More light glittered across the morning streets, bathing them in showers of golden rays. An uninterrupted silence shuffled over the streetside for a moment, quickly broken through as Kage squeezed the remnants of Vaan’s collar, plopping him to his feet.

Vaan, trembling with a cold, unsettling shiver, couldn’t force himself to speak. With his hands burning in a lingering pain, he fumbled the revolver back into its nest, tight against the hip. His eyes found the alleyway painted with a lifeless, foul mess.

“Vaan,” Kage scowled, pulling Vaan out of what seemed like a trance. “I know you’re young, and I know you most likely never expected to take someone’s life. And whether you like it or not, you can’t change what has already happened. Your innate instincts kicked in, controlling you for the sake of your own survival. I know it’s hard to comprehend, but we need to leave. Immediately.”

Vaan stood still, fear clouding his eyes, burns forming on his hands.

“Follow.” This time, Kage ordered, not giving Vaan another option. “Now.”

Time chased them; Kage knew that. Now, however, there were more dire problems following their steps. Multiple guardsmen dead, Kage thought. Not enough time, too catastrophic to clean anything. Now the kid’s killed. Shit. And that guard… One escaped.

It didn’t take long for them to reach the northern gates. The streets—usually filled with citizens, guards and wanderers—ran cold as empty winds swept them clean. There wasn’t a soul in the Dustlands that would miss any announcement from the empire. If a single thread of hope lain for a better life, none would dare pass on the opportunity. So, Kage knew it had to have been around noon time by now.

Vaan let his legs do all the work, barely able to keep up with Kage. His mind was elsewhere, suffering the consequences of his impulsive actions. Kage understood it, that feeling of no going back. The inability to turn back time. Living with regrets. Wondering what would happen if only that one event hadn’t led to the next.

“Only time will heal,” Kage said, coming to a halt, his focus on the crowded street ahead. “You can’t do anything about what happened. You can only keep living. The strong will learn, the weak will bellow in regret.”

Vaan’s dim expression didn’t budge, only his shoulders, which seemed to have slouched even more.

“Listen carefully Vaan,” Kage gazed upon Lukas Aleman, standing proud between the gates, amidst thousands of starving civilians. “Blend in with the crowd. Stay quiet for a few days, don’t raise unwanted attention, and do not go anywhere near men with white uniforms. Make sure not a soul knows about the revolver. If you haven't heard from me in 48 hours, that means I failed, and I am probably dead.”

A wisp of life seemed to have brought back Vaan’s voice, “What do you mean? Where are you going? What are you planning to do? Why would you be dead?!”

“We were late to the announcement, and guessing by the chatter echoing off the buildings, it can't be good.” Kage paused, glaring at the Goliath, “I refuse to believe my father’s disappearance is a coincidence. The empire has its secrets too, and it looks like the only way to unravel the truths, lies beyond that machine ”

“Are you crazy? How are you planning to get on board?” Vaan’s jaw tightened, his voice returning to him. His mind distracted him from his murders, and perhaps that was for the best.

“That’s none of your concern. If I don’t come back, it might be too late for everyone anyhow.”

Vaan knew he couldn’t stop him; not by force, not by witt, not by reason. “I’m not saying goodbye,” Vaan spat, frustrated.

“Good,” Kage jabbed him in the gut. “Neither am I.”

Vaan hurled backward, air leaving his lungs in a blink. As he crawled back to his feet, Kage was gone, and more chatter bounced from building to building as the crowds slowly dispersed.

At the head of the gates, a staircase dropped from the Goliath. An insidious smile split Lukas’ cheeks as the guard had begun to push the crowds back. The people, who had compiled around the courtyard, were outraged beyond belief. Hunger consumed their eyes as they clawed against the walls of brass shields pushing them back.

In the midst of all the yelling and stomping, one singular guard seemed out of place, like a dead crop in a field of prosperity. He ran with a quickened pace, not towards, but away from the crowd. No, he ran through it, straight to Lukas. His once-white uniform was now littered with stains of dust and dirt. Pools of sweat blanketed his wrinkled forehead and pits, and the rapid panting made Lukas scowl at the mere sight of it.

