AD7 returned to the group after the most important of tasks.  Her body signaled a short while ago that she drank quite enough water.  Walking back to the others, she had a little trouble moving naturally.  Perhaps it was a side effect of her recent reanimation.  However, she moved far better than the average champion would after rejuvenation.

GarDNAnge1 still waited for Cyd to finish working.  His shift had less than an hour left.  Oyintsa and Royal seemed the most tired of waiting, but wait they must.  Cyd was a rare find.  He knew much more than they ever could about rejuvenation.  He had studied the particulars of all the talent sets.  He also hated his job and wanted to go somewhere else.  They had this one chance to make sure he went with them.

As AD7 reached the couch, Tirzah made a suggestion based on her team’s complaints.  “Oyintsa, Royal, why don’t you take our friend outside and show her around while we wait,” she said.

They both stood up immediately; more than happy to do something, anything other than sit around.  AD7 was anxious to see what was outside as well.  The rejuvenation center was dark but nice and very clean.  She wanted to see the city that housed such a building.

As they reached the door, Royal tucked her hair back into her cloak preparing to raise her hood.  Oyintsa lifted his hood then turned to AD7.  “Just so you know friend,” he said in a solemn tone, “the city has changed a lot for the worse.”

AD7 heard him but didn’t listen.  She had already reached the solid metal doors eager to see what was on the other side.  The doors opened quickly as she pulled with surprising strength.

She was not prepared.

She walked out, staring in disbelief at the sight that assaulted her.  Weed stalks grew through cracks in the street.  Dead leaves and other debris were scattered everywhere.  The buildings that used to be houses and shops only served as fences for random plants growing through them.

However, she saw much more than what was apparent.  She also saw the city as it once was.  The weed stricken streets, every gutted house it was all hers once, hers and beautiful.  She could hear the echoes of children playing.  This city held great beauty but it was gone, all of it gone.

The memory hit her hard.  She had planned these streets and built them.  Her machines cut each pebble in the gravel road to fit together perfectly without the use of mortar.  The road she had finished was perfectly smooth.  She used to look at it in awe every time she went into town for supplies.

She had designed each house and shop personally.  Each was designed to the specifications of the owners.  Each of them was colorful and clean, as individual as the people that lived in them.  This city was beautiful, once.

A tear forms in her eye.  How long had she spent designing all the houses, the streets?  Enough time to drive the normal person crazy.  Perhaps she would have been crazy if not for her helper.  It was all for nothing.  Everything she had built was destroyed by time and neglect.  Now crying at the remains of her lovely city, she asked “How long was I out?”

“About forty five years,” Oyintsa replied.  He remembered Tirzah telling her that.  Perhaps she was so swamped with the new information that some of the minor details slipped from her.

“How did this happen,” AD7 continued, “M.. my wall… should have protected them.”  Then she remembered.  The wall!  She looked to the right, the general direction it used to be.  When she had left it, she could barely see it over the houseline.  Now, it was a dominant piece of the distant sky line easily towering over the distant trees.  Still, it too was in disrepair.  It even had a few missile-explosion sized holes in it.  “How long did it hold?”

“It lasted for a really long time,” Royal said.

“The fortress only fell about ten years ago,” Oyinsta added

AD7 thought of thirty five years of fighting.  She had no idea her helper was capable of the inhuman battling that must have taken place.  “My helper must have fought hard,” she said finally.

“Your helper,” Royal asked.

“I built her to help me build,” AD7 answered.  “She was a like part of me…or part of me,” AD7 stammered for a bit.  “It’s hard to explain,” she said finally, “She helped me talk to the machines but, she wanted… I can’t remember,”  AD7 said, truly wishing she could.  She tried hard to bring up the memory but it refused to appear.  She knew it was important but could not remember the simple fact.

At that, the three of them walked down the stairway and headed towards the populated areas.  They passed by what passed for a market it held little that was worth buying.  There was little here to attract bandits, much less keep them away.

As they walked, AD7 realized that Bosstown’s glory was far beyond reclaiming.  It would be best to stay with GarDNAnge1 and help them as best she could.  Wait, did he call my wall a fortress?

#1 – Awakening #15 – Awakening #17