---------------
By
conferring with the Middleman, you have been given an opportunity to discover
your past. With his blessing, you have decided to enter one of the backrooms of
the Lucky Cat Inn. You enter this backroom and find yourself in a small area
with only a single light to illuminate it. There are no exits beyond the door
that you came in.
There is a comfortable leather couch that is across from another one with a coffee table between them. Sitting on the far couch is the man known as Watchdog. Known as something of a vigilante in Babylon, the Watchdog is an infamous freediver. Many people claim he doesn’t exist—an urban legend; others are diehard believers and promote his image through graffiti and stories.
The Watchdog is said to be everywhere at once. Every camera, every cell phone, every person are his eyes and ears. He can blend seamlessly into any crowd, but can also make himself stand out amongst thousands at a whim.
There is a half empty cup of coffee sitting on the table. Watchdog has removed his typical scarf and hat; allowing for you to see his face. His features are plain, with perhaps a lingering hint of charm and good looks that he downplays with a somber attitude. His brown hair is kept short while his piercing eyes stand out thanks to the dim glow of mana radiation that marks him as a genasi.
As you sit across from him, the Watchdog explains in his default monotone, “The Middleman has already informed me of what you want. At this point, I see that you will not be deterred despite any warning I might have for you. Ultimately, it is better to do this in a safe and controlled environment.”
There’s a pause, then he continues, “You may not feel like yourself anymore after this process is complete. It is entirely possible that your personality and feelings now are just a cover for the true core that is in your heart. A very deep cover, you see, that will have to be uprooted and exposed for you to know the truth you have forgotten.”
While staring into your eyes, he continues, “This will be painful; emotionally and physically. What you do when we’re done here is your own business. However, I will implant a suggestion in your mind; a suggestion that will protect me, the Middleman, and this Inn. You will not harm us, even if you come to learn that we are at fault somehow for what was done to you. This is a simple precaution. There can never be enough precautions in my line of work. Now, let’s begin.”
…
Watchdog leads you through some breathing exercises to help relax you. They’re reminiscent of the ones you performed under the tutelage of your hengeyokai master. Soon, you have your eyes closed, and you’re taking deep breaths. It is then, that you begin to hear a familiar tune, one that you have heard both your father and your mother hum to you at different points in your life. You now hear both of them humming in harmony.
There is a comfortable leather couch that is across from another one with a coffee table between them. Sitting on the far couch is the man known as Watchdog. Known as something of a vigilante in Babylon, the Watchdog is an infamous freediver. Many people claim he doesn’t exist—an urban legend; others are diehard believers and promote his image through graffiti and stories.
The Watchdog is said to be everywhere at once. Every camera, every cell phone, every person are his eyes and ears. He can blend seamlessly into any crowd, but can also make himself stand out amongst thousands at a whim.
There is a half empty cup of coffee sitting on the table. Watchdog has removed his typical scarf and hat; allowing for you to see his face. His features are plain, with perhaps a lingering hint of charm and good looks that he downplays with a somber attitude. His brown hair is kept short while his piercing eyes stand out thanks to the dim glow of mana radiation that marks him as a genasi.
As you sit across from him, the Watchdog explains in his default monotone, “The Middleman has already informed me of what you want. At this point, I see that you will not be deterred despite any warning I might have for you. Ultimately, it is better to do this in a safe and controlled environment.”
There’s a pause, then he continues, “You may not feel like yourself anymore after this process is complete. It is entirely possible that your personality and feelings now are just a cover for the true core that is in your heart. A very deep cover, you see, that will have to be uprooted and exposed for you to know the truth you have forgotten.”
While staring into your eyes, he continues, “This will be painful; emotionally and physically. What you do when we’re done here is your own business. However, I will implant a suggestion in your mind; a suggestion that will protect me, the Middleman, and this Inn. You will not harm us, even if you come to learn that we are at fault somehow for what was done to you. This is a simple precaution. There can never be enough precautions in my line of work. Now, let’s begin.”
…
Watchdog leads you through some breathing exercises to help relax you. They’re reminiscent of the ones you performed under the tutelage of your hengeyokai master. Soon, you have your eyes closed, and you’re taking deep breaths. It is then, that you begin to hear a familiar tune, one that you have heard both your father and your mother hum to you at different points in your life. You now hear both of them humming in harmony.
Seconds
march into the past,
The moments pass,
And just like that they're gone.
The moments pass,
And just like that they're gone.
You’re in the back seat of a black SUV. The vehicle
rolls along the dirt roads out in the countryside; transporting you from the
Dwarven nation of Montezuma into the Human nation of Ezra. This is a convoy; a
large group of SUVs traveling together for protection.
You’re roughly four to five years of age, and you don’t have many memories from when you were this young; having had them repressed. You’re in a simple set of dirty clothes, and you’re not alone. You have a few girls in the back of the SUV; older than you, and they often do what they can to help you and look out for you.
In the driver and passenger seat are two dwarves dressed in collared shirts with bow ties; an attempt at business casual for Montezuma dwarves. They’re well armed; knives, revolvers, and submachine guns on their persons. You’re tired and scared. You know these men are moving you from one location to another, and that these are ‘bad men’.
Without warning, there are explosions, gunfire, tires squealing, and men shouting. It is a dusty haze of chaos and you’re not even sure what is going on around you. The woman holding you suddenly goes limp and her body deadweights over top of you. She has a bullet squarely lodged in her forehead. Your vehicle swerves off of the road. The SUV is driven straight into a tree and the driver’s head slams on the wheel from the impact of the crash. The weight of his dead body forces the vehicle’s horn to blare out loudly in one consistent noise.
You look up and around in fear only to discover that the only person left alive in the SUV with you is the dwarf in the passenger’s seat. He seems to be regaining his wits after the crash. Soon, he notices you. Whatever cruel idea pops in his head is unknown to you, but he reaches with his large meaty fist to try and take a hold of you. You struggle and try to pull away, but he’s much stronger than you.
