You feel a hand gently brush your hair, your eyes glued to one spot despite the chaos in front of you. That one spot, a row of tombstones from a distance, was the only thing grounding you. A reminder that you were still present, still within your own body.

𓂀

It was like nothing you could have imagined; the city near your shelter paled in comparison to this place. The Red Kingdom, a tall, grand building overlooking the rumble of what was once a city, now a void-out crater. You and Quinn were greeted by a woman holding an umbrella, her face just as expressionless as the guards' masks.

“I’m Fragile,” she introduced herself with an even tone. “I am here to guide you to your proper halls.”

Both of you were quick to follow her, making sure not to get distracted or look around. All three of you were in a hallway crossroads when Fragile stopped abruptly.

“The King’s Guard is stationed on the right; you will be assigned a room on the left.”

Your chest tightens, looking back at Fragile.

“We’re getting separated?” You couldn’t help but ask. The woman’s sharp eyes cut to you, causing you to freeze in place.

“You two are close,” she commented. “But you both have different roles to play; this is by order of The King in Red. If you wish to say your goodbyes, you might as well do it now.”

For the first time, you felt unsure. Looking at Quinn, who seemed more than accepting of what was happening.

“This is our destiny,” Quinn whispered to you. “We have been seen and blessed…don’t worry about me. I’m exactly where I need to be, and so are you.”

With that, they pull you into a hug, squeezing you tightly as if trying to feel you one last time.

“Thank you, you have given me…so much in the little amount of time we shared. We’ll see each other again on The Beach, I swear it.”

You linger as they pull away, trying to hold onto the one thing that you grew so accustomed to, but having little help. You don’t even move from where you stood as Quinn walked down the hall and into a cloud of darkness. You suddenly jump, feeling Fragile touch your shoulder.

“Come with me,” she spoke, her voice now softer. “I’ll show you to your room.”

The silence was painful as you walked alongside her. The room itself reminded you of bedrooms kings and queens had very long ago, based on the books you found in the data storage back home.

“Take your time settling in,” Fragile informed you. “I will return shortly to prep you for examination.”

That caught your attention, and you turned to look at her.

“Examination for what?” You ask. You catch it, a look of discomfort flashing across her features.

“Chirlium exposure is high here,” Fragile replied. “We have to make sure you are healthy enough to withstand it. With your abilities, I have no doubt but…it’s precaution.”

You could only nod as she walked out, taking a look around once more. Fragile returned after a while, holding a white robe out toward you.

“Change,” she instructed. You didn’t question and took the robe, looking around to see where you could actually change. Seeing there wasn’t any privacy, you see her turn around, facing away from you.

That was as much privacy as you were going to get.

After you change to the white robe and tell her you are ready, she guides you to another room. At first glance, you see it was separated by a red velvet curtain, through which you could not see the other side, only the end of some type of exam bed peaking out in the center. Another woman was waiting, hands folded in front of her, as she gave you a gentle smile.

“Welcome, I’m Rainy. I’m going to be doing your examination. Don’t worry, you are in very good hands here.”

She, unlike Fragile, was much more personable. You could feel your body relax as she steps forward to do her thing. She starts by holding your face in her hands, gently moving it up and down, side to side.

“You have lovely skin,” she comments. “Soft, most people from shelters don’t have skin like this.”

You assumed that was supposed to be a compliment.

She makes you open your mouth, examining your teeth and tongue. Even shines a light in your eyes to check for reflex.

“Good, very good,” Rainy speaks up. “Perfect model of health, I’d say. Now, we will need to check on the lower half of you. This will be…intimate. But again, you have nothing to fear, okay? No harm will come to you.”

“O-Okay?” You stumble, letting her guide you to lie on the exam bed. The curtain settled right at your waist as you watched Rainy go to the other side. You suddenly feel hands on your legs, making you jump, then Rainy’s voice, gently shh’ing you.

