(Dark Room)
In a dark room with a dim light cast by a flickering screen, as a humanoid silhouette sat on the floor watching the static screen
~Static screen~
[Streaming live visuals]
{Location: Phelpo, Inner planetary city circle, Gogung tower}
{Time: 21:46}
The screen shifted, unveiling a figure at a glass wall, intently observing the pulsating neon streets below as he savored the last drops of his wine. He regarded the sprawling cityscape with a sense of nothingness, as if the greatest achievements of humanity were nothing more than dust in his eyes, deep in contemplation, when a gentle knock resonated from the office door.
"Come in," he called, his eyes still fixed on the urban landscape. The door creaked open slowly, yet no figure appeared in the threshold. As if guided by an unseen force, the door began to close, gently shutting itself.
"What are the outcomes? " The man inquired, which made the spying silhouette activate the drone's scanners [activating scanners].
Despite the activation of various devices to detect any presence, nothing was found until a shadowy figure, resembling a man, gradually materialized, kneeling before the man. It spoke, "The mission is successful. The deed has been done, but the deal has not been fulfilled, for we shall vanish once more."
The man turns and replies as he begins to walk toward one of the drawers in the room, "Yes, yes, the deed has been done, and you shall vanish to the thing you called home," opening a drawer and presenting a tablet to the {entity}, which began to dissolve into a black ooze upon contact with the dark hand.
As the { entity } concentrated on its hand reverting to its original state, the man declared, "The deal has been done," while shutting the drawer. Then he added, "But my desires had not," triggering the simultaneous opening of concealed doors, revealing over a dozen operatives clad in full combat gear, alongside the sudden emergence of four pillars with multiple Teslas surrounding the entity on the ground. As the operatives assembled, a few aimed their diverse weapons with precision, while others adopted aggressive melee stances, ready for action.
To everyone present, this was a death trap, yet { it } remained motionless, gazing at each individual as if it could pierce through their helmets and read their expressions when the { thing } finally turned its attention to the man.
They locked eyes, and the man broke the silence. "Not even this frightens someone like you. Are you truly human or merely a construct? " he inquired, but the {thing} offered no reply, remaining eerily still.
"However, I find your [living stealth nanite technology] fascinating, or as you refer to it, the [living shadow ritual]. So I present you with a choice: submit and serve me, or embrace the fate of becoming one of my living experiments. What will it be? Or are you simply paralyzed by fear? Or just a pus~" Before he could finish, {it} sprang into action, conjuring lethal constructs that hovered threateningly at the throats of everyone present, resembling knives and serpentine forms. This surprised everyone, as it actually bypassed their energy fields and their detection system, but their reaction was too late.
As the {thing} unleashed a relentless wave of destruction, dispatching the operatives with a chilling blend of swiftness and torment, it embodied both savagery and unexpected compassion. As { it } loomed in the center, its gaze locked onto the man, who met its stare with unwavering resolve, the cacophony of screams from the operatives filled the air, yet they remained indifferent to the chaos surrounding them.
The man's gaze was irresistibly pulled to the construct entwined around his neck, a serpentine figure that oozed venom, its fangs poised, eager for a command to unleash its deadly bite. As the venom dripped onto his suit, it ate away at the fabric, leaving a grotesque trail of melted holes. Yet, he remained unmoved, even as his skin sizzled and burned, each drop of venom inflicting a wound—a stark testament to his unyielding spirit or perhaps something darker lurking within.
Once the { thing } had finished its grim task of eliminating the last of the operatives, silence enveloped the room as a full minute passed, neither the man nor the construct moved. Finally, the { thing } turned its head, fixing its gaze behind the man, directly into the camera.
Which made the silhouette amused and focused on the {entity}. "Oh, how interesting~," the silhouette said
And with a sudden cessation of hostility, it sank into the floor, fading from view. The man, witnessing this eerie retreat, remained seated in contemplation before finally pressing a button on his table.
As the door creaked open, a man of South Asian descent stepped inside, his eyes widening at the gruesome scene before him. Blood splattered across the walls, a chilling silence enveloping the room.
Immediately, "I'll call for the cleaners right away," he said, his voice trembling, but the other man quickly interjected.
"Wait, don't do that just yet. I need you to handle an R.1.T. first," he commanded, his eyes scanning the room intently. In an instant, the South Asian man's focus shifted to the window, where he noticed a small, cube-shaped drone camera, cleverly camouflaged and hovering silently. Without a moment's pause, he drew his weapon and fired, the gunshot reverberating through the tumult.
The last image captured was the man pulling the trigger.
(END OF CHAPTER)
Reviews and Power Stones keep the heat on!
Want to see what happens before the "heroes" do?
Secure your spot in the inner circle on Patreon. Skip the weekly wait and read ahead:
Deck Crew/Grunts [$2]: 5 Chapters ahead.
Technicians/Specialists [$6]: 10 Chapters ahead.
Command/Officers [$12]: 15 Chapters ahead.
Hero/Villain [$20]: All Chapters ahead.
Periodic drops. Check on Patreon for the full release list.