Timbersaw

Rizzrack could still hear the screams in his mind. He worked, frantically turning wrenches, twisting screws, building and carving and forging. Sleep eluded him; he only built. Months had passed since he had shut himself in his uncle's workshop, and his deliverance was nearly complete. He rubbed his back as his eyes drifted shut, and saw a blanket of flowers floating on the placid waves of Augury Bay before exploding into a cloud of pollen that silenced lives as it seized the lungs. He woke with a choking start. For hours the rhythmic sound of a whetstone filled the shop as he sharpened a set of massive blades, his mind filled with images of strangling vines garroting neighbors, enwrapping homes. The flooding of Augury Bay had been nothing compared to the violent horrors the waters left to take root beyond the city walls. But the saw-suit would make him strong and safe he thought, allowing himself this sliver of hope before the full might of his fear crashed into his fading mind. Branches and blood. When the city fell, Rizzrack fled trees that walked, and fought, and killed. Trees had shattered the gates and swarmed into the city. Trees had crushed and thrashed and stomped the last that Augury Bay could muster in defense, and stalked the few fleeing refugees. In addled silence Rizzrack unspooled the thick chain from the suit's arm, his hands quaking as he inspected each link and ran a trembling finger along the claw attached at its end. The saw-suit was ready.

With his hand trembling he sparked the bladed machine to life. Terror drove him, terror of what awaited him and of what he would have to face to have any hope of calming his mind. As the saw-suit shuddered to life he knew he must face this fear, and he knew he wouldn't like it one bit.

Rizzrackの耳にはまだあの叫び声がこびり付いている。彼は精確にレンチを回し、ねじを回し、組み立て、研削し、鍛造した。眠気とは無縁だった。ただ造った。叔父の作業所に閉じこもってから数ヶ月が過ぎ、解放されるまではあと僅かだった。
背中を掻きながらゆっくりと瞼が閉じられた時、彼はAugury Bayの穏やかな波に浮かぶ一面の花と、その爆発と共に肺を埋め尽くし人々を沈黙させるほどの花粉が蔓延したのを思い出した。彼は息苦しさとともに目を覚ました。その後数時間にわたり巨大な刃を砥石が研ぐ音が建物の中に響いた。荒れ狂う蔓が見知った人たちを絞め殺し、家々を覆いつくす光景で頭の中はいっぱいだった。Augury Bayの氾濫も、その水が都市の壁を越えて木の根を下ろさせてしまった悲劇に比べれば何と言うこともなかった。しかし、saw-suitで強く、平穏になれると彼は思っていた。消え入りそうな正気が絶望的な悪夢に押しつぶされる前に、僅かな希望の一片を与えてくれると。
枝と血に塗れた都市が崩壊したとき、Rizzrackは動き回る木を避け、戦い、そして殺した。木々が門を破って都市に雪崩れ込み、Augury Bayの最後の守りを無残にも粉砕し、隠れていた残り僅かな人々をも襲った。静かな混乱の中、Rizzrackはスーツの腕から分厚い鎖を引き出し、震える手でその連鎖をくまなく検査し、慄く指が末端に取り付けられた鉤爪に到達した。saw-suitは完成したのだ。
震える手でこの刃を持つ機械に命を吹き込んだ。自身を待ち受ける恐怖、平穏を得るために立ち向かわなければならないものへの恐怖が彼を駆り立てた。saw-suitの生きているかのような振動に、彼は恐怖に立ち向かわなければならないことを理解し、同時にそれが少しだけ気に食わなかった。