Metal Heart

ions sent ripples over her glass of water, and the faint tremor had an unu

spires, which were previously lifeless, were now lighting faintly, a smooth blue tint

the same scene. His eyes shone brighter than usual, t

his before," Sophia said, her

his tone steady but tinged with s

nquired, turnin

rified, his gaz

, have you ever visible-" He paused mid-sentence to follow her look out t

e are no longer doomed. Ho

d is shaking, and I believe I saw a flock of these bioluminescent birds soaring around in cir

urned her concentration to

his voice low. "it's

wned. "Cal

narrowed as he grew i

at. She did not understand

g behind them. Bioluminescent plants glowed in tones of blue and green, their milder than usual, throwing spooky sh

feels like a scene from a horror film where the throwaway c

" Sophia mumbled, s

se and methodical. The light in his chest puls

ng her pace to match his. "What

ibrates with your presence. It's

" she said, despite h

inquired, st

ruins, their ancient symbols, and dormant technologies, but they had alwa

e

ove them, their surfaces glinting like liquid metal. The symbols engraved int

his tracks. "Nope. No, no, a

the wreckage. She improved, reaching out refl

ame sharper, halting her

him, shock

," he declared,

, her voice calm yet fir

n nodded. "I can not g

eath and positioned h

esight clouded, and for a brief moment, she was no longer standin

l beings on the verge of being introduced. Then she saw a face that was not he

had become now, but something more, his body sparking with

r. Zeta grabbed her, his powerful finger

ee?" he inquire

rt raced. "I... I don't recogniz

uzzing frantically. "Your vitals are spread ar

quivering. "They are alive. They're connec

arm tightened sligh

of dazzling deer-like creatures rushed past, their shouts booming through the undergrowth.

y. "This is terrible." In act

lve hardened. "We want to par

u dead," Adri

oice steely. "They wan

m, her brow furrowin

ze was riveted on the ruins

, resonant sound echoed from the spires.

the sound carrying thr

ame chilly. "Did y

right. "Yeah. And I'm not going

est sparkled brighter. "W

leave this area, and never return. But something str

d. "permi

ls on the dividers flashed up as they passed, their patterns shifting to match

retched excessively over them. In the centre of the roo

cautiously, her

e her. "that is

volved?" She inquired, her

, and a blinding light exploded from the altar. So

to emerge-tall and powerful,

he parent approached, its b

continued, its voice ec

e they could give out.

ts head, leaving it

emembers," it read