AN: I wrote this in a fit of inspiration, and I do plan to complete this before anything else.
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When I awoke from death, I didn't remember who I was. Instead, I remembered the burnt corpses laid around me. The ethereal thorns protruding from the gaping fissures in the ground. The smoke which stained the sky in black. I could remember the Horrors mutilating those who failed to escape, and how the Horrors themselves were mutilated in turn by one individual.

Cruz.

I remember the day she frenzied. The decimation she wrought. It replayed in my mind vividly. She had emerged from her hospital room, destroying everything in sight with thorns manifesting from thin air. The few Revenants who were there attempted to restrain her but ultimately fell to her unparalleled power. More Revenants would soon arrive to provide support. I came with them on Silva's orders, but I was there solely to assist in evacuation measures. The others were to hold her back. But their efforts proved useless. In mere seconds, a wave of fighters had turned to a pile of ashes. The ensuing slaughter commenced soon afterward as she killed the powerless civilians and patients. I watched on, stunned in terror, too afraid to even move.

What broke me from my paralysis was Louis' cries of anguish. I turned towards him. He held Karen's body in his arms as he called out to Cruz. Without thinking, I rushed forward, desperate to save them somehow, but I was too slow. Cruz had unleashed a hail of thorns in his direction, and before I could even react to it, she had launched one at me.

I remembered her solemn eyes.

Now, finally, I remember my name. Morgan.

I awaken to the clatter of typing. With what little energy I can muster, I slowly sit up to try and view my surroundings. I see small, thin beds lining white walls, and the poignant scent of disinfectant fills my head. Somewhere nearby I hear the soft whirring of machinery coupled with the distinct beeping of an electrocardiogram. I must be in one of the medical rooms at base.

"Morgan?"

A voice calls out to me. "Morgan, are you awake?"

I turn to it and see her. That familiar face, the face of the one I look up to most. "Hi, Aurora."

Aurora holds her hands up to her mouth in disbelief. "Y-You're really are awake!" she stutters. Swiftly moving to my bed, she gingerly clasps my hands between hers. "You were unconscious when you regenerated, and you were asleep for so long, I feared that you wouldn't wake up again."

"Has it been a long time?" I struggle to sit up from my bed, but Aurora gently pushes me back down, urging me to stay still. "What about the other Revenants who fought against Cruz?" I ask. "Did they wake up already?"

With an expression of sorrow, she shakes her head. "Unfortunately, their bodies had failed to regenerate. They had been turned to ash."

"T-To ash? Cruz, she," my voice cracks, "she targeted their hearts?" A silent nod is all the affirmation she gives. Despair washes over me in that instant, nearly bringing me to tears. But there's one, far more pressing concern in my mind, so I ask, "What of Louis and Karen? Are they also…?"

Aurora reassures me with a smile. "Karen is alive. She had awoken much sooner than you. Louis is in a different condition." She points to the bed across from mine at the other end of the room. There lies Louis, hooked up to a non-rebreather mask and a tank of oxygen. "We've implanted the BOR Parasite into him. Now, we wait as he undergoes the period of transformation into a Revenant."

I sigh with what little relief I can muster. They're still alive. They're still alive!

"What of you?" Aurora asks. "Can you recall who you are?"

"Uh," the dreaded reminiscence, what else can I recall? "My name is Morgan Visconti. I am a Revenant assigned to Gregorio Silva's Medevac Unit, serving as a first responder in emergency situations. Outside of my post, I work under you to assist with your research on BOR Parasites and their effects on Revenants. On rare occasions, I help Karen with her research on Blood Codes."

So far so good. Those are the memories that really matter, anyway.

Or, so I think. However, the concern on Aurora's face only seems to worsen. I hope I haven't forgotten anything crucial. But, I hear other Revenants say it all the time, "if you've forgotten it, then it probably wasn't important to begin with." They'd be right most of the time. We've all got a lot of memories we can do without. With everyone undergoing all the hardships we have to deal with nowadays, none of us have the time to linger on what we've lost. I lack the luxury to worry about those things. Besides, people will remind me of what's important. Otherwise, they'll let me forget.

