I woke up.
Then shrieked in fear and prayed to any gods out there to cast their holy spells to defend me from the hellish creature… sitting in front of a desk?
I blinked.
"Subject 001."
I blinked a second time.
"Subject 001."
Then a third-
"SUBJECT 001!"
"Y-yes?" I blurted as the roach-like creature stared straight into my soul whilst piling files across the wooden desk. Hell, there is even an outbox and an inbox, both filled with various manila folders, and a mug of coffee clasped in one of the many insectoids hands.
Thank God, I don't have a cockroach phobia or something…
"You are, or were, Adam Lurch, right?"
Oh shit, did I die? And am I in the afterlife?
He must have said that out loud because the alien-roach thing rolled his eyes, beneath a monopoly, in the famous expression that is called-
"Obviously. Do you really think my kind would exist in your world?"
No, not really. Many would have heart attacks just staring at the thing-
"I do have feelings you know."
Wait, it can read my mind?
"Yes."
Woah…
The creature than tilted his head as if not expecting the response. After a moment of staring, the roach-thing then shook his head as he snatched a lone folder from the inbox, scanned it briefly, before speaking in his , surprisingly, human dialect and accent again.
"In short. You died in an accident at the age of 18. Chosen not because of skill, trait, or even strength, but simply because you're a nobody-"
"Hey! I'm not just a nobody-"
"You are." It said, ignoring his seething tone and continuing pragmatically despite his earlier outburst. "No, let me rephrase that. You are chosen because you are human. A weak and pathetic creature in the grand multiverse cosmic scale. Frankly, there are many races that deserves this responsibility. But it is what it is. And I am not a member of the high council. If I were, I would have banished your kind long ago from this organization. Now, as I was saying, before I was rudely interrupted, as a participant of this new initiative you are inclined to…"
I stared.
Tried to take deep breathes to calm myself as the creature talk-
"You're a piece of shit, you know that."
Silence ensues.
"And what, may I ask, enlightened you to state that?"
I couldn't stop myself from leaning forwards and slamming my hand on his desk, uncaring for the myriad of paperwork flying away, as I seethed at its face.
"I am sick and tired of Aliens like you, looking down on mankind. Yes, we have our own faults and flaws, but we are more than that! We have existed for thousands of years and we will for thousands more! I do not need to watch hundreds of Alien invasion films to know that whatever you throw at us. At humanity. We will survive, and beat you."
I pointed at the thing's face, panting and heaving from my outburst as I prepare myself for retaliation and-
"Excellent!"
I blinked again.
"Most excellent!"
I then blinked for the fourth time, as the office building collapsed and vanished in blue hues. Replacing my surroundings in white floors and white nothingness. It was as if the color white dominated its cousins and permeated the endless silvery plains of existence-
"I highly advise you to not think of our dimensional panel any further, should you wish to have your sanity intact."
I looked behind and saw the last etches of the insectoid body fading away and replaced with a smooth porcelain tall white figure with no discernable features on its face. After a moment of staring, I finally asked-
"Who are you?"
"I am what you humans call an Artificial Intelligence."
The AI answered briefly and emotionlessly.
"And you are chosen, not because of skill, trait, or even strength. But because you are Human. The first Human to be initiated as a sentinel, guardian, and protector of all living things against the ultimate enemy. In other words, you are now an Agent of the New Shire. Your responsibilities are nigh necessary for the survival of… of… Adam are you listening?... Adam?"
I stared at the familiar texts and interference at my face… Then, I-
"Fucking Hell, I'm a Gamer."
Fell backwards to unconscious.
"Well, yes. But, No…"
…=~New Shire ~=…
I woke up for the second time.
Then immediately gasped in awe and sheer astonishment as I… as I… woke up in my bed back home.
"Damnit, was it all a dream?"
"No, it isn't." A voice behind me stated as I was greeted by the AI earlier. "This is your headquarters and respawning point-"
"Waittt! Did you say respawn!?"
"Yes."
"So cool."
