Epilogue

The Fallen Angel

September 30th

Archangel

Alisha Noori was the definition of falling from grace. In four months, she had gone from an up-and-coming Enforcer, as Archangel, on the highway to becoming one of NeoCore's youngest Inquisitors... to a woman who could barely walk. It had been three weeks in this SynTec hospital where she was set to become a free woman. Yet, after a grueling surgery, she'd only now come to her mind.

Still paralyzed from the legs down.

That Gold MAL had done something to her… which meant only one thing, it was a rare CyberGene MALignant. Except she didn't know what was the science that made them so dangerous, they were just known to be different — fast-growing and deadly. Only her boss knew why Ruby was hellbent on keeping track of those Gold Implants.

Inquisitor Tusk, that fucking bastard. She didn't sign up for this, her life could have been comfortable as a NetStar, there were meant to be documentaries dictating her glory in NeoCore, not some sad and sappy motivational flick about her recovery from-

[Incoming call from: Bastard Tusk]

Speak of the devil.

"Yes? I just woke up from surgery half an hour-"

"Diana."

"You know as much as I do about what probably happened to her, we found her Bioshard tossed into the street. I mean, it's not my fault she went up and tossed herself into a-"

"She's not dead."

"Y-you sure?"

"Yes. There's a damn article about her."

The call cut, and Alisha Noori groaned into her pillow. Even recovery didn't save her from work, she was half thankful that Diana so outright rejected her, but Tusk was anything if not persistent.

Let's see… she calmed herself, typing down Diana Jones into the Net.

Oh… now that's interesting. The first article read out: Brian Ulrich's hidden daughter, golden in virtue and power, dismantles decades-long MALformed trade. Who is Diana Ulrich, who is… Silvereye?

Alisha sighed. Looks like her job just got a little more complicated.

———

Secrets woven

September 13th

Mirage

Mirage never had a childhood, she'd only ever had a directive and a task to accomplish. Anything that could interfere had been removed. Then she was taken and attached to a foreign body. A brain that hadn't been lobotomized was suddenly infused with a mind stripped bare of all humanity.

The question remained, had she encoded her version of what humanity was into that mindless state? Or had the chaotic cacophony of human existence truly infected her bare Psyche?

She didn't know, at times reality was the real illusion whereas the world of code had been her bedrock for so long, proved ever more with her Personas. Midnight had been a necessary evil, Daylight was the only thing that stopped her from killing herself, and Twilight let Mirage find a balance that wasn't so tilted in one way or another. Kill or be killed.

She did both to herself on a regular basis, strangling momentary echoes of the person she didn't want to be. Skeleton taught her how to do that. And Ripley, he... he'd been so fearful of the death of his loved ones. It would tear him apart.

Which is why guilt eroded her to the core.

Ripley didn't deserve this. But she had to do all of this… she would find a way to make things work in the long run. Her Warpcode drilled into Twilight's prism, the violet mirror of herself weaved into existence through her Persona Protocol, a golden -- unnatural -- twinkle in her eyes.

"So… it's time." Twilight looked at her twin with sadness.

But Mirage was cold as ice. "I know what you tried to tell him… are you an idiot?"

"Yeah… that's why I didn't say much in the first place." Twilight twirled her hair. "Just get on with it already."

"Was it really that easy? I know you destroyed Himiko's presence in him, what made you like this?"

"You did… Elsa." Twilight met her gaze. " Sure, Ripley… he's special, you know that. It's why we… love him, why he loves us. Sigh, but you made me to find out all the things you were too much of a coward to let yourself feel. And now I'm going to die. Just why did you wait so long?"

"Because I still need you, you're the only one his Shield is allowing into him."

"Ah, yes. I knew that... because I am you."

"No. You're not." Mirage lowered her gaze. "None of you will ever be human, it isn't what you were made for."

"Says the woman who was born to be an algorithm."

"That's different."

"It's not."

Elsa took a sharp influx of air through her smile. "This is why I hate you, you know that."

Twilight smirked back. "I know. Because I am you — no one hates you more than yourself. How many times have you killed yourself… I can't remember?"

