Systems booting up.
"Audio receptors should be online. Can you hear me, buddy? "
Audio recognition unsuccessful.
"Wh-w-who? " my audio box crackled.
"It's Lloyd. Try to stay calm, I don't know if your systems can handle stress right now. "
Lloyd?
Visuals offline.
I can't see.
Sensors offline.
I can't feel anything.
This is bad.
"It's okay buddy, I'm here, I'm here. Just try to stay calm, you'll be okay, I promise." Lloyd.
Hard to stay calm in a situation like this.
"Your eyes are covered by soot. I'll try to get it off. " Lloyd said.
The gray that covered my vision was replaced by a white cloth. As it left I saw Lloyd hovering above me.
"There we go. " he smiled.
I want to get up.
"Woah, woah, take it easy buddy. " Lloyd gently pushes my shoulders to -presumably- keep me laying down.
Visuals cut off.
"L- Lloyd? " my voice box is still struggling.
"It's okay, I'm here, your visual was cut off, that's okay. I'll try to get your physical sensors on." I heard his voice getting further.
Stress levels rising.
Stress levels critical.
"Zane? Z-"
.
.
.
Systems booting up.
Visual online.
I see the monastery ceiling.
Audio online.
I hear the whirring of computers and someone walking around.
Physical sensors online.
Someone is messing with my left knee.
Critical damage, left knee.
I try to pull my leg away.
"Zane? "
Audio recognition; Lloyd.
Lloyd.
"Lloyd? " voice box operations.
"Hi bud." I see him walking into my field of vision. "How are you feeling? "
Energy levels critical.
"Tired."
"That's weird. You've been sleeping for a few days." Lloyd hummed.
Days?
Stomach empty.
"Hungry." I barely have enough energy for talking.
"Right. I'll bring you a sandwich. Sound good? " He smiled and started turning around.
My arm shot out and I grabbed his wrist.
I didn't mean to do that.
"It's okay, I'll be back in a few minutes. I promise."
I whimpered.
Don't go.
He kneeled down to my eye level.
"Sorry Z. It'd be too risky to move you. I'll be back, you'll be alright. Promise. " his smile was warm.
I let go of his wrist. And he walked off.
I was left alone in the room, as much as I tried to stretch my audio receptors I couldn't hear Lloyd after he left the room.
… since when did Lloyd know engineering or programming? Where is Jay? Or Pixal?
Where is everyone? Cole would've at least tried to visit me by now. Master Wu would've come in sipping his tea.
In fact, the whole monastery seemed eerily quiet.
Where is everyone?
"Sorry, it took me a bit to find the cheese." Lloyd returned, he was holding a plate with four sandwiches.
He set the plate down and walked to me smiling.
"Would probably be more comfortable for you to sit up. "
I nod. After a bit of effort, I was sitting up, leaning against a wall. Lloyd handed me a sandwich. I bit into it and suddenly realized just how hungry I really was.
My questions faded to the back of my mind as I gulped down two sandwiches.
Lloyd chuckled: "tastes good huh? "
As I finish the second sandwich I chuckle as well: "affirmative. "
"That should keep you from falling asleep on me again. "
A small silence fills the room, Lloyd seemed nervous.
"Lloyd." I said.
"Yeah bud? " he replied, seeming to predict my question.
"Where is everyone?" a sense of worry started to build up in my chest.
"... They moved out. " Lloyd said his gaze darkening.
"Why? "
"They wanted to settle down. You've been offline for a long time. " Lloyd said, setting his hands on my shoulder.
"How long? "
He didn't reply.
"How long was I offline Lloyd? "
Were his eyes watering?
"Lloyd? "
He pulls me into a hug.
"You've been offline for five… " he swallowed the rest of that sentence.
"Years? D-decades? "
"Centuries."
...Centuries?
Five hundred… years?
This… it can't be… no… how could I? For five hundred… no, no. It doesn't make sense.
"I'm sorry. " Lloyd whispered.
This is a joke. A really bad joke.
"This isn't funny Lloyd. "
No reply.
"Tell me this is a joke… please. "
… "oh I wish it was. "
No…
"But they're gone. "
Gone.
No.
Frozen tears took over my sight.
What did I do to deserve this?
My family.
Gone.
I gently wrapped my arms around Lloyd.
At least I wasn't alone.