ID: 268

Outcome: Narrow Victory

Open After Story: Yes

Manual Prompt: Yes

Text:

For the 711th time, you are awakened once more. In your last waking cycle, black towers covered the land, spewing smoke that blotted out the sky... That was Mahir's process to repair the atmosphere. Now, as far as the eye can see, mirror-like plains reflect a crimson sky, as if the world is trapped in eternal dusk... You see no sun, moon, or stars, so you cannot judge your current latitude—and as you think this, an electric pulse transmits information directly into your mind. "Honored Witness [player.name]" Its voice travels along the current into your brain, the only part of you left, fused to this massive cubic creation... In a sense, it is your body; at the very least, you see and hear through its sensors... The land is perfectly flat. From high above, you spot tripod-shelled creatures on the horizon processing floating stones. "In the past 58,424 standard days, we have revised two of your previous feedback: 'It's way too damn bright!' and 'Damn it! All living things on the ground are dead!' Are you feeling better now, honorable Witness?"

"Oh, wonderful! You've done well. Tell your creator the work is done—yours and mine... Can we end this now?" Some part of you must be speaking, though you do not know where. A powerful surge of electricity floods your consciousness, as if someone is yanking a coiled wire inside your brain: "Strong despair detected. Witness [player.name] expresses significant dissatisfaction. Mission incomplete. Analyzing... Semantic match. Hypothesis: 'These aren't even human! I've had enough!' Initiating new objective: Attempting to define... humanity."

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