Iris was crying, her mechanical sobs and shudders against his back heaving as the water ran off their bodies.
“Please… Don't do that again,” she said weakly. She sounded hurt and Spear hoped that he had not damaged her. His hand reached back and touched her head, and the sobs subsided. She quietly composed herself. He noted that it was the quietest she had ever been.
Spear pulled them the rest of the way out of the water and stepped onto the delta of rock and sand. From a few feet above the greenery, he could see graystone structures poking through the trees. He checked the sun and gauged that it was a little after midday.
“Do you see the ruins?”
Spear nodded pointing to them. The gray walls were pushing up through the shorter trees in the distance. They crowded around a split in the trail that they were following.
“We should spend the night there. It’s safe and out of the wind,” she said.
He liked the idea of having a local guide. It made the world seem a bit more comfortable. Not as satisfying as the idea of safely huddling with the others in the sleeping box, but safer than being outside alone in the dark.
His feet carried them down the far side, and onto the flat ground of the familiar trail. Smaller trees here had pushed up through the black soil, their roots fed by the cold water and wet mud from the river bank. He started smiling as they walked through the forest of wrist thick trees. Very few of the shorter plants seemed to grow here, and traveling was fast. Aside from dodging around trees, there was little to nothing in their way.
Spear came to a stop on the edge of the ruins. He stood waiting for any sign of movement among the graystone walls. Each was built squarely around a central path as wide as the plateau they had been walking on. Few of the trees grew in the ruins, but the low-growing green had pushed itself between the cracks in the hard ground.
“It looks safe,” She said shrugging in her harness.
He could feel the weight shift on his shoulders as she leaned around his head to peer beyond.
Spear stood next to the tree watching carefully for any signs of movement. He had made the mistake of exiting the tunnel too quickly and had gotten jumped by the marauders. It would be foolish to do that twice. Patiently, he shifted his weight, ignoring the prompts from Iris to 'just wander in.'
As the sun began to dive behind the mountain, he lifted the spear and jogged across the open ground between the tree line and the first gray wall. Peering over the wall, he could see that it had collapsed in on itself, crushing whatever was once inside under the heavy stone.
Moving quickly, he padded down the wide trail, sticking to the left-hand side of the walls. Doorways dotted them, next to what looked like remnants of windows. Some still held pieces of broken glass. Their existence grew more questions in his mind about what they were once used for, or who used them.
Pressing these worries into the back of his mind, Spear checked a radius of four square structures, ensuring that there was no one hiding amongst them.
The trail seemed by all indication to continue to extend and follow the river. Looking around carefully in the dying light Spear noted that only the left side of the trail had ruins on it. The right side seemed to have been eroded by time and the waters flow. Some previous high water had pulled the buildings off the banks into the corrosive flood.
He opted to not check the remaining structures. The feeling of exposure grew as fast as the lengthening shadows. It was unlikely the rest of the area was populated.
Moving back to the areas he had covered, he stepped through an intact doorway and skirted the rubble pile. A back wall remained high enough to stay out of sight, and the rubble pile would give them some cover if anyone were to be walking along the trail.
“We should start a fire,” she said, “It will keep the animals away. Do you know how?”
He raised the cutter and showed her over his shoulder. Luckily it was still looped around the last bit of wire.
He found the corner and deposited her against the wall. He didn’t bother to remove the harness from her. If they needed to move quickly, he wanted to be able to grab her and leave in a rush.
“Over there, under the rocks,” She nodded her head, “I can see some dried branches.”
Spear stepped over the pile and lifted the stone. A few dried branches from a fallen tree had become trapped by some of the crumbling walls.
Pulling hard Spear snapped and dragged the branches of the tree out from under the weight.
Spear piled them neatly.
“No, you have to stack them perpendicular to each other. Across each other. And build a fire ring. A bunch of stones around the outside so that the coals fall inside… Have you done this before?”
He sneered at her judgment. He had seen the Master set enough fires but never a small one like this.
Embarrassed he walked away to look for a bit more fuel for the fire. Spear knew that this little amount would only start it. He had seen the blazes the Master lit; Spear just had not done it himself until needing the torch earlier that day.
Spear slowed his pace for a moment and looked around. He realized the traveling was taking its toll. Rounding the back of the building, he gathered a bit more from another fallen tree. The limbs needed much more effort to break, but he was rewarded with thicker wood that would sustain a longer light.
Returning, he tossed the wood into a large pile.
“Wait, only a little. We don’t need a signal fire. Just a little one for some light and heat. Put more on as it burns out. You really don’t do this alot do you?”
Spears hands ground against the wood in his grip, and he was about to give her a stern look to tell her to shut up when he realized that she was his guide in this wilderness. Already she had proved valuable enough to feed him, tell him about why units were crazy out here and provide him company.
He shook his head, signaling his accuracy of her observation.
