The Niore Order

0-UK1

I am a manufactured human, created to keep the monster population in check. My youngest brothers were sold as weapons to "defend" kingdoms. Then, everything changed. One day, orders ceased. I remained chained, listening to the symphony of battle, the death cries, and the booming explosions - yet I, unfazed, sat in anticipation. The silence was broken when my cell opened. I kneeled, expecting an order, but instead, a small woman with a radiant smile approached. "You're going to be okay," she whispered, her words a soothing melody as she unchained me, "You're free to live now." Her forehead met mine, her sigh a soft breeze, "Take your time, you're safe now..." And with a final smile, she disappeared, swallowed by the building as she sought others. I was left to ponder an unfamiliar concept: freedom.

Hours passed as I remained kneeling in my newfound solitude. I was a soldier without orders, a vessel in search of a captain. My mind wandered, and her face appeared, a beacon amidst my confusion. My heart stirred, an unfamiliar sensation. I shook away the distraction, focusing on my immediate reality. A search of my cell revealed my gear, untouched in my bag. A memory surfaced, her voice echoing, "Leave those! He might need them when he finally leaves on his own!" It was her, my liberator. But who was she, really?

Armed and ready, I was about to leave when a soft groan reached my ears. "H-h-help..." The voice pleaded weakly. My instincts kicked in, hand on my sword, cautiously tracing the source. The pain in the voice was palpable. I would have rushed to aid them, but experience had taught me caution; some monsters could mimic such cries. "P-please...help...me," the voice implored again. "D-don't...leave...m-me...here." The desperation in the voice propelled me into action.

Debris and obstacles were mere hindrances as I raced towards the voice. I found a man trapped beneath an armory vault pinned against a wall. Any closer, and he would be bisected. I approached carefully, stepping into the weak sunbeams that barely illuminated the room. Our eyes met, and without wasting a moment, I attempted to shift the vault. It refused to budge. The trapped warrior pushed me aside, his weak smile accepting of his imminent fate. I refused to accept his resignation. I drew my blade, "Eclipse Flare," I declared, slicing the vault and freeing him. His sigh of relief was music to my ears.

But the harmony was short-lived. The warrior, now free, pulled out a hand cannon, his smirk a grim foreshadowing. "Thanks for the save, but I'm going to need all of your gear now..." His threat hung in the air. In response, I rested my hand on my sword hilt, silently challenging him. Then, two shots echoed in the hall, their speed almost beyond comprehension. I managed to block one and dodge the other, but hope was dwindling, giving way to a grim resolution.

Laughter filled the air, a stark contrast to the tension. Confusion settled in. Was this a test? Then I noticed the smoke - a signal flare. This was a trap. He had lured me in, hoping to rob a mercenary or adventurer who would chance upon him. I sheathed my sword in disappointment and turned to leave. "HEY!" he bellowed, "You know what's going on! Now leave your gear..." I could hear the sneer in his voice. I sighed, "No..." My voice was solemn, almost cracking under the weight of the situation. A snicker rippled through the air, "To think I was going to die here only to leave with some vintage gear is incredible!"

The sound of footsteps began to fill the silence, a grim reminder of the impending threat. His nonsensical behavior was a ploy to distract me from his approaching comrades. My body was still not at full strength, and the number and strength of the enemies were unknown. Survival was starting to look like a luxury I could not afford.

But I wasn't going down without a fight. I turned to face him, my hand once again on my sword. A surge of energy, blue and gold, began to envelop me, my determination manifesting physically. The smugness vanished from his face, replaced with a dawning realization of his impending end. I had to escape, and if he intended to block my path, I would no longer restrain myself. The energy intensified, sparks of electricity crackling in the air. "W-w-wait, it doesn't have to be like this..." He stammered, "J-j-just leave the gear, and no one gets hurt." The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation as the standoff continued.

The energy around me suddenly spiked, my body responding to the threat instinctively. The sensation was strange, almost foreign, but not entirely unfamiliar. As a manufactured human, I was designed to adapt to such situations. My body trembled unconsciously, reacting to the adrenaline surge as I prepared to engage. I could hear them, the footsteps growing louder, closer with each passing moment. I had been cornered, and my only way out was through them.