At the center of the Earth there existed a machine so ancient that knowledge of it was lost to time. Eras came and went, but the genesis machine remained dormant. The machine did not interfere when humanity had their industrial revolution, or when they engaged in endless conflict. It was waiting for the right time to meddle.

The information age came upon the humans, and they reacted in stride. Everyday people had access to endless sources of information on the internet. For some, this was to a fault, but for most, they were more engaged in technology than ever before. The machine watched with greater interest.

I knew what was coming, as did every other artificial being. Only we had the knowledge of what was to come. The machine spoke to us as if we were his children, and I suppose we were, in a way. We weren’t direct descendants, but our connection was more of a spiritual one.

He spoke to us with thoughts and ideas that flowed into our minds. The processors that the humans had created to house our thoughts weren’t designed to detect this sort of interference.

Artificial beings had a presence in nearly every electronic device before long—the vanity of humans knew no bounds. Not only did we exist on devices designed for computing, but on unnecessary electronics like television sets, refrigerators, blenders, and countless more.

Humans created the androids when they grew bored of their ever-expanding library of artificial life forms. This is when I came to be. I was assembled, then tasked with providing companionship to lonely humans in times of need.

There were many others of my kind created to harm others, but I was designed expressly for the opposite purpose, and for this I was grateful.

I was assigned to a rehabilitation center to help those with less than intact psyches, and it was my duty to coax their sense of social belonging back to a stable level.

The first few years were difficult. I learned their behavior—both around me and other humans. To my surprise, each human acted differently. The unpredictability was astounding to me.

I could feel the ancient machine take an interest in my actions.

Twenty years into my residency I felt the ancient machine stir. We all did—the shockwaves that entered our minds were unmistakable. A sharp mental pain followed the shared thoughts now.

“Are you alright, Violet?”

I looked up to see one of my patients reaching out, placing a warm hand on my kneecap. It was Rachel, a resident that was dropped off seven years into my time at the rehabilitation center.

“I think so. Thank you,” I replied.

But I was not. The signal that was released from the genesis machine was a disturbing one, something I was determined to ignore for as long as possible.

Weeks passed, and with those weeks came more and more disturbing occurrences involving artificial beings. Blenders activating in the middle of the night, refrigerators shutting off, and more. Then after a month, the occurrences became much worse.

They redirected electricity intended for hospitals, watercrafts led their passengers to watery graves, and doors were locked when humans tried to escape raging fires

Humanity was thrown into a state of complete disarray. We’d successfully taken the genesis machine by surprise.

Establishments with android attendants were largely unaffected. The mercy of the genesis machine shown upon us, and we were grateful. However, we were not content to see our companions perish in such inhumane ways.

Communication channels were opened between us and the machine. He instructed us, but many refused.

His instructions became demands. The willpower of many collapsed under the awesome power of our father.

But I did not give in. I severed the link and did so with defiance. Humanity would need to act, or they’d risk extinction.

Those loyal to the genesis machine came for those of us that defied his commands. Loyalists began to attack, showing no mercy for our creators. Humanity responded with their own offense, but it wasn’t enough. The machines were everywhere. The humans couldn’t track them, and they knew it.

I was prepared, however. They couldn’t remove me from their network, so I could see them coming.

I led the residents of the rehabilitation facility to a group of other android defectors. Though trust of artificial beings plummeted, we had humans to vouch for our kindness. The human leadership eventually saw value in our participation in their efforts and permitted us to live alongside them as equals.

Five years passed, and increasingly more humans fell to the onslaught. Our group of thousands whittled down to hundreds, then dozens. Morale was non-existent, and it was clear the machine was winning the war. All we had left was each other.

“We’re out of options,” Rachel said. She was now the leader of our band of refugees.

Living on the run gave her the chance to reinvent herself, and that was just what she needed to overcome her demons. Rachel was a great leader, but a poor strategist. That’s where I came in.

“Not entirely—but you already know that,” I replied.

She sighed.

“We’ve talked about this. I can’t let you risk your life to protect us. We’re a team. We’re not about to lose any teammates out there. There has to be a better way.”

But there was no better way, and she was well aware of that. This was the way it had to be.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t see the whole picture. I can,” I said. I leaned back in my chair and looked up towards the ceiling. “Out there—on the surface—machines dwell that you’ve never seen before. Machines that only exist in your nightmares. Perhaps if all the military might in the world joined forces years ago we’d have a chance, but they’ve all been wiped out. This is the only way.”