I turn to Aurora once more. Whatever it is that she knows I've forgotten, it seems like she won't tell me. That's fine. I just… have to hope it's something I'm better off not remembering. For now, at least. Knowing her, she'll tell me when it's appropriate. Aurora understands me better than anyone else, after all. This is her way of ensuring that I won't be distracted from my objectives.

"How's the current situation with Cruz?" I ask. "I was there when she frenzied, but if there's been any development on controlling the Queen BOR Parasite while I've been asleep—"

"Sadly, we've had no such luck," says another voice. I turn to the door to the room and see a familiar rugged man.

"Gregorio!" In my excitement, I sit up from my bed, wincing in pain as my back aches. Aurora flicks my forehead, admonishing me for my carelessness, while Gregorio laughs. He approaches us, and I notice the odd white garb carried in his arms. Once he greets Aurora, she gets up from her seat and returns to her computer, continuing to monitor my condition through the screens. I grin at Gregorio when he sits down near my bed, but when I see his exhausted face, my heart falls. "It's been hard, hasn't it?"

He nods. "It has. Since Cruz frenzied, we've waged a near-futile war against her. Still, we're alive. We're fighting. Our last attempt may have failed, but we haven't lost hope."

"Ah. Well, I'm glad to hear that we're managing so far. But," I shake my head, "you know that's not what I was referring to, sir."

I know my concern for his well-being might appear as if I'm overstepping my boundaries. Be that as it may, even I can see that this entire situation has burdened him the most. After all, Cruz is his daughter. Gregorio must be agonizing deep inside, knowing full well that he's leading an army to kill his own family. I'm not surprised when he says nothing about it, though I at least want him to know that I care.

"Never mind," I attempt one last time to sit up, and slowly manage to do so. The aching in my body has slowly subsided by this point, so I take the time to stretch my limbs. "I should get back to work. There must be plenty of other Revenants who need to be monitored while they wait to reawaken."

Gregorio, however, shakes his head. "Actually, Morgan, I've come to reassign you." He stands up from his seat and says, "We've established a new elite squad, one that will defend our base while the rest of the army fights in the field. They're called Cerberus, our guard dogs. At least, that's their intended purpose, but I need Revenants who can do more than defend us. Revenants who can enter the front lines and bring blood to those in need. That's where you come in."

He hands me the white garb in his arms, and I realize that it's a new Blood Veil. I examine it, awestruck by the sturdy armored plates interwoven between the intricate fabric. The fabric itself feels awfully thick, perhaps enough to surpass the military Blood Veil I normally wear. Did we finally manage to implement ballistic nylon into our Blood Veils?

I hear Gregorio chuckle as I admire the clothes. "Our tailors had difficulty sizing this for you, since your stature is much smaller than our average Cerberus member."

"W-Wow. Don't get me wrong, sir, it's an honor to be personally chosen by you to join this squad, but why? My combat skills, while nothing to scoff at, are hardly exemplary. And…"

My hands curl into tight fists, and they quiver as I lose myself to my thoughts. I think of the lives lost during Cruz's frenzy, and of all the lives I failed to protect at that time. The evidence of that failure, Louis, now lies unconscious in the bed across from me. "Can you really trust me with this? I let so many people die to Cruz back then. So much blood was spilled, and I did nothing to stop it. "

"That's not true," Aurora interjects, "You did save lives! You couldn't save everyone, but you saved people nonetheless. That day, our medical bays were full of the patients from that hospital. Full of humans who would not have survived had you been a second slower. Furthermore, because of your sacrifice, many of them are still housed here, donating their blood to feed our Revenants."

"She's right," Gregorio places his hands on my shoulders, squeezing them to encourage me. "Morgan, you were one of the few people who volunteered to become a Revenant when we began our experiments. Afterwards, you were the only Revenant who willingly enlisted in my Medevac Unit, despite knowing exactly what kind of devastation my soldiers would face in the front lines. You've proven yourself time and time again since the Great Collapse. I want—no, I need someone like you carrying the mantle of Cerberus."

