The first thing Jack began to feel when his mind reconnected with his body was pain. How much time had passed? He didn't know. Being unconscious had robbed him of his sense of time, and even his carefully trained biological clock couldn't help him now.
But did time matter in his situation? In this place, the only important thing was to keep his mind sane despite the incessant waves of pain he was experiencing.
His eyes were closed and blocked by a piece of metal holding his head fixed to a metal frame. His arms and legs were also trapped by thick metal cables that restricted his movements.
Still, despite the pain and his imprisonment, he never stopped trying to escape. He wasn't going to give that bastard thing the satisfaction. He wouldn't give in. He wouldn't let himself die. He would escape, and when he did, he would destroy that damn metal skull!
...
A long time ago, when the team finally managed to seal the anomaly, the people it had affected began to change. First, they stopped laughing.
Then, like puppets whose strings had been cut, they began to tremble before collapsing, completely drained of strength. One by one, they fell to the ground, ceasing all movement.
A silence fell over the entire town that felt uncomfortable and unnatural. People were uncomfortable seeing a place that should have been full of people, noise, and liveliness, empty, silent, and dead.
This feeling came from the human brain, which was not accustomed to this type of situation or place. Without realizing it, the group had created a fairly large liminal space. Even they did not want to make noise, as if they instinctively feared that doing so would cause something terrible to happen.
"Ah, finally..." Irina whispered, breaking the long silence. With her words, the whole team seemed to regain their mobility and begin dealing with the most important thing: the sealed anomaly.
"Let me take the pliers this time." Lisa approached Alex, holding out her hand as if expecting him to give her something.
"Okay, be careful," Alex said, handing her a pair of metal pliers. With them in hand, Lisa began to carefully manipulate the seal.
Although there was currently no risk, they treated the object as if it were corrosive. They didn't want to have any close contact with it. In fact, the best thing they could do was not interact too much with sealed anomalies unless they were in a safe place.
The threat to the village had seemingly disappeared; however, the others had noticed that Jack hadn't put down his weapon. Although he seemed unconcerned and only moderately alert due to the mission being over, his companions understood him very well.
They had noticed for some time that their companion was unusually tense. At first, they thought it was because of the mission. After all, dealing with anomalies was always difficult, not to mention one of the most dangerous tasks for UNMSO agents. However, Jack's alertness hadn't changed much since they left Norian City.
Although he didn't talk to them as extensively about his dreams as he did with Laria, the rest of the team was still aware of them. Jack's special talent was simply called 'sixth sense,' with no further description.
But what did this extrasensory perception really encompass? Anyone could develop a certain degree of it! This was especially true of army veterans, who could pose certain threats.
However, Jack's talent was considered exceptional because it clearly surpassed what was humanly reasonable. The lack of description itself described the capacity of his sixth sense.
It encompassed many fields related to this form of perception. Jack could even tell if a storm was coming days in advance, and that's just an ordinary demonstration of his ability!
They took their friend's strange behavior very seriously. Seeing him now "relaxed," they knew something was about to happen. Jack took missions very seriously! He never relaxed until he had confirmed several times that everything was okay. This had even saved them several times.
As they stored the anomaly in a special bag designed for transporting this type of object, Laria casually patted her boyfriend's shoulder, as if nothing bad were about to happen.
"You can really feel me. Your talent just gets stronger with age and experience, right, Subject Number 13?" Suddenly, they heard a voice that sounded like metallic squeaks in their ears. It didn't come from any particular direction. It was simply transmitted directly to them, making this strange situation even more terrifying.
Muffled sounds began to be heard, as if something heavy and metallic were constantly hitting the ground. Jack's pupils dilated, and blood stained his eyes as he stared directly at the entrance to the house.
He could feel it. His whole body was tense, his hair stood on end, and a chill ran down his spine, warning and urging him. His instincts roared in his ear, unified in meaning: FIGHT!
The source of the sounds was the footsteps of a two-meter-tall humanoid figure. It was a metallic skeleton that replicated the structure of human bones exactly, but it was a sinister silver color.
Its skull was adorned with two large red eyes that stared at the humans present. Although it appeared to be a machine, everyone could feel its blatant mockery.
Its mouth opened slightly, revealing razor-sharp metal teeth, and it emitted an annoying squeak. Jack and the others felt uncomfortable not only because of the sound but also because something else had been affected.
