The airlock was opened, and the journey continued. The spaceship flew into a narrow, tall, desolate space full of holes that resembled acid corrosion. In the distance, a turquoise energy core was illuminating the location in a pale light. Avi manoeuvred past it and rotated their spaceship by ninety degrees to fit between the walls, then moved parallel to them, higher, until they emerged above the structure, in a hangar with large freighters, all docked and long forgotten, forming two endless columns of steel.

“We're in the ruins of Prometheus Industries.” - The void hermit explained. - “Once we pass the dock B-521, look for an exit, it'll lead us to laborers' slums.”

“Slums?” - Luna asked. - “Will we find the infected machines there?”

“Yes, in fact, many.” - The void hermit said. - “It's the safest place to start.”

The spaceship entered a side, octagonal tunnel made of glass panels. All around it, it was possible to notice ruins of factories, where tall cranes and sybernetic arms were frozen in time, above the conveyor belts of identical parts. After flying for several hours, the landscape started to blend with cone-shaped steel tents, where zombie-like citizens walked among the ever-present rotting corpses.

“You can help them. I implore you, do it.” - The void hermit spoke.

“Luna... there are thousands of them.” - Avi added. - “How do you plan to heal them all?”

“Right now, I can help one person at a time, so it would take forever...” - Luna responded. - “...but we will find a better way.”

The only landing spot seemed to be a vast puddle of black liquid, where the robots refilled their coolants. Once they landed, Luna exited the ship and laid her hand on the nearest robot, healing them. The machine didn't pay attention when it was touched, but when it felt that the Anaari's plague leaves it, it turned its eyes, staring at the luminous figure in shock.

“What are we trying to find?” - Avi asked as they walked through dark alleys and dirty streets. She carefully observed how Luna heals a person after person.

“Anomalies.” - Luna replied. - “Precisely, a virus at a late stage of evolution, so advanced that forming an algorithm against it would allow to vaccinate every patient.”

“Ah, okay.” - Avi uttered.

“...but the samples from these machines are too weak.” - Luna revealed. - ”We need someone with a long lifespan, able to endure centuries of a virus's growth.”

Charlotte turned her head, feeling that someone was following them. A single machine slowly walked behind them, their eyes focused on Luna's silhouette. Then they were soon joined by another, and after a minute, another, until they formed a small crowd.

“They're following us.” - Charlotte noticed.

“Let them.” - Luna said, although she quickly realized that the people in the crowd were whispering to each other.

“The Afflated.” - One of them spoke.

“The Light bringer.” - The second one added.

“The Liberator.” - The third commented.

When the crowd grew larger, other machines immediately realized that something unusual was happening. Seeing others, who reach with their hands and foreheads to Luna, begging to get touched, they began to act the same way and forced their way through, wailing and calling for help.

“Heal me!” - Many pleas could be heard from people closest to Luna, but the girl couldn't reach everyone. She continued to walk, afraid and overwhelmed. For most of the time, nobody crossed her path until one of the robots was pushed out of the crowd and fell to the ground in front of her. The machine quickly knelt, begging to be relieved of suffering.

This text was taken from NovelBin. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Luna felt she was making a mistake, but didn't refuse. Once she laid her hands on the robot's skull, other machines ran in front of her, blocking her path and surrounding the Luna's group from all directions. It was necessary to create a forcefield, otherwise her friends would probably be crushed.

“It's spiraling out of control. We should leave, we won't find anything here.” - Luna said, ready to leave.

“You promised to help them.” - The void hermit reminded.

“Not like this.” - Luna replied. - “We need a better plan.”

The begging pleas accompanied Luna's group until they were almost back at the spaceship. The robots began running into the oil and ramming into other people, who were collecting the coolant. Avi could hear a scream of one of the machines being crushed under the metal heels of the wild crowd and quickly noticed its sparking corpse. - “Luna!” - Avi shouted in distress.

“They are dead...” - Luna uttered, as frightened as Avi. - “...please, go into the ship, now! I'll hold them off, but we need to escape as soon as possible.”

Charlotte grabbed Avi's hand because her daughter was still hesitating and helped her to climb inside. A minute after everyone was on the deck, Luna returned by herself, quivering.

“I don't want to go back there.” - Luna said. - “I felt it... I felt and sensed everything. They... they were killing each other for a chance to get closer. How am I supposed to heal them with a clear conscience!?” - She shouted through tears.

The void hermit was silent. Avi, with her head lowered, was silent too.

“Let's leave.” - Luna begged. - “Let's leave and forget.”

---

Depressed, Luna was sitting at the bridge, with her head buried in her arms. Avi just entered, bringing her a hot drink.

“I'm sorry... it had to happen.” - Avi uttered quietly.

“I failed again.” - Luna sobbed. - “People died because of me.”

“You only wanted to help.” - Avi tried to comfort her.

“Help!? That's not the first time! Don't you remember the Cross of Immortality!?” - Luna burst into tears.

“I didn't forget.” - Avi replied, clearly despondent.

“How do you cope, knowing it's all our fault?” - Luna lamented.

Avi sat next to Luna, hugging her. - “I have you, it helps.”

Luna calmed down. - “Do you think that by saving those people, I will find redemption?”

“To me, you did nothing wrong...” - Avi replied. - “...but we will have to hope that Astronauts will undo our wrongs.”

“...and what if they fail?” - Luna added. - “Will you keep on living like that, pretending that everything is fine!?”

“Yes, because I want to carry hope.” - Avi declared. - “I feel that's the only way I could respect the fallen. My parents... before they died, I promised them that I'll be happy. My heart feels that the people we met would want our happiness, too. I don't want to let myself, or them, down. That's why I will keep on smiling, so the children of those who still live can believe in a better future.”

“I... I don't understand you, Avi... at all.” - Luna uttered. - “Your faith is irrational.”

“It requires more than faith, a leap beyond faith, akin to the light in the darkness. It's about love, and loving yourself is as important as loving others. If you can forgive yourself, you will be able to forgive others.” - Avi added.

“I'm not like you... Avi.” - Luna kept her voice quiet. - “...you were always my guide, but I don't love like you do. I only try to copy your ethics and do what you would consider right... but just on my own, I wouldn't be able to do anything.” - She raised her face, her cheeks still wet with droplets of light. - “Avi... can I truly love? Can an artificial being love?”

Avi gently wiped Luna's face. - “Yes, and your tears are proof of that.”

Luna began to cry again, way more intensely. She felt that something important was eluding her. Something she didn't understand, and that was too complicated for her at the moment.

---

When Luna calmed down, Avi allowed her to stay alone for a moment and decided to talk to the void hermit. He remembered Luna's words about needing someone with a long lifespan. That's why his next words were filled with doubt.

“I know... the place where the governor of this sub-sector lives...” - The void hermit spoke. - “...but I really don't think that you are ready to face what might await you there. I don't want to lead you to your deaths.”

Avi sat down and looked at the map. - “...but do we have any other choice?”

“There are several types of machines that your friend had in mind. Superintendents, counselors, brokers, magistrates, builders... plus oracles and exterminators, but I don't recommend looking for the last two.” - The void hermit replied, then added. - “Unfortunately, the lifespan is proportional to battle capabilities. It's a matter of survival.”

“Well, we can try something smaller instead. What do you suggest?” - Avi asked.

“I can offer you the coordinates of another village, its chief might be infected, but they were still sane when I spoke to them about three hundred forty years ago.” - The void hermit explained.

“Show us the way.” - Avi requested.