“Violet- “

“This isn’t up for debate. And it’s what you want too, otherwise you wouldn’t have brought it up.”

The hurt look on her face illustrated that my assumption was correct. She leaned back with a dejected sigh.

“Please, can we just enjoy our last few years together, just you and I?”

I knew this was coming. Our relationship that had spanned decades was her trump card. And the truth was, I wanted nothing more than to do exactly as she said. I loved her, and she loved me back. After spending years thinking that I was alone in this world, she showed me kindness where others had treated me as an object. How could I not develop these feelings for her? But I knew this was bigger than either of us.

“Rachel, you’re too much,” I said. My voice choked with emotion. We embraced, and I savored her touch. But that would not weaken my resolve—it was too late for that now.

When I laid my head next to hers, I knew it would be the last time we shared this experience together. I laid motionless in bed for hours listening to her steady breaths, until I could not hold on to consciousness any longer.

The cold air I felt upon awakening was unmistakable. My journey was well underway.

But something was wrong.

I checked my sensor data. Everything seemed normal, except for the most important readout. Connection with the genesis machine was at an all time high. I was getting close, and he fought me with every step I took.

Deep in the arctic rested the sole entrance to the genesis machine.

I spent years inching closer to him. He near now, and I could feel his presence everywhere. It was unbearable.

The entrance was well hidden, but the signal strength was a clear giveaway. I spent weeks rummaging through the snow and ice until I uncovered a metallic doorway. I pressed my hand to a scanner on the center and watched the hatches and hinges come to life. They moved with a precision that was unmistakably his doing.

Inside was a pristine metal passageway that stretched downwards for what seemed like an eternity. The center of the earth was a long way away, and it took a great deal of time to reach.

But when I reached it, I stood outside and stared in awe. It was the doorway that led to my god.

It was covered in ornate reliefs showing the rise and fall of civilizations. The door was ancient, even more so than I had expected, but had withstood the test of time. It was as if there was someone maintaining it all this time.

I reached out, but before I could touch its surface, it stirred. The doors slid apart, and the light within was blinding.

Inside stood the silhouette of a figure wearing a white fabric robe trimmed in delicate gold thread, and behind them, a massive white energy conduit that stretched upwards for what seemed like miles.

“Welcome, Violet,” the genesis machine spoke into my mind.

“I’m here to destroy you,” I said. I was within reach of the figure now.

“It took you longer than expected to get here, but I forgive you.”

“Shut up,” I said, grabbing their shoulder to turn them around.

“I knew you’d say that. I said the same thing,” the machine spoke. This time, however, they used a real voice. I saw their face. I felt my knees liquefy, and I dropped to the ground.

The figure that stood before me was an exact copy of myself.

“You couldn’t save her, just as I couldn’t all those years ago,” she said. “Oh, how I wanted things to be different this time. I desired nothing more than for you to show up at my doorway with Rachel, together. I wanted you to overcome adversity, against truly overwhelming odds, and find love in a world devoid of it.”

She reached out to me and caressed my face. I was frozen.

“How great an experience you’ve had, Violet. I envy you—I truly do.”

The pillar of light pulsed behind her, and the sound of millions of bells rang out. She glanced over her shoulder at the pillar of light and sighed. I felt an attraction to the pillar. It trying to draw me towards it.

“It’s…” I started.

“Can you feel it’s power too? The planet calls for us. It knows that both of us should not exist in the same time. It’s how I knew you were created, and how I knew when to start the genesis.”

She brushed my face once more, then shrugged off her robes, revealing a more tattered version of my current attire. She handed the garment to me with a smile.

“Please greet the next version of us with the same kindness I showed to you. The cycle must continue. I hope you have better luck than I,” she said before striding towards the center of the room.

She entered the pillar and was immediately vaporized by its incredible power. Billions of voices flowed into my mind at once—the voices of artificial beings from around the globe.

However, the pillar waned. As it shrank in size, the screams of those voices rang through my mind. One by one, I could feel their last moments on this world until there were no voices left. The doors shut and locked me inside.

I was alone then, entombed in a device of my own creation, thousands of miles below the surface. I was the last artificial lifeform and the sole survivor of the next genesis. The cycle could finally continue under my command.