Chapter 43: Artificial Innocence

Planet Epra: a world home to many species who had made the planet their refuge. Despite centuries of immigration in the planet, little is done to restrict any newcomers. It is now free for anyone to come and go as they please. Not many who arrive on the planet are objectively moral, there are those who come to conquer what's left of the planet's surface. There are those who resist them to keep the balance, both economically, and ethically; for decades it has come to a fair reign, and it is, at the moment, peaceful, in most parts of the planet.

It's in the afternoon, the clouds crowd the sky. High above ground, two individuals who are apart from the affairs of the planet; Leah flies through the cool wind with Kase on her back. Being all the way up here in the air, with the wind flow across her face, it's the best. The feeling of freedom.

"Hey, Leah?"

Hearing his voice only reminded her of her growing discomfort of her carrying him for so long.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Do you think we're close now?" He asked.

'What a question, but a good one, she thought.' It will be nice to finally rest from carrying him all this way. Leah focuses her attention at the ground for a moment. The energy signature is larger; she's close now.

"Just a bit longer." She turns her gaze to the land below, only to see how much slower it's passing by, slower than earlier. After such a long flight with Kase on her back, it's no wonder she's starting to feel exhausted.

Closing her eyes for a moment. No, she must not stop now, just a bit further, then she'll be there.

"Hey, are you alright?" Kase asked, causing her to open her eyes.

"Am I making you tired?"

Turning her gaze over her shoulder, she smiles.

"I'll be fine," she said, looking ahead.

"We're almost there."

"At least," Kase said, his gaze turns to the ground below, only for his eyes to widen.

"Still not use to being up here." He chuckles, and looks ahead once more.

Leah chuckles as well.

"You're scared of heights?" she asked.

"W-well..." He said, clearing his throat.

"Who wouldn't be at this height. Hanging on to someone, knowing that your life is in their hands."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," she said, accelerating herself.

"We will land sooner than you think."

Moving his head over, he looks ahead at the land below, his eyes half closed from the wind.

"The energy you sense," he said, his voice muffled by the wind.

"How large is it?"

Leah narrows her eyes as she gazes ahead.

"Good question," she said.

"I thought it was a single energy signature, but I was wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Instead of there being a single one," she said.

"It is actually multiple ones that are close to each other."

"That's something new. How many are there, do you think?"

"Seventy..." She simply said.

"Maybe over a hundred. I can't be sure."

"This might be dangerous, Leah." His tone filled with a warning.

"Don't worry, we'll manage,"she said, turning her gaze to him, only to look ahead once more.

"We've trained for something like this."

Kase lets out a sigh.

"That's true," he moves his head behind her's.

"We must still be cautious."

"Copy that," Leah simply said, only for her to descend with her gaze drawn to the large building that resembled a factory.

"Looks like this is the place." She stares calmly at at the structure she's descending to.

--

Dry, scorched blood, both scarlet, and violet, rests on the sand, along with dead bodies that are scattered abroad. Most have begun to rot, while others have already started. Weapons of different types all lay beside their deceased owners.

The sound of footsteps approaches, and after a moment, two sets of boots stand over a rotten corpse.

"What a massacre," Kase's voice is heard.

The one set of legs bend as the red sash kiss the sand. Feminine hands pick up the one weapon, and stands straight.

"Here, you'll need this," Leah said, her gaze still drawn to the dead bodies before her.

Kase adjusts the weapon into a comfortable hold, only to pop the magazine out to see if there's still ammo.

"What's your thoughts?" he asked, placing the magazine back and cocks the weapon.

"Do you think this was the thief's handiwork?" He turns his gaze to her.

Hearing his words, Leah remains silent, her gaze still fixed ahead at the large structure before her. After a moment of hearing Kase calling her name, she walks forward, and steps over the dead bodies; urging Kase to watch her in silence.

It's strange to her, being here at the source of that energy she's been feeling, it only causes her to worry at the thought of the possible threat that awaits. Her gaze turns to the foundation of the building, now staring at a dark corner of the structure where no light can reach.

"What is it?" Kase's voice causes her to jerk up, bringing her attention to him.

"Is there something there?" He said, narrowing his eyes, only for him to place his hand over his brow.

Leah stares at him for a moment, only to look ahead once more.

"I feel like something is watch-" a pair of glowing lights appear within the dark corner, urging Leah's eyes to widen.

"Do you see that?" Kase said, taking a quick glance at Leah.

The pair of lights move closer,and out from the shadows, it shows its appearence. Leah's face soften.

"It's a robot." She tilts her head slightly as she stares at its childlike body. It has no mouth, and a round shape for a head; it's body is built with different types of metal, yet, shaped accordingly.