Their words send a wave of confidence through me, one unlike anything I had ever felt before. But my doubts weren't assuaged. "What of my work with Doctor Aurora?"

This time, Aurora smiles at me. "There's nothing to research now, Morgan. We have to focus all our efforts towards Cruz. Once this is all over, then we can continue our work."

"Of course, you have the last say," Gregorio concedes.

… Truth be told, I'm scared. No, more than that, I'm terrified. Not because of the Lost swarming the front lines, not because of the risks I'll be taking if I agree to this new assignment, not even because of Cruz's overwhelming power. I'm terrified of the possibility that I'll only endanger more lives. Searching for weakened Revenants thirsting for blood while the Lost are roaming around will be more difficult than anything I've ever experienced so far. What if during the mission, I mess up, and let the people I'm trying to save die due to my mistakes? What if I'm too late when I arrive, and find myself forced to fight against those I'm trying to save? I'm terrified of messing up. Terrified of being responsible for why someone loses their loved ones.

But right now, as I speak, a countless number of lives are already being taken away by the Lost, and now with Cruz on her rampage, the ashen remains of Revenants are being added to that toll. So if I'm one of the few who has the opportunity to lessen that death count, even by a minute fraction, I have to take it. I don't want to find myself paralyzed in fear, watching as those nearby lose their lives when I have a chance to save them.

This desire is selfish. Selfish and pathetic. Yet, it's what I desire.

The aching in my body disappears as I put on the Blood Veil.

All Cerberus members are outfitted with heavy weapons and armaments. I'm unused to such things, but according to the research Karen has done on my Blood Code, I should be able to adapt to this very quickly and utilize it more effectively than most other Revenants can.

When I weigh the oversized axe in my hand, I'm reminded that her research into Blood Codes is still in its early stages. I shudder, knowing that I've now become a walking experiment. Besides, there are more important things for me to worry about. Right now I need to prepare myself and join the front lines of Operation Queenslayer. I stand up from my seat and put on my purifier mask before making my way down to where the main camps are, steeling my mind for the horrors I have to face.

To us, Cruz is no longer human. Now, she is the "Queen." Nothing more, nothing less. How ironic it is for us Revenants to dehumanize her like so.

According to Gregorio, they began this war against the Queen days after she had first frenzied. A whole year has passed since then, and we're nowhere closer to succeeding. I was initially perturbed by the fact that I took an entire year to regenerate, but then the feeling got worse when I saw the state of affairs for myself.

The situation is much more dire than he painted it as. To say that we're barely managing is a complete overstatement. Our forces are dropping like flies against the ever-increasing Lost. So many of the Revenants succumb to their frenzy and bloodlust that they keep adding to the number of enemies to fight. To counter it, the army has begun planting the BOR Parasites into every corpse we find. Over the course of one year, our forces have changed significantly from one composed of drafted soldiers to an amalgamation of dead men struggling to survive.

It breaks my heart whenever I see children being transformed into Revenants just because of how desperate we've become… Soon, I might end up bringing in their corpses myself. The thought of it makes my convictions waver. Can we justify raising the dead like this? Giving them life only to force them into putting that second life on the line in battle? Had I the time to sort out my thoughts on the matter, I would.

But there's no more time. I can't fabricate a moral high ground for myself in a situation like this. What matters now is killing the Queen by any means necessary.

"Still lost in your head?"

A hand nudges my shoulder. "You better not get distracted when you're dragging my body back, Morgan."

"Oh, Jack!" I grin when I see him. "Do you have everything you need, mask and all? The miasma is thick out there."

He nods while affixing his mask on. "My squad is almost ready to ship out. We're just waiting on one more person. Supposedly, they went toe-to-toe with the Queen in the last raid."

Th-That's unbelievable! "Is that true?" I ask, a little too enthusiastically.

Jack raises an eyebrow as if he's the one who is surprised. "Wouldn't you know? Silva told me you could attest to this kid's prowess. That's why I came to see you."

