The room is silent, except for the whirring fan that slowly rotates side to side. My side of the room is lit by the moons as they orbit in a perfect array.
It seems the world itself is asleep, lying on my back. I look up as I dream of sleep, yet my existence seems to be getting in the way, so all I can do is think.
Like, what happens when we really die? It's strange to consider, as people like to say you only die when people stop saying your name, but that's not true; we die when we die.
Is that really such a bad thing? What comes after, why do we fear it? Either there's nothing and we will never know, or it is a new beginning.
"Psst! Defendant! Wake up!" An analog voice whispers.
Lurching out of bed, I whip my head around.
"Whose there?"
Peeking at Hallow's bed, I see he's still asleep.
"I'm here! The gun you're always bad mouthing"
On my nightstand, the jagged black gun sits, the inside of it glowing red, as the LED screen beside the hammer flickers an emoticon.
"Am I imagining things?"
"Now's not the best time to be spacing out."
My eyes widen as I hold the gun up.
"Huh!?"
"Be shocked later, The Strain have arrived."
"The Strain? Why would they be here?"
"I don't know? go ask them."
"Who programmed you to be sarcastic?"
"The same person telling you to...RUN!"
Getting up, I'm not entirely sure what is happening, or why I should listen to a gun, but its not like I'll be going back to sleep.
If this really is an attack, I should wake Hallow up.
As he lies there in bed asleep, he seems pretty content. I realize this whole thing is likely a hoax, no reason to bother him.
Despite my suspicions, it wouldn't hurt to check. Leaving the room, I make my way through the courtyard.
One of my classmates is standing there cautiously looking around as they hold out their gun.
"Hey! What's happening?"
Their eyes widen at the sight of me.
Running up to them, I pant.
"It's here."
"What's here?"
"wh- where are the pros?! Why is this happening?! Were all going to di-!"
A boom sounds as suddenly a shadow engulfs the moonlight.
My classmate slowly looks up, their eyes shaking as they begin to water.
With a gruesome rip, their head is sent flying into a wall, leaving their corpse falling with a bloody splat.
To my left, a towering figure looks down on me.
Its purple body vibrates as the plates of its skin open, revealing its neon innards. As it stands before me, it has be at least 8 feet tall.
Its pupils dilate within the glowing eyes.
My heart violently beats, yet I can't bring myself to move.
This...
This is the Strain?
It- It was a lie...
Somnia made them sound as if we humans could compete...
But, this feeling-
There is no fight or flight response.
This is just... the end.
Leaning down towards me, the entity slowly lifts its bloodied hand as it puts its finger over its non-existent mouth, as though shushing my thoughts.
I am jolted back to reality as the gun shouts at me, the voice has lost its joking tone as it's shifted to a formal one. "Your honor, why do you delay slamming the hammer? Are you perchance rolling for Deception?"
I wanted to die.
A week ago, I didn't care what happened to me.
I would have seen this as the perfect opportunity.
So, why?
Winding its arm back, the Strain's body morphs into a serrated weapon.
When faced with such an insurmountable wall of power...
When the insignificance of my existence is so clearly presented.
Why do I want more than anything...
To live.
The temperature around me drops as a crackling noise sounds below me.
Swinging its arm down the blade whirrs.
My eyes widen...
Yet a grin widens across my face.
I want
...to win!
Stomping my foot down, its blade gets caught in my wall of ice.
Jumping backwards, I create distance between us.
Now it's different, my vision has widened, I can see the whole area, my head is clear, the same feeling I had during our skirmish.
Think, think.
It was fast, and it's struggling to break out of that ice; it must be the speed class Somnia taught us about. It's a bad matchup for someone with a gun, and my armor is in the room. I need range, but even then, I can't shoot what I can't trace.
Firing three rounds, the Strain blocks the bullets using its free arm.
If I were fast, what would the worst case be?
... Confinement.
The purple figure deeply inhales through its skin. The plates strengthen before shattering the ice, freeing its arm, its eyes lock onto me once more.
Shit.
Whipping around, I sprint towards the halls of the building.
The Strain tilts its head back before bolting towards me.
I'm not going to make it in time.
And I wouldn't have, yet, the Strain temporarily stumbles, as if it were hit. It looks like its heel is bleeding? Did it overexert itself?
Shaking my head, I continue. I don't have time to think about that.
Taking its momentary weakness, I bolt down the hall.
I don't really know how to use this power yet, but slamming my foot seems to do something.
Concentrating the power to my legs, the ground behind me freezes.
Even so, I can hear its booming footsteps closing in.
The hallway is coming to an end.
I've got to use its speed against it.
But how?
Taking my final breath, I come to an abrupt halt.
Waiting until I hear its footsteps immediately behind, I duck down.
I feel the air rip past as its bladed arm grazes my hair.
