Awaken -

As she stood, the clockwork birds began to twitch. One by one, their sapphire eyes flickered to life. They didn't fly; they crawled, a sea of clicking brass teeth and sharp talons dragging toward her. "Run," the pulse said.

"System check," she whispered. Her voice sounded like grinding stones. awaken

The light didn't click on; it bled in, a slow capillary action of white against the void. Awaken. As she stood, the clockwork birds began to twitch

"Integrity at forty percent," a pulse in her mind replied. "Memory drive: Corrupted. Primary objective: Reach the Spire." As she stood