Old Story

Prologue

The first few week he had been there were quiet. "Of all the assignments to give me..." Alex cursed to himself yet again. He looked down upon his crimson disguise and sighed. This was his job he knew, and being the foremost expert on cults meant that his assignments usually consists of his infiltration of various ones. Anything from a brief reconnoitre and rough estimate of numbers, to marking leaders and assassination. It didn't bother him that he had to sneak into a cult to gather information, and while he understood the benefit of being patient, he preferred the short route. Sneak in, memorize the area, sneak out. Understanding that if he were caught, he would likely be killed there and then, or tortured then killed, however, it meant that he didn't have to invest his time on a target, and it's all wrapped up as soon as he is extracted, and can then pat himself on the back for a job well done. He didn't like doing it this way. The long way of investing months or weeks to get into a mid or high rank of a cult. So while he can be patient, it doesn't mean he liked to wait. The new Initiates to the order had only a few things to call their own. All the recruits go through a process called 'Purging' where they are judged, stripped of their belonging, given a different name, and go through a period of isolation. They were subsequently given a set of robes to be worn only in the caverns which they call their new home, and outside, they were given little more than rags. Somehow, through the gift of the silver tongue, he was handling the two weapons with which he was most apt with. His 'Archon' had been a shy, slender woman who can't have been older than her mid twenties. He got talking to her and knew that she, being relatively new, had not had enough time for the brainwashing and mental conditioning to settle in, managed to 'convinced' her to let him keep his weapons. Although this was a deviation from the standard procedure, he got what he needed and she got what she wanted. He doubt she was going to tell anyone on the grounds that she would like be flogged for it, and being of a higher rank than him, should he tell someone under torture, or even let slip that she was his Archon, she can deny that she was the one who oversaw his purging. For some reason, he always found women easier to deal with, though the reason isn't exactly difficult for him to guess. The day started pretty much like any other with the morning sermon. The usual garbage about how they were the chosen and it was up to them to enact the "Dawn of Will". The only bit of interest was at the end, where instructions given was different from the usual schedule for the coming week.
"Today marks a great day for us."The announcer's voice boomed out across the stone hall. The echoes reverberated through the stone, seeming to enhance the chill the place emitted. The fires lit upon the braziers were magical in nature and thus, does not give off heat, only mounts to the frosty aura. "We are one step closer to the Will of Dawn Era." The newer members were in a different sermon and thus, a deathly silence prevailed. All in attendance sat rigidly still, like mindless drones. Doing his best to act likewise, he quickly scanned the hall, making sure his hood was still wrapped tightly around him. A few selected Chosen were seen evenly spaced out, surveying the non-moving mass of people. Looking, Alex knew, for inconformity. He noticed four Archons within the room, one in each corner. One in particular piqued is interest. Though the figure was covered in shadow, and thus, merely a silhouette, he recognised the person almost immediately. While still, there were minute movements from the shadow. Not enough to rouse suspicion, but then, even if it did, an Archon currently outranked all save the speaker in the room. Though he couldn't be sure, he felt at least a pair of eyes fall upon him, and while it was a strange sensation, it felt somewhat familiar. He nervously fingered the trigger mechanism which would arm him with his weapons. It was a bad habit, but it soothed him. Little could he know it was the silhouette looking straight back at him. The figure reminded Alex of a memory. A flash of a month after the mission had started, after he had been 'initiated' into the cult. Already it seemed foggy, like it was a lifetime ago. Then the man spoke again. "All the Neophytes here will aid the Master in a ritual in a weeks time. Memorize the Lucid Verse from your Extrication book." and with that, the gathering was adjourned.
Later that night, lying on his bed, he thought about the days events. It was strange. Even though he can recall anything he wanted, it was foggy, cloudy, like he was watching someone else's life. He knew the reason he was picked for these types of missions were that cause of his photographic memory in that every detail could be recollected. Yet, this ability seems to be...worn, since his coming here. So much so, he was having a hard time remembering his own name. "Alex" he said, as much to remind himself as to grab what he can of the fleeting memories that may as well be someone else's life. "I... I am losing myself." he whispered. Determined to not let that happen, he used his eating knife (one he had pilfered during dinner) and scratched his name on the wall beside his bed. He then closed his eyes and in his mind, he recited his name, using it as a mantra to ward of whatever it was happening to him.
He awoke to a knock on the door.