Just when you fear he might pull you to him completely, he suddenly lets go of you. A loud gunshot from a handgun; deafening you temporarily. Blood, brain matter, and bone splatter all over the backseat. You see a man staring at you through the passenger side window. His face is obscured by the sun shining in the sky. After lowering his handgun, he opens the door in a hurried motion and yanks the dead dwarf out onto the ground. For a moment, you’re scared, but then relief comes. You know this man, you always have. He was there when you were born, and before now, he has never identified himself, but he confirms what you always knew: “It’s okay, Aria. Daddy’s here.”
You’re roughly four to five years of age, and you don’t have many memories from when you were this young; having had them repressed. You’re in a simple set of dirty clothes, and you’re not alone. You have a few girls in the back of the SUV; older than you, and they often do what they can to help you and look out for you.
In the driver and passenger seat are two dwarves dressed in collared shirts with bow ties; an attempt at business casual for Montezuma dwarves. They’re well armed; knives, revolvers, and submachine guns on their persons. You’re tired and scared. You know these men are moving you from one location to another, and that these are ‘bad men’.
Without warning, there are explosions, gunfire, tires squealing, and men shouting. It is a dusty haze of chaos and you’re not even sure what is going on around you. The woman holding you suddenly goes limp and her body deadweights over top of you. She has a bullet squarely lodged in her forehead. Your vehicle swerves off of the road. The SUV is driven straight into a tree and the driver’s head slams on the wheel from the impact of the crash. The weight of his dead body forces the vehicle’s horn to blare out loudly in one consistent noise.
You look up and around in fear only to discover that the only person left alive in the SUV with you is the dwarf in the passenger’s seat. He seems to be regaining his wits after the crash. Soon, he notices you. Whatever cruel idea pops in his head is unknown to you, but he reaches with his large meaty fist to try and take a hold of you. You struggle and try to pull away, but he’s much stronger than you.
Just when you fear he might pull you to him completely, he suddenly lets go of you. A loud gunshot from a handgun; deafening you temporarily. Blood, brain matter, and bone splatter all over the backseat. You see a man staring at you through the passenger side window. His face is obscured by the sun shining in the sky. After lowering his handgun, he opens the door in a hurried motion and yanks the dead dwarf out onto the ground. For a moment, you’re scared, but then relief comes. You know this man, you always have. He was there when you were born, and before now, he has never identified himself, but he confirms what you always knew: “It’s okay, Aria. Daddy’s here.”
The
river always finds the sea,
So helplessly,
Like you find me.
So helplessly,
Like you find me.
It hasn’t been long after your rescue from the
dwarven cartel known as the Winged Serpents. You were rescued by your father:
Leonhardt Nacht. Nacht is a strong and imposing man somewhere in his mid-twenties
around this time (being closer to his forties in current day). He stands
somewhere around six feet and has the frame of an athlete. Despite his short,
messy brown hair, he manages to keep a professional demeanor about him most of
the time. Currently, he is dressed in a business suit that is designed to give
him the mobility and stretch he needs for his quick movements. He keeps two
handguns hidden in shoulder holsters.
Currently, you and your father are resting in a small roadside pit stop that Genesis Security has taken over temporarily as a base of operations for this mission. While you didn’t understand it at the time, you’re coming to understand it as these memories come back to you. Your father, with an armed Genesis Security team, hit an armed dwarven cartel convoy to rescue you. And the results were rather messy.
Your father has set you up on a small chair, cleaned you up, and given you a juice box to temporarily keep you busy while he’s on the phone. He looks stressed, but every time his sharp blue eyes fall on you, his expression softens. He paces around the small rest stop area; talking to someone on his cell phone. You only get half of the conversation.
“Look, we hit our convoy. We extracted Aria. I need to know the progress on the other teams.”
…
“You have their mother? Good, good. What about Kara?”
…
“What do you mean the team isn’t responding!? Look, I only agreed to this because you said all three of them would be extracted with no issues. If any of the dwarves survived, this is going to blow back on me. They’re going to know I set them up and then they’ll kill me and my family!”
…
“I said I was done with this bullshit! We’ll talk about it later, but my family comes first. My team is en route to the last known location. I’m finding Kara.”
…
Nacht hangs up the cell phone and pockets it in his jacket. The turmoil on his face is clear; relief and yet fear all rolled into one. He makes his way over to you and kneels down next to you. He brings you in for a tight hug and for a moment, you might even feel wet tears on your shoulder. He soon pulls back and kisses the top of your head, then speaks in a reassuring tone, “Daddy is going to go find your sister. Daddy’s friend will take you to see mommy, then daddy and your sister will find you and mommy. Daddy loves you very much and he’s going to make sure that we are all a family again: now and forever.”
Nacht will pick you up under your arms and hold you close to him as he carries you out. Once outside, there are several men in business suits that seem to be handing out orders to men dressed in SWAT gear. However, among them all is a strange man. You’ve never seen a hengeyokai before, but you seem to respond well; some sort of instinct or appreciation for the monkey man. He’s dressed in simple garb and Nacht hands you over to him. The hengeyokai is surprisingly gentle, trying to make funny faces to get you to laugh.
Nacht, “Kyou, you’ll take care of her until I get back?”
Kyou, “Always, my friend.”
All of the Genesis Security members and the low ranking ROGUE Agents fall in line under the command of Leonhardt Nacht. He orders them to move out to find what happened to your sister and the caravan she was traveling in. The last you remember is the friendly monkey man who would become your master down the road taking you into a car and driving you towards the glowing city lights of Babylon.
Currently, you and your father are resting in a small roadside pit stop that Genesis Security has taken over temporarily as a base of operations for this mission. While you didn’t understand it at the time, you’re coming to understand it as these memories come back to you. Your father, with an armed Genesis Security team, hit an armed dwarven cartel convoy to rescue you. And the results were rather messy.
