The Underworld, Great Mine.
Felicity and her companions trailed closely behind Seele, stepping into the chaotic scene of the Great Mine. The area was a mess, the road split by harsh barbed wire, with two groups of people locked in a tense standoff on either side.
Natasha stood at the center, commanding a group of Wildfire members to manage the chaos and tend to the wounded.
"Natasha! What's going on here? Where's Oleg?"
Seele didn't waste a second, striding toward Natasha's side with urgency.
"Seele! You made it… and Oleg? No one's seen him. The miners said he took a group and went deeper into the mines."
Natasha finally turned to see Seele, her tense expression softening into a rare smile. She nodded toward Felicity.
"As you can see, things underground are not looking good. If you're going after Oleg, I'd appreciate it if you could handle the situation while you're at it."
"Can I be of help here?" Felicity asked, her gaze lingering on the injured miners.
"That won't be necessary. Your abilities aren't quite suited for this kind of work."
Felicity shrugged, unbothered. She didn't mind offering her assistance but sensed Natasha's hesitation. There was something on her mind that Natasha didn't quite want to voice.
Being no stranger to a lack of pretense, Felicity gave a silent nod before turning, signaling the group to follow her deeper into the mining area.
"...Do you know the way?"
Seele, trailing behind, had a sudden thought and cast Felicity a curious look.
Seele herself had only visited the Great Mine a handful of times. To her, Felicity—an outsider—seemed an unlikely guide. Yet, Felicity led them through the maze of tunnels as though she knew every turn.
"I don't," Felicity replied casually, "But I have my own way."
Seele blinked, unsure how to interpret the cryptic answer. Still, she said nothing, content to treat it as another of Felicity's many secrets.
They pressed on, the air growing thicker with each step, until a cacophony of voices reached their ears. Approaching the source of the noise, the two groups came into view—arguing fiercely, weapons being raised in tension.
"They're going to fight! The miners don't even have weapons!" Bronya's voice was tight with concern.
"That's not happening!" Seele's teeth ground together as she raised her sickle, pulling Felicity behind her with a single hand.
"They're all people I know. Stay here. I'll handle this," Seele said with resolve.
In her mind, Felicity was more of a healer than a fighter. Natasha's healing was impressive, but it didn't compare to Felicity's—she'd seen it herself. With that in mind, Seele planned to handle the situation on her own.
Felicity gave a small nod, unfazed. "Sure."
Bronya exchanged a confused glance between Seele and Felicity, before, with a sigh, she took a step forward.
"I'm joining in. We can't let them push us around like this."
"Me too!" Stelle chimed in eagerly, baseball bat in hand.
March 7th and Dan Heng were quick to follow suit, acting without hesitation, swiftly taking control of the situation.
The miners, familiar with Seele, didn't waste time. Swetta, the leader of the group, approached with haste, her frustration evident.
"Chief Oleg? He went deeper with a group, trying to drive out the rogue robots. They've been gone a while. If Wildfire hadn't stepped in, these thugs wouldn't be so bold."
Swetta's voice was thick with indignation.
"It sounds like Svarog is at the heart of this," Seele murmured, turning toward Felicity with a sigh. "Your visit was no coincidence. Svarog's robots have taken over the inner circle of the mine. This might be a good chance for you to try negotiating with him."
She paused, lips pressed in thought, then added dryly, "Though I highly doubt you'll succeed."
"Wait, Svarog is a robot?" Felicity raised a brow, her curiosity piqued.
"Let's walk and talk. Oleg's been down there a while, and we need to hurry."
Seele led the way, quickening her pace, while filling Felicity in on Svarog's rise to power. "He appeared shortly after the Silvermane Guards pulled out. Claimed to be humanity's protector, and now, all the ownerless robots answer to him."
"A robot claiming to be a 'Protector of Humanity'? That's a new one." Bronya frowned, baffled by the concept.
"Don't expect every 'Architect' to be all-knowing and all-powerful," Seele quipped, irritation lacing her tone.
The conversation was cut short as March 7th halted, her gaze sharp. "Hold on, something's moving up ahead."
Before anyone could react, a towering humanoid robot—its arms like chainsaws—stood in their path.
"That model… it's one of Svarog's lackeys!" Seele's grip tightened around her sickle.
"Don't worry. I've dealt with these before. Let's go!" Seele barked, leading the charge.
But Felicity was already ahead, walking toward the massive robot with an intrigued gleam in her eyes.
—A robot.
Though she'd seen robots aboard the Herta Space Station, none were as impressive as the one before her. Its right arm was a massive chainsaw, the left a standard appendage, constantly twitching as if struggling against its own internal mechanisms.
"Idiot. That thing's dangerous. Even I have to be careful around it—"
Seele's warning fell on deaf ears as she saw vines sprout from the hard earth. Felicity, with a flick of her slender hand, bound the mechanical beast in a swift motion.
"...Huh?"
Seele froze, her mind struggling to catch up.
Felicity grinned, giving the robot a playful pat, clearly more fascinated by its design than its threat. "How does it move so smoothly? What's its energy source? Is it from the river?"
She was like a child discovering something new—energetic and curious, but her lack of caution was almost too much for Seele.
"Seele, can I take it apart and take a look?" Felicity asked eagerly.
"..."
Seele, still processing the absurdity of the situation, shook her head, trying to focus. "Quiet. I'm thinking."
Felicity blinked, then waved her hand in front of Seele's face. "Seele?"
"Don't disturb me," Seele muttered, her mind swirling in thought. "Let me figure this out."
--+--
T/N: It's lowkey annoying how there's so much variations in Svarog's name when translated into english.