“It’s okay. The first time I was out after dark, I hid in a tree to keep safe.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, a hollow tree. I climbed a tree to escape what I thought was some sort of monster and found the hollow. I slid in and got stuck. It took me a day to get loose. Since then I like using fire. None of the animals out here like it.
He nodded, thinking about the herds of animals he had seen running from the walls of burning trees they had set alight.
Picking up the cutter, Spear ignited it against the wood, holding it for a few moments. The wood crackled, and an orange flame grew. Her suggestion of stacking the smaller wood crosswise seemed to work very well. Smiling he added a few more sticks, tending the flame.
“Once you get it going good, just toss on one larger one, and it should burn for a while.”
He followed her instructions, finding a length about the length of his forearm and gently stacked it next to the fire.
“Do you still have the food? She asked him,”
The bag was attached to the side of the harness, and he realized how low on energy he was. Stepping over to her, he unhooked the small pack and sat down.
Looking inside he estimated that there would only be enough for a few more days. He showed her the contents.
“Oh… let me choose,” she laughed, “I’ll take a white one.”
He shook his head, realizing that she hadn’t understood the seriousness of their food situation. Giving up on communicating his thought Spear plucked one of the cubes out and looked at her for permission.
“Go ahead,” she said smiling.
He touched her abdomen, and the digester opened. He tossed the cube in unceremoniously and pressed it shut.
Repeating the process with himself, he tied the bag back to the harness and leaned against the wall next to her. They sat silently watching the sky fade from bright colors to darkness. Looking up he could see the stars. The little points of light seemed so far away, but they were always there in the same pattern. Some distant memory tugged at his mind.
He
pointed at the stars, wondering if she knew more than he did.
“What the stars,?”
He nodded, shrugging.
“What are they?”
Spear nodded again, expectantly.
“I don’t know,” she said, “Holes in the sky I guess.”
He wished he could talk. His hand touched his missing voice box. It slid down to the tooth. The white enamel seemed to shine in the dark.
“How did you get that?” she asked, catching him thinking.
He smiled. At least he could show her.
Standing he acted like the beast, charging in towards her.
Iris squealed at the scary action and then laughed. He grabbed the spear from where he had left it and ran on the spot. Holding the spear by both hands, he thrust upwards at an invisible monster. He cringed as the ethereal weight collapsed on him. He wanted to tell her that it had killed others in his group.
Other units he missed.
His face became overcast when he thought about how he had foolishly tried to stop the Master. There had been no reason that Three-One needed to die.
Spear remembered how angry he had felt at watching his friend be torn apart. Witnessing the loss of someone so close had broken something inside. It made him irrational even though he had felt so weak against such a dominant force. Remembering the powerful field that had so quickly destroyed the thrown spear made his shoulders sag.
There would not be a way to save her. No way to free the Water Carrier. He would never see her again.
“Whoa, there was a lot more there than just a fight. You just had a bunch of thoughts. A whole range of emotion,” she prompted.
He nodded, smiling, pointing back from where they had come.
“Home? Do you miss it?”
He considering the question. Shaking his head 'no', but then nodding 'yes' he signaled the duality of the issue. He wanted the routine and the life he had before, but now he knew the Masters horrible secret. He missed the others but did not want to live a life of fear and slavery. No one deserved that.
“I wish you could tell me. Do you have a partner? Someone who loves you?” she asked.
Spear hesitated. Her questions were getting more involved. He shrugged and nodded 'yes.' It was true. The Water Carrier had shown him the most compassion. She had wanted to be close to him each night. They slept together even when it was forbidden to have a partner.
“Lucky girl,” she said winking at him and laughing, “C’mon toss another piece on the fire before it goes out.”
They sat there for a while, and Spear considered how much had happened. Through it, all Three-One’s final words still hung in his mind. They clung to the memory of his last poison induced dreams.
Maybe there was some better option. If there were other older wiser units, maybe even stronger units that could sleep, in wait for Spear to wake them, then maybe there was a way to free his friends. If he awoke the sleeping units and brought them back online, they could defeat the Master. Free his people. Maybe even make a safe place in the world for them.
Tossing the last piece of tree on the fire, he watched the sparks flow upwards into the star filled sky. The orange flickering light danced across the stone walls around them. He looked over, and Iris was fast asleep.
Spear leaned back and closed his eyes, wishing now that he could dream again. Playing the idea of the ancient sleeping units over and over in his head, he drifted off into a deep slumber.
Chapter 21
Spear rolled over in his sleep. The early morning light had crept over the walls, and he was feeling the chill of the morning dissipating with the new warmth. Something tapped him in the chest.
Opening his eyes, a beast sat squatting on the ground in front of him. Its face was a textured surface of gray and dark green fabric save for holes for eyes which peered back at him inquisitively. The creature's limbs were covered with soft woven fabric, and its color seemed to match the greenery that he had spent the last few days walking through.
