[Next Mission:
Operation: 21105
Code Name: GodKiller]
[Objective:
The Soulburners have recently gained unprecedented control over the Rifts within Planet E3's space. We suspect that a few high-level Soulburners are leading the efforts. And we have gained word that this organization calls itself Arcane. Their strength is on par with or exceeds that of the current government members residing within E3, making this one of the most dangerous missions you'll undertake.
Your job is to infiltrate their ranks, become one of them, and climb the chain of command until you come face to face with the leaders of this organization. After reporting your findings, your mission will be complete, and you will gain your freedom.
Good luck, 001.]
Alec read the objectives of his mission as he sat on a large cliff overlooking the entirety of Stardust City. Dressed in bright glowing garb made from millions of lights, each speckled with a random shade of colors from the rainbow, the city was a sight to behold.
His memories of this place stretched back to the old days, long before this piece of land was carved into the magnificent sprawling city it is now.
It stretched all the way back to history when this section had yet to be named. He was nothing more than a little boy gazing at the endless blue skies, hoping to one day reach the top of the world.
He had achieved that now.
His strength extended to the far reaches of this planet, and with a thought, his senses could sweep through it. But he didn't do that. Such a task would alert quite a few ancient existences that didn't want to be disturbed. Most of all, it would make his mission much more difficult.
Alec gave it a single thought, and another interface popped up within his vision, giving him a more detailed rundown of his mission objectives. He couldn't exactly go knocking on their door looking for Soulburners, could he? And even if he did, they wouldn't tell him what he wanted.
[Primary Objective: Blend in with the slums of Stardust City. Understand their way of life. Most of all Observe any and all suspicious movements.
Secondary Objective: It is believed that the organization called Arcane tends to recruit the most destitute Soulburners within large cities—Soulburners with nothing to lose. Gain enough trust to be considered such a case.
Tertiary Objective: Report as soon as you have made contact with the upper echelons of Arcane.]
Further acquainted with the details, Alec stretched his limbs and leapt off the cliff. His descent was quick, barely lasting a nanosecond—far faster than light could hope to match. Like a floating feather, he landed softly on the ground below.
The Facility, as he called it, had already created an identity for him for this mission—Alec Voldman, a young and upcoming Soulburner forced to flee the neighboring continent after accidentally igniting his soul. This activation of his ability led to the untimely death of a classmate.
Forced to leave the comfort of his luxurious life, he fled as far as he could and ended up in the slums of Stardust City.
Soulburners, as taught by The Facility, were vile beings that were never meant to exist. Their existence did the unthinkable, directly stealing a portion of Heaven's Domain to propagate their own existence.
This granted them immense abilities that could eventually rival the gods and possibly exceed them through the absorption of other beings' souls, as well as stealing more bits and pieces of Heaven's Domain. Their entire existence was blasphemous, and they either had to be stopped from further stealing from Heaven's Domain or be killed if caught utilizing their abilities.
Alec himself was a Soulburner, partially. He was an artificial Soulburner, created for the sole purpose of identifying Soulburners and infiltrating the ranks of those who could not follow the Code Of Conduct. This set of laws, set in iron by the Neon Conglomerate, forbade any and all Soulburners from developing their abilities or using them for combat.
Alec walked a bit further down until he reached a widening road that led towards the inner parts of the slum district. All the vigor in his bones and the massive amounts of energy swirling within his body receded until he was completely weak.
His presence was no different from that of a novice Soulburner who had recently awakened. His body was gaunt, attesting to the hours he had to walk through uncharted territory, hunted by both man and beast alike. Finally, after a long and arduous journey across an entire ocean and a few forests, he arrived here—weary, hungry, and weak.
His posture was skewed forward, hands holding onto a large bag filled with various supplies and trinkets. In his pockets were the last pieces of coins available to him, just enough to pay for an inn somewhere in the slums. Unfortunately, that would have to do.
Alec took his job seriously and fell into form; even his mindset shifted to accommodate his new identity. Instead of letting the thousand years' worth of memories muddle his character, he etched bits and pieces of it to aid in selling his new identity.
He crossed the border into the slums, which couldn't be any more obvious. In front of him, the road shifted from the standard tar seen within the rest of the city to gravel. Tiny stones made the trudge uncomfortable, especially with his weakened cultivation. He didn't remove the discmo9 from his face; he let it bear instead.
Cold wind rustled his messy locks of hair, neatly parted at the center into two shades—one side white and the other pure black. But that was as far as the neatness went.
Aside from the crystal-clear division of color, the rest of his hair was a rumpled mess of dried leaves, grime, and a few other substances he couldn't tell apart. Dirt and stench had built up on his body over the past 'few weeks,' and he felt uncomfortable in it.
Corrugated iron became the most prominent piece of metal sheet used throughout the slums. It was used in everything, ranging from patching a few missing pieces in roofs to constructing full-on buildings with it.
The winding streets were filled to the brim with folks of all ages, most of them surprisingly in worse shape than him. Lights lighting up the dark alleys flickered constantly, and the thick, heavy stench of bodies that had never touched water enroached the air.
And when it mixed with the heavy scent of smoke spewing from the chimneys, it created an environment that would have taken a few days to get used to.
To anyone else, his stroll through the streets would seem quite random, and his attitude tried to make sure that he was perceived in that manner. Occasionally, he stopped to ask for directions to anywhere he could rest. The answers he received ranged from total illegible garbage to mere grunts and even a few side glances.
Honestly, he didn't blame them. If he had to associate with the current him, he would want nothing but to see himself disappear from his sight.
The winding roads gave way to much larger, straighter paths. Hopelessness and dread suffocating the atmosphere receded, slowly replaced by joy and revelry. He heard music blaring in the distance, and the shift in color of the lights alerted him to where he was. Shades of red and blue swathed the atmosphere. The streets were packed with men and women of various ages.
Quite a few women stood on the sidewalks, posing for any man they saw come across them, invading his personal space and trying to sell him a product—one Alec learned was the most difficult to refuse for any man: their bodies.
He stumbled into the red-light district, taking stock of all the people in the area, as well as the vast array of buildings that stretched from one end of the street to the next.
Names filtered into his mind, faces, and all sorts of behaviors reached his senses.
To the far right was a banner right above one of the buildings, which read, 'Lana's Night Out.' He made certain that no cars zoomed past the traffic, crossed over to the other side, and took a little walk towards the place he'd spend the night and take a shower.
Making money for someone of his level wasn't a problem. In fact, he had no need for such worldly possessions. To keep the integrity of his character, he had to scrape at the bottom of the bottom.
Weary and tired from a long journey, he threw his hands across the door, letting a thud filter through the door into the place, forgetting to ring the much simpler bell.
Luckily, Lana's Night Out barely had any guests this evening. The loud thud wafted through one of the employees' ears, and he rushed to the door and opened it. His face froze when he saw a man that looked no different from a walking corpse. And as quickly as the shock came, his face morphed into anger once he smelled the stench coming off Alec.
"Shoo! You filthy piece of shit. Go back where you came from," the man tried slamming the door, only to be stopped by a graceful pale hand that held onto his wrists.
"Now, now, don't be rude to our guests. As long as he can pay the fee, he is welcome," a fair young lady spoke, flashing a flattering smile that could have fooled Alec, had he noticed the way she easily stopped a fully grown man from slamming the door into his face.
And most of all, the action was effortless.