While Xander was busy with his assessment and interview with the Harbinger, Anna was stealthily making her way back to the main building. Though she felt terrible for deceiving the good folk who followed her, she just wanted to finish this thing with the alien as quickly as possible. With that in mind, she ducked, jumped, and finessed her way through the numerous cabins while taking off her mask and hoodie.

As Anna got closer to the hotel lobby, she passed the last cabin, which bordered the walkway separating the housing units from the main building. She didn’t notice it before when she ran her way through the area with a bunch of people on her tail, but now that she was slowly making her way back, she saw that the door was slightly ajar.

Anna felt her skin prickle on her back as she stepped towards the open door. The light of the pale crescent moon shone on the door and cast a deep dark shadow inside the cabin. Before she went any further, she could hear the low voice of someone inside, almost unhearable amidst the clicking of cicadas and the occasional barks of dogs far away.

“Oh, my lord god, I thank thee for your exhilarating insight. I praise thee for your baneful blessings of the eternal dark. I bask in the glory of your infinite reach as you send your servants onto us. I show my love to thee this beautiful night through my faults, through my most gracious faults. I pray. Oh, I pray. I pray. I praypraypraypraypray—”

Silence.

Anna looked into the abyss within the cabin room. All semblance of warmth dashed away as she felt an alien gaze bore upon her.

Anna ran. Whoever that was, whatever that was, she was not dealing with it alone. Her heart raced as she sprinted with great haste towards the nearest source of light. She felt the same gaze on her back so cold it felt burned.

Fuck, hell. Damn it, what was that? Stop. Stop looking!

Her foot fell on the first step leading up into the lobby before she noticed. A wave of relief washed over her as she took a deep breath to calm her beating heart. She risked looking behind her and saw nothing but deserted walkways and the moon basking the area with its faint moonlight.

Not wasting any more time, Anna walked through the foyer entrance and noticed as some people were present inside and were observing the human and alien pair that were conversing. Anna was about to approach Xander and tell him what she felt at the cabin house when she saw a tendril emerge from the Harbinger, then immediately pierce Xander’s heart.

“XAND!” Anna screamed in horror. Her mind went blank as she witnessed her companion get stabbed through the chest.

She felt a heaviness on her soul. There was a rush of horrid memories of broken bodies in a smoldering mall and blood—so much blood.

Not again. Argh. Anna clutched her head in pain. She looked on wide-eyed as the tendril left Xander’s body and saw him stumble forward.

Xander bent in obvious pain. Golden light flowed through his bulging veins as literal steam was rising from him. Xander let out a low groan, his knees buckling.

Anna heard a whimper escape her mouth, and she immediately berated herself. She hated how she felt like she wasn’t in control of her own body, that it would start to shake or freeze in moments.

She grimaced, wanting to punch the Harbinger for whatever it did to Xand. But, instead, she was rooted on the spot, her fists clenched, and her teeth ground against each other. Her emotions want to fight and flee simultaneously—rush forward or run away.

When Xander finally stood straight, seemingly uninjured but exhausted, Anna’s want to fight won as she forced herself to move forward. Her footfalls were heavy as she strode towards the lobby’s center.

Xander looked at his surroundings and was surprised to see he and the Harbinger weren’t the only ones present. When he locked eyes with Anna, his expression morphed into a sheepish manner.

“XAND, WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?” Anna bellowed as she grabbed hold of Xander’s right arm. She looked back and forth between the healed stab wound on his chest and the floating alien looming over her.

“Oh, uh, Anna, hey, sorry about that. Harby over here doesn’t seem to know what consent means,” he weakly chuckled as he scratched his hair.

Anna turned to glare at the Harbinger, who was now staring at her. As much as she wanted to poke it in the eye, her body failed to listen to her as it tightly hugged around Xander’s arm in an attempt to be shielded from its burning gaze. Anna scowled at herself and the Harbinger.

The alien lifted two tentacles in what looked like a shrug.

“He did wish for more Might, so I delivered it upon him. There was no pain involved in the injection, which increases his chances of survival, as it will with you, human.”

The Harbinger glanced at Xander briefly.

“I do not mind being referred to as Harby if that is what you wish. But you should explore your [Aspects] post-haste,” Harby said with an impassive look on him.

Anna grumbled as Xander led her away from the Harbinger for a moment.

Xander gently grabbed hold of her shoulders and softly reassured her.

“It’s alright, Anna. It was part of the assessment. Harby will just scan you, take a drop of your blood, and then ask some questions. You can calm down.”

