Fractal

"Well this is a most unusual request. I can attempt to fine-tune some of my processes and it will take time to adjust but… Does this sound about right?" –Ghost, female voice

There were no words that could truly convey the depth and tragedy of this day. Humanity was victorious in the end but at the greatest cost. Even the Titans of the Six Fronts couldn't have prepared themselves for what came. Like a great tide, it broke through their stalwart gates and swallowed all in its path. None were spared as it found its way into every nook or crack it could find.

If hell was real place, the once steadfast city had become a horrific reflection of it. The great iron walls torn asunder. The shining pillars shattered and laid to waste. The small yet cozy homes were now billowing craters of char and smoke, and its broken families cowered inside any corner they could find. You could still hear mothers hushing their terrified children from even the slightest noise.

"Did we really win?" Daewon asked himself, the grim scene forever burned into his memories. Around his feet, heaps of Fallen corpses covered every inch of the ruined floor. He couldn't take a single step without stepping on one. No point in counting, he had stopped around a hundred and that was several days ago. The callous wind swept up his frayed bloodied sash and kicked up the embers of a smoldering city.

With a long sigh, it felt like he took his first breath in ages. Releasing the lock on his helmet, it hissed as he pulled it off and let it fall to his feet. Several cracks streaked across its internal HUD, flickering until it finally died. Turning his head, fellow Titans emerged from behind cover and not a single one unscathed. He could already see many of his brothers and sisters sprawled among the debris with their enemy. Hopefully some of them were still breathing.

A sudden crack drew everyone's attention overhead. Weapons ready, they scanned the skyline for any more threats but stopped as all eyes were drawn to the Traveler. A loud groan of grinding metal echoed off the city walls. The ever present glow like the sun wavered like a candle in the void.

"This can't be happening. This is not happening." Daewon heard someone mumble before seeing her fall to her knees.

With a harrowing screech, it sounded as if the Traveling was crying. The painful howls drew a collective gasp from the city's inhabitants as they began to step out onto the war torn streets. The soft murmurs were slowly building up into panicking shrieks. Daewon and his fellow Guardians tried to calm the citizens, but even they, the mighty protectors of the city, couldn't hide the seeds of despair taking root in their hearts.

"So much lost, too much blood, and our walls couldn't do anything. How are we supposed to continue like this?" Daewon thought, wondering if anyone else was thinking the same.

Another crash knocked him out of his reverie. It was falling, the Traveler was falling! Its white mass scattered the dark clouds in its descent. The Tower directly below it, it would surely crush it and anyone inside. But what could he do? Powerless, everyone looked on in horror as their greatest benefactor falls from the heavens.

He couldn't bear to watch. Turning his head with eyes closed, Daewon waited for the impending crash that would make his feet tremble. A couple of seconds came and went but nothing. He waited a couple more, still nothing. It was when he heard a gasp that he finally found the courage to look. And what he saw took his breath away.

Hanging just a few miles above the city, its presence was overwhelming at such a close distance. A gentle glow emanated from the great orb, not as strong but nonetheless comforting. At its base, there was a bright light twinkling furiously. Daewon scrunched his eyes to reduce the glare but to no avail. He had this strange feeling that the lights were moving, or was it just a trick of the light?

His answer was as a sudden shower of stars that came spilling down from the Traveler. Thousands, no, maybe in the millions, they were rushing throughout the city. The balls of light bounced and weaved around every obstacle and were coming his way.

Taking an uneasy step back, Daewon watched nervously as he could now see some sort of shape. But before he could get a clear look, a dozen of them whizzed past him. He spun around to see several dozen more fly overhead. Curious little things he thought they were. Small enough to hold in your hand and they had these pointy apparatuses around them.

Finally deciding to get a closer look, he saw one stop over one of his comrade's body. It was plain to see that the guardian was dead. The strange thing seemed to be scanning him for a moment before it burst open. People jumped away as the corpse was suddenly engulfed in light.

