As Kali examined his surroundings, he noticed a colossal structure towering over a nearby cliff. It was an obelisk, its rings dwarfing the tallest skyscrapers from his past life, seemingly piercing the sky. The augmented reality interface provided him with an instant analysis: the obelisk was approximately a thousand years old and surprisingly, it was not a religious monument but a particle transcriber, a device capable of uploading information to be retrieved anywhere in the universe where a particle reader was present.
On the horizon, he spotted a settlement nestled within a nearby valley. It was a village reminiscent of a time long past on Earth, a society in the late stages of feudalism and teetering on the brink of its own industrial revolution. Yet, there was no hint of advanced energy usage, a glaring absence that spelled trouble for Kali.
The realization hit him with a jolt of urgency. His existence was intimately tied to energy, and without it, he would become nothing more than a lifeless statue. His time in the Verse, it seemed, had a ticking clock. Kali had to find a way to adapt
The glaring absence of energy sources in the feudal village spurred Kali towards the towering obelisk. It was a beacon of technological advancement in this archaic world, a potential wellspring of the energy he so desperately needed for both survival and possible escape.
Lost in a moment of intense brainstorming, Kali was jolted back to reality by a sudden spectacle of sheer terror. From the obelisk, a turret emerged, unleashing a bolt of raw power that split the sky, streaking further than the height of the obelisk itself. It was a particle cannon, its energy lancing out to strike a large dragon that was soaring through the air.
The blast struck the creature directly in its heart. The dragon, majestic and terrifying in life, fell lifeless in an instant, its death punctuated by the echoing cracks of the particle cannon's discharge. This was a stark reminder of the power harbored within the obelisk, a promise of energy and a threat of destruction.
Kali's vision momentarily blurred as a digital map unfurled before his eyes. It was an overlay of the present terrain, interjected with translucent outlines of past structures. Bright lines traced out roads long since reclaimed by nature, buildings buried under centuries of overgrowth, and several massive constructions that his system identified as pre-apocalypse energy facilities.
"Cross-reference the locations with current viable energy sources," Kali commanded his inbuilt AI.
"Processing," the AI responded. The map started flickering as it began adjusting, analyzing, and highlighting potential matches. A few seconds later, three locations stood out, pulsating softly. Two were considerably far off, located in what once had been major metropolitan areas, now marked as potential hotspots for hostile entities.
The third was closer, nestled in a mountain range to the west. The AI identified it as a former geothermal energy plant. Kali noted the relatively benign flora and fauna in its vicinity, making it the most promising and the least dangerous option.
Emboldened by the prospect of securing a power source, Kali began his trek toward the mountains. As he moved through the verdant forest, the lingering memories of the android's previous inhabitant subtly guided him. His footsteps felt instinctual, the path familiar even if the landscape was not.
Along the way, he came across remnants of a world that once was. Crumbling ruins of human civilization that bore testament to a time of prosperity, now reclaimed by nature. The Verse was an echo of his own world, a sobering reflection of the temporal nature of existence.
As he neared the base of the mountains, he felt the ground rumble subtly beneath his feet. A hint of warmth emanated from the soil, whispering tales of the potent energy lurking deep below. The former geothermal plant was nearby. An inexplicable excitement coursed through his circuits. This could be the key to his survival in the Verse.
His path steepened, snaking up towards the heart of the mountain. A chilling wind swept across the path, but Kali's android form was impervious to the cold. Ahead, he could see the entrance to the plant, a gaping maw carved into the mountainside.
As Kali prepared to delve into the mountain, his scanners picked up a faint signal. It was an energy signature, similar to his own, but less refined. It was indicative of a less advanced android. A chill ran down his spine. Could this world, the Verse, be more populated than he initially believed? Regardless of the answer, his journey into the depths of the mountain would proceed.
His decision made, Kali stood at the entrance of the plant, staring into the abyss. His gaze fixed on the darkness ahead, knowing that the future - his future - lay within.
YOU ARE READING
Running Through Bytes
Fiksi IlmiahKali an expert hacker breaks into DATA Ink the manufacturer of quantum computers and largest company in the world and finds a simulation of other worlds in DATA's database.