Your father has set you up on a small chair, cleaned you up, and given you a juice box to temporarily keep you busy while he’s on the phone. He looks stressed, but every time his sharp blue eyes fall on you, his expression softens. He paces around the small rest stop area; talking to someone on his cell phone. You only get half of the conversation.
“Look, we hit our convoy. We extracted Aria. I need to know the progress on the other teams.”
…
“You have their mother? Good, good. What about Kara?”
…
“What do you mean the team isn’t responding!? Look, I only agreed to this because you said all three of them would be extracted with no issues. If any of the dwarves survived, this is going to blow back on me. They’re going to know I set them up and then they’ll kill me and my family!”
…
“I said I was done with this bullshit! We’ll talk about it later, but my family comes first. My team is en route to the last known location. I’m finding Kara.”
…
Nacht hangs up the cell phone and pockets it in his jacket. The turmoil on his face is clear; relief and yet fear all rolled into one. He makes his way over to you and kneels down next to you. He brings you in for a tight hug and for a moment, you might even feel wet tears on your shoulder. He soon pulls back and kisses the top of your head, then speaks in a reassuring tone, “Daddy is going to go find your sister. Daddy’s friend will take you to see mommy, then daddy and your sister will find you and mommy. Daddy loves you very much and he’s going to make sure that we are all a family again: now and forever.”
Nacht will pick you up under your arms and hold you close to him as he carries you out. Once outside, there are several men in business suits that seem to be handing out orders to men dressed in SWAT gear. However, among them all is a strange man. You’ve never seen a hengeyokai before, but you seem to respond well; some sort of instinct or appreciation for the monkey man. He’s dressed in simple garb and Nacht hands you over to him. The hengeyokai is surprisingly gentle, trying to make funny faces to get you to laugh.
Nacht, “Kyou, you’ll take care of her until I get back?”
Kyou, “Always, my friend.”
All of the Genesis Security members and the low ranking ROGUE Agents fall in line under the command of Leonhardt Nacht. He orders them to move out to find what happened to your sister and the caravan she was traveling in. The last you remember is the friendly monkey man who would become your master down the road taking you into a car and driving you towards the glowing city lights of Babylon.
We
are paper boats floating on a stream,
And it would seem,
We'll never be apart.
And it would seem,
We'll never be apart.
Fast forward a couple of years. You’re being home
tutored by a computer. Kyou works you hard on physical training. He trains you
in unarmed combat, but takes the time to train you in other arts. Through these
flashbacks, you’re coming to realize that Kyou was more than just a martial
arts expert. He is clearly trained in the ancient arts of ninjutsu and he seems
to be imparting that knowledge onto you. While you know him nowadays as a surly
and mischievous asshole, Kyou in these days is friendly and genuinely seems to
care for you as if you are his own flesh and blood.
You live in a small secluded mansion within the upper reaches of the nobility district in Babylon. Kyou and a few trusted staff members are always at hand and available to you. You also recall your mother being around; a beautiful woman with long flowing red hair. She has the voice of an angel and regularly sings to you. She has soft facial features and pretty blue eyes. Typically she wears gowns of gold to accent her unique features. Everyone calls her ‘lady’ or ‘ma’am’, but you only know her by one name: mom.
You live in a small secluded mansion within the upper reaches of the nobility district in Babylon. Kyou and a few trusted staff members are always at hand and available to you. You also recall your mother being around; a beautiful woman with long flowing red hair. She has the voice of an angel and regularly sings to you. She has soft facial features and pretty blue eyes. Typically she wears gowns of gold to accent her unique features. Everyone calls her ‘lady’ or ‘ma’am’, but you only know her by one name: mom.
Like you, your mother never leaves the house. She
mostly entertains herself with her singing, but she takes a lot of time out to
play with you and see how you’re doing. When she isn’t with you, she reads,
watches television, or pursues other mild forms of entertainment without
leaving the house. These seem to be the ‘good years’ of your life, though you
often have nightmares of the traumatic events you’ve experienced; including
additional memories of being a young child more or less kept in a dwarven whore
house (prior to your father’s rescue). And though you were too young to have
anything done to you, the women you were around certainly went through some
horrors and you were being groomed to take their place.
Your father comes and goes; sometimes staying for
weeks while other times only staying for a few hours. He tells you it is
because of ‘work’ and that his job is to protect people from ‘bad men’. He is
always happy to see you and your mother, but you can tell some dark weight
hangs over him and his soul in retrospect. He tries to hide it, but whatever he
is doing, it is taking a toll on him. Whenever you ask about your sister, Nacht
never really has an answer for you beyond ‘I’m looking for her. I’ll find her
soon, and then you’ll have a big sister.’
And although you wish he was around more, you
believe him. You believe that he is out there in the city of Babylon trying to
do good things and stop bad people. He is out there trying to find your sister
and bring her home; to reunite a broken family.
I
will always find you,
Like it's written in the stars,
You can run, but you can't hide,
Try.
Like it's written in the stars,
You can run, but you can't hide,
Try.
At some point, it becomes taboo to bring up your
sister. It seems to frustrate and anger Nacht more than anything else. Perhaps
it is because he has lost hope finding her; perhaps it is because he thinks her
dead. Whatever the reason, Nacht no longer talks about your sister Kara
anymore. Additionally, the toll and stress of work has begun to grow and grow.
Then, it all comes to a head one day…
In a rare treat, your father has taken you outside
of the manor and to a small ice cream shop. He seems to be in a good mood; a
miracle given the growing cloud that hangs over him and frustrates him to no
end. The shop is rather empty aside from the two of you; the shopkeep having
gone into a back room. You’re sitting at a small table with him enjoying an ice
cream cone when a woman walks in. You yourself are around the age of ten at
this point with Nacht being somewhere in his thirties.
The woman has teal hair which she currently keeps up
in a professional bun. She is very young, probably just entering her twenties
(if not closer to eighteen). She is human, though her green eyes are constantly
cold and calculating. She is dressed in a woman’s business suit; dark gray top
and dark skirt with matching heels. You’ve seen the pin that she wears on her
lapel; a sword to signify a ROGUE agent. The pin also includes her rank: first class.
