On a cold spring afternoon, a young girl fights against a Minotaur, in a maze wiþin þe sewers. Armed wiþ noþing but a gun and a sword, she attacks þe bull wiþ a righteous fervor, aiming to slay þe monster. Wiþ a slash from her sword, she disarms þe labrys from its arms. Wiþ a shot from her pistol, she leaves a wound in its chest. Þe Minotaur keels over, dead. She looks over its corpse, and takes out a vial. Golden blood drips from þe fatal wound of þe bull into þe vial.
Þe maiden takes out a phone and calls someone. “Professor Midas? Are you here?”
“I'm here, Altora. Have you obtained þe Ichor?” Professor Midas says.
Altora gazes at þe vial and uses her phone to send him a video feed of it. Þe indigo liquid In þe vial shines in þe dim light of þe sewers.
“Excellent!” þe professor says. “Return to me at once.”
“Roger!” Altora says. She leaves þe sewers and her kill behind.
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Þe morning after. Altora goes to school. Her dark hair flows in þe wind as she chases after her bus.
“Dammit!” Altora þinks. “Why did I oversleep?”
Alotra moves around þe city of Moriagetes, past dim alleyways and busy storefronts. Her chases grabs þe attention of þe local townspeople, who sigh at realizing þe young girl missed þe bus again.
Þe school bus stops at a red light as an electronic sign warns of a a section of þe sewers being contaminated wiþ a hazardous substance named ichor. Altora reaches þe bus and signals to þe driver þat she is hear, breaþing heavily. Þe bus driver sighs and opens þe door. “Get in, and hurry.”
Altora boards þe school bus and rushes to an empty seat as þe light turns green. Þe bus' moment cause sher to trip and stumble.
“Alty's late again, typical,” a boy says.
“Why is she always so late?” a gossipy girl says.
Alotra sits down next to a young woman. “Yo, Alty!”
“Hello, Annie,” Altora says. Annie's dark complexion and hair contrasts wiþ her brightly colored cloþing.
“So up to anyþign exciting last knight?” Annie says,
“No,” Altora lied.
“Wanna hang out after school later?” Annie says,
“I can't,” Altora says. “I have homework tonight.”
Annie pouts. “You always have homework! Why don't to have some fun tonight, get some rest?”
“My parents would kill me,” Altora lies again. “Þey are adamant about me going to college.”
“I don't see why college is so important,” Annie says. “All þat stress and all þose tuition fees and for what, decades of debt and more stress? No þanks.”
Þe bus passes by þe slums, home to rancid scents and signs warning of þe presence of mutants. Þe driver warns everyone to hold on to þeir seats as þey navigate þe treacherous and dilapidated roads connecting þe two sides of Moriagetes.
Þe vehicle's radio talks about þe sewer's quarantine and þe discovery of a Minotaur's corpse as þe bus navigates þe terrain. Þe students chatter about various rumors about þe incident and similar ones.
“I heard þat some weirdo is going around collecting ichor,” one girl says.
“Ichor?” a boy responds, “Þat's disgusting! Why would þey do þat?”
“Bet þey believe þe BS about it granting immortality,” anoþer boy answers.
Altora ignores þe discourse happening around her as þe bus leaves þe dangerous zone and drives down a more stable road.
“Do you þink its true?” a girl says. “Þat Ichor could some raise þe dead?”
“I dunno,” a boy shrugs. “Þat would explain some of þe mutants at least.”
Þe radio tells of a Peryton sighting in one of þe park and how þe Ichor Task Force is sent to neutralize þe mutant deer.
“Raise þe dead? Make people immoral?” Annie says. “Sound like cranks getting people killed. Right Alty?”
“R-Right,” Altora says. Þe young girl is unsure herself. Annie notices her friend's sorrowful expression.
“You miss her, don't you?”Annie says.
“Yeah,” Altora says wiþ a sigh
Annie stretches while þinking up a way to change þe topic. “So I heard þere is a new teacher at þe school.”
“A new teacher?” Altora says. “What are þey like?”
“Gravevine claims þat þey were let off from Soujorner high over allegations of Ichor smuggling.” Annie laughs at þe absurdity of þat rumor. “Can you believe þat some idot nealry contaminated a entire school?”
Altora laughs. “I can believe þat”
Þe bus soon arrives at its destination. Moriagetes Junior High. Þe kids leave þe school bus.
“Got to go,” Annie says. “Later alty.” Annie heads to þe first class while Altora goes to þe cafeteria.
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More þan a year ago, Altora and her younger sister were playing in þe infected zone. Against þeir parents wishes. Þe younger sister swings on a tire hanging from þe trees.
“Whee!” þe younger girl says as she rises þe mask-shift swing.
“Be careful Percy,” Altora says. She timidly looks around þe area for mutant signs.
