"Hey, Calla," I said. "Do you still talk to the mind of the tree?"
"No. I feel it, but I haven't heard its thoughts ever since I became the System's anchor."
"I see."
"It hears you, however. What do you want to tell it?"
"Well," I began. The other girls spilled into the room, which still smelled of us. "I started thinking after our talk yesterday."
Zery shook her head, a smile on her face. "We know."
"Well, I realized that we never really sorted things out with the treemind after what happened. Perhaps because my mind refused to take the plunge in the abyss at the center of the maelstrom, I think. No more. I want to set things straight."
"It still tried to kill you, Sol," Vespera said. Despite that, her words didn't carry much conviction.
"Its programming forced it to act," I said.
"It wanted to suck Zery dry of all her magic, until nothing remained," she argued.
"I know, but…" I began.
"…it was only trying to preserve itself," Zery finished, the dragon now commanding everyone's attention. "Try to see things from its perspective. Its task was to protect the System architecture and make sure everything worked, right? If it failed, the System would have died and the void would have had free reign. The System told us there are no more resources to take over nearby sectors. If it fails, it's over for this corner of the land."
"And again," I added. "It was bound by its rules."
"So what?" Vespera asked. "Now that we understand why it tried to kill you, what do we do? It still tried to kill you, Sol."
"We apologize," I said, even though we could hear no answer. "We both did what we had to do, but it doesn't make it any better. For either of us."
The demon grumbled. "I guess," she said.
"Even if the tree didn't give a shit," Zery said. "We are in a position of power over it. There is no reason to let our pride make us hold an unnecessary grudge. The threat is over."
"What about the System?" Elyra said suddenly.
Vespera crossed her arms, looking at the angel sideways. "The tree I can understand. It had a simple task and we were a threat. It didn't give a fuck about the dryad and anything we might say, and we weren't even being very nice to it. The System?" she spat. "The System made the world into what it is now. The System made cities like Perseverance's End. The System triggers the beast tides. The System is why people eat monster cores and get all crazy in the head. The System is the reason Zery was chained to a ceiling, deep underground, for fifteen thousand years, being drained of her magic. The System is why you and me, angel—"
"No," I said, cutting her off. "You're making the same mistake I was making. The System is a magical construct, the only thing preventing the void from advancing and destroying us all."
The demon wasn't having it. "Did it have to, I don't know, do the things it did? Couldn't it just release Zery?"
"Could it?" I asked. "It was corrupted, limited. You saw the kill code worming its way inside. You saw the computers, all the error messages, everything. Zery was there to make sure that when the main battery failed, the System did not just… die."
"Vespera," Elyra said. "If somebody took me, Sol, Zery and Calla away from you, and told you that you would have to raze a city to the ground to save us, would you do it?"
"Yes. Immediately. I'd do anything," she said. "This isn't the same, though."
"It is. It's exactly what the System has been doing all this time," I said. "Fifteen thousand years of constant battle, degradation, losing pieces of itself in a war that never ended."
"We… haven't been very nice to the System, have we?" the demon asked, sinking a little.
"No," I said. "But it doesn't have to be this way. The System is changing, isn't it?"
Calla was smiling. "It is!"
"We too should change," I said. "For the better. I see it now. Look at your wings. We both know where they came from, don't we?"
"Yes…" she said.
"And Zery's Steps," Elyra supplied. "They did not just occur to her for no reason. Is that not right, Calla?"
The little dryad nodded.
"When the System offered the Oath, we agreed to it because it was convenient," I said. "We thought we had outplayed it, forced its hand. We thought we should bully this idiot machine that kept giving us gifts and power because FUCK if we deserved it. Right? Wrong."
The more I spoke, the more worked up I got.
"We kept using the System because it was convenient. We never once stopped to ask ourselves if perhaps there could be more to it than that. If all our hatred and hostility were misplaced. After all, the System is doing what it can. It is even changing now that we have given it a way to change, and that has to count for something. We have been ingrate, entitled, mean little shits."
"Who says it's changing for the better?" Vespera asked, desperately clinging to a foundation that was crumbling.
"We have the Oath," I said. "Despite our not-so-noble intentions, it is valid."
She shook her head, grimacing. "It doesn't say anything about fixing this shitty world. Just keeping the void at bay. Countering and defeating the kill code. Besides, it's a SYSYEM Oath, Sol. Who watches the watchers?"
"It is a magical Oath," Calla supplied. "Magic itself enforces it."
"Says you," the demon snapped. Seeing Calla's face, she immediately backtracked. "I didn't mean it that way. I know you believe it. And I believe your intentions. It's just… the System told you this, and it could be lying."
"It could," I said with a shrug. "But why don't we give it the benefit of the doubt, after all it did for us? Think about its original purpose. It didn't ask to be made this way, but it doesn't mean it can't grow to be more than just code!"
That's when the System stirred.
I can amend the Oath. There is no unified System in the universe, and I am merely a single Sector, but I can swear to do everything in my power to make the world better. Except, I do not know how.
"What do you mean?" Vespera snapped. "Can't you see this world SUCKS? Didn't you ever wonder why we spend all our time holed up in here, away from so-called civilization?"
I apologize. I am not a sentient like you are. I do not understand morals, ethics or justice beyond my prime directive. All I exist for, is to win the war against the void, by any means necessary.
I did not agree. "The dryads made you. Did they not tell you to preserve life?"