Chapter One

Edmund could hear the rise in noise as he pattered open his bleary eye. Moaning, he tussled around, wrapping himself tighter with his blanket. "Come on you lazy sod, we gotta move soon" said a voice. Sighing, he laid upon his back. His eyes open, staring into the cloudless sky. Sitting, he gave up a yawn, and stretched. He never liked waking up. If he had the choice, he'd sleep forever. A boring life, if ever there was one, but one he would most happily live out. His eyes slowly focused. He squinted. The glare of the sun, fighting through, and lifting the fog from his eyes. It was something that has always piqued his curiosity, that when he wakes, his hearing is always acute and any more noise wakes him, yet his vision is always the opposite. It also confounded him why God (Or whatever greater powers it was) couldn't make it so you're tired when you go to sleep, and be fine when you wake up. "You still not up yet?" continued the familiar voice. He sat still for a few moments longer, letting his senses stir and breathed in the morning air. Looking beside him, he found his belongings. Around him, his fellows were at various stages of preparation. It seems that they, unlike him, don't mind waking up early to pack up and get prepared. Apparently, also unlike them, he preferred to sleep under the stars, gazing in wonder under the never-ending skies. The voice offered him a hand up and smiled. "Come on..." Briefly glancing at the offered hand, still squinting due to the sun, he refused. "You know how I am in the mornings. I am not a morning person..." laying back down, he swept the clear blue sky. "Yeah, I do. Only it's not morning..." came the reply.
He could hear the rhythmic trotting of his mount, and also the sound of the other two score that made up his comrades. Some had a casual chat as they made their way along the dust beaten road, others, just taking the views of their surroundings while they can. Being an elite unit, they are often sent from one front to another, which means time to enjoy some peace and quiet is rare and far between. As 'Dogs of War' the numerous assignments he has received in the past has varied from the mundane to the near-suicidal, and Edmund was much relieved that this was a relatively simple one compared The simple task of sitting at Fort Ajax and make sure the ongoing war between the Trigone Republic and the Ilindar Sovereignty doesn't spoil over to Mandarii soil. The roads twisted between the backdrop of two snow capped mountain ranges, steadily meandering through an emerald forest. From on high, the Summer breeze brought a cool wind against their faces, and a hint of the seasonal bloom from afar. They would follow the road till nightfall. Edmund felt the sun upon his face, and the wind through his hair. If only this would last forever.

                  There were at least two-dozen other similarly robed figures standing within the same Antechamber. Slowly, they filtered in line by line into a larger, semi-spherical room. The dimly lit room was, for the lack of a better description, spartan. Devoid of fancy decorations, the dreary rock that made up the wall was only offset by the occasional banner or torch. The creature shown upon the banner drew Alex's curiosity. Depicted as standing on it's back legs was a serpentine, four-legged creature, clad in obsidian mail. Hung, upon it's back, a pair of bat-like wings, and the tail of a Scorpion's sting standing proudly amid a blood red dawn. 'What a curious looking Chimera' Alex mused. As the people filed in, a slow hustle of voices built, magnified by the resonating echoes bouncing around the room. Careful to keep his head down whilst slowly surveying the surroundings, Alex made his way to as close to the central altar as he dared, seeing what he could gleam from this. There sat upon the altar, a glowing shield of divine white and gold. Upon it was emblazoned a Dragon coat-of-arm, its sapphire eyes piercing the darkness, and its pair of wings, coloured in shining silver, looking like it would lift the dragon off the shield at any moment. Shadows flickered and the murmuring, hushed. A lone figure walked towards the altar, his attire slightly different from the rest. Dressed in a hood-less robe of a rich scarlet embroiled with various multi coloured fineries, the figure made his way closer to the altar. Alex did a double take. At first he looked upon the robe as any other. Yet the way in which it moves was... abnormal somehow. Like it was made from thin air, as if it had no weight. The hood-less figure suddenly turned and eyed those around him revealing gaunt bony facial features. His cheekbones seemed to protrude out of his face, his nose, sharp as a razor point, and his eyes were covered by a silver Bandanna. A feeling of unease washed over Alex as he peered at his direction. From his attire, he seemed to all intents and purpose, blind. However a dim unnatural glow of  magenta seemed to emanate from underneath the Bandanna where his eyes would seemed to be. Satisfied, or just brushing it off as paranoia, he turned back round and voiced in a articulate manner, "Begin the ritual". A spike shot up Alex's spine. 'Nothing about that man is natural' He thought as he flicked his glance to the ground to let his goosebumps settle. A unified voice filled the room. A chant that got louder and louder. He was careful with looking around,searching for an opportunity to slip out the room unnoticed. As he begun to make his way towards the exit, taking care not to arouse the attention of others, the doors shattered into a shower of splinters. For a split second, it seemed a silhouette stood in the hallway and vanished quickly into a blur.
"What just...?" Even before the words finished, bodies of clueless cultists flew every which way across the chamber, as if hit by a giant invisible explosion. Multiple shimmering silhouettes appeared and disappeared across the room, and moments later, the only ones standing, is the Scarlet Robed man and this... thing. This shimmering illusion. Alex, who was also on the floor tried to take a deep breath. He was the luckiest of all the figures that he was only winded. He looked around, and was met with the sight of others on the floor, pacified. With only one thought on his mind, he crawled as slowly as he could towards the antechamber. The shimmering stopped and solidified into a tall, imposing figure. "I didn't think they'd send you" the bold man hissed. His eye-aura thinned as he judged his next course of action. "It's an honour" he continued as he let off a chuckle. The mysterious figure's robe shifted from a dirty beige to a dark orange. His hands both in the opposite arm's sleeves, moved into guard positions."You're tricks will not avail you this time you murderous beast" The new arrival advanced.