Allowing Autumn’s Entry

As I drifted off to sleep, I saw Symphony standing in a black void. She was guarding what looked like a transparent, orange coffin. I lay asleep inside the coffin. Autumn approached it in a light dress decorated with the colors of fallen leaves. Symphony immediately raised her dream discharger.

“I cannot permit your entry,” she said, fixing her blank stare on Autumn. “Nephanim has requested that I deny all access.”

“Hold on…” I said, pushing open the coffin from the inside. Symphony looked over. “Let her through. She’s my…” The words seemed to blur together. I heard “love immortal” echo through.

“Understood,” replied Symphony, lowering her weapon. As Autumn stepped up to me, her dress flowed with her legs. I held Apheri’s hilt in one hand.

“Do you think you’ll remember this time?” I asked Autumn.

“No. Do you think you will?” she laughed.

“Probably not, but maybe.” I looked back into the coffin. “If even one of us can remember, it’s worth a try.” I placed my free hand on Symphony’s shoulder. “Thank you for guarding the entrance, Symphony. I’ll speak with your core soon.”

“Acknowledged,” the robot said. Her arms dropped to her sides as Autumn and I entered the coffin together. We found ourselves in a high-tech facility with a glowing, orange portal built into the central floor. Another Symphony greeted me here. The first Symphony we encountered was the Quo Model, but this one was the Core – the heart of Symphony’s network.

“There’s something I’d like to show you,” I told Autumn. “Follow me.” We went into the orange portal and found ourselves on the surface of a dry, humid world. The ruins of a small, tribal civilization lay around us. I guided Autumn by the hand into the shadow of a broken stone pyramid. I led her into a forest beyond it where a being made of steel waited. It seemed to watch us.

“What is it?”

“I don’t know… But it’s hunting me.” The steel figure’s head began to glow orange, and a beam of energy fired out with explosive noise. I raised my hand and created a barrier in front of it to block the blast. The first barrier broke, but I quickly raised a second one – much stronger than the first. “It’s also very hard to contain.” The steel man teleported past the barrier. Immediately, I ran at it and struck with Apheri.