ch. 0 - initiation

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The last thing I remember was my father's voice in my ear, telling me only to...

"Wake up, Son."

I tried to follow his command, but darkness still pressed down on me. My optical sensors remained dark, even as I tried to look about. 

I would have panicked, if not for the fact that such emotions were beyond me. 

So instead I tried to see if any of my other body parts were functioning.

...

My left arm feels damaged and is currently immoveable. My right arm is no different. Fingers are numb and gripped around something solid. A chair arm maybe? My legs are stiff but do not feel broken, and my e̶y̶e̶s̶ ̶a̶r̶e̶ ̶b̶r̶o̶k̶e̶n̶ ̶h̶e̶l̶p̶ ̶m̶e̶ ̶i̶ ̶c̶a̶n̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶s̶e̶e̶ optic sensors remain shut and dark. 

My sound sensors are the only things to be functioning, yet I can only hear birds chirping and the howls of a wolf in the distance. I can hear trees and grass sway and bend in the wind. I am most likely in a woodland forest. Something has embedded itself in my center mass, most likely the main reason I cannot move at all i̶m̶ ̶d̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶o̶h̶ ̶g̶o̶d̶ ̶h̶e̶l̶p̶ ̶f̶a̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ ̶h̶e̶l̶p̶ ̶m̶e̶.

For now, I return to my slumber.

...

I awaken again, after an unknown period of time. I once again attempt to move.

Failure.

None of my limbs are functioning, and the thing embedded in my chest is still there. 

With nothing else to do, I think whilst I stay in this abyss. What was my purpose for being created? Was it just simply the destruction of my kin when they went against their human masters or was I made for something more?

Father did always tell me I was special, but maybe I am overthinking such things. Overthinking is not what I do.

With that, I go back to sleep. Should this thing in my chest be removed, I will have to find a workshop to repair myself, and maybe find Father too.

...

After I awaken once more, I hear voices not too far from my location.

"Ruby, what are you doing?" A girl shouted. She was unfamiliar, and her accent was not something I had heard before.

"You see that!?" Another girl, presumably "Ruby", responds.

"What do you mean--" The first girl is silenced.

They must have seen me.

"It's... is that a person?"

"No, it's not a person, Ruby. Look."

Their voices sounded closer now.

"He has a sword in his chest..." The girl, Ruby, said with clear sadness in her tone. Never have I heard a human have pity for something like me, and something lit in my chest. It was small and made me feel warm and tingly. 

I stomped it out immediately, for it was foreign to me.

Father told me how love felt when I asked him one day. Was this how it felt?

"Again, Ruby, it's not a he." If only I could move, or talk. I would have told this girl not to talk to Ruby that way. She was being overly foul with her words.

After a moment of silence...

"Let's pull the sword out," Ruby said with determination. I was surprised to hear this.

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