When does a child gain awareness? When do they start to create lasting memories?
If only someone, something could tell me. I'm here. And this great, wide empty expanse is what I call home.
I prefer a smaller world to relax with a big bed in the corner next to the window where beyond it lies nothing. Anything can be conjured in the mind. The only limitation is one's imagination.
I tune in to the outside world though. Entertainment is very limited in this space.
Instead, I get to see things from Ray's point of view. Most of the time it's uninteresting. A great, big world everywhere around us yet such little curiousity to explore. It helps to regularly check to avoid being too idle.
Sometimes I tap into the senses to personally experienced the chaos. The sound of weapons clashing, the sight of the environment being ruined, and the flow of energy throughout the body.
Fighting has always been an interest of mine. Sometimes it becomes a game to see who is first to reveal the opponent's trump cards first. Or a game of wits to decipher with each clash what actions are true or false. Even simple exchanges based on one's strength and skill to determine the victor.
To have a opportunity to fight and compete against the limits of yourself and others is such a miraculous process. Just the growth alone following a conflict is amazing to witness. Especially Ray as he came so far from a naive child to a not so naive child. I too have grown as well coming from being a naive tenant to an informed tenant now.
Other times I tap in to the body during training to understand the mechanics of the body and how the flow of energy internally affects it. The body is one of those interesting puzzles as mysterious as the universe.
I only hijack the body if I need to when Ray either faints or is pushed to near death. Those are moments when the main conscious is vulnerable. Ray's own memories of the time is lost almost like he blacked out.
Just. Like. Now.
_____
Ray steadied the blade in front of him with what little bit of energy he had. His armor torn to scrap from repeated attacks. His battle senses honed through constant sparring and deadly skirmishes could not keep up with the thin sword is opponent wielded.
Such precision and dexterity poked holes in his defenses.
How many times have I been pricked?
How many times have I been slashed?
How many times have I bled?
Yet, every fatal exchange he has managed block. At least all vitals have been protected but for how long?
The opponent clearly toying with him ceases to a stop before galvanizing his energy. The rumbling inside could be heard as a faint trim of gray energy begun to meld around their thin blade.
Ray calmed his breath and prepared for the last strike. He summoned what he could from the depths and pushed that energy as much as he could.
"Last strike" Ray thought. His expression determined and his will firm.
The slim, armored assailant spoke, "How commendable." Then a thin sword quickly pierced toward Ray's heart.
He shifted his body left. The thin sword pierced his right chest emerging out the other end. Then stiffened his body and grabbed the thin sword with his left hand to hold.
His right arm raised his blade. An gray aura emerged from the tip of the blade extending a foot out. The assailant tried to pull his sword out but it was stuck. He abandoned the thin sword and quickly retreated as Ray slashed his blade down.
A small scar appeared on the floor between Ray and the assailant. Cold sweat ran down the assailants brow having narrowly dodged them blade. Soon he noticed the grey aura disappearing from the tip of the blade and Ray collapsing forward then somewhat relaxed.
Just before hitting the floor, Ray's left palm hit the ground. Then his right foot stomped forward rushing towards the assailant.
Having already relaxed his guard, the assailant was unprepared to the change. Soon, a blade imbued with a grey aura struck out.
The assailants body paused before a thin red line emerged at the neck. The head rolled off just as the assailants body hit the ground. A thick stench of blood struck Ray as it poured out the headless body.
"Just like now" Ray spoke to himself as he pulled out the thin sword and sat down to guide his energy to somewhat treat the fatigue and wounds accumulated from the fight.
"Now what else is there to do?" Ray thought for a moment before looting the corpse nearby. He collected a strange stone and data core. He also unmasked the head of the assailant before looting the corpses body of a jacket to store it.
Uncertain if that is all he needed, he skimmed through past memories on the mission details. A spike of smuggling activity was recorded in The Crater following the dissolution of the alliance between planet Thorne's governing body and the militant Order Revolve faction.
Investigate current actions of involved parties and determine exactly what is being smuggled. If possible, sabotage of criminal activities is allowed but The Shrine's interference must be maintained.
Ray quietly recounted for the past half a month who was spoken to, followed, and threatened leading him to surmise the assailant's identity.
A subordinate of Thorne's criminal investigative unit. Ray turned around and looted a badge from the body to closely inspect.
"Yeah, that confirms Thorne's involvement."
"Someone else's problem" he thought as he altered his traces at the scene of the fight. After inspecting everything, he left the underground the space. Several minutes later, a group of men entered the underground space.
Lights came online and soon the headless corpse was noticed. Noticing the body and the thin sword nearby, the group turned pale realizing whose identity it was. The boss ordered them to not touch the body, clear out their involvement, and leave the scene.
Ray soon slipped back into the underground space grabbing a recorder he left before returning to trail the group that left. Emerging from the underground space several miles from a local city, he followed the sound of a nearby vehicle swiftly keeping up with it on foot.
"Showtime very soon" Ray thought while this conscious was still in control.
"Random thought, I'm changing my name to Yar."
Yar nodded in satisfaction as he trailed behind the gang's vehicle through the forest.