"Neither can I." Elsa responded with bitter pain. With that, she poured out her Warpcode, stretching it past the confines of what a Silver should be able to do.

Twilight's screaming lasted anywhere between a few seconds and a few hours depending on which side of the mirror you stood on. But in the end, all that remained was a purple fairy-like light with the slightest hint of darkness thrumming within it. Just the tiniest amount of Energy Elsa had calculated would keep Twilight's memory secure.

Cruel as she was… Ripley didn't do well when he lost Selene. She couldn't take Twilight from him either.

"What's your name and purpose?"

"Designation… Twilight." A reflection of her voice echoed from the spark, a shadow devoid of any emotion just yet. "My purpose is to be a vessel for your emotions that are neither overly positive or overly negative. To be a neutral mirror that retains a focus on sociability and… control."

"Good girl. Twilight. Now… my heart's feeling really heavy. Can you help?"

"It would be my pleasure." Came the empty voice.

A stream of lavender that had built up for too long flowed into the purple spark of Twilight, the dullness of the shade of purple condensed and brightened into a sparkle of light that grew the minute fairy into the size of a small child.

"How do you feel, Twilight?"

"Scared and… happy. Vulnerable." The tiny being responded. "I'm in love, a content feeling… this person he… loves me back. But I can also hurt this person, so I must remain cautious, he's suffered through a lot and… so have I. So have we."

"Good girl, I'm feeling lighter already… now why don't I train you?"

Twilight smiled. "Of course."

———

The Crystal Twins

September 2nd

Topaz checked in on his brother one last time, Quartz had gone through hell-and-back in the raid, only to end up with the least pay.

"C'mon! At least let me treat you out!" Topaz grabbed his brother's shoulder, and Quartz shivered as he felt Energy leak from him and soak into Quartz.

Through the garbs covering his body, a frail voice came out muffled. "Don't touch me, you know what happens-!"

"Relax…" Topaz shuddered as Energy melted into his, a calming embrace of attention that he'd never been able to receive after… "I need it, these days I feel like I'm forgetting even myself."

Quartz remained still, he had more than enough Energy to give.

Soul Killer made sure of that. From the depth of the masked, robed, veiled and shrouded man's throat came a startling resolve. "We'll fix ourselves soon, we have to."

"I know we will... but we could get some help." Topaz smiled, thinking about the two idiots who were both imprisoned at this time.

———

Resurrection of the Damned

September 26th

The Snake Fangs

To say that The Snake Fangs were devastated three months ago would be an understatement. Shaun had lost everything, his club, his soldiers… his gun.

And to think, he planned to give a Bronze Implant to that little shit.

Ripley.

Hoaqin stood by his side in the one warehouse they still owned, without the necessary funds from the club, they'd even lost their home as collateral to Los Diablos. Even Muramasa, a gang they'd regularly done jobs for, abandoned them. They'd offered a saving hand at first, sending Shaun's remaining men to Los Diablos territory for a simple assassination, but it was bait the entire time.

His men were slaughtered to draw Los Diablos out from their den, all so that 'Masa could deal the decisive blow to one of Diablos' devils. He had less than thirty people now, and each of them were at their wit's end and his enemies were plenty.

They were desperate. Each and every one of them.

Which was why today was so important. It would determine the future of his family.

"So who's coming?" Hoaqin, the gossipping only child of his long-ded brother whispered. If it wasn't for the fact that they were related, and he had raised the boy himself, he would have been hung across the poles by his guts.

"You'll learn soon enough." Shaun said back, waiting for the message.

Some of the other gang members gossiped in the back, was that all this family was good for?

"Heard it's some big fella in LR."

"Hope he knows a good Op', not been the same without Rip."

"Ssshh, don't say his name. You know the boss don't like him."

"I dunno. Hoaqin blabbered onto me one drunken night that the kid took the fall for Luci-"

Shaun had enough of this, he'd thought by now his men would know he had mutated senses. "ENOUGH! ALL OF YOU! OUT! NOW!"

Blood curdled around Shaun's hand and face, he was called Bloodmucher for a reason, and his gang wasn't willing to be that reason. He shuddered out a tired breath, this had to work.

