Riven

My mind was absolutely clear.

The metallic voice rang out once more, but it was distant. Too distant for me to hear. 

I relaxed my body and took a couple steps toward the operative. It raised two open palms. A trap, maybe.

It took a step toward me, closing the gap. Its voice attempted to break my clarity, but it failed. I couldn’t hear it anymore.

Another step toward me. 

My body tensed and my fist flew toward the side of the operative’s head. 

A second form split off from the operative’s body, catching my fist.

I shifted my momentum to slam into the gut instead. Its second form doubled over as it got hit.

Then my fist actually hit its gut.

I understood my perception now.

A shock of pain flew up my arm as I felt the armor shatter slightly under my punch. The operative leaned into my fist, doubling over, trying to catch its breath which had long disappeared.

I slid my hand to the back of its helmet and pulled it down with all my strength. My knee flew up at the same time.

The combined force of its head coming down and my knee flying up exploded into where the nose would be.

The helmet dented and cracked, a single slit appearing from its mouth to its eyebrow. 

I paused, panting. I knew whatever was in that unnerving armor would be dazed, so I caught my breath. 

What I didn’t expect was the operative’s second form falling back onto the floor before disappearing. Sure enough, the first form fell back, its head slamming hard against the ground before going still. 

I was correct.

A grim smile appeared on my face as I collapsed to the ground, pressing my back against a wall. 

Thoughts finally rushed into my head.

Would’ve been interesting to hear what it had to say. Too late now.

A warm fluid slowly came out of my nose. I brought up one exhausted arm to wipe it off.

Blood.

It made no sense. I hadn’t even been hit in the nose. Why was blood flowing out?

I exhaled out of my mouth and stared at the ceiling, my mind slowly going blank once more, but from exhaustion instead of clarity. 

Hopefully… Hopefully June can take care of Luneth.

***

“-wait for Riven.” A voice stirred me awake.

As my drowsiness wore off, a sudden shock of pain went through my spine.

I groaned and brought my hands up to my eyes and rubbed them. The pain subsided after a few seconds and I sat up.

June was standing, leaning on a wall to my side and looking down at me. “That was… sooner than expected.” 

On the sofa we had dinner on yesterday was Luneth, who was sprawled out with her legs propped up on the armrest. She looked at me and smiled. “Morning, Riven.”

I rested my back against the couch and glanced out a slightly ajar window behind Luneth, whose bruises were already looking better. Sure enough, light was streaming in from outside. I reached my arm up to wipe off any blood residue from beneath my nose, but there was nothing.

The corners of June’s mouth tilted upward. “Luneth insisted on cleaning you up.”

Luneth’s eyes narrowed as she twirled an amethyst end of her hair around her finger before looking at June. “Only because I don’t trust you with being close to younger guys.”

Her expression fell, staring at Luneth. “What… are you implying?”

Luneth smirked, waved a hand dismissively, and slid her legs off the armrest of the sofa and onto the ground. “Oh… nothing. There’s a more pressing matter on our hands than what I have to say about your lack of self-control.” 

June’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t talk to me like that when I have all the power around here. I could get you both killed right now if I wanted to.”

Tension filled the room as both women stared at each other.

She makes fun of us, yet one thing out of line from Luneth pisses her off? 

June’s eyes widened as she realized the weight of what she said. She quickly brought a hand up and covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry… Th-That was too far.”

Luneth frowned and stood, wincing slightly. “It doesn’t matter. Shall we talk about what’s actually important?”

June looked at the floor and nodded before pushing herself off the wall. 

I stared at Luneth. “What’s happening?”

She walked over to me and offered her hand. “You’ll see.”

I grabbed her hand and pulled myself off the couch. She let go once I was up.

***

In Luneth’s room was a figure in a deep black, unnervingly silent armor with perfectly fitting plates sitting on the ground with its back to the wall. Its neck and wrists were tied to the wall with a steel wire while its ankles were tied to the carpet. However, that wasn’t what shocked me the most.

“You took its helmet off?” I was stunned. It was the first time I had seen under an operative’s helmet.

It was, in fact, wearing armor. But it was only suited up to the bottom of the neck. A dented helmet with a crack going through it was laying on its side on Luneth’s bed.

Where the helmet should have been was a human head. It shouldn’t have been a surprise since I had figured it out years ago, but it still sent a chill down my spine.

The human head was a male who appeared to be in its late twenties with brown hair that fell down its forehead. Despite the blood residue between its nose and mouth, it actually appeared pretty normal-looking, but that wasn’t what scared me.

Brown eyes were staring back at me as I locked eyes with it. 

I cautiously took a step back. “What the-? How-Why is it awake?”

Luneth and June simultaneously shrugged.

A small smile appeared on the operative’s face as its lips parted. “It? Let’s be serious… I’m human too.”

It had a friendly voice, but that didn’t relax me.

“That thing is definitely not human.”

Luneth grinned and took a step toward it before looking back at me. “I don’t believe it either, but he’s actually quite nice, believe it or not. We had a short conversation about the weather earlier.”

June smirked and crouched next to the operative. “He’s pretty cute, too.”

Its face turned a slight red. 

I guess he is human, then.

“What do we plan to do with him?” I asked, still a little dazed.

June stood up and rubbed the back of her neck while Luneth twirled a strand of hair around a finger.

Ah. 

I sighed and shifted my eyes to the operative. “What should we do with you?” 

He cocked his head, a subtle smile on his lips. “Finally letting me speak?”

We all stared at him, his smile slowly disappearing.

The operative shut his eyes for a second before opening them and looking at Luneth. “Your… parents sent me to find you.”

Luneth’s face remained expressionless, but a nearly unnoticeable, deep cold appeared in her lilac eyes.

The operative continued, “First, they wanted you to know that they’re fine. Second of all, they found a way out of Site-0 for you…” He glanced at June, and then at me. “They didn’t confirm if it was safe for more than one person, though. Especially Resonants as famous as you and Riven.”

Famous? First Echo… and now this guy. Seems everyone knows who I am.

The question was why everyone knew who I was. Luneth’s eyes turned a little distant. She’s probably thinking the same thing.

Resonants was another new term. My brain was slowly getting filled by these words.

So far, there was IOQR, Quantum Resonance Frequency, and Resonant. Luneth had connected Quantum Resonance Frequency to IOQR, so I assumed Resonant would connect to it as well. 

A person who had a Frequency was called a Resonant, maybe.

I rubbed my face and took a step closer to the operative. “What’s your name?” 

“Zerick.”

What an… interesting name. 

I crouched down in front of Zerick and raised my hand.

My palm slammed into his cheek.

His head flew to the side, nearly rotating past the point of no return.

Zerick groaned and glared at me. He spit blood in my direction, but it was so weak it didn’t even reach the carpet… landing on his own armored leg. 

“I know I deserve that… but come on. Why does nobody from these damn facilities ever have manners?”