Arc - Genesis of Flux - Chapter 4.5

Chapter 4.5 - Briefing and Bitter

December 17, 998

South suddenly awoke to a knock on his door. He groggily threw off the sheets, calling out, "I'm coming!" He quickly dressed in the new uniform, a black tactical outfit that fit comfortably.

Opening the door, South found Zofia standing there, holding a steaming cup of coffee. "Morning," she said cheerfully. "Thought you might need a little pick-me-up. We've got a long day ahead."

South accepted the cup hesitantly, his fingers brushing the warm ceramic. "Thanks… but I've never actually had coffee before."

Zofia raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. "Seriously? You've gone your whole life without coffee? What kind of childhood did you have?"

He glanced at the dark liquid suspiciously, lifting the cup to eyes. "The priest at Saint Volgenov didn't allow it," he admitted. "Said it was a 'vice of adults' or something. We weren't even allowed to sniff it, let alone drink it."

Zofia blinked in disbelief before bursting into laughter. "Of all the things to ban... I guess he really didn't want you getting too energetic."

South scowled at her, then took a sip. His face twisted immediately into a grimace. "Ugh. What the hell is this? It tastes like shit, literally."

Zofia covered her mouth, trying and failing to stifle her laughter. "Oh my God, South! It's just coffee. Don't be so dramatic, you'll get used to it."

He glared at her, setting the cup down on the hallway table as though it had offended him. "I don't know how people drink this stuff. If I had to survive on coffee, I'd probably just starve."

Zofia grinning mischievously. "Okay, okay, I get it. Coffee's not your thing. But next time, try it with sugar. Trust me, it'll change your life."

"Sugar, huh?" South muttered, still glaring at the cup. "If it doesn't, you owe me an apology."

"Deal," Zofia said, walking down the hallway and tossing a teasing glance over her shoulder. "Now, hurry up. Let's see if today's mission briefing is as bitter as your taste buds."

South grabbed the cup again, reluctantly following her, muttering under his breath, "If this briefing's as bad as that drink, I'm walking out."

They entered the conference room, where several members of the team were already seated. Forsterke's eyes locked onto South with displeasure. South met his gaze, but Zofia guided him to an empty seat.

Fischer stood at the front, commanding the room's attention. He looked serious as he began to speak. "We've been seeing a increase in Netherwraith activity recently. For those unfamiliar, Netherwraiths are beasts born from chaotic surges of Flux. They are composed of shadow and who knows what else, capable of destruction and draining life force. They usually appear in darkness."

He gestured to a large screen that descended from the ceiling. Images flickered onto the screen, villages under attack, shadowy figures, and distorted shapes. "These creatures are unpredictable and dangerous. We need to understand them better. Our task is to either capture samples or eliminate them where possible. Each of you will be assigned a solo mission to study or eradicate these entities."

Forsterke smirked as the screen showed disturbing footage of Netherwraith attacks and case studies. "We're counting on you to bring back valuable information. Failure is not an option."

Fischer shifted to South. "South, you'll be handling an extermination mission. There's a city under siege by Netherwraiths. Your objective is to kill every creature in the city, and report back. Be cautious, these creatures are lethal and highly unpredictable."

South nodded, mentally preparing for the mission. As the meeting concluded, he headed back to his room. Zofia followed him. As they reached his room, she tossed him a pack of expensive cigarettes. "Here, take these, Stay sharp out there."

South caught the pack, slipping it into his pocket. "Thanks. I'll be back before you know it."

He shut the door behind him, packing his essentials. He double-checked his gear, ensuring he had everything he needed. After a final look around his room, he made his way to the base exit.

He walked through the corridor, descending the staircase to the gate. The heavy metal door opened, revealing the water-filled chamber beyond. South stepped into the room, and as he moved forward, the water began to rise around him. His uniform ensured he remained dry.

With a few powerful strokes, he swam to the ladder. He climbed up, thinking about his mission. As he reached the top, the door above him opened, and the fresh air greets him.

A helicopter hovered just beyond the gate, its rotors whirring loudly. South boarded quickly, and the pilot gave him a nod. He settled into his seat, placing his headphones over his ears to drown out the blade's sound.

The helicopter lifted off, and South rested his head back, bracing for the long journey ahead. "This is going to be a long one, South Volgenov," the pilot said over the intercom.

South closed his eyes, focusing on the mission ahead, as the helicopter went towards the mission location.