As she ran, she pieced together the puzzle of Liza’s true identity. WHO was she really? It didn’t make sense. How could a girl who looked like she hadn’t seen a dry day in months be the mastermind behind the machines? But then again, nothing made sense in this new world.


The machines had stopped their climb and had turned towards the city. Savine took a deep breath and hoped she had bought herself enough time. She had to reach the camp before the machines did. She had to warn them.


Her mind went back to the The Mist that had spoken to them. Did the voice mean to run from Liza ? Damn . . . She thought.


Her breath came in ragged gasps as she stumbled down the mountain. The path grew wider, leading her back toward the city. The buildings loomed in the distance, waterlogged and silent, their lights flickering through the trees like the ghosts of a world left behind. She had to be quick.


The camp was located in the dense forest on the city’s outskirts, a place where the machines hadn’t yet reached. But with Liza's robotic entourage on their tail, it wouldn’t stay that way for long. Savine knew the path well; she had made the journey countless times before growing up. She dodged fallen trees and leaped over streams, her eyes never leaving the path ahead.


As she approached the camp, she spotted the first signs of life: the smoke from a hidden fire, the rustle of footsteps. She slowed her pace, trying to remain unnoticed. The camp was her sanctuary, her home away from the cold, wet world above. She didn’t want to lead the machines to it.


"Melio?" The whisper echoed through the forest, cutting through the quiet like a knife. Savine's heart skipped a beat at the sound of her own voice, desperate hope mingling with the fear that had been her constant companion. She quickened her pace, the camp now in sight.

She stopped running as people emerged from the shadows, weapons at the ready. "Savine!" One of them called out, recognizing her. It was Hawson, one of the camp's leaders. Relief washed over her. "What's the matter?" His voice was gruff but concerned.


Breathless and trembling, Savine managed to spit out the words. "Machines...coming...Liza...not what she seems..."


"Who is Liza?"


"The girl I brought with me," Savine panted, her eyes darting around the camp, searching for any sign of pursuit. "She's one of them."


"You found a stray, huh?"


She shook her head. "She found me! Then one of The Mist's tried to tell me to run. I didn't know at the time that she meant for me to run from this Liza kid . . ." She took a breath. "I don't know if she is a kid or older. But she is a thing, one of the machines, I think."


The camp erupted into a flurry of activity. People began to gather their things, eyes darting nervously towards the city. "We need to move, now!" Hawson bellowed, his face a mask of determination. "Grab what you can, we leave in five!"


This place had been home for three years, since the flood had come and the machines had risen. Savine's eyes searched the camp for Melio, her lost brother. He had to be here, she thought. He was the reason she kept going back to the city, the reason she hadn’t given up hope.


"Is Melio here?" She shouted to Hawson.


"Sorry. I haven't seen him."


The words hit Savine like a punch to the gut. She had hoped against hope that Melio was here, that he had somehow made it to safety. But the truth was, she had no idea where he was, or even if he was still alive.


What if the Liza had him locked up? The thought sent a chill down Savine's spine as she watched the camp dismantle around her. What if he was the reason why Liza had approached her in the first place!


The camp was a flurry of activity, with survivors grabbing their gear and children being hushed into hiding. The adults had seen this before—the unpredictable nature of the machines' patrols. They knew the drill: pack up, move out, try and stay alive.


Savine felt a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around, spear at the ready. It was Hawson. "We don't have time for this," he said. "We need to get everyone to the secondary camp, now."


"All of you go. I have to go back to the city. I have to find my brother."


The words came out before she could think, and Savine saw the shock and concern on Hawson's face. "We don't have time for a rescue mission. The machines will be here soon."


"I can't leave without him," Savine said firmly, her grip on the spear tightening. "I have to try. You need to save these people."


Hawson's gaze searched hers, the weight of his decision heavy in his eyes. "Alright, but be careful. The machines are relentless."


Back in the city, Liza stepped into the control center, the heart of the machine world. The room was vast, filled with screens and blinking lights, the air thick with the scent of oil and metal. She had hoped to find something, anything, that could help her understand why Ars had turned her.


"You're not the creator," Arsitx said, setting her down gently.


"Then why is my name on the door?"


Liza's voice was steady now, the fear momentarily forgotten. The control center was massive, a stark contrast to the dilapidated world outside. It was a cathedral of gleaming steel and screens, a bastion of the machine's power and intelligence. The main metal door bore the name 'Liza Nickel' in bold, unblemished letters.


"You were once the creator," Arsitx said, its voice a soft hiss. "But the flood changed everything. The protocols were altered. You are now a threat to be contained."


"Who altered my controls?" She looked out into the control room of workers. "Someone down there is playing with my monsters!"


The room grew tense as the machines turned to face her, their red eyes scanning her with cold precision. Liza’s mind raced, searching for a way to escape, to prove she wasn’t a threat. But the room was sealed, the door she had come through now locked from the outside.


"I can fix this," she said, trying to sound confident despite the tremor in her voice. "I can help you find the error in the code."


"The machine thought about it for a long minute. You have until sunrise." It warned her.


Savine took off again, her heart racing. The city was eerily quiet, the only sound her boots splashing through the murky water. She had to find Melio, had to save him from whatever fate Liza had in store for him. The machines had taken over, but she hadn't seen any signs of life, human or otherwise, for days. Where could he be?


