#code: kronos

THREE: THORNS

WHAT HAPPENED?

Claire's world had suddenly shifted, faster than she could comprehend. The stretched out talons of the strange monster would have dug into her flesh if not a second before she felt nothing but air behind her.

No. The doors opened behind her. But she hadn't even used the cop's card-

BANG!

The skeletal monster's chest cavity made a popping sound as fragments of its 'shell' cracked off. Like a pot being broken. A bullseye, right at what seemed like the creature's new heart, illuminating the red aura with molten gold veins.

It was fatal, no doubt about it. The demon dropped dead. The heart deflated and the lightshow inside of its shell switched off.

"Claire!"

She suddenly felt herself be brought back up onto her feet, her arm grabbed. However, she didn't retaliate. The voice was all too familiar and all too shocking for her. When she looked back to her savior, she couldn't have been more stunned.

"Leon?"

The dirty-blond-haired government agent. In the flesh. Prepared for the worst-case scenarios - carrying a handgun on the ready with the typical combat knife sheathed on him as backup. Even in a tropical paradise, the word 'vacation' eluded him. Dressed to be ready for the field, just more accustomed to deal with the Brazilian heat.

Nothing has changed about this man. He was a sight for sore eyes and Claire couldn't have been happier to see someone in such times. Like in Raccoon City.

Except for one, itsy, bitsy, tiny question.

Why was he in Cape Inacio?

No, a better question was why was he inside this locked facility?!

"What are you doing here?" she uttered. "How-?"

"No time to explain!" Right back to the serious matter, as always. "C'mon!"

Claire was slow -  her mind was still reeling on the questions instead of moving her legs. Leon's grip was still on her, pushing her to keep going as he shut the gates close behind her.

Another wail, louder than before, echoed through the halls - outside the gates and inside the zone they were in. Leon simply cleared all distractions out: his main focus was getting Claire out of danger.

"This way!" He took the lead, letting her go. Claire followed.

The laboratories were as dangerous as the outer zones: wandering people somehow inflicted with the strange torment. It was a chain reaction in the wide, open foyer - some went to beat each other across the research benches, demanding 'the noise to stop'. But with every defeat rose up another demon, all traces of the previous human burned away by the eternal fire inside.

"What is happening to these people?" was all she could gasp.

"Don't know. They were like this when I came here."

"Is this a virus?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. How many bullets do you have?" Leon quickly asked, already spying the gun in her hands.

"None. You?"

"Not enough," he added a curse. Their situation was really bad. "Swell."

TWO: THE FORTUNATE ISLES

GENOS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ADMINISTRATION NETWORK.

It was the talk of the town, worldwide. ‘GAIAN’ - the highly advanced AI system of the 21st century. That was what the main topic the reporter was talking in the video - how more than two years into its development, engineers and programmers of H.E.L.I.X. Research Institute have made the impossible possible. Creating a state-of-the-art surveillance program designed to protect civilians from all sorts of threats.

Even bioterrorism.

Claire didn’t know the full extent of the program’s capabilities - just that it has only been installed on the island and H.E.L.I.X. Foundation has made no announcement of releasing it for the world yet, with the main focus to kick out a few ‘knicks’ in the system. What she did know GAIAN was not something she could reason with.

“Taskforce Unit 61 on approach,” GAIAN spoke, the red lens of the security cameras locked onto her.

“Taskforce?!” Moira climbed up onto her feet. “Isn’t that extreme?!” 

Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit!

Why did this all go fucking wrong? This was supposed to be just a walk-in and a walk-out. But thanks to her blunder, Claire was getting the heat. In a matter of minutes, men would be charging into the building and putting the cuffs on her.

Moira had to act. This was supposed to be her one job - she was the one who had to keep an eye on Claire this time and she blew it! 

“M-Maybe we can explain it to them! Clear this mess up!” 

Yeah! Like fucking cops would listen after a murder, she thought to herself.

“Moira-”

No, no! This wasn’t like Sejm Island again. This island had the law. They both would be fine with trespassing but Claire with a murder charge?!

