Chapter 11: The Makings of a Blade

It has been several hours since they have left their mission site in a sea of fire and destructions the trip through the ocean waters was clam and uneventful. It was so boring for Yin that she decided to head out of the submarine for a swim still clad in her skimpy revealing swimsuit, she instead of exciting out of the sub via the ship’s launching tubes fitting herself into one of the launch bays compartments of the ship and blasted off out through the cannon tubes.

It was not necessarily out of boredom that Yin took this course of action but rather with a sense of a foreign feeling that was biting into her core. This feeling felt so foreign to her she couldn’t even begin to describe it but it was there and it persisted within her, she couldn’t erase it from her very being through her mediation so she chose the physical option. However, it only seem to have intensified the feeling to a higher degree once she was outside of the ship, as she felt herself at some time almost drifting off course in to another direction of her destination. Something was calling out to her she could feel it but she didn’t know what and it irritated her, she couldn’t just leave and it took all of her composure to fight off the urge to sped off into the unknown she nearly thought she felt the urge sense of another location as well for a split second. In a span of a couple of hours or so she wasn’t really keeping count of time after all, Yin was swimming around while keeping speeds with the submarine ship before she then received a hailing call a signal that Yin was more than familiar with.

[Yin its time get back in here] Kwan Tai Feng Xia’s voice echoed in her head as she simply gave a curt reply, as she headed back towards the opening hatch of the Silent Shark. Once Yin had planted her feet firmly on the hull on top the Silent Shark she stayed there, defying all physical she just “stood” there against the current blowing over her not moving as if some mysteries force was holding her attached to the ship. Other than that, she didn’t make any to moves not even moving to enter the vehicle. Kwan Tai Feng Xia saw that via the holoscreen as well as their “other sight” but didn’t bother to say anymore as he knew for some reason it was pointless to say anything right now, he knew where she was that was more than enough.

“Now entering the miracle mile of the Aegis Field War-Master we’re being hailed.” One of the crewmen aboard the Silent Shark, A fully armored Blade Battle Brother whose face was concealed behind his helmet turned from his seat to face Kwan Tai Feng Xia though in truth it was not even necessary. The War Master Kwan Tai Feng Xia who was seated down on the upper level of the of the control deck of the ship nodded in response, he then opened up a holoscreen before speaking into it.

“this is the Silent Shark Authorization Clearance Code Echo-Tango-November-XD-1128596 confirm.”

A few seconds passed in truth however only micro seconds as the soft beeps of some computer system rang of not audible to the normal human ears.

“Confirmed……. welcome back brothers now releasing Aegis Shields stand by.” At the sound of the stern calculative tone of voice once again not audible to the normal ears, a mirage appeared before the ship before simply disappearing just as quickly as it had appeared. The submarine slowly began rising in altitude rising to the surface of the water it hull slowly revealing itself cutting through the waves as it emerged from the deeps. Water dripping like little mini streams alongside it exterior hull glittering in the sunlight’s ray, Yin’s pale white skin too glowed with glossy radiance in the sun as she stood on top of the ship’s hull.

Over the horizon where there was nothing but the great blue ocean as far as the eyes can see there was nothing in sight, however as if a mirage had suddenly been lifted, a crack in reality distorted the skies dissipating into thin air from the sky downward just above the ocean’s surface. In its place now was a series of interlocked islands that was not there a few seconds ago as if the island just appeared out of thin air over the horizon just ahead of them.

Yet despite this fact Yin and the rest of the crew within the Silent Shark seemed neither bothered nor surprised at this, but seemed rather well acquainted with this sight as if this was a common occurrence to them. this was their home base after all their fortress home this was Quan Zhou, as the sight of the island grew larger in size as the ship approached closer by the second of the shores of the island, there Yin can see a port as clear as day though they were still several kilometers. Even from where Yin was standing at every movement at the incoming port was clear and visible as if she was standing right next to it.

Figures and silhouette of all shape and sizes were moving about in the far-off docks she knew what those figures where as she dived back into the waters once again disappearing beneath the waves.

At the said docks near the board walk near the bay, two figures were walking along the board walk of the loading docks as the submarine was slowly moving into place to dock. Just as Yin sprang out of the water like a jumping fish and landing perfectly on her two feet on the boardwalk the two said figures were already in place not far from where Yin landed to meet her.

Two distinctly different footsteps rang in Yin’s ears as they approached her; she thrashed her head around from side to side flicking her hair around. Spraying the water collected on her hair into the air before falling down onto the grounds before her like rain drops. Yin opened her eyes to look upon the two approaching souls two distinct footsteps one being of metal hitting upon metal. The other being the floppy footsteps of flesh hitting upon the metal surface of the boardwalk after brushing the few remaining droplets from her eyebrows her eyes fell upon the two who ceased their footsteps standing before her.