The noise had destabilized the pneuma in their bodies! This was worse than any physical discomfort because it was a direct attack on life itself. The Pneuma is not just an energy used for fighting; it is what keeps your essence together and unalterable.
It keeps your essence together and unalterable! The metallic figure attacked the Operators' vital point, rendering them unable to resist its approach.
"This special frequency is only a replica of what certain ancient artifacts can do, but it's enough to deal with someone who has never experienced Pneuma inhibition and alteration.
Subject Number 13, you have fought many battles and risked your life, but perhaps you have never truly touched what is important in this world. You were raised in a large greenhouse.
At least your results have satisfied me, though. I've come to collect you, like a farmer with the fruit of his harvest. Don't worry, Subject Number 13. Even though I don't take good care of my things, I'll be especially careful with you." The metal skeleton touched Jack's face. Jack was kneeling on the ground, trying to stand up despite the physical pain he was experiencing.
"I... will crush you," Jack muttered. Bloody tears fell from his eyes. In a movement the metal figure did not expect, Jack's Pneuma-reinforced body lunged forward.
The invisible energy surging from Jack's heart was disturbed, but he struggled with all his willpower to control his runaway Pneuma because he would never give up so easily.
An invisible fluctuation surrounded him, and the air itself trembled and distorted from the vast amount of energy he harnessed. Most special of all, there was a hint of sharpness in this Pneuma, a brief pulse, but it was enough.
The warrior's forehead collided with the metal skeleton's forehead, causing a clang and sparks and leaving an ugly cut mark on the metal. Jack had managed to inflict minimal damage, but it was clear evidence of his iron will to fight even in the worst circumstances.
The skeleton took several steps back due to the powerful impact. It touched its forehead, feeling the damage to its metal casing, something that should not have happened under normal circumstances. Although it was incapable of showing expressions, its red eyes conveyed strange confusion because of this.
However, Jack was unable to continue attacking. That burst of power worsened his condition, and with his face covered in blood, he began to faint. But the skeleton was not satisfied. As the man fainted, its eyes never stopped staring at him, conveying a clear message:
Sooner or later, it would crush and smash him to pieces with its axe.
"I must improve my containment facilities," he thought. Subject number 13, what a pleasant surprise! Such a sharp characteristic, truly befitting your personality. Isn't it?" said the metal skeleton. Although its tone was neutral, its greed was palpable.
...
When Jack regained consciousness, he immediately checked his Pneuma. For some reason, although he was no longer disturbed as he had been before losing consciousness, his energy was unusually inert. It was as if he were a normal person and not an Operator.
Something was blocking his Pneuma. He had heard of places, especially those in ruins, that were capable of doing that. However, it was the first time he had experienced this phenomenon, and it made him feel extremely uncomfortable.
After all, he had been exercising the power of Pneuma continuously for over ten years. Even when he wasn't using it, feeling his heart beat and produce this energy was comforting, but now there was only silence.
He opened his eyes, but all he found was darkness. He didn't know where he was, but he seemed to be alone. The ground felt metallic, and he was completely naked.
However, instead of feeling fear or concern, he remained composed. He felt his skin and noticed the lack of open wounds or blood. He confirmed that he was not injured, though he was in very bad condition.
Devoid of everything but himself, he walked through the place, minimizing his footsteps so as not to make noise. His breathing was silent, as if he didn't want to alert whatever lurked in the darkness. Although he knew he was alone, he could sense it.
His sixth sense was still there! Talents like this were profound changes in their bodies. They were born with them, and regardless of whether they became operators, they would always be available to their users.
The Pneuma certainly empowered them, but they were independent at their core. He could be completely exposed and without his best weapon, but his sixth sense would always be with him.
Thanks to his special perception, he knew he was in a square, metal room. How did he know? When he touched one of the walls, its cold, metallic texture gave him the answer.
Intelligently, he began to walk, guided by the wall. He counted his steps and calculated the distance and angle of each corner.
He couldn't find anything indicating a door. The walls were completely smooth, and there was nothing to pull on. He simply sat on the floor, leaned his back against a wall, and let its coldness seep into his body to relieve some of the stress he was feeling.
He remained silent, didn't complain, and didn't even stir in protest. However, the dark atmosphere and reality of his situation increasingly affected him.
