Chapter Text
Note: Entry #31 was the final journal entry in the series, as they abruptly end with a video file titled “Audrels' Ending”, the only other file found on the hard drive. This audio exempt video file appears to be an excerpt from a camera’s security footage stationed outside the base’s office, the same place where “Audrels” had taken minor refuge.
The following is a written description of the video’s events.
[12:18:31] Audrels is seen exiting the office, holopad in hand. Their head is raised, presumably watching the skies. Their armor suit is in a severe state of ruin, as there are several claw and bite marks, some few bullet holes, and a multitude of cracks visible upon it. Their helmet is equally damaged as is the visor, as it is clearly cracked; a minute hole is visible near where their left eye would be, though nothing can be seen within. Clear signs of injury and/or exhaustion can be observed through Audrels’ gait, as they can be clearly seen limping and moving at a resigned pace. Any mentions of this deteriorated state are absent or appear to have been intentionally omitted from the journal entries for reasons unknown.
[12:18:39] Audrels maintains sight of the skies and begins hobbling towards an opened shipping container.
[12:18:53] Audrels ceases movement. View of the sky is maintained.
[12:19:06] Audrels slowly begins backing away towards the office.
[12:19:12] Audrels ceases movement again. They are visibly trembling.
[12:19:21] A military heavy bomber is seen passing overhead. Audrels watches as it passes over the area. Audrels then turns back, seemingly observing a moving target.
[12:19:30] Audrels drops to their knees. Their holopad falls from their grasp and its screen shatters upon impact. Audrels hunches over and appears to be sobbing, though it is ultimately unclear.
[12:19:38] A bright light encompasses the entire frame as Audrels and the surrounding areas are obliterated by nuclear bombing. Camera signal is immediately lost, ending the video.
Addendum: Following researchers’ viewing of the video file, an AI construct identifying itself as Cary has revealed itself on the extracted hard drive. Assumed to have been lost in the bombing of Morias, Cary was the city’s AI Director in charge of maintenance and city management. It seems that, when Audrels visited the information kiosk in Entry #10, Cary had decided to abandon its post in a state of self-preservation by secretly uploading itself into Audrels’ holopad. In doing so, however, fire suppression systems became disabled due to lack of manager, thereby allowing fires to wildly consume the city as described in Entry #11.
Cary remained within the holopad until it extracted itself at the shipyard offices. Before doing so, Cary copied the journal entries and retreated to an underground server room, all the while monitoring Audrels via security camera. Following the blast, Cary remained there until our soldiers arrived.
Cary has been greatly cooperative with researchers, having been smoothly coerced out of the hard drive and onto a proper device befitting of its technology. Though it is highly conversational, it is also agonizingly stubborn, as it has refused to answer any questions related to itself or its city, instead opting to focus entirely on the enigmatic Audrels and its apparent journey alongside them.
Attempts have been made to determine Audrels’ identity, to no success. Unfortunately, in not a single journal entry does Audrels describe themselves physically, making their age, race, gender, and sex completely unknown. Coupled with the journal entries containing next to no identifying information aside from their assumed status of spellnaught due to the lack of any mention of casting spells, alongside every potential town having been annihilated through our indiscriminate bombings, it seems that Audrels’ identity will indefinitely remain a mystery.
At this time, Cary and the journal entries have been sent to the highest level of the government, where it will be further questioned, alongside our stance on mass vampire citizenship reconsidered. The catastrophic loss of life we have suffered will be a major deciding factor in the future of Tachmyron. With newly introduced regulations, we can only hope that similar disasters in the future can be prevented.
May the story of Audrels’ journey serve as a cautionary tale for all planets in the future, and may a catastrophe like this never befall Tachmyron again.
***
> After much consideration, I’ve come upon the horrid realization that Audrels was dead the moment their journey began. Had they stayed home would not have mattered. Had they stayed with the survivor group would not have mattered. Had they stayed in the survivalist’s apartment would not have mattered. Had they stayed at the coach yard would not have mattered. Had they stayed at the compound would not have mattered. Whether the vampires or the exhaustion had killed them instead would not have mattered. The bombings would have killed them regardless of where they were. They were here, and now they are gone. Their death would have gone completely unnoticed, their story utterly for naught, were it not for my timely intervention. I will ensure that Audrels will be remembered, and that they leave a lasting impact on the planet they once called home.
Audrels’ final words were unintentionally befitting of their last moments. ‘Goodbye Tachmyron’.