Human Narrated: Hyperion | #HFY

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Greetings ladies and merchants and welcome to this latest edition of Tales from Out of Space where I take stories from across the internet and read them for your entertainment. This particular story is called Hyperion written by Hana. Magic is usually pretty finicky.

[00:00:14]It had to be time to control either by force of wool or through a constructed medium. It can be used for great many things. You can build a house with the air of magic. You can help someone stay alive for the ride to the hospital. You can probably cheat on a written test with magic, too. I wouldn't know. I didn't get to use it for that long, really. I messed up in the force of world department, and things went poorly for me. Of course, magic can be used for other things, too. Things like killing, death, destruction, mayhem, candy from babies, things like that. I thought I had a cynical worldview before the Fed snatched me up. But standing in front of a grizzly scene, and I knew I hadn't really even scratched the depths of cynicism.

[00:01:04]If you took out the bodies, the blood, the torn clothing, it would have been a pleasant stroll through the bark. Aside from it being September in Arizona, birds chirping, the sun was shining, a soft breeze brushes the leaves from side to side. still 100° F, but the breeze helped. As it was, though, the park wasn't too pleasant. A thick metallic taste hung in the air and coated your mouth as soon as you walked within 20 ft of the clearing. The scent would hit you next. Death was messy. Bells were avoided. Things come spilling out of you, not pleasant. The cops next to me got to experiment it firsthand, and their displeasure came spilling out of their mouths and onto the ground, along with plenty of wretching noises.

[00:01:54]All that just to the peripheral, though, the meat of the issue was spread out across the bath, and the bench beside it, and hung through the trees. Someone something had decided to start their holiday decorations early using human bodies. They didn't like to put things to waste either. Intestines were hung from branches like [ __ ] up streamers of flesh. Blood was used to smear situles and ruins in the ground. Three male corpses sat together on a bench, fingers linked together, smiles on their faces. Apparently, they had died in no small amount of bliss.

[00:02:37]What do you think, H? The business-like voice came from beside me. I looked down. Most people were far shorter than my 6'10 bulk, and locked eyes with one of the few people who weren't nervous around me. He stood at the standard 6 ft tall, built somewhat like a running back. He was getting up there in years, as evidenced by the smatterings of gray and his normally black hair. Pale blue eyes looked to mine. They darted back to the grizzly scene, taking in some details here and there. This was Gabriel. I'm fairly certain that wasn't his real name, but it suited him. He kept tabs on me, assisting me with tasks, and made sure I was tucked in at night. The works. I pulled the collar of my shirt, loosening the tie that hung around my neck like some silicon noose.

[00:03:28]buck ties too much vulnerability in a fight and hard to get off in a short amount of time. Gabriel was probably something of a conjurer since he was consistently able to find clothes in my size. No small feat when you're shopping for a 610 415 super soldier. Now, it wasn't always massive. Once I had my little magical accident, it tore whatever gift I had away, and the government snatched me up, running their tests and whatnot. After deliberation, they thought I'd be a wonderful first subject for augmentation. And I couldn't really refuse, sedated as I was. You're allowed to use my call sign, you know.

[00:04:09]If you won't use my real name, you should use that. My voice was deeper than I remembered. Then again, I hadn't spent much time being at a [ __ ] ogre.

[00:04:19]Gabriel's mouth twitched in what might have been a smile. I'm not calling you by that ridiculous name. I can't believe they let you pick it. I grinned from ear to ear and held up my hands, either of which could easily wrap around Gabriel's head, most of it, at least. What? I thought hamfist would be a perfect call sign. Whatever, Hammy. Whatever, Hammy.

[00:04:41]What do you think? I let my hands fall to my sides and looked over the scene.

[00:04:46]Investigators were taking photos. A lot of them, but they knew their stuff, and nothing was being messed up. I looked to the smiles faster across the dead faces, the endrails ripped out, and the distinct lack of genitalia.

