Sigma delved further into the dank cave in the side of the icy mountain. Regardless of the biting weather outside, this geological hole was rather warm and filled with moisture. Stalactites dripped warm water down onto fuzzy patches of lichen and moss that would normally have no business living this far north. Ochenkov placed a hand on the cave wall to find his path and found he slid right down its slimy surface.

An eerie purple light was cast around from Sigma's eyes and skin as the energy within him radiated out from his body. Ochenkov drew close to the rocky floor and observed some of the little puddles shaped like a foot. The ground was so soft from being soaked and composed of nothing but limestone that it worked almost like mud. "He here. Or someone is."

"Do you suppose the cave here is deep enough that I can use some of my sensors without detection?"

Ochenkov slowly examined the space they were in and mulled over the question. "Is why doctor is here yes?"

"Very true." Sigma's computer senses started to return to his body and numbers and graphs started to flit around the edges of his sight. What was once a dark cave came alive with mineral deposit readings, water sample analyses, and heat signatures on small reptiles crawling along the walls. Down ahead along the path though, everything remained cold and lifeless, though there were a variety of shapes and forms. "Nothing warm and human registering yet."

"Will never reveal self," Ochenkov grunted. "Master at hiding not stupid enough to show self at last minute. Will be tough until end." Ochenkov sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling as it met with acrid scents: sweat mingling with oil and machinery. Very human, salty sweat. "Is down there."

"I assumed as much," Sigma stated as he strode ahead. "But he cannot leave now I'm afraid. Trapped in the hole he dug himself." The pair continued to slowly slip and slide their way further into the cave. Ochenkov pulled some moss off the ground and tucked it away in his clothing, noting its medicinal properties and Sigma shook his head at the partner he had tagging along. At least the barbarian had proved useful in tracking without electronics.

Sigma's purple light bathed a cluster of machines in its eerie glow. They were mechanical boxes, quietly whirring as they worked and pumped something through pipes connected to their bases. The cyborg and tribesman slowed their approach, creeping forward and softly moving around the machines, only to step into a circular space in the cavern; a dead end.

There were more of the metal pumps against the walls of the cave, all of them emptying out whatever they were pumping into pipes that headed towards the middle of the area before diving into the earth. Ochenkov shuffled into the centre of it all and spun around, scanning everything his eyes could pick up in the light cast off by Sigma. The android joined his comrade and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Perhaps he lived here at one point but it seems he has moved on Ochenkov."

"No. Something not right." Ochenkov placed his ear to the ground and then tapped his knuckles against the floor. There was a dull sound from the earth, revealing it was solid rock under them.

"Again, I know you don't like the idea of being wrong but-"

The ground shook and vibrated, interrupting Sigma mid-sentence as a circle was cut into the ground surrounding the pair. "Is rock under us yes, but under that..." Ochenkov smirked. The centre of the space was slowly dropping, shifting downwards like an elevator and Sigma watched the metal boxes rise up and then out of his vision as he started to descend into sheer stone. Light burst up from under them as the rock continued to fall with control and grace. They were into an underground cavern now, one that was hung with artificial bulbs along the ceiling and others buried in the walls. As they continued to be lowered the pipes from above burst out of the rock and snaked down to join different machines that were scattered around the cave.

This newly revealed laboratory was filled with devices that flashed through Sigma's memories. A massive vat sat in one corner; life-reading screens registered different signatures on them; surgical arrays hovered over a metal table. Ochenkov saw many as familiar too, from his time spent in the secret base and the room with the computer. In fact he saw a similar model off to one side and instinctively reached down to where he had kept the discs. Only when he patted empty air did he remember what had happened to those treasures he had once carried.

"The lost son, after wandering infinite ages, reunited with his friend by following the great virtues, and with the assistance of the world." The fragile voice that bounced around the room was recognized by both travellers. It had been broken down since they last heard it, the spirit of its owner crushed and their physical body weathered.

"The book of Enia, the sixth passage, verse four," Sigma stated.

