My name is Lennard høsk, I am considered a highly esteemed Russian spy, but somehow, I've found myself in a dark room filled with the stench of piss and sweat.
It was so dark I could barely tell there were other people around me.
Wasn't I just in the cavern? How'd I get here?
It was already 2052, and the Third World War had started; I was a proud soldier of the Russian United Army. Me and a few comrades were sent off to China on a covert mission to find their chemical nuke reserves and report back.
This was a risky job with little expectation of success, but as proud Russian men, we tried our best, expecting death and embracing the high chance of failure.
My job was to survey the parameters of the Great Wall of China.
Whilst examining the area, I discovered a somewhat hidden passageway. It was a stairway leading down into the ground, heading to an unknown destination. The owner didn't seem to have any intention of hiding it, as it was left open for anyone to enter.
It could be a trap. Quickly deciding to leave a message with my coordinates for my allies, I let out a held breath and walked down the stairs.
Tightly holding my ar, I had walked down for a tense five or so minutes before finding myself in a small labyrinth. The walls were made of dirt, and there was only one room; it was covered to the brink with many Words of unknown dialect adorning the walls.
Ancient writings?
As a spy, I was very fluent in Chinese and could even speak the sub-dialects, but these ones were different. The runes looked completely different from any language I had seen.
Twisted, yet they had a subtle beauty in their crossed entanglement.
Their nature seemed almost inhumane, as if it weren't something a common man could comprehend.
I hadn't even noticed how close I came to the runes as I slowly reached out with my hand to touch them.
When I got close enough to touch the ancient images, I felt a rich drowsiness encroach on me.
Enemy attack! Quickly understanding the situation, I wanted to forcefully turn my body around and shoot whatever had shot me with a sleeping dart before I perished, but my body refused. All I could do was watch dazedly as my body collapsed and my eyes closed.
The next thing I knew, I woke up here.
My first thought was that this was all just an illusion and that maybe I had been fed some sort of hallucination drug by the Chinese, but the flagrant smell of human waste told me otherwise.
Fumbling around in the near darkness, I felt the cold and wet floor, dry skin, and the clothes of the surrounding people.
Abruptly, I felt my shoulder pinched.
"Stop moving so much, you'll wake the others.." The hushed voice came from a girl next to me.
I couldn't see her face, but her bright green eyes shone through the darkness, grabbing my attention.
"Who are you?". My first instinct was to set the tone of the conversation and ask questions; this was something ingrained in my body through many years as a spy.
I didn't know who the girl was or how one could sleep in such a situation, but I had more pressing issues at the time.
"Are you okay? I'm your sister; can't you tell?" The girl asked, slightly dazed.
"Ah, yes, of course... sorry." Surprisingly, the girl spoke in English with a slight accent instead of Chinese. I also noticed that she referred to herself as "sister," which I found to be rather strange. I brushed it off and pushed the thought to the back of my mind.
Where am I? Is this a prison camp? Or am I really hallucinating? No, otherwise, I would've seen through it by now.
Being in such a bizarre situation, l first collected my thoughts and began to think.
Maybe I should ask the lady. She seems to know more than I do, and she seems to see me as a relative. Maybe I could use this.
Turning my head to face the lady, I saw her silhouette in the darkness. Quickly tapping her, I had gotten her to open her eyes again.
Turning around, she looked at me and spoke quietly, "What is it?". Her bright green eyes staring into my own.
"Where are we?" I asked bluntly; this was the biggest question on my mind; after all, I was in that cavern just a moment ago.
Did I get kidnapped by the Chinese government? They must plan on using me and the others here as test subjects, or perhaps we're all prisoners of war here for questioning.
Remembering how the Chinese had conducted inhumane experiments on humans to make them go far beyond human limits at the cost of their rationale, I couldn't help but grimace.
If it's the latter, this could be the worst possible situation.
The girl sighed before slowly whispering.
"I don't know. We should be quite far from home. But don't worry, Peter. I'll keep you safe." The latter half seemingly reassurance to herself.
Peter? Who's Peter?
Unknowingly, the girl had answered quite a few questions on my mind while adding quite a few more.
Peter... Did she misjudge the person she was speaking to? No, she also said she'd protect me. Why would she want to protect me? Does she really see me as a brother? I don't even know her. She must have confused me with someone else, but why?
Far from home? Does she know I'm a spy? Or is she referring to China as home? There are too many unknowns.
"Thank you. Are there guards outside?" Right now, I couldn't worry about whether she thought I was another person or whether she knew I was a spy.
There was no way I would be used as a guinea pig for the Chinese!
"Huh?" the girl exclaimed, her voice rising a few octaves in surprise.
Noticing her outburst, she quickly calmed herself and spoke.
"Don't tell me you're getting any dumb ideas! Remember the plan, okay? We just have to wait for our chance. Don't do anything stupid. You... you remember what happened to Leo?" she added, her voice trembling as she spoke the name.
"...okay." I didn't know of the Leo she spoke of, but I knew not to press. Numbly agreeing to what she said, I began the controlled habit of letting my thoughts spiral.
