Chapter 2
Our second day began early. About six o'clock Earth time, we were all awoken by an automated alarm.
Getting out of bed is apparently still a struggle, but I need to make a good impression.
Last thing I need is to look like a lazy fuck and remain Tier 1 for the rest of my life.
Funny how all it took was the threat of demonic invasion to fix my tardiness.
They had provided a basic suit for general operation. Allowing the user to operate in the facility at maximum safety. Of Course you couldn't just jam a welder on it and be fine, but it should easily handle any workplace accidents.
I met Jake on the way to the Careers Exam. It would be taking place at seven so we had plenty of time to suit up and get there on time.
Jake looked nervous as expected, but from yesterdays conversation I already knew how to handle that.
"Yo Jake. You feeling ready?"
"Yeah, well, as ready as I'm gonna be."
"Just think about it. It may not be tomorrow, but if you keep at it you could be making the future. Lasers that go pew pew and such"
"..Oh ha you.. um remember that.."
"Dude I'm not going to forget that. When you end up in weapons dev I guarantee, you will be called the pew pew laser man."
"That sounds dumb as fuck."
"If the shoe fits?"
"Fuck you."
I'd probably take the insult more seriously if he wasn't smiling as much as I was.
Good, Objective: 'Distract Jake from nervousness' Complete. Rewards?… personal satisfaction? Whatever.
Arriving to the test zone we found ourselves in a room easily large enough to handle all the new Tier One's and however many Senior members would be coming to evaluate us.
There were several segregated zones with different equipment. To the left side of the room from our perspective, was a large windowed wall giving a landscape view of some of Mars' surface. Along with the trench where the Argent Fissure lay.
At about ten to seven the senior members arrived, easily recognisable by their suit designs and lanyards, most went to the various segregated areas, but one went to the end of the room where a microphone stand had been set up.
Once the time struck seven he proceeded to inform us how the test would be conducted.
To summarise, all participants would be called out and assigned groups. In order to ensure that the tests would be conducted in a swift manner, each group would be assigned to a different segregated test at once, when that was completed each group would rotate to another test until all groups had completed all tests. We would simply perform whatever practical assignment given to us in each section, while also answering personal questions from the senior members.
These questions were to determine your goals or aspirations. After all a person is far more likely to work hard in the thing they find themselves aspiring for. Of course they still needed the talent to qualify but most of the people here were fully capable of performing in whatever field they desired. After all this wasn't a test to see what we were capable of, that had already been done on Earth before we made the long journey through space. This was simply to determine where our strengths lay.
I had to hand it to big ol' Sammy. He had a decent idea of how to get people motivated, even through such an understated manner.
The entire testing process took around three hours, after which we were assigned to different areas.
I had personally wanted to work in Resource Operations, to be as close to Site 03 as possible when shit goes down, and thankfully I got the position. Operator 17. Though my job would be the more manual operations than the easier stuff the T2 Operatives got to do. So basically my job for now was going to be using a forklift to move objects from A to B.
I didn't mind this, at best I'll be promoted in half a year and at worst I only need to drive a forklift in a science facility on Mars for three years, I've had far more monotonous jobs than that.
Ill only really see Jake at breaktime, as he now worked in the main Facility. Apparently getting into weapons development in Advanced Research required some prior engineering experience on site, and he was going to be working on maintenance until he qualified.
I'm sure he'll get the position, but I find myself feeling guilty. He is at almost the worst possible place when things all go wrong.
But the problem was could I even save him? How would I explain it in the situation 'Hey man you know that plasma fissure? Yeah demons are going to come out and kill everyone'
For some reason, as nice as the guy is, I doubt he'd take that at face value.
So proof? I guess the other Tier Twos and Tier Ones start to become suspicious in cannon, about the nature of the Argent Fissure. Suspicions that Olivia will then confirm and broadcast to the facility.
And if they were suspicious there must have been demon sightings. Or perhaps some weaker willed engineers started to change into possessed?
Either way, I had three years to figure out how to not only save myself, but also prove to Jake that demons existed and save him.
….why was I going out of my way to save him?….honestly… he's the closest thing to a friend I have. This self doesn't have any friends nor family, and any of the ones I had before all this...well.. I guess they think I'm dead don't they...hell if things don't go as planned they wont be wrong for all that long.
Well I guess id better just work my ass off, and try and scrounge up some kind of evidence of paranormal activity.
7 Months Later
Apparently Jake is Tier 2 already. And to think I'm only slated for promotion a day from now. I really need to step up my game.
I have however taken my just revenge by making sure the people in Advanced research know to call him 'Pew Pew Laser Man' to which he has sworn vengeance.
