Arknights: Shadows of A Casting Flame

SCF-2: A Flame Lit Anew

Reed: 'Huh?'

Not even a moment ago, Reed laid, utterly defeated and drawing close to death, yet now, there was only confusion. Before her was a sight that presented itself an enigma to all reason and logic as Reed attempted to wrap her head around it but still ultimately failing. Her mind began spiraling as though the thoughts were beginning to warp themselves into dizzying loops that weighted themselves heavy against her waning conscious. Yet, before they could bury her under their strain, a calm glow coming from an outstretched hand commanded it all to disperse in an instant.

Now granted newfound lucidity and shocked in complete amazement, Reed could only stupidly stare at the strange figure before her as questions rapidly buzzed about and around her mind yet all were quashed as the man suddenly spoke.

???: "Ah ha, you're still alive! Good, good! Then the process will be much easier then!" chortled of the stranger, with laced fraudulent concern, either unaware of inner turmoil stirred up within her or simply not caring.

Reed: 'Who- What is going on?!' Reed thought out in a desperate panic which seem to earn her a quirk of brows from the stranger.

???: "Stopping time of course! Well, except for a few minor isolations here and there, but regardless, I came here to offer you a deal my dear little Draco!" said the stranger spinning his hand for extra emphasis.

Little to say, that did absolutely zilch into explaining or even making sense of anything. And it most certainly didn't help to soothe Reeds adrenaline filled nerves.

Reed: 'H-how? Where did you-? I-I know not of even your identity! Wha- Why should I even grant you my trust?!' Reed's thoughts snapped at the stranger with the latent ferocity of a lethally chained down dragon. Yet the man proved unfazed by this little display of 'mental tantrum'.

Instead, the stranger casually waltzed up to her prone body before halting right by her side and dropping to a knee.

???: "First of all, good, lets keep it that way. Second, my intentions are... mostly pure. Besides, I don't think you'll really be using it after this." the stranger spelled out as much to the continued confusion of a very alert Reed whose draconic eyes furthered sharpened with suspicion.

What followed was an odd silence as the two stared at each other, practically locking each other into an impromptu starring contest, which the stranger evidently lost with a clean blink of realization before seeing fit to level himself further to Reed. As Reed watch the stranger lower, she was hit with a great sense empathy and slight care that was not of her own. Despite being laid on her back in a puddle of her time-frozen blood she swore it felt like being hit with sudden sensation of a crash followed with a whiplash that knocked her off her metaphoric feet.

Recovering from that jarring little hiccup, Reed quickly gathered her thoughts, realizing that the stir was not just coming from the stranger but oozing with an unfathomably large omni-present source that was concentrated yet purposely subdued behind that spotless ebony mask. Those flickering golden eyes sparked with an immense outlet of untold hollowness, one of someone who knows much.

Much, much, much more than anything anyone could possibly imagine, yet restrained by an unwilling or perhaps inability to tell. But who knows? You certainly don't.

???: "Look, you're dying because you got ran through the chest by your omnicidally possessed sister who's going to burn the world down along with everyone you know and love, or at least, try. But we can stop that!"

Reed: "H-h-how?" croaked out a soft broken whisper through her blood flooded mouth trying her best to shrug aside the overwhelming flow of emotions.

???: "The deal of course. Cause call me what you will, a god, a demon, a potato, a being of beyond and out, all valid in mere kernels but not quite." the stranger elaborated within seeming senseless rambles about with as much logic as a bleeding rock.