"..." - Words
"..." - Thoughts (Italic)
---
Brooklyn, New York, 2020 AD.
*
An alarm clock rings, sending loud sounds across an apartment room.
A yawn is heard, as a young man begins to stretch across his small twin-sized bed.
Annoyed by the sound, his hand slams against his clock as the force shatters it into several pieces, halting its outrageous ring.
"...Shit, you've got to be kidding me." He starts to slowly get up and stretch properly.
"9AM? Not bad. I need to get going though."
Quickly grabbing his clothes, he goes off into the bathroom and takes his shower, starting his normal day.
*
My name is David Reece and I'm 18 years old. African-American. I am a licensed monster hunter with the United States Hunter Program, that makes me a federal combat agent. Since I was physically capable of barely passing the bar, I decided to volunteer, since I had no interests elsewhere and my grades were good enough to deem me intelligent to be a hunter.
I even barely survived the biological process of becoming a hunter, since you are injected with some kind of serum, like those supersoldiers in movies and TV shows, that allow you to go toe-to-toe with monsters. That is why I am a F-Rank.
The worst of the worst.
There are several ranks within the Hunter Program. A,B, C, D, E and F.
While those who are A-Rank are capable of taking out monsters who can destroy entire states, I can barely handle a few monsters that can't even move a house.
Compared to a normal person without the serum, I would seem like a top-performing athlete. But within a realm gate, I am the bottom of the barrel.
While some hunters and soldiers honor and praise battle scars, that is the norm for me. Injuries almost seem like a chore every time I come in contact with a monster.
Like soldiers in the U.S. military, I constantly risk my life every time I enter a realm gate, while some enter realm gates like it's a fucking playground. Pisses me off to high hell.
*
-- ARC Security Site-11 --
"Hunter License please." A security guard stopped David.
The security guard was dressed in a modified U.S. Army Combat Uniform and equipment, but instead a greyish-urban camouflage tint and with an emblem sticker that said "ARC". He appeared to be fully trained and armed with standard U.S. Army weaponry, such as the M4A1 assault rifle and the SIG Sauer M17.
He quickly took out his wallet and took out his license.
There were two guards in front of the door and they looked at each other, puzzled.
Another guard, appeared to be of a higher rank, walked up. "Is he good to go?"
The first guard that asked for the license nodded, leading to the third guard to raise up a hand signal.
A fourth guard operating the site door would insert a key, the large doorway opening.
It led to a large site filled with military vehicles and ARC security guards. At the end of the site, surrounded by construction vehicles, appeared to be a blue-whitish mysterious portal.
"The realm gate. It must've reopened."
"Hey David! Thanks for showing up!"
"Good to see you here, David."
"Take off that jacket man, it's hot right now."
Three hunters greeted David, either patting him on his shoulder or doing a handshake, then went about their business. David simply nodded at each response. The hunters, including himself, were in their civilian clothes, not yet prepared to enter the realm gate.
A hunter, appearing to be a senior, waved over.
"David! Had anything to eat yet? I got a bacon, egg and cheese coming up." He appeared to be around his late 30s.
"Oh hey, Kevin. Sounds like you offering. I'll definitely take it." David laughed.
"I know it's what you like, it's on me for free. I thought I'd be hungry for another, but I'm stuffed."
After David got the sandwich from the outside cafeteria, he walked away toward the armory to prepare himself for the hunting raid.
Another hunter walked up beside Kevin.
"Hey, seems like everybody's glad to see that kid. Is he a prodigy or something?" The hunter seemed genuinely curious.
"Announce your damn presence next time, Patrick." Kevin turned his head.
"Not my problem you ain't watching your six." Patricked shrugged.
"Nah, he isn't a prodigy. Just the opposite actually. He's the weakest hunter out of the entire sector. An F-Rank." Kevin responded seriously, as if he was commenting on a moment in his own life.
"He's a F-Rank? I feel sorry for the kid. Is that why he's popular? Hope he ain't getting bullied." Patrick crossed his arms.