Not sure how he will but when he comes I shall be ready.
In other more serious news, I have begun gaining evidence. So far its only a few quickly snapped pictures of some other crew that had started to become mutated by the Argent, before the Tier Threes dragged them off to Lazarus Labs, never to be seen again.
But I am getting closer. I have also noticed once or twice the Elite troops patrolling the trench at odd times. My only theory is minor demonic incursions. Maybe an imp or unwilling made it through.
As much as I want to avoid suspicions I will have to be a bit more...daring about how I do this. The only thing that will convince Jake that this is more sinister than just Radioactive mutation will be an actual demon… and even then there's nothing stopping him from accusing me of photo shopping the image but… I have to try. Even if no-one else I have to try and save him. Because he's my friend.
It had originally voiced it's concern to the servants, but they had not heeded it's wisdom. They had claimed that all was 'as intended'
There were those among the offerings that were suspicious. This of course was not an issue, however upon closer examination it had discovered what it had missed upon their arrival at the Threshold.
He knew.
One among their number knew. It was not just suspicious, it was seeking evidence that it knew existed.
How this could be it could not understand. In fact, how much the offering knew it could not fathom.
All it could ascertain was that the offering knew why the flesh of the weaker offerings changed upon conversion, and why the servants roamed the Threshold. |To destroy it's lesser kin that threatened, in their foolishness, to reveal the nature of the Threshold.
If the offering knew of them, as the one of steel did, then it likely knew of the Slayer. Did it know how to release the Slayer from its tomb?
It did not know. And this was a risk to their concealment it could not permit.
DISCIPLE
The sudden call from her master came as a shock to Pierce in that moment. The last time she had received an unexpected call was around seven months ago. Perhaps now they were to move forward with the work?
"My Lord what do you seek of me"
AS WAS SPOKEN UNTO YOU UPON THE LAST ARRIVAL OF OFFERINGS, THERE IS A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN
"My Lord when you informed us there was something you could sense we investigated all of them. At most there are simply a few who hold suspicions, there is one who holds evidence that people are mutating but they have nothing that will reveal us. At least not by the time-"
HE KNOWS
"...What?"
THE OFFERING THAT SEEKS THE TRUTH, SEEKS FOR THAT WHICH IT KNOWS TO BE TRUE
"This… is indeed a concern but my lord, one mere sacrifice knowing it is a lamb will not protect it from the slaughter"
THE ONE WHO FOUND THE TRUTH, FOUND THE SLAYER
ONE WHO KNOWS OF THE TRUTH, MAY KNOW OF THE SLAYER
Now Olivia understood. In hindsight it was obvious, she had been a fool, mentally separating the slayer and the demons had blinded her to the fact that as they were irrevocably connected, one's knowledge of either could be just as much knowledge of the other.
"I understand my Lord… Then I should guess you will be receiving another offering"
MAKE IT SO
Man working with guns is far more fun than I'd thought it would be. I love every aspect, taking them apart, putting them together again. Getting to shoot things for a job. Of course there were a lot of things that take a bit more scientific know-how and forethought, but I apparently have talent in this field if my senior has anything to say about it.
Of course, I can't work on energy weapons like the new 'gauss' without getting called the 'Pew Pew Laser Man' now by my peers.
I swear Lucas will feel my wrath.
On the subject though i can't help but feel a surge of envy. After all,
Lucas had already been promoted to Tier Three.
He'd apparently already left to work in the Lazarus Labs of all places. He'd even had a bunch of other Tier three guys to collect his stuff for him… what little he actually had. I mean sure I'd never personally planned to work there what with my penchant for weaponry rather than...whatever it is they do down there.
And the sad thing is Lucas won't be allowed to tell me about it when he comes out, the stuff is so highly classified.
I'm not looking to work there but man, Lucas is a lucky bastard.
My vision is fucked. Probably on account of the welt on the back of my head. Every where I look it twists and blurs. Like the world's shittiest kaleidoscope.
I'm being… dragged? Fuck I need to move.
I attempt to escape but my captors are probably both far tougher than me, even when I'm not dizzy out of my mind.
Thankfully my vision is starting to clear. That and the pain is starting to kick in. And may I just say OW THAT FUCKING HURTS, FUCK.
It should be pretty obvious but I didn't quite anticipate this happening.
They normally only take those who begin to mutate and they don't do so by force.
I had of course noticed people going missing but it was mostly the people who worked less than everyone else. I may not have Jake's talent or drive but I was hardly a slouch.
Looking around at all the marvels in Lazarus Labs might have been a very enjoyable activity if I wasn't being dragged half-dead through the halls.
