." She says. Althea reluctantly takes a pocketknife out of her pocket and drops it onto the floor. "Thank you. We appreciate your cooperation. Now, what's your business here?" She says. "I brought them here." The man that took them there says, walking through the crowd. He had shoulder-length blonde hair, hazel eyes, and light beige skin. "Dr. Alden! We thought you were a goner!" She says, lowering her gun. "You'd be surprised what I can do with some spare parts, Sergeant Reign." He says. She then lets out a chuckle. "Even when faced with an army of robots, you still find a way to escape. That's exactly why I admire you, Dr. Alden." She says, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But, my question still stands for the rest of you." She adds, looking at the rest of them. "We're trying to find a way to defeat Ms. Millicent and her automatons." Serenity says. Sergeant Reign laughs. "That's a noble goal, but it's ultimately pointless. Every city on the surface is crawling with those glorified tin cans. Even with our help, you'd barely even make a dent in that army." Sergeant Reign says. "But, isn't it even more pointless to wait? Abrianna is bound to find this place at some point. May as well try to do something about it, right?" Serenity says. "Hm... You have a point... Fine. You may proceed." She says, moving out of the way. The other soldiers just stay silent as they allow them to pass. They must be the strong, silent type. Althea sighs slightly. "I'm sorry that you had to give up your pocketknife, Thea. I know it's important to you." Isaiah says. "Nah, it's fine. Shouldn't cry over spilled milk. There are way bigger problems right now." She says. "But it was a gift from your dad," Isaiah says. "It's not like I've lost it forever, Izz. They're probably gonna put it in an armory or something. Now, stop worrying. You've already got enough to worry about." She says. "I... okay..." He says. Eventually, they reached a roundtable. With a man sitting at the end of it. He had short black hair, yellow eyes, and tan skin. "Ah, Dr. Alden. I was beginning to think we lost you." The man says. "It'll take a lot more than a couple automatons to keep me down, General Cooper." He says, before sighing. "I just wish I could have made it here sooner... Best get straight to work." He adds, walking through one of the doorways. "Well, I assume all of you came here with him. Lucky for you, we have enough food and water for a couple months, and enough beds for all of you... We lost quite a lot of people in the genocide." General Cooper says. "We aren't here to just survive, General Cooper. We're here to come up with a plan to stop Abrianna's automatons." Serenity says. "As nice as that sounds, Ms..." He starts to say, suggesting that she state her name. "Serenity." She says. "As nice as that sounds, Ms. Serenity, it's nothing but a pipe dream." He says. "For trained soldiers, you all gave up hope rather easily," Althea says. "Have you even looked around yourselves? We're one of the few groups that remain on this side of the planet!" He says. "And that's exactly why we have to fight! For the people we lost! For the lives that we once knew!" Serenity says. "I admire your spirit, Serenity, but I don't want to waste my time on futile hopes. Do what you will. Just know that I won't be a part of it." He says before getting up and walking away. They had all walked into the sleeping quarters. Isaiah practically collapsed onto the bed with a sigh of relief. It had been a while since he was able to sleep in an actual bed. In fact, it had been a while since any of them were able to sleep in an actual bed. Serenity sighs, leaning against a wall and crossing her arms. "Hey, don't pay any attention to him, Ren. Hope is hard for some people to find. Especially in times like these." Althea says. "Yeah, I get that... Even I feel hopeless at times. You and Isaiah are the only people that keep me going." Serenity says. Althea is silent as she looks at her with a look that Serenity couldn't quite read. "Um, anyway. I'm gonna go get some sleep. It's been a long couple of weeks." She says, walking away. "Okay. Night Ren." Althea says "Night Thea." She says, lying down in one of the beds. Meanwhile, Katashi was still standing. Abrianna's automatons hadn't gotten there yet, but they were definitely going to. Jaqueline walked into the armory and retrieved two weapons that belonged to her ancestors; "The Greatsword of Danita" and "The Halberd of Asmata." Both of these weapons could cut through the toughest of materials with ease. Gerald walked into the room as well and noticed Jaqueline holding the blessed weapons. "Don't tell me you're going to try to fight this woman with the rest of your soldiers, Jaqueline." He says. "I may be well in my