“Yang…... Langzi.” Yin addressed the two in front of her who performed a military salute in response to her words. The unified military salute of the Blades banging their fists to their breast a salute that Yin returned.

“Captain General welcome back bro-sister.” A soft bell chime feminine voice but stern tone brimming with energy addressed Yin from behind the cold faceplate of the helmet once the salute has be received.

“I take it that the mission was a success?” a similar soft male tone of a voice came from the other figure beside the first figure who spoke first.

“Was there every any doubt?”

“Hardly.”

“Has the rest of the Ten-Thousand returned from their hunts?” Yin asked not practically asking whoever among the two.

“The only one’s left was your company.”

Yin looked over the two in front of her both were dressed in the same dark color Panoply armor as those around them and from the ship that Yin was riding upon just a moment ago. They bore no arms of any kind on them, the one on the left moved first their hands reached helmets the disengaging locks seals hissing in the air but were drown out by the flood of outside noise though still audible to Yin’s ears.

The first revealed a youthful feminine face Yang’s feature however didn’t seem to resemble any kind of any sort of ethnicity or nationality. Yang’s features seem to be of Caucasian, Latina, East-Asians, Indians, Blacks, etc having all characteristic of all nationality with several being more noticeable.

“It is good to see you again sister; did you enjoy your little time off?” Yang said softly as she brushed away the few strands of her long hair that blew on to her face.

“Yeah, I suppose it wasn’t all too bad.” Yin said very dismissively as if she wasn’t really giving too much thought as she spoke the words. She focused her mind again closed her eyes and braced herself the pain came almost instantly it was overwhelming her senses. Despite going through this multiple times the pain of the metamorphism never lessened instead it still intensifies each time.

Once the pain subsided Yin opened her no his eyes to overlook his body the twin mountains once on his chest was now gone replace with the now budging rock meat slabs on his chest, or so he tells himself seeing the familiar curve of his ripped abs Yin let out the sigh he was holding in.

He then ripped off the G-string binki still on his body exposing himself before the two taking in the familiar feeling of the extra weight in between his legs even with Yang standing in front of him he didn’t bother covering up his junk, in fact even Yang didn’t seem to mind. Her eyes didn’t trail down towards the man root even for a second like she couldn’t care less about it like it was meaningless to her, if Yin was a normal guy, he would be embarrassed out of his mind right about now letting a woman see his junk but he was above such petty thoughts now.

After all he was a special case the physical form of the human body meant nothing to him anymore just like most of the brotherhood but not to Yang, defiantly not her. She was different from Yin and from all of their brothers in fact as Yang was a female, a true breed female and the only female Blade among them all.

The second one called Langzi too at the same time when Yin glanced over to him was removing his helm; his helm differed slightly from the rest of the brotherhood with what seemed to have a set horn decal design added to his helmet. However, Yin already knew to truth to that, everyone in the brotherhood did really the horns were not some sort of decal they were real. His helm was built to encompass his horns fitting tightly to his head despite his horns, his face now bare now revealed Langzi’s faucal features too like Yang, there were not distinctive any sort of ethnicity or nationality. Instead having a mixture blend of in one another key feature about Langzi that differ him from the rest of the brotherhood as well was his tail. He had a tail that swing from side to side behind him along his now perfectly revealed pair of horns that curved backwards toward the back of his head. His feet for another part was bare he was walking around barefooted his meaty footsteps was the soft noise echoing faintly upon the metal floor panels that Yin just heard. That was the only thing beside him that was bare to this day as he still refuses to wear any shoes; no one could make him it was a funny thing to be honest.

Honestly to Yin even though he didn’t care for such minor convenience such as not wearing clothes but he still liked to think of himself having basic common sense, after all he didn’t have a habit of simply walking around in the nude. A surge of metal particle dust emerged from his body at his mental command and was quickly circling him before latching itself onto him, in a matter of seconds his naked form was now replace with his own panoply armor. However, like before it was concealed in a thin black cloak covering his body the outline of his armor covered in shadow of the black cloak even in the sun’s light.

“Have there been any changes while I was away on my little break?” Yin asked the two not looking at them as he tested the motions of his armor, flexing his arms or balling his fist in a tight grip. It was a ritual prepping that Yin has undertook every time for the last twelve years each time that he has donned on his armor. To the outside eyes it would seem that he was flexing his armor but it was anything but that purpose he then turned his gaze back to the duo when flexing parts of his body in the same muscle memory motion he has done so many times over.

“None what so whatever that isn’t already uploaded into the Codex Veda Logs……maybe just the annual council meeting about new national defense proposal and budgets debates that is coming up in next week, more than likely you and Kwan Tai Feng Xia will be the ones to attend that meeting along with the old man pre usual.”