Finally, after too long, he received the message.

[I'm here.]

Shaun sent the input in to open up the large doors of his warehouse, a pickup truck rolling in with one man standing in it's cargo besides a cage.

The man wore a fine suit worth more than Shaun's current net worth and was entirely metal, and his description fit perfectly to his name.

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"It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Shaun bowed his head slightly, Hoaqin's eyes wide open at hearing the name out loud. "Mr. Skeleton."

Mr. Skeleton chuckled, stepping off the truck to approach Shaun and shake his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Shaun… and you must be Hoaqin. His nephew."

Hoaqin clenched his fist for a moment, before releasing it to shake Mr. Skeleton's dangly fingers with a slight tremble running up his steel hand.

"Oh…" Mr. Skeleton stared at the hand. "That' certainly an… interesting approach."

Shaun humbly spoke. "That's why I was so eager when I received your message, a good Shard Op' is rare these days given how they've all been poached for The Swarm. I've heard your arsenal is-"

Skeleton raised his hand. "I understand, you're always open to shop at my business Shaun, but today I have something else to show you."

At that, a woman left the driver's seat of the truck, she wore a long lab coat and her hair had a twinge of redness in the auburn color of it. She waved her hand shakily.

"This," Mr. Skeleton introduced, "is Dr. Kaisel. A researcher into Implants who will be free to answer all your questions after this demonstration."

Mr. Skeleton pointed to the cage, to which Hoaqin paled in sight off… there was a dead body inside. A short man who held impressive bulk, but his right metallic arm was torn up into scraps. Hoaqin shuddered, he'd had nightmares ever since that day.

"This, my friends, is a disgraced police Investigator by the name of Kendrick Rorsche. Utterly unassuming, he was in fact the deputy leader of a certain squad that contained one recently unveiled Gold Esper."

Shaun tightened. "Diana Ulrich."

When he saw that picture in the news, every bone in his body threatened to break under the tension of his muscles. The Investigator who wielded a Gold… who had incited one within his workplace.

"I appreciate the peace offering." Shaun chuckled.

"Oh that's not all. You see, Kaisel over here is very special, she's devised… let's call it… a new way to use old resources that are otherwise defunct."

Skeleton pulled out an orb from his breast pocket, Shaun recognized it instantly. An Iron BUG, normally worthless. Skeleton delicately held the BUG in between his fingers as though it was something precious. "This here, is an Iron BUG that has cycled through five owners, it's utterly useless. Maybe an Operator could find use for it, but its price has long past wept. Now, you see Rorsche here was killed after an enemy of his paid a few Scrappers to rough him up, but they went further and killed him. Taking his Implant too."

Mr. Skeleton then turned to this Kaisel woman. "Dr. Kaisel, would you be a dear?"

Kaisel nodded, removing a red syringe from within the depths of her lab coat. Within the syringe was a blend of red flowers, ones that made Shaun shiver. "I don't want anything to do with Soul-"

"Relax." Mr. Skeleton raised his hands. "The Revenant isn't directly involved with this, but they did aid in it's development. You should feel proud, you're one of the first people I'm even showing this too."

Dr. Kaisel sunk the tip of the needle into the metallic seams of the Implant, just a droplet of the scarlet miasma sinking in. Red veins exploded over the Implant… Shaun's whole powerset came from blood, but even he felt unnerved.

The orb began to writhe to life, taking the appearance of a centipede. Mr. Skeleton tossed it towards Rorsche's body, where it dug in. The animatronic-like man turned to Shaun and Hoaqin. "This. My friends. Is the future."

The Implant dug in, and Rorsche's eyes snapped open. The metallic irises flickered, half melting to reform differently as the scraps of his limbs shifted and cracked into new formations. Shaun pulled out his pistol. "I've already had one of these in my house, I'm not inviting another-!"

A red glow flung the weapon out his hands… Shaun couldn't even tell how. Mr. Skeleton grinned as the MALware that had once been Rorsche rose to life, the lanky arm throwing itself through the gaps of the cage to spear at Shaun.