“Relax, you’re okay,” she assures you. Taking a breath, you try to relax, feeling her rise the bottom of the robe up…and up…settling it against your stomach. You then feel your legs being spread, the air hitting a very intimate part of you, causing you to take in a sharp breath as you feel your feet being perched against a metal hook. Rainy soon comes back from the curtain, standing right above your head as she smiles down at you.

“Remember to breathe,” she instructs. “And just feel.”

You weren’t sure what she meant, but you took a deep breath all the same. Then you feel them, hands. Hands much larger than Rainy’s, the rough padding of the gloves brushes your calf and inner thigh.

Was someone else on the other side of the curtain?

Your eyes instantly shoot up at Rainy, who gently hums while brushing your hair.

“You’re safe,” she whispers. “Just relax.”

The gloved hands get closer to your center, spreading your legs slightly more before you feel a finger brush against your clit down to your folds. You tense up instantly, Rainy quickly cupping your face as she shh’es you once more.

“It’s okay…you’re okay,” she soothes you again. “Remember to breathe, okay?”

You take a breath, your heart pounding in your chest. The finger doesn’t stop its assault, rubbing your clit up and down, causing a friction that has your eyes rolling back. You feel a throb, a heated wave pooling between your legs. Rainy must have noticed, smiling down at you with a nod.

“There you go, you’re doing wonderful,” she encouraged.

You then feel warm breath tickling you, your body stilling for a moment. The finger teasing you is long gone, only to be replaced by something incredibly slick. Was it a tongue? No, it didn’t feel like one. This felt…thick against you, thick yet long and incredibly flexible. You could feel a small tip, teasing your entrance as the thick base continued what the finger started. Alarms were going off in your head, everything in you was screaming that this wasn’t right. And yet the rest of your body was responding in a very different direction, finding it…pleasurable.

Suddenly, you let out a noise as you feel the small tip spreading your folds, penetrating you, going deeper and deeper, stretching you out, giving you a feeling of wild discomfort. You hear Rainy shh’ing you again, brushing your hair as you try to adjust the sheer size of the object. It felt so… foreign. The top half was slick, while the bottom felt like it had small suction cups.

Like tentacles.

Your eyes widen at the discovery, moving your hips to get away, but you feel them get roughly pinned down by the gloved hands. Then you hear it, a deep male grunt from the other side of the curtain. Tears began to well in your eyes, blurring your vision as Rainy cups your cheeks. Wiping your tears away with the pads of her thumbs.

“You’re okay, it’s alright…”

Just feel.

You feel the object get into a rhythm, sliding in and out of you at a delicious pace. You feel a buildup in the pit of your stomach, your breathing growing heavier as you tilt your head back. That seemed to be the right reaction, because you felt the gloved thumb go right back to your throbbing clit, flicking it at the same pace as the object. You could even feel the object’s tip massage and curve against a spongy part inside of you, causing you to let out a sound you didn’t expect to make.

Without warning, your vision blurs again as the buildup peaks. Letting out a cry while white-knuckling the edges of the exam bed as you allow the feeling to wash over you. Whoever, or whatever, was on the other side seemed very pleased at what you had done. You could hear a deep purr from the other side, followed by the feeling of lips caressing your inner thighs, only to sink their teeth into the flesh abruptly. You gasp, pain shooting up your spine at just how hard they have bitten you. They quickly let go, and you feel the slick object over the stinging flesh before you are let go completely.

“You did so well,” Rainy praised you. “So, so well! Come on, let’s get you back up, and Fragile will escort you back to your room.”

She was so gentle, pulling you off the bed as she fluffed the robe back down. Your legs wobbled a bit, making you lean back, but she catches you.

“You’ll need to rest,” she informs you. “Just take the rest of the day to lie down, build your strength back.”

“W-What just happened to me?” You stumble out. Rainy just gives you a warm smile in return as she nods at Fragile to take you back to your room. She never answered your question.