“I see.” Yin finally stopped his motions before turning to the duo his cloak swaying in the breeze before he could say another word, he felt the tinge of a familiar sensation hit him. It wasn’t like the nano-bio wave communications of the Codex Tac-net this one was more primordial in a word this message sent felt more what people would refer as telepathically.

Yin then turned to the source another figure was now walking up to the group in the same dark panoply of Yang and Langzi’s armor even Yin’s armor which’s silvery glow revealed its elaborate surface beneath his cloak. Seeing that figure the duo gave another military salute to the approaching figure which was in turn returned, the duo received something from the figure as they turned back to Yin and sent a quick message before turning away and walked off back towards the inner parts of the port.

The new figure stayed and gave his salute to Yin gave it back curtly before addressing the new face in front of him.

“Ou-Yang Jinhai.” That was the name that came from his mouth seeing the figure.

Ou-Yang Jinhai was like the rest of the brotherhood around them was in his full Panoply with the same pitch blackness color that seemed to shallow all light around it. With the same trimming links of gold that decorate the edges of the smooth battle plate, though that was a lie of course not noticeable to normal eyes but with her prentice eyes, Yin could make out the thin outlines of scratch marks of all sorts and patched marks of repair work littering around the surface of the armor. His arms up to his Pauldrons on both shoulders was that of a highly ornate color of silver Vambrace and Gauntlet alike polished to a shine reflecting the sunlight off its surface. Despite much of the armor’s splendor concealed by a floor-length coat of high-quality material overlaying onto of its surface, the artisan work of the suit is still visibility potent enough to see even to the untrained eye. A belt of knotted sinew pierced through with metal loops, from which hang the tools of his other form of art can be seen. These include hooks, blades, spikes, pliers and barbs glittering with a sharp glint in the sun of promises of excruciating and exquisite pain.

The most noticeable feature of Ou-Yang Jinhai’s armor out of everything Yin can see were the multiple mechanical limbs seemingly sticking out of his robes at his back. Each one among the array of mechanical limbs harboring a different tool at each head moving, twitching, twisting in place with an almost unnatural human response of one twitching their limbs.

His head was bare but utterly unfazed by the elements with his helmet tucked under his arm, a helm that was more bulbous in size compared to the rest in sight with additional equipment clearly built in to it. The white plume on top his helm swayed slightly underneath him in the breeze sweeping over us. I recognized the Helm design anywhere though it was not that much distinguishable from any other helmet among us to the untrained eye. A type of helm that I and any other brother here would instantly recognize and know as the Diagnostor Helmet – brothers of Ou-Yang Jinhai’s charge often contains upgraded senses and readouts in their helms to assist with their charge of treating the injured and maintaining their Battle-Brothers' physical combat readiness.

Why well it’s pretty obvious he was a medic….and speak of the devil he raised his left arm toward me.

“Brother there is no need to….”

But I knew it was already pointless since well, He already had access flap of the bulky built equipment units in his left Vambrace open after mag-locking his helm to his side now tapping away at the holoscreen that was projected over the vambrace before pointing his forearm at me. A small miniature aerial like rod pointed out of his power plant equipment extending out slightly, a screening beam of light flashed over me up and down before it cut out as fast as it appeared.

He withdrew his arm back in front of him reviewing the new influx of data projecting in front of him. While he was doing that, I found myself looking at his Vambraces again though I have seen it many times over in the last twelve years we’ve fought together. His Vambraces were both just as bulbous in size compared to the nearby armor of my brothers around us, evident by the array of different equipment decorating its hull. Such equipment that includes a chainblade and carbon-alloy redactor and a drill seemly designed for piercing armor. The vambrace on his right arm featured a saw-disc in a lower position to where a chainblade would sit in his left. I knew the various tools in front of my eyes and I know what they were for other than just administering treatment specially designed for treating our now similar shared physiology.

“There wasn’t any need for that brother and you know that already.” I couldn’t help but state again not bothering to hide the frustration in my voice.

“Yeah-yeah everyone keeps saying that huh ‘oh there nothing wrong with me’ just let me do my job here and we won’t have an issue.” Ou-Yang Jinhai replied back his eyes still fixated on his projected screens.

“Oh, for the love of-ha~, never mind just forget it.” Yin held a hand to his forehead feeling the inching stirrings of frustration creeping up his core.

“All vital signs are normal nothing to indicate of any harm…. other than the pulse reading in your hearts their spiking but…...”

“There’s no need to ask about that now do we?” Yin dropped his hand to his side meeting the gaze of Ou-Yang Jinhai’s deep gaze neither of the two blinked.

“I suppose not there really isn’t any point in asking you anyway is there? Well in any case there’s nothing wrong with you happy now.”

“I could have told you from the get-go anywhere and anytime and you still wouldn’t listen, now would you?”

“Of course, not it’s my duty.”

