The rest of the day went by without a hitch. There was something different about it all. It wasn’t like before when it was just me and Setsuna.

This time it seemed like everyone was being so nice. Of course, it could be a trick to keep me invested in this place.

For the most part, everyone was focused on their own thing. Killing demons. It must be because they are mostly finished with the developmental stages and are working on issuing us out as an effective tool for the government.

This was only hastened by us being found out at the hospital where Talia laid. The man in charge didn’t seem upset, so this must have worked out in his favor. The only thing that mattered here was getting results.

Oasis and I spent some more time together. It’s good to see that so far his kindness isn’t just a facade. It feels a lot different than how Abigail presented herself to me. Even when being nice there was something sinister going on.

I’m still conflicted about meeting my brother. He looks so similar to me. I wonder if he has the same thoughts as me.

—-----------------

Terios’ Room; Floor one. 8:43 PM

Terios lay in his standard bed. It was full-size that seemed to fit him well. He was on his back with his hands intertwined and resting on the center of his chest. It was a peaceful position for him and he often meditated like this.

Soon there was the sound of a knock at his door. While the room alerted him that he had a visitor. It was a soft robotic voice of a woman.

“Timothy Kain, you have a visitor identified as Sariel Abel. Would you like to let him in?”

“Yeah.”

“Warning… this will cost you 75 geos per hour to have a guest in your room. You currently have 0 geos to your name and will be in debt if he stays.”

“Thanks for the reminder of how broke I am.” He sighed. “Let him in already.”

The door soon slid open and allowed Sariel to enter who had a friendly smile on his expression.

“Sorry to interrupt your beauty sleep. The commander said we could spend some time outside.”

“Yay.” Terios said in a sarcastic tone. “What a friendly guy.”

“Let’s ignore the circumstances and discuss some things outside. The moon looks so beautiful out.”

“Lead the way. I’ve forgotten most of this place.”

Sariel nodded and proceeded to escort Terios outside. Since there were no windows it could sometimes get claustrophobic inside. It created this feeling of dread in some people, not knowing what could be lurking.

This was a mental tactic they used against the genomes. Those working the security cameras knew what was going on outside. The others also knew that they would be able to leave at the end of their shift.

The genomes could only go outside to partake in a life-and-death battle. If they truly wanted to enjoy this moment they would have to buy this time. Everything here was transactional. It made moments like these all the more special.

It didn’t take Terios and Sariel long to make it to the lobby and then exit outside. Upon stepping forth outside Abel pulled out his phone and took a mental note. He then looked over toward his brother.

“He’s given us until 9:30 PM. So, let’s just enjoy while we can.”

“Right.”

Sariel soon offered his hand out to his brother who looked very confused.

“Take it.”

“Uh, ok.”

Terios grabbed his hand and then Sariel began to lead them out the large double door. Once it scanned them it notified the facility of their departure before they were met with the cool night air.

With how empty everything was around them the two opted to scale up the large dome-sized structure. For any ordinary human, it would be near impossible but for them, it was nothing more than a workout.

The only catch was as they did this Sariel didn’t let go of his brother’s hand. With how fast they were running the wind was ruffling both of their clothes and causing hair to be swayed. Once they reached the top they sat down together in the center.

Soon Sariel pulled out what appeared to be a Pop-tart out from his pocket which was still wrapped up. Once he tore it he offered it to the other genome.

“It’s really good. It’s my favorite flavor. The brown sugar cinnamon ones can’t be beat!”

“I’m not in the mood for sweets.”

Sariel tilted his head before breaking off a piece and sticking it into his mouth. “Mmmm!” He smiled at his brother before offering him a piece again. “It’s in our genetics… we can’t turn down sweets!”

“Fiiiiine.” Terios quickly swiped the entire Pop-Tart and stuffed it into his mouth.

“Hey! I didn’t say you could have the entire one!”

“You shouldn’t have offered if you weren’t prepared.”

“Hahaha! You’re a riot.” He started. “But, you’re everything I imagined you would be. A true brother.”

“I don’t know about all that.”

“You don’t have to know. It’s just a feeling I get from you.”

“I’m glad you can see me in a positive light.”

“I never believed a word they said about you. You left because you wanted to be free. I wish I could do it too.”

“I did it because I thought there was something better out there, Abel.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

“Do you regret what you’ve done?”

“I don’t waste time with regrets. What’s done is done.”

“You started change within the company. Whether it is good is up to you to decide.”

“I don’t know how much good it is that everything we want to feel human is costing us an arm and a leg.”

“Don’t worry, you’ll rack up points fast. Think of it like a game.”

“A game, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s what I do. A game where your life is on the line. There’s nothing more thrilling than that.”