My gun begins to glow a neon white as its analog voice echoes down the halls. "I ask you, your honor, what is the verdict?"
The ice trail carries the Strain forward until the towering figure stands directly over me.
"The death penalty."
Holding the gun straight up, I fire.
The bullet uppercuts the purple Strain with a deafening crack, sending its body flying to the ceiling.
For a moment, I see flashes of someone's life, yet it's not my own, as though I were watching this Strain's life.
Its life was not so different from mine: work, love, family, loss... life.
Panting for air, I pick myself up.
Looking up, its body hangs frozen from the ceiling
I did it.
And this feeling...
Relief?
Joy?
My chest begins heaving as I start giggling to myself.
"This..."
It's the same feeling after destroying Hallow.
"This is victory."
I have no reason or purpose for living-
So why?
Why did it feel so good to kill?
Even if it was the enemy, I saw first hand, it had a life, a family, a purpose for itself.
And I took it from them.
Reveling in my victory, I suddenly jolt back to reality.
What am I saying?
I really do sound like a lunatic.
And what do I do now? Do I get my armor? Do I hid-
The feeling of ecstasy vanishes, and my eyes widen as I whip my head towards the Tear Stalker apartments.
"TOKO!"
I promised I'd keep her safe...
Shit, shit, shit.
Bolting back onto the courtyard, I head left.
What the hell is happening!? My gun is talking, the Strain are attacking, is this a dream?
It has to be...
Sputnik stands on the far side of the field.
Thunderous footsteps echo, in front of him is a crimson Strain, it towers over him with a neutral expression, yet it has no eyes.
It leans down with a grin. "Humans, such deceptive creatures. They told us that you droids were as useful as a flower, yet you wield a Nightcore. So who might you be?"
Despite the overwhelming height difference, Sputnik doesn't back down, instead, he simply flips off the strain, as his core begins to glow green. "Pity or despair... call it."
Grabbing the mop, he slams the handle into the Strain's armored face with a crack.
The strain stumbles backwards, slamming its foot down, it bolts forward.
The two face off as Sputnik manages to hold his own.
This doesn't last long as the Strain sends him flying into the wall with a Spartan kick.
Unlike the one I fought, I can easily track its movements, combine that with its larger build, it's likely a strength type.
From the smoke, three glowing green shots are fired, hitting the Strain in various joints.
Sputnik stumbles up as he snaps his body back in place.
I'm sorry, Sputnik, but I can't help you.
More gunshots are fired to my left.
A group of trainees is firing at a squad of Strain.
They seem to have little effect as they continue marching forward.
"What are you doing dumbass! Shoot!"
A girl has watery eyes as she tries to pull the slide back. "I can't! My guns jam-"
The strain appears between them, they're eyes widen as they slowly turn.
The purple Strain grins as it leans down. "Trouble in paradise?" It slams their heads together in a bone-crushing crunch.
A boy runs into the bushes as he hides.
Sitting there, he violently trembles.
A blue Strain appears beside him. "Boo."
She grabs him by the neck and drags him out into the open.
He squirms as he tries to break free of her grip, but it's in vain, as a second orange strain walks over with a grin.
Grabbing the boy's arms, the orange strain rips them off.
Kicking and screaming with his armless body, the blue Strain sets the boy down.
He tries to run away as his arm sockets bleed.
The two laugh as they continuously cut off his escape.
Tripping him, he struggles to get up.
This was not killing, this was just bullying.
The two Strains laughing slows to a chuckle before picking him up once more by the neck as he gives a blood-curdling scream.
"Alright, I'm bored."
"Ditto."
The boy's cries go silent as the orange Strain drives its hand into the boy's chest, yanking out the core before clicking a button on the side, causing it to disassemble.
Three gunshots crack
The Strain's body begins to freeze as bullets tear through him. Icicles form on his plated armor, slowing its movement.
Somnia walks up to the male and female Strain.
They tower over her, yet she too shows indifference, almost bored. "Before I kill you, tell me, what happened to the treaty?"
The orange Strain scoffs. "Those teary-eyed fools think that peace is the answer? Let me ask you, why should the predator kneel to its prey?"
A screech sounds as the sirens finally go off, and UV flood lights shine down on the courtyards.
Somnia is a pro, plus I don't have time for this.
I begin to turn away.
Hesitating, I aim the gun at the orange Strain.
"Two centimeters left." The gun hints.
Slightly adjusting, I fire, hitting it in the head with an icy shot.
The two Strain whip their attention to me, their pupils constricting.
Shit, I knew I shouldnt-
Somnia takes the brief distraction, killing the orange one I injured and slamming the other to the ground with a kick. Unlike my weak shot, her icy bullets leave a bloody splintering ice emerging from their heads.
What am I doing? I'm wasting time!