"Heh, the opposite once again. I'll give the kid this, he's definitely useful in other ways, smart too. If he actually seemed to value his own life, he would go places. I'm impressed he even survived the surgery as an F-Rank, higher chance to die." Kevin said proudly.
"So, the fact he got selected for combat duty means this mission is going to be easy then." Patrick nodded.
"Leave it at that. Might hurt the kid's pride." Kevin said, still eyeing David as he continued to walk toward the armory.
"Damn right it hurt my pride, but it's the truth. Even adults that are almost past their prime are physically stronger in every way. Shit sucks."
"Your ass got hurt again huh?" Another hunter remarked, this time a feminine voice.
"...Not you, again." David shook his head as he closed the locker door.
"You? I do have a name."
"Yes, Jessica. I got hurt again." David sarcastically responded.
"How many times is this, the 107th time?" She said, thinking out loud.
"First, you're wrong. Second, why are you even counting? Third, fix your pants and your boots." David sternly looked at her.
"This is why you don't have a girlfriend."
"This is why you keep getting written up for the most random shit ever."
"Do you always talk like this to everyone?"
"No. You just irk me for some reason."
"...Sorry for making sure you're alright." She muttered under her breath.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you." David said, still fixing himself up.
"Nothing. Nothing at all." She said, as she also closed her locker and grabbed her bag.
David finished adjusting his uniform in front of a mirror, making sure he had his equipment, loadout and extra gear in regulation. He checked his longsword to make sure it was fully cleaned and combat-ready, while holstering his SIG Sauer M17 to his thigh.
"LISTEN UP!"
The hunters stood around one hunter, the most senior and experienced. His name was Sloane, formerly served with the U.S. Army as a Corporal before ending his contract and becoming a hunter. He survived the surgery and woke up as a D-Rank. The rest of the hunters were E-Rank. He already had enough experience as being a soldier, but also had years racked up as a hunter as well.
"We were assigned by Site-11′s Command Staff to close up the realm gate after the previous hunters that were stationed here were sent elsewhere. Despite the order, I'm sure we're all here to hit a jackpot and have some fun. I'm thinking of taking charge here and being this group's leader, that good with everyone?"
The hunters all agreed, with responses or obvious nods.
"Well, Command had already given me the role of lead, but I wanted to see how you guys felt."
"Before we head in, I'm going to inspect you all and make sure you guys are good to go before entering. Get ready for inspection!"
*
"What are you so hung up about?"
"Nah, I just feel bad for making a confused look when I heard that kid was F-Rank."
"Yeah, knowing he could beat your ass if he wanted to."
"Shut up."
"What rank is the gate this time?"
"I think it's between D and E."
"Not bad, let's hope nothing goes wrong in there."
"Already wishing some shit on them."
"I just said I hope they're fine, leave me alone man."
*
-- Within the Realm Gate --
The realm seemed like a complex cave structure, where most of the surroundings were minerals and rock, perfect for a mining expedition.
Bullets were sprayed and metal clacks were heard.
David finally swung into a goblin, its greenish blood spraying all over his body. He swung his longsword again to sweep the blood off it and began cleaning it. It was his second monster kill.
Seeing the goblin still slightly move, he pulled out his pistol and shot at its head once. His pistol is modified to load in specially-made bullets to penetrate monster flesh.
He sat down to handle his minor injuries and prevent the goblin blood from infecting him.
"So set on being a hunter, huh." Jessica remarked.
"Well sorry that I seem to take it seriously."
"It's not that you take it seriously, it's that you can hardly even kill five while everyone's already killed at least ten."
"...I don't do this for the love of the game, Jess."
"Most of them do." She pointed as David saw the hunters move with waterlike movements and overwhelming strength, as compared to him. He even saw Sloane punch a human-sized goblin to the floor with his fist, breaking apart its whole body on impact.
"...That may have been extra." Jessica snickered.
"Agreed."
"Area, clear!" Sloane shouted.
The hunters gathered together.
David eyed all of them, analyzing them. Some relied on their physical strength, some relied on their eyesight and long range weaponry, some relied on their agility, some relied on their mastery of close combat weapons. He took a subconscious note of their strengths and weaknesses.