Moira couldn’t let that happen.

“Hey! You stupid AI junk!” she hollered once she spotted one of the security cameras. Aggressively waving her arms at the damn computer to notice her. “That guy wasn’t in his right mind! He came after me! He didn’t give Claire a choice-!”

“Moira!” 

She found herself grabbed on the shoulders and spun on her heels, pulled away from the eyes of GAIAN. Even under the tension, the brunette was just as level-headed as she had always been. It was the reassurance that Moira felt ashamed to feel and a tinge of self-loathing to herself: how fast the roles switched back the moment she lost her cool.

“Right now, we need to get out of here.”

“Out of-? We’re on a frigging island.” Moira was all too petrified on the spot that her friend had to force her to move it. “TerraSave doesn’t know we’re here!” 

All true. But Claire thought on her feet. Her top priority was to get Moira out of here. She couldn’t have her be seen as an accomplice. 

She had already told Moira she would take the responsibility. And she was keeping her word.

“But we’re not alone.”

ONE: THE EMAIL

CLAIRE'S CHEST FELT TENSE.

It was almost like the setting of a horror movie in the quiet campus grounds. Simply cue in a masked serial murderer with a chainsaw to make the scene all the more authentic. Nothing stirred within the halls - no sign of a campus cop or a janitor in the dead of night. Not a single soul in the medical faculty.

What made it unnerving was how wide the main doors were - as if someone had burst them open in a frantic panic and left them so for anyone to walk in.

It was all too easy - like the building was inviting her in. Her years of experiences warned her not to tread lightly.

Something was wrong. There was no evidence of disturbance, no splatters of blood, no corpses that shouldn't be moving.

It was all far too normal for Claire Redfield.

However, this was the only lead she had right then and there. It didn't matter how foreboding the foyer felt, how eerie silent it was, she pressed on.

It was only then had she realize she had been holding her breath, just standing before the open doors. No. Now wasn't a time to hold back.

"Alright," she said to herself. "Here I am."

Claire tightened her fists - to squeeze out the uncertainty and to reassure her resolve. For months, she was determined but within the recent few days, she was more so than ever. That determination pushed her to ignore all common sense and protocol. That said, she wasn't going to be irrational. She wasn't the same person back during the Raccoon City incident.

She had moved on for eighteen years. Then it all came rushing back to her once she stepped in.

Claire was set - she would brush away this abnormal feeling.

"Where are you hiding him?"

Revival of CODE: Kronos is back up now. Links and preview to pilot below. FFN and AO3.

"The past is never dead. It's not even past." - William Faulkner

THE NIGHT WAS QUIET.

Nothing this campus cop couldn’t handle. In fact, he much preferred it over the day shift. For a small yet exaggeratedly-prestigious university, most of the students didn’t really reflect that noble, bright-eyed attitude. Kids were kids, after all - dabbing their fingers away on their smartphones rather than drilling their brains on the next boring thesis.

The solitude in the medical faculty was quite a comfort to Benard with, of course, his phone to keep him company.

“-Although it has been only three years, there are still lingering scars in several countries, most notably China, from the worst bioterrorist disaster in history. H.E.L.I.X. Foundation’s contribution in biotech has been helping these countries recover from their ordeals. However, concern has risen over the last few weeks with recent rumors buzzing on the wide net about the China branch of the Foundation withholding vital information-”

The campus cop needed to hear a human voice. Something to break the stillness away and disperse the silly rumors his colleagues have been hearing on campus ground. The faculty building he was in wasn’t brand-new - only completed seven years ago. But there have been sightings inside the building. Scratch that, the whole island seemed to be stained with all sorts of superstitious gossip and nonsense. 

The most laughable talk was seeing ghosts roaming around a few weeks ago. Benard and a few other staff brushed it off as a student’s stacking stress over the semester. Just last month, the college even put a handful of students on suspension for starting up those rumors in the first place. Hit by the ‘island fever’ that has been going around.

