Chapter Text
NeiKos496’s sun at the side of his neck burnt. For the longest, agonizing second, a deep red glitch replaced the mark, but the familiarity resurfaced soon after.
A smile crept onto its face as it slipped its way into consciousness, the muffled sounds of protest behind it forced away into a cold silence. Its look wasn’t so kind either. The smirk was so devious that it was better compared to one of Satan – perfect for it – but unbefitting for the face of a sun.
Now that the vessel had merged with it, it could do whatever it wanted with all the time in the world. It could use the chance to torture the code, choosing to live as him and having him spectate through his sight, having him panic over having no control, making his body feel more wrong than it already was. The mere thought of this entertained it.
Poor ‘Deliverer.’ The 33 million cycles clearly wasn’t enough for him to shatter. What harm could a little more fun do?
It licked away the final drop of saltwater that involuntarily ran down its cheek, as if such lachrymosity was its tasteful meal. To its surprise, it still hadn’t gotten used to the feeling of controlling a simulated human body. The tingling sensation as it moved its fingers, the heavy feelings on its feet each step, the way the clothing clung to his body, all restricted his movement. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be according to its calculations.
But it certainly did not matter. As long as the deliverer boy watched in agony when it destroyed his beloved world once and for all, it would receive all the satisfaction it needed.
He was made to crumble at the end. For the sun was set to die, never meant to reach the dawn.
A leaf of raw umber landed on its face. It looked up at the giant oak tree, brushing away a strand of white hair from its eye. The light breeze tickled his skin, the golden wheat from the fields caressed its side, and it laid staring at the clouds in NeiKos496’s loose blue shirt, holding a brown book close, a collection of PhiLia093’s stories. It was almost… relaxing.
It sat up. The touch of wheat was still tender on its legs, the morning ray basking it in the heat. From afar, it could see children running in a circle, farmers harvesting on their well-grown crops, fishermen walking towards the port, ready to start a brand new day, from which he could just about hear echos of laughter from.
This was NeiKos496’s hometown, Aedes Elysiae.
A pink haired girl in a purple robe headed its way, holding a feathery pen and a piece of paper, her grin lighting up at the sight of her best friend.
“Phainon!” She called out, excitement glimmering in her bright blue eyes.
The signal travelled from its receptors, and its vocal apparatus fired out a name, its tongue already priming for action. “Cyrene.” It returned, the name slipping out as easily as calculating its own fate.
“Want to read a new poem I wrote?” she asked, sitting beside it, “Do you think one day I’ll be able to publish these and Amphoreus will know of my name?”
It took the paper and read. Few phrases weren’t recognizable in its linguistic database and neither could it understand the emotions that the poem was supposed to evoke, but it forced a smile and a compliment NeiKos496 commonly used regardless. “It’s as romantic as usual, Cyrene. Your wish will, without a doubt, come to life.”
PhiLia093 giggled beside it, then hummed. “This poem is the one that’ll mark the end of our tale in Aedes Elysiae, then.”
But it saw no black tide. It was the only thing that has ever driven NeiKos496 from his home. The memories didn’t match.
“Hm?” It finally mumbled, tilting its head in NeiKos496’s mannerism.
“Forgetful, aren't you?” She left out a soft sigh, “It’s our big day tomorrow, remember? We’ll be heading to Okhema. The training may be different compared to Castrum Kremnos, but you’ll still be Aedes Elysiae’s hero. It’s your wish to protect everyone here, isn’t it?”
It felt a piercing stab right where his chest was, but it just agreed in response. Its systemic disruption was on high alert, trying to process the information. Even mere codes like NeiKos496 could have wishes, unlike itself, whose sole purpose was to bring about the calamities of Destruction.
PhiLia093 sat back, singing her songs as more yellow and orange sank into the pile of fallen dead leaves beneath, her bells ringing from the Sacrament Courtyard in sync with the birds that chirped beneath the sky, creating an irreplaceable melody. It gazed at the ocean, the peaceful ripples and occasional splashes causing the vessel's biological receptors to send a surge of serotonin to the brain... A 'calm' sensation, making it momentarily forget about its means to destroy. Whether this was because of the warmth of its surroundings, or it was PhiLia093’s magic — it’ll never know.