Much to the dismay of your father (who clearly
wasn’t expecting her), she approaches your little table and seems to have no
qualms forcing a business discussion. Even with you right there, and even on
what is supposed to be a friendly outing.
Gwen, “Leonhardt Nacht.”
Nacht, “Do I know you?”
Gwen, “Gwen Morrisson. I’m taking over as your handler.”
Nacht, “What happened t-“
Gwen, “Untimely demise. I have the official orders from corporate if you would like to see them.”
Gwen pulls out some documents from the inside of her jacket and hands it over to Nacht. He takes a moment to read them and ultimately furrows his brows in displeasure.
Nacht, “I was getting out of this work. You should know my history with the Winged Serpents; my handler was in the process of extracting me from it completely.”
Gwen, “Well, I’m getting you back into it fully. You’re our only contact that can go deep within their organization and accomplish what we need.”
Nacht, “Are you kidding me? There are hundreds of other capable people. Pick one and start over.”
Gwen, “No. We need results now and you’re our man to play.”
Nacht, “What if I say I quit? What if I say no to this?”
Gwen, “What if I say you can’t? What if I said I had leverage?”
Nacht’s face twists into a dark stare while Gwen merely smiles. She takes the time to look down at you, though her smile soon fades. You remind her of the sister that she disowned and that puts her in a sour mood.
Gwen, “Go home, Mr. Nacht. Think about it. I’ll have your first mission ready later in the week. If you decline it, well, we’ll both have to do what we have to do, won’t we?”
Nacht, “Do I know you?”
Gwen, “Gwen Morrisson. I’m taking over as your handler.”
Nacht, “What happened t-“
Gwen, “Untimely demise. I have the official orders from corporate if you would like to see them.”
Gwen pulls out some documents from the inside of her jacket and hands it over to Nacht. He takes a moment to read them and ultimately furrows his brows in displeasure.
Nacht, “I was getting out of this work. You should know my history with the Winged Serpents; my handler was in the process of extracting me from it completely.”
Gwen, “Well, I’m getting you back into it fully. You’re our only contact that can go deep within their organization and accomplish what we need.”
Nacht, “Are you kidding me? There are hundreds of other capable people. Pick one and start over.”
Gwen, “No. We need results now and you’re our man to play.”
Nacht, “What if I say I quit? What if I say no to this?”
Gwen, “What if I say you can’t? What if I said I had leverage?”
Nacht’s face twists into a dark stare while Gwen merely smiles. She takes the time to look down at you, though her smile soon fades. You remind her of the sister that she disowned and that puts her in a sour mood.
Gwen, “Go home, Mr. Nacht. Think about it. I’ll have your first mission ready later in the week. If you decline it, well, we’ll both have to do what we have to do, won’t we?”
Like
the moon that makes the tides,
That silent guide,
Is calling from inside.
That silent guide,
Is calling from inside.
In all the times you’ve seen your parents together,
they’ve never once argued. They both truly enjoy each other’s company and seem
to care for one another deeply. However, you can tell tensions are high, and
you use a cracked door to peer into their bedroom. Your mother and father seem
to be in a heated argument.
Nacht, “I can’t go back to that life, Hannah! I can’t!”
Hannah, “She threatened you, Nacht! She threatened you and your family right in front of Aria!”
Nacht, “I’ll kill Gwen. I’ll kill her and I’ll kill anyone who threatens us.”
Hannah, “You can’t *kill* Genesis! They’re too big; one will just replace her. What happened to your old handler? The one who helped us in the first place?”
Nacht, “Dead. My guess is killed in a power play.”
There is some awkward silence between the two. Then, your father starts the conversation again.
Nacht, “I can’t do it. I can’t kidnap people again. I can’t give them to the dwarves. I can’t give them to Genesis. I’ve changed, you know that, right? I had to do right by you and by Aria. I know I failed with Kara, but, I’m not the same person I used to be. What you had to live through when the dwarves owned you, I damned so many people to that same fate. I’ve ruined so many lives. I can’t ruin more.”
Hannah, “You’ve already done so much for us. I can’t ask you to do more, but we need a plan.”
Nacht, “I’ll find one; I swear I will.”
It is then that the gentle hands of Kyou picks you up from behind and bounces you quietly in his arms. He whispers, “Let’s go back to bed, Aria. This is just another nightmare, but you know what we talked about? Nightmares aren’t real. Nightmares can’t hurt you.”
Nacht, “I can’t go back to that life, Hannah! I can’t!”
Hannah, “She threatened you, Nacht! She threatened you and your family right in front of Aria!”
Nacht, “I’ll kill Gwen. I’ll kill her and I’ll kill anyone who threatens us.”
Hannah, “You can’t *kill* Genesis! They’re too big; one will just replace her. What happened to your old handler? The one who helped us in the first place?”
Nacht, “Dead. My guess is killed in a power play.”
There is some awkward silence between the two. Then, your father starts the conversation again.
Nacht, “I can’t do it. I can’t kidnap people again. I can’t give them to the dwarves. I can’t give them to Genesis. I’ve changed, you know that, right? I had to do right by you and by Aria. I know I failed with Kara, but, I’m not the same person I used to be. What you had to live through when the dwarves owned you, I damned so many people to that same fate. I’ve ruined so many lives. I can’t ruin more.”
Hannah, “You’ve already done so much for us. I can’t ask you to do more, but we need a plan.”
Nacht, “I’ll find one; I swear I will.”
It is then that the gentle hands of Kyou picks you up from behind and bounces you quietly in his arms. He whispers, “Let’s go back to bed, Aria. This is just another nightmare, but you know what we talked about? Nightmares aren’t real. Nightmares can’t hurt you.”
And
pull me here and push me there,
It's everywhere,
Hanging in the air.
It's everywhere,
Hanging in the air.
