[LoweGear]

@ Ratler: So you don't mind if I give it a shot then?

And after some delay, here's Part V of the profile... so far though, this is the most fanfic-like profile I've written yet

Spoiler for length:

The Armed Clerk in front of me broke down and cried. His sobs and tears were those of a man who thought he had nothing to lose, only to lose the most important thing one can have: his sanity. He described how in those moments, unimaginable terror gripped him when he saw the dark walls and the glowing green glyphs of the chamber. He can accept death, but there not this state of… unlife. He described the horror of seeing his own right forearm transformed into a metallic abomination, and knowing that the rest of his body was next. I couldn’t possibly imagine how he felt that time, as he realized that he was but an empty shell of a person who has just lost his soul. For weeks, he was tortured by his soulless nature, slowly losing his mind as he tried to feel even the barest hint of emotion. He would rather wish for death, rather than continue as a living automaton deprived of his humanity.

Until he realized that paradoxically, he was aware that he couldn’t feel his emotions at all. That somehow, his present consciousness was thinly linked to another soulless consciousness, and he was made aware of his lack of emotions because of this detachment. Like there was a place that held his soul as a beacon for his lost consciousness.

He remembered his father’s version of what a Linker Core was. Of how a Linker core is simply a more powerful manifestation of a person’s soul, and that in using magic one was imparting his soul to manipulate nature, And in certain cases, when a person was deeply connected to another entity through magic, that the magic they leave behind can be considered fragments of their soul, and thus in a sort of matrimony become one. Glock remembered the only thing in the past 6 years that could satisfy all the conditions of his father’s story.

Sofia. His device had been using his magic for most of his career, and he had treasured this device from the first day. He had entrusted his life to the hardy staff, and it had yet to fail him during all this time. If his device was still out there, untarnished and untainted by these foul soulless machines he might still have a chance.

He gathered up all his will to summon Sofia, all his strength to find her, and he didn’t have to look far. He was right beside her, the abominations just about to defile his device. He wouldn’t let them. He called for her, and she had responded to him, appearing right in front of him, allowing him to grab her.

The exhilaration he felt that moment was indescribable, as though he was reborn after spending what seemed like eternity in a soulless body, for the first time in weeks he truly felt joy. But this feeling disappeared just as fast as it came, as he had to escape from the lifeless chamber he was in, surrounded on all sides by the abominations. It took him days to get to the surface, fearing not for his life, but for the life in him, with those who would take away his soul in hot pursuit. He was broken, he was thirsty, he was hungry, and he bled all the way, but they would not let him have his soul, not after what they’ve just done. And when he got out of the maze of caverns he mustered his last ounce of strength and smashed the entrance sealing off the monsters inside.

He was found by a TSAB search team right soon after, appalled at the horrible condition he was in, and not to mention his new metallic right arm. He spent the next few weeks recovering his strength and his health in Midchilda. Not even advanced Midchilda medicine could replace his metallic forearm, but they were somehow able to graft living skin to the metallic frame, as if his real arm had been returned to him. But he knew from that day on that he would forever have to live with his new metallic arm, and only the skin graft prevented his own arm from reminding him of the terror that had come with it.

A complete incident report was filed by Glock right afterwards, with a description of the machines he had just seen. While his arm should’ve offered enough evidence for his report, the lack of bodies at the original scene and the destruction of the caverns made corroborating most of his report impossible. The TSAB dismissed the existence of the abominations, and omitted mention of the machines in their final “official” report, although a copy of the original report still existed.

While I cannot portray the exact words and emotions that Glock used when he told me his story, I know how I felt. A mixture of shock, confusion, and understanding, from knowing what our team was trying to uncover, and what we might accomplish, and how his story somehow shed new light on some of the recent events. But the last thing I expected to do was to get angry. Why didn’t he tell us sooner, if he already knew what this thing was? Why didn’t he warn us of the impending danger, if he had known about it since the first day? Why was he such a f***king coward?

He told me that he hoped the situation would be different… he told me that he didn’t want to impede our work… he told us that we wouldn’t believe him, like the Bureau did to him years ago. I wanted to tear him apart for all his excuses, for all his cowardice. I seriously wanted to beat some manliness into him, and go on a long and tirade that’ll drive the point right down his skull.

But I knew then that I couldn’t, because I understood that I’d have done the same had I knew what he knew. I realized that his was never the kind to make excuses for his reasons, because he had been honest from the start about his intentions. I would be afraid to lose my soul, for the life of me, yes I would’ve been afraid.

It was only then that I realized that Dr. Macabee and the Limiera team were still working deep inside the tomb chambers, working overtime to archive and catalog the site. And they were planning on opening the central sarcophagus. The implications was not lost on me and Glock. I asked him to assist me, to come with me and warn the team of the dangers of their actions.

Glock refused. Afterall this time, he still refused to step foot on the site. I would not stand for it, I will not allow his.. his… cowardice to reign over such a critical time…

Asuka: *plays audio log 352*

“You, who always tell me to keep looking to the future and enjoy the present… and yet you let your past ruin you like this!”

“I want to keep living goddamnit, I want to secure my future! I don’t want to end up like that again! I’m not gonna lose my soul again! Sofia is gone, my only fucking hope is gone.”

“… then secure OUR futures as well! You have experience dealing with these things, use that to drive them back if you need to! You survived once, and that means you can do so again! You have the same powers they do now, use it against them!

Also… your hope is not gone. You were saved by Sofia because you entrusted her with your life. If you are not willing to do that now… then entrust your soul to me. I will take Sofia’s place as the beacon for your soul. I promise you, I’ll guide you back if you find yourself lost again. Please, trust me.”

*end audio log*

Shinji: Guess Kay’s burned out from writing that profile… if it’s even a profile at all.
Asuka: *sniffs* It totally became a complete account of that incident.
Shinji: Still, without it we could never completely explain why Glock’s device looks as it is.
Asuka: If they believe us.
Shinji: At least, Kay got to release some of the leftover emotions from that event that she held for all this time.
Asuka: I’d rather not hear anything from you right now Dr. Phil. So who’s continuing the profile?
Rey: I will, if you don’t mind.
Shinji: Of course not, we’d be glad to have you resume.
Rey: I’ll get right on it then.

Part VI coming soon.