As Fragile guides you back to your room, you couldn’t help but notice the same discomfort you saw once before. When you arrived, you allowed her to sit you on the bed, and you stopped her before she walked out the door.

“What happened in there?” You ask, you could see how tense she was before slowly turning around to look at you.

“Let me give you a bit of advice,” she said to you. “The life you knew before this no longer exists. It does not belong to you, you do not belong to you anymore. To gain the king’s favor…it is a life sentence. So it’s best not to ask what happened to you or what will happen to you. And instead, simply pray for death.”

With that, she walked off, leaving you to your thoughts. She was giving you a warning, that much you picked up on. It would seem, from the little interaction you had with her, that she did not think as highly of what was going on as the rest of them. What did she know? You thought. You couldn’t dwell on it, your body betraying you as your eyes grow heavy. You don’t even realize how long you had fallen asleep, only to be awoken by the guards banging on your door for dinner. You are alone, with only the guards standing by the door keeping watch. The food presented to you was a far contrast from the garden diet you had back at headquarters. Meat, rare cooked meat, and a dark liquid to wash it down. Every time you took a sip, you could taste something you couldn’t place.

Once you were done, the guards guided you to yet another room, your heart dropping with what was in store. The door slammed behind you, causing you to jump before gathering your bearings and taking a look around. It was a bedroom, slightly more modern-looking and clearly never used. Then you hear heavy footsteps from a dark corner, a familiar yellow glow breaking through before he comes into view.

“There you are,” The King in Red’s voice echoed throughout the room. He was not wearing the red robe this time, and you could finally see the sharp red-and-black armor. To think, he looked more intimidating than before.

Your eyes widen, quickly getting on your knees and bowing toward him. You could hear him chuckle deeply, walking toward you as you feel him touch the top of your head.

“It’s alright, sweetheart, no need for formal instructions now,” he informed you as he made you look up at him. You watch as he tilts his head at you, giving you an amused look.

“Come on, on your feet now,” he instructs. Taking your hand to help you stand up. “As much as I do enjoy seeing you on your knees, it’s time for us to see each other eye to eye. Don’t you think?”

You don’t say anything, losing your ability to speak once again in his presence. All you could do was watch him walk off, sitting down at the edge of the bed as he pats a spot next to him.

“Sit, please.”

You blink, walking carefully toward the bed as you sit right next to him. You fold your hands over on your lap, but you don’t dare look at him again.

“It’s a lot to take in, I know. Most people, when they get here, often get a glazed look on their face. But you, you’ve been handling yourself pretty well. Even passed your examinations with flying colors!”

You nod, looking down at your hands until you feel him touch your chin to make you look at him.

“You've got no reason to be nervous,” he tells you. “I ain’t gonna bite ya”

There was a playful tone to his words, but it gave you no relief.

“H-How’s Quinn?” You finally gain the strength to speak. At first, he looks at you confused. As if he had no idea who you were talking about.

“Oh! Strand Quinn, right,” he finally realizes. “The head guard said something about them fitting right in. But I don’t wanna talk about them, I wanna talk about you.”

He was so quick to dismiss them, something that didn’t sit right with you, but you don’t press it.

“Been reading up all about you,” The King continues as he leans back on the bed, propping his head up. “Grew up near Lake Knot before venturing out by the time you turned 18. Bounced place to place and lived with some old lady until she croaked, and you got her shelter. Been living alone until quite recently. You like collecting pre-Stranding shit, been able to get through some mighty infected territory to get them, huh?”

Your eyes widen, causing the smirk he was sporting to grow wider.

“The beauty of my little network,” he said knowingly. “As soon as you got hooked up, a file was already created. Helps me keep track. Your file, in particular, really caught my interest. Been a long time since the last recorded DOOMS sufferer. Granted, your levels aren’t very high, but…it’s enough. And I certainly wasn’t gonna have someone with such a gift be among the worker bees, oh no. Now, don’t get me wrong, they all serve me beautifully. But you…you’ve got a higher purpose.”

