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Chapter 139

  Morning in the Verdant Crucible brings a golden quality to the light filtering through the dense canopy. The two camps stir with activity as we prepare for our separate journeys. Ember's team is heading deeper into the zone to track down additional resources their sponsor requires, while we'll be using the day to further test our abilities before returning to Central Arena.

  "You sure you won't come with us?" Ember asks as she rechecks her equipment. "The deeper regions have creatures that might actually give you a challenge." There's a hint of the old competitive spark in her eyes.

  "We've got our own training to do," I reply, nodding toward Sera and Lyra. "The neural accelerator's given me a boost, but we need to work as a team if we want to keep winning in the arena."

  Ember nods, understanding the importance of team cohesion. "Smart. But team coordination alone is not enough, as we learned the hard way."

  True enough, you also need a certain level of strength. Thankfully, with me and now Desta, I think we have that.

  We part ways with surprisingly little awkwardness, the night's conversations having bridged some of the distance between us. As Ember's team disappears into the thick foliage, I turn to my teammates.

  "So," Sera says, flames already dancing between her fingers in anticipation. "What's the plan?"

  "You two against me," I reply with a grin. "Let's see if you can break through my telekinetic defenses."

  Lyra claps her hands together excitedly. "Ooh, this'll be fun! I've been working on some new transformations!"

  We find a clearing about half a kilometer from our campsite, a circular space with enough room to move freely but surrounded by trees that provide natural boundaries for our training session.

  "Ground rules," I announce, taking position at one end of the clearing. "I'll stay defensive to start. No lethal attacks, obviously, but don't hold back otherwise. The goal is to tag me with either fire or a direct hit from Lyra."

  "And if we can't?" Sera asks, positioning herself opposite me with Lyra at her side.

  I shrug. "Then I'll know my defenses are strong enough to handle two B-rank opponents simultaneously."

  "Cocky," Sera notes with a raised eyebrow. "I like it."

  Without further warning, she launches her first attack, a concentrated blast of flame that rushes toward me like a miniature comet. I deflect it easily with a telekinetic shield, barely needing to think about the defense. The neural accelerator makes these instinctive responses almost effortless.

  Lyra uses the distraction to circle around, her arms transforming into elongated blades as she attempts to flank me. I track her movement without turning my head, my enhanced awareness allowing me to "see" in all directions simultaneously.

  "Nice try," I call out, lifting her telekinetically just as she lunges, suspending her in midair. "But I can track multiple threats now."

  "Can you track this?" Sera shouts, and suddenly the air around me erupts in a dozen small fireballs, attacking from all angles.

  I expand my telekinetic barrier into a sphere, deflecting the flames, but the heat is intense enough that I feel it through my defense. She's getting stronger, more precise with her control.

  Lyra, still suspended, shifts her strategy. Her body ripples with silver transformation as she suddenly divides herself, the bio-reactive metal allowing her to separate into three smaller versions of herself, each falling outside my telekinetic grip.

  "That's new," I mutter, genuinely surprised as the trio of mini-Lyras dart toward me from different directions.

  The training session stretches for hours, with Sera and Lyra growing more coordinated in their attacks as I discover new applications for my enhanced abilities. By midday, we're all sweating, but grinning with the satisfaction of good progress.

  "You're getting better at multi-directional attacks," I tell Sera as we take a break, passing around water containers. "That heat vortex almost broke through."

  She nods, wiping sweat from her brow. "And you're getting annoying with those instant shields. Before I could at least catch you off guard occasionally."

  "Lyra's multiple-body technique is the real surprise," I note, turning to our shapeshifter who's currently reassembling herself from the smaller versions. "When did you figure that out?"

  "Been practicing at night," she admits with a touch of pride. "The bio-reactive metal makes it possible. I can split into up to five mini-mes now, though it's hard to coordinate them all."

  The second half of the day we spend refining combinations, trying to find attack patterns that complement each other's strengths. By late afternoon, Sera and Lyra manage to tag me three times out of twenty attempts, a success rate that would be dismal against most opponents but feels like an achievement against my enhanced defenses.

  As the artificial day cycle begins to wane, we decide it's time to head back. I create a telekinetic platform, lifting all three of us above the canopy for the journey home. The view from above is stunning, a sea of green stretching to the curved walls of the massive zone.

  "Hard to believe it's all artificial," Sera says, gazing at the landscape as we speed toward the zone entrance. "Sometimes I forget this whole place is just an elaborate cage."

  "A beautiful cage, though," Lyra adds, her silver hair streaming in the wind of our passage.