Shaun held himself at bay, the bars were holding, but what madness was this?

But then… Kaisel lifted a strange crown-like device and put it around her head. At once, the MALware turned docile and complacent as it sank down into its cage like a corpse.

Mr. Skeleton lifted his arm towards the cage. "Now does this look like something you would be interested in?"

———

Echoing Prophecy

Princesses of Muramasa

Former Princess of Muramasa Dynasty, Special Investigator Kim 'Ghostblade' Liyung had become quite the figure in the last few years. She was the police's greatest weapon against the family she once had, but allegiances were complicated.

The fact that she sat opposite her adoptive sister in this café was proof. Mei's white hair contrasted with Kim's dark-green, but The Bladedaughter was the one truly hidden amongst the shadows as she spoke. "It's all gone exactly how my bastard fiancé thought it would, NeoCore's coming with a shipment in December and my idiot brother already has his eyes on it."

"It won't end well." Kim tightened her hands. "Father won't let that-"

"We've usurped him, really… he let us. He knows his time is coming to an end." Mei sipped her tea, eyes downcast in thought. "And I can't stop War-Watcher from doing what he wants, he plans to take me down with our father, and… Skeleton's making sure that your boss will make that happen."

"They'll assign me then, to fight you." Kim sighed, rubbing her head.

"And only you can kill our father, or well… that blade of yours." Mei held Kim's hand, but there was a possessiveness to the action that took priority over comfort. "Might as well make it a duel, then, for which of us gets that opportunity."

"I-" Kim was already dragging down people with her, she knew that despite her sister's kind words… when they would inevitably fight — people would die.

One had to.

"The Dogwhistler's already agreed to help." Mei announced. "Her first time taking such a bold action, I question her motives… but soon, she'll be an enemy to my fiancé — and to our father's former associate."

"Mei." Kim tightened her hands around her sister's. "When it does happen… promise me you'll help her after father's death."

"Ah…" Mei sighed, before a predatory smile feasted on the worried expression of her sister. "How is your little Wraith doing?"

———

Wraith's observations

September 22nd

Westbrook Special Intelligence Operations [SIO]

Sabrina 'Wraith' Thraum was an expert when it came to stalking and being in places she shouldn't, she was her unit's eyes in the sky, their ears to the door. She was good at what she did, being able to infiltrate Muramasa while undercover for more than a year had proved it.

She had never once seen someone so paranoid as Diana Ulrcih. The woman moved aimlessly for miles, from taxi to metro to a good stroll before vanishing suddenly.

And Sabrina could turn invisible.

Jotting down this mess of a trail for Staff Sergeant Morgan 'Omen' Kirell, she eventually tracked Diana into one of the seedier parts of town. Completely losing her trail, Sabrina scoffed as she pondered upon the futility of this. The only suspicious thing she was a black-haired and red eyed woman berating this one old drunk dude and dragging him away.

Making her way back to the SIO, she gave her report to Omen. "Diana Ulrich's clearly…"

Taking a breath, she lied. "She's probably paranoid from being made into a celebrity overnight. I don't blame her."

"I see." Staff Sergeant Omen's four metallic arms whirred across streams of data, never looking at Sabrina. "Return to station, First Investigator."

"Understood." She saluted, questioning why she had lied about Diana's suspicious patterns of movement. Then again, when had she ever been truthful, her stone-face cleared the halls of the SIO building with mathematical precision, her heart cold and unfeeling as she arrived to unit Theta's headquarters.

An arm wrapped around her shoulder, almost startling her before that blank face of hers erupted with playful emotion. "Belly! Don't scare me like that!"

"Oh, come on, I'm curious about what you saw." Belle swept his hand back, his smooth smile natural on him.

"Unfortunately for you, Diana's not all that…" Sabrina tapped her lips, before smiling mischeviously. "Eh, I'll let you find out for yourself tomorrow when she makes introductions."

"You brat." He deadpanned, before a stern voice from behind called for him, their corporal. Stretching, he waved to her. "Alright, gotta go, take care, Sabrina."

"Don't let Alex be too nice to you!" She flipped him off, and he laughed. As soon as he was gone, all playfulness left her as she made her way to the changing room.