You watch as his hand brushes along your leg, feeling yourself shiver from the contact. He must have liked it, humming a bit.

“Have things been to your liking?” He asked. “Wanna make sure you’re comfortable.”

“Oh, yes of course,” you finally reply. He gives you a pleased look, but his movements don’t stop.

“Good, after all, this is your home now. Deserve to live the life of luxury,” he informs you as he moves back up. You could feel the coolness of the armor close to you, making you shiver more as his hand moved from your leg to your arm.

“No one giving you trouble?” He presses. “I know Fragile can be a bit…sharp.”

You shrug, but you shake your head in reply.

“If she does, you tell me,” there was an edge in his voice, causing you to tense again. You nod to indicate you understood, watching his face soften once more.

“Good, very good,” he practically purrs. “You take direction well.”

You could feel his breath on you, taking a deep inhale in your hair as he lets out a pleased noise.

“Oh yeah, this is gonna work out just fine,” he whispers in your ear. “Just fine.”

You then feel him move once more, kneeling in front of you so the two of you are at eye level. You could feel your heart pounding, especially as you feel his hands on your legs again.

“I don’t invite a lot of people to be alone with me,” he points out. “Being what I am, I have to keep my circle small. Having you here with me means I can trust you…and I can, can I?”

“Y-Yes, your…your majesty,” you stumble, which makes him chuckle again.

“You don’t gotta call me that,” he tells you. “Not here anyway. Here? Just the two of us? You call me by my name: Higgs.”

Higgs, the name echoes in your mind, yet you don’t dare say it. As if he could read your mind, his eyes narrowed.

“Say it.”

You felt almost faint, the panic bubbling over. You let out a shaky breath, opening your mouth, but no words came out. He then leans forward, his blue eyes cutting at you.

“Say my name,” he repeats.

“H-Higgs,” his name felt like a curse. Sealing you into whatever fate he had in store for you. You watch as he moves away, his mouth stretching in a smile.

“Feels nice don’t it?” His voice becoming more velvety. “Certainly sounds sweet coming from you.”

You could feel his hands rising, lifting the robe. Your eyes widen, memories from what happened to you early on flash in your mind. As if he could feel your fear, he shh’es you.

“It’s alright, settle now,” he coos at you. “You don’t gotta worry about a thing. Trust in me.”

You two don’t break eye contact at first as he spreads your legs. Only when his eyes look down, staring at the now very bruised bite mark on your inner thigh. You could feel your stomach twist in disgust, letting out a breath as he brushes his fingertips along the wound.

“Bit harder than I thought,” he commented. Knocking the wind right out of you as your eyes widen. Higgs, in reply, gives you a knowing look, allowing you to put the pieces together.

“What? You think I was gonna allow someone else to enjoy the taste of you?” He asks, shaking his head. “One thing you’re gonna learn quickly, what I consider mine? I don’t allow anyone else to have. And you are all mine.”

The examination, it was he who was on the other side of the curtain. He who…who.

You could feel his hands get dangerously close, realizing you should have known how familiar they felt. But he doesn’t go further, just stays perfectly still as he watches your face.

“I wanna give you something, would you like that?” You don’t respond; he doesn’t give you the chance to, as he slowly stands back up. The red plate covering his crotch right at your eye level. The room was heavy, painfully quiet. Not counting the sound of him undoing the plate and placing it over to the side.

You see pitch-black nothingness at first, only to feel your body shake in fear as you watch it slide out of view. It was a tentacle, yet not really, but it was definitely phallic by design. You could even see black liquid of some sort pearling at its slit, feeling Higgs hand gently grab the back of your head.

“Don’t be shy now,” he rasps, still looking down at you as he moves you to get on your knees. “Give it a little love, hm?”

With a trembling hand, you reach out, brushing your fingers along the slick appendage, gaining a soft moan from Higgs.

“That’s it, baby,” he whispers to you. “Nice and gentle like.”

