Brimstone let out an exasperated sigh. "Jett, shut the mike off."
"Dey!" came a giggling voice. But the mike turned off with a click.
My mind ran a thousand miles an hour. These were the most dangerous people on this planet, in more ways than one. And I wanted no part of them, especially without any powers of my own.
"With all due respect, sir, have I committed a crime?" He was a soldier who followed the law. "I don't remember being almost run over by a truck being a crime."
There was a few seconds of silence.
"No, you are not under arrest for getting run over by a truck. But I am well within my authority to detain you. You are an unregistered radiant. In fact, you are an unregistered alien. I ran your prints and face through every database imaginable. You do not exist. No Social media, no official records, and absolutely nothing worldwide. The only proof you exist is the fact that I'm sitting here staring at you."
"Well, tough luck, I don't remember either."
"But you know Jett. You addressed her with the Protocol Code name that nobody outside should know."
Oh shit, I had done that, hadn't I? So how should I play this? The way this was going was the torture chamber. I did not want that. Seriously man. Suddenly, my brain registered a small but really important fact. "You called me a Radiant?"
"Jett saw you emerge from the mirror portal you created. "
"But I didn't create that. Someone else did."
"Really, Who?"
"I don't know. As I said, I don't remember a lot of stuff."
I know its a cliche, But I played the good old amnesia card.
"Then how did you know Jett?"
Yeah, I guess that was suspicious.
"I remember fragments. And I don't remember how I know you, but your name is Liam Byrne. You're from the USA. And I am assuming the guy who laughed was Yoru. He sounded like a Yoru."
Now Brimstone's left eye twitched.
"Is that your final answer?"
What was this? Slumdog millionaire? But his tone and cadence made me nervous. So I guess it works.
"Yes, I have a damaged memory. But I am not a Radiant, though."
"Oh, yes, you are. We checked."
"You checked? How?"
"With a pulse meter."
"What's a pulse meter?"
Now he paused.
"You don't know a pulsemeter?" he gave me a disbelieving stare.
"No, never came across it, I guess."
"Anyways, if it told you I am radiant, what kind am I?"
"What kind?"
"I mean, what can I do? Can I shoot fireballs? Or am I super fast? Like what's my ability?"
Now he gave me a confused stare. "You really have no idea what a pulse meter is, do you?"
I tilted my head. Was it something common? Lore didn't mention it.
He sighed.
"We had assumed it was the mirror thing. We'll test your abilities later."
He stood up and began walking away.
"Hey, can I ask you for something?"
He stopped at the door and looked back.
"I'm Hungry."
He walked out.
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So I really was a Radiant. Nice. But I really wanted to know soon. Preferably before others. It wasn't necessarily a good thing. They could execute me as an Omega spy. Or torture me till I spill what I don't know. Or send me to a lab like Omen. Dammit. System if you are real. Now will be the best time to boot up.
System Booting up.
Analyzing Memories.
Analyzing Body.
Analyzing Core.
Analyzing Radiance.
Compiling Data.
Creating Interface.
Firing up The System.
I huge pain went off in my head. I screamed and for the second time I came here. I ended up in the world of darkness.
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I woke up again. This time in a comfortable bed. I had an IV hooked up to my arm. And I found another character I could identify. The gentle Chinese healer Sage. I did not know she was that pretty. "Oh, you are awake."
"What happened?"
"We think something went wrong while you were accessing your power. But you are the first case we have seen like that. So we're not really sure. But we're pretty sure that your brain is laden with Grade-X Radianite now."
This just keeps getting better and better. Wait, wasn't I supposed to gain a System?
"System," I spoke, keeping my right hand on my heart. And finally. It opened up.
STATUS
Code - Not Set
Name - Not Set
Core - Iron 1
Shield - Iron 1
Radiance - 100/100
Power - Mirror
Trait - None
Abilities
Crest - None
Quell - None
Echeleon - None
Xenith - None
Shards - 0
Book - No Entries
Okay, the system was real, and it ran on Radianite Shards. At least I assume so. My name was not set. But it said that my power was a mirror. Was I like a copycat or a serious mirror? And was this system given to me, I create it by willpower, or had someone implanted this thing in me?
I am your creation. I can only answer and streamline the information you have. Also, I have a hyperawareness of your body. Think of me like an AI assistant.
You have one gift.
If that's all true, and you are just my creation. How did I create you? And where the hell did that gift come from? Also, how are you telling me all this stuff I don't know?
You do know it. Your conscious mind hasn't processed it yet. Open to know.
Oh well. Not that I was gonna leave it unopened, right? I mean, it was already in me for the system to possess.
"Are you alright?"
I jolted awake from my thoughts on Sage's prompt. "Umm…Yeah. Just lost in thought."
"I noticed." She smiled. "Anyways, just lie low and have a bit of rest. I had to keep healing you through the night. You need it?"
"Through the night? How long have I been asleep?"
"Oh, 3 days now."
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Sage left her patient, moved through the compartments, and reached Brimstone's office.
A few seconds after the knock, a gruff voice hollered. "Come in." She went in and stood at attention.
"Sit down, Sage, let's get this over with." His tone hinted at mutual respect and treatment of someone you would expect to be his right hand. "Did he wake up?"
"Yes."
"How is he?"
"Stable for now. Just keeps getting lost in his own thoughts."
"I see. So what do you think?"
Sage stayed silent.
"It's too soon to tell. But his brain has evolved like Phoenix and the other radiants. In fact, it has evolved way beyond normal. It is entirely possible that such changes in his brain might have caused the memory loss."
"I see. So he might not be lying. What about his stats?"
"He has more Radiance reserves than half the other agents when they started. And honestly, his are quite strange."
Brimstone put down his glass of whiskey. "What do you mean?"
"They have a predatory quality to them. Usually, when Radianite goes X, it gets specialized to a person. Others can't use theirs; they can't use others'. But he is both compatible and predatory. His radiance traces were actually devouring mine to grow and change. But I also felt like I could use his."
"So is he like a battery?"
"It looks that way at first glance. But it's too soon to tell. But honestly. He has some characteristics like Reyna's Soul Devour."
They both shuddered at the mention of the Mexican duelist's chilling ability.
"Fine, just keep an eye on him for now."