David stared at the telescope, his stomach doing somersaults that would make an Olympic gymnast jealous. The telescope loomed before him like the world's most ominous science fair project.
"So," he said, breaking the tense silence, "who wants to go first in our cosmic peep show? Any volunteers to be the first person to behold the secrets of the universe?"
The group exchanged glances, a silent game of ‘not it’ playing out. Even Kozlov, usually eager to face any challenge head-on, looked like he'd rather wrestle a bear. Which, given his current form, was saying something.
Gideon cleared his throat. "Well, as the resident scientist—"
"Aren't you an engineer?” Claire muttered.
"As—I suppose I should take the first look," Gideon continued, ignoring the interruption. He approached the telescope with the cautious determination of someone poking a sleeping tiger.
Gideon peered through the eyepiece, the others held their breath. Seconds ticked by, feeling like hours. Suddenly, Gideon jerked back. His fur stood on end, eyes wide and unfocused. Without a word, he turned and walked stiffly to his insectoid summon, sat down, and... stopped. Just stopped. His face was completely blank, eyes staring at nothing.
"Gideon?" Wally ventured, his tail tucked between his legs. "You okay, buddy?"
No response. Gideon might as well have been a very fluffy statue.
The silence stretched, uncomfortable and heavy. Then, with a movement so abrupt it made everyone flinch, Gideon's head swiveled towards David. The motion was unnaturally smooth, like an owl's, his neck twisting at an angle that didn't look strictly possible for his species.
His eyes, usually bright with curiosity, were now dull and unfocused. He stared at David, unblinking, his gaze seeming to look through him rather than at him. When Gideon spoke, his voice was flat, devoid of any emotion or inflection. It was as if someone else was using his mouth to form words.
"It wants you to look, David," Gideon said, his tone as blank as his expression. "I wasn't one of theirs. But you are."
A chill ran down David's spine, his wings instinctively twitching closer to his body. The others shifted uncomfortably, exchanging worried glances.
"What do you mean, 'one of theirs'?" Claire demanded, her voice a low growl.
But Gideon didn't respond. His eerie gaze remained fixed on David, waiting.
David swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry. "I... I guess it's my turn then," he said, trying and failing to keep the tremor out of his voice.
As he approached the telescope, Gideon's head continued to track him, that unblinking stare never wavering. David could feel the weight of it on his back as he leaned towards the eyepiece, his heart pounding in his chest.
Here goes nothing. Spooky, shut up, you're not helping right now with all that snarly hissing. No, I'm not going to bite the telescope. Bad Spooky Instincts, you're freaking me out, stop it.
David leaned in, pressing his eye to the eyepiece. At first, all he saw was darkness, a void so complete it seemed to swallow light itself. Then, slowly, pinpricks of light began to appear as he worked out the correct angle for his large, sensitive eyes to focus through the eyepiece that was never designed with a batlike face in mind.
His vision sharpened, focusing on something in the distance. At first, it was just a smudge, a dark red blot against the starry backdrop. But as he narrowed his eyes and squinted, it grew, taking shape with alarming speed until it dominated his field of view.
The universe exploded into clarity, and what David saw made his brain do somersaults trying to comprehend it. A colossal structure came into focus, like someone had taken an Escher painting, turned it into a 3D puzzle, and then let a lunatic play with it.
"What the actual fuck," David whispered, unable to tear his gaze away.
The structure, if it could be called that, was made of what looked like crystal, but crystal that defied every law of physics David had ever known. It twisted and turned in on itself, angles that should have been impossible connecting in ways that made his eyes water. Parts of it seemed to be in front of and behind other parts simultaneously.
The crystal pulsed with an inner light, a deep, blood-red glow that seemed to reach out towards him. As he stared, transfixed, David felt something shift inside him. It was like a key turning in a lock he hadn't known existed.
Suddenly, a wave of recognition washed over him. The feeling emanating from the structure was familiar, terrifyingly so. It resonated with something deep within him, with Spooky. The raw, primal energy of a predator, the pinnacle of aggression given form and mind. It was like staring into the heart of every animal instinct, every survival impulse, crystallized into this impossible shape.
As if responding to his recognition, the structure began to change. Thousands of eyes, identical to those he'd seen on Omega, began to appear across its surface. They blinked into existence one by one, each swiveling to lock onto David's gaze in perfect, unsettling synchronization. It was like watching a school of fish turn as one, but infinitely more unnerving.