The AI stared. Then shook his head and continued- "The other rooms on the second floor, besides yours, can act as a guest room, in case other Agents decides to conduct the Party protocol-"
"There are others? I thought I was the only one…"
He asked as they exited the room and surveyed the doors that looked so similar to his house back home.
"I said you were the only Human Agent."
The white figure responded.
"So, you're saying that there are other different species-"
"Yes."
"Huh, cool."
The six-foot tall figure then descended the stairs with him as he stopped and surveilled the identical first floor, complete with his family pictures beside the stairs, the gaming console that his parents gifted him when he was ten years old, the random paintings that his father collected still displayed amidst the halls, and the myriad of sentimental things in array with the usual things as they completed their tour.
The kitchen room was there, living room present, bathroom thankfully existed, and all of the rooms that made home feel like home were here.
He was about to ask why, when they stepped outside and was immediately granted by the sights of… colors?
Mostly purple, and red, then it switches to pink then black, then any colors that existed except white.
"Adam?"
It was so beautiful. It feels like an epiphany. It feels like being gazed down by a god.
"Adam!"
He was snapped out of his haze as the AI literally snapped his face with his porcelain hand. Showing emotions, for the first time, since he first saw the Artificial Intelligence. Distress. Fear. And eventually, Relief.
"I am sorry." To his credit, the figure before him indeed looked sorry. "I failed to inform you that outside is… an anomaly that can only be gazed by other entities that are not of the human category… or an experience Agent."
"I-it's okay…"He then gaze at the AI, while his lip thinned." Why… Why do I have a Lovecraftian God as my neighbor?" The white figure looked at him with his featureless face, then sighed.
"Because, said Lovecraftian God is one of the entities that can utterly destroy any… invaders that seek to claim your headquarters."
That makes sense. Well, kinda…
"Why does it not destroy my house?"
"Amusement, mostly. Worry not, every Agent's HQ is guarded by a Lovecraftian level entity, or similar. Now, I believe, we have a tour to finish… Yes?" The AI glanced backed at him as he pondered in front of the closed door behind him.
"Why?"
This time the AI blinked.
"Define why?"
"Why the distinct similarities of my home? Hell, you could have placed me in a fortress, a castle, hell, even a pirate ship! But instead, you chose to keep the family photos, even my gaming console, personal computer, and fuck! The penciled heights on the walls? That particular broken wooden front step outside? This place, this house… Why is it so similar to my home? Why?"
Silence ensues.
Eventually, the AI spoked-
"To be an Agent of the New Shire. Is to carry a great burden. Every time you die on a mission, you respawn here. Again, and again. You will be in service for the rest of eternity here. Because, like it or not, this will be your infinite and ever-constant home… until your sanity breaks."
Adam sighed.
"Basically, my own personal and inevitable cemetery." He scoffed. "What kind of shitty position is this?" Then raised his eyebrow as the white AI figure stepped forwards and clasped his shoulder with its pure white right arm.
"The kind that will save other worlds." He could feel a smirk marring the AI's face. "Besides, you are not alone in this endeavor. Every Agent has an AI to not only act as an assistance, but as a personal companion… or friend."
He stared at it-, no, him.
"Alright, who am I fighting against?" He asked, tone enforced by false bravado, while forcing a grin across his face.
"Adam, forget what you saw or heard from your universe's depiction of monsters. For you will hunt down unimaginable horrors, entities worse than demons, and madness incarnates that will test your human sanity."
"Nice speech. When do I start?"
"After I show you, you're suit and weapons-"
"Wait!"
"Yes?"
"What about gamer's body and gamer's mind?"
The AI shrugged and shook his head.
"The Gamers are a separate entity that exist outside this multiverse. You may or may not come across one, be tasked to hunt one down, or befriend one. It depends."
"Dang. So, I'm basically me."
"Yes." The AI answered as he opened the door down the basement. Where apparently his suit, armor, weapon and a bunch of things that will help him is procured at. After the fourth step, however, he paused.
"Is something wrong?" The AI asked.
"You know, you never told me who you are."