This sounded strange… Abel said this with such passion. Terios glanced at him for a bit as he was slightly concerned, but opted not to mention anything. There was much to learn about everything here.

Right now he was just going to enjoy his brother’s company. A sibling was something that he always wanted. It was one of the few good things the company has provided for him even if they did have another reason behind it.

“Thanks for spending one-on-one time with me. There’s so much I want to tell you.”

“I’m not going anywhere. We will have all the time in the world.”

“Hey… tomorrow. I’ll take you and Oasis out on a mission. I love Sagull, but I think it’s time for a guy’s trip.”

“A mission? Well, I do need to earn points.”

“You don’t even have to worry about fighting. I’ll keep you safe. Nothing will hurt you.”

“You’re kind, but you should prioritize your own safety. I can handle myself.” Terios mentioned as he started to slide down the large building.

Abel smiled upon seeing this and copied his actions. Once the two landed back onto the ground Terios gave his brother’s back a few gentle pats.

“Tomorrow you can catch me up to speed on the dailies.”

“I look forward to it brother.”

…

Laziness was the destroyer of man. The freedom to do nothing often became a burden to many. Humans often fall into this pattern of self-destruction. The inability to do anything. This is why despite their best wishes humans were forced to work.

This gave their existence meaning. This made them feel important and gave them a reason to get out of bed. If they didn’t have a reason they would get bored of their existence. They would question reality.

The genomes were no different. It was even worse for them who were designed to be weapons. This is why their schedule was so tightly kept. Breaking this could cause disciplinary actions which was something everyone avoided.

9:04 AM. First Floor, Terios’ Room

Terios was still fast asleep in his room, wrapped in his sheets of dark. For once he went off into the dreamworld peacefully. However, his peace was about to be interrupted as there were numerous knocks on his door.

No, they weren’t knocking… they were pounding on it. Aggressively… almost as if. The electronic female voice stated that he had two guests who were trying to get in contact with him. He finally came to and used his ability to open the door.

Anthony and Abel were already dressed and in a panic.

Anthony was wearing a blue denim jacket left unbuttoned with a white tee underneath. He had matching blue jeans that fit his firm legs nicely followed by Timbs of a cream color. He also appeared to have a gold necklace around him that had his name engraved into it.

“Bruh, why are you still asleep? Don’t you know we have to attend breakfast by 9:30 AM? Are you tryna get penalized?”

Terios rubbed his tired eyes, feeling the sleep crust up between his fingers before he blinked and looked at the time on the wall clock above his bed. He then turned his attention back to the other two.

“It would have been good to know that ahead of time.”

“Sorry! We must have been so excited… that we forgot to tell you about the reality of things.” Abel said with a light chuckle.

“Let me get dressed. Then I’ll meet you guys in the Mess Hall.”

“All right, bro. Just remember you’re broke as shit. So, we’re going to have to spot you again.”

“Thanks for the reminder.” Terios said in his deadpan tone of voice before he shooed them away.

Now that they were gone, he decided to open up his closet. Looks like some of his outfits were still stocked up. It was kind of bittersweet that they left his room the same. It was almost as if they knew he’d be back. Those cocky cocks.

He didn’t waste much time. Adorning a black and white striped shirt, and black pants with a few rips around the knees, topping things off black and white converses. He didn’t have time to do much else, so he merely headed over to…

9:27 AM. Second Floor, Mess Hall

The trio were seated at the table with their choice of food nestled into their breakfast trays. Terios and Abel sat next to each other while Anthony was across from them.

Anthony was loading up with bacon, eggs, sausages, and pancakes. Abel opted to just have a fruit cup and a banana. Terios on the other hand wanted waffles.

“So, what’s the schedule like here?” Terios asked.

“I’ll text it to you once you get your work phone. After we eat we’ll hit the gym and then see what missions we can do.” Anthony stated.

“The commander can be a hardass, but just don’t take it personally.” Abel added.

“No promises. What’s the penalty for being late for things?”

“Let’s just say best case scenario if they catch you, you’re getting hit with a late fee from your geos.” Anthony explained while beginning to take a bite from his bacon.

“Worst case scenario you suffer some kind of abuse. It seems to be a very good tool to keep us in check.” Abel said cheerfully.

“I have nothing as is. I don’t need any more debt.” Terios said as he looked around at all of the researchers who had gathered around, observing them eat. “By the way where’s the girls?”

“I told Cecilia to eat with her girlfriends for now and Abel surprisingly did the same with his girl.”

“I still feel bad, she doesn’t really have any friends here.”

“That’s because the women can smell her bullshit from a mile away.”

“She’s just misunderstood. When we’re alone she’s a sweetheart.”

“I bet. Just looking out for ya man. Cecilia doesn’t like her either.”

“Anyways… changing the subject. I was thinking you guys could help me with a mission.”

