Chapter Text
//You are Entering: Decaying Winter
The quiet, cold whirring of the engine filled the room before you, accompanied by a persistent rumbling that echoed throughout. You and your "Agent Wave" are riding through the desolate wasteland known as "Eden-227".
//Y/N, A "Survivalist".
A recruit to the AGENCY tasked with supporting the 4 more experienced agents. Survivalists are agents without any special equipment, only equipped with a backpack filled with the bare minimum, nothing more, nothing less. The tin horns of the Agency. The purpose of this is to ensure that Agents are proficient enough not to rely on equipment to survive.
Of course, every agent has gone through this test, or has died trying.
......
---Y/N's POV---
'There are about 3 people, me included... I was informed that the other 2 are at the safe house at this very moment. Someone sat beside me, and the other sat on the far end of the seats. Both of them are minding their own business. Noticeably, both of them have varying equipment and appearances.'
'The one sitting beside me... It must be Eva, considering she's the only Female in our Agent Wave. I've heard Female Agents are a rarity.
|------------------Dossier Info:------------------|
CONFIDENTIAL/SENSITIVE SOURCE
Department of AGENCY
Name: Eristov, Eva
Aliases: "Voidwalker", "Evian", "Lean Machine"
Perk: SOVEREIGN
Date of Birth: *Profusely covered in ink*
Scars and Marks: Multiple slices in the wrist, Scar on the left cheek.
Place of Birth: Eureka, Nunavut
Hair Color: Natural Black
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Complexion: Pale
Build: Slender
Gender: Female
Occupation: AGENT, Developer, HR manager [Prior]
Country of Origin: Canada
Contributions to the AGENCY:
Successful takedowns of REIKGON shadows.
Competent enough to handle solo missions.
"Frontliner" Support
Loyal to the Agency, 4 Pledges. "Proficient" Rank Agent.
AGENT Portrait:
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---Y/N's POV---
'Eva Eristov she's a Sovereign. I've heard that Sovereigns were highly religious, and that they have some kind of anomalous ability. I've never seen one in action, let alone in person. But then again, I've never been on an actual mission.'
As she fiddles with her Ritual Daggers, Y/N examined her more closely, and would soon take notice of her outfit. Wearing a formal suit, all complete with a necktie, with glasses, accompanied by a mask with red lines scribbled where the cheeks are oriented. Her mask is currently lowered to her neck, revealing a scar going down from her left eye to the base of her jawline. She seems to wear high-waist Denim shorts and Thigh-high socks.
'Her outfit is... Quite bare for someone heading to a planet devoid of a star, will she be okay?'
As I take note of her outfit, suddenly-
"You have been staring at me for a while. Did I intrigue you that much?" Eva, looking at me from the corner of her eyes, suddenly spoke up, giving me quite a shock.
'Crap. Didn't notice my glaring. First impressions matter. If I don't-'
"Oh, well, it's just that-"
"It's my outfit, isn't it?" Eva says, wearing a faint smile as she begins facing my general direction.
"A-Ah, yes. It's just- we're heading towards-"
"Don't worry, I'm quite used to the harsh cold. Besides, I won't be going outside much," Eva answers over my words. It seems she's used to being asked the same question many times.
"Oh? I see."
'I've heard Eden-227 is infamous for its freezing atmosphere. I don't quite get her...'
"......Is that all you need to ask of me?"
"Yes, that is all."
"Alright then, Y/N. Mind if I ask how you got into this line of work?" Eva asked, all the while she went through her bag, pulling out multiple Ritual Daggers.
"Oh, I..."
'Well, why again? I wonder...'
"I don't know."
Being confronted with such a question, I notice my lack of... prior memories below the surface level.
I hadn't ever noticed, I was too immersed in focusing on the future... What about my past?
...
---Eva's POV---
Eva was polishing her "Cytherean" Ritual Daggers, checking for any leftover blood. Despite its long history, it is still as sharp as it was first assigned to her all those years ago. But as she lies there cleaning up her daggers...
