"…and that's the situation, Commander Tower," Shadow finished as he hovered before the G.U.N. leader in his private office. He didn't have to hover, of course, but chose to anyway in order to remain at eye level; he called this his way of speaking to humans as an equal.
Abraham sat like a stone in his seat, unmoving as he took it all in. 'I see… Dr. Eggman is making another play at world domination and has gone so far as to eliminate his threats with manipulation, subterfuge and outright violence… This can't be ignored.'
"All right, Shadow. I'll mobilize the troops and resume sweeps across the globe. This is a good opportunity to test out our new robotic creations, anyway. When we do find him, he'll find himself sorely outclassed." The hedgehog narrowed his eyes, and he rubbed his right shoulder. "Don't underestimate him, Commander. As I said, the Doctor has stepped up his game. We need to do the same if he is going to pay for his crimes." Abraham nodded and replied, "Of course. You are dismissed, Shadow."
Shadow nodded and left. Once he did, Commander Tower switched on his base-wide intercom and announced, "Attention all soldiers, agents, and scientists! This is a Priority One alert! I have just received word that Dr. Ivo Robotnik, alias Dr. Eggman, has chosen to continue his strikes against the people of the world in another attempt at global domination. He has already threatened many lives since his attack on Central City and according to Team Dark's intelligence, not only has he escalated his robotic prowess and displays of power, he's resorted to psychological warfare for his ends. This cannot continue, and I know damn well I'm not the only one who wants payback for what he did to us at the start of the Phantom Ruby War!!
"Each and every one of you who are not already on assignment are to drop whatever you are doing and dedicate your resources to locating Dr. Eggman and bringing him to justice! I don't care what you have to do, just get that megalomaniac! Tower out!"
His announcement concluded, Abraham switched the intercom off and leaned back in his chair, already thinking up a strategy. Before he got very far, however, the phone on his left rang. Glancing, he saw it was his private line. He blinked. That line was reserved for Black Ops reports and the President himself. Knowing it had to be important, he activated the soundproofing protocol for his office, picked up the receiver and said, "Commander Tower, private channel. Go ahead."
Abraham sat like a stone in his seat, unmoving as he took it all in. 'I see… Dr. Eggman is making another play at world domination and has gone so far as to eliminate his threats with manipulation, subterfuge and outright violence… This can't be ignored.'
"All right, Shadow. I'll mobilize the troops and resume sweeps across the globe. This is a good opportunity to test out our new robotic creations, anyway. When we do find him, he'll find himself sorely outclassed." The hedgehog narrowed his eyes, and he rubbed his right shoulder. "Don't underestimate him, Commander. As I said, the Doctor has stepped up his game. We need to do the same if he is going to pay for his crimes." Abraham nodded and replied, "Of course. You are dismissed, Shadow."
Shadow nodded and left. Once he did, Commander Tower switched on his base-wide intercom and announced, "Attention all soldiers, agents, and scientists! This is a Priority One alert! I have just received word that Dr. Ivo Robotnik, alias Dr. Eggman, has chosen to continue his strikes against the people of the world in another attempt at global domination. He has already threatened many lives since his attack on Central City and according to Team Dark's intelligence, not only has he escalated his robotic prowess and displays of power, he's resorted to psychological warfare for his ends. This cannot continue, and I know damn well I'm not the only one who wants payback for what he did to us at the start of the Phantom Ruby War!!
"Each and every one of you who are not already on assignment are to drop whatever you are doing and dedicate your resources to locating Dr. Eggman and bringing him to justice! I don't care what you have to do, just get that megalomaniac! Tower out!"
His announcement concluded, Abraham switched the intercom off and leaned back in his chair, already thinking up a strategy. Before he got very far, however, the phone on his left rang. Glancing, he saw it was his private line. He blinked. That line was reserved for Black Ops reports and the President himself. Knowing it had to be important, he activated the soundproofing protocol for his office, picked up the receiver and said, "Commander Tower, private channel. Go ahead."
(Click this link to de-scramble the cursed speech before you...if you dare.)
"̷̪̉G̷̗̐ỏ̴͚ò̷͍d̶̻̏ ̷̳̆ă̷̦f̸͓̌ẗ̸̘ȅ̵͍r̷͉̕ň̶͇o̴̱̊ó̵̭ṉ̸͘,̷̳͘ ̸̝̑C̷̮͝ò̷̹m̵̦̓m̶͓̃a̴̦͝n̶͚̐ḑ̸̄ę̷̊r̸̨͝.̵͚̏ ̷̗͑H̶̫̃o̵̬͠ẃ̶̘ ̷̼̾â̸̧r̵̾ͅé̴͜ ̸̳͂y̷̜̋õ̸̙u̶̡̇?̵̢̌"̴̭̈́ He nearly dropped the phone upon hearing a voice of a woman, one that he hoped he'd never have to hear again. Telling himself he was imagining things, he shook off his fear and said, "I am fine. Who is this? This line is a restricted number." The voice spoke again, remaining calm, cool and collected sounding, yet having a smooth, seductive and absolutely firm tone that hinted towards indescribable pain if defied. "̴D̸o̵ ̵n̸o̷t̴ ̴p̵l̷a̸y̷ ̵d̵u̷m̷b̴ ̴w̴i̶t̷h̴ ̴m̷e̵,̵ ̴A̶b̷r̴a̴h̵a̴m̵.̶ ̸Y̶o̸u̷ ̶k̴n̴o̴w̸ ̴p̸e̵r̸f̴e̴c̸t̵l̸y̶ ̷w̵e̵l̶l̷ ̵w̴h̷o̵ ̸t̸h̸i̷s̴ ̷i̷s̶.̴"̵