Sloane seemed to be a long-range hunter, reflecting his past as a soldier and typically using modern weaponry, while Kevin and Patrick both were close combat hunters.
"Still got it, huh Patrick?"
"I have not been on R&R for that long, Kevin. Give me a break."
"Make sure you guys are collecting any evidence of your kills, especially the monster cores. No one will do it for you since it's a extra hustle for cash, besides being a federal agent." Sloane commented.
"Even one E-Rank Monster Core can get you $1,000 cash straight. The stones can be turned into luxurious items."
"I have a long way to go to even get D-Rank or any higher Monster Core... Or no way." David sighed.
"Entrance!" A hunter yelled out.
The hunters gathered around a large gap within the cave complex, about the same size as the realm gate, seemingly like a realm gate used to replace the hole.
"Double Gate, huh?" Sloane questioned, as he inspected the size.
"Definitely looks like a realm gate used to be here, but now the realms connected, leaving the gate no purpose of being there."
Sloane proceeded to fire a flare into the gap, lighting up its surroundings. The flare got deeper and deeper until it was no longer noticeable.
"Alright, gather up." Sloane said, the hunters following his command.
"The gate usually doesn't close until we kill whatever creature is holding up the energy needed to keep the realm gate open. Seeing as the realm gate is still up even after killing all the monsters in here, we may have to cross into that double gate."
"We would want to make a report to Site-11′s Command Staff before we take the risk of even entering the double gate, but since this realm gate's ranking is low, I shouldn't have to worry, but there are regulations."
"Other hunters may decide to go ahead of us. While following regulations would give us a check in their books, those other hunters would seize the profits of the double gate and get a slap on the back for proceeding."
"I'm leaving it up to you all to decide our next course of action. I vote on going in." Sloane said with confidence.
"For a guy who served in the Army, I'm surprised he isn't just forcing us to follow regulation. We are federal agents after all, but shit like this does stay in realm gates and no one bats an eye."
"Once a decision has been made, all of us will stick and follow through with it. We do this as a group. No one sits out."
"Aye or Nay."
The hunters made their votes.
"Aye." Kevin and Patrick both wanted to go into the double gate themselves.
"Nay."
"Aye."
"Nay." Jessica surprisingly said.
"For all that talk, she's choosing to leave-" David's thoughts were cut off after she got him a look after refusing to enter the double gate.
"For heavens sake, she's doing it for me." David facepalmed.
"..."
"10 votes to stay. 10 votes to leave." Sloane counted.
"It's on your vote David." Sloane looked at him.
*
"The smartest and safest choice is to leave."
"It will grant everyone's survival and we live to fight another day."
"So why..."
"Why do I feel this subconscious feeling in my chest that I don't recognize?"
"Why is my heart telling me to go, while my brain is telling me to leave?"
"Is this what I've been living all this time for?"
"To hunt?"
*
-- Within the Double Gate --
"Feels like we've been walking for an hour..."
"It probably has been an hour."
"Longer. Try an hour and 30 minutes."
"We've been walking all this time and not encountered a single monster?"
"Lots of minerals though. Diamonds, you name it."
"Go get a pickaxe and mine it like you do in Minecraft."
"...Damn, not too much on me."
"Hey. Looks like you have an attitude." David looked at Jessica.
"No I don't."
"Yeah you do, you're mad because I decided to go in."
"If I knew you wanted to go, I would've said Aye."
"Thank you for considering my well-being, Jess." David said earnestly.
Jessica briefly stopped and stared at him for a few seconds.
"...You're welcome." She briefly smiled.
"You need to smile more, you're pretty cute when you do it." David said, walking off.
"...Quit tryna be cool, you idiot." Jessica shook her head and followed him.
"Nailed it." David whistled to himself.
"Hey... David."
"Hm?"
"Would you be down to have a meal with me? Like lunch?"
"Woah, asking me on a date?"
"Would that be weird?"
"...Wait, you're serious-"
"THIS IS IT! WE FOUND IT!" A hunter shouted across, directing the other hunters.