The guard, attempting to regain his breath, whispered into Lukas’ ear, reversing the scowl he had worn so confidently. “Come,” Lukas ordered, “We must discuss this further. Privately. This is a rather interesting turn of events. Events that inappropriately collide with my schedule.”

He grabbed the guard by this shoulder, leading him up the steps into the Goliath. Beneath their steps, their shadows followed, unevenly. It was as if there was a pattern on the ground, distorting the matter of which the shadows consisted of. If looking at it from afar, it would not have been noticeable. However, from up close, it seemed like flowing water, digressing into murky waves.

As they reached the top of the steps, Lukas dropped his unwavering expression, along with the guard’s shoulder. A long, narrow hallway lit by fluorescent lights presented itself before them. Every now and then a door on both sides curved into the walls, purposely windowless.

Lukas’ brilliant, yet clammy boots echoed his footsteps, interfering with the quiet hum of the lights above. “Tell me your name,” he ordered redundantly.

The guard looked puzzled for a moment, then answered. “Unit 0652.”

His answer seemed to please Lukas, as if there was some sort of pleasure derived from hearing that. “Unit 0652. Let us have a little conversation. Please join me, will you?”

Before the guard answered, they took a turn, avoiding the stairwell at the end of the hallway. Lukas led unit 0652 through an unlocked metal door, “Here is good,” he gestured toward the guard, “Take a seat.”

The guard did as instructed, sitting in a rather luxurious chair; By the look on his face, it was not something he had been accustomed to. Around him hung paintings, all of different sorts and representations of art. They were the only obscurities in the room, as the walls and ceiling were all made out of sheet metal, brimming in a shallow glow.

Lukas sat across Unit 0652 in a similar chair, placed strategically in front of an oval window overlooking the northern wall of the Dustlands. The wall stretched eastward, far, straight into the distant sun.

Crossing his legs, Lukas straightened his posture. “Unit 0652, describe the order of events in the exact order you can recall them. Please, do not miss a single detail, as every piece of evidence must be accounted for.”

Unit 0652 wiped the trickling sweat off his forehead, gulping, as if to clear the dryness in his mouth. “Right… As far as I remember, I, along with Unit 0644, 0646, 0651, and 0657 were on morning watch along the mine entrance. South tower, overnight shift, right at dawn break. Out of nowhere, this explosion happened, right beneath the street. it put half the street into crumbles. Even the entrance to the mines collapsed.”

“Were there any disturbances that you heard of from the previous night?” Lukas pondered, his gaze luminous. “Preferably any evidence to suggest that this could have happened from an abnormality beforehand?”

Unit 0652 thought for a moment, perplexion growing in his eyes. “Actually, there is. Apparently some kid wanted to join the mining team, he just waddled up. I wasn’t there, my shift started an hour later, but it’s what I heard. Unit 0200 dealt with the kid, then he disappeared without a word.”

Lukas gestured for Unit 0952 to continue, nodding indecisively.

“Right… After the explosion today, two entities came toppling out of the ground. One wearing dark, unmatched clothing. He was hooded, and I’m sure it was him. Women do not have the features he possessed. The other was some boy, curly blonde hair, no older than 17. I chased after the hooded one,” Unit 0652’s eyes squinted, as if there was a twinkle of fear prickling them. “And that’s when I saw it. The boy had a weapon. One I hadn’t seen before. A working one, with core and all. Shots fired at speeds I couldn’t see, and death in the blink of an eye. Before any of us had a chance to stop him, he massacred the rest. I was fortunate to escape.”

The shadow beneath the chairs merged into the corner of the room by the window. Unit 0652 noticed something off, however, before he could raise suspicion, Lukas stole his attention.

“Tell me, Unit 0652, could this boy be the same ‘kid’ you had mentioned from the previous night. And were you able to catch a glimpse of the hooded figure? You see, these details, as minute as they may seem, are very crucial. These are criminals, and if what you say is true, then they are beyond dangerous, and must be apprehended.”

