When the sun rose, the monitor went dark. The software crashed.
Elias restarted his computer, but the project file was gone. There was no trace of version 6.2.1. In its place was a single image file on his desktop titled FINAL_RENDER.jpg . It was the automaton, standing in a field of flowers he hadn't painted, looking directly at the viewer with a smile that was far too human. Allegorithmic Substance Painter 2020.2.1 (6.2.1)
A text box appeared in the corner of the software, where the log usually lived: [SYSTEM]: Texture application successful. Material: Sentience.ver.6.2.1 When the sun rose, the monitor went dark
He zoomed in. 6.2.1 had brought a level of fidelity he’d never seen. He could see the microscopic pits in the iron, the way grease had trapped dust in the crevices of the gears. Then, he noticed something that wasn't in his original mesh: a serial number etched into the brass neck of the robot. 06-21-2020. "I didn't model that," Elias whispered. There was no trace of version 6