The stench of rancid oil and acidic fumes truly smelled like a failed future. Zenith reached deeper into the pile of scrap metal, his rusted hand clanging as it scraped against dead, worthless pipes. In the Lower District of Magitek City, junk was the only honest thing left. It didn't promise prosperity, it didn't promise eternity; it just existed, waiting to finally crumble into dust. Zenith pulled out a cracked power core, staring at it through a single, flickering optical lens."Damn, this thing’s in worse shape than a gate guard’s self-respect," Zenith muttered, wiping metallic dust from the core’s surface. "If I hook this up to my circuits, I might wake up as a toaster tomorrow."Zenith tossed the core into his grimy sack. He stood up, his leg joints emitting a mournful screech, as if the old metal were protesting being forced to move among mountains of industrial waste. High above, far beyond the thick layer of polluted haze, the real Magitek City shone with arrogant blue neon l

"Watch out, Your Highness! Don't step on that moss with your right foot unless you want a chemical bath," Zenith whispered. His raspy, metallic voice echoed softly in the narrow, damp corridor.Prince Elara’s steps halted instantly, suspended above a puddle that reflected the dull green light from Zenith’s sensor. The water was thick, oily, and emitted a vapor that stung human throats. Behind them, Marcus snorted roughly, his hand still gripping the hilt of his now-useless sword. The veteran’s leather boots were submerged in the sewage sludge up to his ankles, creating a sickening , squelching, sound every time he moved."This is an insult to royal dignity, Zenith," Marcus snarled, his voice hoarse with suppressed rage. "We are crawling through the filth of commoners while the palace burns! You should have provided a more dignified route."Zenith rotated his head one hundred eighty degrees backward, making a sharp mechanical , click, . His yellow lens blinked sardonically. "Oops, my

"Pull your hand back now if you want to keep all your fingers, Marcus!" Zenith snapped.Blue electrical sparks flashed from the exposed circuits on Zenith’s metal arm, narrowly missing the nose of Marcus, who was leaning in with a suspicious gaze. In the silence of the Magitek train station, dead for decades, the unstable hum of energy sounded like the groan of an ancient creature. The smell of burnt oil and ozone gas filled the stale, dusty air. Prince Elara sat on an old wooden crate nearby, watching the two with tired eyes red from lack of sleep."I just want to make sure you aren't installing something that could kill us when you turn into a monster again," Marcus retorted coldly, his hand resting warily on the hilt of his cracked sword. "What are you doing with those wires?"Zenith snorted, the ventilator in his chest grating harshly. His rusted metal hand moved with frightening precision, twisting delicate fiber optics as if they were sewing thread. "I'm trying to keep my core f

Zenith's massive feet sank almost ankle-deep into the gray ash covering the expanse of the Ashfall Desert. Every movement of his hydraulic joints triggered a faint squeak that clashed with the whistle of the dry wind carrying metallic particles. Behind him, Prince Elara struggled to catch his breath, covering his nose and mouth with a piece of silk that had faded to a dull color. Marcus brought up the rear, his hand never far from his sword hilt, his eyes constantly sweeping the horizon that shimmered with heat mirages.“Damn, this desert seriously has no manners,” Zenith grumbled, his head rotating one hundred eighty degrees backward to ensure his two companions were still breathing. “If these air filters clog up because of this dust, I’m sending the service bill straight to your royal budget, Prince.”Elara coughed softly, his eyes narrowed against the glare of the sun reflecting off the silica and iron particles. “Keep the receipt, Zenith. If we survive this, you can take the entir

Blue electrical sparks leaped from the gap in Zenith's neck plating, snapping through Ashfall's dry air before vanishing with a painful tek. The robot collapsed, its metal knees hitting the gray sand grains with a heavy, ground-shaking thud. A system warning roared inside its head, a digital horror symphony relentlessly repeating the word "Critical.""One more step and my right leg is going to be permanent scrap," Zenith grumbled, his voice choked with static. His yellow lenses flickered erratically, scanning the internal temperature which had already exceeded tolerance limits."Zenith! Stop, you really can't handle this anymore," Prince Elara shouted. The teenager ran closer, ignoring the Ashfall dust stinging his lungs.Marcus followed close behind, his hand ready on his sword hilt, his eyes sweeping the horizon to ensure no Sand Reavers were lurking. "His core temperature is too high. If he keeps moving, his logic core could fry."Zenith tried to stand, but his metal hands trembled