Cycle of Cliches

With a gradual, almost reluctant movement, X-204's eyes flickered open.

A sense of hazy confusion surrounded him. The feeling of prolonged slumber enveloped him, a span of time shrouded in mystery. How had he been dormant for so long? And for what purpose?

Attempting to recall his past, he found a frustrating void in his memory. Despite straining his mind, he couldn't recover any information about his past or the events before his slumber. Only his name, X-204, and the phrase "Cycle of Evolution" lingered in his consciousness.

'…Could that have been the reason why I was asleep for so long or why my memories are almost non-existent?' X-204 pondered. Yet with no way of validating his reasoning, he shifted his attention to the room he was placed in.

As he attempted to sit up, an unyielding impediment at the nape of his neck thwarted his movement. His struggle unveiled glimpses of the dim, plain, and spacious room, along with other figures resembling him. These beings shared his dark skin and lacked discernible facial traits. An air of helplessness radiated from them, mirroring his own confusion.

Even though the hall was devoid of light and their faces lacked features, X-204 strangely sensed the expression of deprivation emanating from them.

It appeared they too had lost most of their memories, adrift in the same sea of uncertainty as him.

A surge of uneasiness swept over him as he pondered the orchestrator behind this enigmatic scenario and its intended purpose.

However, what unsettled him even more was the absence of the feeling of insecurity or danger. It was as though his body had inexplicably become familiar with the surroundings, assuring him against any potential harm.

As X-204 contemplated his plight, a strangely familiar voice resounded within his mind.

[Preparing Dyyx for dispatching]

Instantly, X-204 felt a sensation retract from the back of his neck, freeing his movements.

Turning his head, he realized the restrictions on his mobility had vanished. Swiftly, he sat up on the soft sleeping material.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events, he gingerly touched a particular spot at the back of his neck and gazed around the hall.

Despite the darkness, his vision remained unaffected.

He wasn't the only one to regain freedom. Other beings, much like him, were stirring, each engaged in similar motions.

'Wait, that voice... it must be connected to the architect of this surreal circumstance,' he thought. 'But why does it feel so familiar? And that word Dyyx, Could I be a Dyyx?'

Before he could delve deeper into his thoughts, the familiar voice echoed once more in his mind. This time, however, it wasn't manipulating attachments or detachments; it seemed to have control over X-204's own body.

[All Dyyx Report to the Dispatch Center]

'Dispatch Center?'

X-204 grappled with confusion, uncertain of the voice's intent. Yet, before he could formulate a response, his muscles twitched, propelling him to his feet with abrupt urgency.

'What's... what's happening?' Alarm coursed through him.

Following the sudden motion, he found himself involuntarily striding towards the far end of the hall.

He struggled to halt his progress, but his own limbs seemed beyond his command.

From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed fellow beings, Dyyx, moving with equal precision. They advanced in orderly fashion, as if mere puppets manipulated by an unseen puppeteer—likely the architect of this enigma.

At the hall's terminus, a metallic gate parted, granting passage to the procession of Dyyx.

Beyond the gate, a new expanse unfurled—larger, illuminated by a dim blue glow that contrasted with the earlier darkness.

Transparent cylindrical containers clung to the walls, adorned with intricate circuitry patterns emitting a soft, ethereal radiance.

[All Dyyx Report To Pod For Dispatchment To Assigned Planet]

Once again, the familiar voice echoed, stirring recognition.

With involuntary resolve, X-204's body propelled him towards a pod affixed to the wall, mirroring the actions of fellow Dyyx.

Curiously, this time each pair of Dyyx moved in twos, not single file.

Beside him, a Dyyx—Y-204—marched in lockstep. X-204 yearned to converse, yet words remained trapped, inaccessible since his awakening.