Seeker of Truths

Despite the heavy atmosphere, the group had no choice but to press on.

A potential treasure trove lay before them in the form of this cathedral, a place once dedicated to the worship of the Gods.

They hoped to at least find weapons, knowledge, and information that could aid their survival in this hostile world and protect their families and loved ones.

Standing at the forefront of the group, Karl licked his parched lips and stared at the massive door that stood stalwartly before him, made of an aged bronze dulled by time and weather.

With both hands outstretched, Karl pushed against the door, straining his muscles, but to no avail. His veins bulged as he exerted all his strength, but the door remained immovable.

Observing this, the others stepped forward one by one to assist him.

Creak!

With a unified effort from the group, the door finally gave way, opening with a piercing creak.

The hinges groaned in protest, and dust cascaded from the top of the doorframe, shimmering in the crimson moonlight.

As they entered, their footsteps echoed in the vast empty space and their breathing hitched.

Their eyes widened as they all took in the sheer grandeur of the cathedral's interior.

Opulent stained-glass windows lined the walls, the crimson moonlight filtering through them to cast eerie, multicoloured patterns on the stone floor.

Some windows depicted large, unknown machines surrounded by men, while others showcased towering steel titans looming over the humans in the images.

The ceiling, higher than any they had seen before, was supported by massive iron columns, riveted together in a style reminiscent of a blacksmith's work, but on an unimaginable scale.

"Well, would you look at that…" Karl's expression shifted from shock to excitement. "A structure as magnificent as this… it must hold something worthwhile, don't you think?"

His words were more of a soliloquy than a question, yet the others who heard him shared his excitement.

However, their fervour was quickly extinguished by the chilling touch of reality.

Clank! Hiss!

The sound of metal clanging and a soft hiss echoed ominously in the cathedral's vast space.

Clank! Hiss!

The sound intensified once more, the metallic clash reverberating from all directions.

Hum!

As the group grew increasingly uneasy, a steady, low-pitched hum began to resonate from the shadowy walls of the building.

Everyone gripped their spears tightly, determined not to be defenceless again.

Claude was also on high alert, ready to tap into his mental energy at any moment.

Rattle!

The air was thick with tension, an eerie silence enveloping the group.

The only sound was the distant hum of machinery, growing steadily louder.

As the tension mounted, they heard the sound draw closer.

Suddenly, they could make out silhouettes trudging towards them from the cathedral's shadowy edges.

The silhouettes moved peculiarly, their legs rigidly stepping forward while their hands remained fixed at their sides.

Observing this and recalling the earlier sounds, Claude was almost certain…

These figures were certainly not humans!

As the figures lumbered forward, emerging from the shadows, their true appearance was soon reflected in Claude's eyes, causing them to dilate in shock.

They were colossal, humanoid monstrosities, standing three times taller than anyone in the group. Their bodies were an amalgamation of brass and iron gears, pistons, and pipes.

Their heads were massive, with glowing amber eyes set deep within metallic sockets, whilst their jaws, were lined with jagged metal teeth.

Large, riveted plates protected the intricate network of gears and pistons of their broad torsos.

Exposed wires and tubes snaked across their bodies, with a burst of steam occasionally escaping from them.

As the hulking machines advanced, each step was like a clap of thunder in Claude's ears. The fear they induced was very different from the ghosts.

If the ghosts made Claude fear them due to their inherent peculiarity and the stories he had heard since he was young, these things were completely different.

These behemoths were something they could physically fight, unlike the ghosts. Yet, it offered the group no comfort.

Their size only made Claude and everyone else wonder about the strength contained in their bulky steel frames and how many punches it would take to fell any one of them.

'Are they sentient...?' A sudden thought struck Claude as he stared at the approaching figures,

Especially when Claude gazed at their gleaming amber eyes that scanned him and the villagers, he felt it would be a fatal mistake to think they had no intelligence.

Despite the fear gnawing at his heart, Claude knew they had to face the inevitable.

These visitors were obviously not approaching the group with good intentions, thus, a confrontation was unavoidable.

As he steeled himself for the impending confrontation, a voice broke through his thoughts.

"Claude!" It was Karl. His voice wavered slightly, betraying his own worry. He locked eyes with Claude, a grim determination in his gaze. "If we… if we don't make it out of here, you must escape. You have to survive…"

Claude's fists clenched involuntarily, his nails digging into his palms as cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

Those hauntingly familiar words pulled him back to a time he desperately tried to forget.

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In a forest illuminated by the soft silvery glow of the moon, Claude found an all too familiar figure beside him.

"Kid… I need you to run away now." Raymond, still alive and kicking, spoke to him with the utmost seriousness in his tone.

Hearing those words, Claude balled his fists as he was reminded of what he had been forced to do back then.

Yet, his attention was soon grabbed by the looming horse-like demon that was approaching them.

Nevertheless, as Claude tried to ignore his fear and confront the beast, his instincts took over, and his legs began to carry him away from the beast.

No!

Not again!

The thought of running almost sent him descending into a mania, gritting his teeth and all the willpower he could muster he forced his body to stop moving.

'This won't happen again!' He vowed with clenched teeth, turning to face the monster.

"Kid! What are you doing!? Run dammit!" Raymond beside him shouted in shock and bewilderment.

Ignoring Raymond, Claude advanced slowly.

Gradually, his pace quickened, the slow march morphing into a hastened stride.

Before long, he was no longer merely walking, but charging headlong towards the monster.

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Finding himself back at the cathedral, Claude's chest heaved as he grappled with the sense of dissonance he felt from suddenly being thrown out of his memories like that.

Looking around at everyone, he saw them panting heavily, sweat pooling on their foreheads, yet none disagreed with what Karl had said earlier.

Their tacit silence screamed their intent.

Live.

Before Claude could even respond, Karl held his spear up and addressed the group. "Men! You know what this fight entails. But remember one thing…"

As Karl continued, he slowly lost his own fear and worry. "…We are not just fighting for our survival, but for the hope of a better tomorrow."

"We are fighting for our families, our loved ones, and the future generations who will inherit this world from us. We are fighting to ensure that they do not have to live in fear, as we have."

"We are fighting to ensure that they can live in a world where they can dream, love, and prosper. So, let us not falter in the face of adversity."

Raising his spear, Karl yelled with wild determination, "Charge! For our families, our future, and for our hope!"

The moment his words fell, he charged towards the approaching metal behemoths.

Everyone else soon followed their leader's actions, charging forward with their spears poised and ready.

Their feet pounded away at the decrepit stone floor of the cathedral, as they closed the gap with the approaching metal giants.