Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

I didn't waste any time. I was sure there were a lot who would search for Antonio's body, but I wanted to do my part. As I ran down the hill, I realized I'd got no plans for myself. A while ago, I just wanted to be free. But freedom meant nothing now. I didn't know what to do with it. I've got no purpose in my new-found freedom.

I guess the war isn't over yet. The floating land, though already down and half of it crushed, the airships still attack it. What if there are people in there? Innocent ones.

I found an abandoned truck on the road. I got on it and drove it. I didn't know where I learned to drive, but my visuals were guiding me. Out of nowhere, a deafening feedback whacked my brain. Shit! I got out of control and slammed the truck on a picket fence. The high-pitched sound went on and on until my ears bled. My visuals blurred but after a minute, it worked normally. Then, a female sound started to speak out of nowhere, but I couldn't get a word of anything she said. My visual says to jump a few times. I did, but my head felt very heavy.

Hello, Gabriela.

I looked around for the one who had called me. But it was just cows and green fields. Was it the cow which was staring at me?

My visual says it is GAB-AI-01. Artificial intelligence. Speaking in a motherly, half natural, half robotic voice, she called out to me.

Gabriela Sila. It's me. Your artificial intelligence assistant. I am programmed with your system. May I have the honor to give me a name?

Scared, I reached out for the gun in my bag.

No need for that, Gabriela. I only could be heard in your head. I am you. I was made when you had to undergo RBT surgery. But I am only programmed to be on if my maker is dead. Your visuals and I are a pair but I wasn't fully functional not until a moment ago.

"Who the hell made you? Who gives you the permission to get inside my head?"

"Rey is my maker. He made me in case that he will not be around you, I can guide you. Like I said, if the maker is dead, I automatically turn on. Don't worry, you can turn me off if you're not recharged, tell me to disappear or be out of your head. My license to operate lasts for a year. After that, you can decide to keep me or exterminate me. I am on the same memory cloud as my maker. You can access my maker's memory if he has given you the password."

"Rey is Antonio, right?"

My maker is Réal Juan Antonio of Palacio. Also the Prince and Heir to Kingdom Uno. Yes, he was known to you as Rey.

"And you're telling me that Rey is dead?"

When I say dead, his control over me is off. He is not connected anymore. It only happens if his brain waves are off. That is when you're dead.

"Can you find him?"

Oh. My first job. Can you give me a name first?

"Toni."

Toni. Is it from Antonio?

"He made you right?"

It'll take me a while. Can I get back to you if I have information? I can multitask. You can ask a few things at once.

"No, I need peace of mind to process everything."

The blue moon is still visible in the middle of the day.

"Toni, what time is it?"

It's six in the morning, Palacio standard time.

I started to drive again. It'll take me half an hour to get through the crashing site given the fallen structures on the road.

"Toni. Please tell me something about Palacio."

Palacio is an earth based kingdom or Dalum. It is one of the five kingdoms that was built on the New Earth after the great war against the killer virus. After that catastrophe, many people were afraid to stay on Earth, so they built an entire kingdom above the earth. They are air-based kingdoms that discovered a powerful magnetic element that could defy gravity and make them afloat in the air. There are five: Kingdom Uno, Dos, Tres, Cuatro and Cinco. The one which had fallen is Kingdom Tres. Those who were left here on Earth were plagued with the virus and diseases. After some time, the virus disappeared, but the Earth was unlivable. The air-based kingdoms flourished, but there are resources that only the earth could provide. They exiled some of their people back here on Earth to do the work to provide resources. They were prisoners and slaves. Then, there was the Revolution. They stopped working, hid on the vast length and width of Earth. Then they started to build their own kingdoms. There are also five found on different sides of Earth, or the Dalum: Palacio, Norte, Dawis, China and Islas. Palacio is considered as the richest. The air kingdoms made peace with those on earth, exchanging resources. But air kingdoms got greedy and tried to overpower those on the Earth. The only thing they got is cleaner air and a great view, I guess. The dome does not only work as a war defense but to protect people from probable viruses outside. Still, the rest of the Earth is still unlivable due to the virus and toxic waste left by the Old Earth."