“C-Calm down!? You got stabbed, ok!? How was I supposed to react?” She shouted at him. Her simmering anger rose as she rested her palm on his chest.

“Fucking hell, man. I don’t want to see you get hurt. You know that,” her voice quieted into a murmur at the last sentence.

Xander gave her a comforting hug, and Anna rested her forehead on his shoulder.

“Hey, I’m sorry. You weren’t here to listen in on the conversation, but even then, I understand. I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Stop apologizing. It’s not your fault. This shit is just stressful.”

Anna left his embrace but still held onto his hands. She took a deep breath before looking back at the Harbinger.

“Listen, I don’t like you, and I sure as hell don’t trust you, but I trust this idiot.”

She thumbed over to Xander as he humorously smirked.

Anna looked back at her companion.

“So, how is this supposed to go?” she asked.

Xander then briefly explained what he went through and guided her through the questions. As this went on, two people in the room seemed to have lined up behind Anna and Xander.

In the end, Anna answered yes to both fighting for humanity and striving for power, not wanting to leave Xander as a Conscript by himself. She also selected Alacrity as her preliminary gene booster. She gasped in shock as the tendril pierced her chest and felt the rush of change in her flesh.

More people started to line up behind them, likely guided or urged by their ONIM Aide. Surprisingly, there were not many Tiers I’s among the crowd, with only Xander, Anna, and three others amongst a room of twenty. The rest were shown to be Tier α’s, consisting of elderly folk, someone with a disability, or someone too young. Harby clarified that they did reach the threshold to be Tier I’s and are essentially civilians who will not participate in the fighting. Xander didn’t know whether to feel that they were lucky bastards or poor sods who won’t be able to defend themselves.

While the others were being assessed, Xander opened up his [Aspects] sub-menu.

• Aspects • Body (Tier I) 14 / 20 Mind (Tier I) 14.5 / 20 Anima (Tier I) 11 / 20 Psi (Tier α) 4 / 10 Total (Tier I) 43.5 / 80

Unlike what he expected, there were only four quantifiers that designated everything about. Though video games probably weren’t the best reference point for advanced alien technology.

Alright, Aide, you there?

[ I am always here, Conscript Xander ]

Uh, ok, don’t be weird, please. Anyways, can you give me a brief description of these aspects? I have an idea, but it’d be suitable for a proper explanation.

[ Of course. ]

Xander only had to wait a few seconds before the robotic assistant in his head answered him.

[ Body refers to the physical aspect of the User. It encompasses mass, density, constitution, vitality, and overall toughness, strength, and flexibility of flesh, bone, organs, bodily cells, etc. ]

Alright, that makes sense. Go on.

[ Mind refers to the mental aspect of the User. It encompasses memory retention, cognitive function, learning capacity, reflexes, mental resistance, perception of the senses, the efficiency of the nervous system, etc. ]

That surprisingly seems helpful in some scenarios now that I think about it.

[ Anima refers to the inner aspect of the User. Sometimes referred to as spirituality or soul. It encompasses ethereal aspects such as willpower, emotions, internal energy cultivation, vessel capacity of the anima heart, martial flow, and spiritual manipulation. ]

Ok? Those were a few words where I’m not sure what it meant. It sounds like some—Wait. Hold on. Anima? Soul?

Xander’s eyes widened and immediately closed in on the Harbinger with a burning question. The alien already shifted to look at him.

“Yes, human Xander. All sentient beings do have a version of the soul that exists in the universe,” the Harbinger said respectfully.

Everyone looked up at Harbinger’s words. A wave of relief and joy encompassed them, including Xander and Anna. Though Xander never really put much thought into his religion despite being baptized. Being in a country filled with believers, Xander wanted to believe in the existence of an afterlife or the soul’s presence.

“Ah, I see. That’s good.”

Of all the things he expected this evening, the warm fuzzy feeling of realizing that he wasn’t just a walking amalgamation of fleshy bits and brain matter but had something more was simply fulfilling to his psyche.

Xander looked towards Anna and saw her with her eyes closed, a tear flowing down her cheek as she held herself, a pleasing smile formed on her lips. Practically everyone in the room was in some form of self-reflection and reverence.

Xander turned to look into himself and search for his soul. He came up empty as all the other times. Perhaps he was looking right at it and didn’t notice or wasn’t sensitive enough to observe it.

Xander coughed into his hand and tried to quiet the sea of emotions inside him.

Sorry about that, Aide. You may continue.

