The door buzzed and opened with a hiss. Heavy boots stepped inside.
General Torvan.
No guards. No assistants. Just him.
The four of them froze — Jack, Michael, Emily, and Nova — standing in silence like prisoners awaiting judgment.
But Torvan's voice was calm.
"You disobeyed orders. You defied the system. You picked loyalty over design."
He paused, then added:
> "And it was the most useful thing you've done since entering the program."
Jack didn't answer, just watched him with narrowed eyes.
Torvan continued pacing.
"Your team caught attention. From the outside. Investors. Eyes that matter. So I'm here to offer you something rare. Something almost no one gets."
Everyone listened now.
> "A reward. You and your team will be taken to a secure beach on the island. No cameras. No observers. You'll swim. You'll breathe. One day of peace."
Emily's eyes widened. Michael raised an eyebrow. Nova didn't move.
"There's more," Torvan said. "Each of you will be given the option to ask for one thing — something personal. Anything reasonable."
> "Food. Clothes. Music. Gear. Even something that reminds you of who you were."
He turned toward Jack.
> "But there's one rule: you cannot ask for freedom."
A beat of silence.
No one spoke. Then Jack did.
"I want an AI," he said. "Something smart. Voice-activated. I can talk to it. Plan with it."
Torvan looked at him for a moment.
Then nodded.
---
🌊 Sand and Laughter
The next morning, the four of them were escorted through a gate and taken down a private trail to a part of the island they'd never seen before.
Then… it opened.
The beach.
Real sand. Real sky. Real ocean.
Emily ran into the water with a laugh so full of life it didn't sound like it belonged to someone who had killed before.
Michael followed, splashing beside her, screaming at the cold waves and pretending he wasn't scared.
Nova sat on a boulder, feet dipped in water, arms crossed. But even she smiled.
Jack walked along the shoreline quietly, feeling the ocean wind for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.
In his pocket, the small black cube hummed.
He tapped it.
> "Hello, Jack. I'm Ava. How can I assist you?"
He smiled faintly.
---
🤖 Talking to Ava
"I want to use you for something," Jack whispered.
> "I am here to help. What do you need?"
"I want to get smarter with my powers. Not just control them… I want to use them better."
> "Understood. Would you like to analyze battle tactics?"
Jack nodded.
"Yes. Help me figure out which monsters work best in which situations."
Ava's light blinked.
> "Beginning analysis. Starting with known minions..."
---
🧟♂️ Monster Breakdown
> "Screeching Maw
Role: Disruption
Pros: Sonic disorientation, electric shock, energy drain
Cons: Requires line-of-sight
Use: Openers or finishers. Excellent vs stealth or speed types."
> "Broodfather
Role: Area control
Pros: Auto-targeting larvae, multi-enemy overwhelm
Cons: Slow deployment
Use: Mid-battle pressure. Ideal for multi-opponent fights."
> "Fungal Trap
Role: Zone denial
Pros: Blinds, coughs, weakens target
Cons: Stationary, time-dependent
Use: Ideal for setup. Best placed before confrontation."
---
🧠 Planning Scenarios
"If I'm fighting someone faster than me," Jack asked, "what's the move?"
> "1. Deploy Fungal Trap.
2. Lure into spore radius.
3. Screeching Maw engages for stun.
4. Summon close-combat minion or use your scythe finisher.
Estimated success rate: 78%."
Jack blinked.
"You can give me playbooks?"
> "I can build full battle libraries, reaction maps, and trigger lists.
Would you like to start a personal combat journal?"
"...Yeah," Jack said. "But after the beach."
> "Understood. When you're ready, we evolve."
---
🏖️ Peace — Even if It's Fake
As Jack returned to the others, Ava quieted in his hand.
Emily waved from the water. Michael grinned. Nova gave a subtle nod from the rock.
He knew the freedom wasn't real.
But the choice he just made was.
And the next time they fought… he wouldn't just survive.
He'd command.