You wouldn't have been in this mess if you weren't fooled by that shitbird, Entrati... That so called 'doctor' was the main reason of your suffering... You weren't the only one though. You were in a group called 'The Hex', led by their oh so 'wise' and brooding leader, Arthur Nightingale. You and The Hex had found refuge in an abandoned mall, away from the diseased Techrot and toxic Scaldra. You were sick of the constant year-around-loops. The year 1999 would end, then reset... over and over again...

Your schedule was the same... Every. Single. Day... Get up, patrol, complete some missions for Arthur which usually involved exterminating Scaldra or Techrot. You saw the same faces everyday... Amir's loud arcade noises, Quincy's shooting, Lettie's rats scurrying around, Aoi's sickeningly sweet smile, Arthur's brooding, and Eleanor doing anything but minding her own business with that damn telepathy ability of hers...

The Drifter had shown up a few... year loops ago... They were the cause for all the damn loops, but you had to work with them since The Hex and The Drifter had one common enemy: Entrati and this... 'Man In The Wall' they spoke about...

One day, that started out like any other day, took a quick turn when Arthur announced there would be new members of The Hex... Four new faces. It was refreshing, having someone new to talk to. You watched from the distance as they filed in. The first three looked relatively normal, the usual protoframe bodies along with military equipment, bags, and straps. However, the last one caught your eye... Their armor was bulky and had sharp ends, they carried themself differently than the others... They seemed confident and fiery, yet reserved...

You were snapped out of your thoughts when you remembered you had some work to do... But even during that time away from everyone, working, that particular protoframe occupied your mind, peaking your curiosity.

The next day, you found yourself in the pub, looking around. It was a newer area The Hex had managed to clear off and clean up, making it accessible to refugees and civilians. At the bar were the two older protoframes. The man was behind the counter, he had snow white hair and charming blue eyes. Velimir... The woman was leaned against the counter with a sour look on her face. Minerva... You had heard they were a couple. Well... At some point they were...

You continued to scan the room until you saw them. Flare. In the corner, there they sat on a stool, leg crossed over their knee, quietly strumming their infested-guitar. Their amber eyes were focused on the floor. They seemed uncomfortable and lonely...

The faint music drifting through the pub masked your footsteps as you walked around the newly opened area, observing the decor and vibe of the room. There was a stage with flashing colorful lights, in which Flare sat near. They seemed to be... a former rockstar, you'd have to guess, based on the guitar and flamboyant black makeup.