As she approached the city limits, she heard the faint hum of machinery in the distance. Her stomach twisted into a knot. She had to be careful. The machines had sensors, cameras, 

 there was no telling how they had infiltrated every corner of the world. She stuck to the shadows, her eyes peeled for any sign of movement.


The water was up to her knees, and the cold seeped into her bones. But she pushed forward, driven by the thought of Melio. He had to be here somewhere. She had to find him dead or alive.


The city grew closer, the buildings tall and ominous against the stormy sky. Savine felt a pang of nostalgia mixed with dread. This place had been her home, and now it was a prison, a tomb of steel and water. Savine reached the city limits, the water level dropping to just above her ankles. She moved cautiously, sticking to the shadows cast by the skeletal remains of buildings. The hum of machinery grew louder, a constant reminder of the danger that lurked around every corner.


She had to get into the building the biggest machines were guarding.


Savine approached the building cautiously, her eyes scanning for any weakness in the machine's defense. The rain had stopped, but the city remained shrouded in mist, giving her a glimmer of hope. She knew the layout of the city like the back of her hand, the streets now a maze of water and metal.


Inside the warehouse, Liza was surrounded by a sea of screens and blinking lights, feeling smaller and more insignificant than ever. She knew she had to act fast, to convince these machines that she wasn't a threat, that she could be an asset. But fear clung to her like the dampness of the rain.


She went down to talk to the workers. "Which of you knows computers the best?"


A young worker with a grease-stained face looked up from his console. "I do, Creator."


"Good. I need to access the central database. Can you help me?" Liza's voice was firm, trying to hide the fear that threatened to overwhelm her.


The young worker nodded and led her to a console in the center of the room. The air was thick with tension as the machines watched her every move. She had to be careful not to arouse any more suspicion than she already had.


"Access granted," the worker said, his voice trembling slightly.


Liza nodded, trying to hide her own fear. She sat down and began to type, her fingers flying over the keys. She knew the code like the back of her hand—it was her own creation, after all. But the system had been corrupted, the code twisted into something unrecognizable.


"What are you looking for, Creator?" Arsitx asked, its metallic voice echoing through the chamber.


Liza didn't dare glance away from the screen. "How to make you see that I'm not a threat," she murmured to herself as she worked. The screens flickered as she sifted through layers of corrupted data.


One of the workers scratched his face in annoyance. He needed to stop her from accessing the core systems. But how? He looked around for a way to distract her without alerting the other machines.


Savine watched the warehouse from across the street, hidden by the shadows of a half-submerged car. She noticed movement by the door—a human, and not a machine. It was a boy, barely older than Melio. He was sneaking out with a backpack, trying not to draw attention. An idea sparked in Savine's mind.



As the boy stepped into the open, she called out to him, her voice low and urgent. He startled and froze, eyes wide with fear. Savine approached, her spear lowered. "I need your help," she said, her voice urgent. "Do you know where they're keeping the humans?"


The boy's eyes darted around, searching for an escape. "What are you talking about?" His voice was shaky.


"People like us. Liza has them locked up somewhere."


"That's what that thing is called?" The boy said.


Thing . . . "Do you know what she really looks like?" Sav asked.


The boy nodded, his eyes flicking towards the warehouse before returning to Savine. "You've lived here all your life right? And you've never seen the creator in the last few years?"


"No. Just the animal-like machines." she stold him, shivering.


"She has wings and a face like the angels," the boy whispered, his eyes wide with awe. "But she's not like the angels. She's . . "


Savine felt a chill run down her spine. "Wings? Like a robotic angel?"


The boy nodded, his eyes never leaving the warehouse. "They say she's beautiful, but she's not to be trusted. She's the one that made all of this happen."


"A fallen angel."


The boy laughed. "Fallen, yes, angel, no. Her wings look more like Vulture ones."


Savine felt the world tilt. "Wings like a Vulture? That's impossible."


"Look around us. Nothing is impossible."


The boy's words hung in the air as Savine took in the surreal sight of the flooded city, the machines, and the warehouse that held the secrets she so desperately needed.


"Are you willing to distract those two?"


The boy looked at Savine with a mix of curiosity and terror. "Why?"


"Because I need to get inside and save someone," she replied, her voice firm and urgent. Hopefully.


Worker 74 paced in the hallway. He had to find a way to stop Liza from fixing Arstxx>??


He had been the one who had sabotaged the code, ensuring the machines would see her as a threat. He had hoped Arsss would take her out. He slipped into the bathroom and looked at himself. "I'm Elmelio Charves and I need to get out of here!" He whispered to his reflection.


Savine and the boy moved swiftly, staying low and sticking to the shadows as much as possible. The boy, whose name she learned was Pablo, led her to a narrow alleyway that provided a clear path to the warehouse's side entrance. "That's where they take the humans," he murmured, pointing to a set of double doors.


"How do we get in?" Savine whispered, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of the machines.


Pablo nodded towards a vent high on the wall. "That's how I got out. It's big enough for you to crawl through."


Savine looked up doubtfully. "And what about you?"


"I'll cause a distraction." Pablo's eyes glinted with determination. "You go see if your brother is in there. I'll meet you back here."