“With the shit you be fighting? I don’t know.”

“It won’t be that hard. It’s not like I fight Demon Lords that often.”

“Demon Lords…?” Terios questioned.

“You heard correctly. Sariel is known for killing the Demon Lord of Sloth. In fact, he even tied with the Demon Lordess of Wrath. He’s no joke.” Anthony explained.

“Demon Lords are very powerful. I lost everyone who allied with me on that mission. I’m strong, but still not strong enough to protect others.” Abel sighed.

“Hey, that won’t happen as long as we are with you.”

“Thanks, Anthony, but, that actually makes me worry the most. I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to you two.”

“Fun fact, Kain. While I was tasked with bringing you back. I was also working on doing recon for the demons around where you were. Our intel suggests that the Demon Lord of Pride might be up to something there.”

“Belial… that’s who Abigail mentioned sometimes.” Kain uttered.

“Yeah, he’s no joke. We need to take him out. But, that’s something to worry about later.” Anthony mentioned as he finished his food before looking at the others. “That’s all you guys are eating? No wonder y’all you small.”

“I suppose I could eat more, thanks for looking out mom.” Kain retorted.

This caused Abel to laugh as they all continued to enjoy their meals. Once that was over it was time to move on to their next task.

11:07 AM. Second Floor, Training Room

The training room was a large area with multiple rooms to train in. There was a weight room with a connected shower/changing room inside. The color left much to be desired as the weight room walls were painted a dull brown. The floors were made from rubber and were a lighter tone of brown.

There were also a few sparring/meditation rooms that were a bit larger in width. The floors had extra padding so as to not cause too much damage along with the walls. A lot of crazy antics went down here, so they wanted to take precautions.

The trio had arrived here after eating and taking some time to allow their food to digest. Anthony had informed Kain that he would need to train here frequently every day. The researchers required them to continue to get strong to keep up with their demon adversaries.

It was demanding, but at the end of the day, they were nothing but tools. Tools needed to be strong to fulfill their duty.

Anthony led them into one of the sparring rooms as he was always eager to test his strength. He was the first one seen stretching in the room as he was trying to hype up the others to get just as excited.

“All right, remember how I was talking about power scaling, Kain? Well, let me go over something about Either as well, since you’re new to this.”

“Mhm.”

“Without Either, physically, I would say I’m the strongest. Don’t you agree, Abel?”

“Yup!”

“But, Either is very complex. Once that is involved, Abel outclasses me.”

“Yup!”

“We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Physically and when it comes to using Either. When it comes to raw control and versatility. Abel is the best I know.”

“Staaahp. You’re making me blush.” Abel giggled.

“You’re pretty unorthodox as well, Kain. You don’t even have a designated ability. Y’know how I have QuikFlash? Were you ever taught how to create one?”

Kain shrugged. “No, Abigail didn’t really mention it. She just taught me the basics.”

“Then I’ll teach you some things. I’ll give you an explanation.”

Anthony could be seen taking off his jacket and tossing it onto the floor. He then took off his shirt as well and threw it on top of his jacket. His bare caramelized skin was on full display. His toned muscles flexed as he allowed his calming yellow aura to expel from his body.

“Either is an extension of ourselves. Our emotions, goals, and personality. It defines us and what we are going through it. You can do anything with Either. The only limit is you. When making an ability you get to choose.”

“So I can make whatever ability I want? Cool.” Kain said, sounding unimpressed.

“For example when it comes to Either… it’s easier for me to use it offensively. Projecting it and using it to enhance my strikes. Because of this, I decided I wanted to use it to enhance my speed. That was the idea.”

“How did you end up getting the technique you used against me?”

“A lot of training. I first had to visualize myself moving faster. Then believe I could move fast. Then I had to commit time to this ability. Eventually, within a week I unlocked it. Then I had to continue to train it.”

“What’s the difference between a technique and a basic Either application?”

“Anyone can use their Either to create, enhance, project, and whatever it is you do. But, when you commit to that particular thing, it enhances how strong it is. It’s why I’m the fastest-genome here! Sure you guys can enhance how quickly you move, but you’ll never be as fast as me.”

“Then looks like the quickest way to get stronger is to come up with a technique. Hmm. I’ll spar with you first then, so you can show me how strong you really are.”

Abel could be seen patting Kain’s back before reminding him of his condition. “Just remember… Gen 2 genomes can use Either freely without any drawbacks. Gen 1’s like you have a limit before your body gets burdened with the stress. Genetic degradation used to occur. You were the breakthrough, but…”

“I know. My body gets burned out. It’s why you guys were created. That’s fine, I don’t mind the slight nerf.” Terios mentioned before walking up towards Anthony and staring him dead in his eyes with those eerie grey hues. “Ready?”