“The ever-dutiful Ou-Yang Jinhai so can I go now there are lots of others that will need of your skills than me.” Yin started to move before Ou-Yang Jinhai stopped him extending his arm blocking his path.

“The others will take care of the rest.” Ou-Yang Jinhai gestured to his back to which several others in similar yet different forms of Panoply to his own further back walked forward. Other brothers trained in the art of healing walked towards the opening bay door of the Silent Shark, where they greeted the disembarking members of the ship in the same similar darkness black panoply armor. Marching out of the ship in tight formation of 100 battle-brothers with Kwan Tai Feng Xia at the front leading them, all members expect Kwan Tai Feng Xia grasped in their hands were their massive Guan Daos their sharp blade edges gleaming in the sunlight rays. Space out in between each other in perfect measurement, 360 degree around a meter apart from one another as they marched in perfect step down the lower ramp part of the ship. Behind the formation were the multiple mindless machine thralls’ drones in humanoid forms carrying other supplies off the ship, others were tending to the ship with more coming from the shipyard coming aboard.

“I actually wanted to ask for your help with the younger blood I need a least another senior member to help overlook the operations.”

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

“What? What happened with Jin is he not available to help you with the process?” Yin couldn’t help but ask not out of annoyance, but more out of curiosity.

“He was called by general Yang Yan'an for some other thing else I would call for the others but - ” both of us turned our heads to the same direction. “They seem to be preoccupied and you are available right now well - ”

“Pretty sure I have to file the report to General Yang Yanping along with Kwan Tai Feng Xia not that I’m trying to give any excuses here.”

{“Its okay go help Ou-Yang Jinhai I can give the report myself.”} There came Kwan Tai Feng Xia from the inner depths of the back of his mind, he heard the conversation even from there of course he did it’s in their gene code.

Before the words came out of his mouth or head the duo was already moving.

[Yin]

“Okay I got the consensus lets go.” Continuing on with Kwan Tai Feng Xia’s word I simply said to Ou-Yang Jinhai as we walked, so with Ou-Yang Jinhai leading the way with myself following behind, a perfect meter apart from him while keeping the same rhythm footstep as we passed through the gates of the shipyard and into a brightly lit massive corridor measuring equally in width as well as in height but ironically was devoid of any decoration of the more exquisite type. Though the corridor hallway looked bland and void it was anything but that, I walked through these halls for so many years now and yet this small fact about us always intrigues me.

I know what secrets lies behind these smooth clear walls of steel, I know of the many eyes that are watching us, scanning us, evaluating us as our footsteps echoed off the walls around us. The blandness, this lack of anything personal here even passing through the hallway and into several more connecting rooms past the exiting ramp door there was nothing of such detail anywhere. Albeit it was a military facility but it was also our home, one would always try to make one selves comfortable in a place of rest but not us, not for people like us. Not in this bleak war-keep of ours that we called home it is a brutal-looking place, though brutal was a strong word to describe it. It had its certain beauty built in the modern orthodox military style like any military base in the world of course with more class in certain aspects. The inside of the base was spotlessly clean as ever since its construction, of course, and maintained with precision by a small army of robotic thralls hovering around us. Most of which drifted endlessly past, those of the security detail paused to aim their sensoria-eye lens at myself and Ou-Yang Jinhai, scanning us for our Biometric Identification. Once they have confirmed what they needed to inevitably they would give the same satisfied click again and drift away.

Every chamber we passed through via the many subterranean transit pods or the elevator platforms in constant operation across vast spaces within that one wouldn’t have imagined that the base should have. Onwards we walked, we walked in near silence expected for the soft whisper clicks of our boots we continued to walk ever deeper into the beating heart of our fortress. Everything about the place was built on the same principles and was as bleak and as spare as any facility here in Quan Zhou. Quan Zhou itself radiated battle lust the eagerness to fight; everything about it was built for constant training, for constant weapondrills and combat-preparation, for the ceaseless prosecution of what we do best. Quan Zhou was more like a slumbering beast than a fortress made of stone and metal, to which even we its immune system was at constant threat of being devouring inside this great beast by its other body functions.

It is due to this fact that I often find myself reflecting on the mismatch between the magnificence of our battleplate and the crudeness of our dwellings. We went to war clad in some of the finest and most ornate armor suits imaginable, even one single piece has the value enough to buy a entire nation, and yet, when given similar license to adorn the places we trained in, meditated in and studied in, we chose blank sheets of cold metal that forms our iron cages and laminated in the dimmest of light sources these can even be as low as the soft light of candles. Everything about us is about image yet so effectively practical remaining hidden yet radiating our presences, so dangerous yet so contained.

