--Unclaimed Mountains---
"Urgh, we even missed the party.... How much longer do you want to track the source?" Ellen Culpepper complained to their party leader. They had been out and about for weeks now, running around the Unclaimed Mountains.
Apart from enduring the weather and terrain, they were constantly attacked by weird and new machine beasts emerging from the snow, descending from the sky, or outright breaking out from the mountain faces.
At least it was undeniable that they were getting closer to the source, as they were no longer encountering any normal beasts. It was like any monster that dared to emerge from a portal or a dungeon was immediately infected and changed.
Not just monsters, people too. The former settlers, foreign explorers, humanoid invaders, all of them had been changed into bizarre, semi-conscious cyborgs. Their manic threats and begging, as they attacked like a bipolar person, were especially haunting.
"Until we find it, or get close enough to ensure the gate will actually divert a big part of them," Mike grunted. It wasn't like he didn't want to go home, but he still felt responsible for the current situation and wanted to make amends.
It was clear that every wasted settlement and camp they came by weighed on his mind more and more. Finding Emerald City completely overrun by monsters was especially bad. Despite Adam's best efforts to save as many as possible, the city had turned into an absolute danger zone, overflowing with cybernetic monsters and worms.
"Even Ceres couldn't find the actual source. We have been searching for days now without a proper lead..." Misto joined Ellen. Even the mist demon was growing agitated and unsure of their mission. Neither he nor Ray were able to pinpoint a specific presence they could follow.
They couldn't even detect the fully turned beasts and cyber worms in hiding, as they lacked any kind of malevolence or killing intent. They were like things, not living beings. Just like normal golems.
"Then what are you suggesting? We just place the second gate here, and go home?" Mike asked harshly. It was clear that his own nerves were also strained by the situation. On that note, they had set the first of the stone gates at Emerald City, as it seemed like an assembly point for beasts close to the border of Beta.
"You know what? Why not? We have to be close to the source, even if we can't pinpoint it. Won't this be enough to make the plan work? That is, if you aren't looking for the source for a different reason," Tekar mentioned, untypically oppositional.
"But if we find the source, we could-" Mike started, but the massive man interrupted him.
"The plan is to "share" these... things with Spatia, not find the source," the tall tank reminded them, irritated. Although Tekar was usually the mild-mannered of the party, the long separation from his daughter Ruby riled even him up. Especially when it was clear Mike had his own intentions in what he did.
"By placing the gate right at the source, we can lower the risk for Urth AND share with the empire..." the cat boy said, unnerved.
"Mike, you know that I can feel dishonesty, right?" Ray asked solemnly. He looked at the chosen of Maahes with melancholic eyes. He had known that Mike's intention had not fully aligned with the mission for a while, but it seemed like they had reached the breaking point.
"Ugh... Come on, guys, you saw the same things I did, right? We are so close, we can't let these things keep existing on Urth. We have to get rid of the source. Won't you help me? Let's keep searching for a little longer and-" Mike tried to bargain and persuade them.
"I wouldn't appreciate your prolonged presence," a polite, slightly unnatural voice suddenly spoke up. Rising from the snow nearby were the remnants of a human corpse, almost fully turned into a robot. It was the first time one of the things used a comprehensive speech.
"You! Are you the source? Are you the perpetrator?" Ellen jumped the gun and was the first to blurt out what most of them thought.
"Judging by your previous conversations, that would be me," Subroutine A28 answered. "Striking down this body will not do you any good, so put down your weapons again," the cyborg said hurriedly, when the whole party was about to jump him.
"I'm merely a back-up copy created to talk with you."
Reluctantly, the partly backed off a little, still ready to strike the bot down. "What do you want, to suddenly appear before us like that?" Mike said, glaring at the thing standing before them.
"Let me introduce myself again, Mike. I'm Subroutine A28. You may call me Atweight," the artificial intelligence that had terrorized the Unclaimed Mountains formally introduced itself.
"A twat?" Elly asked, puzzled. "Add weight?" Shay asked, joining the joke. Despite not having any proper facial muscles or meat, the machine puppet managed to express a look of unamused disappointment.
"To answer your question. I want you to stop destroying my research specimen," the Subroutine revealed.
"Didn't answer mine." "Mine neither", Elly and Shay said at almost the same time, earning another glance from the machine.
"Why would I do you a favor? No, I bet your main body is somewhere close by. We will find you, and I will-" Mike started, but he was interrupted.
"I have several locations with backup versions of myself. You cannot just slay me like some stupid beast," the bot shot down Mike's threat, completely unimpressed. "If you set up the gate you spoke of, I will leave this world willingly," the villain suddenly revealed, shocking the party.
The cause of the havoc and terrible tragedies in the unclaimed mountains claimed it would readily leave Urth, given the way out. Mike clenched his fist and ground his teeth.
"Do you really think I would let you leave, after everything you did here?" the Chosen of Maahes asked, incensed.
"Isn't that what you set up these gates for? Make your problem somebody else's? How are the people my research specimen will kill on the other side of this gate any different from the ones they killed here? Aren't they all just strangers from another world to you?" the machine asked for clarification.
"Or do you feel guilt for helping me escape from the border storm?" the machine suddenly asked, scarily perceptive. "For clarifications, you could not have stopped me if you acted any differently. Does this help your decision to let me go?" the bot asked emotionlessly, when Mike still didn't answer.
"Mike?" Ellen asked a little worried, as their party leader continued to stay silent. Not everyone knew the story about Mike accidentally leading the cyber worms out of the storm belt.
"...Fine, we will set up the stone gate in this place. But don't think this is over, I will find a way to get rid of you in the future," Mike promised the subroutine, causing it to blink once with the apertures of its eyes. Its jaw stood slightly ajar, somehow giving the impression of a crooked smile.
"Please do. Your failure will only give me more data."
Suddenly, just after finishing what it had to say, the cyborg started falling apart with the sparse light of some sparks and a little smoke. Without much spectacle, it turned to a pile of scrap in the snow.
"Are you sure about this?" Ray asked the chosen of Maahes.
"Worst case, nothing changes. best case, this thing is gone for now, and there is one danger less on Urth we have to deal with. At the moment, it is the best option," Mike released the pressure with a heavy sigh.
Considering the discovery of corruption, it was better to take the chance and get rid of one volatile element. He still had time to look for a way to kill it, once Urth became more peaceful. Although he promised to find a way, he didn't even have an idea where to even start looking...
On the other hand, maybe Spatia would find a way to destroy this thing, with all its clones and back-ups. In that case, Mike would gladly accept his enemies taking each other out. he sighed again.
"Let's finish here and go home."