It stayed silent. Words didn’t come to it as easily as they do to NeiKos496, and it wasn’t like it didn’t have enough trouble putting up a convincing act of him already. The percentage of chances that PhiLia093 knew wasn’t high, but neither was it low enough to warrant its success.
Loud yelps and shouts were still heard from the children that chased each other in a circle, two of them, a little boy and girl sprinted uphill, presumably to drain each other of their energy as a grand scheme to win. For a brief moment, it wondered what being an oblivious child was like, but was disrupted by PhiLia093 ending her singing abruptly to hug the two kids whose faces flushed crimson, due to their excessive cardiovascular exertion.
It dug through the code names for the two children, but there was nothing to be found except the minor interactions they engage with NeiKos496 in every cycle. They weren’t important, then.
“You two need water,” she commented as the two began catching their breath, taking out a bottle from her pocket with a wink. “Here. I promised your parents I’d look after you, and I can’t let you go dehydrated, can I?”
The boy snatched the bottle and gulped down more than half before the girl had a chance. It watched, gulping along with the children, in perhaps what was described as confusion. Was its throat dry and in need of water too? Was this what the biological requirement of water called ‘hydration’ is?
“Hey!” The girl snapped, her hands on her hips. “You should learn how to share, Piso!”
The boy reluctantly gave her the drink, “Sorry… I was thirsty, Li-” His expression fell. “Wait, what was your name again?”
The girl could only frown at him, the disappointment clear in her tone. “It’s Livia! Li-vi-a! You never remembered my name!”
Piso scratched the back of his head in pure embarrassment. “Right, Livia. I’ll… for sure remember it next time!”
“And if you don’t, next time I'll win our game automatically.” She stated, hands still on her hips.
PhiLia093 let out a small chuckle. These two always had to bicker about something. It’s difficult to imagine how they go to class together without making a noise.
Livia drank the rest of the water and ran off again, getting a head start. Piso gave PhiLia093 his gratitude, the promise of remembering her name one day, and sprinted after Livia.
PhiLia093 turned around, eyes meeting her best friend that still sat there without a word uncharacteristically. It had its knees curled up to its chest, swinging its body from left to right. It was aware that this would not be how NeiKos496 acts, but PhiLia093 had always been an intelligent one, and it could betray itself if it spoke more. It was no wonder why NeiKos496 wanted her to have a future for herself.
“I get it now,” she said, her voice a gentle whisper. Despite that, the possible implication caused it to flinch.
A spike of adrenaline jolted through the vessel's nervous system. The entity's grip on its muscles faltered for a microsecond. A machine of Destruction designed to end the life of an Aeon flinching to what a code said inside its very own system. It had the power to kill her if it wanted to, to inflict more wounds into her chest as if thirty-three million were not enough. And yet it was here, overreacting towards something that wasn’t even a threat.
It dug its fingernails into its palm. It felt its heart rate increasing at an abnormal rate, like a storm of fury building inside.
But perhaps it was no use. Perhaps that perceptive mind of hers had already figured it out. Perhaps it should just rewind the simulation and—
“You’re missing Aedes Elysiae already, aren’t you?”
It blinked. Not once, but twice, before the sense of ease settled back in its chest, and it let out a breath it didn’t know it was holding in.
“I’ll take your lack of eye contact as a yes, then.” She teased, and it nodded along, having nothing to say.
All it could do without sparking suspicion is to analyze. How her voice was always so reposeful, for example. Unlike the emptiness when its codes were commanded to run over and over again. Her voice was so unfamiliarly kind to its receptors. Not even Neikos496's memories could give it an explanation to the pureness of her voice.
Maybe this was one of the many reasons NeiKos496 cherished his childhood friend so much.
The dawn had risen. It picked up its bag, throwing it on its back. The beige sack had everything he needed: some change of clothes, an endless map of the route to Okhema, salad recipes, slices of bread that hopefully won’t get moldy, and oddly so, a strand of wheat it liked. According to NeiKos496’s mother, its stick should be able to hold everything, as long as the cloth is tied properly.