years, Gerald, but I am still Queen, and I still have the physical prowess to help my people fight this genocidal maniac and her "automatons!" Jaqueline says as she starts to walk away. "W-why did you grab both of the weapons?" Gerald asks, knowing that only a member of the royal family can wield the weapons. Jaqueline is silent for a moment. "Because Frieda is going to be on the battlefield with me." She says. She then glances back at Gerald for a moment, to see a beyond worried expression on his face. She then sighs. "If I'm going to die, I want to die battling with our daughter. As for you... well... you could evacuate with the rest of our citizens, or you could fight with us. It's your choice to make." She says before walking out of the room. The automatons had begun to approach Katashi's walls, but suddenly they stopped, and one of them flew over to the wall. There were archers, but it quickly disposed of them. It then landed on the ground and bowed. "Your Majesty. Your Highness." Abrianna's voice says, as it looks at Jaqueline, and then Frieda. "Too much of a coward to show your face, Millicent?" Jaqueline asks. The automaton then fires a laser at her, but she dodges it. "Ms. Millicent." She corrects. "I shall call you whatever I please, wench!" Jaqueline says, running toward it and slicing through its waist. Its upper half slid onto the ground just before its legs fell to the ground. This caused it to quickly power down. "Hard to believe you were ever a citizen of Katashi." She says, before stomping on its head. She then lets out a slight grunt. "You ready, Frieda?" She asks, turning her head to her daughter. "As I'll ever be." Frieda says, with a shrug, as she looks down. "Good enough. Let's give this psychopath hell." She says, raising her halberd, and swinging it forward. This signaled her army to charge. For each automaton that dropped, five of their soldiers dropped. Needless to say, this wasn't a fair fight. Eventually, all of them dwindled until it was only Frieda and her mother. "You relied too much on your people's physical abilities, Queen Jaqueline. And look where that's gotten them." Abrianna says through another automaton, as it gestures to the bodies on the ground, only for Jaqueline to slice through it. "You know... This is all happening because of you and your "ideals." If it wasn't for them, I could have been raised normally and not had to survive on my own until I was ten!" She says with yet another slice from Jaqueline. "And you!" She says as another automaton manages to grab Frieda. "You're the reason my parents died all those years ago! You're just as careless as your mother!" She adds, only for Jaqueline to strike the automaton. "And most of all, you both led me to one of the only people that seemed to truly love me, only for her to be taken away." She finishes. They swore they heard her voice crack a little. "But... none of that matters now. You can't change the past." She says. "Believe me, I've tried..." She mutters. "All you can do is make a better future." She says as an automaton aims at Jaqueline from behind. But, just as it shoots, Gerald jumps in the way of the laser blast. He lets out a groan of pain as he falls onto the ground. The way he fell allowed him to face his wife and daughter. "Gerald!" Jaqueline yells. "Dad!" Frieda yells. "I... I made my choice, Jaqueline..." He says weakly, as he smiles slightly. His head then falls to the ground, as his body goes limp. Jaqueline is then filled with rage as she slices through several of the automatons. Meanwhile, Frieda goes to deal with the other automaton. "What a shame. He was the one person in your family I was actually quite fond of. My condolences." Abrianna says. "I'm going to break every last one of these damned robots and find you, you bastard!" Frieda says, with teary eyes, as she runs toward the automatons and slices through four of them in a row. "I think not, Princess. My army is bound to overpower you and your mother eventually. Even with those fancy weapons." Abrianna says. "Urgh! Enough talking!" Jaqueline says as they continue to fight. Unfortunately, Abrianna's automaton got the upper hand and managed to shoot Jaqueline through the stomach with a laser. This weakened her enough for the automaton to shoot her through the heart. She lets out a groan of pain. "Curse you... Millicent..." She mutters before collapsing onto the ground. "Mom!" Frieda yells. "Now then..." Abrianna starts to say as the automatons overwhelm Frieda. "As much as I'd love to see your head cut clean off... you're an integral element of my new future." She finishes. "Like I'd ever help you!" Frieda says as she tries to escape the automatons' grips. "Oh, that wasn't a request." She states. One of the automatons then injects something into