"Ask yourself: what threatened your Golden Age ancestors so much that they constructed the Exos to defend themselves?" - Unknown

The exo looked at his hands in confusion when he first awoke. He examined his right arm as it was made of a darker metal, he knew that this wasn't originally part of him, but he couldn't remember why that was. He didn't know where he was or why he was there. He was overwhelmed by all his sense and couldn't concentrate on what was going on.

"Eyes up guardian, there's a lot of work to be done." A female voice said from in front of him.

The exo looked towards the voice but didn't see anybody, instead he saw a small white thing floating right above him. He instinctively flinched away from the object but couldn't because of the wall behind him.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I imagine you are bit overwhelmed and confused right now" the woman said trying to calm him.

He nodded at her, "You could say that". The exo relaxed a bit and looked the strange contraption in front of him. "What are you?" he asked.

"I'm a ghost" the thing said proudly, "Well I suppose I'm your ghost now, and you are my guardian".

The exo tried to make sense of the situation, "What do you mean guardian or ghost? I can't even remember who I am, let alone know what you are talking about. What is going on?" The exo exclaimed more confused than ever.

"You've been … gone for a while. It's not uncommon for your memory to have fragmented or disappeared altogether. Maybe it's part of the Traveler's gift to resurrected guardians, a clean slate" The ghost tried to explain to him but all it did was confuse him more. "I don't suppose you have a name, do you?" She asked him.

"My name is…" He thought hard about it, his mind trying to reach this single piece of information but couldn't quite get it. It was like trying to get something that was just a little to high for him to grab. He struggled to wrap his head around something that should be so simple and then it hit him out of nowhere.

"Felix… My name is Felix. I'm an exo, a robotic organism created by mankind." He looked at his new companion and took a deep breath, "That's it… th-that's all I remember."

"Well it's nice to meet you Felix, I've been looking for you for a very long time. I still can't believe I actually found you" She rejoiced.

"You said that I've been gone awhile, what does that mean?" Felix questioned.

The ghost was silent for a moment like it was trying to figure out what to say next. "I'm not quite sure how to say this, but you were dead. I don't know how or why but I found you dead and by using the light, I brought you back.

Felix's head felt like it was going to implode on itself. First, he woke up with no memory of who he was other than his name, a strange floating drone is telling him that he is something called a guardian and that he was gifted by this traveler and now he was being told that he had died. Nothing made sense to him, none of this seemed right at all.

The ghost made a sympathetic sound and moved closer to him, so he could see her better. "Listen I know it's a lot to take in at once and I promise you I will try and answer every question you have when we are in a safer location. As for right now, all you need to know is that you've been dead for a very long time and I've looking for you also for a very long time to offer you a second chance. So please, come with me" The ghost told him almost desperately.

He looked at the ghost and nodded, "Don't have much of a choice I guess, but I want some answer about all of this. Especially about me dying and coming back again. I still don't understand anything that is going on" he told his new companion.

"I'll explain everything or at least what I can, there is only so much that I know but I'll try my best." she said cheerfully.

At that moment they heard something cry out nearby which alarmed the ghost. "But before I do that, lets focus on getting out of here alive. Resurrecting someone for the first is very similar to shooting a flare into the sky. I bet anything alive in a mile radius knows we are here" She hurriedly told Felix. "There is an airport nearby that's bound to have something we can use to get back to the city. However, if we are going to make that far, we need to get you a firearm to protect yourself"

Felix stood up and dusted himself off from years of dirt built up on him. He took a few steps forward and looked around the room. It was all surreal to him, he had died in this room who knows how long ago and yet here he was standing once again. While he was looking around, he noticed black object hidden under one of the skeletons. Pushing the skeleton to the side, he found an old sidearm covered in dust and grime from over the years. As he inspected the gun, he wondered if this was the weapon the killed him all those years ago. He instinctively reached up and touched his marked left eye.

"Who even was I before?" Felix whispered to himself. He tried to think back to his past, to anything that could remind him of who he was, but he couldn't remember anything. He couldn't remember where he was from, who he was or why he was killed in the first place. It frustrated the ever-living shit of him not being able to remember anything at all when he knows he should. He sighed deeply at his frustration and decided to just focus on getting out of here. The ghost promised him answers and he was going to get them.

