James Everett (eventually known as Agony) had never been destined for greatness. He wasn’t a man of ambition or schemes, nor did he crave wealth or power. What he wanted was simple: stability, a roof over his head, and the ability to provide for his family. He was an inventor, but not like Edwin Cogsworth.
While Cogsworth built machines to alter fate and achieve glory, James built machines that helped people—water filtration systems for struggling farmers, mechanical tools to ease physical labour. He had no aspirations beyond improving the lives of others.
But simplicity did not shield him from life’s hardships. His inventions didn’t bring wealth, and debt had followed him like a shadow for years. When Cogsworth offered him a position on the Fate Engine project, James saw it as his chance to finally escape poverty. He believed in the machine’s potential, trusted Cogsworth to lead them to success, and felt honored to be part of something greater. He had no idea that he would be the one to pay the price for its failure.
The betrayal began subtly. Cogsworth grew more secretive, and meetings became more tense as the team neared completion of the machine. James noticed the way Jacob avoided his gaze, how Seer flinched at every mention of the machine’s power. But he pushed his doubts aside—until the night Cogsworth and Jacob cornered him in the workshop.
“We need you to trust us,” Cogsworth said, his voice cold and calculated. Jacob’s hands were firm as they grabbed James’s arms, and suddenly, everything fell into place. The sacrifice wasn’t a hypothetical concept or an abstract theory. It was him.
James struggled as they dragged him to the center of the workshop, where the machine hummed ominously. “Please,” he begged, locking eyes with Jacob. “You don’t have to do this.”
Jacob’s face contorted with guilt, but he didn’t loosen his grip. “It’ll be over soon,” he muttered, as though the words could absolve him.
Seer stood near the machine, trembling and unable to meet James’s gaze. Dave, restrained by Jacob earlier, shouted from across the room, but his protests were drowned out by the growing hum of the machine.
Then there was Jeff.
James saw the handyman standing near the entrance, holding a toolbox and looking confused. “Get out!” Dave yelled, but the vortex had already formed. The energy lashed out, and Jeff was pulled in, his body dissolving as the machine consumed him. James screamed, the pain of betrayal colliding with the physical agony of being torn apart by the machine’s energy. His death wasn’t quick. The machine was designed to drain its victims slowly, converting their life force into raw power. But instead of powering the machine, his death cursed it. His rage, betrayal, and suffering corrupted the delicate balance Edwin had tried so hard to maintain.
The machine buckled, its gears grinding violently as it imploded. The explosion ripped through the workshop, killing Edwin, Jacob, Dave, and blinding Seer. But James’s suffering didn’t end with death. His soul, corrupted by betrayal, became the heart of the curse.
As a ghost, James—now known as Agony—is a terrifying presence. His form flickers between two states: one moment, he appears as the man he was in life—kind, hopeful, and filled with sorrow. The next, his ghostly body contorts, writhing in perpetual pain. His eyes burn with anguish, and his translucent skin is marred by glowing cracks that pulse like open wounds. His screams echo through the workshop at night, a haunting reminder of what betrayal costs.
He hates Cogsworth above all, but his rage extends to the entire team. He blames Seer for staying silent, Jacob for holding him down, and even Dave, despite his protests, for not doing more to stop the ritual. Jeff, however, is the only one he doesn’t resent. In Jeff, he sees another victim of the machine’s insatiable hunger. Their suffering is linked, and though Agony doesn’t speak of it, he feels an unspoken bond with the man who died alongside him.
Agony’s presence is suffocating. When he appears, the air grows heavy, and those nearby feel an overwhelming sense of despair. His voice drips with venom when he confronts the other ghosts, but when he encounters the living, his message is clear: “Don’t trust them. Don’t make the same mistake I did.”
But the living rarely listen, and so Agony’s screams continue, fueling the curse that binds them all.