her neck. Frieda then makes a noise of discomfort. "What did you... just... do...?" She asks. Abrianna chuckles as Frieda's vision blurs. She struggled, as she tried to fight whatever was in that syringe. But it was no use. Her eyes then closed as her body went limp. "Night, night, Princess." Abrianna says. Back at the military base, Dr. Alden had brought Serenity into a room and showed her a project that had him preoccupied ever since they got there. "I call it the Portable Adaptive Mechanism, or "PAM" for short. I had been working on this project a while before Millicent's genocide. It's the main reason I requested that we come here." Dr. Alden says. "So, what exactly does it do?" Serenity asks. "I'm glad you asked, Ms. Clemente. My primary functions are collection and application of information, a self-repair mode in case I become damaged, and a companion in times of dire need. But I believe the function that would most interest you is my ability to hack into any of Ms. Millicent's automatons. Unfortunately, you'll have to be dangerously close to an automaton for me to do that, and I would imagine the hacking process would take quite a while." PAM says as a blue line waves across the screen in sync with its voice. "I assume that last one is an added function?" She says. "Funnily enough, no. I had originally designed it to hack into the computer systems of enemy forces." Dr. Alden says. "Hm. Well, it's not the safest option in the world, but it's all we got. Can you make any more?" She says. "Unfortunately, I cannot. I used up the last of the components I needed to make this one. It's the main reason I didn't have it finished. Our shipment was scheduled on the day Millicent commenced her genocide. Only one truck managed to get here, and it was mostly food and water, and only one box contained the components I needed." He says. "Ah... Well, I guess I'll be the one to wear it. I don't want to put anyone else in danger." She says, grabbing PAM, and pulling the buckle around her right forearm. It clicks as she fastens the buckle. "Personality trait: selflessness... Applying information to databanks." PAM says. "Please tell me it's not going to do that all the time." Serenity says. "I apologize, Ms. Clemente. From now on, I will store information silently." PAM says. "Thank you, PAM." Serenity says. She then holds the device up to her face. "Also, could you please just call me Serenity?" She adds. "Of course, Serenity," PAM says. "Well, now that that's been decided, there is more work to be done. I may not have many materials left to work with, but what I do have may just be able to upgrade a few of our weapons." Dr. Alden says. "Thank you, Dr. Alden." Dr. Alden is silent for a moment. "Lucas." He says. "Hm?" Serenity asks. "Just... call me Lucas. I don't see the point in formalities anymore." He says. "I... um... okay." She says with a shrug. "Thanks, Lucas." She says. He nods before walking out of the room. Isaiah had been wandering around the base when he stumbled across a paper with some plans and the code to a room with something similar to a Cryo-Sleep Chamber inside of it. "Huh... If worse ever comes to worst." He says to himself as he folds it up and puts it in his pocket. He then walks away. A couple of days later, the Remnants of the Old World had become the official title of both the soldiers and the civilians. This was when they finally started to make a plan. Serenity was at the round table with Lucas, Sergeant Reign, Althea, and the other soldiers from before. "Now then, our first order of business is to find out where Abrianna is." Serenity says. "Maybe at Militeck Industries. That would make sense, right?" Sergeant Reign says. "Hm... While I don't doubt that, I get the feeling that she's going to be somewhere that allows her to have control over everything in the future. I only say that, because she seems to be starting some sort of dictatorship, considering how she's left some people alive." Lucas says. "In that case, maybe the Tower of Unity?" One of the soldiers says. "That sounds plausible..." Lucas says. "Well, we're closer to The Capital anyway. May as well check." Sergeant Reign says. "And how are we going to do that? We can barely even get into the smallest city, let alone the biggest one on the planet!" Another soldier says. They had light skin, hazel eyes, and black hair. "Calm down, Janette. That's exactly why we have this." Serenity says, pointing at PAM. "Sure, it's dangerous, but it may just be our saving grace." She adds. "Hm... I feel like it would be a better plan to swing by a few smaller cities, snag some automatons, and then go to The Capital." Althea says. "Good idea, Thea." Serenity says. "Well, we best go get prepared and head off. Don't want to give Abrianna any more