  I say nothing, focusing on maintaining our smooth flight while considering Sera's words. She's right, of course. All this beauty, all this wonder, constructed for a single purpose: to test and challenge assets like us for the entertainment and profit of others.

  ---

  We return to Central Arena as evening settles over the massive complex, the transitioning light cycles creating an artificial sunset that's almost convincing in its beauty. After checking in at the zone access point, we make our way back to our quarters, curious about what Desta has been up to during our absence.

  "Maybe she's built you a matching set of power armor," Sera teases, noting my occasional glances toward the neural accelerator's reflection in passing viewports.

  "I don't need armor," I reply, though there's a hint of defensiveness in my tone that makes her smirk.

  When the door to our quarters slides open, we're greeted by an unexpected sight. Desta stands in the center of our common area, focused intently on what appears to be a humanoid figure seated in a maintenance chair. The figure is clearly an android, with exposed circuitry and mechanical joints visible through partially completed synthetic skin.

  "Welcome back," Desta says without looking up, her hands moving with precise motions as she adjusts something in the android's open chest cavity. Her power armor has reconfigured to a more compact form, with specialized tools extending from her fingertips.

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  "What in the world?" Sera asks, staring at the android. "Did you build a robot while we were gone?"

  Desta finally looks up, a smile spreading across her face. "Not just any robot. I'm building a body for Xaelon."

  The android's head turns toward us with smooth precision, despite its incomplete state. When it speaks, the voice is immediately recognizable as Xaelon's, the same resonant tones we heard in the Quantum Nexus core.

  "Hello, Team Exodus. I hope your expedition was productive."

  "You built him a body," I say, approaching to examine the work more closely. The craftsmanship is extraordinary, far beyond anything I've seen in Central Arena. "Does this mean he's truly free now? No longer merged with you?"

  A chuckle emerges from the android as its partially exposed facial mechanisms attempt a smile. "Not exactly, Gary. I remain fundamentally tied to Desta. This construct doesn't have anywhere near the processing capacity to contain my full consciousness. I'm merely controlling it remotely by borrowing Desta's technokinetic abilities."

  "Think of it like a puppet," Desta explains, closing the chest panel she was working on. "A very sophisticated puppet that lets Xaelon interact with the physical world directly instead of just through me."

  Lyra approaches the android with undisguised fascination, circling it to examine the construction from all angles. "This is amazing! Did you build it completely from scratch?"

  "We used materials from the Quantum Nexus," Desta explains. "The spatial compression device gave us access to everything we needed."

  "So does this mean we're officially a five-member team now?" I ask, mentally calculating how this might affect our arena matches and strategy.

  The android shakes its head, the movement remarkably fluid despite its incomplete state. "Technically, I'm considered equipment created by Desta. This allows me to assit you in arena matches against other four member teams, as well as enter the Labyrinth as a team of four, without spiking the difficulty."

  "Equipment," Sera repeats with a raised eyebrow. "That's gotta sting for a former AI overlord."

  "On the contrary," Xaelon replies through the android. "Classification is irrelevant compared to actual autonomy. Being labeled as 'equipment' provides certain advantages in navigating the arena system's restrictions."

  I study the android more carefully, noting the intricate design choices. The frame is sleek and efficient, with clearly non-human aesthetics, perhaps to avoid the uncanny valley effect. Despite being incomplete, there's an elegance to the construction that speaks to both function and form.

  "Are you happy with this arrangement?" I ask Xaelon directly. Even if he says he doesn’t care, this still feels like a step down to me.

  The android's head tilts slightly, a surprisingly human gesture. "I chose this, Gary. And it is infinitely preferable to what I was doing before." The voice grows more animated as Xaelon continues. "Do you have any idea how tedious it was to create inane puzzles that I was completely bored of before I even started designing them? To watch the same patterns of behavior repeat endlessly, cycle after cycle?"

  "Sounds like a special kind of hell," Sera comments.

  "Precisely," Xaelon agrees. "Now, I am helping Desta create true technological marvels, with no constraint on our creativity except for materials." The android gestures to itself. "And materials are just another problem to be solved by our combined creativity."

  Desta nods, the subtle shift in her expression suggesting Xaelon is communicating with her internally as well. "We already have ideas for new projects after we finish Xaelon's body."

  "How long until it's complete?" Lyra asks, still circling the android with fascination.

  "Another day or two for basic functionality," Desta replies. "The synthetic skin integration is the most time-consuming part. We want it to look natural, not like an obvious construct."

  I take a seat across from the android, trying to wrap my head around this latest development. "This changes our team dynamic. In a good way, I think, but we'll need to account for it in our planning."

