Five Forgotten Friends
From left to right, Pyra, Egon, Troy, Kefele, Saphie and May.
Since he was a young boy, Troy admired his father greatly, so when he came of age, he followed his steps and joined the Vanguards. Many saw them as heroes, putting their lives on the line to keep citizens safe, and Troy was no different and was proud that his father was a high-ranking officer.
Troy would work hard for his father’s praise, ignoring the enmity fostered by his connection, pestered by his seniors for being the son of their Lieutenant. Still, his time with the Vanguards was not without friends. Within his platoon, he would meet 3 people he’d come to consider his best friends.
First was Pyra, his assigned sparring partner. A boisterous woman, known for toppling a Gomphotherium with her bare hands. Her personality was like a filter, separating those who’d - despite this modern age - regard her as lesser for not being traditionally feminine, as Pyra effortlessly embodied the opposite of its tenants. She was firm, brash, and violent, never hesitating to use her superior physicality to make a point. She had a particular spite for those who undermined her skills, going out of her way to prove them wrong. Still, under it all was a woman who cared deeply for her loved ones, and for the empathy she had, she’d be called a radical.
Her data was uploaded during a seemingly easy mission. She felt confident enough to eliminate a bomb before it exploded. She was wrong.
During field practice, they met Egon. He was too soft to be a Vanguard. That was unanimous across their platoon. This mountainous man was the strongest in his rank, and yet, he would break out in tears when reprimanded for his frequent, stress-induced mishaps. He’d hesitate to eliminate the many monsters that threatened the city’s borders, pointing out “they are just defending their territory”, or “monsters are people too!”, pleas that’d go ignored by his crewmates.
He vanished one night after Troy’s party was tasked with purging a nest of Katobleps, the mother and its offspring. Few days later, his data was uploaded.
Troy would meet Kefele in the locker room. They bumped each other in a particularly foul mood, and what could’ve been solved with common politeness somehow turned into a full-out brawl. From then on, they’d hiss at each other whenever their paths crossed.
During a hectic thunderstorm, they were assigned as a duo, and forced to cooperate. Surprisingly, despite the grudges, what resulted from their time together was admiration. Combined, their synergy was something to behold. Kefele’s tactical support provided Troy with the strategic insight he lacked, and Troy would fend off danger with ease, keeping Kefele safe to operate his drones.
Their rivalry reformed into a strong sense of brotherhood, but that would soon be unraveled, spiraling downwards into murderous hate. The events that led to his data upload are mysterious to this day.
May was Kefele’s younger sister from another father. A girl who was only as sweet and gentle as she was sharp. An excellent judge of character and a proficient detector of lies. The definition of someone who “kills with kindness”. May could tear anyone down with a 5-word sentence, the kind that would haunt you, that you’d remember in quiet moments, or right before falling asleep. To know May is to watch a frail-looking flower bloom into something fearful and realize you’re surrounded by thorns.
She met Troy some months after he and Kefele had become friends. May liked him, more than others, who weren’t many. She confessed to him one day, and despite Troy’s best attempt to let her down easy, she saw right through him.
Her heartbreak would be mended a few weeks later, with the introduction of Saphie -the body-mod aficionado- to the group. During a night out, the flirtatious Viera approached them for a lighter, and after a series of drunk shenanigans, she’d come to be a consistent participant in their hangouts.
She and May would bond over their mutual love for digital art and music. They would collaborate to enhance Saphie’s DJ nights, with May’s dazzling holographic displays.
Their data was uploaded on the same night, mere months after Kefele’s, after a tragic hoverbike accident.
Losing his friend circle wiped the better part of a decade from Troy’s memory, leaving large gaps between scattered memories of his platoon life and nights out. Flashes of field skirmishes, monsters howling, interspersed with visions of dancing and alley lurking. The constant memory wipes caused him to fall into a coma, lasting 5 months.
He quits the Vanguard first thing out of the hospital. It was a rough couple of years rebuilding himself from scratch, Troy was jobless, friendless, and alone. No family to greet him at home. but his life would soon take a turn, after receiving a mysterious email from his soon-to-be contractor.