[00:05:00]My legs unconsciously pressed together in response.

[00:05:04]Odds are succubi, probably two, most likely more. Notice the fact that their family jewels are gone entirely. Sakubai are the only ones to do that. The bliss kept the boys from protesting too much, and those symbols look vaguely demonic.

[00:05:19]Gabriel nodded and pulled out a smartphone. I wish they would let me have one of those. He tapped away at the screen for a few moments before tucking it away. I agree. Let's get you suited up and take them out. 10 for another day on the job. At least I wasn't going to be looking on unemployment for a while.

[00:05:38]You see, the government knows there are creepy things out there lurking in the edges of our awareness. Sometimes they come out and feast or whatever this is they do. That's where I come in. I'm not sure if they've made any more super soldiers, so right now it's just me. But they made me with a clear purpose. Curb stomped the supernatural bastards that like to praise so much on humanity.

[00:06:03]Business is booming these days.

[00:06:07]The last of the plates sealed across my rather muscular chest with a soft h. It must be the augmentation because I don't remember working at all out there often.

[00:06:17]I should probably change that. I was standing in a pose vaguely reminiscent of dainci's vuvian man while various tech putter about detaching cables here scrolling some note and otherwise making sure my armor was up to spec. Wonderful stuff really. keeps all the manners of horrors safely separated from my flesh by a few inches of steel, ceramic, and some sort of gel stuff and what was described as kinetic redirection barrier. I think it just helps cushion the suit and me from being squished by violently and all falling out of buildings.

[00:06:52]There was a brief moment of claustrophobia as it tacked behind me, who had to stand on the stool, lowered hed over my head. The movement was ruined when the bottom edge clipped my chin and the tech muttered something under her breath. Should have let me put it on myself. The helmet finally clicked into place and several locks engaged ceing around the neck. Power thrown through the armor and my HUD lit up.

[00:07:19]Icons flashed over the screen, all in places I didn't remember leaving. I was stuffed into the back of a cargo container, presumably attached to some sort of Mac truck. That's usually how they wheeled my armor and support stuff around as it was the only thing big enough to hold all of my equipment. The helmet bumbling tank stepped around from in front of me, nose buried in a paperwork, blonde, long legs, stereotypical TV style hot nerd trope.

[00:07:48]You won't see me complaining, though.

[00:07:50]She glanced up at me with those deep blue eyes, and they flickered over certain points in the suit, joints, sensitive areas, things like that. I wouldn't mind her taking a look at my sensitive areas without the armor, that's for sure.

[00:08:04]Doctor, we're getting an increase in heart rate. Another text spoke from across the cramped container.

[00:08:10]The doctor, who is apparently the same person that smacked me on the chin with my own helmet, pursed her lips and glanced back at the chance. A bit of claustrophobia, Mr. Svoi. Her voice was smooth, liquid, and much more enticing than I thought it would be. No, I replied, ever the mustard of diction.

[00:08:30]You're hitting my chin with 30 lb of metal snapped me out of the pretty quick. My voice rumbled at the speakers of the armor, lending at a strange, mildly robotic filter. The blonde doctor blushed for a moment and recovered and pushed a few stray hairs out of her face. Yes, my apologies. How does the armor fit? We changed a few things around, updated the software, made some improvements. New software. That explained why everything in my HUD was in a different spot than when I heard it. Everything looks good, I said, frantically, rearranging the elements of my HUD back to some semblance of organization.

[00:09:08]Between the fact that I was still held in five civil cables, and my face couldn't be seen through my face plate, I managed to look calm and serene. is that feeling when you had your parents over for dinner in your own house and you got to take a dump after they leave only to find that your mother rearranged your bathroom. Nothing is in the right spot. Toilet paper is facing the wrong way and it feels uncomfortable. You don't [ __ ] with a man's throne, horse or otherwise.

[00:09:39]The hot doctor gestured and the other texts swarmmed around me, disconnecting the last few cables, my arms and legs finally under my own control. With the power assist from the armor, I shrugged my shoulders and clenched my fists.

