Felicity finally refrained from dismantling the mecha, though not out of concern for the machine itself. Rather, she felt the faint stirrings of life within the cold, mechanical shell.
She couldn't help but wonder about the process—how life could emerge from something so sterile and inanimate. Was it the birth of a soul, ethereal and intangible? Or was it, perhaps, a form of intelligence that arose first, like in the fantasy tales where knowledge gave rise to sentience?
She couldn't help but think of the clever monkey who wreaked havoc in heaven—who had sprung from a stone. If something so improbable could happen, why couldn't a machine develop its own intelligence?
(T/N: This is a reference to Sun Wukong.)
Felicity had encountered Screwllum before, one of Herta's few friends and a more advanced mechanical life form than the robot before her now. Screwllum had a certain air of life about him that was hard to ignore. His presence, almost too real, exuded a quiet charm, and though he had answers to many questions, even he couldn't fully satisfy Felicity's curiosity about the nature of mechanical life.
But still, if something could be alive, it deserved to live.
Felicity despised senseless destruction. Her Path was one of Abundance, not Destruction. She would never wield her formidable power just to erase something she found inconvenient.
"Well, if you're so intrigued by this... robot, you'll likely find Svarog even more fascinating," Seele remarked, her voice carrying the acceptance that Felicity was both powerful and capable of healing. With that, she led Felicity and the others forward.
It wasn't long before new faces appeared.
At the far end of the deep mine, a young girl with white hair and red eyes stood, barefoot on the dirt-riddled ground. Her face carried an expression of quiet concern and sorrow as she gazed up at the massive vein of ore before her.
"This vein of minerals... it's what everyone wants," she murmured softly.
Beside her stood a tall, humanoid robot. Unlike the chainsaw-like machine Felicity had seen earlier, this one was more human in form, draped in a coat, exuding a sense of quiet dignity.
Everyone knew who Svarog was the moment they saw him. But Felicity's attention wasn't on the robot. No, her gaze was fixed on the white-haired girl.
Though the girl had no power of destiny, she moved as if she was untouched by the world. Her feet, bare against the harsh land, remained pristine, her skin as fair as her long hair—smooth, almost ethereal. In the dim glow of the earth's marrow, she shimmered like a vision from a dream.
It was as though she was glowing.
Perhaps it was the intensity of Felicity's stare, but even Clara—who had been talking to Svarog—noticed them approach.
"Ugh... please don't look at Clara like that..." Clara blushed, her pretty face turning crimson. She glanced nervously at Felicity, instinctively stepping behind Svarog. She clutched the hem of his coat, her voice barely above a whisper.
Felicity's gaze was too direct, too intense. It was as though she could see straight through Clara, and it made the young girl feel oddly exposed.
"Seele, from 'Wildfire'... and a high-threat target," Svarog intoned, raising his red-lit one-eyed camera directly at Felicity. His voice was cold, mechanical, as he assessed the situation. "Your resistance is ineffective. The analysis is conclusive: staying on the lower level is the optimal survival strategy."
"Is that so?" Felicity raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
Svarog's gaze remained locked on her, his systems clearly detecting a potential threat. But why?
Had they met before?
"High-threat target...? But, Mr. Svarog..." Clara's worried eyes widened as she began to speak, but she was swiftly interrupted by Svarog's cold calculations.
"Analyzing... Analysis complete: The target does not belong to the Wildfire Organization. Foreign variables detected. Unable to scan or read. Speculation: Subject is a special individual. File recorded. Conclusion: The most efficient strategy is to use force to ensure compliance from Wildfire and its allies."
"Prioritize the high-threat target..."
"...?"
Suddenly, Svarog's movements froze. He looked down and saw the ground beneath him had shifted—thick clusters of trees had sprouted beneath his feet without him even noticing.
His gaze darted to Clara, who appeared unaffected by the change. Then, he turned back to Felicity, his red light growing even more intense.
He raised his hand, and a brilliant beam of laser fire shot out, instantly incinerating the vegetation beneath him.
"Like an Iron Man rip-off," Felicity thought to herself, unfazed by the threat. She ignored Svarog entirely, turning to Seele instead. "Is that little girl with Svarog, too?"
Seele glanced in the direction Felicity indicated, her eyes softening as she took in Clara. She answered in a low voice, "Yes, she seems close to Svarog. Always following him around."
Felicity hummed thoughtfully, nodding slightly.
Clara appeared so innocent, so pure. And Svarog, despite his intimidating exterior, didn't seem like the sort to cause harm—he protected this child as though she were precious to him.
"No hostility detected. It is assumed that the high-threat target seeks to restrain us. Clara, you should move away."
Svarog's voice was as cold as ever. His body trembled slightly, white steam hissing from his metal shell as he shifted into combat mode.
"Wait..." Clara hesitated, her eyes full of concern. She tugged at Svarog's collar and looked toward Felicity with a pleading expression. "Can you stop, big sister? I think we can still talk this out..."
"Negotiating with humans is the least efficient method," Svarog countered, his gaze unwavering. "Even in the harshest conditions, humans remain divided and prone to conflict."
Felicity grinned, her tone playful. "I don't mind~"
She took a few steps forward toward Clara, but before she could get any closer, Svarog swiftly raised his hand, positioning himself between her and Clara.
"Stay away from Clara!" Svarog's mechanical voice was almost a growl now, and Felicity couldn't shake the sense that the red light in his eye was growing brighter, more intense.
Felicity winked at Clara, her playful smile never faltering. "See? It's not like I don't want to stop, you know."
"..."
Clara didn't respond immediately. She only turned her gaze to Svarog, her eyes filled with silent plea. She spoke softly, her voice uncertain, "Mr. Svarog... could you please stop? I don't think they mean us harm..."
Svarog paused, his cold mechanical stare unyielding. "An anomaly has occurred. Restarting analysis."
He didn't act immediately, but his gaze never wavered from Felicity. She was an enigma to him, a variable that his cold calculations couldn't resolve.
Unlike Screwllum, Svarog's thought process was purely mechanical—he trusted only in his calculations... and Clara?
Felicity's interest deepened.
--+--
T/N: Is it just me, or do you guys feel uncomfortable if some describes a child as a loli? Like just call them a child at that point.
Like I like kids(WOAH PAUSE) in like... a visual design standpoint? It's why I like characters like Illya(the f/sn one, not the loli bait one from prisma/illya) and Sitonai. I like Bailu's chcracter design as well. Same for Klee. Like cause they're cute(Again, from purely a visual design standpoint)