The G.U.N. Commander willed his right hand to stop shaking and replied, "I'm afraid I don't, madam. Since you know me, you must also know that I'm a busy man, so I suggest you hang up and go try your luck with someone else." The woman continued, "̷Y̴o̸u̷r̶ ̸s̶t̴a̶l̷l̵i̶n̶g̸ ̶w̶i̴l̷l̵ ̴d̴o̷ ̵y̴o̶u̶ ̶n̴o̵ ̶g̶o̷o̵d̴,̶ ̷A̷b̸r̸a̸h̸a̷m̴.̶ ̵Y̷o̷u̶ ̶k̷n̸o̷w̷ ̸t̵h̶a̴t̴.̶ ̷R̸i̸g̵h̸t̶ ̷n̶o̵w̶,̶ ̶y̴o̶u̷r̷ ̷r̴i̵g̵h̸t̴ ̷h̴a̶n̵d̷ ̴i̷s̸ ̸s̵h̶a̷k̵i̵n̸g̵ ̵u̵n̸c̴o̶n̴t̷r̵o̴l̴l̴a̵b̷l̸y̴,̵ ̵e̸v̴e̷n̶ ̴t̴h̵o̵u̸g̶h̴ ̶y̸o̶u̴ ̸d̷i̶d̷ ̴y̸o̶u̸r̴ ̷b̵e̶s̵t̵ ̶t̵o̷ ̷m̵a̵k̸e̵ ̵i̸t̴ ̷s̵t̶o̸p̸ ̵a̵ ̶f̶e̵w̴ ̶m̵o̴m̶e̴n̸t̸s̵ ̴a̵g̴o̵.̶"̵ He refused to look at his hand. "̸A̴l̵s̷o̴,̴ ̸y̵o̵u̶r̸ ̶v̷i̵s̵i̴o̶n̸ ̸i̵s̵ ̵b̴e̴g̸i̶n̴n̶i̵n̵g̴ ̴t̷o̴ ̶b̵l̴u̷r̵ ̸s̴l̸i̷g̸h̴t̷l̴y̴ ̴i̸n̸ ̷r̸e̵s̶p̵o̵n̴s̸e̸ ̸t̸o̴ ̶y̵o̵u̴r̷ ̵f̵e̸a̷r̷.̶ ̴I̸n̶ ̸a̵d̵d̷i̵t̶i̷o̴n̷,̸ ̶t̶h̶e̷ ̷w̵o̴u̵n̷d̴ ̸y̴o̶u̸ ̵s̷u̶f̵f̷e̴r̶e̶d̵ ̸i̸n̶ ̵t̸h̴e̵ ̴w̸a̸r̴ ̴i̵s̴ ̷a̴c̷t̵i̸n̸g̸ ̶u̴p̸.̸ ̶D̶o̷ ̴I̵ ̵n̴e̴e̸d̵ ̶t̵o̸ ̴g̵o̶ ̴o̵n̸?̷"̵
Tower growled and barked, "Enough!" Regaining control of his faculties with his outburst, he said, "Very well, madam, let's say that, for the sake of argument, that I do know who you are. You are a supposed to be a myth, a ghost story told by our drill sergeants to keep our rookies in line. That was the agreement for your retirement, right? In that respect, you are not supposed to have this number, as it is randomly changed every quarter."
The woman scoffed. "̶Y̶o̶u̶ ̵u̸n̸d̴e̶r̵e̶s̵t̵i̵m̴a̴t̶e̵ ̸m̶e̴,̶ ̴A̵b̴r̶a̸h̷a̵m̸.̶ ̶S̵o̴m̵e̸t̷h̸i̸n̶g̷ ̸l̶i̵k̴e̸ ̶t̷h̶a̴t̴ ̷i̶s̵ ̵n̶o̴t̸h̸i̸n̸g̴ ̴f̴o̶r̵ ̶m̸e̴.̷ ̴I̶f̵ ̷I̸ ̸w̸a̷n̷t̷e̸d̶,̶ ̸I̶ ̶c̷o̵u̴l̸d̶ ̴j̴u̵s̸t̷ ̴a̷s̶ ̷e̸a̶s̵i̴l̶y̴ ̴i̶n̷f̵e̵c̸t̶ ̶c̵y̵b̷e̶r̴s̵p̴a̷c̶e̴,̶ ̴o̵r̸ ̵w̵i̶p̶e̷ ̵o̸u̸t̸ ̴t̴h̶e̴ ̸s̶t̵o̴c̷k̴ ̷e̸x̸c̸h̶a̷n̵g̴e̴,̸ ̷o̸r̵ ̶p̶e̷r̵h̶a̷p̵s̴,̷ ̵k̶i̸l̸l̸ ̴a̸l̴l̷ ̶t̷h̶e̴ ̷t̵r̸o̷o̶p̵s̴ ̸y̸o̷u̴ ̶a̴r̶e̸ ̸s̵e̶n̷d̸i̸n̷g̷ ̶a̸f̸t̸e̵r̷ ̶D̶r̴.̶ ̵E̴g̶g̶m̶a̴n̴.̶"̴ Tower's breath hitched at that. "How do you-"
"̶͎̊H̶͈͗o̸̻̽w̷̝͒ ̴͉̅d̴̬̐o̸̖͗ ̵̹̾I̷̛̘ ̶̝̚k̵̅͜n̵̼̑ȯ̸̬w̸̱̾ ̶͎̌S̷̞̓ḣ̶̩a̸̬̍d̸͉̾o̷͈͝w̶̗̎ ̶̣̕ṯ̴̎h̴̙̐ȇ̵̢ ̷̘͑H̷̤͆e̷̬͊d̷̥̆ǵ̴̠e̸̤̽h̸̡̅ŏ̸̲g̷͍͘ ̶̛͎s̷̨͝e̸͕͠n̶̪̐t̴̛ͅ ̶̛̙y̴̢̓ő̴̳ù̶̮ ̸̛̬ä̵̰́ ̴̯̽w̵͙̓ã̶̧r̶̲̆n̵̳͐ȉ̴̙ṋ̴̿g̵̻͐ ̴̛ͅḁ̸̃b̸͓͝o̵̮̾u̶̝̓t̴͓̄ ̷͉̅D̸͚̊ř̷̤.̵͇͒ ̵̲̐Ë̸̪́g̵͇͊g̸̡̎m̸͉̊a̷̟̐ṋ̷͌'̷̨̓s̶̮̏ ̶̜͝p̴̣̓l̶̺̍a̷̪͋ṋ̷́s̷̞̔?̷̢̓ ̴̬͊O̸̩͒r̸̭̆ ̷̤̈a̵̺̕r̷͖̉e̴̥̐ ̷͍̏y̴̥̐o̶͕͌û̷͈ ̵̖͋p̵͚͛o̵̢͊s̷̠̎s̴͔̔i̴͓͌b̸̞̀l̷̞͂ỳ̸̻ ̴͍̌r̷͔̀e̵̻̓f̴̤̉ę̴̍r̷͓̀r̷̹̕i̵̮̓n̴͙̽ḡ̵͜ ̶͎͐t̶̫̋o̴͍̒ ̴͔̓h̶̥̃o̶̻͋w̴̋͜ ̵̧͘I̷̬͝ ̷͙̐k̶̮̍n̸͔̕ò̷̮w̶̦̿ ̷̡̀t̶̙̏h̶̦̀a̸̟͌t̵͖̀ ̷̀͜ť̶̺ḥ̵̈́e̶̡͒ ̴̦̊P̴̲͒r̸̬̕è̸͙s̸͉̚ḯ̵̮d̶̦̚ȩ̵̋n̵̨͘t̷̹̄ ̶̦̐ḧ̴́ͅi̶̮̽m̸̪͑ŝ̴͕ę̶͗l̸͙͠f̵͈̽ ̷̭̍ó̶̠ŗ̶̿d̵̹̃e̴̞̊r̶̯͛è̶̙d̶͙̚ ̴͓͐y̸̛̫o̵̜͑u̵̙͊ ̸̙̔t̸̢̍ö̴̡́ ̵̞͛i̵̫̔n̶̢͘v̴͕̕ȩ̵̉ş̶̀t̷̹̀i̶̪̓ḡ̸̠a̸͉̿ṱ̷̉e̴̟͠ ̴̫̇ẗ̶̝h̴̰̆ẻ̷̹ ̴̺̀Ỏ̷͇b̷̠̍ȏ̷̝r̸̤̿ȏ̶̦ ̷̧̛c̸͉̿l̶̤͂a̴̲̔n̶̫͗ ̷͇͒l̴͉͛ą̶͊s̷͍̏t̵̻͆ ̵̟͝w̸̱͆ë̴̡ė̶͜k̶͇͑ ̵͎͐f̵̠͂o̶̹̚r̵̛̦ ̸͔͑p̴͍̒o̷̧̒s̴͍̓s̶̫͠ĩ̸̥b̷̭̄l̶͓͠e̸̋͜ ̶̣͂ḛ̶̊ś̷͉p̸̲̾i̶̹̓ó̷͎ṇ̸͐ȁ̴̹g̴̢̐ȇ̵͉ ̵̥̓c̴̈́ͅo̸͎̽l̸͉͌l̴̞̂å̵̳b̶̗̌o̸̭͌r̵̔ͅa̵̫͋t̷̳̑ī̶͇o̶̡̐n̴̡̏,̶̩́ ̷̳͐b̷̖̈u̵̧͛t̷̥͑ ̶̼́y̵͉̽ȯ̶͍u̴̠̇ ̸̠̎ḣ̵͎a̵̬̎v̵̝̚e̴̤͐ǹ̸̠'̸̡̊ț̶͐ ̷̖͝d̶̩͑o̶̞͊n̵̞̅ḛ̸͗ ̵̔͜s̷͍͒o̶̰̅ ̷͚̒b̵̦͒é̵̯c̶̥̔à̵͈u̷̯̓s̸̠̒e̶̩̚ ̵̺͑t̵̪̄ḩ̶͝ẻ̶̳ỷ̶͇'̴̼̔r̵͇̔e̵͍̾,̶͒͜ ̴̗̈́q̸̣͝ŭ̴̺o̴͔̍t̵̠͂e̸̜͝,̵͕̽ ̷̘͝'̴̫̔N̷͖͑o̸̙͂t̴̡͘ ̷̡̑w̶̖͑o̶̪͠r̶̢͝t̵̨͌h̷̻͝ ̶̣̉a̵̝͂l̸͇̏l̷͎̓ ̸͙̓y̶͎̓ȏ̶͕ǘ̸̧r̴̩͆ ̴̖̚r̷̯̈́e̷͛͜s̶̡̕o̴̩͠u̸͗͜r̶̯͝c̷͓̏ẹ̴́s̴͖͝'̸̪̽?̵͎̾ ̴̪̊O̴̪͗r̵̙͝ ̴̥̂p̶̼̾ḛ̵̽r̶̜̓h̵̭̔a̸͚̿p̶͎͐s̴̭̓ ̷̝̍y̶̰̓ô̶̟u̵̘̿ ̴̻̋w̸͕̓ă̴̦n̸͕͊t̶̲͒ ̷̹̓t̷̫̍ǫ̸̈́ ̷̜́k̴̘̒n̷͉̓ö̴̡́w̵͕̔ ̴̨́h̵͉̒o̵̝͒w̷̧̕ ̸̺̂Ĩ̶͓ ̶̱́l̷̡͌e̸̲͝á̴͈r̷̖͆n̸̰̅e̷͇̐d̴̎͜ ̷͎̚t̶͙̿h̷̹́a̷̩̎t̸̡͐ ̷̼͝y̵͚͂o̸̘͆ü̵̥'̴̨̔v̵̔͜e̸͈͂ ̴̮̍b̶̮̿ȩ̴̋e̸̺̋ṋ̷͌ ̵͔̏s̶̬̐ȅ̸̯ć̷̲r̷͊͜ę̴͝t̸̪͆l̵̬̽y̶͈͝ ̴̢̍r̵̯̄é̷͕v̸̍ͅe̵̮͘r̷̟̓s̷̻̕ẹ̶͝ ̵̝̏e̶̦͗n̸͈͂g̴̼͒i̶̺̅n̷͎̆ĕ̵̦e̴̖̓ṛ̴͘i̶̦͑n̶͇͝g̸̝͐ ̴̲̔Ḙ̵̈́g̵̥̒g̶̠̓m̷̢̚a̷̺͑n̶̘͒'̵̦̋s̶̨̔ ̴͈̔t̵͓̀ě̸̖c̵̥̾ȟ̸̝n̵͇̊o̷̟̕l̶̰̑o̸͔͂g̷̘̽y̴̓ͅ ̸̭͝f̸̧̑ö̴̰r̷̪͘ ̶̘͂ŷ̷̘o̴͎͆ŭ̸͔r̵͚̿ ̷͕̒m̸̝͑ȋ̸̤l̶̟͘i̷̗͊t̸̛̞a̶̝̕r̸̥͊y̵͕͑ ̵͓̄ǔ̵͚ṣ̵̆ȩ̵͝,̸͈̋ ̸͉͋f̴̞̀r̶̰̅o̸̯̎m̷̫̈́ ̸̳͆b̸̻́ĺ̴̮u̷͉̐è̸͜p̶̞͘r̷̺̀i̵̩̋n̴̰̏t̴͓̀s̶͍͆ ̷̞̏t̴̫̎o̸͓͂ ̴̮̉e̶̩͠x̸̤̓p̴̧̽ȩ̸̏ȓ̴ͅi̷̹͒m̵̛̲ë̵̯ṇ̸͆t̸̲̓a̴̭͋l̴̺̂ ̷̞͝r̷͔̋o̸͚̓ḅ̷̎õ̸͉t̴͍̾ĭ̶̦ć̴͈i̸͋ͅz̷͙͋a̴̟͋ẗ̶̠i̷̯̅o̴͈͒n̶̬̎?̵̨̇"̴̘̆
Tower was shaking again and his breathing was starting to become labored. "Th-That is c-c-c-classified information, m-madam. What's to stop me from tracing this call and taking you down?" The other end of the line immediately screamed to life with the sounds of bone-chilling shrieks of agony. It went on for about a minute before going silent. Then, the woman returned. "̵͇͋Í̶͙ ̵͔̌w̸̙͐o̵̺͗u̷͓̿ĺ̴̝ḍ̴͋ ̶̦̋š̶̠a̷̙͊y̴͍̔ ̶̧̊t̵̜̄ḧ̷̗́ë̵̘́ ̸̲̕f̶͎̂a̸̭͌c̷̹͊ṭ̷̀ ̷͖͠t̵͊͜h̵̡͊á̶̖ẗ̸́͜ ̸̹͐y̴̪͋o̵̙̒u̸̖̅r̵̨̛ ̴̟͠ṫ̶͙e̸̳̒ǎ̴ͅm̸̻̆ ̸͚͂ò̵̥f̷̺͛ ̶̠͘ṡ̶̤ŭ̶ͅb̴͕̈́o̶͎̅r̵͎̕d̷̥̋i̶̼͊n̷̺̄a̸͓͛t̵̟̎e̵̙̓s̴͈̀ ̷͉̏ä̸͍́ŝ̶̲s̵̜͝ĭ̴̳ǵ̶͜n̴͍͘e̵̛̝d̸͖̃ ̷̗̅t̶̛͔ö̶̱́ ̴̻͗s̷͚͌u̵̘̕c̷̰͘h̵̪̾ ̶͕̐ȁ̴̘ ̶̤͋t̷͌͜á̵͇s̴͘͜k̷̯̂ ̴̟͊h̵̳͝ä̵̝s̶̖̒ ̴̩͛b̷̛̤e̶͕̔e̴͖̎n̸̫͘ ̷̜̅r̸̖̎ē̷̯n̵̠̋d̷̻̒ė̴̝r̴̖͌è̶̬ď̷̞ ̵͚͌u̷̝͒ñ̶̬â̵͓b̶̖́ḽ̵́ę̸̐ ̴͚͝ţ̸͒o̸̞̍ ̶͙̈d̵͎̅o̸̞͠ ̷̟̈́s̸̤̾ơ̵̝.̵̱͋"̴̡̀
He was beginning to panic now. If this woman was truly who she claimed to be, then he was not safe. None of them were. His right hand shot for the intercom, but at that moment, the power suddenly went out. Nothing was on. Not the phone, not the lights, not the intercom, nothing. Now sitting in pitch black darkness, Tower froze in terror and whispered to himself, "How in the hell…?"
"̶͎́Ỳ̷̻ò̷͙ụ̷̽ ̵͕̕k̸̯̓ǹ̸̲ȯ̴͜w̷̝̃ ̴͉̐ḧ̸̹́o̵͋͜w̷̼͌,̵̘̕ ̴͍͘C̷̡͌o̴̫̾m̴̭͋m̶̧̐a̵͙͛n̷̯͠d̷͗͜e̴͙͆r̴͎͑,̷̟̌"̴̬̏ said a now familiar voice from directly behind him. He quickly reached for the pistol in his drawer, but what felt like a knife to his throat stopped him cold. "̵̮̍Y̴͘ͅȯ̶̖ǔ̵͇ ̵̜̃a̶̝̕l̵͚͛ṡ̷̲o̸̯̎ ̵̫́ķ̶͒n̶̟̔ó̵̱w̷̟͐ ̵̞̚m̴̠̈́ē̷̡,̴͍̕ ̵̩̉d̶̢͝o̵͎͒n̴̗͗'̷̯̀ẗ̵̡́ ̸͓̑y̶̙̑o̴̹͛u̶̯͌?̷̺͠ ̵̡͛Ḇ̷̂ḙ̸͗ ̸͖̾h̶͎̿o̷͈̍ñ̶̗e̷̹͑s̸͜͠t̸̼͛,̶̼͝ ̵̞͌n̷̙͒ō̵̪w̸̭͂…̸̺̃"̷̦̈́ Tower swallowed hard and relented. He didn't want to give her this spiel, but he'd worked with her long enough to know he had no choice. "G.U.N.'s most efficient and d-d-dangerous operative. 700,000 m-missions executed f-f-flawlessly since your career debut at age 15. Capable o-of feats ranging from r-reality bending and flight to space-time manipulation and a-a-abnormal ph-physical strength. Highest… *gulp* Highest body count…in military history."