Your hand wraps around the base of it, looking up at him with worry. You had never done this before, human or otherwise. If he didn’t like what you were doing…you could feel your eyes heating up. Tears threatening to leave you out of fear. But Higgs was quick to guide you, his hand moving your head closer to the tip.

“Open up,” he instructs, and you obey. Opening your mouth, he meets you halfway, the slick sensation hitting your tongue, causing you to gag on reflex.

“Easy now, just relax,” he gently coaches you. “Ah fuck…”

You feel the tears rolling down your cheeks, trying your best to get used to the sensation. You could taste the black liquid, which made you scrunch your face, but you endured it in fear of angering him. His breathing got heavy as the object began to move in and out of your mouth. Each thrust hit the back of your throat, causing you to gag again.

“Relax your throat,” he instructs you. “That’s it, there you go.”

You do as you were told, to the best of your ability at least. You could feel his grip on the back of your head getting tighter, pushing it so you could meet him halfway. After a while, you got used to it, allowing him to pump into your mouth as far as it would go. His panting and grunts filled the room along with the wet sounds of him in your mouth. His grip in your hair not letting up once

“Uh…fuck you’re gonna make me cum,” he rasps out. “Gonna cum…right in that pretty mouth…ah shit!”

You could feel the object swell in your mouth, a fair warning to prepare. With a few more pumps, he grunts out, tasting the liquid punch down your throat. It was hot, very hot. You try to move away, but he pins you in place.

“Take it, you fucking take it!”

You had no choice but to swallow, feeling your throat try to close, but Higgs was not going to give you an option. You could feel the object soften before he slides it out of your mouth and tucks it right back in the darkness.

“Have not felt that…in a long while, god damn,” he breathes out as he puts the plate back on him. The grip on your hair is gone, allowing you to hang your head down and slowly wipe whatever liquid was still against your lips. The room fell quiet for a moment before you felt him move your head to look up at him again.

“You’ll grow a taste after a while,” he informs you. “I don’t expect you to be hungry on what I’m gonna offer right out the gate, but…you still did a mighty fine job.”

You felt numb, not sure what the hell just happened or what was happening. You allow him to lift you back on your feet, but you could not bear to look at him in the eye.

Higgs doesn’t make you, however, not this time. Instead, you feel him pick you up into his arms before laying you back on the bed.

“Rest now,” was all you could hear as your world went dark.

𓂀

It became routine after that: you spent most of your days in your room until you were summoned for something. Summoned to eat, summoned for more examinations. Summoned to Higgs’ room at night.

You had no one else to talk to, Fragile kept her distance, and Rainy only offered the same words of encouragement while enduring being poked and prodded. You didn’t even bother to try to talk to the guards, but you do catch yourself asking if any one of them was Quinn underneath. You thought of them often, wondering if they were okay. If they were having a better experience than you were.

The nights were Higgs were the only thing that was not so routine. One night, he would want to have a conversation, and the next night, he would have you bent over on a table or the bed, fucking you until you were crying out from forced pleasure. Lately, when such a night occurred, he would always make you lie back so your legs were up and against your shoulders.

“So you don’t spill one drop,” he would inform you.

You stay that way for a bit, and if you couldn’t do it on your own, well…he had restraints for that. And that was when he wanted to talk about more personal things.

“Never knew my parents,” he told you one night. Sitting right next to you as you were in position.“They died not long after I was born, and my mama’s brother took me in. Not that he wanted to, at least. I never got to experience love that didn’t involve a first or a boot…hell, the earliest memory I have is crying my eyes out in some sad excuse of a crib while he yelled at me to shut up. I have never been held, never heard kind words. Have you ever been held?”

You look at him, nodding in reply.

“By your mama?” He pressed, again you nod. He looks at you, and for a moment, you could have sworn you saw a look of yearning from him.

“Must have felt nice,” he commented. “Feeling that…warmth, to feel safe. You know it’s funny, I get love and praise every day by these…sad people looking for something to believe in. And yet I never felt an inch of emotion back. I can’t feel anything really. But now…I find myself getting attached to you.”