"...Would you look at that. A white realm gate." Sloane said.
"It's inverted. This realm gate is white with a blue tint, while regular realm gates are blue with white."
"I'm already getting the freaks from this shit." Kevin said.
"A white realm gate? It's never been recorded before."
"Are you all going to forget what we promised from the beginning? We all go in." Sloane stated as he walked through the mysterious white realm gate himself.
The hunters nodded amongst each other.
"See you on the other side."
David heard these words, feminine, seemingly from Jessica. Before he could respond, he was already inside of the white realm gate.
***
"...Everything's black..."
"...I feel so... empty..."
He felt his consciousness leave his body, as if looking at his own reflection.
He felt as if he could see everything and nothing, at the exact same time.
He felt time pass and halt.
"...Where am I...?"
"...Are these... memories? My... memories?"
"That's... me...?"
***
-- Upstate New York --
A small boy felt the cold, shiverish weather. Snow blocked the view for miles on end.
"David?"
David perked up, looking toward the mysterious voice.
It was a feminine voice, he recognized it.
"Your face is covered in dirt. Let me wipe it off, you look crazy."
"Mom?"
"David?"
David quickly walked over and let his mother wipe his face with a cloth.
"You know you don't have to deliver all of this now. It's pretty dangerous to go out."
"I want to help out though." He said with a pouting face.
"Plus, I can sell some of this old stuff we don't use and eat some really good food! Nia would love that!"
"Nia?"
"Who... is Nia?"
"Look at you being a good older brother. Now stop being cool and go off."
"David!"
He heard another feminine voice.
"Going into the town? Let me come with! Come on please!" Nia grabbed David's leg.
"Absolutely not young lady. I already have a bit of an issue with David going out, but you are not going anywhere!" Their mother sternly said, hands on hips.
"Aw. I wanted to be with my big brother today."
"He'll be back soon enough."
"Make sure you go out and collect wood too while you're out, David."
"Yes yes, I know, Mom."
David began walking off in the direction of the nearest town with markets, shops and other infrastructure.
"Be safe!"
"Hurry back, okay?!"
"Hurry... back..."
"...Hurry... back..."
*
David waved off, continuing his pace.
"Ever since Dad went off into military service and apparently went missing, we haven't had an easy life..."
"Dad?"
"I've had to be the man of the house until he returned... but it's been years... I almost think my mother's been lying to us about where he's been."
"Maybe she has a reason... maybe she doesn't."
"I just hope she really does have a reason... I do miss Dad."
*
-- A Remote Town --
"Oh, David. Nice to see ya." A man called out.
"For such a young boy, you sure do work hard. Don't get sick, fam counting on ya!"
"I'm good, really." David responded, nodding off.
"Do you need anything sir?"
"Not at the moment. I'll let you know!"
"Hey David! Can you fix my sliding doors for me? This is really a pain!" A older woman called out.
"Can you give me a hand with this?!"
"Got some free time, David? Got a job for you..."
"Oh it's David, come play with us!" Some little kids called out.
"I'm going to be here all day..." David said to himself.
"I don't remember being this popular... as a child...these memories...feel so recognizable yet so... unnatural..."
"Why... did I forget about them?"
"There... must be a reason this realm gate is showing me these memories..."
By midnight, David would be on his way back from his trip, earning decent amounts of cash to take back to his mother. While he worked for his sickened mother, his mother handled the finances as she couldn't handle physical work.
David didn't mind, though it was a pain at times.
"You heading back up?" A man called out from his house.
David nodded. "Yes, sir. I'm already late as it is."
"Be careful. I was hearing some animals, maybe I'm paranoid, but be careful. Seriously."
"Don't worry, I can defend myself!" David said proudly.
"Your confidence definitely makes me feel better." The older man sighed.
"Just come on in, you can stay the night. The least I can do after you've helped me all this time."
David thought about it.
"I do have to get home... but it is pretty dark, and there are definitely animals out there. I wouldn't want to get hurt and have my mom even more mad..."
"Thank you very much!" David said as he walked through the door.