It occurred to spear as he shot upwards and pressed his back against the wall, that the creature had his spear. It leveled it at him with one hand and picked up a small stone as though to show Spear.
He peered at it as though something would be revealed, but the beast only flicked it at Iris's head.
“Hey, cut it out,” she said falling back asleep, never opening her eyes.
Spear reached towards her to tap her, and wake her to see this new threat, but his spear was leveled at his head the moment he reached out.
Another stone was picked up, and thrown.
“I said quit…Oh,” she opened her eyes and saw what was happening.
Spear looked at her, and her face was not welcoming, but it was not full of fear.
“Well, I guess you noticed I had left,” she said addressing the green clothed beast.
Spear crouched down on his feet and considered lunging. The tip of his own weapon followed him as he moved. It was a risk to try and fight now, but the intruder had lost the advantage when he woke them.
The beast looked at Iris and shook his head, shrugging. The more Spear looked at it, the more it appeared to be a unit in some fabric armor. Tufts of stitched material hung from the body blowing in the gentle breeze. It was distracted with Iris.
Spear pulled his feet under him in one quick motion and, Immediately felt the spear touch his face. The beast was impossibly fast and had anticipated his action.
“Wait! Don’t kill him!” She said.
The fabric wrapped unit pointed to Spear and gave the thumbs up then put his palm up shrugging.
“I know it looks bad, but he’s a friend. He didn’t do this. He saved me!”
The sharp point retracted from the subtle contact with his face but was still held in Spear's direction.
Relieved at not having his good eye gored, Spear leaned back against the wall, letting his new friend sort the situation out.
The fabric covered unit stood.
“His name is Eric,” Iris said, turning her head to Spear, “And he is here to bring me in to be judged.”
Spear said looking at her shrugging his question.
She shrugged, “I left… Mind you; it was after they told me not to. Which by the way only made me want to do it more. It’s kind of complicated.”
Spear looked at Eric, and the green mask was featureless save for the cold eyes.
“He saved my life,” she said, “And he did your job for you. He found me, killed the guys who cut me up and rescued me from being drained for the rest of my life by some gel eaters.”
Eric flipped the spear lengthwise catching the shaft just below the sharp end before he handed back the weapon. Spear took it with his left hand and extended his right in friendship. He was sure that the unit was more than capable of killing him on the spot.
Eric simply looked at the outstretched hand as he moved towards Iris. The green fabric covered unit bent down and picked her up, swinging the harness over the shoulder.
Spear lowered the hand, understanding that he was not an important part of this conversation.
“He’s like you,” she said looking at Spear as she was hefted up, “He doesn’t talk. It’s more of a vow of silence thing than a damage thing, though. Silly if you ask me.”
Eric began walking away, carrying Iris and Spear followed. They had exited the building when Eric turned and pointed to him then towards where they had come from.
Spear shook his head and pointed to Iris and then to his missing voice box.
“He should come with us Eric,” she chastised, “Don’t be like the rest. He's good. Not like the others.”
Eric considered this and shook his head.
“I don’t care what you think. Take me home to be tried by the council, and bring him with me. The witch will have decided if he is worthy. It’s not up to you. Maybe they want to reward him for doing such a good job. Hmmm? Who are you to make that decision?”
Eric’s shoulder shrugged, and he shook his head reluc
tantly.
“I said so. Do it, or else,” Iris warned. Her voice was turning dark.
Eric paused for a moment then nodded before reluctantly waving to follow.
Quickly, Spear caught up and stepped next to them, looking and put his hands up. His face told her that he didn’t know what was going on.
Iris looked at Spear from her new perch, “It’s complicated, but I am willing to fulfill my end of the deal. You rescued me, so if you come with us, we can get you fixed up. That is of course if the witch likes you. It's your risk, not mine. After that, I would suggest not sticking around too long. The council tends to be a bit weird around strangers.”
Eric nodded in agreement, shifting the harness on his shoulders.
Spear wanted to ask so many questions, but without a voice, he was relegated to following in silence.
For the first time in a day, Iris was soundless and keeping quiet. Spear wondered if it was because she was on her way back to her group.
It was likely that Iris’s Master was more benevolent than his own, but returning after leaving would still be an embarrassing predicament.
Spear followed them through most of the stone ruins. The gray material was wet with the morning dew and in places a green carpet had begun to grow inside. In other gray-walled structures, large trees had taken root.
He wondered what it must have looked like. What the units who had lived here must have been doing? The world of the old looked like it must have been full of life and excitement. He imagined them as sleeping boxes and clusters of workers huddling together for warmth against the cold, while the graystone kept the elements at bay. The wide trail was likely for crowds of them traveling to and from working locations, walking great distances to meet other communities.
Almost none of these ideas matched up with the dreams he remembered. All except one; the bright thundering explosion that destroyed everything. It was always there. Always an expected result. He worked away at the memory in his mind, considering the facts.
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