Outside of the manor in the driveway, you’re loading
up a few of your personal possessions into an armored SUV. You end up sitting
in the back seat while your mother takes the passenger’s seat. Outside of the
vehicle, your father and Kyou are conversing quietly, though you can hear them.
Kyou, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
Nacht, “I already lost one child. I don’t want to lose the rest of my family. You don’t have to be a part of this; I’ve already asked too much of you.”
Kyou, “I owe you my life. I will always help you. Back in the day, when you could’ve killed me, and had every right to, you spared me. I’ll never forget that. You’re a brother to me now.”
Nacht, “Thank you, Kyou.”
The two friends share a moment to themselves, Kyou squeezing Nacht’s shoulder and Nacht half-smiling. Kyou ends up getting on a motorcycle while Nacht takes the driver’s seat in the SUV. You ask him one more time where you’re going, why you’re going there, and all the other innocent questions a child of ten thinks of.
Nacht, “We already talked about this, right, Aria? There are some bad men that want to hurt us. Daddy isn’t going to let them hurt you or mommy. We’re leaving here and going to somewhere safe. Somewhere out in the country where you can play in grass, where you can have your own pet, and where we can all be happy.”
He seems so convinced of this dream despite the impossibility of it. After a reassuring look from your parents, Nacht starts pulling the SUV out of the driveway and onto the streets of Bayblon. You’re on the streets for roughly a half hour and soon, when you think you’ll finally escape this dying city, you’re attacked on the road. Your SUV is hit from the side and you spin out of control before you know what is happening.
Before Kyou can hop off his bike to help you, he’s already been shot with a stun gun and taken to the ground where several armed security begin to pin him down and handcuff him. He resists, nearly breaking free, and certainly breaking a limb or two of the security try to keep him down, but sheer numbers and the element of surprise overwhelm him.
Your father is still groggy from the airbag deploying. You yourself are in some pain from the crash and so is your mother. Luckily, you’re all alive, and perhaps aside from a concussion, you’re all not gravely injured. However, before you know it, your mother is screaming, you’re screaming, and Nacht is yelling as Genesis Security teams pull you from the wreckage. You and your mother are quickly restrained while Nacht, even after being involved in a wreck, is trying to fight back; reaching for a handgun.
It isn’t much of a fight though as he is disarmed and restrained. Gwen Morrisson walks out from one of the nearby Genesis security vehicles. She smiles at Nacht before looking to you and your mother, and then she makes the bold statement of: “I own you now, Nacht. It’s time for us to get to work…”
Kyou, “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”
Nacht, “I already lost one child. I don’t want to lose the rest of my family. You don’t have to be a part of this; I’ve already asked too much of you.”
Kyou, “I owe you my life. I will always help you. Back in the day, when you could’ve killed me, and had every right to, you spared me. I’ll never forget that. You’re a brother to me now.”
Nacht, “Thank you, Kyou.”
The two friends share a moment to themselves, Kyou squeezing Nacht’s shoulder and Nacht half-smiling. Kyou ends up getting on a motorcycle while Nacht takes the driver’s seat in the SUV. You ask him one more time where you’re going, why you’re going there, and all the other innocent questions a child of ten thinks of.
Nacht, “We already talked about this, right, Aria? There are some bad men that want to hurt us. Daddy isn’t going to let them hurt you or mommy. We’re leaving here and going to somewhere safe. Somewhere out in the country where you can play in grass, where you can have your own pet, and where we can all be happy.”
He seems so convinced of this dream despite the impossibility of it. After a reassuring look from your parents, Nacht starts pulling the SUV out of the driveway and onto the streets of Bayblon. You’re on the streets for roughly a half hour and soon, when you think you’ll finally escape this dying city, you’re attacked on the road. Your SUV is hit from the side and you spin out of control before you know what is happening.
Before Kyou can hop off his bike to help you, he’s already been shot with a stun gun and taken to the ground where several armed security begin to pin him down and handcuff him. He resists, nearly breaking free, and certainly breaking a limb or two of the security try to keep him down, but sheer numbers and the element of surprise overwhelm him.
Your father is still groggy from the airbag deploying. You yourself are in some pain from the crash and so is your mother. Luckily, you’re all alive, and perhaps aside from a concussion, you’re all not gravely injured. However, before you know it, your mother is screaming, you’re screaming, and Nacht is yelling as Genesis Security teams pull you from the wreckage. You and your mother are quickly restrained while Nacht, even after being involved in a wreck, is trying to fight back; reaching for a handgun.
It isn’t much of a fight though as he is disarmed and restrained. Gwen Morrisson walks out from one of the nearby Genesis security vehicles. She smiles at Nacht before looking to you and your mother, and then she makes the bold statement of: “I own you now, Nacht. It’s time for us to get to work…”
We
are magnets pulling from different poles,
With no control,
We'll never be apart.
With no control,
We'll never be apart.
The next thing you remember is waking up in a Genesis
Security Facility. In the background, you more or less hear a ‘deal’ taking
place. That fear from your childhood returns. A cold woman wearing all green
and who possess a metal prosthetic claw instead of a hand seems to be bandaging
you and taking care of your wounds. She looks young; roughly the same age as
Gwen. She has green eyes and long brown hair. In reference to the deal, you
hear Gwen and Nacht talking, but can’t see them initially since you’re still
groggy from the crash and the attendance Dr. Klein is giving you.
Nacht, “I’ll kill you for this!”
Gwen, “Don’t be so dramatic. You’re a career man. You’ve always been one. You work for me. You provide for your family. You do what I want and I’ll let your family go someday; no strings attached. I wouldn’t be making you do this if there was another way, but time is very short, and things need to progress now. So, here’s the deal…”
You lift your head up enough to see your father handcuffed to a metal bench. Near him, strapped down on a table is your mother. Gwen is sort of hovering over your mother along with another woman. You didn’t know who she was then, but now you certainly recognize her. The infamous freediver known as Athena. Dr. Klein eases you back down into a laying position on the medical table. You want to get up and help your parents, but you’re too weak from the crash and not entirely coherent.