"Huh?" I cross my arms to try and remember who he might be talking about. Not one Revenant with that kind of combat prowess comes to mind though. "I don't know who you're referring to. Maybe they're someone I've forgotten about," I wonder aloud.

"I see. Well, in that case, don't worry about it." Jack stretches his arms one last time before patting my back. "Why don't you go meet them? They should be getting discharged from Karen's medical tent soon."

… That doesn't sound so bad. It wouldn't hurt to at least reacquaint before we go on our respective missions. It might be the last chance I have to see them, whoever they are.

The two of us exit the bunker, emerging from the doors. I let myself bask in the warm rays of the sun. It's the first time I've gotten to feel it since waking up. It might also be the last time I ever feel it, just as it is for all the other Revenants.

Jack leaves to join his squad, and I look around, searching for the Revenant he had referred to. I see a few Cerberus soldiers here and there, holding their position at the entrances to the base. It's comforting to know that I'm working alongside elite Revenants chosen by Gregorio, even if I don't actually get to fight alongside them. Although, maybe they're also comforted to know that someone like me is out there bringing them people to protect. Who knows? If I get the chance, I'd definitely like to talk to them.

I see Karen emerging from one tent while Aurora emerges from another. They greet each other and begin discussing something. Then, I see one Revenant exiting the tent Karen came from. They wear a purifier mask much larger than mine, one that covers their entire face, so I can't really get a good glimpse at what they look like. At the very least, I can see their hair color: it's a distinct shade, almost the same color as my own hair. It gleams in the sunlight, catching me off guard. Maybe this person is someone related to me? Their Blood Veil is rather thick as well, despite it looking like the one issued out to everyone participating in Operation Queenslayer: A claw-type veil with colors reminiscent of the army fatigues used in the older era. Because of the odd thickness of their veil, I can't get a good grasp on the shape of their body either.

Then, while trying to figure out how I want to approach them, I see them making their way towards me, almost in a hurried sprint. When they finally make it close enough to me, they reach out to my face, clasping it in between their hands. I stare at them, stunned by their sudden action.

"S-Sorry," unnerved, I grab their hands and slowly remove them, "do I know you?"

Now that we stand so close to each other, I notice more things about them. They're about the same height as me, perhaps even a tad taller. Through the tinted lens of their purifier mask, I can see familiar eyes, ones that mirror back my own. Are we actually related somehow?

The luster in their eyes, however, dim in reaction to my words. I wait, expecting them to say something to remind me of who they are, but they stay silent instead. So I say, "I'm really sorry if you're someone I've forgotten. Apparently, I took an entire year just to regenerate and wake up from death. Who knows what I must have forgotten at that time," I chuckle to lighten the mood, "right?"

When I see their hands quivering, I realize that my words aren't enough to soothe them. For them to be so visibly affected at my failure to recognize them… I feel bad. It would be a lot easier if I could see their face, but neither of us can afford to remove our masks in this miasma. Since we'll be parting ways to depart on our own missions, there's a low chance that both of us will happen to meet up at a mistle where it's safe to remove our masks. And, while there's certainly enough time for us to return inside so we can safely see each other's faces, I'm afraid of the possibility that it'll just distract me during combat. Since they're not bringing that up either, they must also fear that possibility. Though, I'm sure it's already much worse for them since they seem to know who I am.

"Promise…"

"Huh?" Did they just say something?

I don't get another word out of them. Instead, they raise their hand to my face, extending their pinky outward. Behind the lens of their purifier mask, I see some sort of determination in their eyes. Hesitantly, I raise my own hand and curl my pinky around theirs.

"When we get back," they mutter just low enough for me to hear, "we'll see each other. Promise?"

"... Yeah," I smile as I tug at their pinky, "I promise! Stay safe out there, okay? I will too. Go stick it to the Queen."

Our pinkies were only linked together for just a few seconds, but for some reason, it felt like an eternity. Once they separate, I feel my mind instinctively yearning to grasp their hand again. I suppress the feeling, assuring myself that we'll get another chance eventually.

Little did I know that this would be our final moment together.