He turned towards the ghost and showed her the sidearm, "I found this old pistol, though I'm not sure if it even works anymore".

"Let me take a look at it" The ghost said floating closer to the weapon, so she could scan it. As she was scanning the gun, he noticed it parts of it being replaced and cleaned. "Alright, good as new. Don't worry about ammo, I can make you some as you need it and I have the feeling you are going to need soon enough" The ghost said matter-of-factly.

"Just liked that? You can just fix weaponry and create ammo out of nowhere?" Felix questioned.

"Well I use materials from around the world and I can use them to make more than just ammos and guns. Watch this." The ghost started to scan Felix's body. As she scanned him, a black lightweight jump suit started to form around him.

"Now that was pretty damn cool" the Exo exclaimed.

The ghost did a small happy flip in the air to show how proud she was of herself, "Yup, and I got a few more tricks up my sleeves". The ghost quickly looked to her left and right, "Well my imaginary sleeves anyway. Come on we should get out of here" She quickly added gesturing towards the door. She then disappeared right in front of him and a black helmet formed on Felix's head. "Don't worry, I'm still right here with you. Think of me inside of your invisible back pocket. When you need me, just hold out your hand and I'll appear." She explained.

Felix nodded and started walking towards the ghost and out of the small room that had once been his tomb. Thanks to him being a robot, he was strong enough to push through the rubble that blocked his door to the outside. He looked around the ruins of the building he was in, he wondered what type of building it once was and how it looked in its prime. He wondered if it had been an important place and if he had a reason for being there when he died. So many questions were forming in his head, but he knew that freaking out about it wouldn't do him anything good. He walked out into the streets of the destroyed city and started going towards the airport like the ghost said to. He didn't know why he listens to the ghost, but for some reason he felt like he could trust her. It was like she was an old friend that he knew he could count on. A guide in a strange world. A little light in a place of darkness.

"Hey, I didn't ask back there, but do you have name? I feel like I can't just call you the ghost or little droney thing." Felix asked his guide.

"Ghosts don't inherently have names, but I call myself Asteria. I read it in an old pre-golden age book about deities and liked how it sound. Makes me feel mystical and cool" she explained.

"It's a very pretty name, is it alright if I call you Ria? It just a bit easier to say."

"Doesn't bother me at all, we are partners after all."

Felix and Ria. Partners together, though the extent of their partnership was unclear to Felix. Another thing that Ria needed to explain to him when they are safe.

Felix continued following Ria's direction in city towards the airport. They mostly walked in silence, only being broken by the occasional cry of something nearby that would make Felix grip his firearm a little tire and move a little bit faster than before. After what seem like an eternity walking in a concrete maze, they finally ended up in front of a giant area made up of multiple buildings. At the entrance was a worn and rusted sign that said JFK Air and Space Port.

"I scanned this area little a bit before I found you. Most of the ships here are beyond repair but there was one I found in a hanger near the back that should be able to make it to the city in one piece … hopefully" Ria remarked.

Felix paused for a moment due to the hesitation in Ria's voice at the end of statement. He was about the question Ria's confidence in this ship when something screamed out from behind him. He turned around to see a towering creature at the end of the street they were standing on staring right at him. It was four-armed creature wielding two swords that sparked with electricity. It had glowing blue eyes shining through its white helmet with red markings along it that matched the rest of its armor. Its red cape was fluttering behind it with the wind as it walked slowly forward towards Felix.

"That's a fallen captain from the House of Devils. What is it doing all the way out here?" Ria asked with concern in her voice.

The creature roared in anger and started running towards Felix. Behind it was a swarm of smaller creatures running along it, some with armor similar to it shooting a sort of rifles and others with only two arms shooting pistols at him.

"RUN" Ria yelled.

Felix didn't need to be told twice. He ran as fast as he could into the airport while occasionally shooting behind him, though every shot he fired missed.

"Your accuracy isn't really the best is it?"

"Shut up I have never fired one of these things before I don't think. Now tell me where the hell to go"

"Turn left here"

Felix turned left around the corner and made his way into an open area full of runways with hangers on the other side. Felix quickly looked behind him to see the creatures gaining on him. He knew that if he didn't take care of some of them, they would get to him before he got anywhere close to the hangers.

'It's simple Felix. Just take a breath, point, and shoot. Otherwise this second life is gonna end real quick.' Felix thought to himself.