The worst part was that he was alone, which meant one thing: What had happened to his companions? What had happened to Laria? These concerns weighed on him as well. From the greed he could sense in the gaze of the sentient machine, it was clear that he would not leave any of his friends behind.
Were they in a room like the one he was in? Were they also naked? Or was that thing torturing them so it could use them against him later?
The darkness outside fed the darkness growing in his mind, causing many scenarios to play out in his head and increasing his distress.
His heart began to beat faster, his breathing became rapid, and he felt as if his body were spinning, even though he was standing still, leaning against the wall.
He was dizzy from the panic attack he was having! He tried to remain calm, but he was overwhelmed by everything that had happened to him. He struggled to keep his expression serious.
Although there was no one there, he could feel a familiar gaze upon him. He sensed the blatant greed emanating from the mechanical entity and had given its owner a nickname long ago.
Greed.
'I won't give him the satisfaction he wants,' the thought burst into Jack's mind. It was like a spring breeze, causing him to gradually calm down.
No matter what situation he or his companions were in, the most important thing was to figure out how to escape and do so with his friends while taking down this dangerous enemy.
With nothing else to do, he closed his eyes and began to meditate. He didn't want to sleep, and the fact that his Pneuma was blocked gave him a strange inspiration.
He had never encountered anything like this before. What would it be like to meditate in this state? He wanted to find out! Apparently, he had free time. He didn't know when Greed would come or if Greed would harm him, so sharpening his mind was the best option, especially since he didn't want another panic attack in this place.
Jack sank into a deep meditative state and tried to explore the inert state of his pneuma. As he did so, a smile rose to his lips because eight whispers came to him, surprisingly.
0Perhaps I'll have a chance,' he reflected before continuing to meditate while waiting for Greed's inevitable arrival. After all, he didn't believe that being at the mercy of this being would leave him alone.
Sure enough, an hour later, he heard the footsteps burned into his memory since waking up. Soon, a pair of red lights illuminated the surrounding darkness.
'Greed' had arrived at his cage. Although he noticed it, Jack did not react. He remained seated in a deep state of meditation. He wasn't going to let this being's presence intimidate or affect him beyond keeping him captive.
If that upset him, so much the better! Jack smiled at this thought, much to Greed's annoyance. Greed was expecting some kind of reaction from his captive, but got only indifference and mockery in return.
"It seems you have adapted very well, Subject Number 13," said the machine with the metallic chirping characteristic of this type of sentient being, many of them remnants of eras different from the present.
"Aren't you going to answer me? Yell at me? Try to attack me? Ask about your fellow humans? Especially that girl with whom you have exceptional genetic compatibility, your lover, as humans call it." When Jack didn't respond, Greed continued talking, trying to provoke a reaction from the man. Jack only opened his eyes and stared intently at the machine.
His eyes were the most common among humans, a simple brown color that anyone would overlook, but now, there was a peculiar glow in them. His gaze was full of determination and willpower, which seemed to burn in his pupils.
Greed said nothing more, understanding that his verbal attacks could not psychologically damage his captive. Although it was something he had expected, if he could have expressed emotion, he surely would have looked disappointed.
He had to resort to more extreme methods to affect Jack's will because it was a necessary step for his main purpose. Greed disappeared from the room, leaving the warrior alone. The warrior returned to meditation.
Regardless of what the future held, Jack sought to remain calm and continue with his task because he knew that what he achieved during meditation would help him escape this situation.
'Think of this as extreme training,' he thought, using this idea to calm his anxious thoughts about his companions, about whom he had no news.
Time lost all meaning when he concentrated on meditation. Due to the lack of references, he couldn't tell what day it was. He didn't bother to keep track of the passing hours, feeling it was unnecessary.
Everything was monotonous. Even the food that appeared near him, transported by small machines, was tasteless. It served only to feed him without providing any enjoyment.
This routine changed, however, when two robots approached him, grabbed him roughly, lifted him, and took him to an unknown place. No matter how much he struggled, his limbs were firmly trapped, rendering his attempts futile.
However, he could see the door to the room because the metal wall transformed into a pile of gray ants that scattered as the machines passed and then reassembled and solidified again.
He didn't know where he was going, but he sensed that things had changed drastically and that he would no longer enjoy a 'comfortable' stay in this place.