Old stone tablets and samples of what can only be demon flesh.
Its not all that long until I am finally dragged into a large room reminiscent of a church.
Of course it wasn't like any church I had personally visited, due to the more 'cult chic' attire the attendees were wearing and the 'occult chic' flesh chandeliers. But it did possess the usual fare with rows of occupied pews, a stone alter and behind that, a pulpit, and the person standing behind it was very familiar.
She decided to address me almost in a disdainful drawl, as though she were a judge, and I the guilty accused.
"Subject 17"
"I have a name you know."
Apparently responding with a sarcastic tone was the wrong approach, as grunt #1 decided to beat me to the ground with the butt of a rifle.
"Do you know why you are here."
"Humour me"
How the fuck do I get out of this.
"Seven months ago, when you and the others in your peer group joined us, my master felt something. That there was an abnormality. I doubted this in my ignorance but now the truth has finally been revealed"
During this speech she had made her way from behind the pulpit to my side at the base of the stone altar, which I could now see was bloodstained thanks to my unfortunately close proximity.
"You knew didn't you. Hell, the demons, perhaps even the Slayer"
Fuck
"Demons? Look you can dress up in hoodies and sacrifice goats all you want, magic horny boy isn't real"
"You can deny all you wish 17, my Master has told me of your apparent... awareness, and I can assure that by the end of this little meeting, I can convince you that we do not sacrifice goats."
At this she began to take position behind the altar
"Prepare him."
Apparently this was a command the grunts were very familiar with, and led to me being forcefully stripped of any covering, and dragged onto the surface of the altar, its rough hewn surface tearing at the skin on my back, and any attempt of escape was basically foiled by my limbs being bound to the corners. I feel like the cloth gag was a bit overkill.
The assembly had started chanting, I wasn't sure when they had begun but it was doing...things to my mind, it was like the sound of their combined droning was drilling a hole through my head.
"Master, we come into your presence, bearing the sacrificial offering owed unto you."
Damn these binds I'm fairly sure the that the bones in my left hand are broken and I still cant get out..
"Come this day, accept our offering and bless us with your divine presence"
Nothing divine about that motherfucke-
It was like the room stilled. I cant say I've had any experience with spiritual presences but somehow I knew what this was. It was heavy and suffocating, it felt like we were no longer in a large church room but a small cramped space.
I think its around now I started truly panicking.
Before that? I had somehow maintained my wits but now all that was out the window, I was straining against the binds.
I needed to get away
I Needed To Get Away
I NEEDED TO GET AWAY
DISCIPLE
"My Lord."
BEGIN
No
"Oh Great Lord who resides in the realm beyond"
Olivia begins to draw a twisted blade
NO, I DON'T WANT TO DIE
"Please accept this offering"
The blade is raised above my chest, I attempt to strain away from it but the grunts just tighten the binds till its impossible to move. Did one of my arm bones just snap? If they did its very hard to feel it over the presence in the room.
"And bless us, your servants till the coming of your glory."
With that she stabbed me. And unlike the broken bones I could definitely feel it.
"AAAHAHHHGG FFFCKKK UUUU"
If she was affected by my anger she didn't show it, instead cutting my heart out of my chest as I continued to scream through the gag.
I could only assume that it was magic that allowed me to live long enough to experience having my still beating heart ripped out of my chest.
"You are lucky Subject 17, you shall see the face of our Master sooner than some of his devout. You should be honoured"
Her voice echoed through my mind. I couldn't tell if it was because of the argent in the air or personal delirium from the pain.
I could still somehow feel my heart even as I could see it still beating in Olivia's hand
The weight of the demonic presence left my body, but as it did, it began to to focus its weight entirely on my heart, until it could bear the strain no longer and was crushed.
It was about that time I started to feel the most excruciating sensation I have ever experienced, as my now heartless body began to burn in red flame, and I felt myself be forcefully ripped out of it.
So this is to be the end huh? Having my heart and soul ripped out and my conscious to fade into the darkness and be possessed by demons.
Man...it..it fucking hurts. I just want it to stop..
..i hope Jack will be okay… I should've told him sooner.
The Ruse Was Successful.
The Mastermind Is Ignorant.
When It Finally Sees.
It Is Too Late.
Spirit Experiment Material Acquired.
Create Demonic Assimilation Form.
Eats To Become Stronger.
Grows Fast Like Slayer.
But Will Be Different.
Slayer Is A Killer.
This Will Be Predator.
This Potential Pleases Us
A/N Here's a nice cliffhanger because I care.
EDIT: Forgot to put dividers between Perspective changes. I've put them in now.