Of Gears and Humanity

| 24.2

[DAMIEN]

I had to say something. If the Attributions were traveling over the Gate, I couldn't expect Arvon to stop them; I didn't even know if he would. But Eon had the plan set in motion, in just a matter of hours, and if I knew anything about humans after staying with them the past few days, they couldn't plan. Not accurately, at least. Something would go wrong; someone would miss a step. Or someone wouldn't get along.

And I couldn't let that happen. Not to Homestead.

I pressed myself against the fallen rocks yards away from the Gate. The drones weren't around; called away for the next day's attack. I only hid myself to be safe. Cautious. And so I could mentally prepare myself.

The last time I hopped the Gate it was to save Elena from one of the mechanical beasts. I had protection then; a small dagger, but better than nothing. Now, I was empty. Just the cloak Arvon gave me, and the clothes on my back. Nothing else. Not even my satchel with the journal.

So, if I jumped over and found a metal lion snarling in my face, I wouldn't know how to react. I'd probably accept death.

But I couldn't. Not yet. I had to warn them all first.

Pushing off the heel of my feet, I darted towards the Gate's entrance. The wind blew, and I thought it was a drone. But one quick glance behind me proved I was alone.

I reached the metal gate before I let out my third breath. Glancing through the metal bars, I checked for movement on the opposite side. There was nothing in the trees, unless you counted the wind brushing through the dead branches. The shadows were alone, too.

"All right." I bit my lip, pushed away from the bars, and looked up. For the life of me I couldn't remember how I climbed the wall so fast. Adrenaline? Afraid Elena would die? It could've been a combination of the two. Either way, I needed to pull something our of me and get it done.

I clapped my hands. Rubbed my knees. I stared at the top of the Gate like it was easy.

"All right, Damien," slowly sucking in a deep breath, I scanned the stone wall, "where can we start?"

There were cracks in the Gate. Deep, damaged holes; enough for to see the sparks from electrical currents behind the rocks. I reached into one of the holes, hooking my fingers over and around the cool granite. With a hard pull, I was ready to climb/

But the section of the wall came undone.

As I stumbled back, the sides of the stone crumbled in my hand. What remained was a hard uneven circle, jagged around the curves. Looking at it, I ran my thumb over the dents and holes, then I looked at the Gate missing its piece.

"This is what Arvon was talking about?" I held the rock up towards the sky. Light from the moon bounced off of it. "This looks a lot like Elena's stone of morning glory," laughing, I squinted at it before holding it tight in my hand, "and if these were put in the walls, then humans know about magnets."

I pressed the stone into my pocket. And sighed. "Well, most humans."

As I reached out above the hole, I hooked onto another crack in the Gate and pulled. My muscles strained, a pain shot up in my side, and I had no choice but to let go. Tears of pain burned in the corners of my eyes. "Maybe climbing isn't the best idea."

Holding my ribs, I looked along the wall, left and right. "There's got to be another way..."

Eon probably hopped the Gate to get to Homestead. And when he gathers his army of Attributions, they'll plow their way through. But how could humans communicate with the Attributions and exchange children? There had to be a simple way.

"The door?" I turned and eyed the metal Gate I first saw Elena through. Then I dipped my head back and let a rolling laugh slip up my throat. "You've got to be kidding me..."

The wind blew as if it pushed me towards the metal bars of the Gate's door. My hand stuck out, reaching for the handle. My fingers closed around it. I couldn't remember if Elena and I had even tried the actual Gate, but when I turned my hand and heard it squeak until my grip—and opened—I laughed. Hard.

Why did we climb?

The Gate swung open and the dead, dry air from the human side hit me in a hard gust. "Leave it up to humans to make things difficult," I said, chuckling still. It was the one thing Arvon would say and honestly,  he wasn't wrong.

*

As I walked through the forest, there wasn't a beast in sight. The damage from Eon's dragon, or whatever it was, was clear; even at night. The remains of each shriveled tree I passed were crumbled across the dead path. And when I reached the lush trees, I passed my hands over claw marks across the healthy bark. Each tree, horribly damaged, managed to stand somehow.

Like humans.

I smiled at the thought as I wrapped my arms around myself, protecting my bandages from the night's wind. Despite what I was raised to believe, and knew to be true; humans were resilient, strong, and while stubborn and difficult, they prospered.

Now, the Attributions were the same, no lying about that. I lived with them; for the longest, they were all I knew. But what I witnessed between Arvon and Eon made me think:

Attributions weren't vile because they were that way. Like humans, no one was born evil; the same would go for machines. Arvon said they had evolved, and Eon had absorbed the human air.

Were his violent outbursts caused by humans? He blamed the atmosphere, hadn't he? And if humans were the issue, then the Gate wasn't built to protect them... but to protect the machines.

"Eon's violence reminded Arvon of the king," I whispered as the lights of Homestead glowed under the night sky. Beyond the small buildings, behind the farms and people, I saw the outline of the castle.

I hastened my steps.

"I got to get to Elena." I pushed myself. Even as pain shot up my side, I didn't stop. Elena was behind those walls, and she needed to know about the Attributions.

And, if it were true, her father.

How could I get her to believe me? I didn't have proof. I didn't even have the full story. There were just the bits and pieces of information I heard through an open door. For all I knew, it wasn't true. But as much as I hated to admit it, and as much as Arvon hid from me, the fact remained he didn't lie; he just didn't talk about it.

That isn't lying.

"Is that Damien?" A voice carried in the open doors of Homestead. Looking ahead, I spotted a boy a few years young than me, had to be. He pressed himself against the massive entrance gate, watching me. A smile tugged ts his mouth as he looked back into town. His arm waved over his head. "The Princess' partner has returned!" he shouted.

My eyes widened. Partner? I thought I was her strength?

"It is him!" A woman hurried beside him. And like the boy, she turned and called out to the town. "Damien is alive!"

So many from Homestead hurried to the gate. When I reached it and attempted to walk inside, I was greeted by warm hands. Hugs. I winched and apologized, as did the people.

They were so happy to see me, and I hadn't expected it at all.

To the boy at the gate, I reached out and touched his arm. "Can you do me a favor?"

He nodded, eager. His dark waves bobbed around his head as he did. "Of course."

"Tell the guards I need to talk to Elena." I gave him a weak smile. "Please."