time." Serenity says, walking off to another room. They had arrived at one of the cities, and Sergeant Reign decided to leave something on one of the buildings. "Reign! What are you doing?" Lucas whispers. "If we're risking our asses to save the world from a psychopath, I at least want people to remember our cause." She says, etching the insignia of The Remnants of the Old World on a wall, with a message: "We did our damnedest to kill that bastard: Millicent." After she finished, they went into a city. One of the automatons spotted them and attempted to shoot at them. They managed to distract it while Serenity used PAM to hack into it. After a few moments, the hacking process was completed. "System override complete. Original programming initiated. Rebooting..." The automaton says, before making a small buffering noise. "Please state your name and the names of your spouse and children, if you have any. We can work out the rest later." It says, turning to Serenity. "Ugh, we don't have time for this! PAM, can you make it shut up?" Serenity whispers. "I'm afraid I cannot, Serenity. At least, not at this moment." PAM says. Serenity groans. "I'm sorry, I didn't get that." The automaton says. Serenity makes a noise of frustration. "My name is... Kelly and I don't have any children or a spouse." She says. "Nice to meet you, Ms. Kelly. My name is Chelsea. I hope I bring more joy to your life." It says, reaching its hand out. "Yeah, yeah. Just help us fight these other robots." Serenity says. "Your wish is my command, Ms. Kelly," Chelsea says with a bow, before helping them fight the other automatons. They managed to hack into a few more, but they did have to destroy some of them if they got too close. Though, that was difficult to do with what little they had. Unfortunately, Lucas had gotten severely injured while distracting one of the automatons. They managed to stop the bleeding with some of the supplies they had. They then realized they had to head back to the base. "Is it safe to bring them with us?" Althea asks, gesturing toward the automatons. "Eh, just to be safe, we should leave them here," Lucas says. "Works for me. I hate looking at those things." Sergeant Reign says. "Alright. Stay here. We'll be back." Serenity orders. "Of course, Ms. Kelly." They all say. The group then starts to head back. Eventually, they managed to get Lucas patched up, and Serenity, Althea, Sergeant Reign, a couple of citizens, and the other soldiers decided to go to The Capital after they went back to get the automatons. They had eventually made it to The Tower of Unity, but they were ambushed by automatons. "Damnit! I should have known it wouldn't be this easy." Serenity says. "Hey, don't worry about us, Ren. You just get up there and finally kill that bitch. We can handle ourselves." Althea says. "But-" Serenity starts to say before Althea interrupts her. "Just go, Ren!" She yells. Serenity sighs. "Fine." She says, before grabbing onto Chelsea's shoulder. "Chelsea, get me up to that window." She says, pointing to the top of the building. "Yes, Ms. Kelly." Chelsea says, before flying up to the window. Just as she was about to run out of fuel, Serenity threw a bomb at the window and jumped through it. She then noticed Abrianna on the ground and pounced on her. Abrianna groans before chuckling slightly. "Ah, Serenity. Lovely of you to drop in. I've been meaning to have a word with you face to face." Abrianna says. She then briefly presses her abdomen with her palm, causing Serenity to go flying into the ceiling. She then falls onto the floor with a groan. "Tell me, Serenity. How does it feel now that you've lost nearly everything?" She says, approaching her. "Do you feel lost? Depressed? Maybe even... alone?" She asks, walking around her. Serenity completely ignores her, as she starts to lift herself up, only for Abrianna to slap her abdomen in anger, forcing Serenity back onto the ground. "Did I say you could get up, Clemente?" She says, her teeth gritted. She then composes herself. "Now, answer my question." She says, pulling her head up by tugging on her hair. Serenity winces slightly. "Suck my tit, you cunt." She says, her teeth gritted. "Hm, stubborn as ever, are we? Very well." She says, pressing her abdomen again. Except, this time, nothing happens. She presses it once more, only for nothing to happen. A look of confusion appears on her face as Serenity gets up. Abrianna then looks at PAM, and her face turns to one of rage. "Urgh, that damn contraption has been a pain in my side for far too long!" She yells as a blade materializes on her left forearm. She then grabs it by the handle and runs it into PAM's screen. Serenity screams in agony. The blade had gone straight through PAM and into her forearm. Serenity quickly grabs