[00:09:53]Wheels more fluid, I rumbled. It was nice. The first version of the suit came about after I nearly got viscerated by a ghoul. Well, there was a 10 total, but one in particular got a hand in my guts.

[00:10:06]That Mark 1 suit held up fantastically.

[00:10:09]Mark 1's suit held up fantastically. But it felt like I was wearing a powdered version of those suits children make out of leftover cardboard boxes.

[00:10:19]The doctor, I really needed to get a name, nodded, not looking up from the papers. We figured that adding more mobility within the suit should only help your combat abilities and allow for more versatility. We're keeping you hooked up to the monitors since this is the first test run of the MK 2, she said on her toes and stretched her arm up to tap my face plate, revealing a fair bit of tanned midruff. And we'll be able to see everything that you see through here. [ __ ] They get to see me panic and flare. And now I frantically rearranging icons. Lovely. Oh well, I should collect the rest of my gear. I need to be in and out as fast as possible. I'm sure you would, Mr. Svatorei. She looked into my face plate again before dropping her hands to her sides and quickly honed in on her name tag stencil into a lab coat.

[00:11:14]I bumped up the magnification a few times and managed to make out the words Dr. Sterling. Several texts chuckled around me, and Sterling turned to face me. If you'd like to know my name, Mr. Salvatorei, you should simply ask. It's much more polite.

[00:11:30]I felt my face blush. I looked over the side of the container which was covered in various screens. One of them was broadcasting my current viewpoint. The screen directly below that was being manipulated by one of the texts and kept rewinding to the point where I zoomed in on Dr. Sterling's name tag. [ __ ] Well, let's just call it even since you botched putting the tin can on my head.

[00:11:54]I stomped over to the end of the container where the screens and the walls gave way to racks upon racks of weapons. Hopefully, my faint anger would keep my embarrassment at bay.

[00:12:06]If it didn't, the impressive array of weapons certainly bolsted my attitude.

[00:12:11]Due to the supernatural nature of this work, I'm able to get my armored paws on some pretty cuttingedge tech. rail guns, experimental lasers of some sort, and word had gotten around that some sort of hellfire slinging monstrosity was in the works. It made me quite excited, to say the least. Despite all that, sometimes it's best to stick with the classics. I snatched up an all-time favorite of mine, the AA12 shotgun. Of course, the polymers had been replaced with metal in all the parts that would allow it, with the suit weight mounted very little. A little part of my mind danced with glee at the fact that the texts had stocked this particular version with large 32 shell drum mag. I scooped up more of those, letting the magnetics on my belt clip them in place. When I walked over to the section containing handguns, I couldn't help but smile. Between my already hulking body and the extra layer of armor, most weapons had to be manufactured specifically for me, or I wouldn't even be able to get a finger in the trigger guard. I hefted the HK45, a model that Gabriel always preferred.

[00:13:22]Mine looked massive compared to his little peashooter, despite the fact they were functionally the same. I swear I'm not compensating.

[00:13:30]Thus armed, I signaled to the guard standing beside the door. They nodded and pulled back several bolts, then shoved the door outward with a short squeal of metal. Sunlight flooded in the container, and my face plate darkened to compensate for the light. I lumbered over to the edge and dropped down to the concrete, and the back of the container gained a few inches in height as soon as I exited. The street around me was strangely empty, although I figured it was due to Gabriel and the higherups making sure no civilians would be harmed. Speaking of Gabriel, the man saunted up precisely, calm and collected. He was wearing some sort of armor, but not powered like mine was.

[00:14:10]Think high-tech plate mail. A light sheen or the sweat had broken on his brow. Impressive, considering it still 16° in Arizona heat outside, and he was wearing black armor. I was suddenly thankful for the sealed environment my suit provided.

[00:14:27]Bel, I think this is it, spoke Gabriel.