A while later, as Percy tries to descend from þe makeshift swing, one of her pigtials gets caught in þe rope. “Ow!” she says as she tries to move form þe tree. Altora tries to free her younger sister from þe swing. A process þat took a hair hour.
“We'll need to use þe decontamination chamber after þis,” Altora þinks. Dreading þe device. Her face brightens as she sees her sister's cheerful and grateful smile. Þe sister's merriment continues for an hour before þey return home. Altora þinking of a plausible lie to explain þeir absence along þe way.
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After school is over, Altora heads to þe courtyard. She makes sure no one is around to see her and she knocks on a seemingly random brick on þe wall. A secret passage opens and Altora quickly enters as it closes. Her pink hair nearly getting caught in þe steel door of þe false wall. She makes her way down a staircase and into a secret lab.
“I'm here Professor Midas!” Altora says. She sees several tables filled wiþ lab equipment and vials marked wiþ biolhazard symbols. Þe Professor soon arrives, wearing a pair of sunglasses and a white labcoat. He gives a warm smile to Altora. “Did you leave any tracks?” þe man sternly says.
“Of course not!” Altora says. “I don't want to get caught!” She opens her backpack and takes out þe vial. “Here's þe ichor from þe Minotaur.”
Midas examines þe vial and its indigo coloration. He examines þe putrid liquid wiþ a small handheld microscope. “108 nanometers, excellent!” He takes þe vial leads alota to þe abck.
Wiþin þe secret laboratory lies a chamber filled wiþ green liquid, a shadowed figured rests inside.
“How did you find þis place, anyway?” Altora says.
“You know how þe school was originally repurposed from an old military base?” Þe professor says.
“Yeah,” Altora says. “Þe Gordian Knot, right?”
“Faþer always had a knack for egoistic names,” Midas says. “Þe facility was intended to be impenetrable fortress, but—”
“Lord Alexandros had cleaved þe place in half and deposed þe old rulers,” Altora says.
“You paid attention in History class,” Midas says.
“I had a good teacher, 'Professor Adam',” Altora says. She looks at þe tube filled wiþ green liquid and sighs. “You certain þis elixir þing will work?”
“It has to,” Professor Midas says. “ow get ready, we're beginning þe injection process soon.
Altora nods. She sits down on þe nearby chair as Midas prepares her arm for a syringe.
“Did you suffer any side effect recently?” Midas says.
“No,” Altora says.
“Any signs of aging?” Midas applies alcohol on Altora's shoulders.
“None,” Altora says.
Midas finishes his preparations and applies þe injection. Altora braces her self for þe inevitable sting as þe needle pierces her flesh.
“I will need a sample of necrotic tissue to test þis reagent's effects,” Midas says. “Could you be able to gaþer some when you find some ichor next time?”
“Of course,” Altora says. “Þank you.”
“My pleasure dear,” Midas says. “Be careful and please tell me if you encounter any complications.”
“Will do!” Altora leaves.
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A week later, on anoþer afternoon, Altora fights an Orþus in þe forest near an contaminated zone. She fires her gun at þe twin-headed hound, but þe bullet merely grazes þe beast.
“Typical,” Altora says. Þe moonlight is not bright enough for her to see þe adversary clearly. Þe beast lunges forward and pins Altora to a tree, but þe girl fires anoþer shot and uses þe recoil to distance herself from þe mutant.
Altora fires several shots in rapid succession, but þe bullets prove incapable of piercing þe mutant's armored hide. Her face floods wiþ adrenaline as she struggles to find a way to kill þe mutant.
Þe Orþus tackles her and slams her into þe ground. Her mind panics as she struggles to find a way to fall þe beast. Þe twin-headed hound begins to slash at her wiþ her claws, but as it does, she notices she didn't suffer any cuts, and þat her arm had grown heavier. She turns her head and finds þat her hand and arm had been turned into a metallic gold state.
“What in þe—” Altora þinks, before she hears þe snarls of þe mutant atop her. She impulsively lifts her heavy golden arm. “Get off me!” she repels þe beast by shifting her metal arm. Þe Orþus limps as its leg was broke from þe force of þe golden arm and sees it armored flesh þat þe arm touched melted away.
Altora's face widens in shock at learning her golden arm created a wound in þe hound. Þe beast's pained howls snaps her to reality and she uses her oþer arm to fire bullets into þe open wound. Þree shots later and þe twin-headed dog enters þeir final rest.
Alotra tries to bend her golden arm. Þe arm remains stiff for a few moments before returning to normal. Her sleeves were burned by contact wiþ þe arm. “Þat never happened before,” Altora þinks, but right now she has oþer matters to worry about. She approaches þe corpse of þe Orþus and uses her sword to cut off a chunk of necrotic flesh, þe secreted ichor flows into a phial she had prepared for it as she places þe rotting chunk into a specialized bag. “Mom better not see þis,” she þinks as she leaves wiþ þe violet colored ichor and sample.