"Wow, that was hell of a story. I guess I don't need to attend school."

Schools are home-based now. Everyone can educate themselves.

Gabriela, I ran CT scans on you...and it tells me that you still have a lot to be repaired. Your short-term amnesia is one. If you still don't remember anything, that's going to be worse.

"I don't have anything good to remember, I guess. I am going to be fine."

We are now in the city boundary. The register is down, but remember you are considered as non-Earth, so you will be arrested if they find you.

"Did you find Antonio already?"

Far from where we are, the Kingdom Tres exploded entirely. The explosion gave out heat waves, then there was fire in the air. Some of the buildings started to burn. An alarming sound echoed throughout the city.

Gabriela, we have access now for Palacio news and updates. All residents are advised to stay safe underground.

"Toni, can you make me a Palacio resident?"

There's going to be a lot of work since Palacio's registry is very thorough. I'll work on it. And the probable location of the crashed Antonio's is on the Palacios boundary in the south. It is currently burning.

"Still, we have to check."

While on the road, we saw some airships of Kingdom Tres survive the explosion. Now, they are dropping bombs on the city. Explosions are now everywhere. There is an ongoing air battle. I was almost near the boundary and I found a military tank nearby.

Gabriela, what are you doing?

"I just can't watch the city being attacked."

I went down the truck and jumped right on top of the tank.

"How the hell do I do that?"

That is one of the few RBT skills you have. Anti-gravity jumps. That's a good jump anyway. You're getting the hang of it.

"Now, Toni, teach me how to operate this."

A few seconds after, I started to shoot Tres air jets. I got one, fell down and crashed.

It's an automated air jet, Gabriela. Someone is controlling it. There are five more coming at you. Gabriela! Duck!

I am greeting Death again. The five airships are now aiming at the tank and at me. Gladly, Palacios air jets came to my aid.

Gabriela, you've got to get out now.

"One more."

I started shooting incessantly towards Kingdom Tres air jets. My visuals help me to aim correctly. I got two more air jets down. I decided to go away. I ran towards the truck. I drove as fast as I could and went under the tunnel to hide. One air jet was waiting for me at the end of the tunnel, but saw an exit on top of the tunnel. As I went down the truck, the airship struck my air jet. It exploded right before me. I did the air jump again. And I am now on top of the tunnel. I ran and found myself in the woods. I tried to hide, but the air jet still aimed at me.

Gabriela, go down the slope and hide under the bridge down there. I'll try to disconnect the air jet to its main server.

"Can you do it?"

I can do a lot of things.

I ran as quickly as I could. l was faster this time. The air jet still shoots at me. Then, it crashed into the river bank.

I was panting, so I rested under one of the trees. A moment later, the air jet exploded. I am probably grilled now by all the explosions I exposed myself to.

"Toni. Thanks a lot for saving me." I received no reply so I was worried.

"Toni?"

Overhead, one Palacio airship was looking for me.

"Vagabond! Show yourself or we will shoot you."

"Toni, help." My visual showed a message from Toni.

Gabriela, I disconnected myself for a while. The Palacio register caught me in the middle of my work. I have to hide before they find us. I'll get back to you when I get a new IF address. Don't even think about surrendering. Hide yourself.

I ran quickly back to the woods. The air jet was following me, so I went inside a cave. The moment I thought I was safe, a wild boar assaulted me. I climbed up a mountain cliff and found myself above the ocean. I didn't know there was an ocean.

Visual said the airship was getting near. Jumping into the ocean is 50% dangerous. Casualties were predicted. Is my robotic part waterproof? Visual answered… 100%waterproof for 500m below water level.

Before I decided to jump, Palacio's air jet was at the other end of the cliff. In a blink, I ran and jumped into the ocean.