Imperatrix Fallen: Alith's Cradle

XXXI

Characteristics: (1) Manipulative behaviors (2) Lacks remorse for actions or understanding of their consequences (3) Displays affection that seems false or superficial (4) Low empathy; cruelty and insensitivity (5) No clear goals or objectives (6) Impulsivity.

Extract from the Report on Subject Makia Kuth, Page 3, by Cardinal Mania IX

Rola paced back and forth, her eyes ringed with dark circles, her hair a chaotic mess. She was surrounded by blackboards covered in diagrams of what appeared to be Angels, each accompanied by a dizzying array of annotations. The floor was strewn with books, mechanical parts, and remnants of meals from days past. Her hypotheses were many, her conclusions few. She kept pacing, entirely oblivious to Valeria, who had entered the room some time ago.

When Valeria's patience finally wore thin, she kicked over a stack of books on the floor. The loud crash snapped Rola out of her trance.

"Valeria! It's so good you're here!" Rola exclaimed, rushing toward her and gripping her by the shoulders.

"Rola, I—"

"Three Angels attacked us, right? Three at Frontier III." Rola's voice was frantic, her hands tightening on Valeria's shoulders. "The first one was a test, just an experiment gone awry. A gamble with high odds of success—but they didn't account for Makia. That's why it fled when the invasion of Frontier III began. Makia and Blanca running into it at the institute? That was pure accident. But the other two Angels? Those were carefully planned."

Rola released Valeria and darted toward one of the blackboards. She pointed at a complicated diagram of what looked like an oversized battery.

"And why don't they infiltrate directly and attack the cities? Two reasons." She tapped the diagram with a piece of chalk. "First, Angels lack sufficient autonomy. That's why they were desperate to recover the first one. And when the other two arrived, they weren't just posing as statues—they were recharging to maximum capacity using these fuel-based generators I found after the battle. A redundant system, designed to ensure maximum energy delivery. But it's prone to overheating and has an insanely high output voltage—"

"Rola, I think you really need to—"

"Shh! Don't interrupt me!" Rola cut her off sharply. "The second reason is that conquest isn't their goal. They don't need to take Frontier III, the Sacred Seat, or the King's County. Didn't you notice how halfhearted the attack on Sky County was? They barely sent a handful of mercenaries! Why? To keep everyone busy, I think."

"And what are they after, then?" Valeria seized the brief silence to interject.

"They want your sister—Alith, Blanca, or whatever she's calling herself now," Rola declared, her voice laden with conviction. "And before you ask, no, I don't know why. They've wanted her since the day she was born. The Angels? They're not important here—they're just weapons. How were they created? I don't know that either."

Valeria's gaze shifted to the scribbled notes on the blackboard. The mention of her sister had sharpened her focus. She stopped in front of a diagram of the first Angel, Ragüel.

"These weapons have feelings, Rola," Valeria said, her voice low but firm. "Why else would the first Angel seek revenge on Makia before coming after us? How can you say that isn't important?"

"They're complex beings... complex weapons. But so far, they've shown no signs of being anything more than tools—automatons. The words they utter in battle? Programmed messages from their Rue masters, at least that's what I believe. It's the only explanation for their level of obedience. Sure, they have seemingly human cognitive abilities, but like any machine, they were created for a purpose they cannot deviate from."