Gwen, “Athena here is going to play around in Hannah’s mind. She will give her a new set of memories and an entirely new life. I will keep her out in the open so that you know she is being treated well and that she is happy. However, you should not get the idea to try any funny business like, oh, I don’t know…contacting her or rescuing her.”
Gwen, “You see, I will have one of my best teams guarding her at all times. Athena is also instilling a killswitch in Hannah; a killswitch I have control of. Hannah is my hostage. You will perform the missions I give you. Once I am satisfied and the goal I need to reach is achieved, I will relinquish her. You will be free to take her and your daughter and go wherever you please. I will absolve you of any further obligations. You will never have to see me again. That is more than fair, yes?”
Nacht seethes silently; having nothing left to say to Gwen. He is already plotting his revenge; plotting the death of Gwen Morrisson. However, the determined look in his eyes translates as a sign of his cooperation with Gwen for the time being. Though his pride makes him not want to speak, he asks, “What about Aria?”
Gwen, “Well, I think she has a very important role to play. And after she plays it, she won’t remember any of it. She can go back to your little home. You can play house with her anytime you’re not working for me. I don’t need two hostages. Hannah is more than enough.”
Nacht’s seething intensifies upon hearing that Gwen has something in mind for you. His rage gets the better of him and he attempts to stand up despite the handcuffs keeping him tied to the bench. His raging scream soon becomes one of pain as he falls back onto the bench and begins convulsing.
Athena taps the side of her head then, and mutters, “I… I thought it prudent… prudent to… put a stop to that outburst.” Gwen smiles and then orders Athena to get started. And though you can’t see what is going on between the freediver and your mother, you can hear the weakened protests of your father and the screams from your mother as a result of the memory dive.
You fade out of consciousness with the screams of your parents echoing in your minds.
Nacht, “I’ll kill you for this!”
Gwen, “Don’t be so dramatic. You’re a career man. You’ve always been one. You work for me. You provide for your family. You do what I want and I’ll let your family go someday; no strings attached. I wouldn’t be making you do this if there was another way, but time is very short, and things need to progress now. So, here’s the deal…”
You lift your head up enough to see your father handcuffed to a metal bench. Near him, strapped down on a table is your mother. Gwen is sort of hovering over your mother along with another woman. You didn’t know who she was then, but now you certainly recognize her. The infamous freediver known as Athena. Dr. Klein eases you back down into a laying position on the medical table. You want to get up and help your parents, but you’re too weak from the crash and not entirely coherent.
Gwen, “Athena here is going to play around in Hannah’s mind. She will give her a new set of memories and an entirely new life. I will keep her out in the open so that you know she is being treated well and that she is happy. However, you should not get the idea to try any funny business like, oh, I don’t know…contacting her or rescuing her.”
Gwen, “You see, I will have one of my best teams guarding her at all times. Athena is also instilling a killswitch in Hannah; a killswitch I have control of. Hannah is my hostage. You will perform the missions I give you. Once I am satisfied and the goal I need to reach is achieved, I will relinquish her. You will be free to take her and your daughter and go wherever you please. I will absolve you of any further obligations. You will never have to see me again. That is more than fair, yes?”
Nacht seethes silently; having nothing left to say to Gwen. He is already plotting his revenge; plotting the death of Gwen Morrisson. However, the determined look in his eyes translates as a sign of his cooperation with Gwen for the time being. Though his pride makes him not want to speak, he asks, “What about Aria?”
Gwen, “Well, I think she has a very important role to play. And after she plays it, she won’t remember any of it. She can go back to your little home. You can play house with her anytime you’re not working for me. I don’t need two hostages. Hannah is more than enough.”
Nacht’s seething intensifies upon hearing that Gwen has something in mind for you. His rage gets the better of him and he attempts to stand up despite the handcuffs keeping him tied to the bench. His raging scream soon becomes one of pain as he falls back onto the bench and begins convulsing.
Athena taps the side of her head then, and mutters, “I… I thought it prudent… prudent to… put a stop to that outburst.” Gwen smiles and then orders Athena to get started. And though you can’t see what is going on between the freediver and your mother, you can hear the weakened protests of your father and the screams from your mother as a result of the memory dive.
You fade out of consciousness with the screams of your parents echoing in your minds.
I
will always find you,
Like it's written in the stars,
You can run, but you can't hide,
Try.
Like it's written in the stars,
You can run, but you can't hide,
Try.
You don’t remember the pain, but the same memory
dive that happened to your mother? Yeah, that happened to you too. Athena took
you aside after Klein made sure you were in good condition. You were only a
young girl of ten, but you had the foundation given to you by Kyou and the
genetics of your father. You were easily molded into a true assassin. Athena
began implanting you with advanced combat knowledge. Thousands of hours of
detailed tactical information was uploaded into your memories and soon the
muscle memory in your body began using that tactical information as if you had
learned it yourself over a lifetime.
From there, you became more or less a puppet over the next few years. During the day, you could be your father’s daughter; relaxing in the manor and oblivious to your double life. At night, you became a cold and calculated machine. Neither side of you was aware of the other. Athena’s cruelness forced her to instill a latent desire in your psyche to enjoy the bloodshed and death you caused.
Gwen began using you as an assassin against her own co-workers within the Genesis Corporation. Although Leonhardt Nacht was a well known deniable asset within the company, you were a complete stranger. Gwen could use you to target her political opponents and assist with her rise in the corporation. Killing this CEO resulted in her receiving more funding. Killing that one increased her leverage in the infrastructure of Genesis. People who disagreed with Gwen quickly became targets on her climb up the corporate ladder. During this time, Gwen also used you to hunt down anyone who had close connections to Nacht; hoping to eliminate all of his resources. You killed distant relatives and family friends during this time.
