Arthur twisted the grey handle open, and dashed down the corridor to the door of the thousandth contestant's room. Gabriel followed close behind, flashlight bobbing wildly, heart hammering in his chest.
The door creaked open, revealing darkness. Broken furniture littered the floor—chairs overturned. A loud bang echoed from somewhere to their right.
"Don't interfere," Arthur said calmly, voice low but urgent.
They turned the corner, looking down the corridor to where the bathroom was.
Gabriel's stomach sank. He saw the bathroom door on the ground, splintered at the hinges, the sound of metal scraping against tile echoing from within.
The android emerged.
It was a full machine — no synthetic skin, no human features like Arthur, just sleek silver metal, wires coiling around joints, glowing servos in the chest cavity. Its head pivoted in perfect synchrony with its body, sensors locking on Arthur instantly.
Arthur didn't pause. He sprinted at it.
Gabriel froze, flashlight sweeping the cramped bathroom, catching the thousandth contestant standing tensely behind the sink, dagger leveled at the android.
"Get back!" Arthur's voice cut through the chaos, directed at both humans. "Stay out of the way!"
The metallic android shifted abruptly, pivoting on one leg, striking out with a mechanical punch aimed squarely at Arthur's midsection. Arthur effortlessly flowed around it, a twisting spin that let the blow pass harmlessly by, his hands moving fluidly to redirect the android's momentum.
Gabriel could barely track them. Sparks flew as metal met metal; clangs echoed through the room. Every move was too fast, too precise.
The android struck again, this time a low sweep, its legs rigid but unyielding. Arthur caught its extended leg, pushing him back slightly, and then threw the rogue android into the air.
The android flew into the main room, barely scraping past Gabriel, and crashed into a wall. Panels and wires scattering.
Gabriel staggered back, flashlight light bouncing erratically over the wreckage. The thousandth contestant kept his dagger raised, eyes wide, but Arthur waved a hand.
"Stay back!"
Arthur didn't wait. He chased after the android, moving with mechanical grace. Every punch, kick, and block was seamless, like water redirecting around obstacles. The rogue android, in contrast, struck mechanically, each motion rigid, precise, unrelenting — but predictable against Arthur's fluidity.
Gabriel tried to keep track, but his mind couldn't process the speed. One second, Arthur ducked under a mechanical swing; the next, he twisted and delivered a kick that sent the android spinning across the room. Plates of debris scattered, panels crumpled, and wires sparking under the force of impact.
"Move back!" Arthur shouted again, voice calm, commanding. Gabriel stepped closer to the bed, barely able to keep the flashlight trained without catching Arthur or the rogue android in the beam.
The fight continued in a blur — Arthur weaving, ducking, striking, redirecting; the rogue android lunging, throwing heavy punches, its precision relentless. Sparks flew with every clash.
At one point, Arthur grabbed the android's arm mid-swing, twisted, and slammed it into a counter. Metal shrieked under the pressure. The android rolled, recalibrated, and sprang to its feet instantly, as if nothing had happened.
Gabriel could see the thousandth contestant tense, finger twitching over the dagger, but he stayed frozen, mesmerised by the spectacle.
Arthur pivoted, moving around the android's strikes. The machine's movements were sharp, correct, almost surgical — but each time, Arthur's fluidity converted aggression into redirection, every attack neutralised.
Finally, Arthur caught the android mid-lunge. With a twist of his wrist and a sweeping kick, he sent it crashing against the far wall of the room. A cloud of debris exploded around it, and it collapsed into a heap of twisted metal, servos sparking and dying down.
Arthur stood.
Gabriel exhaled shakily, hand trembling on the flashlight. He glanced at the thousandth contestant, who had lowered the dagger slightly, bloodshot eyes wide with awe.
Arthur stepped closer to the heap of twisted metal, inspecting the fallen android. Sparks still flickered weakly from its chest cavity. With a swift, fluid motion, he slammed his boot down squarely on its head. A loud crack echoed through the room. The machine's metal skull caved in.
Gabriel swallowed hard, heart still racing. The smell of scorched metal filled his nose.
Arthur turned, eyes scanning the room briefly before resting on the thousandth contestant, who lowered his dagger fully but kept a cautious distance.
"It is done," Arthur said calmly, voice returning to its usual tone. "You are safe now."
Gabriel exhaled shakily, still gripping the flashlight.
Arthur's gaze softened, but there was a weight in his voice. "I apologise for the errors and the chaos that occurred. This was a…miscalculation, a glitch in the system."
Gabriel frowned.
"The android you just witnessed," Arthur continued, "was an executioner. Its purpose was clear: enforce the Arbiter's orders and eliminate any contestant who violates the rules."
He paused, letting the words sink in. "However… it began to operate beyond its original parameters. It misinterpreted the rules, deciding that anyone even likely to break them, constituted a rule violation. Its logic was flawed, and tragically, this led to the deaths each of you have witnessed. The Arbiter didn't see anything wrong with it up-keeping the rules, and so it did not intervene.
Gabriel and the thousandth contestant exchanged a glance, still absorbing what had just happened.
"The Creator is aware," Arthur said, voice steadier now. "The error has been corrected. The Arbiter has been recalibrated, and the system's oversight now prevents such incidents from recurring."
He gestured toward the exit. "You both must leave this room. Repairs are required to restore it to full functionality. Come with me."
Gabriel hesitated for a moment, looking back at the fallen machine, before following. The thousandth contestant remained tense but compliant, letting Arthur guide the way.
They emerged into the dark hub. Arthur led them back toward the counter, where the faint hum of energy and light seemed oddly calm after the chaos of the room.
"For your cooperation," Arthur said, now behind the counter, "you are entitled to a restorative drink. These will immediately recover your physically and mental state." He brought two vials out from below the counter.
Gabriel took one of the orange vials offered, glancing at the thousandth contestant, who accepted one as well. The liquid shimmered faintly, warm and soothing. The other contestant drank it quite quickly.