"Oh, you never asked. I am a version of you created for you."
"Wait what?"
…=~New Shire ~=…
Ruby Rose woke up.
Sweat poured on her face and drenched her pajamas as she shivered and hugged her knees.
"Dammit, another nightmare." She muttered as she resolved herself to check her bed below.
No creepy monsters, check.
Relieved.
She opened her closets.
No horrors greeted her there, check.
She glanced at the clock.
Its 12pm, check?
Then finally, she checked outside her windows, no one outside the backyard except a naked man thing, so another check-
She paused.
Wait what.
She did a 180 degrees head turn and watched the scenery outside.
Empty.
"Huh, must be my imagination… hehe…" She chuckled nervously as she pulled over her blankets towards her face and tried to fall asleep-
"Nope!"
Then she used her semblance, leaving a bed of roses, to open the door and barreled through the halls with clear intent to find her father's room.
…=~New Shire ~=…
"Dad! Open the Door, please…"
She knocked for the umpteenth time. Hoping for her father to save her from a sleepless night as she failed to hid a shudder from the cold nightly winds.
Wait is it an unnatural cold wind?
Ruby paused.
Then knocked with increased intensity. Feeling hyper aware of the lack of light, the nightmarish shadows, and the very cold temperature-
"Ah, fudge it."
She prepared to knock the door down herself, but paused, blinking, she moved her hands towards the yellow knob and… opened the unlocked door.
I'm an idiot…
She shook her head, sighed in relief, then walked inside.
"Dad. Can I please sleep here like last time? I was having a nightmareeee…"
Her words drifted off as her father's empty bed greeted her fear addled mind.
Then, as a cherry to the cake, a soft clank emitted downstairs.
"D-dad?"
Maybe it was him getting up for a late-night snack or something.
She gulped.
Then, with trembling legs, she walked outside her dad's room. Slowly strolled across the dark halls and crouched behind the wooden fence in front of her as she gazes down on the seemingly long sets of stairs leading down towards the kitchen.
"I-I should probably go to sleep, p-probably a stray cat that got inside," She muttered, as she nodded at the logical explanation. Then with shaky legs, she stood, was about to return and lock her room to kingdom come, but flinched when a loud clang filtered downstairs.
On second thought, I should probably leave and bunker up inside a neighbor's house-
"Sweetie, is that you?" Her dad's voice brought palpable relief on her small body as she sighed, was about to respond, but paused.
Isn't Dad accompanying Yang on a school field trip?
"Sweetie, is that you upstairs?"
How did he know I was here?
"Come down. I have dinner prepared."
Dinner? In the middle of the night? At 12 pm?
"Sweetie…"
Also, Dad never calls her sweetie. Just, Ruby or Rubes…
She was about to bolt away with her semblance but curiosity killed the cat when a figure slowly approached from the kitchen door and stood in front of the stairs.
"You know…"
Only his leggings were visible, the torso and up was shrouded by the lack of light.
"I can smell you from here."
The… thing took a step forward as his face was illuminated by the moon outside. Showing a blasphemous figuration with way too many sharp teethes, and no eyes, on his horrific sad excuse of a face.
Seconds passed as they both stared at each other. Eventually, she screamed and activated her semblance.
Running across the halls upstairs and stopping in front of her door. She opened it and was greeted by the sight of a tall creature clad in nothing but mutilated skin and rows of dirty sharp teeth protruding on his head-
She pounced back, her twelve years of huntress training experience saving her from getting tackled by the hideous thing as she reactivated her semblance, leaving behind petal of roses, and ignoring the sounds of dry flesh hitting wall behind her.
Finally, she reached the front doors of her house as she prepared to run for her dear life towards the nearest town-
Ruby Rose flew away, by a lone backhanded swing, and smashed herself towards the kitchen table.
H-how did it moved so quickly?
She let out a pained groan as she pushed herself to stand up while her Aura flickered red.
It bypassed my Aura… How?
