Repercussions

Following the events of Contract: Stress Test.

Aeric awoke in crippling pain, as if his very bones were on the verge of breaking. If only he knew how close to reality that really was. Blink had pushed Aeric's body to the very brink of death, and the effects had shown themselves. Not only were a majority of his muscles strained and ripped, his right arm had been snapped almost perfectly at the joint. Aeric struggled to stand up, but each time he tried to move, he curled back up in pain. After multiple attempts, he simply gave up. He was in no condition to move. Aeric desperately tried to recall the events prior to waking. He remembered the first segment of the journey, albeit vaguely, and could recall the headaches, and loss of footing before... Before what? He struggled to remember, but could not form a coherent memory. Aeric quickly fell asleep as his body attempted to recover.


"Why hold back..?" .... "KILL HIM." .... "52... Seconds.. Not enough..."  ...  "... That was fun."


Aeric stood in a white room, with red splatters covering the ground. He remembered this place. He had been here before, but something was different. In the place of a wilting, red flower, stood a strangely familiar man. He was the same height as Aeric, with the same short brown hair. He was wearing a long, black cloak, but was facing the opposite way, preventing Aeric from seeing the face of the mysterious man. He was taken aback when the man before him spoke, in a voice that seemed to boom within his own head. "Sorry about the body. I guess I overdid it a little." Aeric thought he could make out a slight hint of mockery, followed by a held back snicker. "Like what I've done with the place?" the mysterious figure asked. Aeric was still in relative shock, and any attempt at forming words seemed to become lodged in his throat. "Oh come now Aeric, don't tell me you don't recognize me? After all, we've been through so much together." Aeric swallowed hard, and forced the words from his throat. "Who.. Who are you?" Aeric could hear the faint, childish giggle come from across the room. "Why, my dear, poor Aeric. I, AM YOU." The figure spun around in front of him, and Aeric could feel his own heart stop. In that very second, the confusion dissipated into utter fear, for before him stood an absolute clone of himself, aside from the red, glowing eyes that seemed to radiate lust, and hatred, and the eerie, wide smile plastered on the dopplegangers face. Aeric's vision quickly faded to black, as an echoing laughter filled his head.


Aeric awoke in a panicked, cold sweat. He was no longer laying on the roadside, nor was he within the nightmare he had just experienced. That's all it must have been, a nightmare. Aeric calmed himself, before surveying his surroundings. He was in a warm, clean room, strongly resembling that of an inn he had visited during his childhood. His equipment, and a majority of his clothing laid neatly piled by the foot of his bed. He quickly realized he was no longer in pain, and noticed the bandages covering his torso, and right arm. He wondered how long he had been here, and who had taken care of him? The thought disgusted him. He was no longer a child, and was sickened at the thought of being knocked out on his journey. Aeric pulled off the covers of the bed, and began to stand up, before bumping his right arm against a dresser immediately to the edge of the bed. Pain shot through his body like wildfire, and he couldn't contain himself from cursing loudly. It was then Aeric could hear footsteps approaching from outside of his room, and moments later, a young man stepped through. He was roughly the same height as Aeric, but a few years younger, and had rather long, unkempt blond hair. "Are you okay sir?" Aeric closed his eyes in an attempt to push away the pain. He was reminded of the torture he used to endure, and thought better than to dwell on such memories. Only then did Aeric remember the contract he had set out to fulfill. "WANTED: HARRIS MORGAN. MALE. 5'11. BLOND HAIR."

Aeric looked up at the young man before him, and cursed under his breath.