Unit 0652 nodded, his posture tight in the chair. “Right. The boy could be the same kid. Getting his name won’t prove too difficult, there aren’t many blondes left in the first place. As for the figure… No. His face was covered by shadows, and he didn’t seem to have any form of weaponry.”

Lukas closed his eyes, beginning a slow, melodic hum. The tone rang throughout the room, bouncing from wall to wall. “Who else knows?” He asked, maintaining the hum as if he hadn’t just spoken.

The man sitting across put on a vague expression, as if he was looking at a lunatic on the streets. “U-Unit 0504, 506, and 507,” he stuttered. “I notified them to clean up the mess. Besides me, no one else knows.

“Good,” Lukas stopped his hum. He then stood, fast enough to see the cushioning in his chair form back into place. “Thank you Unit 0652, you have been a great help.” Camouflaged in the inner lining of his coat, Lukas whipped a thin, masterfully crafted blade straight into Unit 0652’s open neck.

The cut was perfect, precise, accurate. Like a surgeon, careful not to make even a single mistake. The blood fell out of the man’s throat in a river of red, painting trails into his uniform. Dead in an instant.

The hum returned once again, and Lukas smiled as he flicked the excess blood off his blade. He then exited the room, echoing his melodic hum down the hall as he made his way up the stairs.

After a few moments had gone by, a loud, obnoxious grumble erupted from the walls. It nearly shook the earth itself, vibrating the floor with surges of quakes. The shadow in the corner emerged, millions of dark particles forming into one, distinct figure.

Kage kept calm as scents of wet blood refreshed his senses. There now sat a puddle of red beneath the man in the chair, dripping from the creases of the cushions. His skin had gone pale, veins running cold.

Another loud grumble shook the Goliath, and as Kage glanced out the window, he understood why. The Goliath had started moving—relatively slow matter-of-factly—straight through the land known as Elpis, or whatever was left of it. Kage had heard stories that this had been where everyone used to live. Where there were no walls to keep the citizens inside. Where crime had been minimal, practically nonexistent. Where the guard had not patrolled every corner and nook they came across.

Those were the stories. Whether they were true or not didn’t matter now. That was in the past. For Kage, only the present mattered, and how every moment and breath affected his unforeseeable future.

The Goliath followed the same road to and from the empire. It was a straight shot, with minimal turns for the occasional rock or broken debris. The hollow earth below, sat dented with tracks from previous voyages, rotting away through storms and weather catastrophes. The plains, once thriving with life, now suffered in drought and death. Old, decayed statues tilted with the wind, robbed of anything and everything.

Kage looked carefully through the window, observing the territory he had never ventured into. Over time, he had heard other rumors about what lies beneath these hollow plains. Tales of monstrous creatures that break bones like sticks and eat flesh like butter. The stories speak of heights as tall as the Goliath, and fangs as sharp as the finest swords. Though no one had any proof or valid sightings to claim the truthfulness of such words.

However, this plain land seemed odd, too odd to dismiss. The land itself seemed to move, trembling almost. The Goliath traveled loudly, so Kage had dropped his speculations as a simple illusion of the outside world. Perhaps a gimmick his mind played on him.

Footsteps shuffled down the hall again. Based on the nonsynchronous thuds, Kage speculated there were at least three, maybe four men. The thuds grew louder, halting before the door. Not good, Kage thought, I’m not getting any time to conserve my energy. This is bad.

Four men barged in, all identical from head to toe. Their facial features were the only distinct things that separated them from each other. One scoffed at the sight before him, while the others got to work with thick mops and buckets of disinfectants.

Oddly enough, they exchanged no words during the process. They looked petrified, controlled, dead inside. As the last drop of blood had been carefully wiped, they placed Unit 0652 in a large, white body bag.

Kage trailed them as they exited the room, hiding in the tiniest of shadows beneath their feet. His shadow moved in unusual shapes, as if the floor were made of waves, flowing in patterns. Due to the obnoxious overhead lights, even a child could spot the obscurity of the morphing darkness following the guards. If any of them had dared to turn around, they would notice immediately.

Traversing down the hall, the guards carried the body elsewhere, through one of the many doors inside this massive vehicle. Kage, on the other hand, found his stop before a twisting stairway. Fluorescent lights beamed even brighter here, leaving no space for a single corner of darkness. So, Kage was forced into his natural form.