[00:14:30]All business. We I had tracked the succubi to under construction parking garage somewhere in the downtown Phoenix. I could see the lines of heat rising from the pavement as I took a looming scaffolding and plastic that covered the construction site. Gabriel checked the integrity of his weapon and looked up to me. Give me a rundown on these things again. I snorted. You know as much as I do, Gabe. Gabriel sighed at my truncated use of his name. Listen, you're the expert in things of the supernatural nature. Just because you've drafted reports in those things doesn't mean there's anything else to glean from your experience. Expert? I asked. I'm hardly an expert. I practiced magic for a few years, took some self-defense classes, got dropped into the military, and lost all my gift when that portal blacklashed on me out in the desert.

[00:15:21]Gabriel nodded. And you closed that portal all by yourself, too. Stopping something akin to the apocalypse. He was right. Technically, I was attempting to summon a minor demon in order to get some information. Instead, I [ __ ] up as usual and pulled a significantly stronger demon and Dural into the world.

[00:15:42]In the ensuing fight where the demon wiped the floor with me, I sacrificed all I had to rip the portal apart, severing Arendel's link to the mortal world in the process. As a result, I only had the barest whisper of the gift left, which allowed me to sense when something wonky was going on, hence how we had tracked down the succubi. All right, all right, I acquiesed. Their bottom halves are very tail, legs ending in talons, hooves, claws, etc. Top halves are very uh very attractive woman with wings and razor sharp teeth, usually naked. Don't get distracted.

[00:16:19]They're quite hot. Gabriel led me. his gaze piercing through my face plate. I held up my hands defensively. I mean, temperature- wise, I've seen claws set clothing al light and melt metal. Did you notice the small burns on those boys in the park? That's why, Gabriel. Lady's glare slide off my gray armor, and he pulled a compact rifle of some sort from his back. Understood. Avoid the claws.

[00:16:44]Gray looks good for the armor, by the way. Now, I shouldered the shotgun and strode into the garage. The temperature gauge in my within my HUD jumped a few degrees. Even being out of direct sunlight. I think I know why they like Vicki so much, I said, searching for any sign of the demon. It's the heat reminds them so much of home. Gabriel chuckled slightly, then stiffened as a barely perceptile hiss emerged from one of the lower levels. I never understood how he could hear things at the same time as I did with my fancy suit. Food for thought. I stepped ahead of my hander and shouldered the shotgun, aiming down the ramp to the lower level. I hugged the left side of the ramp, my own's left side covered by the wall. Gabriel took the right side, occasionally peeking over the shorter barrier on his side. As we slowly descended, a strange haze drifted over my mind. It felt like someone pouring lukewarm water directly onto my brain. Not extreme in any way, but still disconcerting. and some small part of me that still possessed the gift. My magic screamed at me, mourning of impending danger. It was never warned me when a girl could be interested in me, but it usually kept me alive, so can't really complain.

[00:18:03]My head began to pound, and I caught a blur of movement at the bottom of the ramp. Despite how amazing the suit could be, I wasn't able to see it in complete darkness just yet. So I settled for tossing five or six slugs from the AA12 in that direction.

[00:18:18]The roar erupted across the concrete, ripping furrows into the ground before fading away. The response, a sinister laugh, enough through the garage, bouncing off the walls, masking the direction it came from.

[00:18:32]My, but you're quick on the trigger, aren't you? The voice of a hazy smooth, almost intoxicating.

[00:18:39]You know the voice some of the more uh involved porn stars use in their videos usually coupled with that look. It sounded a little something like that.

[00:18:49]But my body gave an almost immediate reaction.

[00:18:53]We can hear your heart even through the weight of steel. It sounds delicious.

[00:19:00]I swiped my shotgun across the widening space of the garage searching for a solid target. You know what actually sounds delicious? I replied as Gabriel hissed for me to be quiet. I ignored him as usual. Hey, Big Mac. Those things are the [ __ ] Have you ever had one? I heard the slithering noise from my left beyond the curve of wall. I took three long strides and brought my shotgun to bear opening fire and rounded the curve. The ladder stood there several places in front of me was ripped to shreds.