Even my own private quarters which we passed by during our little hike, doors opening due to the machines sensing and detecting the presence of my biometrics. Glancing sideways inside the familiar scene of my private counters was my studies in monastic restraint, as cold and dark as a crypt. I could imagine seeing myself in that dark prison cell that I call a room, pushing my back against that throne /chair whatever one may call it backward as I labored through the multiple papers and data screens and tablets on my table. Illuminated by the soft lavender candle at the far edge of my table I can just imagine myself rising from the desk and on to my feet when a mechanical thrall comes through that very door we just passed by. I imagined the scene and scenario in my head many times how it might look in the eyes of another actual person beyond the Ten-Thousand, seeing a feared killer working such menial tasks like some common faceless scribe at his work-station in a massive office. Surely it must feel incongruous to witness such a sight especially if it was someone like the War Master Kwan Tai Feng Xia.

The greatest among us in our ranks, his movements surely in such a confined place surrounded by the tools of scholarship, would be no different compared to the like those of a caged predator, circumscribed in its prison but padding up against the confines. It would be unnerving to one outside of the brotherhood or those unfamiliar with our ways.

It was the same as it were in any other location in all honesty, every one of us could have opted to spend his scarce resting time surrounded by pearls and crystal goblets of any rich overlord in our society – and yet no. We just don’t even bother with it for the fact was that we had little taste for luxury, and was unmoved by the trappings of wealth though our armor might say otherwise so contradicting I have to say really.

On we walked side by side down the long corridor till we reached the end another long corridor that seemed to stretch onwards for miles, after a few more turns here and there we reached our destination. Once we passed through the automated doors, we were meet with pure whiteness, the entire space was plastered in white, an array of holo projection screens and another medical looking device littered the inner chamber. The menial drones with a square body with their two arm-like appendages each with five manipulators at the end of each arm mimicking human fingers hovered around in the space.

Their special anti-gravitic repulsorlift engine emissions trailing lights behind them in their frame as they can hovered over and skim across the ground.

Ignoring them we continuing on to the far end of the room there at the end there were full room sized glass window screens, once we’ve reached in front of it, I looked beyond the glass there in the lower hanger underneath us from the viewing glass I could see the dozens of many new youthful faces of potential new brothers in two parallel lines in front of the chamber door to the space underneath us. These were male youths of all race barely above the ages of eight standard years old by the looks of them, seeing this sight really brings back memories of that time when I stood in that same corridor below feeling the rising surge of fear of waiting for my turn to walk through those very same doors. Not even knowing back then if I was coming back out of those doors, beside me Ou-Yang Jinhai was speaking to these recruits though I wasn’t in the right mind to listen to his speech seeing such a nostalgic scene.

I could almost see myself in the faces of these new bloods; I can see the fear in their eyes despite their unbroken poker face of disinterest to their surrounding can’t really blame them we were the same back then as well. Though it’s quite noteworthy for their bravely, commendable even nonetheless even if is just a facade for them to project upon to us to show that they aren’t afraid, the sight didn’t impress me in anyway however.

“How proud they look,” I wasn’t even half aware of what I just said for a second. The words came out as a murmur. “These new bloods all in the hopes of becoming one with the brotherhood a noble privilege indeed…. hate for them to realize the dangers of the true horrors that they must soon face.”

“True,” Ou-Yang Jinhai spoke drawing my attention to him as I was half unaware that his speech to the new bloods was over surely, he heard what I just murmured replying to my words. “They have the right to pride. They have earned the right to become one of us, being the most outstanding among all the kids we bring in, but they are still children at the end of the day before the transition let them have this moment of glory in their youth.”

“After all it’s not a role that they’ll get to play for very long.”

“There’s no honor in such innocence we were never told of the so called “glory” of what awaited us when we transcended.”

“Are you pitying them my brother?”

“No,” I replied at once. “Why would I?”

Ou-Yang Jinhai’s expression shifted to one of patient doubt.

“Nor do I envy them for their innocence” I admitted not able to lie, “but I’m beginning to hate them for it.”

Ou-Yang Jinhai raised an eyebrow to my words just now he knows why as do I but we both don’t say in his case however more out of consideration for me.

“I know it’s petty,” I found myself snapping slightly I quickly regained my composure turning away from his analyzing eyes.

“That’s enough of your judgment, if you please.”

Ou-Yang Jinhai didn’t say anymore and simply turned his head away by then the first candidates were already through the barrier. We followed after them from above, the floor underneath our feet became transparent the whiteness of the floor phased out revealing the open space with three round capsule tubes arranged three-point star. The capsule caps slowly opened revealing the table underneath the glass, each of the three candidates took a bed, once within the seals closed closing them off from the rest of the world. A rebreather masked fixed itself to their face seconds later the trio were still, rendered unconsciousness by their rebreather mask, a general anesthetic is administered to ease the subject into a state of unconsciousness.

Soon streams of data projected on the holo-screens around us. I’ve already could predict what the data was going to tell me but to avoid any problem that might arise I gave the data a light skim, checking for any noteworthy info.