[ Psi is the final Aspect and usually the most elusive for some sapient species. It refers to the psionic sensitivity of the User. Psi is a fundamental cosmic force similar to gravity. It flows through what is referred to as the Rivers of Starlight—that stretches the known Universe and possibly beyond. It encompasses aspects such as intuition, insight, mindscape, psi capacity, psionic manipulation, psi tunneling, and psi craft. ]

“Holy shit! This is magic, right? Space magic?” Xander exclaimed out loud as he inquired his assistant.

[ It may be referred to as such in the broadest sense. But it is essentially another form of energy a sapient can tap into. ]

“Crap, that sounds awesome,” Xander bit his lip as he imagined all the cool things he does with this Aspect. Telekinesis? Fireballs? Ice magic?

The only thing that dampened his mood was his extremely low Psi. Most humans were likely in the same situation. Otherwise, he would have seen wizards pop up in the news.

Wait, just because they haven’t shown up doesn’t mean they don’t exist. Hell, there’s probably a single psychic amongst thousands who can read minds or speak to the dead. Xander mused.

Hmm, anyways, anything else, Aide?

[ Each of the four Aspects affects different points of the User in specific ways. Increasing a particular Aspect either through training, technologically, biologically, psionically, or using ^!#cH%r, will also minutely affect the other three Aspects to compensate for the change. ]

Is that why I felt my mind become more precise and my limbs feel faster, even slightly, despite asking for Might? Interesting. Oh, sorry, you glitched out at one part. What was that again?

[ Sorry, you are not privy to that information at this moment. ]

Uhuh, right, whatever. I’ll ask when I am, then. Xander relented with a sigh.

After hearing Aide’s explanation, he looked over his Aspects once more, noticing that three were at Tier I and Psi were unsurprisingly at Tier α. The golden juice injected into him apparently increased his Body by two and Mind by 0.5. So it seemed he just met the threshold for being a Tier I Human and that the next Tier up was at 80 for his total. The rest was self-explanatory, though the problem was how to go about obtaining more points.

Xander could train, but that would take the time he didn’t have, leaving items like that gene booster he received. So he put that on the list of things to work towards.

As Xander closed his ONIM and made his way towards Harby for the gear he alien he’ll receive, Anna suddenly raised her head and rushed towards him, remembering what she had experienced by the dark cabin.

“Shit, Xand, I almost forgot, damn it,” she frantically said a frightened look morphed on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“I heard some weird creep inside one of the cabins I passed by on my way back. I swear to God, it sounded human but felt extremely off. It was praying or something, chanting something ominous.”

Suddenly, the Harbinger’s eye flared, a powerful invisible force pulsed from him. It felt similar to what Xander and Anna felt when they were being scanned but less focused.

The Harbinger radiated a faint taste of anger and decisiveness.

“It has begun,” the alien spoke seriously.

“Hold on, what do you mean?” Xander worriedly asked as he glanced around the lobby. The rest of the people inside looked at the alien in uneasiness.

“It is a mental Ability of those who would invade your world. The culprits send subliminal messages through another dimension and into the weak-willed. They become corrupted and insane, thralls to these vile captors.”

“We have to help them then!” Someone in the room exclaimed.

“If you have an ability that can decrypt its signal or travel through space and destroy the ship the fiend is residing on, then please, by all means.”

The person looked to be distraught but was still mildly unconvinced.

“No, I apologize. You wish to help your fellow sapient. Commendable, but the broadcasting ability has likely infected the minds of millions of your people already. And it is already being suppressed to the best of our ability. The conversion is rapid. They will become rabid things and ruthlessly strike at those they used to call loved ones without hesitation. The only thing they care for is that their actions please their patron. Kill them before they kill you. That is all I can say. I am sorry.” The Harbinger spoke. Genuine sadness seemed to fill its single eye.

The humans in the room looked increasingly perturbed. The realization that their existence was in threat had only just settled in. A few people paled, a mother tightened her embrace on her baby, and an older man placed a hand on his cane with a resigned expression.

Anna walked up to the floating alien with a stern look on her face compared to the little shakes on her hand.

“You said us Tier I’s get gear, right? Cough 'em up, if what you say is true, that means this hotel is filled with enemies already,” she urged on.

“W-wait, what about us? Do we get weapons?” One of the Tier α’s asked fretfully.

“No, unless you advance to Tier I, you will not receive such. You are civilians. I advise you to gather under a Tier I and find something to defend yourselves.”

“That’s unfair!” Another shout in anger.