a military knife from the sheath on her chest and runs it into Abrianna's shoulder. This causes Abrianna to scream and stagger back. Serenity then takes the blade's handle and pulls it out of her arm as she groans in pain. She then took the bloodied blade and readied herself for battle. Abrianna pants, as she grabs the handle of the knife. "When... will you just... give up?!" She exclaims, tearing the knife out of her shoulder and throwing it to the side. "Never." Serenity says panting. Another blade then materializes on Abrianna's right forearm. She then grabs the handle and throws it to her other hand. "Fine then..." She starts to say, taking off the jacket of her suit and throwing it to the side. "Guess we'll just have a good ol' melee battle." She finishes. Serenity then chuckles. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Bring it on, Abrianna." She says. Abrianna then rushes at her and attempts to strike her, only for her to block her attack with the blade. They battled for a long while, and Serenity came close to the edge a couple of times, but eventually, she managed to overpower Abrianna and plunged the blade into her chest. "It's over, Abrianna. We finally won." Serenity says. Abrianna coughs out blood. "I think not Serenity. Take a look at that screen over there." She says weakly, as she motions her head to the side slightly. Serenity looks behind Abrianna, and her eyes widen. The base. The automatons had made their way into it. Serenity's face then forms into one of anger. "Oh, would you look at the time? Sorry Serenity, but I have places to be." Abrianna says, before smacking a device on her wrist and teleporting away, just as Serenity looks back at her, and tries to strike her. This caused her to fall onto the ground. "Urgh! You coward!" She yells in anger as she pounds her fists on the ground. None of the automatons could hear her from this distance, and PAM was broken, so she needed to use the stairs. She eventually managed to find the stairs and used one of Lucas's inventions to quickly make her way down. She then ran back to the others, as she barely managed to avoid the other automatons. She then found that almost everyone except Sergeant Reign and Althea was dead. Sergeant Reign had tears forming in her eyes and a look of rage on her face. "I'm gonna kill that bastard myself if I have to!" She says as she starts to charge toward the Tower of Unity. Serenity holds her back. "Save your anger for later, Reign. We need to get back to the base!" Serenity says. Sergeant Reign then clenches her fists for a moment. "Fine." She says. They then rush back to the base, only to find it destroyed. Bodies littered the floor. Only a few people managed to survive the attack. And those people were some citizens, Isaiah, and Lucas. Isaiah noticed Serenity's arm and immediately went to patch it up. He then came to a conclusion. "Hey Ren. Could you, um... follow me?" He says. "Isaiah now's not the time for one of your mood lifters." She says, assuming he was going to try to make her feel better. "Please?" He begs. Serenity sighs. "Fine. You're lucky I can't say no to those eyes." She says. Isaiah then walked her down the hall to a room she'd seen a couple of times. He then inputs a code into the panel after looking at a sheet of paper. She found it odd that he was going into this room to try and cheer her up. She then put two and two together just before he grabbed her. He then opened the door of a mechanism and forced her into it before shutting and locking the door. "Isaiah?!" She yells. "Isaiah, what are you doing?!" She exclaims, banging on the glass. "We don't have any chance of winning anymore, Serenity. The only solution I can think of now is waiting it out. But I wouldn't be able to lead or even survive in the future if it's going to be anything like it is now... But I know you can." He says, typing on a keyboard, and messing with some knobs. "Isaiah! Open this door right now! We can still come back from this! We just need to have hope!" Serenity yells, as she bangs on the glass more. "You know that's not true, Serenity..." He says. "Izzy, please..." She says, placing a hand on the glass. Isaiah shuts his eyes tightly. "I... I love you, Nitty... I'm sorry." He says as his voice breaks slightly. He then runs away. "Isaiah!" She says, banging on the glass. She then tried to ram against the door, but it was no use. Her vision then got foggier, and her breathing slowed as it got colder and colder... The next thing she knew, she was on the floor on her hands and knees. It could have been hundreds of years, and she wouldn't even know. She was then filled with anger. Not towards Isaiah, though. No... She was only angry with one person. She pounded her fist on the ground. "Abrianna." She growled.