Of course, I found none among the stream of data coursing across my eyes.

One of the menial drones then beeped out its computerized binary coded message to Ou-Yang Jinhai one that I didn’t bother listening to, but I knew what it meant. Ou-Yang Jinhai already processed the data and retrieved a device from one of the menial drone’s hands, it was thin looking no different to that of a pen but once he pressed the lumen light on the device it expanded. Resembling now a tablet projecting a holoscreen in the space where the glass screen should be an array of different diagrams and other data projected plastered over it.

I too was given such a device once in my finger I flicked my wrist which also opened the device; it was but a standard holoframe device known as a Scroll. A common object nowadays that functions as a collapsible, holographic tablet it is capable, among other things, to function as a phone, a portable computer, a camera and a streaming device as well as a gaming controller for the civilian side. My Scroll also displayed the same information as Ou-Yang Jinhai.

“Begin the SWARA Treatment.” Ou-Yang Jinhai commanded, the computer system registered it and the system began to procedure. [Compliance] then from within the capsules liquid fluid started to fill the space within enveloping the capsule.

The SWARA Treatment……the process before didn’t even have a name in the beginning it was nothing more than the First staged of the Augmentations of our transcendence. SWARA was a acronym for Subliminal Weaponization and Artificing of Reflex Arcs, a series of medical injections and several surgical procures that would alter the body making it stronger before the candidates are to be moved to phase two of the Augmentations. This treatment is usually done while the subjects are still in puberty thus putting the body in a constant potential state of growth by stimulating their brains. Thus, explaining the ages of these young bloods these potential brothers here below us.

Looking over my Scroll I pulled up the data of the medical procedure again though I was already more than familiar with what they were. At the same time with the capsule’s multiple servo arms much like tentacles were now swimming through the fluids towards the body within. At each head there were needles at their heads each one homed in on certain point on the candidate’s body.

I turned my attention to my holoframe seeing the screen projection the SWARA Treatment was divided into two different stages the first which was undergoing right now, was the chemical injection phase. Seeing the data as projected -

Muscular Enhancement Injections: Protein complex is injected intramuscularly to increase tissue density and decrease lactase recovery time. I remembered this had a five percent (5%) chance back then of experiencing a fatal cardiac volume increase.

Artificial Platelet Injections: this enhances the body's ability to slow bleeding and clot wounds.

Pulmonary Polymer Lining: Greatly increases oxygen intake and retention, helps process toxins from the air and allows the subject to breathe certain non-oxygen atmospheres for up to an hour.

Artificial Platelet Injections: Enhances the body's ability to slow bleeding and clot wounds.

Pulmonary Polymer Lining: Greatly increases oxygen intake and retention, helps process toxins from the air and allows the subject to breathe certain non-oxygen atmospheres for up to an hour.

Slaught: "carbide ceramic ossification catalyst" drug: Skeletons become virtually unbreakable, allowing survival in harder impacts.

Slaught: "fibroid muscular protein complex" drug: Increases density of individual's muscles, greatly enhancing physical strength.

Sacra: "retina-inversion stabilizer" drug: Color sharpness is significantly improved upon, and night vision is heightened.

Idea: "improved colloidal neural disunification solution" drug: this infusion greatly improves the individual's reaction time, decreasing the time taken to react by 300%.

De-Tox: Neural-altering non-carcinogenic mutagen: Alters key regions in the individual's frontal lobe to enhance aggressive response, making the animal part of the brain more accessible in times of stress. This allows the subject access to enormous reserves of strength and endurance and enables them to remain fighting even under the influence of a wide systemic shock that would be instantly fatal to a normal human. Nerve cells were super-myelinated to speed up reflexes, bones were lengthened and joints were reinforced.

I recognized each of the drugs and I remember what effects they will have on the young bloods. Looking back at them I can see the drugs pumping into their bodies tense

Although they are in a state of unconsciousness during the procedure, they were in no doubt experiencing some unimaginable excruciating pain even in that state, I know because even I can still remember the pain even now. Even with the fluid distorting and shrouding their faces from the outside I can see their features as clear as day, their faces now pale that frowned deeply in their sleep. If it were not for the Mechanical claws that held their ribs, waist, legs and ankles, locking them in place, they would be thrashing around in pain even despite not being fully aware of it yet they balled their hand hard

It was so different looking at it from the other side, it really made me question myself as I looked at my holoframe did I look like that when I was in there, what kind of face was I making as I was being torn apart and rebuilt. The first phase was nearly complete thus the second phase began, another set of mechanical arms came forth; these bore tools such as power saw and other surgical tools. Like the needle heads before them these tools homed in on the young boys before they started their work.