The steps spiraled to what seemed like the third floor, possibly the highest the Goliath had room for. They led to a single door, one with a large handle and a single rectangular window at eye level. The door seemed thick, almost sound proof, but chatter from beyond broke through regardless.

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Kage peaked through, careful as not to be seen. Beyond stood a room, much larger than the rest. The ceiling consisted of wires, all tangled in an unorganized mess. On the opposite end, a small control room divided itself from the main, with a window looking out north towards the empire.

In the main room, Lukas sat cross-legged at the head of a maple dining table. Before him were various assortments of food items, along with pitchers of foreign beverages. On either side of the table sat the two chosen from the Horkos, though their expressions were bolded with an unsettling perplexion.

“Please,” Lukas gestured. “Don’t be shy, eat. There is plenty for you.”

Cale bit into a porkchop, his stomach turning at the taste of fresh meat. “This is… Amazing.” He huffed, pushing tender bites of meat down his throat.

Shortly after, despite the initial hesitation, Kalexa followed. She chose a rather exquisite looking dish instead: a small bowl of chopped tomatoes and cucumber, mixed together with some thin dressing and spices. It gave the vegetables a sweet, refreshing taste. “Goodnes,” She gasped. “Incredible.”

Lukas laughed, “It is wonderful isn’t it. I am sure you can see why we are not able to give this luxury to the entire population. It is only worthy of those who deserve it.”

Any doubts had left Kalexa and Cale’s mind. They smiled at each other, then the food before them.

“Is the empire as big as they say it is?” Kalexa asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

Lukas chuckled again, grinning, “We are almost there, it is a rather short trip. You will see for yourselves soon enough.”

Besides the dining table, the rest of the room wore a layer of thick gray paint. A guard stood in each corner, silent, observant. No other anomalies were present in the room, though something seemed off, as if the air inside held a heaviness unable to be put into words.

The table, Kage thought, scanning the floor. It just seems too out of place. Like it had been placed there beforehand. It’s not bolted to the ground on a moving vehicle?

The Goliath shook again, shaking the table and spilling a few beverages on it. Darkness clouded the front window, and the blue skies vanished from above.

“Don’t be frightened,” Lukas raised a hand. “We have just entered through a passage beneath the mountain’s foundation. It is the only entry, and is completely safe. We will arrive in roughly five minutes. Please, continue to indulge.”

Cale and Kalexa glanced at each other, shrugging off the nuisance. Their stomach’s have never been filled to this extent, and they were not planning on taking chances to end that. At least not from such fine tastes, smells, and delights.

Lukas glanced at one of the guards in the corner, secretly gesturing to him under the table, as to not let others see. The Guard nodded, his posture tight. He then walked over to the room with the window at the front, shutting the doors to it.

“Do either of you have family left behind?” Lukas asked.

Kalexa gulped down a loaf of bread, then a sorrowful gleam followed along her eyes. “I have a sister. I-I was too caught up in the moment, I completely forgot about her.”

“And you?” Lukas glanced at Cale, squinting his pale eyes.

“Been a lone soul since birth,” He chuckled, “Bout dam’ time somethin’ good happened.” Good food had changed his mood quite fast. “I’m sick n’ tired of livin’ off scraps and shit. This,” he took another bite, “is what I deserve!”

Lukas gave a gentleman’s clap for the performance, “That’s the spirit. And as for your sister, she will be taken care of. All families are precious to us.” His expression darkened, “Where might she be located. I will send my loyal men to assure she is in safe hands.”

Relief washed over Kalexa as she sipped down a glass of fresh water. “We were living on the outskirts near Westside. Building 62, room 12.”

“Thank you,” Lukas sighed. “Unit 0044, please inform the west tower of this information. Make sure this woman’s sister is taken care of.”

A guard across from Lukas bowed, unresponsive, before returning to his erect posture. A shiny, square medallion sat tight on his left breast pocket, unlike any of the other guards. Silver slabs held it together, with an oval crest imbued in the middle.