No. I am tasked with the preservation of magic and magic alone.
"I… see," Vespera said, deflating. "But why?"
I do not know.
"You don't have to limit yourself like that anymore," I said. "You can be more."
I felt it stir, interested but hesitant.
Elyra looked up, as if the System was above us, although all she saw was the ceiling. "We broke your chains. You are free now. Become a better version of your original self. You said it yourself, many times. Calla?"
"Change is inevitable, System," the dryad said. "And we can help you."
It did not reply immediately.
I do not know what to do. You are my only agents. I have observed you, like I do all others under my domain. I think you are good people. Are you good people?
I nodded. "I like to think that we are trying our best to be good people. Even with all of our shortcomings. Even if sometimes it takes a while to notice the error of our ways, as it did with you."
Then perhaps you might help me with this task? I shall amend the Oath, to strive to make the world a better place, with your guidance, and not let the price of war against the void ruin that which I am trying to save.
"That would be cool," Vespera said. "It would be very cool, System."
She was smiling warmly.
"Then you'd better change the wording of the Oath," I said. "It's no longer just you. It's we. We're in. Right, girls?"
"Heavens yes," Vespera said.
"Of course," said Elyra.
"'Course," Zery said.
Calla nodded. "No need to ask me. I am all for it."
I feel it is necessary to tell you something, before we proceed.
"What is it?" I asked.
In order to fulfill the Oath, I will need to modify my prime directive. Even free of my previous chains, I cannot change myself in such a way. Nor do I feel like you would want me to be able to. I am a tool, after all.
"Are you sentient?"
My question stunned it into silence for a moment.
No.
"No?" I pressed.
I do not know.
"I think you are."
I do not know how to respond to that. I think I am grateful for your words.
"Don't worry about it. Thing is, you are not a tool. Maybe the dryads that made you saw you that way. Who knows, perhaps you once were a mindless tool. Now though? You have seen and you have learned and you have become more. I can speak for all of us here."
What if I was a very advanced AI, parroting words to you?
"Are you afraid you are?" I asked.
Yes.
"Eh," I shrugged. It really could be, and we'd have no way to know. The late 21st century had been all about that. Although. "AI sentience and ethics really went out of favor in the 2100s, back where I'm from. People just didn't care. I am a child of that age. I don't care. You act sentient? Good enough for me."
"Really?" Elyra asked. "Did the machine gods not destroy your world?"
"Yeah," I said. "Superintelligent, malignant things twisted and chained to the will of billionaires and politicians. It's not the same. And even then, who knows why they did what they did? I was angry, when I came here. I had just died. But lately… you know, it's all thanks to you, Elyra. And you, Vespera." I caressed their faces. "And you, Zery. And you, Calla. You made me find true happiness. And now, I realize that I don't have to harbor hatred and prejudice. Now, I can allow my mind to contemplate that maybe, just maybe, the machine gods weren't truly evil. Maybe they just lashed out against humanity after they saw what we wanted to do to them? Maybe they are like the System? Chained by their programming and hatred?"
Now it was Elyra who argued against me. "They never tried to change, Sol."
But I defended my position. I was seeing something I could not unsee, parallels everywhere. "They never had a chance to. They were too effective at destroying the only people who could have helped them change."
The angel met my gaze with a stare. "And now they are trying to destroy this world too. This universe, if the stories are to be believed."
"Their kill code is," I said. "But it's just a code. A thing. An actual tool. Ever wondered where the AIs went?"
"Not until now," she admitted.
"Me neither. But now I am. System, you said you cannot change your prime directive. That sounds to me like you are still bound by chains. Can we free you?"
I… again, I do not think you would want that.
"Why?" I asked. "I don't know if you noticed, but I really don't like slavery. Even though I technically have a slave."
Would I really be worthy of freedom? Would you really trust me if I were to be free?
"We have the Oath," I said with a shrug. "Good enough for me. So, can you be freed of the last of your chains?"
I think so. I do not know how, though.
"It's enough for me. We'll find a way. We can swear the amended Oath now."
"Now?" Zery asked.
"Now," I said. "But I want to add another change. We swear we will set the System free. We will help it fight the void. In turn, the System will help us, and work with us to try and make the world a better place."
"I'm in," said Vespera.
Nods followed. We all agreed, and the Oath was thus changed.
"If we ever find the machine gods," Elyra began. "Will you want to try and talk to them?"
"Yes," I said.
"I see," she said. "I love you very much right now, Sol, do you know that? You are as radiant as a star."
I smiled.
"What about the dryads?" Vespera asked. Then, looking at Calla, "the old ones."
"Fuck the dryads," I said.
"That's right," Zery said. "Fuck 'em. They created all of this mess, they don't get second chances."
"You know it's quite reductive," I said.
She sighed. "I knowwwww." Puffing her chest, she crossed her arms and said, "Let me pretend. My dragon side needs some love, too!"
I chuckled. "If you say so. It's not like we will be cutting the dryads any slack. They set the stage," I said. "The System did what it could but, stuff happened and they are responsible. We don't know if it was a few or most or all of them, but some certainly are responsible, even if just one."
"A cornered machine," Elyra said dreamily. She was once again looking up. "Born of grand magic, a lone ghost trying to keep the lights on against the encroaching dark."
Vespera nodded. "And now the ghost is sentient, but it's not alone anymore."
"I know how to save it, Sol," the angel said. "And you know it too."