This is a lot worse than I had expected. Not only have I been kidnapped, but they have also begun wiping my memories. Who knows how much I've already told them? Realizing this, I couldn't help but feel my blood slightly turn cold.
Who knows how long I've been here? Maybe that's why she called me Peter; I forgot my own name and made a new alias!
I couldn't tell if that was the case or not, but I knew damn well my birth name wasn't Peter.
Unwillingly turning my head around, I decided to leave it at that; it was best not to draw too much attention. I didn't need the security on the cameras to know I had regained my memories.
Feeling on my prison's cold, moist floor, I couldn't help but think.
Who's Leo? The girl mentioned someone named Leo. If my thoughts are correct, then he must've been an example. And God knows how long I have been here; what's even worse is that I don't know when my next set of medicines will be.
Whatever happens, I can't lose my memory again. If I lose my identity, there's no telling where I'll end up.
In times like these, quotes from my teacher during the army regimen often presented themselves in my mind.
Why worry bout the future when the presents are right before you? The illusory thought popped up in the shadows of my mind.
Teacher was right; thinking too much about this situation won't help. I'll have to wait until action can be taken.
Quickly making my decision, I closed my eyes and tried my best to get some sleep.
But this environment really sucks... Couldn't they at least give us blankets?
"Damn Chinese..."
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Inside the captain's quarters of the Nearway. Sat was a rough-looking man, his face was covered in a scrappy beard, and he whore a large triangular hat which glimmered from time to time.
A single lamp illuminated his face. A crow and a long piece of paper were on his desk.
After staring at the paper for a few minutes, the man smiled. Whatever he had just seen pleased him quite a bit.
He unhurriedly rolled up the paper and stood up.
"Fleck, get the pretty one ready. She'll be gone next dock." The man spoke, his voice calm yet filled with a chilling eeriness
There was no answer, but he didn't seem surprised.
Tying a piece of paper around the crow, the man released the bird, allowing it to fly out into the night's darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I hadn't slept at all...
The smell of piss and sweat, the sounds of others having nightmares, along with my unknown situation, I couldn't find myself getting a wink of sleep.
On many occasions, I considered asking the lady next to me more questions, but considering she seemed keen on getting rest, I decided against it.
Ultimately, all I could do was lie there, lost in my thoughts.
Amidst my daydreaming, a loud noise suddenly caught my attention.
BANG BANG BANG
Three quick successions of bangs came from my right before a short man quickly opened a door I hadn't noticed beforehand and entered the room.
He held a small lamp in his hand, illuminating his appearance; he wore brown pants, black boots, and a white shirt dyed yellow from sweat.
He was in his early 20s and gave the vibe of an unamused squadron leader.
Releasing a loud exhale, the man spoke.
"C'mon, everybody up. You guys know the rules." The man scratched his nose while speaking, his tone lacking interest.
But more importantly...
He isn't Chinese? Was I wrong? Could it have been another government? Surely not; I would've known beforehand if there was such an unknown. Maybe an individual group? Yes, that could be it... But why kidnap us then? Do they plan on using us as hostages?
Quickly standing up, the man began to speak.
"Alright, get in line. I want this done as quickly as you guys do." He didn't seem very insistent with his words, but everyone quickly formed a line as if their lives depended on it.
Looking at the man, I noticed two more things: the flintlock pistol hanging near his armpit and his rugged clothes.
The attire he's wearing... It seems almost comical, and is he not afraid of showing his face? The way he dressed seemed more akin to some sort of costume... what kind of third-rate terrorist group is this? Does he not care for his identity?
In the end, I still got in line as he said; after all, he had a gun, bringing a memory of what my teacher had once said, "Any gun is bigger and badder than none."
With the small lamp now illuminating my surroundings and everyone scurrying into a line, I only then noticed how tall everyone was.
I had always considered myself tall, so finding myself looking up at everyone around me was a disorienting experience.
Most of the people here are either young women, children or old, beat-up men.
The only people my height were the surrounding kids.
Why are they so tall? Did I shrink? No, that shouldn't be possible. Last night, I didn't fail to notice the changes in my body. I felt weaker and much skinnier than before. Additionally, I realized I had very little body hair. At first, I assumed these changes were due to a prolonged period of captivity, but after taking a closer look at my "appearance," I started to reconsider that explanation.
Now having the luxury of vision, I looked towards my hands. To my surprise, the hands before me were not the rugged, battle-worn hands I had anticipated. They appeared very slender, almost fragile in appearance.
Why are they so small? This doesn't make sense. I need a mirror.
Further examining myself, I realized that my entire body had similar changes.
Instantly, memories of shows in which a man is summoned by a god and reborn into another world surface in my mind.
Reincarnation?
It was extremely hard for me to believe this. The world I knew was built on logic, grounded with science, not one where the fantastical notions of rebirth actually happened!
No, I shouldn't be too hasty; it could be due to a large number of drugs. If the Chinese can do so, why can't this group make me shrink? Finding minimal solace in my thoughts, I began to consider.