You watch as he looks at how he had you before reaching out to undo the straps, your legs falling on the bed, causing you to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been attached before,” he continues. “But it was always one-sided, a transaction. Wanting something out of me, but that's not ever enough. I could never…be enough for someone.”

You gain the strength to sit back up to face him.

“So I had to learn to take, and I found out pretty quickly that taking is a hell of a lot easier than asking. I got everything I want, yet I feel no pleasure, no peace. Just a…bottomless pit.”

“And…what do you feel around me?” You couldn’t help but ask. Higgs lets out a small laugh before looking back at you.

“I’m still trying to figure that out myself,” he confesses. “But I do know one thing, I know that you’re the first person I actually wanna keep around.”

The nights with him became sort of sweeter after that. He wasn’t as rough when he had his way with you, and you got to stay in his room even during the day. You began to actually endure things more; you didn’t mind the examinations or the silence. Because as soon as you saw Higgs, you felt…happy. Whatever role you were playing, you were increasingly accepting it by the day. But that all soon changed.

You were walking from getting examined when you saw her, Fragile. But she wasn’t cool or composed like the previous times you’ve seen her. No, what you saw was a woman ready to run for her life. As soon as she saw you, she walked with purpose. Grabbing you and pulling you close. This caused alarm; the guards nearby instantly aimed their weapons at the two of you, but she did not let go.

“Listen to me carefully,” she whispered harshly in your ear. “Everything he has told you, told everyone, has been a fucking lie. He is no savior; he does not want to unite the world; he wants to destroy it. And if you don’t find a way out, you are going to give him what he wants on a silver platter!”

You then feel her shove something into your hand. It felt small, metallic.

“Look, look, and know the truth. And for the love of God, get the fuck out of here!”

“Fragile!” You heard the voice of The President call out from the hall. “By the order of The King in Red, you are charged with high treason! You let go at once and face your crimes!”

You watch her pull away, giving you a sad smile. A tear escaped her eyes before taking a gun you didn’t know she had and pulling the trigger right under her jaw. Blood splattered all over you, your ears rang from the gun going off, and yet you couldn’t scream. Everything was muffled and in slow motion, The President and the guards rushing to Fragile’s dead body as someone pulled you away from the scene. You were returned to your old room, and you could hear Rainy asking if you were okay. But all you could do was make sure whatever Fragile gave you was safely guarded in your robe pocket.

“I’m so sorry you had to see such a display,” The President said as you sat on the edge of your bed. “Fragile was always a bit unstable, but…she was a reliable asset. Nevertheless, I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

You could only nod, your secret burning a hole in your pocket.

“Good, The King will be glad to hear it. Which leads to my next point: sadly, you will not see him tonight. He has an urgent matter to attend to, and now, with what Fragile did, he will likely stay away longer, I wager. Still, I’m here to make sure you are comfortable in his absence.”

Again, you nod, feeling him touch your shoulder in comfort.

“Rest, and should you need anything, just simply call.”

You watch as he and the guards leave the room, waiting a bit longer until you make a beeline to the computer. You pull the object from your pocket, realizing what she had given you. A memory chip. Putting it in the slot, a window pops up on the screen, a letter.

‘If you are reading this, I have either taken my own life, or he has finally gotten rid of me. Either way, I was able to give you a fighting chance.

This chip has all the information you need about Higgs. Higgs, “The King in Red”, what a stupid name. A stupid name for a sad, pathetic, scared little man who blames his problems on others instead of taking responsibility. See, you and those sheep may know him as some god, but I know who he really is.

His real name was Peter Englert; he and I were partners in a porter company. He was different then; he wanted to help people. Hell, I don’t know when exactly he changed, but he soon grew dark. Talking nonsense about the end of the world and bringing in an Extinction Entity. I didn’t think anything of it at first; people go into conspiracy theories all the time. That was until he attacked me.