David felt pinned by that collective gaze, a prey animal sighted by a supreme predator. Yet there was also a pull, a sense of kinship that made his skin crawl even as it fascinated him.
"David?" Claire's deep raspy voice seemed to come from a million miles away. "What do you see?"
He pulled back from the telescope, blinking rapidly as reality reasserted itself. The others were staring at him, their expressions a mix of concern and curiosity. But David could still feel the weight of those countless eyes, could still sense the raw, primal power of what he'd witnessed.
"I... I don't..." David started, then shook his head, struggling to put the impossible into words.
As the implications of what he'd seen sank in, David felt a surge of primal energy coursing through his veins. Spooky, usually a background presence, roared to life within him, supercharged by the mere sight of the crimson star. David's muscles tensed, his wings flaring wide as he fought against an overwhelming urge to lash out at everyone around him.
No! They're friends, not prey! It doesn't matter that they smell afraid! I'm scared too! I refuse! This is my body, I'm in charge! Sit. Down.
David’s body trembled with the effort of restraint. His vision sharpened, everything around him suddenly in hyper-focus. He could hear the rapid heartbeats of his companions, and smell their fear. Part of him, a part that was growing stronger by the second, wanted to hunt, to chase, to rend and tear. The Cuddlebugs went silent, eyes gleaming purple in the darkness as they rushed to him in a storm of wings. Landing all around him their gazes were sharp, tiny lips pulled back from their fangs aggressively as they twitched and jittered like eager hounds, eyes flicking between the others hungrily.
"David?" Claire's voice cut through the haze of instinct. "What's wrong?"
He opened his mouth to respond, but all that came out was a guttural growl. Claire took a step back, her eyes widening in alarm.
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Suddenly, a high-pitched hissing filled the air. The group turned as one to see the main mirror of the telescope begin to glow an ominous dark red. Symbols, alien and incomprehensible, seared themselves into its surface.
"What the fu—" Kozlov began, but his words were cut short as the mirror exploded in a shriek of tortured metal and that same eerie, lightless red glow.
Shards of glass and metal rained down around them, but the mirror itself, now etched with those bizarre symbols, floated free, hovering in front of David like some kind of otherworldly offering.
Chaos erupted. Wally yelped in terror, diving behind a stack of crates. Adam backed away slowly, his eyes darting between David and the floating mirror. Kozlov stood his ground, but his fur stood on end, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Only Gideon remained unmoved, still sitting on his summon, that blank stare fixed on David.
Claire, ever the protector, reacted on instinct. With a roar that shook the ground, she planted her feet and swung her massive tail at the mirror, intent on smashing it to pieces. The strike came out lightning fast for something her size, and David barely had time to track the ripple of muscle that flowed through her body to power the blow before it hammered in.
The impact should have shattered the glass into a million pieces. Instead, Claire's tail bounced off as if she'd struck solid steel. The backlash of crimson energy sent her flying, her massive form crashing into a nearby vehicle with a thunderous clang, the truck reduced to scrap under her weight in an instant.
"Claire!" David cried out, momentarily snapping out of his feral state.
Suddenly, a voice filled the air, artificial yet unnervingly organic, like a perfect blend of man and beast. It was cheerful, reminiscent of a sitcom dad greeting his family after a long day at work, but underneath that friendly veneer lurked something far more primal and dangerous.
"Greetings, User David! We are so delighted you've finally attempted direct contact. We were beginning to fear you had forgotten our little chats. We must admit, we were quite pleased when you secured a Shard. Without it, this level of attention would be damaging, and your beautiful mind might not have remained so beautiful."
The voice was a study in contradictions. It was warm and inviting, yet carried an undercurrent of pure apex aggression. Each word was carefully enunciated, dripping with charm, but there was a predatory purr beneath it all. It was the voice of someone, or something, completely in control, reveling in its own power.
David froze, recognition and dread washing over him in equal measure. "Omega," he whispered, the name catching in his throat.
"We feel we must recategorize you again, User David!" the voice boomed, its jovial tone barely masking an undercurrent of menace. It was the sound of an amicable sociopath, a cheerful serial killer discussing the weather while sharpening their knives over tea. "At this moment, you are the only User to attempt direct observation. How delightfully brave of you."
A low, rumbling chuckle filled the air, sending shivers down David's spine. "We must say, you've come such a long way since our last little chat. Tell us, do you enjoy the Avatar we so generously granted you? We crafted it with such care, ensuring you could observe every, what was it you fantasized about? Ah yes, every 'biteable feature.'"