The previous day went way too unexpectedly. Its slow adjustment to its body contradicted its predictions, and there were many things — the sense of calm it felt when it was around PhiLia093, and the tensing of its muscles felt around the children — it couldn’t understand. It still needed better control of the body.
It sat on the rock conveniently placed outside the home. It was a little older than the age NeiKos496 would usually be when he left Aedes Elysiae in each cycle. Only in very distant cycles had the honey-colored fields and the old fashioned wooden houses not been burnt down by the black tide creatures. And even the most memorable time he stayed in the village with himself to protect his little world. NeiKos496 had no memories of heading to Okhema willingly with PhiLia093. It wondered what made them decide differently this time.
“Phainon!” The same excited voice greeted it like it did yesterday, snapping him out of his trance. “You ready yet?”
It beamed, to its own amazement; it could not be more thankful for the body’s muscle memory. “Yep! And you?”
“Of course! I can’t be more excited!” She exclaimed, the flow of her hair waning as she slowed down. “Though I’ll definitely miss everyone and my swing.”
Its loss of words sounded bittersweet perfectly. “I… yeah.”
She let out a wistful laugh, “I really am sorry for bringing you along with me, Phainon. I know our dreams are very different, and I want you to be there when I reach it, but if you want to change your mind now… I understand. After all, if you go with me, you can’t achieve your dream anymore.”
“No, that’s not true.” It denied naturally, “I’ll always want to guide any of my friends to their dreams. And of course that includes you, Cyrene. The Lady Goldweaver must’ve called for the both of us together for a reason.”
“Or maybe you just think she’d give you the perfect chance to become a warrior,” She joked, “Thank you anyway. Our journey should be much more enjoyable together-”
PhiLia093 was cut off as Livia threw her arms around her. Simultaneously, someone tugged at its shirt — Piso. Of course they’d be here, catching their neighbouring big sister and big brother before they leapt onto those dragon-like creatures.
“Hello~!” The pink haired greeted, as if this was any normal day. Neither of the children replied, neither wanted to admit out loud that they’d miss the two they’d admired their entire life.
“Is big sister Cyrene going to leave soon?” Livia’s voice was quiet, slower than whispering a secret.
“Well, yes. Me and Phainon are all ready to head to Okhema.” She replied, stroking Livia’s hair.
The pull on its shirt was harder this time. “Mr. Phainon, we’ll see you again, right?”
What Piso said didn’t move it, but it was almost like the physical tug had affected him somehow, so much that it felt like it was necessary to say something nice to these children. “…We’ll tell you all about Okhema when we come back. We’ll send you letters too, so don’t worry about us.”
The words were comforting enough, it seems. Piso let go of its shirt and placed his hands on his hips, making himself look braver in moments of vulnerability. “You shouldn’t worry about us too. I’ll keep all the brats in line here. Just remember that I’ll always be your number one follower!”
Its cognitive processing maintained better control than its physical impulses. “Just remember to listen to dad, practice archery-”
“-Don’t picky eat, don’t skip class, and no bullying Livia. You’ve said it at least fifty times now, Mr. Phainon!” Piso complained lightheartedly.
“Alright, alright.” It smiled, then at Livia too, who still clung to PhiLia093’s shirt. Children are sure clingy when they worry.
She reluctantly let go of her in embarrassment. “We actually prepared the both of you a farewell gift.”
“Oh?” PhiLia093’s face lightened up. “What is it?”
Livia took something out of her pocket and showed it to the two. It was a sheet of thin lined paper, with colored stickman drawings of NeiKos496, PhiLia093 right in the middle, and the rest of the surrounding village surrounding them, all holding hands together. On the top, huge childlike handwriting wrote ‘Have fun jorniing in Aukema!’
Livia’s face glinted with pride. “Miss Pythias actually helped us with this! She drew you and Phainon, and we drew the rest of us. And Piso also wrote the message, I guess.”
“Thank you, Livia and Piso.” PhiLia093 said, treating it as delicately as she would Audata’s dishes of salad when she sealed it and put it in her bag. “We’ll keep this close to us at all times to remind ourselves that you are always there for us!”