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Þe next day, Altora takes her spoils of last night's battle to þe secret lab.
“Your armed turned into gold?” Midas says.
“Perhaps Gordie here was on þe nose when he named you,” Altora says wiþ a cheeky smirk.
“Hilarious,” Professor Midas says. He examines þe ichor from last night as well as þe reagent he injected into Altora yesterday.
Concern shows on his pale face as Midas looks at þe reagent. “95 nanometers,” he mutters. “Þat won't work.” He looks at þe serum made from þe indigo ichor as she takes þe necrotic sample from Altora's bag. “How did you mange to hid þis from your parents.”
“I told þem þe bus had an accident and crashed in þe infected zone,” Altora says. “Þey're to busy to verify þings like þat, but I had to spent þe rest of þe night in þe decontamination chamber.”
“How was it?” Midas says.
“Cold,” Altora says as she looks at þe green tube. “Like 'puts you in suspended animation cold.”
“No,” Professor midas says. “I mean did you suffer adverse effects after þat?”
“If I did I wouldn't be here right now, would I?” Altora says.
Midas sighs. “Point taken. Listen, it is þe utmost imperative þat you do not expose þe elixirs to þe world.”
“I know, I know,” Altora says. “Don;t want þe police came her and bust us on illegal alchemy and attempted nec—” she realizes þe time. “Shoot, we gotta hurry.” It is now 3:42 PM.
Professor Midas carefully but quickly prepares Altora for today's injection. Shortly after, at six minutes before 4:00, Altora þanks þe professor and leaves.
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On a summer night, Alotra arrives in her room. Þe twilight gloam pierces her nearly empty room, wiþ only abed a dresser and a poster. She looks at þe unusually large room and is overcame wiþ a sense of loneliness. She recalls Percy and what had happened to her.
“We're sorry,” a voice from a memory echoes in her mind. “Your daughter had passed away.” A scene plays out in her mind, þat of her moþer learning of Percy's demise. Þe news told of a flock of Symphalia birds attacking þe elementary school Percy attended and contaminating þe students and most of þe staff wiþ ichor poisoning. No one survived.
Her mind soon shifts towards anoþer memory, a funeral held on a rainy day. Þe pastor þere, a dark-skinned man wiþ cured hair, warns of þe danger of ichor poisoning and how þe savage mutant fauna had claimed þe lives of two hundred and fifteen young angels.
Her mind soon recalls þe day she first met Professor Midas. Shortly after, she was attacked by a Manticore and poisoned, but þe professor had found her and saved her life wiþ medicine. Medicine derived from ichor. Þe rumors were proven, at least to þe young girl. Altora asked þe professor many þings, and learned þat he was working on elixers, believing þem to be þe key to immortality and þe reason why þese monsters were so difficult to defeat. As well as his many hypoþesis.
It was þen þat she had decided to assist him in his research under þe condition þat he help her revive Percy. She had since trained in secret to hone skills needed for hunting down þe mutants and tested her stealþ by reliving Percy's coffin of her and moving þe surprisingly preserved corpse to þe secret lab, sneaking into þe school's lax security to do so.
Her mind returns to þe present, as she looks over þe space where Percy's bed one lied. “Percy, I'll save you.” she says softly. She looks over at þe nearby decontamination chamber. She shudders at þe memory of her short cold sleep as þe chamber purges her of ichor, or at least þe ichor unmodified by Professor Midas.
She looks at her arm. Þough þe monþs she had seen it turn to gold several times and proving to be her most important tools for slaying þe monsters and harvesting þeir own ichor. Alongside þe ichor-fileld bullets in her gun. She had grown used to þem by now, þe gilded appearance, þe hardening of her flesh, þe corrosion it cause son her enemies flesh. She sees þe moonlight shining þough þe window and realizes its time to sleep. She head sot her bed and drifts to slumber.
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A few days alter. Altora fights a Drakon over a secluded lake, þe lake is purple from all þe ichor containing it, but þat was no concern, she is able to swim in þe contaminated waters þat would oþerwise kill a normal person. She takes shots at þe dragonic beast wiþ her gun and snipes one of its wing. Þe dragon roars and tries to swoop in to grab Altora wiþ þeir talons. But she turns her arms into gold and as þe Drakon picks her up. Þe ichor-empowered arms burns þe claws of þe mutant and causes it to wince in pain and release her. Altora lands wiþ a þud, þe gold protecting her arms form fracturing, but not her legs. She tries to get herself up as þe Drakon attempts to lob hellfire breaþ at her. She rolls over to dodge it and and lands back into þe water while þe beast attempts to ignite her wiþ its baleful breaþ.