The older man looked out of the door with a stern, serious and cautious look. He closed all of his windows and shut off the lights that didn't need to be on.
"What are you afraid of?" David asked, curiously.
"Monsters."
"Monsters? You mean like, from movies?"
"No, they're real. The government's just keeping it hidden for the time being. I've seen one with my own eyes."
"Woah, are you serious?! What are they like?"
"They've always invaded at night, why... I don't know... but they definitely eat humans... and they're similar to our animals, but more... stronger, faster and more demonic... in a way."
"Once you're done settling in, go to bed. You can leave at soon as the sun rises."
"Got it." David smiled and went off, grabbing a sleeping bag that he got from the man.
"I wonder what these... monsters are like..."
"I do remember my grandmother talking about monsters... crossing over from another place... but I always thought it was a bedtime story..."
"Talking of how monster hunters have existed for years... watching the human populace from the shadows and protecting them from the dark..."
"I wonder... How would it feel if I were to hunt them?"
"Hunt? I was... thinking of being a hunter... even way back then? So... why don't I remember this at all? Get to the point..."
David quickly woke up at 6AM, taking his brief shower and put on his clothes. He grabbed all the equipment he brought with him, along with the supplies and cash he earned.
"Thank you for letting me stay."
"You could've stayed for at least another hour."
"I don't want my mom to be even more upset I didn't come on time." David said, scratching his neck.
"Be safe. Tell your mom I said hi." The older man waved him off, as he walked back into his home.
"At least the snow stopped, I hoped it wouldn't be any deeper or our house door would be blocked."
"I hope my mom isn't too worried about me."
"Whenever happiness is stripped from an individual, there is always madness that follows..."
"Something's... wrong. I'm not hearing any voices at all. My mom and Nia are usually awake by this time..."
"Mom!"
"Nia?!"
"Are you guys awake?!"
No response.
David began running toward his house, toward the entry door, almost tripping over a pile of logs he had help collected.
He slid over, eyeing the entry door.
"Mo-!"
He stopped, slowly peeping his head down to the floor.
"Nia?"
He saw Nia, surrounded by piles of blood, the blood seeping into the snow, forming a red and whitish color.
"No... No... No.... NO..... NO...NO!"
"NIA!"
David got on his knees and started screaming out in utter shock, horror and madness. He couldn't let out a word. Tears streamed from his eyes. The color drained from his face.
The blood traced from the entry door step, all the way back into the house.
It seemed like she tried to escape.
David approached her, his eyes staying widened the entire time. He felt his entire body get stiffer and stiffer, as if he was carrying the most weight he could possibly lift.
He saw that some parts of Nia's body were... missing. It was at that moment he realized there was no saving her.
Eaten.
He saw the scratch marks, parts of her body taken off, organs like her stomach missing. Flesh spread about all over her body.She had been eaten alive.
"...Mom..."
He walked into his home, he saw his worst nightmare.
His mother had literally been torn, from limb to limb. Organ to organ.
Her legs and her arms had been eaten off her body, blood filled the entire living room, some from Nia as well.
His mother's intestines spread out around her body, bitten marks all over them.
Her entire body was eaten from the inside and out, leaving no hope of even bringing her back.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
***
"You're getting what you deserve."
David woke back up, in a pitch black darkness... a void...
He seemed to be standing on a reflection of water, everything seemed so empty and illusive.
David's eyes widened.
His voice was heard, but he had not spoken.
"You left behind your family."
"Why did you become a hunter, David?"
"You were nothing, but a small little boy back then... but now look at you."
David was staring at his younger self, the one he appeared to have possessed.
"So... those were my memories..." David grabbed his face with some strength, almost scratching it.
"You're an F-Rank, but you're much stronger then you were back then..."
"You might've been able to save them, had you pursued strength..."
"Why were these memories you choose to look back at, David?"
"I DON'T KNOW! YOUTELL ME!" David shouted at his younger self in anger.
"YOU THINK I WANTED TO WATCH MY FAMILY DIE A SECOND TIME?"