"I am not worthy to repeat such holy lines but I cannot help myself. They are one of the last things still driving me to continue my work Sigma. I have done such terrible things, such abominations to nature and to Saint Ishiyama that I feel my lips burn each time these pure words pass through them but I am also compelled by the spirit of our great saviour to spew them from my body." Ochenkov shuddered as he heard the man spoke; it reminded him of his time in the village. The rock shuddered to a halt, the elevator having arrived at the final floor. They were now in the middle of the laboratory, a loose replica of the one in the destroyed base where Sigma had been born. Standing before them was a slightly hunched man, half his face hidden by a set of goggles replete with scientific accessories. From under them lay a crooked, hooked nose, broken a few times before and under that the mouth that was speaking was surrounded by a salt and pepper beard. His thin, skeletal body was draped in a sullied once-white lab coat that hung from his body as though he were just a coat hanger. His legs were strong though, reinforced by a pair of metal braces with hydraulics servos that assisted in walking and standing, otherwise this man would be using a cane or, more likely, would need a wheelchair. "Good to see you again friend."

"Likewise Doctor Roth," Sigma replied.

* * * * *

The eastern sun rose along the horizon outside Narrius. The soldiers who marched forward across the plain were cast into shadow by the flaming ball behind them, giving them a dark, intimidating look. Brigadier General Marian watched it all on a viewscreen in his warship. The Archangel had been returned to the hangar and was being repaired and prepped for future combat. Marian knew what would be coming next. He had played his hand. The trump had come out. Now it would be the Artisans' turn to make their own move in the counter strike.

Marian rubbed his temples with a white gloved hand that absorbed some of the early morning sweat on his brow. What he wouldn't give to be back at home playing euchre against his brothers. Instead he was playing it with an entire nation's army and without a partner. It was getting to be rather taxing on his mind and body and he was finding that sleep was eluding him more and more with each passing night.

"Sir, the Artisans are within one hundred kilometres on the approach. Goliaths can jump to assault within the next five minutes."

Marian waved the report away and the officer took off down the hall to the next person he needed to speak with. The general's finger hovered over a selection of buttons on the table in front of him, each one a different line of communication. Finally he settled on one and the comm link crackled open. "Bring out the Templar general. Have him lead the defence."

"Very good sir," came the reply and the line went dead. Whether the Artisans were bringing out their best or not, Marian was fighting for real now. No more attacks and retreats and casualty reports. No more Exo-suits and expendable pilots trying to be heroes. It was time to bring in the real fighters, the proven veterans. It was time to win.

* * * * *

General Scoly slid forward in his cockpit, his seat locking into place as his Goliath's door closed in front of him, the chest sealing up. His panoramic display lit up before his eyes and he wrapped his fingers around the throttles and controls. Things all looked to be in order as boot-up checks started running and diagnostic reports flew by.

The engine started to hum, relaxing the general into a bit of a trance. He always loved the moments before everything started, before the battle began. That special time when it was just him and the machine in a silence punctuated only by white noise, that was what he lived for. But it never lasted because after a few seconds it would be time to deploy and lead the assault.

"All clear sir," came one of the mechanics over the network.

"Clear here." Scoly flipped one of the switches above his head and his Goliath's orange eyes lit up as power surged through its every facet. His was a Templar-class suit, designed after the knights of the medieval period. He had heard that there was an Artisan pilot with a similar one out there but had yet to see it for himself. No matter, his was far superior to any other out there and his skill as a pilot could usually surpass anyone else with a matching Goliath.

The Goliath, known as The Fervent Prayer, was only slightly bulkier than the average and was built only to do minor combat manoeuvres. It couldn't take intense amounts of punishment or give it out. Instead it was mostly designed to channel the chi of its pilot and to represent the holy guidance of Saint Ishiyama as it was embroidered with various symbols and religious paraphernalia.

Scoly reached out his Goliath's hand and grasped the spiked mace that he had used since day one of being a pilot. His shield was loaded onto his right arm, his off-hand because of his lefty nature. The Fervent Prayer shuddered as it was released of all the different scaffolding and locks surrounding it. Time to step out of the hangar; step out of Narrius and into the fray. Behind the general was a mass of other Goliaths gathering information and preparing for war.