The data in my holoframe changed about the procedure data was now streaming -

The Carbide Ceramic Ossification Thyroid Implant: Advanced bio-organic material is to be infused and grafted onto skeletal structures to make bones virtually unbreakable, oh its already started I glanced slightly back to the boys the bone saws already opened their bodies all three was cut open from crown to heel, their innards were opened to the open world to see. This process comprised of exposing the skeletal structure, removing a small layer of surface bone and then bonding the injected material in lieu of the removed surface bone material. Along with platinum pellet containing human growth hormone catalyst is implanted in the thyroid to boost growth of skeletal and muscle tissues. This bonding achieved through some biochemical means to encourage natural bone integration and a tendency of the body to reattach the bone and ceramic if somehow separated. Once completed after the treatment, the natural bonding of the skeleton to the foreign element layer continues while other stabilizing and therapeutic procedures are performed.

In the past in the project’s early stages, it was highly recommended that the coverage was not to exceed 3% total bone mass because of significant white blood cell necrosis. Specific risk for pre-and near-postpubescent adolescents: skeletal growth spurts may cause irreparable bone pulverization there have even been reported of rare instances of Elephantiasis as well as Suppressed sexual drive.

Despite the gruesome work being done though no blood flowed from the open parts of their body, of course I knew the blood was held back by the Bio-Nucleic Acid Fluids which they’re submerged inside the capsule.

While this was all happening, other processes were happening simultaneously as well -

Superconducting Fibrification of Neural Dendrites: Alteration of bioelectrical nerve transduction to shielded electronic transduction. 300% increase in subject reflexes, Anecdotal evidence of marked increase in intelligence, memory, and creativity that was a fact already.

The Occipital Corneal Capillary Reversal Implants: Submergence and boosted blood vessel flow beneath the rods and cones of the subject's retina. Produces a marked visual perception giving boosted perception and massively increased night vision the eye lenses implants act as an additional scanner they are also how we Blade are able to perceive any information projected by our technology, as they serve to project the augmented reality (AR) markers and heads-up display (HUD) visible only to them.

A lot of the gifts that we Blades inherited work in coherers with each other so perfectly it’s hard to even fathom this was all conceived just fewer than twelve years ago with us the first born being genuine pigs.

Next few were the last few implants before the last important part -

The Cardiac Implants: Strengthens cardio-vascular tissue and increases maximum heart rate to safely allow massive adrenaline flow without the risk of stroke or heart attack. These implants supposedly are able to allow an unarmored Blade to run at a maximum speed of almost 40 miles (64 km) per hour.

Artificial Platelet Injections: Enhances the body's ability to slow bleeding and clot wounds.

Pulmonary Polymer Lining: Greatly increases oxygen intake and retention, helps process toxins from the air and allows a Blade to breathe certain non-oxygen atmospheres for up to an hour.

And the-

Artificial Pancreas Implant: An artificial secondary Pancreas is implanted allowing the body to extract the maximum amount of nutrients and carbohydrates from food with minimal waste.

Now comes the most important portion of phase two, a new set of neurosurgeon saws came forward under the already exposed spine of the three candidates and then processed to cut out a small space in to the spinal cord itself. As another servo hand came forth with a miniature object in its three-digit claws, an object that looked to be organic and metallic planting it into the open space of the spine which was cut open.

This was the Direct Neural Interface or commonly referred to as DNI for short, a Bio-Tech device system that is surgically implanted in our bodies in practically the spine, which then creates a pseudo-brain lobe using nanomachines allows us to directly process mass data fed, interact with and control computerized systems using only their thoughts, rather than physical controls through the use of Nano-machines. It allows us to have complete control over their physiology, as well as to integrate with computer systems. As the pseudo-brain lobe also governs spatial awareness, the most of the brotherhood's spatial awareness is enhanced.

It is through the DNI that we Blades are able to connect and communicate without radio or lips service via an augmentive cyberspace known as The Mindscape or Mindframe. The Mindscape is represented as a navy-blue space in one's mind in which people's bodies look and act as they are imagined to do so, the representation of one's mind in the space.

This is one of the few secrets as to explain in our most recent mission not just that but in all of our combat history thus far since the start really.

It is through our DNI, that we can access our large complex operational support real time evaluation system Tac-Net, but we know better as The Codec, which allows us to "read" the battlefield advantageously by seeing information about the enemies (their location, distance, type, deployed grenades, when they are about to shoot and other warnings etc). The Codec can be synced across us battle brothers through the use of Nano-machines meaning if a DNI user sees an enemy, everyone using it can see said enemy, even through cover. This also means the Nano-Machines allows us to communicate through Bio-Waves over radio waves, virtually making it almost impossible for our opponents to hack in to our communicates let alone listen in to what we are saying to one another almost like telepathy. It also allows us Blade outside of combat, the DNI allows us to interface with different kinds of computers, such as terminals, to extract information and control them.