"...Why were these memories even locked away... I didn't even remember..."
"It was your weak subconscious that locked away those memories, David. Had you continued holding on to them, you would have never became a hunter."
"I definitely have to ask.... is this really me?"
"Taller... stronger... but it looks like the only differences are physical. Mentally, you're still weak. You still cower in face of overwhelming emotion."
"You fucking asshole... how would you expect me toreactto me remembering my family dying, huh?!"
"YOU WERE THE ONE THAT SHOWED ME!"
"Wrong, again. This is your mind. Your subconscious wanted you to remember. This is testing your mentality, David. This is what you are not getting."
David felt himself getting punched by his younger self, launching him backward. He seemed to land right back at the same spot, but he couldn't tell.
There was no impact, no presence. Only him subconsciously feeling the pain.
"That's all you've felt in your godforsaken life. Punches in the face. Pain in the heart. Emptiness in your brain."
"Remember all the previous hunting missions where you've had to put your life on the line, while you watched the other hunters treat monsters like toys."
"While those hunters were predators... you were prey to prey."
David sunk down onto his legs, his head only facing the bottomless void he was in.
"LOOK AT ME."
His younger self pulled David's head to face him.
"You are me. I am you."
"Would you really have your younger self watch as you descend into madness over memories you've already experienced?"
"Or are you also remembering how worthless you were... every time you went on a hunting mission for that program that gave you jackshit."
David was punched once again, spiraling him backward.
"While you were given an inch, everyone was given a mile...
"...AND YOU ACCEPTED IT."
***
"Good... I'm the only one who has to die..."
David began remembering all of his missions, remembering putting his own life on the line every time something went south. He simply didn't earn battle scars just by being weak, modern technology helped with weaker humans unsuited for hunter combat.
He wanted to be a hero. He wanted to mean something.
He was kind, creative and smart. But weak.
"No... that's not what you wanted to be. You did not want to be a hero."
"...No... I wanted to be a hunter..."
"I... just created a false persona... to want to help people... to be a hero. To be wanted."
"Because you forgot what you truly wanted. What you truly started this hunt for. And why you crave it."
"You may have started this journey to avenge your family, but it did not quench the subconscious thirst you feel..."
"You enjoy the hunt... it allures you..."
"You enjoy the feeling of being stronger then someone else..."
"You enjoy STRENGTH."
"I've always been the weakest..."
"Mocked, mocked and mocked... over and over again..."
"I just... wanted to avenge my family... I was angry... my subconscious wouldn't let me forgot the anger I felt..."
"That anger... you misunderstand it... you must understand yourself."
"You were angry for being weak."
"I've always tried my hardest..."
"Bullshit!"
David was punched again.
"And now... it feels as if I can just... disappear... in this place..."
"Bullshit!"
Punch.
"It's bullshit! SUCH BULLSHIT!"
"I'VE TRIED TO BE STRONGER! BUT I COULDN'T!"
"BULLSHIT!"
Punch.
"Even so..."
"Even so?"
"I gave it my all just to get to this point... just to remember this moment..."
"..."
"All you were doing was justifying your own weakness... your own guilt. Until your subconscious finally broke. You got nowhere trying to be a hero, trying to be the nice guy all the damn time."
"That gratitude you think you need to emit to everyone you meet... is merely a testament to your shallow thinking."
"...It's always the most selfish and driven people that benefit the most..."
"Remember that."
"...If only...
...If only I had one more chance..."
"What do you want, David?"
"I WANT STRENGTH!"
David's younger self smiled.
A white aura emitted from the younger individual, as if transforming into something else.
It was a mysterious entity, with a humanoid monster shadow-like appearance, with curved horns and sharpened claws. Fullbody armor edged into its skin.
"You're... a monster."
"You're the monster holding up this realm..."
"Remember what I said."
"I am you."
"And you are me."
"I am a recollection of the strength you wish."
"I am the forgotten stain of your past, the bright embers of your present and the evidence of your future."
"If I give you strength... what is your pledge, David?"
"...My pledge..."
"What is your pledge?"
"That Monsters May Die."