I've been hearing buzz among some of the crew about reincarnation, and I've done a bit of reading on the topic. Honestly, I used to think it was just a fascinating idea, but now that the possibility is hanging in front of me, it was hard to not be slightly excited.
However, I was still a logistical person at heart, so I couldn't think of this as some sort of blessing; rather, I saw it as being held prisoner in a child's body. How could one be happy in such a situation?
What about my comrades? My brothers and sisters back home? Even GTAVI was rumoured to finally come out!
"Number 7, Peter!" A loud voice called "my" name, awakening me from my stupor.
Walking forward, I looked up at the tall man; being so close, his facial features became clear.
He was a young man in his 20s with stubble on his face, brown eyes, and a thin and protruding nose. His brown hair was drawn back into a ponytail, and he was growing stubble on his face.
He looked down at Peter with a look of boredom and irritant.
He held out his hand with a thin bowl of mud-brown soup. As soon as the boy held the bowl, he called for the next person in line.
"NUMBER 8, STELLA."
Holding the thin wooden bowl of mystery soup, I walked out of line and sat in an "isolated" area.
That girl's name was Stella; taking in her appearance, the first thing I noticed was her long silver hair that carried an elegance I had never seen before; it was a shame her environment left it full of knots and unknown stains mixed into it.
She doesn't seem too old, I'd guess around 15-17. However, her skinny and haggard appearance makes her look similar to a cancer patient. She's also wearing a grey cotton dress which all the other female prisoners whore. I thought on habit.
After grabbing her meal, she walked towards me and sat beside me.
She didn't seem to have anything to say as she quickly began to eat the mystery soup.
Unlike her, however, I wasn't one to sit down, eat mystery soup and accept my fate.
Whether I had actually regressed or not, or if this was some diabolical terrorism group, it was obvious this wasn't somewhere I wanted to stay for long.
Resolutely lifting the bowl to my mouth, I finished all its contents, savouring every last drop.
The flavour was a mixture of a sandy texture and an almost weedish flavour.
Finishing my meal, I began to speak.
"Stella... How do I look?" I hesitantly asked, seeing the girl with bright green eyes look over. I couldnt know if this question would draw too much attention or not but i had to know.
"How do you...look? Peter, are you alright? You seem a bit... off," she asked, her brow furrowing with concern.
Quickly coming up with an excuse, I answered her on the spot.
"Yes, I'm fine; I was just wondering if I've changed or not." This wasn't a lie, as I wanted to know if my appearance changed.
Staring intently at me for a few seconds, she then answered.
"You look tired. Your eye bags are becoming more prominent, and your hair is starting to clump together, but you still look fine. Don't worry; it won't be long before we are saved. I'm sure the sanctums or the clergy have already heard about the kidnapping. They will definitely find us soon." Gripping her hands, she spoke with hope.
"Okay." Although she didn't provide the answer I sought, it felt wrong to keep asking this young girl questions that might impact her mental health.
There are two options here. One, I've been experimented on somehow turning my body into a younger version of its previous self, but this is unlikely. After all, if such a miracle had been found, World War 4 would have begun before the third could have even ended. Two, I have been reincarnated and now live in the body of a young boy; whether this body is mine or another's is still up to discretion; however, it does change things quite a lot. This is also the more likely scenario... Surprisingly.
This eased my worries to some extent. On one hand, I no longer had to concern myself with battling a terrorist organization. On the other hand, I was now an unknown child surrounded by unknown people with unknown intentions and an unknown identity.
However, the burden seemed a lot lighter.
After all, this meant I had a means to escape.
"Alright, that's everyone. Ah, Stella, come with me." After finishing the tally and distributing the meals the man placed his notepad into his coat, looked at Stella and me before focusing on the girl.
Why does he want her? Based on his attitude, it isn't anything terrible. I'll just wait; there's no need to get into a mess.
Even though I was a courageous soul, I understood my situation. At that moment, I was a prisoner with no grounds to ask questions, nor did I believe he would provide answers.
Without saying a word, I watched as Stella stood up. While everyone else was either busy eating or preoccupied with their own activities, she scratched her head as if deep in thought. Discreetly, she pulled out a knot of hair and handed it to me as she crouched and hugged me tightly. "If I don't come back, take care of this, okay?" she said, smiling and kissing me on the forehead. During the entire process, I hadn't said a word, watching as she eventually walked toward the exit.
The man glanced at me for a moment before swiftly shutting the door, plunging the room back into its former somber darkness.
At some point, my vision had become slightly blurrewasn'tasn't sure why, but I had unknowingly started cryingwasn'tasn't something I was accustomed to, but my body had done it instinctively.
Feeling the thin and smooth hair in my hands, I noticed the strange hardness within.
I chose to wait a bit longer in case they returned before I uncovered what it was.
As I sat in the darkness, reflecting on how I had cried for the first time in years over a woman I barely knew, it felt as though the deepest parts of my soul were resonating with one thought in my mind.
Escape!
I couldn't stay here and wait for a rescue ship, nor could I wait for my sister to get help.
I needed a plan, and I needed to act upon it quickly.