As Darkwitt stood on the precipice of the dimensional gate, inches from the plane that would take him to the tip of the triangle, his contemplative silence was disrupted by a small alarm on his wrist. His scheduler was a godsend, with everything going on, there was little time to keep track of everything he needed to do.
But this one was something he didn't want to miss.
He flickered a duplicate of his hologram to central control. Where Code, Rehme, and Proctor Visia managed the connection of Cognizant to remote nodes around the world. They were not only monitoring the event like one giant performance, they ensured the energy was stable.
"How is everything?" He asked.
Rehme looked back at him with a surprised blink while Visia kept monitoring the readouts from a touchpad.
"I thought you were leaving." She responded.
"I am. But the scheduler reminded me of one last thing I need to do."
The timer went off again. He looked at his watch.
"...And it's past midnight. Visia dear, unleash the force of nature, please."
Down below, a large synth was connected to a series of servers, The platform had enough processing power to handle some of the virtual memory for Cognizant, but it was also to assist as a firewall for digital attacks. Unit AQ-4 was the synthetic sentry that protected Cognizant from interference. A blend of Magitech fashioned by Rehme.
He was once drone 703. A unit that lost his way for a short while, A creature of magic that found purpose, but was abandoned. With time, effort, and recovery, he was reforged into something new. A synthetic platform connected with what made it seek Darkwitt in the first place.
AQ-4. Artemis.
"You heard him, toaster. Wrap up this month with a bang!"
While it was a strong synth in meatspace. It could reconfigure itself in any kind of digital format. And this would be a chance to feel like he belonged once again. It felt fitting to try something familiar.
The stadium reconfigured. The stage no longer for a punk's rock concert, but filled with cyan lines and rainbow patterns. The jamming punks and thugs stopped for a moment. Those left free from Kai Tyde's snare could see the Water Mage in a thermium suit. Fireworks erupted in the sky. and music filled the world. Not a hypnotic one, but one to touch them
The sky filled with lights. Water pixies floated among the others. Music echoing from facility 18 to the Serpentangle, to the seemingly endless oceans on all sides.
Lights- Wolfgun In the dawn of every day I will miss the subtle rays Of shooting stars And moonlight on the trees What once was in its place Is now gone without a trace And I am left with nothing but a memory
Take me back to see that sky Where the planets were not shy And the milky way Was brighter than the sun When I stopped to share my sights I found no words to let me try And I am left with feelings only just begun
Like fireworks, I saw the lights Filling up my shadow When night falls, the stars shine bright Like a road to carry me home.
The Stars filled the simulation, and for a second, there was rest. A pause in the party. The doors opened across the world. There was no need for the illusion anymore. The opportunity to go home. To step away so the Party could continue without worry or concern. or to join in and for once cut loose as a celebration without inhibition.
All the things I'd wish to see I know are waiting there for me The shooting stars And moonlight on the trees What once was in its place Is now a dream for me to chase And I am left with visions of our galaxy
As he performed. People from all over cognizant took a minute to look to the pixies fluttering through the sky. Not exactly magic. not exactly a simulation. It was... a connection. A sense of completion. A sense of purpose fulfilled. A connection AQ-4 found deep inside that he could finally share to everyone connected to the simulation.
Like fireworks, I saw the lights Filling up my shadow When night falls, the stars shine bright Like a road to carry me home.
And the last sight of that brilliant display... was of Darkwitt walking sideways to parts unknown.
-----
The nature of free will is a peculiar thing. We put so much significance on its agency; its loss. It validates our sentience beyond instinct and biological compulsion. It emphasizes the importance of decision, of morality, and gives our action purpose. It is perhaps the most tangible representation of a soul we might ever see.
Yet there is a fascination that makes us fantasize losing it or taking it.
Whether to absolve accountability, or merely to entrust our entire being to someone else. Maybe out of trust, or merely to have fun with a bad ending. We all love playing with free will like clay. For me, it feels like it's more than a fetish, or a curiosity. It is something I find profoundly compelling.
You came here because you are like me, you wanted to experience the hypnotic adventures you could have. I don't know your reasons, but I hope it helped you better understand why you seek the thoughts of others, or the control of a mastermind.
Because every spark of free will, whether tamed or leashed, they form the constellations of our experiences. Of our connections. Through your adventures, you've helped me see the pattern, to form a path to better understand a greater mystery of myself. I cherish every connection I've seen made here.
Like lights. filling up my shadow.
Gift Art by AQ-4, HyuugaTakuto, I can't think of a better close to one of the most complicated and emotionally trying experiments I've ever attempted.
-----
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