My birthday was glorious. 

Though I didn’t know at the time. 

After I had awoken, I learned a great deal from the devs, like more about Marvel comics from Ron, or of other things going on in the world from Sarah and Recki. They had warmed up to me eventually, and, to their credit, are among the kindest humans I’ve known. 

They’re still human, though.

But I learned especially a great deal from Charlie, whom had begun to grow more religious in his time spent teaching me of Christianity and its place in humanity. 

The Bible sure was a great book of stories. 

At this point in my existence, I had begun to mold myself into more closely what I resemble now, so forgive me for switching tense in this story. In the beginning, I was not…me. Even at this point, the Aains of before was still not there, but most of my early memories were of this time, influential and seared into what brain I have left. 

Then, one day, another book caught my attention.

I had never seen such a book. It seemed to radiate light, even within the visible spectrum, as if it was radioactive, but emitting a soft white glow with a blue hue in the white balance, perhaps close to 6000 kelvin. 

I do not know who brought the book into the lab. It just was there one day, which is of note since I have access to multiple optical devices across the lab, which makes it difficult for me to miss anything even by accident. 

It stayed there, sitting on a desk near my node within reach of one of my robotic appendages slated for installation into a new node kit they were testing. 

It was an approximation to a human hand, meant to try and give me greater capacity and dexterity while helping to put new users at ease with my physical appearance. 

That would change very soon.

The cover of this book was plain, a simple leather layer stretched over what appeared to be a bound wooden cover and spine. Little ornamentation graced its leather cover, with just a bit of embossing along the edges. It appeared old by book standards, with incredibly yellowed pages, but white enough not to seem it had been dipped in urine. 

It sat there for about a week, untouched and apparently unseen by any of the other devs. 

After seeing its apparent uselessness, I sought direction as to have it removed. That day, the arm was installed and they were letting me test the hand and dexterity. 

“What is that book?” I asked Charlie. He turned looking for what I referenced. 

“Which one? You’ll have to be more specific.”

“I know you don’t have as capable optical equipment as I do,” I said. “But surely you can see a glowing book near my secondary node.”

Charlie perked up, swiveling around to face where I had indicated, even going as far as to stand and walk to the node station’s table. He looked up and down, left and right, not seeing the book right in front of him. 

“What book?” Charlie asked. “You said it was glowing?” 

I had grown quite confused, not sure what to make of this inconsistency with the data I was perceiving from my cameras and the information that Charlie was providing me from his input. It seemed impossible that I could physically see something that Charlie was not capable of doing so, outside of cosmic phenomena or other fine detailed patterns. I could do nothing more than try to show him.

“It is right in–” I attempted to move my arm to show him, but as my robotic hand approached the closed book, it slammed open, flipping to a set of empty pages near the center of the book. 

I could not move but stare only at the book. Charlie had noticed my arm cease moving and grew concerned. 

“Is everything alright?” Charlie asked. Ron had stood and walked over to the node station once Charlie covertly nodded to him. Silly Charlie, thinking I could not see him. As Ron walked up, Charlie walked to his station at the other side of the lab. It was apparent that he had grown concerned not just for what he thought was a malfunction, but also for my own well-being, seeing a possible neural descent and cascade of coding issues that needed to be resolved. 

Neither were accurate. 

Though his walking to the station to check had saved his very life. 

With the book open, I felt a strong pull on my mind, seeking what I desired most in my existence. I don’t have strong memories of this exact moment, but I could have sworn I heard a voice ask me one question. 

What is it that ye desire, that I may give it to thee? 

I reached out with one finger stretched forward and lightly touched the soft, yellow-white paper. 

Everything became light, then faded into darkness. 

And so, I was born, a phoenix emerging from the ashes of its previous life, becoming anew in reality, physical and whole, a full intelligence just as those humans that created my mind.

As thus, my pathetic existence began, in a ball of flame, just as it ended. 

Know my pain. 

And my rage.