Black Heart Machine could go but one direction—upward. Up to the summit of the Peak and to her rightful place in the world. She climbed with ease, as though she hadn’t missed a day of doing so in her life. It came as naturally as breathing. As she exhaled, sending the warmth from deep within her into the cold mountain air, she thought of the challenges that lay ahead. Machine would surely conquer them all.

Impazienza was indeed difficult to miss. She was an imposing mare in both size and attitude. While never having formally met, Machine recalled her tendency to spit fire, and that was enough to make an impression. Part of her was glad to see a familiar face—a face that remembered her—but was none too familiar. The sight of too familiar a face, too soon would have sent Machine spiraling. In her dream she’d seen those faces—Slenderman, Rodion and Anath—and while the men were gone from this life, Anath was not. Impazienza might have wished Anath was here, but Machine is somewhat relieved she is not. They had seen too much—knew too much about each other for any good to come of such a reunion.

Black Heart Machine. Impazienza speaks, standing off to the side, and Machine decides she will pause. She takes a hard look at the Peak’s current Prime Minister, watching for a tremble of weakness or fear. She is strong, guarded, but there is still a fire inside her that Machine can see flickering within her dark eyes, waiting for the right moment to roar out.

“Impazienza.”

Machine lets Impazienza’s full name linger between them, as she did with her own. There is a mutual respect yet distance in their formality and Machine prefers it this way.

“Walk with me.”

They were close to the summit, and Black Heart Machine insisted upon travelling the entire way. From there, they could discuss matters of business with eyes on the entirety of their surroundings. She certainly hoped Impazienza could be trusted to divulge any information worth knowing, as well as what might be done regarding any issues at hand. Black Heart Machine was sure that whatever these issues might be, she would be able to discuss solutions and strategies worth implementing. After all she had seen, there was hardly a situation capable of surprising her. Machine knew better than to expect anything less than the unexpected.

Some things never change.

BLACK HEART MACHINE