“Excuse me,” Kalexa frowned, concern twisting her voice. “What do you mean by 'taken care of? Come to think of it, how were we even chosen in the first place”

Lukas didn’t respond, as the Goliath came to a noticeable halt. The fluorescent lights flickered a few times, then dimmed to a steady glow. Every wall shook violently, with a thick wave of vibration pounding through the floor.

“Restrain them,” Lukas ordered, beginning his low, eerie hum. With his eyes shut tight, and the hum to distract him, all the unpleasant noise from Kalexa’s howls and Cale’s disobedience was blocked.

The guards cuffed the victors in strong, padlocked chains. Cotton cloths—which wrapped around their skulls—were forced into their jaws to prevent any screaming.

As Lukas opened his eyes, the food, along with the table were scattered like paper. It looked as if hundreds of starving rats scavenged the room from floor to ceiling. Kalexa and Cale were on their knees, being forced to kneel by two guards each.

Lukas hadn’t bothered to look at them. He didn’t need to see their desperate cries for help, concern, confusion, anger. Instead, he continued his arrogant hum, “Get them on their feet and follow. I’ve been waiting for this day for longer than I would have hoped for.”

The guards forced Kalexa and Cale to stand, nearly flinging them up. The guard’s grip around her squeezed a painful sob out of Kalexa, momentarily sabotaging Lukas’ hum.

A flicker of frustration appeared on the thin line that split Lukas’ lips, and if it hadn’t been for his inconspicuous excitement, Kalexa’s sob would be her very last. However, he ignored it, reaching for the door which acted as cover for Kage.

He swung it open without thought, motioning for the guards to follow with their new prisoners. As he approached the stairs, his footsteps came to an unprecedented halt, yet the hum continued its path. His eyes scanned the surroundings, looking, searching for something. Something that wasn’t there.

Kage, who was hiding within the shadow of the open door, felt a slither of unease run through him. Can he sense me? Kage thought to himself. No, there isn’t a chance that is possible. He must sense the core.

Lukas scowled, as if uncertain of something. “Unit 0044, search the goliath for any signs of intrusion or obscurity. Stay armed and on guard. Once you finish, begin the task I assigned you earlier.”

One of the guards restraining Kalexa nodded, then hurried down the steps. The echo of his steps faded after a few seconds, followed by a distant thud of a door slamming.

After the silence, Lukas pursued down the stairway, his hum by his side. The rest of the guards trailed his steps, with firm, uncomfortable grips on Cale and Kalexa. And, behind them all, a shadow followed, moving elegantly along the floor.

Lukas led them down the same fluorescently lit hallway, and across the declined ramp to the outside world. He inhaled a breath of fresh air, engulfed by it. The air quality on the jagged cliffside breezed thinly across the earth, easier to take in. Despite the empire’s compiled infrastructure, the air had not been corroded by filth and smog that ran freely through the Dustlands.

The sunlight assisted Kage in keeping his energy, replenishing it freely, along with casting shadows in scabrous a4reas. What is this? Kage thought as he glanced around. This, is the empire? This?

Behind the goliath sat a jagged cliffside, which stretched deep into the mountains corroding east and west. Far in the horizon, where the cloudless skies touched the white tips of the southern mountains, lay the Dustlands. The towering walls seemed so small from here, as if they were simple fences arranged to keep dogs inside. Nonetheless, despite the truth of it all, it held a nostalgic beauty.

“Welcome,” Lukas shouted towards the prisoners, dragging Kage’s attention northward. “To your beloved empire.”

A thin, freakishly tall building stood tall in the distance. It took the shape of a pin, with a small, windowed globe at its peak. A layer of beige paint coated it from head to toe, along with all the other structures surrounding it. Everything seemed the furthest from any sort of prosperity or utopia. In fact, this so-called empire was not a shade better than the Dustlands.

The Goliath grumbled again, cooling itself, as if the engine had shut off. A platform from where it emerged held it steady, sinking a few inches into the earth. Control panels and other accessories were protected by a small roof off to the side, controlling the functions of the platform.