"̵̘̐Ṁ̴͎ṃ̸͗ḥ̷͗m̶̹̚…̷͉̂"̴̿ͅ the woman confirmed, pressing the blade harder. "̸͎́G̶̭̊ö̴̧́ ̴̻̍o̸̰͋n̴̺̕.̵͎͂"̶̛̮
"Your reputation for performing the impossible with n-nightmarish results earned you multiple monikers in the countries we sent you to. Pajitnov called you 'Ved'ma Krolik'. In Chun-Nan, you were 'Wupo Yah Toi'. Reimei, 'Majo Usagi', San Ronaldo, 'Conejo Demonio'. Here, you're known as…" He couldn't say it. If he did, he would be admitting his powerlessness, and he could not bear to do that. The couple of centimeters of skin on his neck that the woman's knife suddenly cut forced the issue. "The C-C-Ca-Calamity Baroness!" The woman chuckled softly in his ear, taking sadistic pleasure in watching the "Stone Heart" of G.U.N. crumble before her.
"̶̞̂T̸̲̑ḥ̸͂ḁ̴̓t̴̀ͅ'̴͕̍s̴͎̐ ̴̺̀r̷͖͛í̷̮g̸̕͜h̴̲̿t̷͇̍,̴̞̾ ̶̦̇Ą̵͋b̸̰͝r̶͉͒a̷̮͘h̸͕͗à̷̦m̵͕̓,̸̛̹"̷̡̅ she spoke, her sensually vicious voice seeming to crawl into his head and spread throughout his entire body, filling it with dread, "̶̝̂A̸̻͛n̴̞̔d̶̾͜ ̵̀͜I̴̥͊ ̵͙͐a̸͇͝m̶̖͌ ̵̖͐h̶͖͝è̵̞r̴̹͠e̵̜͠ ̷̪̾t̸̛ͅó̸͚ ̸͇̆i̶̭̅s̸͎͘s̵̘̋u̸̙͝e̵̺͋ ̴̻͝a̵͉̕ ̴̥̉w̸̰̚ạ̴̃r̴͎̋n̸̺̈́i̷͚̿n̷̯̅ģ̵͋ ̸̞͊o̶͇̚f̶̖̄ ̶̙̀m̸̩͛y̸̡̾ ̷̙̂o̶͍̚ẁ̶̫n̸̬̽.̴̜͝ ̴̙͂Y̶͉̓o̵̺̔u̵̮͒ ̶̛̞ȧ̴ͅn̶̩̊d̴̦̐ ̷͛͜y̴̱̽ō̵̠û̴͓r̴͔͐ ̷̥̇m̶̨̾e̷̛͖n̶̙̔ ̵͉̓h̵͍̎a̴̘͝v̵̙͌e̸̛̤ ̴̹̏d̵̹̋o̶̭͊n̷̠̍ę̸̆ ̷͓̈́a̸̯͋ ̶̠̾p̷̭̈ȉ̸̩ś̶̗s̴̯̒ ̴̤̔p̸̓ͅô̵̩ȯ̵͙ṛ̶͘ ̴͙͂j̶͎͑o̴͈̕b̶̧͑ ̷̡̊o̶̯͝f̵̛͍ ̵̬͠p̵̱͌r̵͂͜o̴̞͠t̴͕̿e̷͎̊ć̴̭t̴̬͒i̵̝͗n̴̩͘g̵͍̚ ̶̫̇t̸̙̂h̸̰̏e̸͍͑ ̷̺̉p̶̞̈́e̴̡͂a̵͕̒c̴̡̑e̶̡̋ ̴͕̄i̷̲͒n̷̛͇ ̶̲̓m̵͍̊y̵̬̓ ̸̙̆a̶͕͑b̵̻͆s̵̮̎e̴̱͒n̸͈̚c̶̬̉ē̴̟.̴̱̔ ̸͍͗Y̷̪̔ó̴͕ũ̵̫ ̴̱̊s̷̥͒p̵̠̈́e̶͖͌n̸̯̆ṯ̸́ ̶̗͊m̶͔̀ḯ̶̢l̴͔͠l̴̢͗i̴̻̎o̴̳̽n̵̓ͅs̷͖̽ ̸̼̽o̷̼͠f̵͎̾ ̴̪̉d̶̝̀ọ̸͒l̸͕͆l̶̡̃å̷͈r̶̻͂s̴̠̃ ̸̩̀a̷̪̾n̶̗͊ḏ̸̀ ̵̝̿d̸͚͂ẹ̸̏s̸̮͌ț̶̌r̷̙̾o̸̮̕y̴͇̓ẹ̶͒d̶̩̃ ̸̧̊ạ̷̀c̵̖̔r̷̯̄ḛ̸̈́s̶̠͘ ̷̮̎ü̴ͅp̸̺͐ǫ̵̎n̴̟̈́ ̴̩͝á̶̺c̶̼͗r̸̫͝e̷͖͝s̶͕̃ ̴̠̒o̵̼͆f̵̯̓ ̷̡̅c̶͔̀ḭ̶̋t̶̰͝y̷̥͂ ̵̙͆p̵̈͜r̶͓͑o̶̩͋p̵̗͐e̵͉͝r̶͙̔ṫ̵͍ỳ̷̤ ̶̬͛t̴̲͌o̷͇͐ ̵̕͜c̵͂͜ȃ̴̻p̶̣̕t̶̼͘u̴͔͒r̵̪͠é̸͔ ̸̛͉ṱ̶͗ḧ̸̲ě̶̗ ̷̭̏w̴̨̛r̵̹̓o̵̰̔n̶͋͜g̸̱̃ ̶̟̎s̸̤̓u̴͇̎s̶̹͝p̷̺̽e̷̡͋c̷̰̏t̶̩̾,̸̯̐ ̶̦̿y̷͇̌o̷͕̔ụ̴̇ ̷̯̈a̵̟͊ĺ̷͔l̸̜̀o̴̘̚w̴͚͋ẽ̸͖d̶̬̍ ̸̠͠y̴͈͒ô̶̯ũ̴̖r̷̦̉ ̷̪͆n̵̼̒e̶̫͑e̴͇͝d̸̤͂ ̸̛̥f̴̧̽o̸̢͆r̷̭͘ ̸͕̓r̷̪̐ę̶̅v̶̘͋ë̸̫n̷͓̏g̷̤̍e̷̬̚ ̵̠̈́ọ̸̀n̸̜̽ ̴͇̔t̴͇̒ẖ̴͝e̶̮͗ ̵̫̾r̸̙̅i̷̭̒g̴̔ͅh̵̎͜t̸̩́ ̶̘̒s̴̘͋u̵͍̽s̵͇͠p̸̫̈ĕ̴̢c̶̫͠ẗ̸̞́ ̶̯́t̵͎͠o̶͍͆ ̸̭̋c̸͔̽ľ̸̥o̴̯͑u̷̺͆ḑ̷̍ ̵̹̎ý̷͎o̶̳̎u̵͇̓r̷̻͑ ̵̢͒j̶͉̔u̶̪̽d̶̯́g̷̳̐m̸̙̿è̵͎n̵̙̏ţ̵̚,̶͖̂ ̸̭̉a̷̦̿ń̴͇d̸͈̄ ̴̜̄y̵̰͘o̷͈̎ṷ̵̌r̵̲̀ ̴͚͐f̷̙̀o̸̰̕r̴̩͆c̵̮̃ȅ̸̯s̶̭͛ ̵̙̆h̶͇̑a̷͔͒v̵̝͠e̶͍̾ ̵̘̕b̷̗̈́e̸̫͂ë̶̠́n̸̮̕ ̵̻̽ǐ̷̢ň̸̖ę̷̈́f̴͚̍f̸̞͛ȇ̷̤c̷̮̍ț̵͗ȉ̵̧v̶̬́e̵͙͌ ̷̯̌ȉ̶̺n̵͙͆ ̶̞̈́c̸̜͂ḁ̶͠p̴̨̔ṫ̶̝ṳ̵̿ŕ̴̜ȋ̴̞ṅ̸͖g̵̖̀ ̷̫́D̷̼̓r̴̈́͜.̶̥̎ ̴̟̋E̶͓̕g̵̪̓g̴͙͋m̸̫͐ã̸̜n̷̹̒ ̷̪̅a̸̟̋l̸͇̄l̵͇̈ ̷͔̒t̶̼͝h̶͙̔i̵̡͝s̶͍̏ ̴̹͘t̶͈͊i̷̥̒m̴̤̏e̵͖̐,̷̟̒ ̵̪̕a̴̡̾f̴̤͗ţ̶̈́e̷̼͘r̴̻̽ ̴͖̎a̸͈͊l̷̮̈́l̶͖͌ ̷̺̄t̸̤̓h̶͙̀ë̶̻ ̴̱́t̵̩͘ĕ̶̩r̵̛̝r̶̹̓i̶̙̎b̷͙̊l̸͓̍ḛ̸̄ ̷͈͌t̶͕͝h̸̦̎ĭ̸̭n̵͔̐g̶͎̊s̶̝̒ ̵̳̏ḧ̵̙́e̵̺͗ ̸̘̐d̷̤̈o̸͇̓n̴̦̽e̴̝̐ ̸̖̏o̵̖͒n̵̠͛ ̵̥̀ä̴̱n̵͚̏ḓ̵̀ ̸̭͂t̵͍̀ǫ̵̓ ̸̫̃t̶̼̚h̸̟͆ĩ̶͙s̵̻͗ ̵̖̒p̴͙̒l̸̥̚ą̶̿n̶͓͑e̶̫̕t̶͖̓.̶̡̑ ̴͙͑H̵͕̑e̴̢͌l̴̰̂l̵̤̅,̸̿ͅ ̶̠̈́y̶̦̐ǒ̴͍ú̴̞ ̴͙̐f̵͇͘õ̶̩ǫ̸̚l̴̩͑s̷͍̀ ̴̼͗d̴̖̆ọ̶̔ ̸̡̓ȁ̸̙ ̷̱̊b̵̤͗e̶̱͘t̶̥̋t̵̻͐é̶̬r̴͓͝ ̸̪̊j̵̼̍ő̸͚ḃ̸̫ ̷͇͊w̷̢̋r̵̰̕ȅ̷̲c̵̨̏k̸̗̒i̷̛͇n̸̩̉g̷̘̅ ̸̮̇t̷͚̋h̸͓̊ë̸͈́ ̴̥̒p̸̗̾l̶̛͙a̸̎ͅn̷̫̓e̸͇͠t̶̩̓ ̶͘͜t̴̞̒h̸̝̑a̸̜̾n̶̩̆ ̴̨̉ẖ̶̽e̸̮̓ ̴̡̓ď̸̯ō̶̼e̸̝͋s̴͓͗ ̸̻̐f̷̠͝ṙ̶̡ọ̷̄m̷͎͠ ̵͓̕ẗ̶͉́ï̴̙m̴͕̄e̴̦͝ ̸̮̀t̶̫̕o̴̼̔ ̵̬̚t̶͍̆ĭ̵̫m̸̝̊ĕ̸͇.̶͉̄ ̶͖̅T̷̳̂ȟ̶͎i̶̯͆s̴̺͆ ̴̳̏i̴̙͋s̸̫͊ ̵̲̋u̵͉̓n̷̼̏a̶͔͐c̴͇͐c̶̰͂e̷̬̓p̶͈̔ẗ̷̖́a̶͉͘b̷͍͘l̶̟̚e̶̳͝,̵̤͒ ̴̣̆Ä̶͈́b̸̩̏r̷̳͂a̸͎̐h̴̪̅a̷͇̒m̸̹̈́,̶̹̔ ̷̭̌a̶̳͒n̴͝ͅd̵̫͌ ̶̮͗y̷̛͔ơ̸͎u̴̥̒ ̵̪̓k̴̪̓n̵̢͝o̴͚̍w̸̥͐ ̷̗͊ỉ̷̹t̴̞̚.̵̱̆"̴͔͑
Not wanting to give up completely, he said, "Y-Y-You can't blame me for any of that. Our forces c-can't respond to every-" Another lost millimeter of skin silenced him. "̵̱̌D̴̪̄o̸̢̚ṅ̷̢'̶̲͛t̶̼̽ ̶̠̕g̴̦͊ì̸͓v̸̛̭e̷̳͆ ̸̱̐ṃ̸̆ė̵̖ ̷̮̍a̸̯͐n̷̤̎y̷̼̑ ̷̞̈́o̶̰̔f̶̤͑ ̶̨͗t̵͇͋h̵̝̉a̸͓̾t̵̡̽ ̴̜͒c̵̺̔ṙ̶̡a̵̮͠p̴̗̾,̶̢̽ ̷̌ͅà̸̧n̷͎͌d̶̳̆ ̴̙̿d̵͍͊o̸̯͝n̴͙̕'̸̗̒t̷͉͋ ̴͚̕y̸̛͈ọ̵͊ú̶͈ ̴͖̍Ḏ̴̆À̴̱R̵͚͌Ë̵̮ ̸̦̈́ŭ̸̧s̸̳͂e̸̖̕ ̷̐ͅt̵̬͂h̷͎̓é̵̢ ̴̥̔P̶̳̚h̵̼̃a̸̯̚n̴̹̿ť̶̪o̵̺̒m̶̭̊ ̷̬͝Ṛ̷́ủ̶̩b̸̠͐y̴̹͋ ̵͖͛W̷̘͠ā̷ͅr̷͉̀ ̵̹͘a̸̼̐s̴͓̈ ̶̮͑a̷̝͗n̴͖̎ ̸̦̈́é̵̺x̵̝͝c̸͎̿u̶̘̽s̷̠̓é̵͈.̴̞̇ ̷̢͘Y̵̢̾ō̴͕u̴̗͗'̷͔̽r̶̬̋e̴̫̿ ̷̺͗t̶̨̀h̴͈͑ẽ̴̻ ̴̝͆G̵͚̍ǔ̴̖ạ̶̒r̸̪̿d̷̘̅i̵̠͠a̶̗͊n̸͔̊ ̸̱̔Ù̶̗n̶̳̋ì̷͍t̸̨͆ş̵̆ ̸̯͆o̴͚̾f̶̟͑ ̸̟̽t̵̗̐h̵̫̽e̴̼͒ ̸̺̐N̶͜͝à̷̢t̸̩͘i̸̹̓o̵̮͌n̴̝̉.̸̫̈ ̴͍̆Ẏ̶̰o̶͖̓u̷̦͊ ̶̫̈p̷͔̓r̸̳͠o̵̡͆t̴͍͊e̶̘͑c̷̙͆t̸̗͆ ̵͈̃t̷̡̅h̷͕͛ę̶͋ ̶̼̚U̷̯͝n̶͖̊ȋ̴̤ţ̷́e̸͕̓d̴̹̆ ̵͇̒F̸̲̅ȅ̵̡d̷͍̔e̴̠͘r̶͓̒a̵̠͌t̶̻̾ḭ̷͛o̵̡̎n̸̊͜ ̸͈͝ä̷̡́ň̸͜d̸͇͒ ̷̭̓í̵̬ṭ̶̾s̴̗̓ ̶̬͌a̷͔̓l̶̦̍l̴̉ͅi̵̟̽e̵̬̒s̷͖̈́ ̷̬̎f̵̟͌r̶̳͗ọ̸͑m̷̥͘ ̶̢̓t̵̤̕h̶̦͠r̸̻̒ě̸̲a̵̭̒t̸̫̑s̷̺̋.̷̪̾ ̸͓̍T̸͕͛h̸̰̆ḛ̵̇ ̶̜͝m̷̡͗i̵͖̓l̸̘̊i̶͎̐t̵͍̔a̷̝͒r̸̘͊y̷̩͂ ̸̐ͅI̸̧̓ ̶̧̅l̸̦̾e̴̱̒f̷̣̈́t̷̗̋ ̵̥̾d̸̜̐ï̸̹d̷͎̂ ̵̲̈j̵͎͐ŭ̸̥s̴̢̀t̷͍͘ ̵͙̐t̶̻͠h̷̪̎a̶̘̿t̵͔͝,̸̝͆ ̶̜͐b̸̲͗ù̴̡ẗ̷̘́ ̶̙̋w̶̮̉i̵͓̇t̶͕͑h̴̙̔ ̸̱̀h̸̘͐ó̴͕n̷͍̽ô̸̞r̴̳̈́,̷̹̐ ̷̮͐d̵͈́i̶͉̊g̶̛͜ṅ̴̝i̵̺͠t̷̫̄ÿ̶͚ ̷̜̈́a̸̝͐n̸̖͗d̶͖͊ ̵̩̒ċ̷̙l̸͙͛a̴̖͗s̵͖͊s̶̨͆.̵͈̈ ̷̣͘T̷̨̿ḩ̷̾ȇ̸͎ẙ̸̫ ̸̳͒d̸͇̑i̷̖͊d̸̪̎ ̶̮̇n̶̥̚o̷̟͠t̸͇͌ ̵̨͠r̶͔͑e̵̺͒s̶̻̒o̵̘̿r̸͙̆t̴̨̏ ̸̤̌t̶͕̕ȏ̸̜ ̴̼̈́c̴̺̏o̸̧̽l̶̨͆ḽ̶̈́a̴͇͋t̶̢͘ë̸̠́ŗ̸͊ä̷͕l̶̫̂ ̸͎̄d̷̻͌ạ̷͆m̸̙͆ā̴̳g̸̹͑e̸̜͘,̴̗̈ ̸̗̚c̶͖͗o̸̭̊v̴͉͛é̶̫r̷̜̕ ̷̜̄ṷ̷̋p̴̭͊š̵͉ ̷̦̀ȯ̷͜r̵̮͝ ̶̮̍c̶͇̊r̴̦̓ũ̸̧d̸̞̑e̷̫͝ ̸͙́m̷̦̐a̸̝̐c̶̨͆h̴̭̋ī̶͍n̷̺̑e̷͊ͅs̷̠̈.̵̘̔"̶̠̚ Still feeling indignant, he spat, "Big words coming from a ghost in early retirement. Did you get bored sitting on your ass?"
The moment he finished that statement, an audible snap was heard as the Commander's arms and legs suddenly twisted and broke. As he screamed in pain and agony, his larynx was then crushed, reducing his screams to nothing. After that, his mouth simply disappeared as his head was forcibly twisted to the left, and he saw a pair of large, demonic, and livid looking eyes with black sclera.