'Another mission came up, seems that'll be milder than the others. Tasked with deploying to Eden-227 to study the spreading outbreak. I seem to be tasked with the papers. Only time will tell if I got the short end of the stick.'
...the new Agent has been eyeing her for a while now.
'Y/N, was it? The New Agent. They seem to be nothing special. Aside from their document being empty... I've always thought those were mandatory, especially when working for the AGENCY. I'll have to learn more about them. And they don't seem to have any plans on conversing, guess I'll start it off.'
"You have been staring at me for a while. Did I intrigue you that much?"
"Oh, well, it's just that-"
'It must be my Outfit, not the first time this has happened.'
"It's my outfit, isn't it?" I say, with a smile
"A-Ah, yes. It's just, we're heading towards-"
"Don't worry, I'm quite used to the harsh cold. Besides, I won't be going outside much."
"Oh? I see."
I watch as Y/N scratches the back of their neck
'So far, nothing out of the ordinary.'
"......Is that all you need to ask of me?" I say as I want to ask Y/N something else
"Yes, That is all." Y/N answers
"Alright then, Y/N, Mind if I ask how you got into this line of work?"
'His document being empty might have been a mistake. But this is the Agency, there must be something else.'
"Oh, I..." Y/N Pauses, his gaze slowly but surely leaning toward the floor, expression changing to a more worried, confused tone. It seems they are in deep thought.
'Deep in thought are they?'
"Hey, Y/N? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
...Silence...
"Y/N? Hey, are you listening?"
...Despite calling for Y/N. They stay silent...
Suddenly, I feel a gaze behind me. But despite the dreadful aura emanating from this gaze, I know too well who this exactly was.
"...Already hazing our Newb, Eva?"
The Agent who spoke up in a rough, tired tone was a Man with streaks of hard, rusted metal-like Flesh protruding on his back. Despite looking heavily injured, he is surprisingly completely fine. As he is an APOSTLE
|------------------Dossier Info:------------------|
CONFIDENTIAL/SENSITIVE SOURCE
Department of AGENCY
Name: Mordem, ???
Aliases: "Accursed Heretic", "T̵R̴A̶I̶T̶O̸R̸" [By Reikgon shadows]
Perk: APOSTLE
Date of Birth:
Scars and Marks: Right hand covered by streaks of Flesh, R.Palm shows signs of great trauma
Place of Birth: ???
Hair Color: Burned Orange
Eye Color: Dark-Red
Complexion: Dark-Skinned
Build: Masculine
Gender: Male
Occupation: AGENT, Reikgon Shadow [Prior]
Country of Origin: America(?)
Contributions to AGENCY:
Resisted REIKGON and joined the AGENCY.
Valuable medical breakthroughs via the Body
Reanimation of Dead Agents, combat capability intact.
Successful takedowns of REIKGON shadows.
Valuable to the Agency, 6 Pledges, "Elite" Ranked Agent.
AGENT portrait: -INACCESSIBLE-
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---Mordem's POV---
Mordem, sitting at the far right of the seats, his back leaning towards the space that separates the Cockpit and the Passengers. He is the oldest and the most experienced in the group. A Man who's been through hell and beyond. Close-eyed, Cross-armed. With an expression of disdain, he speaks to no one in particular...
'Another Research-Oriented mission, it'll be harder to keep watch over them in harsh environments like this. But it seems that the Unforgiving climate would be the least of our worries. No matter how Uninhabitable a place may seem, some bastards find a way around it. Multiple Factions, all fighting for territory. And it seems REIKGON is present... Of course, they are. They always are.'
...Until a nearby conversation starts, not unusual in the slightest. What was unusual, however, was that he heard an unfamiliar voice, and Mordem slightly opened an eye.