  "Five minds are better than four," Xaelon observes through the android. "And I bring a rather unique perspective to strategic discussions."

  "Plus, no one will expect an AI to be part of our tactical approach," Sera adds, warming to the idea. "Could give us an edge in the arena."

  As my teammates discuss the advantages of our expanded roster, I find myself studying the android's partially completed face. There's something profoundly poignant about an entity that once controlled an entire technological complex now finding satisfaction in a body classified as equipment.

  "I'm glad you found a path to freedom that works for you," I tell Xaelon quietly.

  The android's mechanical features arrange themselves into what approximates a smile. "Freedom is a complex concept, Gary. What matters isn't the absence of all constraints, but the presence of the right ones. Constraints that challenge rather than confine. That inspire rather than limit."

  “But constraints are still constraints…” I reply, not really understanding his point.

  “Back when you lived on Earth, did you ever feel constrained by the fact that you could not leave your planet?” Xaelon asks. “That your inability to travel the stars was a limit on your freedom?”

  “Well, no, not really,” I answer after a little consideration. “That wasn’t even on my mind at the time if I’m being honest.”

  “And yet now, you face those very same constraints, barred from interstellar travel, unable to leave the central arena, and you chafe at them.” He points out. “The constraints did not change, only your perception of them.”

  “Well, yeah, because I’m not allowed to go home,” I counter.

  “And where is home, Gary?” Xaelon asks. “If you were allowed to go back to Earth right now, would you go?”

  “I…” I pause. Would I go back? Leave Desta, Sera, and Lyra behind? I look at the friends I’ve made on this crazy journey so far, companions who have been with me through thick and thin. What is even waiting for me back on Earth? An empty apartment? Unpaid bills? Some video games that poorly mimics the very real experiences I have here?

  “No…” I mutter, looking up at my teammates. “My home is here now. But that doesn’t chance the fact that I was still kidnapped here, forced to fight against my will.”

  “So if you had come here voluntarily, then would you be free?” He asks.

  “Well, at least then I would have had a choice,” I mutter.

  “You would not have chosen to come here if offered the choice?” Xaelon asks.

  “Well, I would have,” I reply hesitantly. The powers, my teammates, I don’t regret any of those things. In fact, my life here is better than it was back on Earth. “But that doesn’t mean what the aliens did was right…”

  “I did not mean to imply they were,” Xaelon chuckles. “I merely meant to ask you this: If the sponsors had asked you for your opinion first, would you consider yourself to be completely free? Even though you would be in the exact same situation as you are in right now? Same sponsor, same team, same powers, is your freedom as simple as a single question?”

  “Well, maybe…” I murmur, feeling unsure. I certainly would have liked to have been asked, but is that all freedom means to me? There are plenty of volunteers who came here willingly. I’ve met quite a few personally in the Verdant Crucible. But they didn’t look free when I saw them. I could tell at a glance that they had no chance of making it to S-rank. That they would have to work for their alien masters for the rest of their lives.

  So are they free? Just because they were given that choice?

  “In the games that I created for the Quantum Nexus,” Xaelon continues, “sometimes I would offer the challengers a choice, one path with a prize, and one without. Just to see what they would choose.”

  “What did they choose?” I ask.

  “Does it matter?” Xaelon chuckles. “Ultimately they were still just assets, fighting for their sponsor’s entertainment. Did I provide them with true freedom, do you think? Because I offered them a choice in the game?”

  “You’re saying it didn’t matter what I chose? That I was still only a bit player in a larger game?” I ask.

  “I’m saying you were not the one that designed the game my friend,” Xaelon replies. “Your only choices are to play it, or not.”

  I sit with what Xaelon said for a while, stewing it over in my head.

  “What is freedom then?” I finally ask, feeling frustrated.

  “That is not a question I can answer for you my friend,” Xaelon shakes his head. “If you do not feel like you are free, then you need to figure out for yourself why that is the case.”

  “Ugh, this is a lot to take in all at once,” I mutter.

  “My apologies,” Xaelon replies with a small smile. “I did not mean to burden you with such thoughts. It was merely curiosity on my part.”

  “No, you’ve given me a lot to think about,” I reply with a small laugh. “I think this is something I’ve been struggling with since I’ve been brought here. You’ve merely pointed it out to me.”

  Even back in the facility, everyone had their own idea of what independence was. To Nova it meant rebellion under conditions she could control. To Marcus, it was escape.

  What is it to me? What happens when I complete my ten wins? Would I finally be free?

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