"̸͐͜S̴͙̓ẗ̸̺́i̸̙̋l̸͙͛l̶̨͛ ̸̞̿f̷̕͜e̴̯͒e̸͖̊ļ̷̏i̶̙̔ń̷͜g̷̖̈ ̷̗͑î̵̗ǧ̸̣n̶̟̿o̸͚̿r̸̯̉a̵͖͊ń̴̳ẗ̸͔ ̴̯̄o̶̧̎f̷̯̍ ̵̥̀y̷̤͋o̶̥̚ǘ̴̠r̶̞̊ ̵̗͑ṗ̶̖l̷͚̽ǎ̶̳c̴͖̿ę̴́?̴͉͆ ̶͇̃Ǹ̶̼o̵̟̒?̶͕̐ ̴̤͐G̷̛͓o̴̙͐ö̵̖́d̵̗̊,̷͓̌ ̵͉̊b̶͖̓e̸̓ͅč̴͜ā̵͈ȗ̵̫ş̵͝e̴͇̊ ̷̘̐I̶̻̚'̶̮̄d̴̖̒ ̷̗͗r̸̺͝a̶͍͠t̸̬̓ḩ̸͌ě̷͜r̷̳͒ ̴̮̍n̷̰̆ô̵̖t̶͗ͅ ̴̬̏r̶̪͠ě̷̹p̸͉͛l̷̩̒a̴̖͘c̴̘̊e̴͚͝ ̵̢͑y̴̛̥o̸̭͗ű̶͜ŕ̷̨ ̶̮͂b̶͚̓l̷̩̉o̶̡͗o̷̡͂d̶͈̀ ̶̢̋w̶͉̃i̷͔̊t̸͖̓h̷́ͅ ̴̼̈́m̸̮̀o̵͇̍ṫ̶̻ö̷̘r̷͓̕ ̵̳̋o̵̍ͅī̸̯ľ̸͖.̷͙̓ ̵̞͑N̸̻̈ȍ̴̦ẃ̴͙,̸̯̔ ̶̮͠I̶̘͑ ̸͖̉a̸̙̍ḿ̴̡ ̷̨̑v̵̙͘ĩ̷̯s̵͓̔i̶͈̍t̸̬͂i̷͛͜n̵̙͝ĝ̵̘ ̵̤͛y̴̛̘ơ̸̘ǘ̸̡ ̶͎̈́b̵͈̀e̵̙̊ç̵̒ă̵͈ụ̸̔ś̵ͅe̸̳͑ ̶̮̀Ì̸̗ ̷̳̈́a̷̲͒m̸̙͠ ̴̲͛g̷̜̽r̷̭͐o̶̠͠w̶̱̉i̷̢̽n̴̺͛g̵̱̓ ̵̡̈t̷̨̎í̷͖r̸̮̈e̵͓͆d̷̙̉ ̴̇ͅo̵̭̎f̷̞̍ ̶̛͔ṫ̶̹h̴͎͘e̸̮͗ ̶̜̆i̶͈̕n̸͔͗c̷̡̈o̸̲̕m̴͇̓p̴̟̀e̷̗̍ẗ̷͍́e̴̪̓ṇ̸͑c̴̯̎e̷̮͋ ̷͚̍o̴̘͊f̸̰̀ ̷͓̂y̸̧̾o̵̜̅ư̴̘r̶͛͜ ̷̱͌l̴͙̍ḛ̵̕ạ̴͛d̵̫̅e̶̩͒ŗ̸̛s̸̭͆h̸͎͛ï̴̩p̶͔̈́.̸̂͜ ̶̖̂Ṡ̶͔o̷̝̐ ̵͈̌f̶̯̈́a̸̼͘r̷̮̿,̶̭̈ ̸̫͒I̸̤͐ ̴̙̍ḫ̸́ǎ̶̤v̵̛͎é̵̠ ̷͈̾f̷̝̀o̸͇̓r̴̹̈c̵͇͗é̵̩d̴͍̾ ̴̳͊m̶͍̋y̶̠̾s̸̄ͅè̶̼l̵̨̓f̴͚͛ ̴͙͘ẗ̵͔́ő̷̡ ̵̮͂š̵̹ť̷̪a̶̗͌n̵̪̑d̸͒͜ ̸͉̀o̵̥̚n̸̝͛ ̴̥́t̵̤̐h̴̲̕e̴̫̐ ̷̉ͅs̷̡̔i̶̗̇d̷̬͝e̸̥͋l̵̹͝ĭ̸̗ṅ̷̢e̷̢͊s̴̖̀,̴͓͠ ̴̛̼n̴͖̄ȯ̸̤t̷͝ͅ ̸̫͗u̵̼̒s̸͎̏i̷̬̇n̵͔͘g̸̱̏ ̵̹̀ô̴̝ń̸̢e̷͈͘ ̷̱̚ö̴͕́u̸̙̽n̶̡̏c̵͚̈è̴̼ ̴̰͊o̵̜͠f̸̼͌ ̷̱̑m̶̖̿y̵̫͝ ̴̣̂p̵͈̃o̸̭̿w̵̺̽e̵͈͑r̴͉͂s̸̝̓ ̸͈̂f̵̬̃o̶̖̽ṛ̷̈́ ̸̫̎a̷̰̒n̵̩͑y̵̭̓t̶̗͝ḩ̴̏i̵̠͑n̴͙̿g̴͓̋ ̸̗̎b̴̝̃e̸̩̾c̷̪̈a̶̟̅u̸̬̓s̶̡̓e̸̻͋ ̴̬͌I̵̪̓ ̵͕͌s̵̻̓w̷͎͘ȍ̵͜r̷̪͑ĕ̵̺ ̸̥̀I̶̝͆ ̶͎̇ẅ̴̺́o̶͙͂u̵̦̎ḻ̸̏d̶͖̀ ̷͑͜n̴̙̈́ö̶͚́t̷̩͐ ̸͍̏i̸̩͝ň̵͓ṱ̴͘é̵̜r̵̦̃f̸̣͊ẽ̶͔r̴̻̈́e̶̙̐ ̶̣̓i̵̞̔n̴̟͒ ̸̭̿ţ̶̈́h̷̭̒e̵̱͑ ̴̥̈w̷̧̋o̷͉̾r̷̹̄l̶̤̒d̸̄ͅ'̶̮̃s̶͍̓ ̶̡͑ą̷̇f̶̹̎f̵̪̕a̷̧͛ĩ̴ͅr̷̼̈́ş̶̍ ̸̦̽a̸̪̅n̸͍͆y̸͎͌m̷͍̃ö̸͙́r̵̟̕ȩ̵͛.̸̘̇ ̵͕͂I̷̺͆ ̸̭́c̷̹̾o̴̭̓ư̶̥l̶̪͌d̵̪̐ ̴͎̐ȟ̶͎a̶͈͂v̷̺̄ë̸̺́ ̴͘͜s̶̖̋t̶̖́ȯ̶̘p̷͍̋p̵̥̋e̵̡͗d̵̢̏ ̸̤̔E̶͔͌g̴̞̽g̷͕̊m̸̟͐ạ̵͗n̵̬̅,̸̖̄ ̷̯͆C̸̟̀h̵͚̉â̸̡o̸͓͊s̷̘͑,̶͕͗ ̵̧̉S̸̟̔ḧ̸̺a̷͈͋d̵̹̚ô̴̱w̵̛̠,̷̲͝ ̴̭̌t̶̺̂h̷̙̿ë̴͇́ ̵̮͆B̴̠̀l̶̠̿ä̷̤́c̸̮͘k̸͙̏ ̸͎̀A̶̛̯r̷̢͛ṁ̵̝ṡ̴̖ ̷̞͑å̴̟ṅ̷ͅd̵̻̄ ̴̜͑m̸̳̋a̴̢̚n̶̬͐ȳ̴̪,̶̲̄ ̶͓̑M̷̬̅A̴̩͊N̶͍̐Y̶̹͠ ̵͈͌o̸͚͊t̷̤̉ḧ̶͎e̶͖̅r̸̺̊ ̴͎̂c̶̪̏r̸͍͌į̸̄s̵̗̑ḛ̴̑s̷̫̈ ̸̗͛m̴̺͂ý̶̜s̶̜̈́ẻ̸̢l̴̟̂f̷̫̉ ̸̜̍i̸̙͛f̷̯̒ ̵̧̕Ḭ̵̓ ̴͈̀w̷̬͆a̷̡̕n̴͂ͅt̵̤̚ę̵͛ḑ̶͝ ̵͔̕t̸͓̕ŏ̶̻,̴̡̕ ̸̗͝b̷̝̍u̵̻̿t̴̨̕ ̴̖͛f̷̧̀o̵̰͐r̷͖̆ ̶̅͜t̵͕̓ḫ̷͊ě̷̩ ̴̘̃s̶̢͝ă̶̭k̴̳̄ë̷͓́ ̷̢̃o̷̹͒f̸͚͝ ̷͕̕m̵̠̀y̶̱̅ ̴̻̍f̶̠͊a̵̙̚m̶̯̀i̶̖̕ḽ̷͐y̶͔͋,̷̯̆ ̴̣͒I̸̲̕ ̶̩̾r̷͇̅e̷͓͌m̷̤͠a̶̡͐î̸̭n̷̤͝ẹ̴͑ḓ̵̉ ̷͍͒t̴̥̂r̴̨͌ų̵̎e̶̤͘ ̸͓́t̴͉͑o̷̬̿ ̶͉̈m̵̙̈y̸̦͒ ̷̲͝w̴̰͝ò̷̪r̷͍̋d̷̬͝,̸̗̑ ̷̖̃n̶̤͋ó̶̠ ̵̜͛m̶̙̓a̵̤͒t̸̬̕ẗ̸̥́è̴̪r̵̭͌ ̸̮̈́ḩ̶̄o̷̱͆ẃ̸̞ ̴̻̑ã̷̻g̸̨̈́o̶̤̕ǹ̸̗î̵͇z̴̯̒i̵̢̓n̷̰̔g̵̱̉l̷̺̐y̶͚͐ ̵͉̏d̶̘̉i̴̪̽f̵͕̈́f̷̤́i̸̻̓ċ̴̟ů̶̯l̷̢̀ẗ̷̻ ̸͌ͅi̴͇̔t̸̜͐ ̴̜͌w̷͖̓ą̴̒s̸͎̾.̶͛ͅ
̷̺̀"̴̘͑Ỳ̷̭o̶̼͐ȕ̵̹ ̵̙͝ẖ̶̈́à̷̙v̴̧̋e̵̻̿ ̸̓ͅn̵̫͊o̷̠͝ ̴̠̈́į̶́d̵͍̀e̷̳̾a̷̭͂ ̶̰̀h̷̜́ȯ̴̯ẘ̵͈ ̵̧͊m̸̠͝ụ̴͐c̴̹͝h̴̠͂ ̵̝̐I̶̩̎ ̶̹̌ä̸͈́m̷͓̏ ̷͖͝ḛ̷́ń̸̪j̵̺̎o̶͓̊y̵͈̍ï̵ͅǹ̵͙g̴̣̐ ̵̮̕u̷̲͑s̵̥̏î̶̠n̷̼͑g̷͙̿ ̵͍̀m̵̡̿ý̸̹ ̴͍͒p̷͍͆ö̶̦́w̷̱͛e̴̩̍r̷̛͙s̸͍͐ ̸̫̉a̶͚̍g̴̘̚ä̴́ͅi̶̳͋n̵͇̎,̷͍̓ ̵̠̏h̴̪͒o̸̦͘w̴̙̿ ̵̱̀m̶̪̀u̵̻͝č̶͉h̸̖̔ ̷̆ͅp̷̜̃l̸͙͊e̵͓̒ä̵̜s̸̼͑u̶͔̚r̵͚̈́e̶̺̅ ̶̹̃I̶̢͝ ̶̫́å̵̺m̶͍͂ ̶̝̒e̴̩͗x̴͇̚ṕ̸͎e̴̖͂r̶̬͌i̸̹̽é̷̤n̸̹͛c̷̩͌i̴͖͠ṉ̶̑g̵͈͑ ̵͙̐r̵̙̒î̷͕ḡ̷̖h̵̡̎t̸̖̐ ̵͓́n̴̫̎ô̴̼ẁ̸̨.̷̩̑ ̵̼̾B̸̲͑à̵͚ç̴̋k̵̺͑ ̸͂ͅț̸̒h̷̳͝e̷̟̍ň̸̬,̵̬̽ ̴̙̓į̷̾t̸̹̒ ̶̪̀w̷͙̌a̶̺͑ś̵͙ ̴͉̓l̷̯͌ï̷͉k̶͕͐e̸̯͝ ̵͇͆t̸͇̂ȟ̵͜ì̶̞s̵̛̱ ̷́ͅa̸̙̿l̴̢̾l̸͉͝ ̵̫̄t̴͓̒h̷̡̄e̵̟̽ ̷̗̇t̶̲̂ȋ̵̘m̸̛̭ȇ̸̩,̴̛̫ ̴̡̚ỹ̴̻o̷̮̓ṳ̵͗ ̸̼̂k̶̠̐ṇ̴̀ŏ̵̡ẁ̷̪?̵̨̔"̶̛͎ The Baroness seemed to grin at the twisted memories that were no doubt playing in her head. Visions of destruction, torture, and outright insanity flashed in her mind. "̸̟̈́A̷̘̿s̷̹̉ ̶͔͛I̴̛̭ ̸̔ͅů̷͔s̵̛͈ȩ̸̈ ̷̘̓t̷̞͛h̸͈͗é̵̢m̷͙̿,̶̬͐ ̴̻́t̶̲́h̶̖͒o̸̭̍u̷̥͆g̶͎͋h̵̫͝,̴͍̒ ̴̨̈́I̵̱̔ ̵͖́a̷͉͗l̶̬̏w̴̜̑a̶̼͑y̶̼̅ŝ̴̮ ̸̜͂f̶̮̿ë̵̘ẽ̸̻l̴̤̇ ̴̦͠m̷̪̎y̷͍͝ ̸͖͌s̶̯͘a̶̜̐n̴̥͆i̴̕͜t̴̮͌y̴̰͠ ̸͈͑s̶͚͋l̸̩̓ì̸͉p̵͎̐p̴̞͐i̵̩̕n̸̟͗ģ̵̈́,̴̟̇ ̶͈̚l̵̢͐i̴̱͐ṭ̵̓t̷̫̒l̵͓̑e̴̖͑ ̶̧͑b̴̲̈́y̴̚ͅ ̶͈͌l̶̦̃i̶̯͗t̸̯͋t̴̘͝l̸̘̔é̶̞.̴̻̾ ̵̛͕F̵͔̐o̸̼̒r̵͇͝ ̷͇͠ḿ̶̱y̴͕̎ ̷̲̚ĺ̸̻ỏ̸̪v̴͕̆e̸̼͝ḋ̸͜ ̵̨́o̴̧̾n̴̩͒è̷͇s̵̙̏,̴̝͂ ̴̨̑Ḭ̵̄ ̴̭̄h̵̞͛a̸̳͋v̷̞̎ë̷̯́ ̷͔͠g̴̮̑o̴̝͑n̶͕͝ȅ̸͚ ̴̞̈ǒ̸̠ǔ̵̬t̸̡̐ ̷̮͠o̸͚͝f̸̙̓ ̷̰̏ṃ̷͊y̶͎̌ ̷͔̈́w̴̬̕ȁ̸͍y̴͙͘ ̸̫͋t̸̢̋o̷̲͋ ̷̻̚a̴͚͆v̸̮͝o̴͇̾i̷͝ͅd̶̼͊ ̶͚́l̶̺̇o̴̧͂s̸̭̈i̷̤͐n̶̰̒g̶̫͊ ̷̩͐m̷̧͠y̸̬̾s̷͍̈e̶͈͆l̶͖͘f̴̡̏.̶͓̊ ̴̱̇Ì̴̼ ̸̻̾d̶̨̀o̷̻͑ ̸̜̓n̵̬͘o̷̮̐ț̶̀ ̶̢̐ḇ̸͌l̶̦̉ä̶̡́m̸͊ͅe̷̖͝ ̴͙̒y̴̢̆o̷͜͝ù̷͖ ̸̧̚f̸̲͠o̷͓̍ṛ̴̓ ̷̲́t̶̝͒h̶̞̚e̴̬͝ ̶̞̿l̵̰̒å̸̙s̷̯̉t̴͇͆ ̸́͜w̵̦̒a̵̬̅r̶̡͌,̶̡̓ ̸̱̾b̶̘́u̵̗̿t̵̪̿ ̴̪͑m̸̤̆ẏ̶̞ ̶͖̈́p̶̞̆a̸̱͗t̸̻̓ĭ̵̞e̴̲̍n̷͈̂c̵̱̈́ē̵̤ ̷͇͛i̵͕͠s̸̗͗ ̵͔͝ẉ̴̽e̶̝͆á̵̮r̴̤̿i̸̧͗n̶̥̒g̴̠͠ ̸͔̒t̷̪͘h̶̯̚i̴͈̊ṋ̷͑.̷̞̓ ̸̭̈́I̵̠̋f̸̲̀ ̸̳̏y̸̿͜ỏ̸̠u̷̡̕ ̵̞͆a̴̛̼n̸̳̂ḏ̴̔ ̶͔͋y̵̗͐ö̵͓́ǘ̴̢r̷̦͑ ̶͍̂m̶̩̎e̷̞̍n̴̪̾ ̴̠̑d̵̖̈́o̸͈͋ ̸̢̃ṉ̴̀ȏ̷̼t̵̨̚ ̶̣̈́g̵̕ͅė̸̦t̸͓̉ ̶̹̑y̵̤͂o̴͉͒ů̸̗r̷̨̔ ̸̖̈å̴͉c̷̠͆t̶̬͋ ̵̣͒t̵̠̃ò̶ͅǵ̸͇e̴̯͗t̴̼̕h̸͛͜e̷̥͠r̴̟̂,̷͛͜ ̴̲̃i̶̙͝f̷̜̎ ̴̖͗I̶̠͐ ̴̟̿ȃ̴̙m̸̱̊ ̴̥̒f̸̤͑o̶̦͌r̴̞̀c̷̓͜e̷͚͐ḑ̴͝ ̷̫̉ṫ̴̠o̵̳͋ ̶͇̃e̷̟̿ǹ̷̪d̸̦̿ ̶̤͗m̵͔̕y̶̱͊ ̵̠̐ŕ̶̞ẽ̸̤ṭ̸͐i̸͖͘ṟ̷͊ë̸̼́m̷̟̚e̴̱͠n̵̻̍t̵̲̆ ̸̦̈ȁ̷̡n̶̓͜ḓ̵́ ̶̦̐c̵͍̊l̷̻̑e̸͉͂a̵̞͝ń̸̗ ̴̯͆ṵ̷̽p̵͎̽ ̸̯̆y̷̳̔o̸̞͌ů̶̙r̴͚̕ ̸̯͠m̵̧̄ę̴͒s̴̭̒s̷̢̿,̸͖͛ ̸̺̏C̸̙̽o̴͓͌ṃ̶́m̸̘̅a̷̰͒n̵̝͘d̸̡̿e̷͜͝r̶̘͠ ̸͖̀Ţ̵̈́õ̵̢w̵͠ͅẻ̷͔r̵̼͒,̷̯͗ ̷̱́t̴͕̾h̶̫̕ḙ̵̐n̸̞͠ ̵̖͒t̸̄͜h̷́ͅȇ̷̠r̶̬̿e̸̿ͅ ̵̲͆w̵͚͂ỉ̷̠ļ̶̈́l̸̠͝ ̸̘̚b̵̡͛e̶̘͑ ̵̩̆p̶̣̿a̸̯̋i̸̭̒n̸͔͒,̷̝̔ ̷͖̈́c̶̺͊ȁ̵̳l̸͖̾a̴̝͛m̷̙͊ĩ̵͜t̷̺͛ý̶̥ ̷̠́a̷͉͊n̵͙̊d̶̮́ ̴̤͑t̷̺̅r̵̪͝ú̵͚e̵̞̽ ̵͙̉c̷̬̑h̴̳͋ä̴͜õ̶͕s̷̬͂,̶̬̌ ̷̭̄t̸̨͝h̴̹͐e̵̡̾ ̷̙͌l̶̢̐í̸̱k̴̙͗ę̷̌s̷͇̔ ̷̝͐o̴̤͝f̷̻̀ ̴͇́w̵̳̓h̴̢̐ȉ̵͔c̷̼͌h̵̰̄ ̴͖͌ḧ̴̼a̶͙̓v̶͕̓e̶̒͜ ̵̝͐n̷̮̄e̴͖̅v̶͕͑e̵̺̓r̸̢̔ ̸͔͆b̸̟̊e̵̩͝e̶͕͐n̶̞̈́ ̷̱̌ẅ̴͉́ị̸̃t̸̜̔n̶̼̈e̵̘̋s̶̼̀s̶̰̆e̷͚̍d̷̨́.̷͕̕ ̶̫͐Â̴̙n̸̳̽d̶̖̋ ̷̭̊m̵̭͌å̷ͅy̸̨̑ ̴͚̍G̵̫̚o̸͈͌d̶͙̽ ̸̤̐h̸͎̑a̴͒͜v̴̗̈́e̸̮̔ ̵̯̈́m̸̼̌e̶̳͌r̸̫͝c̸͇͌ÿ̷̟́ ̸̳̎õ̴̤n̴͙͠ ̵̩͝t̴̬̍h̴̟̆i̷͎͝s̵̡̔ ̴̺́p̴͗ͅl̶̗̇a̴̳̚n̶̩̐ȩ̶̂t̸̺̎,̵͕̉ ̵͇̇f̷̢̑o̴͍̐r̸͓͌ ̴͇͗t̶͘ͅh̸̠͘è̴͔r̶͓͌è̶͓ ̶̗̆w̵̧͗i̵̧͌l̴̰̃l̵̂͜ ̵̮̈́b̷͎̌e̷̹̋ ̶̰̈n̷̥͊o̵̯͝n̵̤̂e̷̩͂ ̸̺́f̴̨͠r̴̝̓ò̷̱m̶͖̈́ ̷͓̑M̴̥̓E̵̗̊.̸̯́"̶̣̋
With that, everything was suddenly back to normal. The power was on, the phone was operational and, even more shocking, the injuries inflicted upon the Commander were non-existent. Heck, even the old war wound in his leg was gone. Plus, the Baroness was nowhere to be seen. Upon realizing this, the gravity of everything that had just happened hit him all at once, and he fainted from the shock.