"What's happening? What is it doing?" The body disappeared as a Guardian ended his sentence. Where did he go? What did he do to his comrade in arms? Wanting answers, he approached the strange object but stopped, blinded by another flash of light. All eyes grew wide in shock as a body rematerialized standing upright. Could it be? No, it couldn't. But… if it was the Traveler then…

"T-This is… I'm… not dead?" The once lifeless guardian stared in disbelief at his hands before moving to check his wounds, none to be found. "Am I really? I'm alive…?"

All around, he could see those strange objects floating to a dead guardian and repeat what he just saw. In a flash of brilliant light, his brother or sister he thought gone returned in the twinkle of an eye. Was this a miracle? There were no other words to describe the magic flowing through the city.

A few minutes ago, they were drowning within the deepest pits of despair, but look at them now. No matter how far, how deep, or how lost they thought they were, the Light found a way.

"Hello there Guardian."

"Whoa!" Daewon jumped, hearing a disembodied voice sneak up on him. Twirling in place, he couldn't find the source and wondered if he had started to lose his mind after all that's happened till now.

"Forgive me. I had no intention to startle you." One of those mysterious objects leisurely floated down to his eye level. He was frozen in place as it circled around him. Its exterior swiveled and clicked feverishly. "If I may, I advise you find a place to rest as soon as possible. With your current stress levels, I'm worried you might not last for the rest of the day."

"W-Worried?" Daewon didn't know how to react, but he felt some of his anxiety fade hearing this strange object… this… thing was worrying about him. "You're worried about me?" He had to ask to be sure he heard right.

"Correct. I believe that is the accurate context within our current situation. Perhaps I made a miscalculation? But my logic drive reports no error." It opined pragmatically.

"Um, before we continue, I need to ask. Who… or what are you?"

"Oh dear, how could I have skipped such an imperative process? I'm… I am a Ghost." Daewon's face turned pale. "Ah, I detect a rapid increase of your heartbeat. Is that… my fault?"

"Ah well, you see… when you say ghost, I don't know about you but most people would immediately think of an incorporeal entity that haunts a place or person." Daewon tried his best to explain off the top of his head.

"Ghost… Ghost… Oh dear, forgive my carelessness. Allow me to further explain, but please know this." It floated backwards to offer a little breathing room. "I am not just a Ghost. I am your Ghost."

Daewon raised an eyebrow, "You are my ghost…?"

"Yes! He, the one you call the Traveler, asked us to go choose… choose a companion. Watch over them, to guide them." The Ghost looked up to the grand orb hanging above the city. "And I chose you."

For a second, it felt like it was beaming at him even when it had no discernable face. Scratching his head, Daewon was trying to make some sense of the sudden turn of events. "So the Traveler created you?"

The Ghost hummed as if it was processing his question. Daewon stared at its strange looking eye until it finally answered, "This is difficult. If I must give you an answer, it is both yes and no."

There was a metaphorical question mark hanging above Daewon's head, not expecting such an extraordinary reply.

"You already know, the Traveler has taken extensive damage, or… to put it eloquently he is terribly hurt. Right as we speak, he's preparing to go to sleep. That… is the best metaphor I can offer you."

The Ghost spun its shell inquisitively seeing its Guardian breathe a sigh of relief. "For what reason are you sighing?"

"No, it's just… I'm relieved. For a moment there, I thought he was… you know." Daewon didn't want to finish the sentence.

"… I see. Though within its… sleeping state, the traveler cannot watch over humanity. Thus knowing this, he created us to watch over you in his stead." All around him, many guardians were already wrapped in conversations with their ghosts. "I look forward to your company, Guardian."

"Daewon."

"Daewon… what is that? I have no such term within my database." It seemed distressed.

"No-no, Daewon is my name. It feels weird, you simply calling me guardian. So you can call me by my name from now on."

