Of course, they knew who… or rather, what he was.

O5-2 spoke coldly, without emotion, yet each word echoed through the chamber.

— One day, we’ll find a way to get rid of you.

Dr. Faro merely laughed. It was a cold, distorted laugh, but one that carried no offense. He spoke with a hint of respect.

— I’d like to see that — he hissed. — I hope you manage it before someone else does… But I am immortal. You… irrational, uneducated beings… you can’t harm me, nor can you understand. You think everything can be locked away… To you, “The Scarlet King” or SCP-3812 is something that terrifies you, defeats you, or can’t even be contained in one place.

O5-5 tried to interject.

— Unfortunately, we’re aware of that, but—

Faro cut him off.

— There are no buts. If it weren’t for me, you’d probably still be living within your narrow field of vision.

O5-12 stood up abruptly. His hand twitched as if he was about to say something — maybe even lunge at Faro. But then their eyes met.

He collapsed, unconscious.

As if Faro’s gaze had pierced his soul… as if it was a warning.

— ENOUGH! — roared O5-1.

Everyone turned to him. Dr. Faro stopped staring at O5-12, who immediately hit the ground, unconscious.

— Doctor, you may return to your work — O5-1 said coldly, then looked at O5-3. — Call a medic.

Dr. Faro smirked faintly, then… simply vanished. No sound, no flash.

O5-12 began slowly regaining consciousness.

— Is there really nothing we can do about him? — O5-7 asked quietly.

O5-1 kept staring at the place where Faro had just stood.

— Unfortunately not… but I’ll think of something.

---

I had already gone through tests… or maybe not yet. It was hard to say. I felt as if I were unconscious… or perhaps in a trance? I could only see darkness. Darkness that slowly began to lighten… first a distant glow… then a room.

A room unlike anything familiar. An office? Maybe. But strange. Unnatural. Some objects seemed to defy description. Only the desk and three chairs looked… “normal.” Two on one side, one alone on the other. A small, primitive lamp glowed on the desk.

Suddenly, the space exploded with light — a burst of colors impossible to name. A figure appeared on the solitary chair — nearly completely white, as if cut out from another world. It wore a hat, and the only visible part of its face were its eyes.

— Welcome, Aiden.

— And who are you? How do you know my nam—

The figure interrupted without a word — and yet it continued.

— I know everything I should. But do you? Do you know who — or rather what — you are?

— What do you mean? I’m human, subje—

The stranger shook his head, stood up, and turned away.

— Oh, my son... you know less about yourself than you think.

— Son? What the hell are you?

The figure slowly turned back.

— I am Eonabsolad. The Creator of everything that exists. Of what you’ve seen… and what you’re yet to see. I created the multiverse. The dimensions. The interdimensional beings. Among them the seven… Aduneiracəa: Feya, Far—

— Wait… Dr. Faro is an interdimensional being?

— And you… are as well. You are one of the Seven.

— What?! But—

— Notice what happens around you. When you’re angry — your eyes change. You’ve survived what no human should be able to endure...

And then I woke up.

In terror.

A boom. Like a distant explosion, maybe... I was lying on something hard. A laboratory — but different from before. I wasn’t restrained. But I couldn’t move. My whole body ached. I could only stare at the ceiling.

The mechanical door hissed and slid open.

Someone entered.

A voice. Female. Unfamiliar.

— So, you’re the one they call Aiden, hmm?

I couldn’t respond. The pain robbed me of speech.

— I see they roughed you up a bit… But I also see something worked...

Her steps were calm. She approached.

At last, I caught a glimpse of her face. Yellow eyes. Long blonde hair. Pale skin. She was dressed in a suit… strangely familiar. Too similar to someone else.