I had DOOMS, a little higher than you. I guess that was why he wanted to partner with me in the first place. He explained after that only two people with DOOMS could bring an Extinction Entity to the world. Mind you, Higgs was at the very bottom of the pole as far as DOOM abilities go. So if that was his goal, he failed miserably, plus I was not able to have children of my own. I kicked him out soon after, but his reign of terror was not over.

He formed a militant group soon after called The Homo Demens. Their goal was to cause voidouts, destroying major cities in their wake. If they couldn’t cause one, they could do it the old-fashioned way. He used my resources, my connections, to mail in a bomb that blew up Middle Knot City off the map. The very spot you are standing at today. He ruined my reputation, and the only way to get it back was to work with the UCA.

They arrested him, but he never went to trial. Coward killed himself before that ever happened. I was furious at first, never seeing him get justice. But I thought that it was over, that his terror was over. Then Mexico happened.

I should have known better, should have known how deep his claws were. That President? The one who supposedly met Higgs at the Gate Plate during the expedition? He was working with Higgs the whole time. He was a former member of the UCA; that much was true. But he was kicked out for tampering with the Chiral Network by the time he and Higgs crossed paths. They planned the whole thing: the bombing, Higgs’ suicide. It was all a plot to set in motion their more devious plan. Turns out void out craters are not only a hotbed for BTs, but they can also be a gateway to a beach if they have the right number of souls. He was able to get Higgs’ body there before it went necro, and it had been their breeding ground ever since.

This place? Their “network”? Those very souls fuel it. The guards? Ghost Mechs with the soul of a sacrificial lamb, once deemed worthy to move up to the highest order. Higgs never came back from the other side through the Plate Gate; they made it all up! The King in Red is just another mech of his own design, a puppet he can control from the beach. Before I could even put the pieces together, they had already taken my company from under my feet. My life’s work, my father’s work, was stripped bare from me! Higgs made sure I was left with nothing and forced me to work with him once more. I should have let him kill me then, but I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. So I endured, played along. Bided my time until the perfect moment arrived, which led me to you.

You and Higgs share the same level of DOOMS, which is just enough to use you as a host for his sick ideals. The examinations they put you through, which you might have already guessed by now, were for his perversions. But it was also to see if you were capable of carrying a child. You cannot let him succeed; you have got to get out and get out fast! I don’t know what sob story he has been feeding you, more than likely the same thing he fed me about not having loving parents or barely escaping from the hands of his uncle. But believe me, you cannot get sucked in further than where you already are. Whatever you've got to do to get out, do it. Take this chip to a UCA center so everyone will know the truth. And if you get killed in the process, well, I can assure you that would be a blessing compared to the fate you are about to face.’

You could feel your body shaking, using every ounce of strength you had to click the next part of the chip. Multiple windows popped up, the first being a wanted poster with Higgs right in the center. His face, his real face. Not the painted one with the blotchy white skin and golden tears, but it was still the face of someone who was clearly unstable. His hair was shorter, golden symbols tattooed on his browless forehead. His eyes were blackened by eyeliner, giving him a sort of Egyptian winged look. You click further, seeing countless pictures of the Homo Demens with Higgs leading the charge, wearing a golden skull mask. There were also journal entries; he had documented everything from his childhood to the moment he was arrested. You read every word, feeling panic bubble over you. The last part of the entry makes your skin crawl.

‘This is my destiny, I will bring The Last Stranding to this god-forsaken world. This body is of no use to me here, but there. There, I will be the most powerful. There I can the true Particle of God. And then? I will find the perfect womb to carry the Sixth Extinction Entity. Fear and Chaos will be king.”

The last few windows were articles about Extinction Entities. There had been five in the earth’s history, but it was the sixth that would bring the end of the world. That was what Higgs was after, what he wanted to use you for.

“All caught up now?”

You feel something heavy hit the back of your head before you can react, knocking you out cold. When you woke, you weren’t in your room…in fact, you weren’t anywhere familiar.

