Fragment’s Fragmentation

As Fragment disassembled, its pieces folded and sank into the glasslike surface, but something shifted. A low hum reverberated through the air, rising in intensity. Fragment froze mid-disintegration, its remaining panels twitching erratically.

“What is this?!” Fragment’s voice warbled, rising in pitch. “Unscheduled interference! How rude!”

A sharp crack split the air. From the horizon, a pulse of energy shot toward Fragment, rippling like a heatwave. It struck the Creche, scattering its remaining panels in a spray of jagged light.

“No, no, no! This is not how I’m meant to depart!” Fragment’s voice was distorted now, fragments of sentences overlapping. “Protocol breach—source unknown—unable to stabilize—”

The pulse struck again, and Fragment’s form shattered, pieces scattering across the surface like shards of glass. Its core, a faintly glowing sphere, tumbled and dimmed, pulsing weakly.

In the distance, a figure emerged—a massive construct, its body a patchwork of salvaged materials: broken Creche panels, remnants of old human machines, even fragments of bone and weathered wood. Its head was a featureless oval, reflecting the light of the setting sun.

On its back rode a human—a wiry, sunburned man with wild hair and a makeshift staff slung across his shoulders. He looked as much a part of the construct as its welded parts, his clothing stitched from scavenged fabrics, his face streaked with ash.

“What fun,” Fragment’s flickering voice muttered faintly from its broken core. “What… tragedy. A tale of misunderstanding, I suppose…”

The man dismounted from the construct with a fluid motion, the staff in his hands glowing faintly with etched symbols. He crouched by the shattered remains, studying the pieces as though examining a puzzle. With deliberate care, he picked up Fragment’s core, cradling it in his calloused hands.

The massive construct shifted behind him, emitting a low, mechanical growl. The man glanced back toward the horizon, and then to the fractured orb in his hand.

“You’ve caused quite a stir,” the man said quietly, his voice calm but laced with authority. “Let’s see what secrets you’ve been hiding.” He mounted the construct and left the wreckage behind.