The G.U.N. Commander willed his right hand to stop shaking and replied, "I'm afraid I don't, madam. Since you know me, you must also know that I'm a busy man, so I suggest you hang up and go try your luck with someone else." The woman continued, "̷Y̴o̸u̷r̶ ̸s̶t̴a̶l̷l̵i̶n̶g̸ ̶w̶i̴l̷l̵ ̴d̴o̷ ̵y̴o̶u̶ ̶n̴o̵ ̶g̶o̷o̵d̴,̶ ̷A̷b̸r̸a̸h̸a̷m̴.̶ ̵Y̷o̷u̶ ̶k̷n̸o̷w̷ ̸t̵h̶a̴t̴.̶ ̷R̸i̸g̵h̸t̶ ̷n̶o̵w̶,̶ ̶y̴o̶u̷r̷ ̷r̴i̵g̵h̸t̴ ̷h̴a̶n̵d̷ ̴i̷s̸ ̸s̵h̶a̷k̵i̵n̸g̵ ̵u̵n̸c̴o̶n̴t̷r̵o̴l̴l̴a̵b̷l̸y̴,̵ ̵e̸v̴e̷n̶ ̴t̴h̵o̵u̸g̶h̴ ̶y̸o̶u̴ ̸d̷i̶d̷ ̴y̸o̶u̸r̴ ̷b̵e̶s̵t̵ ̶t̵o̷ ̷m̵a̵k̸e̵ ̵i̸t̴ ̷s̵t̶o̸p̸ ̵a̵ ̶f̶e̵w̴ ̶m̵o̴m̶e̴n̸t̸s̵ ̴a̵g̴o̵.̶"̵ He refused to look at his hand. "̸A̴l̵s̷o̴,̴ ̸y̵o̵u̶r̸ ̶v̷i̵s̵i̴o̶n̸ ̸i̵s̵ ̵b̴e̴g̸i̶n̴n̶i̵n̵g̴ ̴t̷o̴ ̶b̵l̴u̷r̵ ̸s̴l̸i̷g̸h̴t̷l̴y̴ ̴i̸n̸ ̷r̸e̵s̶p̵o̵n̴s̸e̸ ̸t̸o̴ ̶y̵o̵u̴r̷ ̵f̵e̸a̷r̷.̶ ̴I̸n̶ ̸a̵d̵d̷i̵t̶i̷o̴n̷,̸ ̶t̶h̶e̷ ̷w̵o̴u̵n̷d̴ ̸y̴o̶u̸ ̵s̷u̶f̵f̷e̴r̶e̶d̵ ̸i̸n̶ ̵t̸h̴e̵ ̴w̸a̸r̴ ̴i̵s̴ ̷a̴c̷t̵i̸n̸g̸ ̶u̴p̸.̸ ̶D̶o̷ ̴I̵ ̵n̴e̴e̸d̵ ̶t̵o̸ ̴g̵o̶ ̴o̵n̸?̷"̵
Tower growled and barked, "Enough!" Regaining control of his faculties with his outburst, he said, "Very well, madam, let's say that, for the sake of argument, that I do know who you are. You are a supposed to be a myth, a ghost story told by our drill sergeants to keep our rookies in line. That was the agreement for your retirement, right? In that respect, you are not supposed to have this number, as it is randomly changed every quarter."
The woman scoffed. "̶Y̶o̶u̶ ̵u̸n̸d̴e̶r̵e̶s̵t̵i̵m̴a̴t̶e̵ ̸m̶e̴,̶ ̴A̵b̴r̶a̸h̷a̵m̸.̶ ̶S̵o̴m̵e̸t̷h̸i̸n̶g̷ ̸l̶i̵k̴e̸ ̶t̷h̶a̴t̴ ̷i̶s̵ ̵n̶o̴t̸h̸i̸n̸g̴ ̴f̴o̶r̵ ̶m̸e̴.̷ ̴I̶f̵ ̷I̸ ̸w̸a̷n̷t̷e̸d̶,̶ ̸I̶ ̶c̷o̵u̴l̸d̶ ̴j̴u̵s̸t̷ ̴a̷s̶ ̷e̸a̶s̵i̴l̶y̴ ̴i̶n̷f̵e̵c̸t̶ ̶c̵y̵b̷e̶r̴s̵p̴a̷c̶e̴,̶ ̴o̵r̸ ̵w̵i̶p̶e̷ ̵o̸u̸t̸ ̴t̴h̶e̴ ̸s̶t̵o̴c̷k̴ ̷e̸x̸c̸h̶a̷n̵g̴e̴,̸ ̷o̸r̵ ̶p̶e̷r̵h̶a̷p̵s̴,̷ ̵k̶i̸l̸l̸ ̴a̸l̴l̷ ̶t̷h̶e̴ ̷t̵r̸o̷o̶p̵s̴ ̸y̸o̷u̴ ̶a̴r̶e̸ ̸s̵e̶n̷d̸i̸n̷g̷ ̶a̸f̸t̸e̵r̷ ̶D̶r̴.̶ ̵E̴g̶g̶m̶a̴n̴.̶"̴ Tower's breath hitched at that. "How do you-"
"̶͎̊H̶͈͗o̸̻̽w̷̝͒ ̴͉̅d̴̬̐o̸̖͗ ̵̹̾I̷̛̘ ̶̝̚k̵̅͜n̵̼̑ȯ̸̬w̸̱̾ ̶͎̌S̷̞̓ḣ̶̩a̸̬̍d̸͉̾o̷͈͝w̶̗̎ ̶̣̕ṯ̴̎h̴̙̐ȇ̵̢ ̷̘͑H̷̤͆e̷̬͊d̷̥̆ǵ̴̠e̸̤̽h̸̡̅ŏ̸̲g̷͍͘ ̶̛͎s̷̨͝e̸͕͠n̶̪̐t̴̛ͅ ̶̛̙y̴̢̓ő̴̳ù̶̮ ̸̛̬ä̵̰́ ̴̯̽w̵͙̓ã̶̧r̶̲̆n̵̳͐ȉ̴̙ṋ̴̿g̵̻͐ ̴̛ͅḁ̸̃b̸͓͝o̵̮̾u̶̝̓t̴͓̄ ̷͉̅D̸͚̊ř̷̤.̵͇͒ ̵̲̐Ë̸̪́g̵͇͊g̸̡̎m̸͉̊a̷̟̐ṋ̷͌'̷̨̓s̶̮̏ ̶̜͝p̴̣̓l̶̺̍a̷̪͋ṋ̷́s̷̞̔?̷̢̓ ̴̬͊O̸̩͒r̸̭̆ ̷̤̈a̵̺̕r̷͖̉e̴̥̐ ̷͍̏y̴̥̐o̶͕͌û̷͈ ̵̖͋p̵͚͛o̵̢͊s̷̠̎s̴͔̔i̴͓͌b̸̞̀l̷̞͂ỳ̸̻ ̴͍̌r̷͔̀e̵̻̓f̴̤̉ę̴̍r̷͓̀r̷̹̕i̵̮̓n̴͙̽ḡ̵͜ ̶͎͐t̶̫̋o̴͍̒ ̴͔̓h̶̥̃o̶̻͋w̴̋͜ ̵̧͘I̷̬͝ ̷͙̐k̶̮̍n̸͔̕ò̷̮w̶̦̿ ̷̡̀t̶̙̏h̶̦̀a̸̟͌t̵͖̀ ̷̀͜ť̶̺ḥ̵̈́e̶̡͒ ̴̦̊P̴̲͒r̸̬̕è̸͙s̸͉̚ḯ̵̮d̶̦̚ȩ̵̋n̵̨͘t̷̹̄ ̶̦̐ḧ̴́ͅi̶̮̽m̸̪͑ŝ̴͕ę̶͗l̸͙͠f̵͈̽ ̷̭̍ó̶̠ŗ̶̿d̵̹̃e̴̞̊r̶̯͛è̶̙d̶͙̚ ̴͓͐y̸̛̫o̵̜͑u̵̙͊ ̸̙̔t̸̢̍ö̴̡́ ̵̞͛i̵̫̔n̶̢͘v̴͕̕ȩ̵̉ş̶̀t̷̹̀i̶̪̓ḡ̸̠a̸͉̿ṱ̷̉e̴̟͠ ̴̫̇ẗ̶̝h̴̰̆ẻ̷̹ ̴̺̀Ỏ̷͇b̷̠̍ȏ̷̝r̸̤̿ȏ̶̦ ̷̧̛c̸͉̿l̶̤͂a̴̲̔n̶̫͗ ̷͇͒l̴͉͛ą̶͊s̷͍̏t̵̻͆ ̵̟͝w̸̱͆ë̴̡ė̶͜k̶͇͑ ̵͎͐f̵̠͂o̶̹̚r̵̛̦ ̸͔͑p̴͍̒o̷̧̒s̴͍̓s̶̫͠ĩ̸̥b̷̭̄l̶͓͠e̸̋͜ ̶̣͂ḛ̶̊ś̷͉p̸̲̾i̶̹̓ó̷͎ṇ̸͐ȁ̴̹g̴̢̐ȇ̵͉ ̵̥̓c̴̈́ͅo̸͎̽l̸͉͌l̴̞̂å̵̳b̶̗̌o̸̭͌r̵̔ͅa̵̫͋t̷̳̑ī̶͇o̶̡̐n̴̡̏,̶̩́ ̷̳͐b̷̖̈u̵̧͛t̷̥͑ ̶̼́y̵͉̽ȯ̶͍u̴̠̇ ̸̠̎ḣ̵͎a̵̬̎v̵̝̚e̴̤͐ǹ̸̠'̸̡̊ț̶͐ ̷̖͝d̶̩͑o̶̞͊n̵̞̅ḛ̸͗ ̵̔͜s̷͍͒o̶̰̅ ̷͚̒b̵̦͒é̵̯c̶̥̔à̵͈u̷̯̓s̸̠̒e̶̩̚ ̵̺͑t̵̪̄ḩ̶͝ẻ̶̳ỷ̶͇'̴̼̔r̵͇̔e̵͍̾,̶͒͜ ̴̗̈́q̸̣͝ŭ̴̺o̴͔̍t̵̠͂e̸̜͝,̵͕̽ ̷̘͝'̴̫̔N̷͖͑o̸̙͂t̴̡͘ ̷̡̑w̶̖͑o̶̪͠r̶̢͝t̵̨͌h̷̻͝ ̶̣̉a̵̝͂l̸͇̏l̷͎̓ ̸͙̓y̶͎̓ȏ̶͕ǘ̸̧r̴̩͆ ̴̖̚r̷̯̈́e̷͛͜s̶̡̕o̴̩͠u̸͗͜r̶̯͝c̷͓̏ẹ̴́s̴͖͝'̸̪̽?̵͎̾ ̴̪̊O̴̪͗r̵̙͝ ̴̥̂p̶̼̾ḛ̵̽r̶̜̓h̵̭̔a̸͚̿p̶͎͐s̴̭̓ ̷̝̍y̶̰̓ô̶̟u̵̘̿ ̴̻̋w̸͕̓ă̴̦n̸͕͊t̶̲͒ ̷̹̓t̷̫̍ǫ̸̈́ ̷̜́k̴̘̒n̷͉̓ö̴̡́w̵͕̔ ̴̨́h̵͉̒o̵̝͒w̷̧̕ ̸̺̂Ĩ̶͓ ̶̱́l̷̡͌e̸̲͝á̴͈r̷̖͆n̸̰̅e̷͇̐d̴̎͜ ̷͎̚t̶͙̿h̷̹́a̷̩̎t̸̡͐ ̷̼͝y̵͚͂o̸̘͆ü̵̥'̴̨̔v̵̔͜e̸͈͂ ̴̮̍b̶̮̿ȩ̴̋e̸̺̋ṋ̷͌ ̵͔̏s̶̬̐ȅ̸̯ć̷̲r̷͊͜ę̴͝t̸̪͆l̵̬̽y̶͈͝ ̴̢̍r̵̯̄é̷͕v̸̍ͅe̵̮͘r̷̟̓s̷̻̕ẹ̶͝ ̵̝̏e̶̦͗n̸͈͂g̴̼͒i̶̺̅n̷͎̆ĕ̵̦e̴̖̓ṛ̴͘i̶̦͑n̶͇͝g̸̝͐ ̴̲̔Ḙ̵̈́g̵̥̒g̶̠̓m̷̢̚a̷̺͑n̶̘͒'̵̦̋s̶̨̔ ̴͈̔t̵͓̀ě̸̖c̵̥̾ȟ̸̝n̵͇̊o̷̟̕l̶̰̑o̸͔͂g̷̘̽y̴̓ͅ ̸̭͝f̸̧̑ö̴̰r̷̪͘ ̶̘͂ŷ̷̘o̴͎͆ŭ̸͔r̵͚̿ ̷͕̒m̸̝͑ȋ̸̤l̶̟͘i̷̗͊t̸̛̞a̶̝̕r̸̥͊y̵͕͑ ̵͓̄ǔ̵͚ṣ̵̆ȩ̵͝,̸͈̋ ̸͉͋f̴̞̀r̶̰̅o̸̯̎m̷̫̈́ ̸̳͆b̸̻́ĺ̴̮u̷͉̐è̸͜p̶̞͘r̷̺̀i̵̩̋n̴̰̏t̴͓̀s̶͍͆ ̷̞̏t̴̫̎o̸͓͂ ̴̮̉e̶̩͠x̸̤̓p̴̧̽ȩ̸̏ȓ̴ͅi̷̹͒m̵̛̲ë̵̯ṇ̸͆t̸̲̓a̴̭͋l̴̺̂ ̷̞͝r̷͔̋o̸͚̓ḅ̷̎õ̸͉t̴͍̾ĭ̶̦ć̴͈i̸͋ͅz̷͙͋a̴̟͋ẗ̶̠i̷̯̅o̴͈͒n̶̬̎?̵̨̇"̴̘̆
Tower was shaking again and his breathing was starting to become labored. "Th-That is c-c-c-classified information, m-madam. What's to stop me from tracing this call and taking you down?" The other end of the line immediately screamed to life with the sounds of bone-chilling shrieks of agony. It went on for about a minute before going silent. Then, the woman returned. "̵͇͋Í̶͙ ̵͔̌w̸̙͐o̵̺͗u̷͓̿ĺ̴̝ḍ̴͋ ̶̦̋š̶̠a̷̙͊y̴͍̔ ̶̧̊t̵̜̄ḧ̷̗́ë̵̘́ ̸̲̕f̶͎̂a̸̭͌c̷̹͊ṭ̷̀ ̷͖͠t̵͊͜h̵̡͊á̶̖ẗ̸́͜ ̸̹͐y̴̪͋o̵̙̒u̸̖̅r̵̨̛ ̴̟͠ṫ̶͙e̸̳̒ǎ̴ͅm̸̻̆ ̸͚͂ò̵̥f̷̺͛ ̶̠͘ṡ̶̤ŭ̶ͅb̴͕̈́o̶͎̅r̵͎̕d̷̥̋i̶̼͊n̷̺̄a̸͓͛t̵̟̎e̵̙̓s̴͈̀ ̷͉̏ä̸͍́ŝ̶̲s̵̜͝ĭ̴̳ǵ̶͜n̴͍͘e̵̛̝d̸͖̃ ̷̗̅t̶̛͔ö̶̱́ ̴̻͗s̷͚͌u̵̘̕c̷̰͘h̵̪̾ ̶͕̐ȁ̴̘ ̶̤͋t̷͌͜á̵͇s̴͘͜k̷̯̂ ̴̟͊h̵̳͝ä̵̝s̶̖̒ ̴̩͛b̷̛̤e̶͕̔e̴͖̎n̸̫͘ ̷̜̅r̸̖̎ē̷̯n̵̠̋d̷̻̒ė̴̝r̴̖͌è̶̬ď̷̞ ̵͚͌u̷̝͒ñ̶̬â̵͓b̶̖́ḽ̵́ę̸̐ ̴͚͝ţ̸͒o̸̞̍ ̶͙̈d̵͎̅o̸̞͠ ̷̟̈́s̸̤̾ơ̵̝.̵̱͋"̴̡̀
He was beginning to panic now. If this woman was truly who she claimed to be, then he was not safe. None of them were. His right hand shot for the intercom, but at that moment, the power suddenly went out. Nothing was on. Not the phone, not the lights, not the intercom, nothing. Now sitting in pitch black darkness, Tower froze in terror and whispered to himself, "How in the hell…?"
