Quietness. Solitude. Undisturbed.
Those were the only things that could describe where she was right now.
Continuously floating through space, she didn't have a care in the world.
'Seriously. Should I just end it?'
Everything was boring. Mundane even. What was the need to continue living life if it got to the point where everyday was monotonous?
Irene opened her eyes.
Nothing had changed. Surrounding her was the same starry night sky, dotted with billions, no rather, trillions of stars.
No sound. No movement.
Floating, she turned slightly behind her. The ominous darkness stared back.
The more she looked at this menacing abyss, the more she could see the edges of its surroundings. It was warped. As if sucking every single piece of its surroundings into itself. Around its periphery, any light that was seen to close in nearby, looked as if it was being ferociously pulled in.
And yet it was stagnant. It didn't pull Irene towards it.
In fact, she was constantly moving away from it.
But Irene never bothered with the abyss behind her.
What was currently plaguing her mind was an entirely different thing.
The pros and cons of continuing to live life.
'Haa.. I don't even have enough energy to sustain me for another week let alone a few months. Fxck, should I really just pull the plug?'
She had a crease between her brows. Her mind analysing the best course of action.
To die now, or to die in a weeks' time?
Without notice, however, a pilfering light wizzed straight towards her, flying around her as if to play.
"What the hell is this?"
Irene stared at the little light. It was around the same size as a ball, and had a small off-white colour.
As if trying to run through her, the small light continously bumbled all over.
At first it was a novel, interesting little thing, but soon after her interest quickly waned and was replaced by her growing annoyance.
"I don't know who you are or what you are, but its best to go on your way. Quickly." Irene snapped, her hand making direct contact with the small light as she tried to swat it away.
Unfortunately, things didn't go the way she expected.
Instantaneously, her surroundings changed.
"Just what is going on?" She was dumbfounded.
She looked around. It was the same as her previous location, except for the change in background colour. Never-ending darkness suddenly switched to Never-ending pure white.
She looked around curiously at the place she had been kidnapped to. But not long after, she lay down on the ground disinterested once more.
There was nothing to look at. The space before her seemed endless but there wasn't a single thing occupying the place. She didn't feel any threat or hostility, so there wasn't an immediate need to put her guards up.
Break out?
Irene could definitely do so, but she didn't want to expand her energy either thus.. laying down it is.
Appreciative of the change in landscape, she made herself comfortable on the floor and continued on with her previous train of thought.
However, as if something was truly there laying witness to her nonchalant attitude, the air soon turned awkward without her notice.
"Hello, host. Please do not fear."
An electronic male voice quickly stifled the ongoing awkwardness.
Without flinching, Irene replied back to the anonymous voice, "But I'm not scared?"
A pause was brought by her reply.
After the slight hiccup, the electronic voice continued on, "You might still be in shock about what happened but you don't need to despair, we'll help you."
"Oh?" Irene arched an eyebrow.
"Host, we can offer you everything you desire and more. We can make you strong and give you unbelievable powers, or if you'd like, allow you to rule worlds with everyone at your beck and call. We can even repair your body and give you a new lease on life if you so wish."
"Wow, you're really selling this aren't you?" Irene remarked, her position on the floor unchanged.
"Of course, before we can offer such a deal, in return you must complete the missions I assign you," The electronic voice continued, ignoring her comments.
"Don't worry though, I'll be assisting you through every mission worl-"
Irene whistled and snapped her fingers, her eyes directed up above her, "Hey, bot boy."
"My name is Eris, host."
"Okay Eris," At some point, she had tucked her hands beneath her head, her legs crossed over as she lay flat on the ground, a blade of grass dangling between her pink lips, "Do you know who I am?"
Without missing a beat, Eris replied back, "Of course host, you're Calista Vesper-"
"Look again."
Another round of silence ensued.
Irene fiddled with the blade of grass using her lips, rubbing it between the corners of her mouth.
"I know you're scanning me. What are the results showing you?"
"Host information unknown," Eris answered honestly, albeit a beat later.
"Which means?" Irene egged on as if she were a teacher, teasing the answer out of her students.
"You're not my host," Eris dutifully replied.
Another bout of silence came on.
Not long after, Eris' monotonous voice rang out once more, "I've sent for instructions on how to proceed next."
"And the verdict is?"
"HQ have replied and stated that I can not change hosts once they are bound. Therefore, I will be keeping you as my host instead."
"Hmm."
Eris then, as if rebooted, read out his little introduction once more only this time keeping the rewards more general and included various threats such as, 'forfeit to life should you disobey instructions'.
Unfortunately, his new host didn't bat an eye.
"Do you under-"
Irene interrupted the robot.
"Hey robot."
"My name is Eris and I'm a system, host," Eris corrected.
"Right. Anyway, you said there are mission worlds. What missions am I carrying out exactly?"
Irene thought this new proposition was quite a fascinating one. Her life had lacked entertainment but now it was abruptly given to her on a silver plate. And as long as she was far, far away from that place, the better.
No downsides either.
Well, not any that she couldn't get herself out of anyway.
"It would be better to just send you to your first mission world for you to understand better. Host, would you like to go to your first mission world?"
It was only now Irene stood up, although rather reluctantly, the floor felt quite nice after all, "Yes, let's begin then."
"Confirmed. Transportation starting in 3, 2, 1..."
The white space soon returned to its emptiness.
"She only told me her first name. Irene," Eris' voice rang out in the emptiness, as if talking to someone.
"She refused to give any further details. Should I monitor her?"
No reply was heard.
"Immediate instructions confirmed. I shall report to you regularly on host Irene from here on out," Eris confirmed to the hidden listener.
In the meantime, Irene felt very out of place.
Cars honked ahead, and pedestrians rushed by on the busy pavements. Smog covered the sky, with each skyscraper competing with each other on which was the tallest.
Dismayed, Irene looked around.
"What backwards place have you sent me to exactly?"