Metal gates groaned as they slid open, letting in the early morning sunlight that cast itself on the warmachines as they exited the city. Scoly was dazzled by the brilliance of nature and murmured his daily prayer to his beloved saint. He then withdrew a small piece of paper from his pocket, a photo, and tucked it into a piece of paneling to his side so that it was within his peripheral vision.

It was a picture of his girlfriend back home, when they had gone to the beach and she had been vibrant and bright and smiling. The last vacation they took together before his service started again. The pilot's heart grew heavy thinking of her and of his plan to propose to her when he got back. He had yet to buy a ring but how hard could it be? Being a general gave him a moderate salary so money wasn't too much of an object and he knew that she was a simple girl. It wasn't about flash with her, it was about meaning. That's why he loved the picture. Always there, every single time he had ever gone into combat. Always beside him.

* * * * *

"How long did it take you to find me?" Doctor Roth had gone back to rummaging around his workshop after giving out his greeting. Ochenkov was shocked to see the man was not in awe of the cyborg that stood in the centre of the lab, even though he had had a part in creating it. The tribesman imagined he would be fairly surprised to see something he built come to life and yet the doctor brushed it aside as though it were commonplace. Then again, maybe it was.

"He helped out." Sigma nodded towards Ochenkov and the barbarian bowed. This person was a bit of a legend in Ochenkov's mind after listening to the audio files. It was like meeting the original storyteller of one of his tribe's fables. It was awe-inspiring and made Ochenkov forget he was probably only just a bit younger than the doctor.

"Yes I built this place with the specific goal of never being found by someone like you Sigma, or of anyone with similar capacity but..." The doctor paused and shuddered a little with a chill. He placed his hand on the vat in the corner of the room and sighed. "But I guess there is no escaping is there."

"Anyone can find redemption through the virtues of humanity and the spirit of the world," Sigma spoke with contempt in his voice.

"That is verse two, Sigma. I'm not surprised you know so much of it. After all, I'm the one who uploaded it all to your brain." The doctor forced a weak smile and leaned against the large tube, his frail body needing the rest. He motioned for Ochenkov and Sigma to take up a seat on anything they could find. Ochenkov was content to fold his legs on the ground, feeling at home within the earth's embrace. Sigma didn't budge.

"What else did you put in there doctor? What other information did you slip into my head for fun? What did you deem was useful and what wasn't? What about the safeguards? Those things to keep me from my memories of before. They're in there too right? You can take them out can't you? You can tell me everything."

Doctor Roth stood in silence for a while and let the questions and accusations hang in the air. Ochenkov closed his eyes and meditated to clear his own head of the impurities that were being mentioned and remembered some of the things from the audio file. That the doctor had talked about the Jahari or how he had experimented on his own daughter. And he had taken her away too hadn't he?

"Yes Sigma, I did a lot of things to you. Things I'm not happy about but things nonetheless. I cannot take them all back and make you a human again. I'm afraid you're trapped like this now-"

"Give me back my memories! I want to feel like myself again!" Sigma screamed and it echoed throughout the cavern. Ochenkov winced at hearing it. He had heard anger before, heard rage. But he had never listened to anything like that before. That was suffering and pain and torment coming out, all mixing together with hatred and yet...the desire to feel human must have been consuming Sigma.

"The liminal child. A machine who wants to be human. A human who wanted to be a machine. Which one are you Sigma? Or are you Leif?" Roth's hand slid down the glass of the vat as though he were stroking it with love. "I too am like you. I don't know what I have created or what to call it by. I don't know where I am anymore in this world. But I can make your desires happen." The doctor backed away from the tube and moved over to a computer terminal beside it. "You will have to help do something for me though in return."

"What do you want?!" Sigma spat.

Roth flipped a switch on the computer. A metal box began to hum and drone and feed power to the vat. Underneath it, lights flickered and then came on, igniting the liquid within and revealing the figure floating in the middle. Ochenkov opened an eye and gasped at the sight. He recognized the girl in there; she was the same as the false doll left back in the base.

"Help me bring her to life Sigma."

A/N: Is the world prepared for a third Enigma soldier? What lies in wait with the arrival of the next wave of soldiers? And when will that dance finally happen?!