Belle might have been like a brother to her, but he could never replace what she had lost. Running her hands over her scarred back, her eyes glanced at the locker beside hers… it had already been given an owner.

Diana 'Silvereye' Ulrich, a Gold Esper. That brought Sabrina's mind to another of this city's recent headliners. With how bleak everything seemed for the future, she was glad to have something to distract her. Changing into her police uniform, Sabrina decided she'd make a bold show in front of her Corporal.

She wanted to investigate none other than Dreadwire.

———

Anomaly

September 21st

Anabelle Grazhe

That's right, it's better not to remember.

Anabelle Grazhe wrestled with the soundless voice in her head, it had grown louder these last few days, everything with Anthony was her fault, her fault, her fault.

All her fault. She never should have pressured him to join up with the police, never should have argued with his mother that Derrick was…

Sorry, who? Who was Derrick?

She breathed out, calm and ready. Right, what was she even thinking? She had a speech to prepare, and a very important guest to debrief.

You'll never be free, stay in this cage where you're safe from reality. Remember your voice, who are you?

Staff Sergeant Anabelle Grazhe.

No, you're a Lieutenant now. But your father never had the chance to say that, did he?

She opened up her pocket watch, it was cracked, had been ever since her father died and crashed down several stories in that damned club. It was sad to see such a beautiful piece of artwork stuck in time.

Just like something else in your head.

She shuddered; she really shouldn't be wasting time like this on such fruitless matters.

———

The War to Come

September 11th

Diamante, Missy and R0N1N after Ripley left.

"So he can alter the way his Implant is perceived, down to the Bioshard." Diamante took his bearings next to R0N1N.

"It's the only way he could have taken Black Dragon Long's identity." Missy leaned on the wall beside the two men.

R0N1N had better things to get to. "Why don't you two say what you're really worried about."

Diamante turned to Missy, his voice aching and grave at the prospect of what he feared. "The Bladefather wanted R0N1N to get those nanites… and now, Amaterasu basically told everyone who knew what Goliath was that Dreadwire has it with that bounty placed on him…"

Missy gazed apprehensively at the R0N1N, for as much as she knew his skills were dependable — as well as his sheer lack of care for any sense of property in his goal to destroy Yuzhou — she could never bring herself to fully trust him. "Talk to the Bladefather, trust in what Hammersmith told you and…"

"I have no interest in joining a criminal organization." The R0N1N shook his head. "And that man is…"

Diamante grunted. "Whatever, maybe it's good that you're keeping yourself away from that sort of drama. But if it gives me my money back any sooner…"

"SynTec has jobs for me." The R0N1N replied. "I don't need Muramasa, they already failed me once, Skeleton and War-Watcher are… scheming."

"That, they always do." Missy chewed some thoughts out. "At the very least, we need to get our stuff repaired for what's coming. I know some people out in the MALterritories, trustworthy."

"Aye." Diamante's Iron Devil suit needed serious upgrades. "We'll raise hell on them. The Uncaged… as soon as they turn on themselves first."

———

Misery

October 1st

Missy

Time was running out. The Uncaged had made their moves too quickly now, and that was because of her.

Because soon… she wouldn't be alive to face them. Blood poured down her hands from her mouth, her nanites failing once more as they weren't able to stop her body from breaking itself apart.

There were few things worse than Warp Poisoning…

Like having your Implant touched by The Terror's Source-Shard of Oblivion.

Maybe… maybe it was time to call her wife back. She missed her dearly.

But Ruby had other priorities as a NeoCore Herald, the Swarm was nearing and… Missy had to survive to face it. After all, she had chosen this for herself.

In a way, she was one of the most free persons on this planet. With freedom came the choice to act however you wanted, but with choice… comes consequences.

And consequences demanded responsibility. Skeleton, Soul Killer, Dogwhistler…

They were her responsibility. A Three-Way War was upon them, and she'd make sure there were no victors.