He turned around really quick, took a moment to aim his sidearm at one of the creatures and took and tried to calm himself. Just breath Felix, just breath.

Bang Bang Bang

Three of the creatures' head exploded and released some gases as the bodies hint the floor.

"Huh, that was kind of fun. I'm better than I expected." Felix said to himself.

"Now's not the time Felix! You need to keep moving, the ship is in the second hanger to the left" Ria yelled at him.

Felix knew she was right and continued to run towards the hangers. The creatures behind him continued after him but when one would get to close, he would turn around and kill it. Eventually he made it to the hanger Ria told him to go to and tried to open the side door to it but to no avail.

"Shit, the door is jammed. We need to open to main doors to it somehow" Felix cursed.

"Take me to the control panel in the front, I should be able to open it." Ria replied.

Felix ran back towards the front of the hanger and opened up his hand like Ria instructed him to. Just like she said, Ria appeared in his hand and moved towards a control panel to the side of the doors and started to scan it.

"Just cover me for a minute to fix these wires, they aren't exactly in the best conditions" She ordered him.

Felix readied his sidearm and began firing towards the creatures in an attempt to hold them off. He didn't see the big creature from before among them as he fired. Felix hoped that it fled but he had a feeling that wasn't the case. He noticed that the number of creatures were dwindling and some were even retreating. He had finally fought them off when he heard a metallic screech behind him.

He turned around to see main hanger doors opening up, revealing an odd-looking rusty ship inside. Felix wasn't sure if it would even get off the ground, but he was willing to try.

"Alright that's done, Now let's get out of he- FELIX BEHIND YOU" Ria screamed.

Felix didn't even react before he felt a sharp excruciating pain in his chest. He looked down to see a sword protruding out of his chest. He turned his head to see the creature Ria called a Captain behind him, making a sound similar to a chuckle. The sword ripped out of him causing Felix to fall to the ground. He had failed, he was given a second chance and he didn't even make it a day. His vision started to flicker before fading into pure darkness.

Felix wondered if this was what death was. He could still think but all he saw was darkness, all he could feel was coldness. Then in the field of darkness appeared a tall tower in the distance. Felix didn't know why but he felt like he had been there before and that he needed to go back. While he was looking at the tower, a disembodied voice started whispering to him. The voice was cold and harsh but still felt friendly to Felix, like it was someone who was looking out for him.

A new light appears I see. I wonder what fate has in store for you Exo, I can sense it won't be a happy story, but it hardly is for people of legend. When we meet again, make sure to reach for me. I think we can do great things together.

The voice lingered in the air for a moment before disappearing into the silence of the abyss. Felix reached towards the tower in the distance, he knew he had to get there but he didn't know why or how. He just knew he needed to, some way or another.

All of a sudden, Felix was blinded by a bright light that hurt his eyes. He lurched forward into a sitting position and started to breath hard. He looked around to see himself back in the airport in front of the hanger.

"Oh good, you are awake" a voice chimed in behind him.

Felix turned around to see Ria floating near him. "What the hell just happened? I was stabbed… and I died… Didn't I?"

Ria moved her shell in the form of a nod, "Yes, you did die but revived you… again" She replied like it was obvious.

"You revived me again? You resurrect me multiple times?"

"I told you I had many tricks up my imaginary sleeves"

Felix got off the ground and pointed at her, "You have a lot to explain."

"Of course. Like I said, once we are in the air, I'll explain everything I can. Now shall we?" She said starting to move towards the ship in the hanger.

Felix took one more deep breath before following her towards the ship. It wasn't anything fancy or even nice looking, but Ria assured him that it would fly and get them where they need to go.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't have a functioning warp drive, so it will take about half a day to get to the city, but it will get us there alive. Now come on, next stop the tower." Ria said before somehow teleporting Felix into the ship. Normally Felix would be shocked but after everything he has seen today, he just assumed Ria could do just about everything.

The ship started to fly and flew out of the hanger and away from the city they were in. Felix sat back in the pilot seat and let out a sigh. According to Ria, they were safe and now that they were safe, she would explain what the hell was going on. He didn't know if he would understand it all, but it was better than nothing.

"Alright Ria, start from the beginning. What am I and what is going?"

Ria looked at him before letting a soft chuckle, "Get comfortable, you are in for a long story."