If only I could run as fast as that Strain.
Reaching the S Wing, I see the Tear Stalker dorms.
Running up to the second floor of the building, I see doors shattered open. The lights lining the walls flicker an eerie purple. Inside, the walls are dripping with the blood of students as their Night cores lie crushed.
No...
No...
NO!
My breath begins to hasten, every room leading to hers is a bloody mess, with organs pasted to the wall.
I wasted too much time!
Reaching her room, the door is smashed open as splintered wood litters the bloody floor.
Is this really how it ends?
I never even got to say goodbye.
We have spent our entire lives together, when I was lost, scared, she was always there for me...
Out of options, she probably called out to me, and yet...
yet...
Without even seeing it, she's gone.
"DAMN IT!"
Slamming my fist against the wall, my throat burns as my vision blurs with tears.
She was my real anchor.
I was the one who was supposed to die! So, why?
WHY?!
My body begins to chill as my core glows white, the gun rattles in my hands as I tremble.
"One entity detected inside, tread lightly." The gun warns.
Slowly creeping into the room, I see a figure crouching in the center. They're covered in an iridescent blood, with their core glowing an array of prismatic colors.
"...Toko?"
The figure slowly turns. Three disembowled Strain corpses surround them.
The figure's face is covered in blood, their eyes glowing as they glare at me with a tired expression.
"Toko... is that you?"
The set of eyes widens as a smile stretches across. "Coco!" Lunging up, she hugs me. "Did you come to save sis?!"
Her body is drenched in blood as her embrace stains my bodysuit.
My eyes shake. "Toko, what happened?"
She looks back with her normal airheaded expression before jolting back. "Oh... those guys?" Her eyes begin to water as her expression shifts to fear. "I don't know. I went out to the vending machine, and when I came back, my roommate was dead! I- I- I was so scared, Coco."
Despite her body trembling and her eyes watering, her heart beat is steady.
"I saw one of the instructors leaving the room. I assumed they wiped them out. But now that you're here, I feel so much safer."
There's a silence that's broken by the occasional pattering of blood dripping to the floor.
"Toko...wh- why are you covered in blood?"
"Well, when I saw the bodies of the Strain, I thought it would be best to try and study them. I'm not all that strong, so I thought maybe I could learn how to beat them if I were ever to face one..." She gives me pleading eyes. "Did I do something wrong, Coco?"
My head is spinning. None of this makes sense.
Looking down at Toko, her eyes are watering as she hugs me.
Slowly patting her head, I strain a smile. "...No- As long as you're safe, nothing is wrong."
She smiles as she rubs her face against me. "And you're safe too! I don't know what I would have done if you had died."
Holding her shoulder, I look down at her. "You're not hurt, right?"
"Nope."
"What the hell is happening?"
"It seems the Strain caught wind of this ragtag team, and figured they should attack the newbies before they became something they couldn't handle."
She's right, they seemed to be targeting the recruits before the instructors.
"Somnia said something about a peace treaty, how will this affect it. Was this a declaration of war?"
"They don't seem to be a part of the normal strain." She points down. "These three were of the Sundial variants. So this must have been off the book."
How does she know they are Sundial? "Let's get you somewhere safe. I'm sure the instructors have set up a safe zone for trainees to hide."
She looks up at me with a smile. "I will follow whatever you say, bro."
Holding the gun up, I whisper, "Are there any more nearby?"
Toko tilts her head. "Um, Coco, I know this whole thing must have been kinda scary, but you're talking to a gun."
"I don't sense any within a 25-meter radius."
She jolts back. "Eh!? Did that just talk?!"
"Trust me, I'm just as confused. It warned me about the attack, so for now I'm trusting it."
"Ooh! Can I hold it?!"
Toko seems a little too calm for this situation, but she has always been one to hide her emotions with a joke.
She holds it up to the flickering light. "Wow, do you have a name?"
"Your honor, is it wise to hand me over to an adversary?"
"She's not the enemy, if I die, she's second in command, so treat the safety of her life over mine."
"I apologize, your honor, but I cannot fulfill such a request; your good health trumps all."
Taking the gun back with a sigh, "So, let's hear it, what's your name?"
"Ooh! Wait, if it doesn't have one, I call dibs on naming it. Toko Jr., If it's a girl, and Coco Jr., If it's a boy."
"Not very creative."
"I do not have a gender, as I am a gun; unfortunately, my creator never gave me genitals."
Unfortunately?
"But, they have given me a name, Bailiff."
"Aw, that's lame, can we change it?"
"No."
"Cmon, pretty please."
"Your honor, are you sure this woman is our accomplice? She seems to be degrading my durability with her words."
"Yes, she is. I'm sure more Strain will come, so Toko, let's go."
Grabbing her hand, I lead her down the hall.