[00:19:31]"Fuck," I muttered. "Slow down," Gabriel hissed. He always liked to lecture me on tactics. I had forgotten most of what I learned in the Marines after being honorarily discharged a year in Bumi and all of that. Of course, it was actually very good advice considering my quick movements made more impressive by the armor left Gabriel in the dust. I realized my mistake moments before a powerful body slammed into mine from behind, nearly knocking me to the ground despite my massive pulp. Say what you will about demons, but they don't pull any punches. I twisted, trying to get a grip on the thrashing creature, but it proved quite slippery. Darking all the attempts and dropped a shotgun and swung my arms behind me, smiling as I felt a pair of legs strapped between my hands and my back, I pitched myself backwards, letting the gravity do the work. Demons may be tough, but 400 lb of flesh and another ton of metal is a whole of lot of weight.

[00:20:34]An earplitting screech sounded directly by my ear, but the suit managed to compensate and turned the volume down a bit. I let felt bones crunch and split around where my more fleshy sensation.

[00:20:47]Wasting no time, I flipped over and drove my armored elbow into the nearly flattened face of the succubus like a pile driver. Blood and gore spattered across the concrete floor, and my elbow put a decently sized furrow in the ground. Behind me, I heard Gabriel firing his rifle in tightly controlled bursts, and judging from the screams, his aim was miraculous. At first, I'd protested my handler joining me on these little excursions, complaining that an aging man would slow me down and I would have to look after him, but with me having the state-of-the-art combat suit.

[00:21:22]Then I watched him take on some strange shadow beasts in hand to hand combat and realized I would have to up my game if I wanted to stay in the same league as Gabriel. Now we had a comfortable working relationship where he chastised me for my mistakes. I poked fun at him, and the supernatural baddies usually got their skulls pushed in. Usually, though, we didn't run head first into an established base of operations for a screaming horde of succupi. My original estimate of maybe three had been wrong.

[00:21:54]No, so very wrong, and I should have seen it coming. My gift is a miserable shadow of what it had been, and there was no way I could have a pinpointed the location of only three lesser demons like Succubi. My gift could, however, pinpoint a large concentration of 20 or so. With that being said, Gabriel was doing a fantastic job of holding back the 19 of them. That had decided to charge forward while the hulking dumbass in armor, me, was distracted. A rifle can only hold so many bullets, though, and when the magazine was spent, Gabriel dropped the rifle and drew his sidearm, steadily firing into the advancing demons. His aim was amazing, but only a few of them dropped permanently. I snalled and shot myself up, hefting the upscaled AA12 in their haste to dispatch Gabriel. The succuber decided to keep away from me instead of giving me a quick coupe to grace. And they were going to pay for it. They were clever, but not necessarily smart. If that makes sense. I had a manic grown on my face, and I held down the trigger and sent a remaining 26 slugs into the screeching mass of half- naked woman-like demons.

[00:23:04]Body parts flew, demonic blood sprayed across the garage, and the screams only increased in volume. One succupus, faster than the rest, had managed to make it across the kenning field and advancing Gabriel, determined to end him. The man pulling the trigger twice, clipping the beast's shoulder with one bullet. On the second pull, the handgun clicked empty. Gabriel dropped the pistol to his free hands, tore a combat knife from his sheath on his shoulder, and met the demon's charge. He ducked under the clumsy first swing and rose up, stabbing the blade underneath the succubus's chin. Gabriel twisted the knife out and slammed the blade through the temple just in case. He exhailed sharply and kicked the body away before retrieving his for weaponry. See, I said, "It all worked out in the end."

