Map of the Iron Province

TRANSCRIPT

This pattern of torment continued for what was likely several months. On more than one occasion she tried ending her suffering, but STEEL brought her back each and every time. So then she started acting out, unleashing all the bottled up anger and pain, trying to get STEEL to kill her. They always came close, and several times succeeded, but they always kept bringing her back. Every. Single. Time.

It seemed like an endless cycle, until her facility was attacked by the Cult, who she calls the "Children of the Void". She managed to escape her ward, where she was encountered by cultists. Instead of taking her power, like what most lesser soldiers like Rose would've done, these higher cultists recognized X0-C3's situation. Felt her anguish, torment, and hatred towards STEEL and decided to recruit her.

It was within the CoV that she found like-minded individuals with a hatred of STEEL, often stemming from past torment such as her own.

At this point, I asked if she was trying to recruit me. To which she bluntly said "After what you've already shown, I don't need to" before downing the remainder of her 4th bottle.

I asked why she was after other wielders then, to which she called it a necessity. Almost all wielders are still under STEEL, so she saw it as fair game to take their power to bolster her own.

Even for those outside of STEEL, as she sees those as 'cowards', since STEEL will always come back for them.

I remember contemplating this, as #40 tried to apprehend me back at the Foundry since I was not under STEEL's control. Hate to admit it, but she had a point. I did no harm, but they tried arresting me for just existing.

And that's largely where the night ended. We finished off our drinks. I was a bit tipsy, but X0-C3 was drunk. Trying to numb her pain I guess. We headed back to our beds, X0-C3 visibly shaken, and me restless with images of what she described now etched into my mind.

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