He was standing on a vast sphere, its surface pitted with marks but without a single crater or depression, as though millions of meteors had attempted to leave their mark but had managed only to scratch the surface of the massive orb. It was dark, its surface almost metallic but also reflective like water. It extended in all directions but a visible dip at the end gave it the feel of a sphere.


    Gideon turned around, confirming that he was alone in the strange place. Stars and strange planets loomed above and, though the small planetoid had no atmosphere, he could breathe without a problem.


    There was something else in the area above the sphere, a ring of asteroids floating above the planet. No, not asteroids, something else.


    He squinted, making out strange, monstrous figures floating in the vast ring. They looked like they were statues, or perhaps creatures that had been frozen and set adrift to float forever around the dark planetoid in a lazy orbit.


    Amid the moving menagerie of gruesome figures, he saw sprawling watery beasts with vast tentacles, wolf-like creatures with bared fangs, demons with curved horns and hateful expressions. One of the larger beasts boasted a massive single eye resting in its rocky brow, and vast claws outstretched to the left and right of a lizard’s body expanded to gigantic proportions.


    The one-eyed monster’s visual orb shifted and Gideon felt his heart skip a beat. They weren’t frozen up there after all. Not completely at least.


    As the giant lizard passed and more of the monstrous forms moved overhead, he saw that more of them were staring at him. They were clearly unable to move, but they were just as clearly still alive at some level.


    “What is this bizarre place?”


    For the second time, Gideon’s heart tried to eat itself. He looked left and right, realizing with a start that it was Bullseye’s voice coming from inside his head.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    “Shit! You scared the crap out of me!” Gideon blurted. “How the hell are you even hear?”


    “It seems that the psionic field created by the Strider allowed us to connect on a mental level.”


    “But it doesn’t hurt when you talk to me?”


    “Perhaps because I am not actually here with you. Not completely. I am still here on the moon, still fighting these wretched Stalkers. Whereas you appear to be…elsewhere.”


    Gideon nodded, turning around to consider his surroundings once more. He was about to ask Bullseye where the AI thought they were when he caught sight of a figure up ahead, thirty feet away and standing perfectly still.


    It was tall, dressed in a black robe with a cowl that hid its face. Gideon walked toward the figure and a pair of glowing crimson eyes were revealed, nestled beneath the figure’s hood.


    “Greetings, soulless,” the figure said, its voice sounding like a dozen different whispers.


    “Who are you?” Gideon asked, reaching for his dagger and finding that his inventory was no longer available. His HUD had vanished too along with the EV suit.


    “We are the Harrow,” the figure responded. “We speak for the Collective.”


    As it spoke, two other figures emerged from behind the first and positioned themselves just behind the first to the left and right. They both had yellow eyes and seemed a little shorter than the first hooded figure but stood as still as statues as the whispered voices continued.


    “You are the first of your kind to seek audience with the Harrow. Do you speak for your people?”


    Gideon shook his head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about? Where am I? What is this place.”


    “A realm of meeting. A place outside of time and circumstance where matters of import may be discussed at length.”


    All three figures raised their hands, pointing a finger at Gideon.


    “Do you speak for your people, soulless.”


    “No. I don’t speak for anyone. I’m…a soldier, I guess.”


    The three figures dropped their hands, nodding in unison.


    “A soldier. A soulless who does not speak for his people. The first. The least?”


    It seemed like they weren’t talking to Gideon any longer but discussing it among themselves.


    “He will die,” the trio said, stepping backwards. “He will not be remembered.”


    “Like hell!” Gideon said, running toward the cloaked figures, hands balled up into fists.


    They didn’t flinch as he drew near, throwing a punch into the face of the red eyed figure.


    And then.