With a sigh, Benard sat back in his seat and drifted his eyes from the monitors to his phone. He had been debating which was more entertaining to watch: the black-n-white still images of empty halls or the monotonously-speaking anchorman repeating the same ole sentences since last week. Had it been an attractive woman instead, he’d stick to his smartphone like glue.

Benard still picked his phone. Who was going to slap him on the wrist for being bored from doing his job?

“Last Monday, USA Minister Domenic Moore of the Ministry of Health - one of the benefactors to the Foundation - has made a press conference to dismiss those claims and to discuss H.E.L.I.X. Research Institute’s latest development in artificial intelligence.”

The newsroom cut to a video clip, displaying what looked like the usual politician at a podium - a well-known figure from the USA’s Ministry of Health that rose up in the recent years. 

“For many years,” the tall man in the suit spoke proudly. “Corporations like Umbrella have betrayed our trust. Creating lethal bioweapons for profit. It’s thanks to them, they have put that bad label on other pharmaceutical companies, making it difficult to win that trust back.” 

What a yawn. It prompted Benard to let one out as he stretched his arms and back - he didn’t see on one monitor an injured man, leaving behind a trail of droplets before that person disappeared off-screen.

Benard finished rubbing the sleepiness off his eyes and continued watching his smartphone.

“H.E.L.I.X. Foundation was built on the ideals that companies shouldn’t exert exclusive control over a commodity during humanitarian crises. Coeus CO was the company that proposed that vision to the world. They were the founders who created a source of hope in the Inacio Isles.” 

The scene changed again, this time showcasing familiar sights Benard had seen every day: from the structures of the university to the famous international research institute and ending with the capturing short clip of the whole island.

Benard's and many people's home - Cape Inacio.

“For fifteen years, they’ve worked to make this partnership a reality and they succeeded. Their insight? To-”

“To admit their faults and put everything in the past for a better, brighter future, yada-yada,” Benard recited exactly what the Minister said. It was a broken record. “Like I don’t hear that every day.” It was particularly the university’s catchphrase. 

“Those online claims? They are from people who are afraid. People who want to strike fear. They are led by a cyberterrioist!”

Benard scoffed. “First, evil organizations. Now hackers. The conspiracies people cook up.” He leaned snugly back into his seat. “What’s next? Another pandemic?”

BAM!

I don’t even know why I’m doing this.

As a big apology, I had been busy these couple of years that I couldn’t continue my fanfic and this blog. I wasn’t motivated much even though I really wanted to come back. And after rewatching LPs on Resident Evil 7 I...surprisingly decided to revamp it to a more updated era (2014). I even have decided to build a better draft plot to organize myself with this fic and try to construct its narrative better. 

So...yeah. I dunno if I’ll update much in this blog yet or dedicate much to the new fic mostly because I doubt myself anyone will be interested in it. But I’ll see how it goes.

Enemy Data

Erinye

Based: Human

Date of creation: Presumably between 1997 to 2006

Created via: Further mutation of a Shade or in laboratory conditions, or introduction of the Kronos virus to a Licker specimen

Purpose: Natural mutation, Kronos Virus infection, BOW

The Erinye is a specimen with two varied origins: a mutation experienced by Shades after a period of time or a Licker mutated further after introducing the Kronos virus to it. The mutations transform them into more flexible but deadlier and nimble forms of hunters.

The Erinye is one of several specimens as part of the Kronos project and kept within the Theseus Research Facility's more secured levels. They were created to be potential bio-weapons that could be more effective in stealth. During the 2006 outbreak, they and many other specimens are escaping because of a sudden power failure in the system, and wreaking havoc within the facility.

While similar to a Licker, its most striking appearance is its slender structure which benefits to its agility and momentum. Erinyes have the capability to move swiftly as quadrupedal or bipedal but they show preference to crawling on all fours on any surface to surprise their prey. Their large, spread-out claws and talons, though rather thin appendages, have enough grip to hold its entire weight up to the ceiling and move about with little difficulty in gravity and noise. Like a Licker, they lack eyes and cannot detect a prey by sight. It, however, relies heavily on echolocation to locate, and gather sounds bounced off objects into its convex head. Its elongated tongue, just as effective as a Licker's tongue in piercing human flesh and even decapitating, can also detect these soundwaves and even smell particles. Thanks to their advanced primal intellect, they have many dangerous tactics. Not only can it seek out its prey easily but if necessary, an Erinye can choose to lie in wait and grab an unsuspecting prey with its claws much like a Venus fly trapper, even while holding onto the ceiling. Overall, this becomes a powerful master of covertness. The presence of an Erinye can often be hinted by its echolocating sounds.