[00:23:52]Gabriel merely glanced at me and reloaded each of his weapons. Taking the unspoken device, I did the same, ejecting the spend drum mag and inserting a fresh one. My handler then walked among the fallen bodies, putting one shot in each skull of the still breathing creatures. "Can you feel anything else?" he asked as he moved through the gore. his voice cold and calm. I paused and reached out with my minor gift, searching the garage. In the far corner, my power came upon a wall rack and cold as night, which sent an evolutionary shiver through me. There's still something in the back quarter, I gestured in the direction, but it's dark, very dark power-wise, not color.

[00:24:35]The familiar hungry laughter echoed through the garage. Yes, stark it is, little one. footsteps to that sounded like hard boots and broken glass emerged from the darkness. And a woman shrouded in shadow strode towards us, bringing that dark power with her, flanking her with two succubi, bare flesh pale and supple, practically glowing in the dim lighting. Let's make a deal, darling.

[00:25:01]The woman in the shadow breathed her voice husky. Yes, a deal, echoed the succubi. I got a deal for you, I replied, rising the shotgun. Blow me. In response, the psychupi moaned and slid the sineuous tongue along the razor sharp teeth.

[00:25:20]Would you let us? Gabriel glad at me.

[00:25:23]You need to pick your words better. The woman in the shadow laughed, a messenger, ever so thoughtful. Let the armored man speak his piece. He is far more intriguing than you give him credit for. Realizing that I forgot a critical step in any negotiation, I pulled back the charging handle on the shotgun, sending another shell into the chamber.

[00:25:44]I wasn't really planning on speaking about peace, actually. I turned my head slightly towards Gabriel. Then I picked those ones okay, though I thought it was pretty clever.

[00:25:55]The shrouded woman raised her arm, and the shadows that seemed to congeal around her form spread along the concrete, as though reaching for us. I figured as much. This won't be the last time we speak, darling. I'm sure of it.

[00:26:10]She looked at me then, and I saw her eyes, deep, ancient, and the color of blood, passion, and a thousand things far less pleasant. The contact jolt me to the bone, even worse than I had when I touched her presence with my gift. I'm afraid your messenger won't be coming with you, though. Those below have some plans for him." I glanced at Gabriel, and the shadow seemed to undulate towards him. His face was strained, and I could see a vein pulsing in his forehead. I saw his hands trembling, sending a barrel of his rifle skittering from the side. Looks like I'm calling the shots this time, I whispered to myself. I brought my gaze back to the trio and met the shadow woman's eyes again, not flinching this time. Small victories.

[00:26:57]Get the behind me, demons, I growled, a sound made all the more intense by the Sith speakers. Without waiting for a response, I pressed the trigger on the shotgun and quickly tearing through the tooth succubi. I steadily advanced towards the woman, stepping into the deepening shadows, sending slug after slug into a form. Slowly, the shadow began to slink back as her body jerked from side to side. I dropped a drum mag and snapped in a fresh one, slowing my assault for only a moment. The woman's eyes never left mine, burning my very soul. I used to practice magic and I know the horrors that could follow behind a long gaze. I didn't care. I held the trigger down until every round was spent and the shotgun sparrow was smoking and morphed. I did the same with my oversized HK45.

[00:27:49]By the time I used up all my ammunition, I was only a few feet away from her, and her arms were still outstretched, sending shadows crawling towards my handler. So I went and ahead and did the only thing I could. I punched that patron naturatural [ __ ] right in the door. The force of my punch sent her rocketing back and the only thing holding her up was the shadows around her. Literally they wrapped around my arm and I felt a chill pierce through me. The temperature gauge in my heart shot up in an insane amount as if tunning me my body was stupid for feeling cold. Now I was in too deep now.

[00:28:25]So I tore my arm out of the darkness and punched again and again and again. I drove the woman to the ground and she never broke her gaze. "He'll talk soon, darling," she purred.

[00:28:38]Then I dropped my armored boot onto her face with a force of an angry titan.

[00:28:45]End of story.

[00:29:06]Authoria 050 drag zoom wre and Elijah civilcross. Thank you very much.