Subject-XXXX's History
**Subject ID:** Subject-XXXX
**Object Class:** Keter
**Special Containment Procedures:** Subject-XXXX, hereby referred to as "He Who Walks With Death," is to be contained within a reinforced, underground containment cell at Site-XX. The walls of the cell must be composed of a non-reactive, flame-retardant material. No combustible items are to be placed within the Subject's containment area. Constant video surveillance is required, with no fewer than two security personnel monitoring the cell at all times. Access to the Subject is restricted to Level 4 clearance or higher, and all personnel interacting with the Subject must wear full protective gear.
Subject-XXXX must never be allowed access to open flames or objects resembling fireplaces. All potential hazards, such as wood, paper, and flammable materials, are prohibited in the vicinity of the containment cell.
If Subject-XXXX becomes agitated or attempts to generate fire, the containment chamber is to be flooded with a Class-A foam suppressant until the Subject is pacified. Any staff reporting psychological effects after interacting with the Subject are to be placed under mandatory evaluation for 72 hours.
**Description:**
Subject-XXXX, known as "He Who Walks With Death," appears as an elderly man, approximately 75 years of age, with deep lines etched into his face and a perpetually hunched posture. Subject-XXXX wears tattered, soot-stained clothing and is often seen sitting in a contemplative position, tending to an invisible fire. Despite appearing frail, Subject-XXXX possesses an aura of quiet menace, often referred to as "the quiet death" by personnel.
The Subject's primary anomalous ability is an unsettling connection to fire and death. Subject-XXXX is capable of summoning fire without any visible source, with flames often appearing in the Subject's hands or spontaneously igniting objects within proximity. The flames produced by Subject-XXXX are reported to burn hotter than standard fire, reaching temperatures exceeding 2500°C, and possess an eerie, almost "silent" quality. These flames consume all matter but leave no smoke or ash behind.
However, Subject-XXXX's connection to fire is secondary to a much more disturbing trait: any individual who remains in close proximity to the Subject for an extended period (typically 30 minutes or longer) begins to exhibit signs of accelerated aging and psychological decay. Individuals report feeling as if they are "walking closer to death" with each minute spent near Subject-XXXX. These symptoms include rapid hair graying, wrinkling of the skin, and feelings of intense dread or impending doom.
The psychological effects have been documented to cause vivid hallucinations of funeral pyres, skeletal figures, and the sensation of suffocation, as though the individual is being consumed by flames. In advanced cases, individuals have been driven to madness, claiming that they could "hear death's whispers" from the Subject. Several containment personnel have died suddenly after prolonged exposure to Subject-XXXX, despite showing no signs of injury, leading researchers to believe that the Subject may possess an undetermined connection to death itself.
**Addendum XXXX-2: Incident Log**
On ██/██/20██, Subject-XXXX breached containment for the first time when Site-XX experienced a temporary power failure. During this time, Subject-XXXX was observed standing by the entrance to its cell, calmly igniting a broom handle into flame, and staring intently at the security cameras. The flames from the broom spread rapidly, ignoring the standard fire-resistant materials of the containment chamber. Security was unable to approach due to the intense heat, and the fire suppression systems failed to activate in time. Three staff members were later found dead near the containment wing, their bodies severely aged but showing no physical burns. Subject-XXXX was recaptured without incident, though it whispered, "You cannot outrun what I bring."
**Discovery:**
Subject-XXXX was discovered in a remote, abandoned village where an ancient fireplace had reportedly burned for over 100 years. Local reports indicated that those who attempted to extinguish the fire would suffer mysterious deaths shortly after. Foundation agents located Subject-XXXX sitting in front of the fireplace, slowly feeding it kindling despite no evidence of combustion occurring. The entire village was later razed, with the area now off-limits to civilians.
**Interview Log XXXX-B:**
**Interviewer:** Dr. █████
**Interviewee:** Subject-XXXX
**Dr. █████:** "What is the fire you keep tending?"
**Subject-XXXX:** "It is what remains. The last embers of something old… something that should never go out."
**Dr. █████:** "And why do you keep it burning?"
**Subject-XXXX:** "Because it keeps them at bay."
**Dr. █████:** "Them? Who are you referring to?"
**Subject-XXXX:** [Subject looks up, eyes hollow] "Death walks with me… and when the fire dies, he will take us all."
**Feats:**
- Subject-XXXX can summon and control fire with no apparent ignition source, and the temperature of these flames can exceed 2500°C.
- Prolonged proximity to Subject-XXXX induces rapid aging and psychological decay in humans, leading to death in some cases.
- Subject-XXXX appears to possess knowledge of death, hinting at a possible link between its presence and the natural process of dying.
- Subject-XXXX's fire does not produce smoke or ash, nor does it obey typical laws of physics regarding combustion and spread.
- Despite repeated efforts, Subject-XXXX has not revealed the full extent of its knowledge or abilities related to death.