In recent files, HELIX has started establishment to sell Erinyes for the BOW market. The buyer currently taking in Erinyes is the terrorist group, the Rasuls, in the Middle East.

The name Erinyes comes from the Greek mythology, female chthonic deities of vengeance. They are also referred to as Furies. The Furies' task was to hear complaints brought by mortals with discrimination towards others and punish such crimes by hounding culprits relentlessly.

Fanart by 6-ksu-9 :D

Enemy Data

Orthrus

Based: Beast/Human

Date of creation: 2006

Purpose: Kronos virus infection

Orthrus is a canine-like BOW and the mutation of chief-of-security, Ian Odell, created by the Kronos virus and the t-virus. Orthrus is the first boss encountered by the current team: Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Steve Burnside and Iria McLenlan.

Orthrus resembles an oversized hairless hound that at first, has only one head. The one head, however, splits down in the middle to form two more functioning heads, being Orthrus' notable feature. Orthrus can brutally lunge forward, knocking down characters and even clamped them down with its jaws for a moment of time unless someone comes in to save that trapped character. In between the heads is where its weak spot is – the cocoon of Ian Odell – and this can only be exposed out after excessive damage. This is the best time to shoot it down as much as possible before it swallows its weak point back in and get up. Orthrus's wail can also attract other wandering Shades within its perimeter so that it does not fight alone.

Its name is derived from a two-headed hound, who is a doublet of Cerberus and involved in one of Heracles' twelve labours. He was in charged with guarding red cattle belonging to a three-bodied giant named Geryon. Heracles eventually slew Orthrus before taking the red cattle to complete his tenth labour.

Fanart by 6-ksu-9 :D

Preview

NO!

She fought against it. Clawing her arms to grasp on something. Anything to pull herself up.

But all she was grabbing was nothing. Her body was sinking deeper and deeper into the cold blue void.

No! No! No!

Was she stuck? Iria veered down to find what was dragging her. The broken piece of metal was indeed right behind her, a part of it yanking at her clothing.

Her gun holster? Her coat? She desperately searched for the tangle, yanking harder and harder but in vain.

Her lungs were screaming for air and her head pounded from the ocean's pressure.

In other words, she was going to die.

Drown in the sea. Truthfully, it sounded a lot better than dying to the virus.

But to die now...the thought terrifyingly made Iria struggle even more as the iciness was sucking her energy out of her muscles.

No, she couldn't die right there, right now.

She had too many things to resolve. Too much at stake.

So much to do. So many broken promises to repair and keep.

She still hadn't assured that those kids were off the island, away from the unleashed nightmare...

"You really should cease your naivety." The memory of that shmuck, cruel smile on Wesker's face flashed in her mind. "You can't save everyone."

She hadn't even given him a bullet with his name on it yet...

The scientist had always been teased that she had half the luck of an Irish. It was a running gag among her closest colleagues before the outbreak and one she didn't hold too much of a grudge.

Sadly, it seemed to have run out.

All of her sins have eventually outweighed it.

I'm sorry...

The freezing cold urged her to give up, which she obliged.

This was her punishment. The eleven years of her mistakes had finally caught up to her.

I'm so sorry...

With her fighting spirit ceasing its revolt, she let herself descend deeper into the abyss.

Into regret...

Then something gripped her feeble hand.

Her body was pulled up, the very hand grasping tightly for dear life on whatever it was. At the near brink of losing consciousness from lack of oxygen, Iria glanced up at her rescuer, who glared back at her with furious blue eyes.

Claire had quickly untangled her off the wreckage.