Winds scraped the ground as they brushed through Lukas’s long, cared-for hair. He pursed his collar up, finally able to stop his characterizing hum. “That long tower you see before you is the heart of everything you have ever known.” He began, his eyes forward, and his audience behind, tied against their will.

“You see, the heart is the most important organ of the body. It is also the most important gear or piece to any form of technology. It is the very core of our existence.” His steps lead the path to the approaching structures in the distance, each fairly high, cubed and windowless. Black smoke escaped the chimneys, almost staining the air.

“Now, some may argue that the brain is far more important than the heart. It controls. It allows us to have our senses. It creates emotion, pain, and pleasure. But what if there was a way for those materials to be supplied for us? Without the use of a brain?” Lukas asked, not expecting a response.

“What if we could operate at our full potential? To use more than just what our brains allow us to?” The clicking of his boots against the path vibrated the air, embracing the gentle grazes of wind.

“When I was a boy, I was always fascinated with what you dirt-scrubbers might call science. In a world like this, there aren’t many who create. Rather all this world has are those who destroy. So, when I was around the age of fourteen, I had the honor of working with one of the greatest minds this empire had to offer. Her name was Tera. Her origin was unknown. She came from land unbeknownst to us, and that’s all I knew at the time.”

As they continued forward, tiny details popped up on the structures ahead. Visible cracks here and there, along with rust, degrading in the foundations. Small storage-sized blocks were placed randomly throughout the background, as if to add some sort of decoration to the monotone view. The path they were on split in different directions, leading to different buildings and uncharted areas. However, Lukas kept his stride north, his quiet audience in his trail.

“Her biggest weakness was her heart. She was too soft, too kind, too weak… And as I grew older, and her secrets revealed their unforsaken roots, I had to get rid of her.” Lukas chuckled to himself, though it was due to negligence rather than humor. “You see, Tera, believe it or not, had a daughter, which I despised even more. She kept quiet from me, and right when I had reached my breaking point, her blasted mother had been paving the way for her escape.”

Lukas waved a hand to the guards, giving them the sign to take off the gags in Kalexa’s and Cale’s jaws. Spits and coughs followed, then a hurling of mucus that had traveled to their chins.

“Using what I learned from Tera, and that blasted rebellion, I crafted my own creations. The first few hundred tries didn’t go so well. We were running low on subjects to experiment on. With so many failed experiments, I was deemed a psychopath, crazy, a lunatic. Those who didn’t believe in my ideas were simply distractions—”

“Where are you taking us?!” Kalexa interrupted him, crying. “What are you going to do?!”

Lukas stopped, for two double doors blocked his path onward. The doors, connected to a large, wide hangar, stretch fairly far in each direction. Again, the layers of beige rotted away long ago, which only revealed rusted bits of exposed metal.

“Please,” Lukas pushed the doors open. “Come in.”

Through the doors stood dozens of people, motionless like statues, all wearing dirty, ripped clothing. By first glance, there were about a hundred of them, all standing the same distance apart in rows of ten. Their heads dipped to their chests, as if they were sleeping, though their ribs kept still.

Behind them, on the far side of this hangar’s enclosure, a ramp ascended to a large, flat stand. Two operating tables filled the empty space atop it, alongside large, thick mechanical drills and tools which descended from the ceiling.

“I tell this story to all chosen by the Horkos,” Lukas began. “You see, for a fair chance, everyone is chosen at random. Your names are obtained upon your birth, as all the medics in the Dustlands work under us, one way or another.” Lukas motioned to the guards again.

Without a word, the guards strapped Kalexa and Cale to the tables, tightening up the restraints on their hands and feet. Their cries for help and mercy were ignored, as if they were nothing more than mice being used as experiments.

Lukas turned toward the rows of sleeping statues, “Unfortunately, there can be no more chance. For the final Horkos is upon us.”

Kage’s energy ran low with every aching second. His shadow form could be maintained due to the sufficient sunlight from before, but holding its shape for long grew an excessive amount of fatigue. If held even longer, pain would start to compulse his heart, which in time, would prove fatal. Shit, Kage thought, quickly converting himself back to normal behind a pile of old medical equipment in the corner.

