"Awake, and fight back! It is not your time to be here… yet!"
My eyes snapped open, and immediately forced them shut from the brightness when the gray, misty scenery entered my sight.
It was blurry at first, but eventually my eyes adjusted to the abrupt awakening. I was still in the office, standing by for any technical issues as one of the security hazard team members. Everything was still how I remembered them as. Tools, papers, my mug… scattered messily across my worktable. Nothing seemed out of ordinary.
How long have I been asleep?, I checked the time, 13:29, only one hour and a half into my six-hour shift. When did I fall asleep?
I couldn't remember the answer for both, my head was still half way out of the dream zone before it could work properly again, which meant I would have to stagger around brain-dead until it was fully awake. So I sank into my seat, waiting… for it to pass.
There was suddenly a slightly muffed sound of something grinding and scraping. I couldn't see where it originated from, everything was obscured by this silvery gray, dense mist, so thick that I could barely see anything within ten meters.
Wait, mist?
The noise came again, closer, I could even make out a metallic screech from it.
My eyes darted between the noise and the general direction the equipment room should be, my hands closing around a crowbar.
There was suddenly something barreling towards my face, leaving trail of black smoke, I let out a shrill scream and swung the crowbar.
The thing went smashing into the ground, and scuttled away like some sort of spider or crab.
Letting out a cry of fury, I swung again, not risking it, the crowbar screaming for blood.
"The results are now out! The top marks are… Ravensong. Next in line, Surge."
The second place… Again…?
"You two have done exceptionally well. Not only have you topped the entire class, but also the entire school, once again."
I am still not the best.
It was until I made sure that the creature ceased moving did I stop to check what it was – a four-legged crab, with black tendrils rooted into it. It stopped emitting the strange smoke earlier. Still, I back away warily a fair distance away, before turning around and dashed for the equipment room.
What the heck was that thing?
A lone metal door appeared out of the mist, I approached it and tested the handle, locked.
Darn it.
I was frozen to the spot when I heard the metallic screech again even closer, this time I could even hear something paddling. I snapped out of it and immediately wedged the crowbar into the door and heaved.
There was a snap as my crowbar broke into halves, but the door was opened. I ducked in, and shut it just in time for whatever it was to arrive. I pressed my ear against the door and waited with baited breath, hoping for it to not find me.
The creature rumbled - sounded big, bigger than that crab at least. And the noise of its rumbling came closer, before it turned into sniffing right behind the door.
Oh no. Can it smell me?
Something scratched against the door. I pressed my weight against the door, albeit stealthily, and clutched the two halves of the former crowbar tightly.
Inhale… Count to four… One… Two… Three… Four… Exhale… Count to four… Remember the training, Jade.
The scratching stopped, before the creature padded off, much to my disbelief.
Inhale…
Then I heard the low snarl, and my heart sank.
One…
It charged and I dove to the side.
Two…
The door came right off its hinges, and the familiar black smoke rushed through the doorway. I turned to it, legs wounded up in preparation.
Three…
Both of us pounced towards each other.
FOUR!
I stabbed as hard as I could.
There was pain, the pain of failure.
Want it to end. Want it to…
The man panted, slumping on the ground, pinned by the dead creature. The problem of immediate life-threatening situation was solved for now, but more questions were now raised. Since the creature had stopped emitting smoke, giving him a clear view of what had attacked him.
A zergling. Deep inside the heart of the Dominion when the swarm territory was a good light years back at the Frontier.
He couldn't help but wonder what was going on?
Another set of screeches interrupted his musings, as he turned in horror at the familiar noise as two blurs – one black, one brown - swiftly came to a stop outside the doorway. The blurs parted, splitting into two zerglings as they snarled and circled each other waiting for openings to strike out.
He held his breath, watching the standoff as he backed further and further away from the doorway... until he bumped into something moving, something black and smoky.
Struggle, must keep going…
Must not stop…
Mist so thick, eyes so heavy, couldn't win against reflection. Help.
But who could help? hatchmate has fallen into void, couldn't find swarm.
Reflection was attacking again. No, please. Want to live.
It dug claws into me. So much pain. Want to end.
It whispered promises of ending pain. Want to. But no trust.
…
Suddenly loud noise and wind, reflection was torn off.
Saw not-reflection creature coming. It saved me?
Too much to think. All was black.
Hang on. Almost there.
You'll be soon freed.
Wake up. Saw not-reflection creature. It friendly.
Mist gone. So was reflection. What now?
Lost…
Lost…
Lost… Wait, light.
Friendly creature saw it too. It then blinded me.
"Very well, you've passed… for now."