"̶͎́Ỳ̷̻ò̷͙ụ̷̽ ̵͕̕k̸̯̓ǹ̸̲ȯ̴͜w̷̝̃ ̴͉̐ḧ̸̹́o̵͋͜w̷̼͌,̵̘̕ ̴͍͘C̷̡͌o̴̫̾m̴̭͋m̶̧̐a̵͙͛n̷̯͠d̷͗͜e̴͙͆r̴͎͑,̷̟̌"̴̬̏ said a now familiar voice from directly behind him. He quickly reached for the pistol in his drawer, but what felt like a knife to his throat stopped him cold. "̵̮̍Y̴͘ͅȯ̶̖ǔ̵͇ ̵̜̃a̶̝̕l̵͚͛ṡ̷̲o̸̯̎ ̵̫́ķ̶͒n̶̟̔ó̵̱w̷̟͐ ̵̞̚m̴̠̈́ē̷̡,̴͍̕ ̵̩̉d̶̢͝o̵͎͒n̴̗͗'̷̯̀ẗ̵̡́ ̸͓̑y̶̙̑o̴̹͛u̶̯͌?̷̺͠ ̵̡͛Ḇ̷̂ḙ̸͗ ̸͖̾h̶͎̿o̷͈̍ñ̶̗e̷̹͑s̸͜͠t̸̼͛,̶̼͝ ̵̞͌n̷̙͒ō̵̪w̸̭͂…̸̺̃"̷̦̈́ Tower swallowed hard and relented. He didn't want to give her this spiel, but he'd worked with her long enough to know he had no choice. "G.U.N.'s most efficient and d-d-dangerous operative. 700,000 m-missions executed f-f-flawlessly since your career debut at age 15. Capable o-of feats ranging from r-reality bending and flight to space-time manipulation and a-a-abnormal ph-physical strength. Highest… *gulp* Highest body count…in military history."
"̵̘̐Ṁ̴͎ṃ̸͗ḥ̷͗m̶̹̚…̷͉̂"̴̿ͅ the woman confirmed, pressing the blade harder. "̸͎́G̶̭̊ö̴̧́ ̴̻̍o̸̰͋n̴̺̕.̵͎͂"̶̛̮
"Your reputation for performing the impossible with n-nightmarish results earned you multiple monikers in the countries we sent you to. Pajitnov called you 'Ved'ma Krolik'. In Chun-Nan, you were 'Wupo Yah Toi'. Reimei, 'Majo Usagi', San Ronaldo, 'Conejo Demonio'. Here, you're known as…" He couldn't say it. If he did, he would be admitting his powerlessness, and he could not bear to do that. The couple of centimeters of skin on his neck that the woman's knife suddenly cut forced the issue. "The C-C-Ca-Calamity Baroness!" The woman chuckled softly in his ear, taking sadistic pleasure in watching the "Stone Heart" of G.U.N. crumble before her.
"̶̞̂T̸̲̑ḥ̸͂ḁ̴̓t̴̀ͅ'̴͕̍s̴͎̐ ̴̺̀r̷͖͛í̷̮g̸̕͜h̴̲̿t̷͇̍,̴̞̾ ̶̦̇Ą̵͋b̸̰͝r̶͉͒a̷̮͘h̸͕͗à̷̦m̵͕̓,̸̛̹"̷̡̅ she spoke, her sensually vicious voice seeming to crawl into his head and spread throughout his entire body, filling it with dread, "̶̝̂A̸̻͛n̴̞̔d̶̾͜ ̵̀͜I̴̥͊ ̵͙͐a̸͇͝m̶̖͌ ̵̖͐h̶͖͝è̵̞r̴̹͠e̵̜͠ ̷̪̾t̸̛ͅó̸͚ ̸͇̆i̶̭̅s̸͎͘s̵̘̋u̸̙͝e̵̺͋ ̴̻͝a̵͉̕ ̴̥̉w̸̰̚ạ̴̃r̴͎̋n̸̺̈́i̷͚̿n̷̯̅ģ̵͋ ̸̞͊o̶͇̚f̶̖̄ ̶̙̀m̸̩͛y̸̡̾ ̷̙̂o̶͍̚ẁ̶̫n̸̬̽.̴̜͝ ̴̙͂Y̶͉̓o̵̺̔u̵̮͒ ̶̛̞ȧ̴ͅn̶̩̊d̴̦̐ ̷͛͜y̴̱̽ō̵̠û̴͓r̴͔͐ ̷̥̇m̶̨̾e̷̛͖n̶̙̔ ̵͉̓h̵͍̎a̴̘͝v̵̙͌e̸̛̤ ̴̹̏d̵̹̋o̶̭͊n̷̠̍ę̸̆ ̷͓̈́a̸̯͋ ̶̠̾p̷̭̈ȉ̸̩ś̶̗s̴̯̒ ̴̤̔p̸̓ͅô̵̩ȯ̵͙ṛ̶͘ ̴͙͂j̶͎͑o̴͈̕b̶̧͑ ̷̡̊o̶̯͝f̵̛͍ ̵̬͠p̵̱͌r̵͂͜o̴̞͠t̴͕̿e̷͎̊ć̴̭t̴̬͒i̵̝͗n̴̩͘g̵͍̚ ̶̫̇t̸̙̂h̸̰̏e̸͍͑ ̷̺̉p̶̞̈́e̴̡͂a̵͕̒c̴̡̑e̶̡̋ ̴͕̄i̷̲͒n̷̛͇ ̶̲̓m̵͍̊y̵̬̓ ̸̙̆a̶͕͑b̵̻͆s̵̮̎e̴̱͒n̸͈̚c̶̬̉ē̴̟.̴̱̔ ̸͍͗Y̷̪̔ó̴͕ũ̵̫ ̴̱̊s̷̥͒p̵̠̈́e̶͖͌n̸̯̆ṯ̸́ ̶̗͊m̶͔̀ḯ̶̢l̴͔͠l̴̢͗i̴̻̎o̴̳̽n̵̓ͅs̷͖̽ ̸̼̽o̷̼͠f̵͎̾ ̴̪̉d̶̝̀ọ̸͒l̸͕͆l̶̡̃å̷͈r̶̻͂s̴̠̃ ̸̩̀a̷̪̾n̶̗͊ḏ̸̀ ̵̝̿d̸͚͂ẹ̸̏s̸̮͌ț̶̌r̷̙̾o̸̮̕y̴͇̓ẹ̶͒d̶̩̃ ̸̧̊ạ̷̀c̵̖̔r̷̯̄ḛ̸̈́s̶̠͘ ̷̮̎ü̴ͅp̸̺͐ǫ̵̎n̴̟̈́ ̴̩͝á̶̺c̶̼͗r̸̫͝e̷͖͝s̶͕̃ ̴̠̒o̵̼͆f̵̯̓ ̷̡̅c̶͔̀ḭ̶̋t̶̰͝y̷̥͂ ̵̙͆p̵̈͜r̶͓͑o̶̩͋p̵̗͐e̵͉͝r̶͙̔ṫ̵͍ỳ̷̤ ̶̬͛t̴̲͌o̷͇͐ ̵̕͜c̵͂͜ȃ̴̻p̶̣̕t̶̼͘u̴͔͒r̵̪͠é̸͔ ̸̛͉ṱ̶͗ḧ̸̲ě̶̗ ̷̭̏w̴̨̛r̵̹̓o̵̰̔n̶͋͜g̸̱̃ ̶̟̎s̸̤̓u̴͇̎s̶̹͝p̷̺̽e̷̡͋c̷̰̏t̶̩̾,̸̯̐ ̶̦̿y̷͇̌o̷͕̔ụ̴̇ ̷̯̈a̵̟͊ĺ̷͔l̸̜̀o̴̘̚w̴͚͋ẽ̸͖d̶̬̍ ̸̠͠y̴͈͒ô̶̯ũ̴̖r̷̦̉ ̷̪͆n̵̼̒e̶̫͑e̴͇͝d̸̤͂ ̸̛̥f̴̧̽o̸̢͆r̷̭͘ ̸͕̓r̷̪̐ę̶̅v̶̘͋ë̸̫n̷͓̏g̷̤̍e̷̬̚ ̵̠̈́ọ̸̀n̸̜̽ ̴͇̔t̴͇̒ẖ̴͝e̶̮͗ ̵̫̾r̸̙̅i̷̭̒g̴̔ͅh̵̎͜t̸̩́ ̶̘̒s̴̘͋u̵͍̽s̵͇͠p̸̫̈ĕ̴̢c̶̫͠ẗ̸̞́ ̶̯́t̵͎͠o̶͍͆ ̸̭̋c̸͔̽ľ̸̥o̴̯͑u̷̺͆ḑ̷̍ ̵̹̎ý̷͎o̶̳̎u̵͇̓r̷̻͑ ̵̢͒j̶͉̔u̶̪̽d̶̯́g̷̳̐m̸̙̿è̵͎n̵̙̏ţ̵̚,̶͖̂ ̸̭̉a̷̦̿ń̴͇d̸͈̄ ̴̜̄y̵̰͘o̷͈̎ṷ̵̌r̵̲̀ ̴͚͐f̷̙̀o̸̰̕r̴̩͆c̵̮̃ȅ̸̯s̶̭͛ ̵̙̆h̶͇̑a̷͔͒v̵̝͠e̶͍̾ ̵̘̕b̷̗̈́e̸̫͂ë̶̠́n̸̮̕ ̵̻̽ǐ̷̢ň̸̖ę̷̈́f̴͚̍f̸̞͛ȇ̷̤c̷̮̍ț̵͗ȉ̵̧v̶̬́e̵͙͌ ̷̯̌ȉ̶̺n̵͙͆ ̶̞̈́c̸̜͂ḁ̶͠p̴̨̔ṫ̶̝ṳ̵̿ŕ̴̜ȋ̴̞ṅ̸͖g̵̖̀ ̷̫́D̷̼̓r̴̈́͜.̶̥̎ ̴̟̋E̶͓̕g̵̪̓g̴͙͋m̸̫͐ã̸̜n̷̹̒ ̷̪̅a̸̟̋l̸͇̄l̵͇̈ ̷͔̒t̶̼͝h̶͙̔i̵̡͝s̶͍̏ ̴̹͘t̶͈͊i̷̥̒m̴̤̏e̵͖̐,̷̟̒ ̵̪̕a̴̡̾f̴̤͗ţ̶̈́e̷̼͘r̴̻̽ ̴͖̎a̸͈͊l̷̮̈́l̶͖͌ ̷̺̄t̸̤̓h̶͙̀ë̶̻ ̴̱́t̵̩͘ĕ̶̩r̵̛̝r̶̹̓i̶̙̎b̷͙̊l̸͓̍ḛ̸̄ ̷͈͌t̶͕͝h̸̦̎ĭ̸̭n̵͔̐g̶͎̊s̶̝̒ ̵̳̏ḧ̵̙́e̵̺͗ ̸̘̐d̷̤̈o̸͇̓n̴̦̽e̴̝̐ ̸̖̏o̵̖͒n̵̠͛ ̵̥̀ä̴̱n̵͚̏ḓ̵̀ ̸̭͂t̵͍̀ǫ̵̓ ̸̫̃t̶̼̚h̸̟͆ĩ̶͙s̵̻͗ ̵̖̒p̴͙̒l̸̥̚ą̶̿n̶͓͑e̶̫̕t̶͖̓.̶̡̑ ̴͙͑H̵͕̑e̴̢͌l̴̰̂l̵̤̅,̸̿ͅ ̶̠̈́y̶̦̐ǒ̴͍ú̴̞ ̴͙̐f̵͇͘õ̶̩ǫ̸̚l̴̩͑s̷͍̀ ̴̼͗d̴̖̆ọ̶̔ ̸̡̓ȁ̸̙ ̷̱̊b̵̤͗e̶̱͘t̶̥̋t̵̻͐é̶̬r̴͓͝ ̸̪̊j̵̼̍ő̸͚ḃ̸̫ ̷͇͊w̷̢̋r̵̰̕ȅ̷̲c̵̨̏k̸̗̒i̷̛͇n̸̩̉g̷̘̅ ̸̮̇t̷͚̋h̸͓̊ë̸͈́ ̴̥̒p̸̗̾l̶̛͙a̸̎ͅn̷̫̓e̸͇͠t̶̩̓ ̶͘͜t̴̞̒h̸̝̑a̸̜̾n̶̩̆ ̴̨̉ẖ̶̽e̸̮̓ ̴̡̓ď̸̯ō̶̼e̸̝͋s̴͓͗ ̸̻̐f̷̠͝ṙ̶̡ọ̷̄m̷͎͠ ̵͓̕ẗ̶͉́ï̴̙m̴͕̄e̴̦͝ ̸̮̀t̶̫̕o̴̼̔ ̵̬̚t̶͍̆ĭ̵̫m̸̝̊ĕ̸͇.̶͉̄ ̶͖̅T̷̳̂ȟ̶͎i̶̯͆s̴̺͆ ̴̳̏i̴̙͋s̸̫͊ ̵̲̋u̵͉̓n̷̼̏a̶͔͐c̴͇͐c̶̰͂e̷̬̓p̶͈̔ẗ̷̖́a̶͉͘b̷͍͘l̶̟̚e̶̳͝,̵̤͒ ̴̣̆Ä̶͈́b̸̩̏r̷̳͂a̸͎̐h̴̪̅a̷͇̒m̸̹̈́,̶̹̔ ̷̭̌a̶̳͒n̴͝ͅd̵̫͌ ̶̮͗y̷̛͔ơ̸͎u̴̥̒ ̵̪̓k̴̪̓n̵̢͝o̴͚̍w̸̥͐ ̷̗͊ỉ̷̹t̴̞̚.̵̱̆"̴͔͑