Nanite-Enhanced Physiology Infusion, the pervious drug infusions have already ceased as a new stream of transparent fluids is now coursing through the nozzle tubes and into the three’s bodies. These fluids are the Nanites; Microscopic Bio-Organic Machines / Organisms, this infusion modifies our body’s blood being infused with a hive of these microscopic Nanites or Nanomachines. These robots are used to alter the bodies of human hosts to control and fuel their bodies, enhancing their abilities and their performance in combat situations allowing one to perform superhuman feats and heal itself from injury a biotechnological regeneration that surpasses any known nanotechnology.

These Nanites of we Blades are not like any other Nano-Machines used in the world they are highly advanced even more complex than the more widely-used Nano-Machines and their simultaneous function as network terminals had been further enhanced. Whereas the common Nanomachines were designed to control and manage an individual body, Nanites are used as a tool to control a group. Much like regular Nanomachines they also handle tasks such as remotely hacking into terminals and nodes and the checking and remote management of VS (vital signs) etc. It is also through the Nanites of our DNI is where our ID is embedded, which in turn is used to perform ID authorization for our basic tech like our system-managed firearms and other such devices.

Etc-etc, honestly, I could almost write a book about all of our gifts and this was merely just the overview of this first stage.

Ah finally the final procedure is here another new fluid was now coursing into the children now after the Nanite Infusion was completed. This new fluid unlike the other infusions was thick and bright in color of dark blue once pumped into them the color even seemed to glow underneath their exposed muscles. Their faces though already distorted in pain even seemed to intensifying even further the moment this fluid was pumped into them their veins bulged, and their teeth clenched harder to the point it might have cracked a bit.

This was Phi Brain Serum: The most important factor of the SWARA Treatment a chemical solution cocktail formula, its properties are unknown to me in fact other than the old man and several others no really know much about it. Though what I do know is this serum and its importance in our transformation from normal men and into the Blades that we are today.

Then finally it stopped the servo arms retracted from the boys away into the hidden compartment from where they originated. The young boy’s dissected bodies began sealing itself at a fast noticeable rate this is also due Bio-Nucleic Acid Fluids which they are submerged in.

“Hm~, life signs are stabilizing no sighs of body rejection of the foreign elements to the human body…...good…...good…...Bio-Nucleic Acid Fluids are already sealing up the wounds…..Nanites are up and running functionally well.”

Ou-Yang Jinhai’s expression now was that of a man delved deep into his work, which was typical of him he already processed the information before it even appeared on his scroll. Faster than even before the computer system could even calculated the final steps as he tapped away at his scroll, the commands were registered and things shifted.

The space’s floor below us opened under the three capsules descended and disappeared into the darkness below, then three new capsules popped up from the opened floor replacing the previous three capsules were stationed opened.

“Send in the next three candidates.”

On and on we went, group by group we went till we got to the last group too took the augmentation with little to no issue. Seconds turned to minutes, and then minutes turned in hours as each procedure went though, I’ve stopped paying much mind to each producer after the fifth group. Finally, when the last three capsules disappeared beneath the ground in the lower level below us before the floors whiteness returned hindering our sights from the space.

“All three hundred candidates survived no casualties for this iteration as well that’s good.”

Ou-Yang Jinhai giving the data of each producer another quick of the data files before handing his scroll to the nearby menial drone that took in into its small manipulators and floated away.

Yeah, no surprises honestly there, with advances in the technology, the casualty rate for candidates for this stage of the process was now usually around 0%, as opposed to the 56% to 61.6% chance of failure and death casualty rate of our time. Yin thought to himself he managed to keep this thought to himself without letting Ou-Yang Jinhai know what he was thinking, cutting off thoughts from each other via the DNI was easy but the other way was not so easy.

Once the augmentation procedures are finished, the successful subjects will then begin their long recovery process. The healing process takes anywhere from weeks to months, dependent upon each individual subject's rate of recovery.

However, with the Bio-Nucleic Acid Fluids and the Nanite Infusion aiding in the process of recovery, in the next few hours their bodies will be patched back up. Then in the next few days they will be able to stand and move their bodies that will be the start date of their training with along with the everyday the subject performs stretches, isometric exercises, light sparring drills and consumes five high-protein meals for the next few weeks after their body is fully healed.

These new bloods will have a long path ahead of them….

Another menial drone came up before as I was lost in my thoughts its presence almost didn’t register in my senses just now, that’s not good I need to straighten myself up I’m losing focus. I don’t know what’s going on with me right now but I need to snap out of it I tried banishing this feeling but it’s not worrying.

[My lords the initiates of the pervious cycle are scheduled to have their Prana Ichor implantations done today] it said in its code binary computer language.

“Yes, I was tracking that thank you.” Ou-Yang Jinhai acknowledge before turning away to another doorway off to the side of the room turning his head sideways as he continued his walk.

“Coming brother?”

“Moving.”