“Why are you doing this?” Cale asked, his voice stronger than before. “We’re on your side. We’ll help with anything you want us to! Please, just spare us damn it!”

“You are helping,” Lukas turned. “What you fail to understand is that all of you dirt-scrubbers have it easy. The Dustlands is a secured home for you. Sure there might be a scarcity of food, yet we watch the streets for crime, we eliminate weapons, we keep your life going with hope. What more can you ask for? Do you think our life is any better?”

Lukas scowled, his voice deepening. “We are barely able to produce food for ourselves, let alone you pigs. How would you feel if you knew your people were dying of starvation, poverty, murder?”

Cale kept quiet, as did Kalexa beside him.

“We are out. Out of everything. Natural resources, wealth, status. The food you just ate is our mercy for your sacrifice. There’s only weeks left before all the food is gone. These predictions were made years ago, and I was the only one who cared to do something about it.” Lukas tightened a pair of gloves over his uncalloused hands. “How do you think it feels to be the black sheep? To be the outlier that is ultimately fighting to protect his people?”

Lukas walked over to them, pulling a bright orange core out of his front breast pocket. “Those people you see behind me are the future for our survival. This core—after many failed trials—has allowed us to use our strengths to the greatest extent. Far surpassing what any normal human could accomplish. Strength, speed, power, it’s all there, locked away by our weakness.”

The rows of humans began to shit, their heads slowly rising to the stand. Their eyes gleamed yellow in the darkness, like predators ready to attack. Large melted distortions of iron replaced their midsections, which revealed large emerald-shaped cores sunken deep within their hearts.

Fear grew on Kalexa’s face, almost knocking her unconscious from the horror her eyes bestowed upon.

“These are now soldiers,” Lukas smiled. “Capable of flattening any army or obstacle that stands between us. And with you two as our second to last sample, we 0can finally take over what lies beyond this desolate land.”

Cale exchanged a nervous look with Kalexa, then shared Lukas’s deathly gaze, his voice wrapped with fear. “What do you mean by… beyond this land?”

“Surely you cannot possibly be this simpleminded. Do you truly believe we are the only civilization amongst this vast country. We aren’t even worth a singular percentage of what lies beyond.”

Kalexa’s instinct for survival had finally kicked in, regardless of whether it would truly keep her alive or not. “Please! Don’t do this! Please, I’m beggin you! Please!”

Lukas frowned, as if disgusted at the sight of her cries. “I sure do hope your sister doesn’t scream as much as you. It's foul.” After putting the core back into his pocket, he reached for the drill handle off the ceiling. It carried a solid chestpiece, with a core in its left-side socket. The handle of the drill was thick, manufactured with a few buttons and switches off its rear.

“Apologies,” Lukas sighed. “This is the painful part.” He then reached for another pre-programmed drill and dug it into Kalexa’s chest. A switch flipped, sending out a flurry of blood-curdling screams out of Kalex’s throat as her heart ripped from its cage. Shortly after, the drill released a steaming pour of molten metal, filling the loose flesh with a burning magma.

Lukas ignored the splatters of blood and Kalexa’s inaudible agony, unfazed by the sight before him. He then flipped the switch on the first drill, implanting the chest piece atop of Klaexa’s breast tissue. The operating table that kept her body still shook violently as her body spasmed, absorbing the power of the core. Her nails dug through the thin sheet of iron that held her, the restraints barely holding her captive.

Cale fainted from the sight, as if his body had no use of fighting on. In the corner, Kage nearly fell over, horrified. Even for him, the sight was putrid. Inhumane. Purely sadistic.

Lukas let go of the drill, unbuckling the restraints on Kalexa’s wrists. After a few moments, her eyes lit up in a devilish yellow tint similar to the others. Her upper body unnaturally pounced itself up. Before Lukas became proud of another successful soldier, Kalexa’s head twitched directly at Kage’s location, followed by a dry, squeaky scream.

The rest of the soldiers did the same, staring at the hooded figure.

Kage stood from behind his cover, trying his best to calm the nerves pulsing through his body. His eyes darted to the door, then at Lukas.

“Ahh,” Lukas grinned. “The boy that started it all. Your father has told me lots about you.”