Not wanting to give up completely, he said, "Y-Y-You can't blame me for any of that. Our forces c-can't respond to every-" Another lost millimeter of skin silenced him. "̵̱̌D̴̪̄o̸̢̚ṅ̷̢'̶̲͛t̶̼̽ ̶̠̕g̴̦͊ì̸͓v̸̛̭e̷̳͆ ̸̱̐ṃ̸̆ė̵̖ ̷̮̍a̸̯͐n̷̤̎y̷̼̑ ̷̞̈́o̶̰̔f̶̤͑ ̶̨͗t̵͇͋h̵̝̉a̸͓̾t̵̡̽ ̴̜͒c̵̺̔ṙ̶̡a̵̮͠p̴̗̾,̶̢̽ ̷̌ͅà̸̧n̷͎͌d̶̳̆ ̴̙̿d̵͍͊o̸̯͝n̴͙̕'̸̗̒t̷͉͋ ̴͚̕y̸̛͈ọ̵͊ú̶͈ ̴͖̍Ḏ̴̆À̴̱R̵͚͌Ë̵̮ ̸̦̈́ŭ̸̧s̸̳͂e̸̖̕ ̷̐ͅt̵̬͂h̷͎̓é̵̢ ̴̥̔P̶̳̚h̵̼̃a̸̯̚n̴̹̿ť̶̪o̵̺̒m̶̭̊ ̷̬͝Ṛ̷́ủ̶̩b̸̠͐y̴̹͋ ̵͖͛W̷̘͠ā̷ͅr̷͉̀ ̵̹͘a̸̼̐s̴͓̈ ̶̮͑a̷̝͗n̴͖̎ ̸̦̈́é̵̺x̵̝͝c̸͎̿u̶̘̽s̷̠̓é̵͈.̴̞̇ ̷̢͘Y̵̢̾ō̴͕u̴̗͗'̷͔̽r̶̬̋e̴̫̿ ̷̺͗t̶̨̀h̴͈͑ẽ̴̻ ̴̝͆G̵͚̍ǔ̴̖ạ̶̒r̸̪̿d̷̘̅i̵̠͠a̶̗͊n̸͔̊ ̸̱̔Ù̶̗n̶̳̋ì̷͍t̸̨͆ş̵̆ ̸̯͆o̴͚̾f̶̟͑ ̸̟̽t̵̗̐h̵̫̽e̴̼͒ ̸̺̐N̶͜͝à̷̢t̸̩͘i̸̹̓o̵̮͌n̴̝̉.̸̫̈ ̴͍̆Ẏ̶̰o̶͖̓u̷̦͊ ̶̫̈p̷͔̓r̸̳͠o̵̡͆t̴͍͊e̶̘͑c̷̙͆t̸̗͆ ̵͈̃t̷̡̅h̷͕͛ę̶͋ ̶̼̚U̷̯͝n̶͖̊ȋ̴̤ţ̷́e̸͕̓d̴̹̆ ̵͇̒F̸̲̅ȅ̵̡d̷͍̔e̴̠͘r̶͓̒a̵̠͌t̶̻̾ḭ̷͛o̵̡̎n̸̊͜ ̸͈͝ä̷̡́ň̸͜d̸͇͒ ̷̭̓í̵̬ṭ̶̾s̴̗̓ ̶̬͌a̷͔̓l̶̦̍l̴̉ͅi̵̟̽e̵̬̒s̷͖̈́ ̷̬̎f̵̟͌r̶̳͗ọ̸͑m̷̥͘ ̶̢̓t̵̤̕h̶̦͠r̸̻̒ě̸̲a̵̭̒t̸̫̑s̷̺̋.̷̪̾ ̸͓̍T̸͕͛h̸̰̆ḛ̵̇ ̶̜͝m̷̡͗i̵͖̓l̸̘̊i̶͎̐t̵͍̔a̷̝͒r̸̘͊y̷̩͂ ̸̐ͅI̸̧̓ ̶̧̅l̸̦̾e̴̱̒f̷̣̈́t̷̗̋ ̵̥̾d̸̜̐ï̸̹d̷͎̂ ̵̲̈j̵͎͐ŭ̸̥s̴̢̀t̷͍͘ ̵͙̐t̶̻͠h̷̪̎a̶̘̿t̵͔͝,̸̝͆ ̶̜͐b̸̲͗ù̴̡ẗ̷̘́ ̶̙̋w̶̮̉i̵͓̇t̶͕͑h̴̙̔ ̸̱̀h̸̘͐ó̴͕n̷͍̽ô̸̞r̴̳̈́,̷̹̐ ̷̮͐d̵͈́i̶͉̊g̶̛͜ṅ̴̝i̵̺͠t̷̫̄ÿ̶͚ ̷̜̈́a̸̝͐n̸̖͗d̶͖͊ ̵̩̒ċ̷̙l̸͙͛a̴̖͗s̵͖͊s̶̨͆.̵͈̈ ̷̣͘T̷̨̿ḩ̷̾ȇ̸͎ẙ̸̫ ̸̳͒d̸͇̑i̷̖͊d̸̪̎ ̶̮̇n̶̥̚o̷̟͠t̸͇͌ ̵̨͠r̶͔͑e̵̺͒s̶̻̒o̵̘̿r̸͙̆t̴̨̏ ̸̤̌t̶͕̕ȏ̸̜ ̴̼̈́c̴̺̏o̸̧̽l̶̨͆ḽ̶̈́a̴͇͋t̶̢͘ë̸̠́ŗ̸͊ä̷͕l̶̫̂ ̸͎̄d̷̻͌ạ̷͆m̸̙͆ā̴̳g̸̹͑e̸̜͘,̴̗̈ ̸̗̚c̶͖͗o̸̭̊v̴͉͛é̶̫r̷̜̕ ̷̜̄ṷ̷̋p̴̭͊š̵͉ ̷̦̀ȯ̷͜r̵̮͝ ̶̮̍c̶͇̊r̴̦̓ũ̸̧d̸̞̑e̷̫͝ ̸͙́m̷̦̐a̸̝̐c̶̨͆h̴̭̋ī̶͍n̷̺̑e̷͊ͅs̷̠̈.̵̘̔"̶̠̚ Still feeling indignant, he spat, "Big words coming from a ghost in early retirement. Did you get bored sitting on your ass?"
The moment he finished that statement, an audible snap was heard as the Commander's arms and legs suddenly twisted and broke. As he screamed in pain and agony, his larynx was then crushed, reducing his screams to nothing. After that, his mouth simply disappeared as his head was forcibly twisted to the left, and he saw a pair of large, demonic, and livid looking eyes with black sclera.
"̸͐͜S̴͙̓ẗ̸̺́i̸̙̋l̸͙͛l̶̨͛ ̸̞̿f̷̕͜e̴̯͒e̸͖̊ļ̷̏i̶̙̔ń̷͜g̷̖̈ ̷̗͑î̵̗ǧ̸̣n̶̟̿o̸͚̿r̸̯̉a̵͖͊ń̴̳ẗ̸͔ ̴̯̄o̶̧̎f̷̯̍ ̵̥̀y̷̤͋o̶̥̚ǘ̴̠r̶̞̊ ̵̗͑ṗ̶̖l̷͚̽ǎ̶̳c̴͖̿ę̴́?̴͉͆ ̶͇̃Ǹ̶̼o̵̟̒?̶͕̐ ̴̤͐G̷̛͓o̴̙͐ö̵̖́d̵̗̊,̷͓̌ ̵͉̊b̶͖̓e̸̓ͅč̴͜ā̵͈ȗ̵̫ş̵͝e̴͇̊ ̷̘̐I̶̻̚'̶̮̄d̴̖̒ ̷̗͗r̸̺͝a̶͍͠t̸̬̓ḩ̸͌ě̷͜r̷̳͒ ̴̮̍n̷̰̆ô̵̖t̶͗ͅ ̴̬̏r̶̪͠ě̷̹p̸͉͛l̷̩̒a̴̖͘c̴̘̊e̴͚͝ ̵̢͑y̴̛̥o̸̭͗ű̶͜ŕ̷̨ ̶̮͂b̶͚̓l̷̩̉o̶̡͗o̷̡͂d̶͈̀ ̶̢̋w̶͉̃i̷͔̊t̸͖̓h̷́ͅ ̴̼̈́m̸̮̀o̵͇̍ṫ̶̻ö̷̘r̷͓̕ ̵̳̋o̵̍ͅī̸̯ľ̸͖.̷͙̓ ̵̞͑N̸̻̈ȍ̴̦ẃ̴͙,̸̯̔ ̶̮͠I̶̘͑ ̸͖̉a̸̙̍ḿ̴̡ ̷̨̑v̵̙͘ĩ̷̯s̵͓̔i̶͈̍t̸̬͂i̷͛͜n̵̙͝ĝ̵̘ ̵̤͛y̴̛̘ơ̸̘ǘ̸̡ ̶͎̈́b̵͈̀e̵̙̊ç̵̒ă̵͈ụ̸̔ś̵ͅe̸̳͑ ̶̮̀Ì̸̗ ̷̳̈́a̷̲͒m̸̙͠ ̴̲͛g̷̜̽r̷̭͐o̶̠͠w̶̱̉i̷̢̽n̴̺͛g̵̱̓ ̵̡̈t̷̨̎í̷͖r̸̮̈e̵͓͆d̷̙̉ ̴̇ͅo̵̭̎f̷̞̍ ̶̛͔ṫ̶̹h̴͎͘e̸̮͗ ̶̜̆i̶͈̕n̸͔͗c̷̡̈o̸̲̕m̴͇̓p̴̟̀e̷̗̍ẗ̷͍́e̴̪̓ṇ̸͑c̴̯̎e̷̮͋ ̷͚̍o̴̘͊f̸̰̀ ̷͓̂y̸̧̾o̵̜̅ư̴̘r̶͛͜ ̷̱͌l̴͙̍ḛ̵̕ạ̴͛d̵̫̅e̶̩͒ŗ̸̛s̸̭͆h̸͎͛ï̴̩p̶͔̈́.̸̂͜ ̶̖̂Ṡ̶͔o̷̝̐ ̵͈̌f̶̯̈́a̸̼͘r̷̮̿,̶̭̈ ̸̫͒I̸̤͐ ̴̙̍ḫ̸́ǎ̶̤v̵̛͎é̵̠ ̷͈̾f̷̝̀o̸͇̓r̴̹̈c̵͇͗é̵̩d̴͍̾ ̴̳͊m̶͍̋y̶̠̾s̸̄ͅè̶̼l̵̨̓f̴͚͛ ̴͙͘ẗ̵͔́ő̷̡ ̵̮͂š̵̹ť̷̪a̶̗͌n̵̪̑d̸͒͜ ̸͉̀o̵̥̚n̸̝͛ ̴̥́t̵̤̐h̴̲̕e̴̫̐ ̷̉ͅs̷̡̔i̶̗̇d̷̬͝e̸̥͋l̵̹͝ĭ̸̗ṅ̷̢e̷̢͊s̴̖̀,̴͓͠ ̴̛̼n̴͖̄ȯ̸̤t̷͝ͅ ̸̫͗u̵̼̒s̸͎̏i̷̬̇n̵͔͘g̸̱̏ ̵̹̀ô̴̝ń̸̢e̷͈͘ ̷̱̚ö̴͕́u̸̙̽n̶̡̏c̵͚̈è̴̼ ̴̰͊o̵̜͠f̸̼͌ ̷̱̑m̶̖̿y̵̫͝ ̴̣̂p̵͈̃o̸̭̿w̵̺̽e̵͈͑r̴͉͂s̸̝̓ ̸͈̂f̵̬̃o̶̖̽ṛ̷̈́ ̸̫̎a̷̰̒n̵̩͑y̵̭̓t̶̗͝ḩ̴̏i̵̠͑n̴͙̿g̴͓̋ ̸̗̎b̴̝̃e̸̩̾c̷̪̈a̶̟̅u̸̬̓s̶̡̓e̸̻͋ ̴̬͌I̵̪̓ ̵͕͌s̵̻̓w̷͎͘ȍ̵͜r̷̪͑ĕ̵̺ ̸̥̀I̶̝͆ ̶͎̇ẅ̴̺́o̶͙͂u̵̦̎ḻ̸̏d̶͖̀ ̷͑͜n̴̙̈́ö̶͚́t̷̩͐ ̸͍̏i̸̩͝ň̵͓ṱ̴͘é̵̜r̵̦̃f̸̣͊ẽ̶͔r̴̻̈́e̶̙̐ ̶̣̓i̵̞̔n̴̟͒ ̸̭̿ţ̶̈́h̷̭̒e̵̱͑ ̴̥̈w̷̧̋o̷͉̾r̷̹̄l̶̤̒d̸̄ͅ'̶̮̃s̶͍̓ ̶̡͑ą̷̇f̶̹̎f̵̪̕a̷̧͛ĩ̴ͅr̷̼̈́ş̶̍ ̸̦̽a̸̪̅n̸͍͆y̸͎͌m̷͍̃ö̸͙́r̵̟̕ȩ̵͛.