"I see… Understood, Daewon. Categorized and archived." It spoke its thoughts aloud.

"You're a strange little guy." Daewon said while rubbing his chin.

"Strange? Could you please extrapolate on how that could be? I am operating at optimum levels and detect no anomalies within my systems." There, that's what was so strange.

"Just now, were you a little mad because I called you strange?" He had an amused grin on his face.

The Ghost bobbed up and down for a full five seconds before it replied with a flat, "No."

"I don't believe you."

"Your deduction is irrational and logically flawed. There is no reason for me to answer dishonestly towards my guardian."

"There again, you called me a guardian instead of using my name."

"… A minor detail." Daewon's Ghost looked away.

"Uh huh, a minor detail it is then." Daewon found this fascinating and most entertaining to say the least. "You know, a while back there, I thought you were just some kind of machine or AI. But when I'm talking to you right now… what are you really?"

His Ghost turned back to look at him. "I… I was created to watch over humanity, to do what he could no longer do. I am a Ghost. That is all, nothing more and nothing less."

"Is that true?" Something gnawed at Daewon's mind. If the traveler really created the Ghost just to watch over humanity, why does he sense so much personality? There's something there, and he's barely scratched the surface. He can feel it for sure.

The traveler was so close to humanity yet so far away. Daewon learned of all the wonderment and blessings humanity received and was ever grateful for the golden age that was ushered, but he never felt any kind of deep connection. He knew who the Traveler was yet he didn't know him.

"Hey, this may sound really stupid but just bear with me okay?" The Ghost adjusted its eye lens before gesturing what seemed like a nod. "When I was a kid, I always wondered what it'd be like to meet the traveler. We always hear about all the great things he did but I never really knew the guy."

"Indeed, he kept a moderate distance when it came to personal relations."

"So I was thinking, and this sounds a little crazy I think but… maybe you're the Traveler?"

There was a long, long silence until the Ghost interjected, "I highly advise that you quickly find a comfortable place to rest and recover from your fatigue. I will search for the nearest relief station."

"No, wait; just hear me out for a minute!" Daewon caught the Ghost in between his hands.

"I ask that you quickly release me and find the nearest relief station!" The Ghost tried to pry itself from his grip.

"Earlier you said yes and no if you were created. Why didn't you say it was one or the other?"

"That's because…" It fell short of an answer.

"When I'm talking to you, it feels like I'm talking to someone, a person, a friend. You know what I mean?"

"… So then you're suggesting that the millions upon millions of other Ghosts throughout the city is also the Traveler?" It sneered in a mocking tone.

"Hey, you don't have to use an attitude with me. And what kind of machine or AI talks back to his owner?"

"You're not my owner. I'm here to watch over you." It narrowed its focus lens.

"Hah, you just admitted to yourself you're not just a machine!"

There was a brief pause and hum before it replied, "Well played." Another long silence hung in the air, as their conversation hit a dead end. "Might I suggest we set this topic aside and continue on a later date?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea."

"And could I make one more request?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Could you please let go of me now?"

"Oh! S-Sorry about that." Daewon released his Ghost. It floated up, spinning and stretching its shell like it was relieving some pressure.

The two of them looked around the city block they were in. Though it was battered and destroyed, the people did not lose hope. As a matter of fact, it was bursting around the city. They could always rebuild and come back stronger than before. But while listening around, a curious thought crossed Daewon's mind.

"Hey, I was wondering. Are you… a guy?" He awkwardly asked.

"If you are referring to whether or not I have a specific gender, then the answer is no."

"I see. Then could you grant me a request?" The Ghost sunk, having a bad feeling. "Is it possible to switch your voice to a female model?"

"Please tell me you are joking."

"Can you make it sound cute, too?" Daewon's eager face was filled with anticipation.

"Well this is a most unusual request. I can attempt to fine-tune some of my processes and it will take time to adjust but…" There was short break before she continued, "Does this sound about right?"

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