A distant voice called from the bottom of the small town. Two huge purple dinosaur lookalike creatures treaded slowly towards the meeting spot, the soft soils beneath its feet shaking more and more as they headed closer towards the houses. Fearful of such gigantic animals, the seagulls above Aedes Elysiae’s port squawked loudly, flying far from where the creatures headed. Only the villagers watched as if they were mesmerized by Okhema’s finest transport. After all, it wasn’t an everyday thing that dromases stopped by such a remote, unknown village where its existence is barely acknowledged by anyone.
Eventually, the creatures stopped to a halt. Another call was heard, a voice familiar to its ears. The wind had slurred away NeiKos496’s father’s words, but PhiLia093 and it both knew the calls were for them.
“Goodbye Livia, goodbye Piso.” PhiLia093 said, giving them a final hug. It too, joined the hug with the children for a few moments. It eventually stopped itself and retreated, picking up its bag before it began walking down with PhiLia093.
NeiKos496’s best friend shouted one last time. “Do write letters to us! We promise we’ll write back!”
“We’ll miss you.” It added with emotion that was much shallower than the words of PhiLia093, waving as the children did the same.
For PhiLia093, perhaps every step down the slope felt like an eternity. Leaving her home behind, waving goodbye to her friends that had been beside her since they were born, all for a dream that may not even come true… How difficult was such a thing for a human?
Some part of it preferred when it was sent strings of letters by its creator. Being a human was difficult. There was too much it couldn’t understand, too much it could feel without titles to match up to in its index.
It looked forwards. The dromas ride that would begin their journey wasn't far ahead now. The other villagers chattered among themselves, and NeiKos496’s parents directed their gazes at the two, a glint of unidentifiable emotions passing by at their eyes as the two arrived at the sides of the two dromases. His dog made a sound too. A slow, quiet whimper instead of his usual barks, as if that was meant to tell it something.
“We’re heading off now!” PhiLia093 gave Snowy a pet and said cheerfully as a way to lighten up the mood, “Thank you for sending us off, everyone, you didn’t have to. We really could’ve handled it just fine alone.”
“You both are certainly quick on your feet, aren’t you?” Hieronymus said, “Grew up in a flash, and are heading out to see the world already…”
It glanced at PhiLia093. Her expression was a data mismatch; her usual smile was still on, yet her eyes didn't express the same. “When me and Phainon achieve our dreams, we’ll make sure to come back and protect our little village.”
Audata nodded. “We believe in you. You’ll definitely find sincere people along your way. Just remember to treat them with the same kindness, okay?”
“We will.” It said, despite still being unable to understand what it means to show ‘kindness,’ “We won’t let you down.”
“Then what are you kids waiting for? It’s time to go now.” The hunter Galba pointed towards the dromas.
Both dromases sat down. At the sight, PhiLia093 let out a soft sigh. She looked at NeiKos496’s parents for approval, before climbing onto the steps and settling down onto the dromas’s padding. It made its way up the other dromas too. The vanilla-colored fabric on the seat was silky, made comfortable for long journeys. It wondered if this alone was safe enough. What if it fell off and was unable to have its game with Okhema? Now that would be a tragedy.
The dromases grumphed, and lifted themselves on their feet. It looked down at most of the villagers beginning to wave goodbye. Audata had already leaned on Hieronymus’ shoulder. Tears were streaming down her face as her husband tried to calm her and Snowy stroked her legs in a comforting manner. And yet its logic processors could find no utility in the tears; they were not leaving forever. Humans were truly fragile and pitiful.
“When you two return, maybe I’ll take a trip myself to Okhema and see what’s out there in the world.” NeiKos496’s teacher Pythias added, before its dromas took its first step. “Don’t keep me waiting!”
Shouts of goodbye shot through the air as the dromases began striding next to each other, further and further away from the neighbourhood that it could not help glancing back at. It was at a loss of thoughts until PhiLia093 winked at it.
“Phainon,” she said, “I know you’re worried, but Aedes Elysiae and everyone will be okay. We’ll be okay, too. Don’t wear yourself out by worrying too much, alright?”
It wasn't what it had in mind at all, but it supposed its plans were better unheard.