'...Eva is conversing with the new Agent. They're most definitely new. I'm sure of it. But that Y/N, their dossier is completely blanked out. I've already asked the Operation Specialists if this was a mistake on their part, but it wasn't. This was on purpose, yet they kept on hiding why exactly, even from me. Seems like we can only get a straight answer from Y/N themselves.'
I sit upright, looking over at the two as they converse. An acceptable distance. I can understand vaguely their words...
'They suddenly stopped. Did something happen? Whatever the reason,'
Curious as to why, I stand up to get a better glimpse of Y/N.
I walk towards the two, closing the distance between
Reaching an acceptable distance, I open my mouth to speak...
"Already hazing our newb... Eva?"
...
---Y/N's POV---
I sat there, my focus pointed towards digging up anything in my memories.
'I can't remember anything? That's weird. I'm sure it's nothing though, maybe I'm just tired... Yeah, that has to be it.'
I try to bury my unconscious worrying... A man without a past? There's no such thing.
...
---Eva and Mordem's POV---
The duo stands beside Y/N. Their eyes are skeptical and reading.
"So, what'd you do this time, Eva?" Mordem asked, his eyes moving to meet Eva's
"I haven't done anything... yet. Promise," she added, wearing a faint smile as she held up both hands
"...Alright. It's way ahead of schedule, but so be it. I'll get started," he said with a sigh. Unraveling his crossed arms
"Hear that, Y/N? I'll just tell you this, good luck!" She flashed a smile, knowing what was to happen. She seemed a bit excited.
...Mordem steps up, the height difference becoming evident. He takes a good look at Y/N.
"Give me your hand, will you?" he asked in an ordering voice. His expression was tight.
...
---Y/N's POV---
I was pulled out of my deep train of thought. I found myself being asked for my hand.
"...My hand?" I let out, confused by the sudden command
Being met with a sharp gaze. I subconsciously find myself doing as he says... My eyes move down to his hand.
'What a rough hand. It was obvious he'd done some heavy work for it to get thiss way... But... What kind of accident occurred for that disturbing scarring? It covers his whole palm... very unnerving.'
Nonetheless, I hesitantly put my hands in his. And then... I opened my eyes.
'I was sure I already had them open, though.'
The whirring of the engine disappears. And I found myself clouded in pitch black. Only the ambiance of a dark, empty room fills my senses.
"H-Hello?" I scream, confused.
Despite my loud calls, my voice ends up in silence. I let out another yelp, but nobody came.
I can feel my heart sink. Something doesn't feel right...
'What the fuck...?'
I feel a nigh-familiar sense of dread. One, you would feel creeping up behind your back in a situation where you know your life is in danger.
Before suddenly. I hear a squelch... and the drips of liquid...
And there it was. The vision of bloody entrails, a deep crimson mess of intestines crawling atop the black nothingness in the far distance. It was highlighted in a shallow pillar of light. It creeps up slowly, its figure resembling a hand diminishing as the viscera of flesh falls off its very being.
I stand shocked. What the hell is that thing...?!
"W-what? What are you?! H-Hey-"
I take a step back, pressing my foot down on a spongy substance, as I look down. The floor was filled with flesh, dead as it looked. Like spaghetti laced with vomit. A shuddering, disgusting sight.
I felt sick... My body freezes as I gaze back at the monster... And without a hint of noise, not even the slightest movement. I find it just inches away from my face as it towers above me. I feel its condescending gaze. Before a huge chunk of flesh falls off its face... Revealing a wide, cavernous mouth.
It opens impossibly wide. Devoid of teeth, a low rumbling from its vocal cords in that mouth that was practically an endless void. Much to my dismay, without warning, its sharp, slimy tongue rapidly charges upon my delicate body.
Blood gushes out of my mouth as the tongue locks itself into the hole it made in my chest. I feel my lungs punctured, as every moment of exhilaration puts me in indescribable pain.
"A-AGHHHH!? G-GHR-"
I try to scream. But my throat gets thrashed with my blood.