𓂀

The sky was dark and cloudy, with black tombstone-like plaques as far as the eye could see along the water. The whaling of unearthly creatures, creatures flying in the sky…giant-sized creatures roaring out to the heavens. You look up, thousands of souls side by side interloping like computer wires hovering over your head. What was this place?

“You’re awake.”

You jump, jerking behind you to see a man sitting on the edge of one of the plaques you were also standing on. He was idly twirling his gloved thumbs, not looking at you for a moment as he spoke.

“I was hoping to bring you here under better circumstances, but…Fragile always made a habit of forcing my hand.”

You see him turn to you, the same face you saw on the poster, but with the hair of The King. He wore his green jumpsuit tied at his waist, his bare skin showing more golden symbols, like those on his forehead.

“So now you know the ugly truth,” Higgs spoke again. “Should have known that bitch had something up her sleeve. Didn’t even give me the satisfaction of killing her myself…oh well.”

“Am I dead?” You ask, Higgs giving you a look in reply.

“Of course not, you still have a role to play after all,” he says as he moves to stand up. “Afterward? Well, that all depends on you now, doesn’t it?”

He keeps his distance, neither of you moving from your spots.

“If it’s any consolation, the things I told you before were true. I’ll admit, I did see you as just a means to an end at first, but…Seems I am not completely dead inside after all.”

You shake your head, only getting a dark chuckle out of him.

“Let me go.”

“No can do there. You can’t escape it, baby. Your fate was sealed the moment you agreed to be a part of my grand design. Even if you had found a way to escape, I still would have been able to find you. My network has spread far and wide, and soon the UCA will be no more. More deaths, more souls to feed my little machine. And once you give birth to our child…oh, then the real fireworks begin.”

“I’ll kill myself before that happens,” you warn, only to get a small pout from him.

“Now, why would you wanna do a thing like that? Not too long ago, you were very willing to open those pretty legs to me, and now all of a sudden you’re getting cold feet? After everything I’ve done for you.”

“You assaulted me!” You snap. “You-You groomed me and made me do those things!”

“But you liked it,” Higgs argued. “You can deny it all you want, but I heard you moaning for me like a bitch in heat just fine from where I was sitting. And think of it this way, we can pick up where we left off here. You can get off to my actual body, not that robot puppet I’ve been parading around.”

“You’re sick,” you point at him. “I am not going to go along with this.”

“You don’t have much choice, darlin’,” Higgs shakes his head as he takes a step toward you. “Even if you did kill yourself, I’ll just pull you back from the seam. This place? This beach? I control it, can bend it to my very whim. And each time you do it, it’ll just be super painful. You can’t kill me either, so why fight it, huh?”

Suddenly, he goes in and out of sight. Grabbing hold of your throat once he blinks back into view.

“I’m trying to make this easy for you,” his voice became far too calm. “I could have it where you’re tied down to something, and I fuck you anytime I want. But that would not be very pleasant now, would it? You should be thanking me for giving you such an opportunity to be the parent of a living god. Instead of being just another wandering soul like your little buddy.”

You look up, the feeling of dread washing over you. Quinn…no, no, it couldn’t be true.

“They all end up another strand to the machine in the end. To make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good. But you, you get to escape that cruel fate. You get to watch The Last Stranding come to fruition right by my side. Time is slow here; what is months for you is 10,000 years for me. And I have been more than patient, so you got two options. You either accept your part and do what I fucking say. Or I will make sure you will never set foot on the other side.”

You could feel tears roll down your cheeks, Higgs taking that as the answer he was looking for. He lets you go, stepping behind you as he wraps his arms around you.

“There you are, good obedient vessel,” he praises. “I knew I made the right choice with you.”

You feel a hand gently brush your hair, your eyes glued to one spot despite the chaos in front of you. That one spot, a row of tombstones from a distance, was the only thing grounding you. A reminder that you were still present, still within your own body.