A machine's guide to Divinity

TREACHERY /// ACT 3 Climax: THE LIGHT DIMS

Uncertainty. Anticipation.

Ever since the defeat in Heresy, Gabriel had counted down the hours until his supposed death, wondering if his choice was for the better. A decade had passed since the council's destruction, and yet, Gabriel was still standing. In the moment of 'Death', Gabriel realized that the source of 'divine light' was not from the Father nor the Council, but rather from within. 

From his deathbed, he had risen and had been waiting for the machine's arrival, looking from the halls to see the red snow all around. He smiled, sighing. It seemed like the machine had not changed a bit, unlike him. Sharpening his swords, he waited. And waited.

Surely the machine would arrive soon.

Focusing on his senses, he finally felt the familiar presence enter the room. It was the machine.

Here is the final clash between Steel and Light, the finite end to it all. Drawing out his swords, Gabriel shouted.

"Machine, I will cut you down with all the justice and with all the splendor. As your executioner, I shall judge you for your sins. And this time, you won't escape the consequences. "

A thousand images flashed before his mind as he positioned himself. From his status as an apostle to Archangel, his sins in The Father's name, and his fall and revelation.

Was this the right thing to do? Is his fall to apostasy, not a sin? Will he be able to best this machine? Will the light return to this cold, dark world?

Yes. It had to. And he was only one machine away from achieving it. 

Sighing, he muttered, "Maybe... You'll be the one to judge me too, Machine."

As Gabriel lunged at V1, the machine dashed back to avoid the thrust. V1 quickly retaliated with a shot from his revolver but Gabriel dodged the shot by teleporting up and above V1. With insane speeds, Gabriel landed a kick on the blue machine. Recovering, V1 saw the number 50 on its fuel gauge. 'This will not do.' It thought as Gabriel pursued the machine relentlessly.

"I expected more from you, machine!"

Gabriel spoke as he swung his blades in a twirling motion. As Gabriel brought down his swords, V1 saw a chance to counterattack. With its feedbacker arm, It met the blade head-on.

+PARRY

V1 refueled itself from the energy of Gabriel's attack and readied two coins. One landed behind and the other was in front of Gabriel. With a precise shot with its Railcannon, a devastating beam of electricity bit right into Gabriel's armor.

+ULTRARICOSHOTx2

Grunting from pain, Gabriel withdrew, swords held defensively. As V1 lunged to deal the final strike with its shotguns, Gabriel lashed out, Almost skewing V1 in the chest. Dashing and sliding, V1 observed Gabriel as he cut and thrust his swords to end the machine. Soon, V1 found a glaring weakness in Gabriel's offense and decided to exploit it. Baiting a thrust, V1 came up close to Gabriel, just out of reach from his cutting range. Gabriel lunged, both swords aimed at V1's neck. V1 dashed to the side and as Gabriel recovered from his lunge, V1 attached a nail magnet to Gabriel and used the overheat nailgun to fill him with searing hot nails. It was a devastating blow, but Gabriel still didn't give in.