Gwen managed to keep her involvement in the assassinations a secret. You quickly became a priority target for Genesis. You would soon become too risky to use; your element of surprise gone and other people within the corporation stepping up their security. The lax security days were now gone as many Genesis personnel requested personal KNIGHT escorts at all times of day. If you were killed and your body was recovered, then someone could extract your memories and find out Gwen’s involvement. Despite having Athena, Klein, Nacht, and Baer in her pocket at this time, Gwen could not risk her plans being found out by the Cabal or by the Campbell family.
Your last mission as a puppet for Gwen involved an assault against Genesis Headquarters. This is the memory that had started coming back to you during the fight with Athena. You managed to infiltrate the prestigious Sector Zero. Your target was the Campbell family; the ruling family of Genesis. Father. Mother. Son. All of them had to die. You managed to get through the defenses and all the way up to the top of the tower.
The assassination attempt went awry. Athena had decided then to betray Gwen Morrison and throw her under the bus. Athena and her Olympians defected to EARTHQUAKE while Genesis Security had been tipped off to your presence. Athena found Gwen to be a more dangerous opponent; so Athena wanted to take her down. The Campbell family could wait for Athena.
You were captured and interrogations were to begin. Panicking over the situation, Gwen Morrisson enlisted Leonhardt Nacht’s assistance. Under the orders of Gwen, Nacht would be forced to betray Genesis.
From there, you became more or less a puppet over the next few years. During the day, you could be your father’s daughter; relaxing in the manor and oblivious to your double life. At night, you became a cold and calculated machine. Neither side of you was aware of the other. Athena’s cruelness forced her to instill a latent desire in your psyche to enjoy the bloodshed and death you caused.
Gwen began using you as an assassin against her own co-workers within the Genesis Corporation. Although Leonhardt Nacht was a well known deniable asset within the company, you were a complete stranger. Gwen could use you to target her political opponents and assist with her rise in the corporation. Killing this CEO resulted in her receiving more funding. Killing that one increased her leverage in the infrastructure of Genesis. People who disagreed with Gwen quickly became targets on her climb up the corporate ladder. During this time, Gwen also used you to hunt down anyone who had close connections to Nacht; hoping to eliminate all of his resources. You killed distant relatives and family friends during this time.
Gwen managed to keep her involvement in the assassinations a secret. You quickly became a priority target for Genesis. You would soon become too risky to use; your element of surprise gone and other people within the corporation stepping up their security. The lax security days were now gone as many Genesis personnel requested personal KNIGHT escorts at all times of day. If you were killed and your body was recovered, then someone could extract your memories and find out Gwen’s involvement. Despite having Athena, Klein, Nacht, and Baer in her pocket at this time, Gwen could not risk her plans being found out by the Cabal or by the Campbell family.
Your last mission as a puppet for Gwen involved an assault against Genesis Headquarters. This is the memory that had started coming back to you during the fight with Athena. You managed to infiltrate the prestigious Sector Zero. Your target was the Campbell family; the ruling family of Genesis. Father. Mother. Son. All of them had to die. You managed to get through the defenses and all the way up to the top of the tower.
The assassination attempt went awry. Athena had decided then to betray Gwen Morrison and throw her under the bus. Athena and her Olympians defected to EARTHQUAKE while Genesis Security had been tipped off to your presence. Athena found Gwen to be a more dangerous opponent; so Athena wanted to take her down. The Campbell family could wait for Athena.
You were captured and interrogations were to begin. Panicking over the situation, Gwen Morrisson enlisted Leonhardt Nacht’s assistance. Under the orders of Gwen, Nacht would be forced to betray Genesis.
I
will always, always find you,
I will always,
I will always, always find you,
I will always.
I will always,
I will always, always find you,
I will always.
You’re in your assassin state of mind; trapped in an
isolation cell. The interrogators are preparing to try every technique they
know to get you to talk and to force themselves into your memories and mind to
dig the answers out as well. Suddenly, you hear two handguns being fired
outside of your holding cell. Moments later, your cell door opens.
Leonhardt Nacht is standing there with a handgun in each hand. Behind them, there are the corpses of dozens of scientists, guards, and low ranking members of MAGE, KNIGHT, and ROGUE. All of them were killed with a headshot. He doesn’t look to have come out unscathed from the event; his face dripping with blood. These wounds would eventually turn into the facial scars that Nacht is identified by later in his life.
You don’t recognize him in your assassin state of mind. The alarms are blaring in the background. For a moment, he tries to coax you out of your mindset. He’s affectionate, refers to you as his daughter, and even cries out of frustration when he sees what the diving has done to you. Nacht puts his handguns away and when he frees you, you go as far as to try and flee from him; flee in hopes of completing the mission burned in your mind: kill the Campbell family.
You’re so resistive and combative, Nacht is forced to grab you by the wrist and punch you in the stomach to knock the wind out of you and get you under control. He then hefts you over his shoulder and begins to carry you out; withdrawing a handgun with his free hand and using it to kill anyone who gets in his way. Through Gwen’s aid, Nacht is able to extract you and escape Genesis HQ alive. However, in the process, he is named an enemy of the state, and becomes Public Enemy #1 for the nation of Ezra.
Leonhardt Nacht is standing there with a handgun in each hand. Behind them, there are the corpses of dozens of scientists, guards, and low ranking members of MAGE, KNIGHT, and ROGUE. All of them were killed with a headshot. He doesn’t look to have come out unscathed from the event; his face dripping with blood. These wounds would eventually turn into the facial scars that Nacht is identified by later in his life.
You don’t recognize him in your assassin state of mind. The alarms are blaring in the background. For a moment, he tries to coax you out of your mindset. He’s affectionate, refers to you as his daughter, and even cries out of frustration when he sees what the diving has done to you. Nacht puts his handguns away and when he frees you, you go as far as to try and flee from him; flee in hopes of completing the mission burned in your mind: kill the Campbell family.