Suddenly, a hand roughly grabbed her hair and pulled her upwards, uncaring for her pained whimpers and ignoring the sharp impacts of her feet to its gangly body, as the thing pulled her towards a… a … abyss staring at her inside the overstretched mouth that threatened to swallow her literal existence.
"Help! I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. Please someone save me!"
She closed her eyes, ignored the smell- no, the sound of screaming people inside the darkness within the thing's throat and suddenly she was falling. Blinking, she used the opportunity to use her semblance to dash away from the thing's clutches and set herself unto the sets of stairs. Then froze as an inhuman shriek flooded the empty house.
"Oh, you big crybaby. It's just a scratch."
She blinked again as a robotic synthesized voice emitted from behind. She turned her head and was greeted by the sight of tattered white cape gliding downwards from a tall hatted figure as he lifted his bloodied shovel, of all things, to his shoulder while kicking a dismembered hand away from him,
"W-who are you?" She asked the Huntsman as she flinched back at the unnatural blue eyes turning towards her as he tilted his head.
"Me?" He put a hand on his white breastplate, ignoring the horrific creature bleeding behind him. "My name is- Oof." And got tackled by said horrific creature as he swore and wrestled with the thing on the ground.
"Get out of here, kid. I can handle this." The man gritted his teeth as she nodded absently. She followed his orders as she run past the Huntsman and the Monster dueling across her house's floor. Finally, she reached outside and indulged the rush of air hitting her face.
Wait, should I help him? The Huntsman needs to know that the creature can bypass aura and besides, she has crescent rose-
Ruby Rose let out a pained 'Oof' as she landed her rear on the grass below. Cradling her head, she looked up and was about to give the Tree a glare when said Tree growled like the horrific thing from before as she flinched and instinctively dashed away with her semblance.
Landing a healthy distance away she looked back and watched with blood draining from her face as the inhumane abomination charged at her with speed faster then a Beowolf across the grassy fields.
And so, she dashed and blinked, pushing her semblance to its uppermost limits for the first time, away and away, but even still, she noticed with growing horror that the creature slowly creeps up towards even at her own pace.
Feeling her Semblance limit taking hold, she suddenly diverted, ignored the smashed grass field, and run straight back towards her home.
"Dammit, kid! I do not need help-, oh, get behind me." She abruptly nodded and watched with wary gaze at the two figures trying to overpower the other. The Huntsman putting his shovel outwards, as the creature tried to take a bite from his head. Twitching his head from aside and afront, the thing took the opportunity-
"N-no!"
Then its head snapped backwards as the white Hunter headbutted its head. Followed by a gauntleted punch to the face. Now the creature was dazed, he glanced outside, took the form of the other creature rapidly from outside, then diverted the mass from the end pole of his weapon, off balancing his current opponent, then suddenly pushed the thing towards its other lunging cousin. The end result was gore and carnage as inertial mass met passive mass.
"Are… are they dead?" She asked, as they both gazed down on the writhing figures, moaning and making unholy pained sounds as they tried to crawl away from the approaching huntsman.
Ruby Rose can only flinch as she saw the man pulled the legs of both the creatures towards his feet as he let out a humane mad growl. He raised his fist, "You fuckers." Then beated the creatures like a hammer on a soft anvil. "Pieces of shit." She stilled at every punch. "For Thousands of Years, I've hunted your Kind." He seethed with rage, ignoring the pig-like squeals from below. "I died again, and again for eternity immemorial." Bones pulped. Muscles Teared apart. Brain matters flew away, some even landed on her pajamas. "Yet. Nothing. Fucking. Changes." Soon the creatures wailing died in silence. "Not you." However, the huntsman didn't even register their deaths as he kept punching the creatures to bloody pulps. "And not me." He ended with one last fist on the mutilated bodies.
Moments passed.
Finally, the man took a deep sigh, grabbed his shovel, then rises as he then looked at her with a worried gaze before speaking-
"Are you okay?"
She stared.
"Yeah… yeah… I'm okay- Bwahhh!"
She puked.