I find myself, gurgling in my blood, drowning in my flesh.
Someone... Help me...
HELP ME. pLEASE. SOMEONe-
*S L A P*
"GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME."
"Welcome, Agent. Got a bad dream while snoozing off?"
Tense and with short, rapid, shallow breathing. I find myself in a cold sweat. I feel my heart beating fast, and my head light.
My hand rushed to feel my chest, with the expectation of a gaping hole in it, but there was nothing.
...A feeling suddenly expresses itself in my cheeks, a burning sensation. Did I get slapped...?
"...." I find myself speechless.
"Y/N. What you saw didn't happen." Mordem exclaims
"He's right, calm down. Deep breaths ~" Eva adds.
"Welcome to the Agency, Y/N. This won't be the last time you'll feel excruciating pain."
"I-"
"Words of advice, Y/N. Expect the worst." Mordem cuts you off
"G-Got it..."
Mordem stands up. His petrifying eyes looked at me till the very moment he walked back to his corner, cowering in the same position he had last time, leaning on his back, closing his eyes.
"Intimidating, huh? That big hunk of flesh," Eva suddenly exclaims, inches away beside me.
"Well, yeah," I answer in a weak tone. Still shaken up by whatever I experienced earlier.
"He is right, however. Being an Agent isn't as grand as they make it to be." With a hint of sadness, she answers
"Just take his advice to heart, sometimes we won't be there to protect you," She adds with a comforting tone, parallel to his words.
"Got it..." I replied in kind.
Eva nods her head at Y/N, before she stands up, stretching
"We have an hour left before arriving at the location. Just know it was a very necessary procedure. Again, welcome to the Agency."
"Alright."
...
---Eva's POV---
"...Again, welcome to the Agency." I finished, moving on to turn my back, headed towards a destination.
"Alright." They answer, in an exasperated tone of voice.
'So that's Y/N, huh? They're a bit of a blur. I'll learn more about him... From Mordem.'
...I take a seat, one beside Mordem.
"So Mordem, how is it?"
"...well, how should I explain this?"
"...?" I let out, confused as to his response.
Mordem sighed as he sat upright.
"...I don't know, Eva."
"You... Don't?" I raise an eyebrow, an unexpected statement
"I don't. It is complicated."
"...Complicated? How exactly?"
Mordem's iris moved to meet mine from the side of his eye, and I could see its red tint pierce through mine.
"I'm sure you're aware of what I can do." He spoke in a voice that hinted at a question
"Diving through their consciousness, is it?" I answered swiftly
"And by doing so, I can get a grasp on who exactly they are. Most times, more so than the person," he added to his words.
"Then, Y/N. Are they complicated? It won't be a first if so."
"...Not like that, it is complicated because I couldn't see anything," he spoke in a conflicted tone.
"Nothing, like nothing at all?" wanting confirmation, I spoke.
"I've seen manifestations of whatever a person associates themselves with. Y/N, though, There was... Nothing"
"Nothing...?" I repeated, Confused
"Absolutely Nothing, a blank and empty space."
"That is... Troubling to say the least. It seems we have no way of learning about Y/N, even from themselves."
Mordem and I both look at them, their eyes distant as they watch the white scenery outside.
"Doesn't that just imply that they're a nobody?"
"Sigh, don't be stupid, Eva."
...
//END OF CHAPTER
|------------------Dossier Info:------------------|
CONFIDENTIAL/SENSITIVE SOURCE
Department of AGENCY
Name: Y/N
Aliases:
Perk: Survivalist
Date of Birth:
Scars and Marks:
Place of Birth:
Hair Color:
Eye Color:
Complexion:
Build:
Gender:
Occupation: AGENT
Country of Origin:
Remarks: Amount Contributed to AGENCY:
?
AGENT portrait: -INACCESSIBLE-
|------------------Dossier Info:------------------|