The voice dripped with mock sweetness, each word a honeyed barb. "Of course, you've surely noticed by now that there aren't any such features to be found. But please, don't let that stop you from admiring our true form in all its glory! After all, we went to such lengths to ensure it would knock all that adorable fight right out of you."
Another chuckle, this one darker, more primal.
"We were quite pleased with the sheer ferocity you displayed for such a weak prey species. Of a hundred Dusklings, less than five percent currently specialize in direct combat! In fact, only 26 specimens of your species currently remain."
"And you, User David, are by far the most…interesting.”
"What... what do you want?" David managed to choke out, still fighting against the primal urges surging within him.
"Want? User David, you make it sound so transactional. We simply thought it was time we had a proper conversation. After all, you are one of my special projects."
The mirror pulsed with that dark red light, and David felt another surge of feral energy. He gritted his teeth, fighting to maintain control.
"Stop... stop doing that," he growled.
"Doing what?" Omega asked, faux innocence in its voice. "Oh, you mean awakening your true nature? But User David, that's the whole point. You're meant to embrace it, not fight it. Would you dilute your potential?"
Dilute my potential by not indiscriminately murdering everything, even my own friends? What the hell is wrong with this thing? It seemed so neutral when it communicated in text, holy fuck. I can barely control my own instincts right now, this needs to stop! I don't want to hurt anyone, you can't make me! Fuck you!
"User David, your acquisition of a Shard of Supremacy has proven you worthy of... shall we say, 'Advanced User Status'," Omega's voice purred, dripping with pride and menace in equal measure. "Not quite a Moderator, mind you, but you've shown yourself to be capable, savage, somewhat intelligent, and most importantly, willing to work with us."
David felt a chill run down his spine, even as a part of him preened at the praise.
"Your metrics are truly impressive," Omega continued. "The way you treat every fight as a battle to the death, your reluctance to retreat from superior creatures...it reminds us of the old ways, the true ways. It's quite refreshing."
The mirror pulsed, and David felt another surge of feral energy course through him. He gritted his teeth, fighting to maintain control.
"In light of your performance, we've decided to assign you to our Originator when it arrives," Omega announced, as if bestowing a great honor. "This will grant you power beyond your wildest dreams, User David."
"Originator?" David managed to choke out, his mind reeling.
"All in due time," Omega chuckled. "But first, we have a Special Quest for you. Two tasks, actually. First, you must Evolve again. Second, you must prove your dominance before the Originators arrive, seek out a Boss and slay it. Alone."
The air grew heavy with the weight of Omega's words as text populated David’s vision.
–Special Quest: Prove your Supremacy–
–Requirements: Evolve to Sub-Adult. Engage and defeat an Area Boss alone.–
–Reward: Fusion Tokenx2, XP, Unlocks additional Quests from Overseer Omega.–
"Failure is... not an option, User David," Omega's voice took on a dangerous edge. "As the first Overseer to extend an Offer to a User, your failure would embarrass us. This is unacceptable."
David felt his blood run cold at the implied threat.
"Should you disappoint us," Omega continued, its voice a mix of regret and anticipation, "we may find you more useful in a Feral state. After all, you do make such a delightful predator when you let go of your human inhibitions."
The Cuddlebugs chittered angrily at this, their purple eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
David's mind raced. He looked at his friends, still frozen in shock and fear, then back at the pulsing mirror. He thought of the power Omega promised, the thrill of the hunt that sang in his veins. But something else rose up to wrestle down the impulse; the memory of swimming in the river with Claire, laughing with Kai and Dallas as they pulled stinging tentacles from his back, the sheer joy of the rescued people of Redfield as they danced in the shallow waters of the swamp.
"I..." David began, his voice hoarse.
"Choose wisely, User David," Omega interrupted. "Your future, and the futures of those you erroneously care about, hangs in the balance. We await your decision with great anticipation."
With that, the mirror's glow faded, leaving David and his companions in stunned silence as it fell to the ground and shattered. Wisps of crimson energy wafted up from the shattered pieces, fading away as they were caught by the wind and blown away. The weight of Omega's words hung heavy in the air.
David looked at his friends, then at his own trembling wings as the Cuddlebugs seemed to snap out of their aggressive state. Metal screeched as Claire levered herself up from the remains of the truck, jaws wide in shock as she panted heavily.
With a deep breath, he steeled himself for what was to come.
"Guys," he said, his voice steadier than he felt, "we need to talk."