̸̘̇ ̵͕͂I̷̺͆ ̸̭́c̷̹̾o̴̭̓ư̶̥l̶̪͌d̵̪̐ ̴͎̐ȟ̶͎a̶͈͂v̷̺̄ë̸̺́ ̴͘͜s̶̖̋t̶̖́ȯ̶̘p̷͍̋p̵̥̋e̵̡͗d̵̢̏ ̸̤̔E̶͔͌g̴̞̽g̷͕̊m̸̟͐ạ̵͗n̵̬̅,̸̖̄ ̷̯͆C̸̟̀h̵͚̉â̸̡o̸͓͊s̷̘͑,̶͕͗ ̵̧̉S̸̟̔ḧ̸̺a̷͈͋d̵̹̚ô̴̱w̵̛̠,̷̲͝ ̴̭̌t̶̺̂h̷̙̿ë̴͇́ ̵̮͆B̴̠̀l̶̠̿ä̷̤́c̸̮͘k̸͙̏ ̸͎̀A̶̛̯r̷̢͛ṁ̵̝ṡ̴̖ ̷̞͑å̴̟ṅ̷ͅd̵̻̄ ̴̜͑m̸̳̋a̴̢̚n̶̬͐ȳ̴̪,̶̲̄ ̶͓̑M̷̬̅A̴̩͊N̶͍̐Y̶̹͠ ̵͈͌o̸͚͊t̷̤̉ḧ̶͎e̶͖̅r̸̺̊ ̴͎̂c̶̪̏r̸͍͌į̸̄s̵̗̑ḛ̴̑s̷̫̈ ̸̗͛m̴̺͂ý̶̜s̶̜̈́ẻ̸̢l̴̟̂f̷̫̉ ̸̜̍i̸̙͛f̷̯̒ ̵̧̕Ḭ̵̓ ̴͈̀w̷̬͆a̷̡̕n̴͂ͅt̵̤̚ę̵͛ḑ̶͝ ̵͔̕t̸͓̕ŏ̶̻,̴̡̕ ̸̗͝b̷̝̍u̵̻̿t̴̨̕ ̴̖͛f̷̧̀o̵̰͐r̷͖̆ ̶̅͜t̵͕̓ḫ̷͊ě̷̩ ̴̘̃s̶̢͝ă̶̭k̴̳̄ë̷͓́ ̷̢̃o̷̹͒f̸͚͝ ̷͕̕m̵̠̀y̶̱̅ ̴̻̍f̶̠͊a̵̙̚m̶̯̀i̶̖̕ḽ̷͐y̶͔͋,̷̯̆ ̴̣͒I̸̲̕ ̶̩̾r̷͇̅e̷͓͌m̷̤͠a̶̡͐î̸̭n̷̤͝ẹ̴͑ḓ̵̉ ̷͍͒t̴̥̂r̴̨͌ų̵̎e̶̤͘ ̸͓́t̴͉͑o̷̬̿ ̶͉̈m̵̙̈y̸̦͒ ̷̲͝w̴̰͝ò̷̪r̷͍̋d̷̬͝,̸̗̑ ̷̖̃n̶̤͋ó̶̠ ̵̜͛m̶̙̓a̵̤͒t̸̬̕ẗ̸̥́è̴̪r̵̭͌ ̸̮̈́ḩ̶̄o̷̱͆ẃ̸̞ ̴̻̑ã̷̻g̸̨̈́o̶̤̕ǹ̸̗î̵͇z̴̯̒i̵̢̓n̷̰̔g̵̱̉l̷̺̐y̶͚͐ ̵͉̏d̶̘̉i̴̪̽f̵͕̈́f̷̤́i̸̻̓ċ̴̟ů̶̯l̷̢̀ẗ̷̻ ̸͌ͅi̴͇̔t̸̜͐ ̴̜͌w̷͖̓ą̴̒s̸͎̾.̶͛ͅ
̷̺̀"̴̘͑Ỳ̷̭o̶̼͐ȕ̵̹ ̵̙͝ẖ̶̈́à̷̙v̴̧̋e̵̻̿ ̸̓ͅn̵̫͊o̷̠͝ ̴̠̈́į̶́d̵͍̀e̷̳̾a̷̭͂ ̶̰̀h̷̜́ȯ̴̯ẘ̵͈ ̵̧͊m̸̠͝ụ̴͐c̴̹͝h̴̠͂ ̵̝̐I̶̩̎ ̶̹̌ä̸͈́m̷͓̏ ̷͖͝ḛ̷́ń̸̪j̵̺̎o̶͓̊y̵͈̍ï̵ͅǹ̵͙g̴̣̐ ̵̮̕u̷̲͑s̵̥̏î̶̠n̷̼͑g̷͙̿ ̵͍̀m̵̡̿ý̸̹ ̴͍͒p̷͍͆ö̶̦́w̷̱͛e̴̩̍r̷̛͙s̸͍͐ ̸̫̉a̶͚̍g̴̘̚ä̴́ͅi̶̳͋n̵͇̎,̷͍̓ ̵̠̏h̴̪͒o̸̦͘w̴̙̿ ̵̱̀m̶̪̀u̵̻͝č̶͉h̸̖̔ ̷̆ͅp̷̜̃l̸͙͊e̵͓̒ä̵̜s̸̼͑u̶͔̚r̵͚̈́e̶̺̅ ̶̹̃I̶̢͝ ̶̫́å̵̺m̶͍͂ ̶̝̒e̴̩͗x̴͇̚ṕ̸͎e̴̖͂r̶̬͌i̸̹̽é̷̤n̸̹͛c̷̩͌i̴͖͠ṉ̶̑g̵͈͑ ̵͙̐r̵̙̒î̷͕ḡ̷̖h̵̡̎t̸̖̐ ̵͓́n̴̫̎ô̴̼ẁ̸̨.̷̩̑ ̵̼̾B̸̲͑à̵͚ç̴̋k̵̺͑ ̸͂ͅț̸̒h̷̳͝e̷̟̍ň̸̬,̵̬̽ ̴̙̓į̷̾t̸̹̒ ̶̪̀w̷͙̌a̶̺͑ś̵͙ ̴͉̓l̷̯͌ï̷͉k̶͕͐e̸̯͝ ̵͇͆t̸͇̂ȟ̵͜ì̶̞s̵̛̱ ̷́ͅa̸̙̿l̴̢̾l̸͉͝ ̵̫̄t̴͓̒h̷̡̄e̵̟̽ ̷̗̇t̶̲̂ȋ̵̘m̸̛̭ȇ̸̩,̴̛̫ ̴̡̚ỹ̴̻o̷̮̓ṳ̵͗ ̸̼̂k̶̠̐ṇ̴̀ŏ̵̡ẁ̷̪?̵̨̔"̶̛͎ The Baroness seemed to grin at the twisted memories that were no doubt playing in her head. Visions of destruction, torture, and outright insanity flashed in her mind. "̸̟̈́A̷̘̿s̷̹̉ ̶͔͛I̴̛̭ ̸̔ͅů̷͔s̵̛͈ȩ̸̈ ̷̘̓t̷̞͛h̸͈͗é̵̢m̷͙̿,̶̬͐ ̴̻́t̶̲́h̶̖͒o̸̭̍u̷̥͆g̶͎͋h̵̫͝,̴͍̒ ̴̨̈́I̵̱̔ ̵͖́a̷͉͗l̶̬̏w̴̜̑a̶̼͑y̶̼̅ŝ̴̮ ̸̜͂f̶̮̿ë̵̘ẽ̸̻l̴̤̇ ̴̦͠m̷̪̎y̷͍͝ ̸͖͌s̶̯͘a̶̜̐n̴̥͆i̴̕͜t̴̮͌y̴̰͠ ̸͈͑s̶͚͋l̸̩̓ì̸͉p̵͎̐p̴̞͐i̵̩̕n̸̟͗ģ̵̈́,̴̟̇ ̶͈̚l̵̢͐i̴̱͐ṭ̵̓t̷̫̒l̵͓̑e̴̖͑ ̶̧͑b̴̲̈́y̴̚ͅ ̶͈͌l̶̦̃i̶̯͗t̸̯͋t̴̘͝l̸̘̔é̶̞.̴̻̾ ̵̛͕F̵͔̐o̸̼̒r̵͇͝ ̷͇͠ḿ̶̱y̴͕̎ ̷̲̚ĺ̸̻ỏ̸̪v̴͕̆e̸̼͝ḋ̸͜ ̵̨́o̴̧̾n̴̩͒è̷͇s̵̙̏,̴̝͂ ̴̨̑Ḭ̵̄ ̴̭̄h̵̞͛a̸̳͋v̷̞̎ë̷̯́ ̷͔͠g̴̮̑o̴̝͑n̶͕͝ȅ̸͚ ̴̞̈ǒ̸̠ǔ̵̬t̸̡̐ ̷̮͠o̸͚͝f̸̙̓ ̷̰̏ṃ̷͊y̶͎̌ ̷͔̈́w̴̬̕ȁ̸͍y̴͙͘ ̸̫͋t̸̢̋o̷̲͋ ̷̻̚a̴͚͆v̸̮͝o̴͇̾i̷͝ͅd̶̼͊ ̶͚́l̶̺̇o̴̧͂s̸̭̈i̷̤͐n̶̰̒g̶̫͊ ̷̩͐m̷̧͠y̸̬̾s̷͍̈e̶͈͆l̶͖͘f̴̡̏.̶͓̊ ̴̱̇Ì̴̼ ̸̻̾d̶̨̀o̷̻͑ ̸̜̓n̵̬͘o̷̮̐ț̶̀ ̶̢̐ḇ̸͌l̶̦̉ä̶̡́m̸͊ͅe̷̖͝ ̴͙̒y̴̢̆o̷͜͝ù̷͖ ̸̧̚f̸̲͠o̷͓̍ṛ̴̓ ̷̲́t̶̝͒h̶̞̚e̴̬͝ ̶̞̿l̵̰̒å̸̙s̷̯̉t̴͇͆ ̸́͜w̵̦̒a̵̬̅r̶̡͌,̶̡̓ ̸̱̾b̶̘́u̵̗̿t̵̪̿ ̴̪͑m̸̤̆ẏ̶̞ ̶͖̈́p̶̞̆a̸̱͗t̸̻̓ĭ̵̞e̴̲̍n̷͈̂c̵̱̈́ē̵̤ ̷͇͛i̵͕͠s̸̗͗ ̵͔͝ẉ̴̽e̶̝͆á̵̮r̴̤̿i̸̧͗n̶̥̒g̴̠͠ ̸͔̒t̷̪͘h̶̯̚i̴͈̊ṋ̷͑.̷̞̓ ̸̭̈́I̵̠̋f̸̲̀ ̸̳̏y̸̿͜ỏ̸̠u̷̡̕ ̵̞͆a̴̛̼n̸̳̂ḏ̴̔ ̶͔͋y̵̗͐ö̵͓́ǘ̴̢r̷̦͑ ̶͍̂m̶̩̎e̷̞̍n̴̪̾ ̴̠̑d̵̖̈́o̸͈͋ ̸̢̃ṉ̴̀ȏ̷̼t̵̨̚ ̶̣̈́g̵̕ͅė̸̦t̸͓̉ ̶̹̑y̵̤͂o̴͉͒ů̸̗r̷̨̔ ̸̖̈å̴͉c̷̠͆t̶̬͋ ̵̣͒t̵̠̃ò̶ͅǵ̸͇e̴̯͗t̴̼̕h̸͛͜e̷̥͠r̴̟̂,̷͛͜ ̴̲̃i̶̙͝f̷̜̎ ̴̖͗I̶̠͐ ̴̟̿ȃ̴̙m̸̱̊ ̴̥̒f̸̤͑o̶̦͌r̴̞̀c̷̓͜e̷͚͐ḑ̴͝ ̷̫̉ṫ̴̠o̵̳͋ ̶͇̃e̷̟̿ǹ̷̪d̸̦̿ ̶̤͗m̵͔̕y̶̱͊ ̵̠̐ŕ̶̞ẽ̸̤ṭ̸͐i̸͖͘ṟ̷͊ë̸̼́m̷̟̚e̴̱͠n̵̻̍t̵̲̆ ̸̦̈ȁ̷̡n̶̓͜ḓ̵́ ̶̦̐c̵͍̊l̷̻̑e̸͉͂a̵̞͝ń̸̗ ̴̯͆ṵ̷̽p̵͎̽ ̸̯̆y̷̳̔o̸̞͌ů̶̙r̴͚̕ ̸̯͠m̵̧̄ę̴͒s̴̭̒s̷̢̿,̸͖͛ ̸̺̏C̸̙̽o̴͓͌ṃ̶́m̸̘̅a̷̰͒n̵̝͘d̸̡̿e̷͜͝r̶̘͠ ̸͖̀Ţ̵̈́õ̵̢w̵͠ͅẻ̷͔r̵̼͒,̷̯͗ ̷̱́t̴͕̾h̶̫̕ḙ̵̐n̸̞͠ ̵̖͒t̸̄͜h̷́ͅȇ̷̠r̶̬̿e̸̿ͅ ̵̲͆w̵͚͂ỉ̷̠ļ̶̈́l̸̠͝ ̸̘̚b̵̡͛e̶̘͑ ̵̩̆p̶̣̿a̸̯̋i̸̭̒n̸͔͒,̷̝̔ ̷͖̈́c̶̺͊ȁ̵̳l̸͖̾a̴̝͛m̷̙͊ĩ̵͜t̷̺͛ý̶̥ ̷̠́a̷͉͊n̵͙̊d̶̮́ ̴̤͑t̷̺̅r̵̪͝ú̵͚e̵̞̽ ̵͙̉c̷̬̑h̴̳͋ä̴͜õ̶͕s̷̬͂,̶̬̌ ̷̭̄t̸̨͝h̴̹͐e̵̡̾ ̷̙͌l̶̢̐í̸̱k̴̙͗ę̷̌s̷͇̔ ̷̝͐o̴̤͝f̷̻̀ ̴͇́w̵̳̓h̴̢̐ȉ̵͔c̷̼͌h̵̰̄ ̴͖͌ḧ̴̼a̶͙̓v̶͕̓e̶̒͜ ̵̝͐n̷̮̄e̴͖̅v̶͕͑e̵̺̓r̸̢̔ ̸͔͆b̸̟̊e̵̩͝e̶͕͐n̶̞̈́ ̷̱̌ẅ̴͉́ị̸̃t̸̜̔n̶̼̈e̵̘̋s̶̼̀s̶̰̆e̷͚̍d̷̨́.̷͕̕ ̶̫͐Â̴̙n̸̳̽d̶̖̋ ̷̭̊m̵̭͌å̷ͅy̸̨̑ ̴͚̍G̵̫̚o̸͈͌d̶͙̽ ̸̤̐h̸͎̑a̴͒͜v̴̗̈́e̸̮̔ ̵̯̈́m̸̼̌e̶̳͌r̸̫͝c̸͇͌ÿ̷̟́ ̸̳̎õ̴̤n̴͙͠ ̵̩͝t̴̬̍h̴̟̆i̷͎͝s̵̡̔ ̴̺́p̴͗ͅl̶̗̇a̴̳̚n̶̩̐ȩ̶̂t̸̺̎,̵͕̉ ̵͇̇f̷̢̑o̴͍̐r̸͓͌ ̴͇͗t̶͘ͅh̸̠͘è̴͔r̶͓͌è̶͓ ̶̗̆w̵̧͗i̵̧͌l̴̰̃l̵̂͜ ̵̮̈́b̷͎̌e̷̹̋ ̶̰̈n̷̥͊o̵̯͝n̵̤̂e̷̩͂ ̸̺́f̴̨͠r̴̝̓ò̷̱m̶͖̈́ ̷͓̑M̴̥̓E̵̗̊.̸̯́"̶̣̋
With that, everything was suddenly back to normal. The power was on, the phone was operational and, even more shocking, the injuries inflicted upon the Commander were non-existent. Heck, even the old war wound in his leg was gone. Plus, the Baroness was nowhere to be seen. Upon realizing this, the gravity of everything that had just happened hit him all at once, and he fainted from the shock.
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