"No… no, I'm not." She responded knees on the ground and face staring at her dinner amidst the blood-soaked floors. Soon, she felt a hand caressing her back as she heaved and heaved. After a moment, she sighed, wiped a drib from her mouth, grimaced, then looked back at the concerned hunter.
She was about to ask his name… when suddenly, she stilled and screamed in pain. Resulting to the armored man, swearing,
"Shit. Were you injured by one of them?"
Injured? Oh, I… I did…
She lifted her right arm to show the scratch mark where the creature backhanded her earlier. The man stilled. Then, after a moment of contemplation, lifted his hand and pressed something on his ears.
"002. I need an extract for two individuals."
Darkness slowly edges from her vision.
"I don't care if it's against protocols! Tell the council to shove their assess! A girl is dying here!"
Sleep suddenly feels blissful.
"Nonononono! Don't die on me, girl!"
The last thing she saw was white light enrapturing them.
Then they vanished.
…=~New Shire ~=…
She woke up for the second time.
And immediately panicked as she felt water all around her body. She tried to scream, but a breathing mask filtered her with Oxygen calmed her, a little, as she then eyed her surroundings. She was in a glass tube. Swimming towards its surface, she raised her fists-
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
She blinked. Searched for the owner of the voice. Then was greeted by the sight of a young black-haired man tapping away on a computer panel in front of him. She eyed the bloodied cape, armor, and fists, and-
"Yes. It was I who saved you from earlier." She relaxed. Then, after considering her situation and the fact that she was now trapped in a guy's basement-
"Really? You're too young for me, and I wouldn't dare to cross that line."
She Blinked.
How did he-
"How did I know what you were thinking?"
Her eyes widened as he enigmatically stared at her very soul.
"Because, I can read minds."
Silent ensues.
She then glared at him when he snorted and snickered in merit.
"Haha! You should have seen your face when I said that!" She pouted.
Then, when he finally calms down from his joyful outburst, he answered her unasked question.
"You would be surprise at how much knowledge and understanding you gain from simple facial and bodily expressions when you are as old as me."
Old? He looks young-
"My dear, believe it or not, I am fourteen thousand times older than you."
What!? How?
He blinked.
Then stared at her.
"Did you really just take my word for face value? Word of advice, kid. Everyone lies and I don't care whether you trust me or not. All you need to know, is that I'm doing my best to bring you home…" He stilled.
Then, talked to someone on an earpiece.
"What? Those dumbasses suspended my license to travel? How many years?" The man whistled." Wow, three hundred?" After a moment, he sighed. "That's what I get for playing hero, kid." Sensing her distress, he pulled away from the computer panel then walked towards in front of her tube.
"Don't worry. Ruby, right?"
She nodded.
"I'm going to get you home."
She nodded tersely.
"By the way, my name is Adam. An Agent of the New Shire. And I welcome you to my humble abode. I advise you to ready yourself, mentally and emotionally, for we are about to take a journey to countless worlds."
He gave her an assuring smile, then as his figure turned and walked away, she couldn't help but trust him, despite his words of warning.
Inwardly, she sighed, closed her eyes, and tried to fall asleep.
I'll be back Dad. I'll be back Yang. Everyone… I'll be back.
To be continued…
Next chapter will be uploaded on May 16-20
Project Stratification will be uploaded on May 21-22
A Dark Lord's New Chapter will be uploaded on May 16-20 as well
AN: I would like to apologize for those who have read and expected my other fics to be uploaded at an earlier schedule. Originally, A Dark Lord's New chapter (And Project Stratification) were expected to be updated last week. However, I was not able to meet the scheduled dates. Of that, I am sorry. I shall do my best to learn from my mistakes and show improvements.
...
That said, so what did you think would happen if an immortal dimensional traveler tries to keep Ruby Rose Safe, from the Multiverses' worse foes, whilst trying to get her home?
He can go back from how he first came. However, Cosmic politics says no. So, he opted for another way. A dangerous way... Poor Ruby.
...
Please leave a review, if you want to.
Criticisms are welcomed.
And I hope you have a fine day today.
(Insert Happy Face)
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