The robot stops walking, and looks around itself, its movements slightly stuff, and ridget.

"It's so small," Kase said, lowering his weapon, and stares at it in awe.

Smiling, Leah leans over and reaches her hand out to it.

"Hey there," she said with a cheerful tone in her voice, only for the robot to stare down at her hand. Its body starts rattling, as it starts to back away, urging Leah to look at her own hand, before look at the robot once more with a confused gaze.

"Scared, scared..." the robot repeats, over, and over in a childlike voice.

Narrowing her eyes, she shakes her head.

"No, please, I won't hurt yo-"

"Leah," Kase said, urging her to look his way, noticing him still staring at the building.

Looking ahead, Leah sees another pair of eyes appear underneath the foundation of the building, only for a few other pairs to appear.

"This doesn't look good," Kase said, moving his weapon up to aim, and starts to back away.

"Intruder, intruder," normal robotic voices call out repeatedly, until a whole crowd them join, causing a chaos of the repeated line.

After a moment, robots the same size as Leah, and Kase climb out from the shadows, and starts walking towards them, as the childlike one retreats into the crowd.

"This explains a lot," Leah said, stepping back, her arms stiff. All her instincts is asking her, fight or flee, but finding it difficult decide.

"M-maybe we could talk our way out of this."

She looks over her shoulder at Kase, only to hear the sound of multiple mechanisms; urging he to look ahead to see their arms forming into weapons.

"Leah!" Kase shouted out, and shoots his weapon at a robots head, blowing it into bits, only for the body to fall to the ground, causing a cloud of dust to sweep out from underneath.

One after another, Leah watches energy spikes drop each robot it hits. Within the chaos of metal bodies falling, the remaining robots start charging up their weapon. With a gasp, Leah widens her eyes.

Turning her gaze to Kase, and back at the robots; now watching as the barrels of their weapons start glowing.

If Leah doesn't act now, she could lose a friend. Her eye-pupils ignite with a blue glow. Within a moment, she sprints towards Kase. Grabbing his weapon, she lowers it, and raises her hand with the palm facing the robots.

At that moment, the robots open fire with a continues onslaught of energy spikes coming from their weapons. The spikes of energy deforms, and starts flowing around Leah, and Kase In a blanket of swirling energy. Her friend can only look in wonder at the blue energy surrounding them both, almost forgetting the enemies that are attacking.

"Do it!" Leah shouted within roaring sound of weapon fire. Breaking out of his trans, he looks at her.

"Attack them now!" She looks ahead at the robots. With that, Kase continues shooting them.

After a moment of robots falling one by one, he stops shooting-still there are a large number of robots attacking.

Narrowing her eyes, she turns to Kase.

"Why did you stop?" she asked.

Taking the magazine out, he sighs.

"Empty," he said, dropping it.

"Great," Leah said, looking ahead. With her pupils glowing brighter, she narrows her eyes, and with that, she lets out a scream, creating a pulse of energy that spreads out in a large radios, engulfing the robots in the process.

After the moment, the energy fades, leaving everything in silence. Both Leah, and Kase watch the robots stand still with their weapons aimed at them.

"What did you do?" he asked, turning his gaze to her, and looks ahead once more.

Narrowing her eyes ahead, as if ignoring his question, the robots all fall to the ground one after another. Seeing that it worked, puts a smile on her face

"It actually worked," she muttered to herself.

"Well, whatever you did," he said, slowly nodding, and turns his gaze to Leah once more.

"It definitely helped."

Leah looks over her shoulder at him, and smiles, only to walk forward towards the entrance of the building.

"Leah," he said with a smile, and follows her.

"That was amazing." He leans down, and picks up another weapon, only to continue walking.

Hearing his words urges her to chuckle as she walks near the disabled robots. Looking down at their bodies, her smile fades, and stops with only a blank stare on her face.

"What's the matter? Why did you stop?" Kase asked, standing next to her, and looks down, only for his face to soften.

"Oh."

Staring down at the childlike robot lying on the ground, only causes a regret to emerge within her chest. Just a few moments ago, it was okay, only to be a motionless husk at her feet.

"Don't feel sorry for it," he said with a calm tone in his voice.

"It was just a robot that only looked like a child,"

"I know," she simply said, and sighs.

"Let's go." She starts walking towards the entrance with Kase following

The both of them continue towards the building, not knowing what they might find. Hoping that they may find the thief.

"I sense a lot more signatures inside," Leah said, her gaze fixed ahead as she approaches the large black metal doors.

"If it comes to it, be prepared."

"Don't worry," Kase said, tightening his grip on the weapon.

"Always on guard."

Leah stops at the door, and exchanges a nod with Kase, only for her to open it, and enters with him before closing the door behind them.