"Warning Structural integrity compromised."
Something moved in the dark.
Michael's chest tightened.
THUD.
THUD.
"Michael are you alright whats happening?"
Sir somethings trying to break in the controls are not responding.
They never told us it would be like this.
They said they were just weak low level mutants not this strong
"Michael calm down just follow my orders do you see that red button on the left controlling side press it if it works it'll force the system to work again but it'll drain life energy"
Michael presses the red button.
For half a second, nothing happened.
Then
THUD.
The machine lurched.
"Stabilizers damaged."
The cockpit shook again.
Metal screamed somewhere outside.
Michael was thrown against the restraints.
"Warning. Balance failure."
"What what is it doing?"
No answer.
Something scraped along the armor.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Like it was feeling the machine.
"External pressure detected."
The mecha groaned.
Not a clean hit.
Something was holding on.
"Michael remember the training always aim for their core"
Sir im trying but i cant see shit its so dark and the lights are broken
I thought Excalibur was supposed to be strong but it's like it's made out of scrap metal.
"Uhh michael about that we didnt have enough funding so we just gave it a nice name and mass produced it"
Seriously?
So all the deaths were just because these Excalibur prototypes are some mass produced cheap trash mechas
"well yeah i guess but dont worry this was more expensive to make we spent the remaining budget that didn't get stolen or whatever to produce Uncommon level Sword hand it was very expensive it shouldn't break against low level mutants"
wow an uncommon one arent they pretty expensive on the blackmarket?
"Michael just focus on fighting back and surviving"
Uh yes sir!
Michael tightened his grip on the controls.
The response was slow.
Delayed.
But it moved.
The mecha's arm dragged itself forward.
"Manual control engaged."
"Warning. Motor feedback unstable."
"Structural stress increasing."
Hell yeah Sir its working!
Bzzz
"shut up and fight back already!"
Okay okay calm down
Something peeled away from the armor.
Metal screamed.
Whatever it was moved wrong.
Too fast.
Too close.
Michael slammed the control forward.
The sword arm swung wide-
missed-
But the blade scraped something solid.
A shriek tore through the dark.
"Impact registered."
"Weapon integrity compromised."
The mecha staggered.
Michael bit down hard, tasting blood.
Fuck this is a tough one i might even really die
Something moved again.
Closer.
Too close.
The armor screamed.
CRUNCH.
The mecha jerked sideways.
"Stabilizer failure."
"Left leg not responding."
Michael slammed the controls.
Nothing.
The thing was on him now.
He couldn't see it.
Only feel it.
Metal bent.
Something scraped along the cockpit frame.
SCREEEEECH.
It sounded wrong.
Like bone against steel.
"Warning. Hull breach detected."
Michael's vision flickered.
Red warnings everywhere.
"Pilot heart rate exceeding safe levels."
"Neural feedback increasing."
"Disengage"
"Shut up!"
Michael forced the arm forward.
Slow.
Heavy.
Like dragging a corpse.
The sword arm lifted.
Barely.
The darkness moved again.
Right in front of him.
Michael swung.
Too late
The blade connected.
Not clean.
But enough.
A wet crack echoed through the dark.
The thing screamed.
Not loud.
High.
Sharp.
Wrong.
It let go.
The pressure vanished.
The mecha stumbled forward.
Almost fell.
"Target damaged."
"Unknown life signs fluctuating."
"Core signature detected briefly."
"Michael pull back now."
"Do not chase."
Michael stared into the dark.
Whatever it was…
It was still there.
Watching.
Breathing.
Waiting.
---
First Wall.
Special Unit Zero was already breaking.
Their mechas were outdated.
Mostly old scrap parts.
Only common components.
Some even worse leftovers from older eras.
The ground shook constantly.
Not from explosions.
From footsteps.
Heavy.
Uneven.
Too many.
Special Unit Zero didn't advance.
They were barely holding.
Warning lights flickered across outdated cockpits.
Some didn't flicker at all.
They were already dead.
"Unit Three, report."
Static.
"Unit Five?"
Nothing.
A pilot screamed over open comms.
It cut off mid-sentence.
Pilot 17 didn't remember signing up for this.
He was told it would be an easy job and a promotion.
His mecha's left leg dragged.
Hydraulics leaked like blood.
The radar kept pinging errors.
Targets overlapping.
Distances wrong.
Too close.
"Why aren't they stopping?" he muttered.
Training said they should slow.
They never slowed.
Something slammed into his armor.
The cockpit lurched.
"Structural integrity compromised."
The screen cracked.
Not shattered.
Cracked.
He could still see.
That made it worse.
"Hold your position," Command said.
Hold what?
There was nothing to hold.
The wall was already behind them.
A shadow moved wrong.
Too fast.
Too smooth.
Pilot 17 raised his weapon.
It never fired.
The cockpit went dark.
Elsewhere on the First Wall
another unit screamed for support.
None came.