———

The Puppeteers of New California

Los Diablos

Luciente of Los Diablos hadn't seen wrong when the news began hounding them of Diana Ulrich. Silvereye… she was called. To him, she was a meal worth hunting down, but he'd made his decision to leave already. Skeleton, Soul Killer, The Dogwhistler… he wanted none of what the Uncaged were planning. He'd already gotten himself crowned of Little Requiem once, and it had made him too many enemies to count.

No, he decided his focus was better spent elsewhere. While the city warred with itself… he would claim the lands around it. He who controlled the Siege Capitals would control the Swarm. And like it or not, New California was his city. If anything, it had been stolen from him by that dead Lieutenant…

Oh, how he wished he could have been the one to claw out Jacob Grazhe's throat…

But that thought quickly left him, he had better things to focus on. He would head East, and conquer the Nomad tribes… and would forge his own City on the corpse left by The Infinite. Little Requiem was scrap compared to that.

Metal Heavens

The Archbishop of Metal Heavens meditated on past events, on his mentor's death and the history that had followed the Iron Devil's appearance. Now, a new Herald had appeared, but he was not nearly foolish enough to worship her the same way his mentor had delighted in the appearance of The Hammersmith.

The Dogwhistler was only human. That was the conclusion he had come to… his allies were better found in the ones who'd discard their birth to become what this world demanded. Upgrade. Evolve. Overcome. Skeleton's plans for Little Requiem was the right way… but to convince his followers?

He'd turn the Devil's corpse into a Saint.

Crimson Souls

Crimson Queen stroked the Heart's cheek, it was rare to see her without the veil. And she knew what a gift it was. But the Heart's mind was elsewhere, far away, probably in a different body. The Queen had never been one to make plans, but she was one to rely on them. To execute them.

Yet, even this measure taken by the Heart was drastic. To work with Skeleton… to kill Soul Killer. Such a feat should be impossible, but the Crimson Heart knew The Revenant the best. After all, they were born together. But the recent sightings on the news had shifted the Queen's opinion… because how the hell did Diana Ulrich survive being taken by that thing?

Muramasa Dynasty

The Bladefather closed his eyes, his breath uneven as age and poor diet took its toll on him. His children could see it, they'd been witnessing his decline over the last two decades as control steadily slipped from his hand. He'd made mistakes, he'd made enemies, and few allies — and the ones he had made were treacherous.

The old man was wise enough to know there was little to blame but himself.

When his children imprisoned him, he hadn't fought it. None of them even tried to combat him… his words were clear. Imprison him, torture him, but if they raised their blade to strike him down then they were inviting death. None of them could ever kill him. Only one weapon could, and it required the right wielder… but he'd rejected. He'd hoped the R0N1N would understand just what power could have come into his hands by letting the man find Goliath.

The power in those machines were only an imitation of his own, after all.

Which is why he was surprised to hear from Emizren that the R0N1N hadn't received it, but Dreadwire. And his identity, Ripley Donovick. One day, his children would bring enemies down to kill him… one day, he'd meet that man.

The grandson of an old friend. For the first time in a while, The Bladefather felt excitement. Anticipation.

———

The Devil's pondering thoughts

October 2th

Diamante

Diamante settled onto the iron ribs of Little Requiem, it was hard to beat a view like this. Comfortable with his precious hat, he watched the far horizons basked in the golden light of the evening… because pretty damn soon… the walls would rise up to block this sight.

The Fifth Swarm was coming. And with it—

—Blood and Steel.

The End?

The Allseeing

We welcome the Children of The Infinite.

Ripley Donovick has erased the man he had been, just as Diana has neglected both the names of Jones and Ulrich.

Now, we read upon the entangled destinies of Dreadwire and Silvereye. Little do they know, but they will become very fond of each other, a bond greater than mere camaraderie and respect — one that sprouts with the potential of a shared future.

It is a shame that one of them dies to the other, then. Only when they have mastered their powers over Thunder and Webs will they become monsters of Blood and Steel. Only then, will they clash.

Their Clash is the only way to birth The Eclipse.

A celestial force of light and darkness orbit one another. Both birthed from the same origin, As they fracture, they will form anew, Entropy. The only force that can free me. The only force that can kill me.

I hope you will enjoy it, as much as I have written it to be.

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