Carnis Machina was behind me now. The metropolis plagued by an infestation that had been spawned from that behemoth that birthed abominations. The womb mother, nestled underneath the city spreading it’s seed into the very bowels of Carnis Machina. The Mastermind and The Doctor, along with the automatons, could watch over the city as the Rot would suffice. I was tasked by The Mastermind to seek out the true origin of the Rot as it had infiltrated the city somehow.

  I rested in my bed. All I’ve done since our departure in this airship is rest. Not even The Mastermind was aware of what exists outside the towering walls surrounding the valley Carnis Machina resides within. I decided to take a look outside the round window in my room. Darkness was settling in. More or less the scenery was similar to that in the valley before; a bleak wasteland with scattered ruins and thick red tendrils protruding from the sands creating these massive collectives of pulsating flesh.

  At this point I had seen what I needed to see. Before I would return to bed, I scoured the deck of the gondola. Inside the galley were the other two slug organisms traveling with me. They were boiling heaps of charred flesh inside a steel pot over a flame ignited from the cooking apparatus they were near. I guess they needed to consume something edible. A luxury I did not share. The Captain was of course piloting the airship as per usual. They gave me a reassuring nod when I shrugged. I’m sure once they find somewhere to stop, they’ll let us know. I returned to my quarters to rest.

  I awoke shortly as I felt the airship slowing. Rather than gaze out the window, I made my way to the bridge to see where we were stopping. Just ahead was a slim square-shaped tower to our left and two tall beam structures with blinking red lights. The airship starts descending. As it does, I hear gears outside turning and a pair of thin metal forks sliding down from the beams to slide underneath the airship. A metal bridge starts extending from the tower to the gondola.

  The Captain taps on my shoulder and points over to the tower. It seems they want me to establish contact. I nod and head for the other gondola door. I press the button so the door can open up. The steel bridge awaits. Guardrails pop up from underneath. I begin walking across the bridge towards the door on the tower’s balcony.

  I see a fleshy apparatus next to the door. I jab my fingers into the holes and pull down. The door opens up. I head inside. It’s a small room with a set of stairs leading downwards. To my right is a desk with two monitors and a keyboard. Sitting in the steel chair was… another humanoid like myself? They had a wire inside their head connected to a port inside the hardware box where the monitor was hooked up to. The humanoid just stared at the yellow words appearing on the monitor as if in some sort of trance. They paid me no mind. Looking outside the window above the desk I could see mechanical tubes with needles extend out from the beam structures jab themselves into the flesh of the airship. The tubes began to fill with a crimson fluid. The individual’s head creaked to its right to stare at the other monitor. I took a gander myself. It appeared to be vitals and walls of text displaying information about the airship itself. From its current health status to onboard occupants to current engineering condition. The technology was analyzing the airship as a whole. Perhaps this was a checkpoint to study airships passing through here. But I’ve yet to see any others. What even lies beyond the valley where Carnis Machina is secluded in?

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  While the individual was scanning the airship, I descend the stairs to have a look around. On the floor below the top was a break room. There was a small table with two chairs. A black screen on the wall. A rectangular machine against the wall that could dispense nutrients. Running along the upper walls was clear tubing flowing with the familiar crimson liquid used to power all of Carnis Machina. Also on the wall was a metal board with words etched into it reading;

  INSTRUCTIONS:

  -RUN SYSTEM DIALYSIS EVERY HOUR FOR ANY ERRORS OR ISSUES

  -STUDY ALL READING MATERIAL PROVIDED FROM DATABASE

  -ANY AIRSHIPS PASSING THROUGH MUST DOCK AND BE ANALYZED

  -PURGE ANY AND ALL THREATS TO SYSTEM HEALTH

  This must be the work done here at this particular facility. Unlike the state of Carnis Machina, this place is clean and free from any of the Rot. But then… how did the Rot infiltrate the airship and make its way to Carnis Machina? Yet another mystery to solve on top of the origin of the Rot I was tasked with uncovering by the Mastermind.

  Descending further, I see that each room has a purpose. This floor comprised of a data server and the systems mainframe. Massive devices with several blinking lights. Small monitors displaying vitals and tiny words on the screens. Wires strung all about. And a terminal on the wall with a keypad underneath.

  This next floor was lined with various instruments similar to my blade. A single bladed instrument with a rustic hilt. A sinewy slab with a poker on the end attached to a handle by a single strand. A set of hooked sickles. Even a big saw-blade with a pull-cord and an engine. Instruments all designed for purging and slaying. There was also a workbench, grindstone and a rack of tools. All clearly for maintaining these instruments.

  Onto the next floor. I see a box-shaped device on the wall with wires connected to two standing glass pods that served to cleanse it’s inhabitants as they were filled with a clear blue liquid. There were two beds opposite to the pods as well.

  The bottom floor simply acted as the entrance into the tower and lead to the upper floors. I had seen all of this facility. It served to monitor any passing airships and ensure they’re free of any threats. Still unsure how the Rot managed to evade being detected. Had it been found, the ruin of Carnis Machina could’ve been avoided entirely. Regardless, I ascend back to the top floor. The monitor showed all green. I open the door to see the tubes retracting. I think we were all clear to proceed? I return inside to press a hand on the humanoid’s shoulder. They look at me with their hollow white eyes. I shrug and point to the airship outside. They simply nodded. With that, I return to the ship. With all the dust clouding the air around us, I can’t even see the rock walls surrounding the valley where Carnis Machina is situated.

  The forks return to the steel beams and the lights turn to green. Looks like we were safe. I watch the Captain reignite the engine. The airship starts moving. We pass the beams and start ascending higher. To see another like myself free of the Rot… I was not expecting.