“The universe is unfair, human,” the Harbinger scolded back, its voice turning into a deep rumble, “our assistance towards your species is already an act of compassion amidst a cruel void of slaughter and death. If you can not make peace with your inadequacy, then strive to empower yourself through your efforts, or put your trust in those who can defend you.”

The Harbinger’s words silenced the outraged man into submission. The alien then turned towards the Tier I’s in the room. The other three joined Xander and Anna—a nervous-looking man in shabby-looking business attire, an older bearded fellow with a taqiyah cap, a buttoned-up blue shirt and dark brown canvas pants, and a young woman in casual jeans and a white blouse. They were composed of four Conscripts and a single Support—the occupation for those that chose differently in the second question in tbe interview—the nervous man.

“I shall make this brief—state an single item you need at this moment. I shall try to cater to your request with the resources at my disposal. Moving on, Conscript Xander, you speak first.”

"Any recommendations?"

"I would recommend something to complement your strengths. In this case, your physical strength. So a close-quarters weapon would be beneficial in your current situation.

Xander thought it over what he felt he wanted while everyone was getting assessed, so he didn’t delay his choice.

“Alright, I'll need something blunt like a baseball bat or a hammer that I can switch between two-handed or one. If possible, I want it to be versatile in any situation,” Xander confidently stated. The Harbinger then went down the rest of Tier I’s who asked for different things.

Anna asked for a powerful gun with plenty of ammo, but not something that would weigh her down despite the gene booster in her system. The older man seemed indecisive and asked for anything that could increase his chance of survival. The woman requested the same. And the nervous man asked for a gun as well.

A flash of light appeared between the five and the Harbinger, bright enough that the humans had to squint or cover their faces in a brief second in a brief second. When the light faded away, what was in front were five boxes made of a glossy onyx metallic material. They were each of different dimensions and looked quite robust.

Xander kneeled and opened his box.

Inside was a grey metal war hammer wrapped with blue-colored leather about 70 centimeters, or two and a quarter-inch tall. The head was elegantly proportioned compared to the handle and was 12 centimeters long, with a brutal spike on one end and a three-pronged hammer. The hammerhead glowed in crystalline-like sky blue color, and what looked like circuit patterns were etched throughout it. The bottom of the hammer was tipped in a lethal 3-inch spike of the same design as the head.

Xander held it and felt it ergonomically sound in his grip. He gave it a few test swings and heard a slight hum as he swung it. The weight was rather hefty on its head but still felt comfortable enough. Xander looked at it appreciatively before his ONIM popped up.

Blunt Melee Weapon: Conscript’s Battle Hammer (Tier I) Conscript Battle Hammer is a common blunt weapon for those who seek to crush their opponents with might instead of finesse. Made of a ubiquitous stellar metal called Lustrous Steel, found in many planetoids throughout the galaxy. The metal is psionically treated until it becomes the crystalline-like blue color it is known for. The weapon comes equipped with minor self-repair and maintenance functions. The head is empowered to be more durable and more efficiently transfer concussive force. The bottom spike is similarly reinforced to provide better cutting potential.

Xander grinned savagely as he read the description. Of course, a human melee weapon would have no place in an alien invasion, but something advanced like this felt impressive in his hands. Xander quelled his emotions, not wanting to get overly confident because he received a suped-up hammer.

Xander looked across the other Tier I’s. Anna received a futuristic-looking handgun. It had a utilitarian design similar to a power tool and was made of a similar material as his hammer, and its barrel glowed its signature blue. The two who asked for something to increase their survival odds received gauntlets, one for each of them. They were made of a brass-like material and had a brilliant emerald-like gem set on the center of the piece.

The nervous-looking man looked to have received a gun, but a closer look revealed it as a stun gun of sorts.

Anna was similarly impressed with her weapon of choice before Xander could inspect the item on her hands.

“You have received the tools of your survival. You shall now receive your current objective. Fight well, humans. I shall remain on this floor to provide your [Map] better detail of the building’s interior. I have no offensive capabilities, but this should be within your abilities to accomplish without my assistance," the Harbinger stated before taking his place back in the middle of the foyer

[ You have a new mission, Conscript Xander. ] Aide resounded in his mind.

New ONIM Function: [Missions] unlocked. New Priority Mission received! Priority Mission: Investigate the Marco for Corrupted Humans. Eliminate with extreme prejudice.

Threat level: Low

Rewards: 5 Nexus Merits, 100 Lumina Shards Objectives

- Locate all Corrupted Humans (In progress: 0/??) - Eliminate all Corrupted Humans (In progress: 0/??)