Gun of Ashes

The intertwining steel bites together, sometimes making you feel like the entire Perpetual Motion Pump is a mechanical life with a soul, its heavy and complex mechanical structure acting as organs, with blood-like electric currents flowing through metal-cast conduits.

The boy lifted his head to look at the metal ceiling above. Perhaps every person who wakes up from a hospital bed shares a commonality—the first thing they see upon waking is not a concerned gaze or fireworks surrounding them, but merely a monotonous ceiling.

"You look quite good, kid, the armor protected you. Otherwise, you might never have woken up again."

The doctor examined him upon seeing him wake up and told him what had happened during his coma.

The boy didn't speak, just stared blankly at the ceiling, immersed in his own world.

The doctor seemed accustomed to this and paid no mind to the boy's reaction, continuing his tasks and placing new medications on the other side of the bed.

He was the only person in the entire ward; this room was custom-made for him, belonging solely to him.

As the doctor left, the room became quiet once more. Perhaps due to the medication, the boy felt very sleepy but didn't want to fall asleep like this. His lower body was numb. He tried using his hands to sit up, but the lingering pain in his body prevented him from doing anything.

"Hey, Owes, I'm really glad to see you waking up."

Suddenly the door opened again, and in walked Merlin, grinning broadly, though the smile on his nearly dead face seemed a bit eerie.

Merlin walked to the bed and helped Owes sit up. He looked quite young, almost youthful.

"How do you feel this time? Any more nightmares?"

Merlin, unfazed by Owes' coldness, continued to ask caringly, already used to it.

"Yes, but it's very vague."

Owes finally spoke, his voice calm.

Falling into a coma within the armor is a dangerous thing; the Demon's power keeps eroding the pilot, and during the coma, the pilot's will is completely unguarded, accelerating the erosion.

Owes hadn't fallen into a coma inside the armor for a long while, yet this time he suffered immense trauma, surviving was a stroke of luck.

"What exactly was it?"

Merlin asked, seemingly conducting some research.

"Very vague... You know people can't fully record dreams, I could only see indistinct gray and hear obscure sounds... What's the point of asking these things?"

Owes looked at Merlin; he normally didn't ask about such things.

Dreams are quite mysterious; often you can't recall how you reached the dream realm, that bizarre world is extremely chaotic, but it feels as if another power is hinting at you, even if it defies physics, your brain will still recognize it as normal.

"We have a new test pilot, you've met him, Mr. Lorenzo Holmes. To be honest, I'm also uneasy about a Demon Hunter test piloting the Armor of Original Sin."

"After all, every knight's first time driving the armor involves immense risk."

"Everyone's first drive comes with risks."

Merlin expressed some of his unease, hesitating for a while before speaking again.

"You should remember I talked to you about 'connection,' this thing, right? The more you intersect with demons, the more you've endured erosion, the more you can sense some indescribable things."

"Connection?"

Merlin nodded and continued.

"I also asked Mr. Holmes, he describes that odd feeling as a connection with darkness... it's like delving into a deep blue ocean, the deeper you go, the more you're aware of its vast and terrifying nature."

"This is something I recently realized, after all, the erosion interferes with our nerves, all illusory hallucinations can be attributed to this, yet the connection is different, it's like your mind is reaching another world."

Actually, Merlin hadn't told Owes everything; he was an Alchemist, and in that ancient and mysterious craft, there's also a term for the depths of this spirit.

[Gap].

"Initially, I thought it was just the erosion at work, but I've discovered every person touched by it experiences a distinct phase of elusive hallucinations, everyone does..."

The voice grew distant, then suddenly dissipated.

"Owes, what did you see the first time you drove the armor?"

Merlin asked again, this Alchemist seemed like he was inspiring himself, and from that vacant look, a hint of passion could be sensed.

Owes thought for a while; it was his clearest dream, hard to forget even if he wanted to.

"That was..."

But just as he was about to speak, the booming alarm echoed throughout the Perpetual Motion Pump, all indicator lights turned red, bathing everything in a ghastly crimson glow.

Like a boiling, burning Hell.

As if Evil Ghosts had invaded the entire underground facility, following emergency protocols, steel gates fell one by one, sealing tight and electrifying, security guards wielding experimental weapons marched up to the emergency passage, all research personnel hurriedly seeking refuge.

"What's going on?"

Merlin said as he tried to open the room door, but because the whole Perpetual Motion Pump was in emergency mode, the door was sealed shut, and he cursed while searching for his key; he was the technical director of the Perpetual Motion Pump, his key could open any door under any circumstances.