You’re so resistive and combative, Nacht is forced to grab you by the wrist and punch you in the stomach to knock the wind out of you and get you under control. He then hefts you over his shoulder and begins to carry you out; withdrawing a handgun with his free hand and using it to kill anyone who gets in his way. Through Gwen’s aid, Nacht is able to extract you and escape Genesis HQ alive. However, in the process, he is named an enemy of the state, and becomes Public Enemy #1 for the nation of Ezra.
I
will always find you,
Like it's written in the stars,
We can run, but we can't hide,
Try.
Like it's written in the stars,
We can run, but we can't hide,
Try.
In the news, EARTHQUAKE begins to pick up their
momentum with the added forces of The Olympians behind them. Nacht and his
mysterious girl (you) are in the news. Gwen is able to avoid being tied to
Nacht and the girl; able to claim that she had no involvement and no idea about
the situation—going as far as to say that Nacht was a double agent with his own
motivations and machinations. Other ROGUE agents begin to watch Gwen carefully
which forces many of her plans and plots to be put onto standby.
Before that, Gwen is able to rescind the assassination command from you; allowing you to drift back into your default state. While Gwen is kept in check, Nacht decides to use his newfound infamy as a tool against Gwen. With the help of Kyou, he is able to infiltrate a substation of Genesis. There, he is able to acquire all the information from his years of service of Genesis. All the kidnappings, all the murders and all the other black mail that could bring down Genesis’ credibility in the eyes of the public. It is during this event, that Kimberley Meyer is taken hostage by Nacht. Meyer is killed by a sniper round from Roan; a round meant for Nacht.
With blackmail in his hands, Gwen and Genesis is unable to act against Nacht. Nacht is unable to act against Gwen and Genesis, though, due to Gwen having your mother hostage. However, Nacht begins to leverage his dwarven cartel connections to begin plotting how to rescue your mother and removing the element of blackmail from the equation; removing the element that stands in his way of killing Gwen.
Before that, Gwen is able to rescind the assassination command from you; allowing you to drift back into your default state. While Gwen is kept in check, Nacht decides to use his newfound infamy as a tool against Gwen. With the help of Kyou, he is able to infiltrate a substation of Genesis. There, he is able to acquire all the information from his years of service of Genesis. All the kidnappings, all the murders and all the other black mail that could bring down Genesis’ credibility in the eyes of the public. It is during this event, that Kimberley Meyer is taken hostage by Nacht. Meyer is killed by a sniper round from Roan; a round meant for Nacht.
With blackmail in his hands, Gwen and Genesis is unable to act against Nacht. Nacht is unable to act against Gwen and Genesis, though, due to Gwen having your mother hostage. However, Nacht begins to leverage his dwarven cartel connections to begin plotting how to rescue your mother and removing the element of blackmail from the equation; removing the element that stands in his way of killing Gwen.
I
will always find you,
Like it's written in the stars,
We can run, but we can't hide,
Try.
Like it's written in the stars,
We can run, but we can't hide,
Try.
You have no memories of your assassinations and of
your life prior to being rescued by Nacht at Genesis HQ. You see, once Nacht
became a ‘free agent’, he completed a trio of missions for the Middleman and
the Watchdog. These missions allowed him to receive sensitive intelligence. His
questions allowed him to find out what happened to your sister (Kara/Kembu),
how he could keep you from remembering what had happened to you so that you
could be a normal girl again, and to bring down Gwen.
As part of his work for the Middleman, Nacht convinced the Watchdog to block out the majority of your memories and instead overlapped them with the idea that your father was a respectable businessman that often went on trips. This created the illusion of what you thought your life to be prior to the events that happened after finding Kembu. This forced the memories that Kyou was a cruel taskmaster while in reality he was an affectionate ‘uncle’ to you.
So, there you have it. The story of how a broken man tried to keep his family safe. Somewhere out in the city, Nacht is planning his final moves against Gwen to rescue your mother and reunite your family. Gwen is planning her hostile takeover of the Genesis Corporation and likely the elimination of those who still stand in the way of her efforts.
You’ve learned the truth. Like Kembu, you were born to a prostitute kept enslaved by the dwarven cartel. Your father was one of the men helping the cartels under the orders of Genesis. He fell in love with your mother and had two children with her. Genesis prevented him from rescuing you, Kara, and your mother until he had struck a deal. Then, the rescue attempt went poorly. You and your mother were rescued, but Kara was not. Kara went on to assume the identity of Kembu and be taught hengeyokai swordsmanship. You had a normal childhood, but was soon brainwashed to be an assassin when your family was torn apart by the machinations of Gwen Morrisson.
And now you’re drawn back into present day, now equipped with these memories and the new feelings that arise from them, the last words of the song echo in your head.
As part of his work for the Middleman, Nacht convinced the Watchdog to block out the majority of your memories and instead overlapped them with the idea that your father was a respectable businessman that often went on trips. This created the illusion of what you thought your life to be prior to the events that happened after finding Kembu. This forced the memories that Kyou was a cruel taskmaster while in reality he was an affectionate ‘uncle’ to you.
So, there you have it. The story of how a broken man tried to keep his family safe. Somewhere out in the city, Nacht is planning his final moves against Gwen to rescue your mother and reunite your family. Gwen is planning her hostile takeover of the Genesis Corporation and likely the elimination of those who still stand in the way of her efforts.
You’ve learned the truth. Like Kembu, you were born to a prostitute kept enslaved by the dwarven cartel. Your father was one of the men helping the cartels under the orders of Genesis. He fell in love with your mother and had two children with her. Genesis prevented him from rescuing you, Kara, and your mother until he had struck a deal. Then, the rescue attempt went poorly. You and your mother were rescued, but Kara was not. Kara went on to assume the identity of Kembu and be taught hengeyokai swordsmanship. You had a normal childhood, but was soon brainwashed to be an assassin when your family was torn apart by the machinations of Gwen Morrisson.
And now you’re drawn back into present day, now equipped with these memories and the new feelings that arise from them, the last words of the song echo in your head.
I
will always, always find you,
I will always…
I will always…
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