The screen flickered briefly before the face of Dr. Helm appeared. His eyes were bloodshot, his expression strained with exhaustion, yet his voice remained steady as he began his log.
"My team and I have been studying the Nightmare subject [B1N] for thirty-eight weeks now. Our initial hypothesis was simple: discover methods to control these creatures, tame them in a way that would benefit Future City's efforts to keep the peace. However, after months of testing various methods—chemical, mechanical, and even psychological—we've met with failure at nearly every turn. The subjects have shown resistance to almost every approach we've tried. And the more we learn, the more I'm beginning to think that maybe true control is an impossibility."
He paused, rubbing his temples. It was clear that the weight of this realization was wearing on him.
"Over the course of these thirty-eight weeks, we've tried everything: we've experimented with different containment fields, tested sound frequencies to suppress their aggression, and tried altering their diets, attempting to curb any outside influences on their behavior. We've even used tranquilizing agents designed to work on highly aggressive creatures, but [B1N] showed an immunity to them within the first few weeks of treatment. We're left with nothing new to try, except for one final, frustrating option—relying on the Knights of Light."
Dr. Helm exhaled sharply, a sound of both disbelief and frustration. He began pacing in front of the camera, his hands motioning as though trying to physically grasp the problems surrounding him.
"It's ironic, really. For all our advancements, for all our years of research, we're right back where we started. The only thing that has consistently proven effective in eliminating Nightmares is the Knights of Light. Their methods are... crude by our standards. They rely on force, not finesse. And yet, they're the most reliable tool we have against these monsters. I hate that I have to admit it, but it's the truth. They are the only ones who can stop these creatures when they break out of containment. I can't help but feel like all our research has been a waste. If all we need is a knight, then why are we here in the first place?"
He stopped pacing and took a deep breath, collecting himself before continuing.
"Despite this, I can't give up on the research just yet. I've seen things in these subjects that no one else has. They're not mindless creatures. There's intelligence behind their actions, and I believe that if we can find the right combination of treatment, we can gain control over them, or at the very least, use them in a way that benefits humanity. But every time we make a breakthrough, they seem to evolve faster than we can keep up. It's as if they're aware of our every move, adapting in ways we never anticipated."
Dr. Helm's eyes flickered with the weight of his next words. He stood silently for a moment before finally speaking again, his voice low and filled with a note of both concern and frustration.
"The subject [B1N] is our primary concern. We've kept it contained for the time being, but I believe it's growing smarter. Its behavior has shifted. Initially, it was feral, mindlessly violent. Now, it's showing signs of organization. It's even started to understand its surroundings in ways we never expected. There's a certain... intelligence that has developed. I suspect it's learning from its environment, maybe even from us. Every time we attempt to interact with it, it seems to anticipate our actions, as if it's studying us. I've had several reports of the subject exhibiting an ability to avoid containment measures, even testing the limits of our force fields."
He paused again, his fingers drumming nervously against the surface of a table beside him. His brow furrowed as though he was grappling with the growing realization of what this might mean.
"We've upgraded our security protocols in response, but I don't know how much longer we can keep this up. At this point, it's no longer just a matter of containing the subject. It's a ticking clock, waiting for the inevitable moment when [B1N] outsmarts us completely. I'm almost certain it's only a matter of time before it escapes. And when that happens... we will be forced to rely on the Knights of Light once again. The very idea frustrates me beyond measure. To think we're reduced to this. If only we could have found a better solution, something that didn't involve putting all our faith in a singular, unreliable force."
Dr. Helm's gaze shifted, his eyes darting briefly toward a monitor that displayed a live feed of the subject's containment area. The creature could be seen pacing, its monstrous form shifting in the dim light.
"We've been testing the waters, trying to create more powerful containment measures, more sophisticated traps. But there's no denying it. The creature is growing smarter, learning faster than we can adapt. I can only imagine what might happen if it escapes. If it finds a way out of here, Future City won't stand a chance. The Knights are effective, yes, but they can't be everywhere at once. And we can't keep depending on them to clean up the mess we've made. I fear we are running out of time."
He looked directly into the camera, his eyes hardened with determination, though the faint tremor in his voice betrayed his own fear.
"I'm starting to believe that our only option left is to use the Knights. If we can't control these creatures, maybe we can guide them. Perhaps that's the only way forward. But I refuse to give up on this. I refuse to let [B1N] and its kind dictate the future of this city. I will find a way, even if it means making some... difficult choices."
He reached forward and turned off the recorder, but before it completely shut down, a soft whisper was heard under his breath, almost too quiet for the mic to pick up.
"Please... let us have time."