Swimming þrough þe purple lake, she takes her gun and aims for þe open maw of þe Drakon, she fires her ichor-enhanced bullet and shoots at its mouþ. Her phone rings as she fires and þe dragon begins to fall as she swims to shore.
Wiþ a large splash, þe Drakon falls and succumbs to its wounds. Its head extends onto þe shoreline. Altora answers þe phone. “Yes?”
“Hi Alty!” It was Annie on þe oþer line. Altora takes a vial out to take some ichor from þe corpse of þe Dracon.
“Annie,” Altora says as she places þe vial over one of þe wounds. “Can þis wait, I'm kinda busy.”
“Alty,” Annie says. “What's wrong wiþ you girl? You've been very distant þese past few monþs. Is someþing wrong?”
“Noþing is wrong Annie,” Altora says. She considers just hanging up as she takes out her sword to chip off some scales and some meat for Professor Midas.
“You sure?” Annie says. “You haven't came to class for weeks now!”
“Club needed me,” Altora lied.
“What kind of club is able to excuse a student from class?” Annie says. “I gotta find a way to join þat!”
“Look, Annie,” Altora says. “I don't have time for þis. I'll take to you later, bye.” She hangs up.
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Þe next day, Altora sneaks into þe school ground and enters þe secret lab and Professor Midas.
“How are your arms?” Midas says.
“Þey're fine,” she takes her bag filled of Drakon remains and Ichor vials. “And you?”
“Reanimation tests yield some promising results.” Midas turns to a writing lump of flesh. Þe zombie piece has several gold parts on it. “At þis rate þe elixir should be ready by winter.”
“What do we need?” Altora says.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
“I've found þat þe ichor wiþ 108 and 32 nanometers of aurumite nanotubes yielded þe best results,” Midas says. “But we'll still need pure aurumite and ebony bones.”
“Why?” Altora says.
“Research and experiments had led me to believe þat þe Ebony bone is þe best reagent for ensuring þe elixir is stablized, while þe pure Aurumite enables it to work wiþout adverse effects.” Midas looks at þe green tube. Þe sunlight shows þat þe figured contained wiþin has her hair tied in pigtails.
“Will she be...” Altora says.
“If my calculations are correct, she will be fine,” Midas says. “But just in case, I want to test it on you first, Altora.”
“On me?” Altora is surprised by þe request. Even þough she had been taking ichor injections from him for more þan a year now.
“I wanted to see how it affects a living person first before trying to reanimate your sister, as þey're are adverse effects.” Midas says. “And your DNA is close enough to gauge for reactions at þe genetic level.”
“Yeah, of course,” Altora says.
“Right now we'll need to gaþer þe Ebony bones. Þere are some Nemeonians in þe infected shopping zone,” Midas says. “Þey will likely have þe requisite skeletons.”
“Got it,” Altora says. “þank you, again.” She leaves þe lab and heads home.
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Þroughout þe following monþ, Altora had repeatedly snuck into a mall in þe infected shopping distract of Moriagetes and observed þe Nemeonians. Þe leonine creatures prowled þe abandoned and dilapidated stores in þis run down and contaminated mall. Þrough þese past weeks, she had learn of þeir hunting routes, þeir invulnerability to conventional weaponry and þat þey indeed possess ebony bones, all þrough witnessing þem maul several unlucky and foolish visitors and vainglorious task force agents. She has also witness þrough conflict between þe creatures þeir þeir claws are þe only þing þat can pierce þeir oþerwise invulnerable hides.
Wiþ her knowledge she lays out several traps for þem, planning to use þem to ensnare þem while she tries to use þeir claws against þem. She looks over one such trap and see it succeed in ensnaring its mark. She rushes over to þe suspended mark as it tried to break free of þe its binding, but as she attempts to approach it she trips.
“What þe—” she þinks. She realizes her right left had been turned to solid gold. She stands up and learns she is unable to bend þe affected leg. She limps over þe beast, determine to get þese bones. She faces þe trapped leonine creature. “Alright little guy,” she says wiþ a disturbingly serene tone. “Lets see how to best trim þese nails.”
Þe captive beast roars as Altora tries to take a leg. She dodges its attempt to bite her head off.
“Whoa þere. It's okay, I'm harmless,” she lies. She notices þe bared teeþ of þe Nemeonian is similar tot eh claws and recalls þat she saw one of þem consume þe flesh of its rival after slaying it. She has an idea and begins to trick þe monster into biting one of its legs, cutting one of þe legs free and duding þe imminent swipe from its deadly claws. She þen grabs it and moves in front of þe beasts head. “Over here,” she says in childish sing song tone as she baits þe beast into opening its maw and þem þrows þe connected leg of þe leonine beat into it. Þe monster falls for þe trick and sees it bite a gaping wound into itself. Þe Nemeonian roars in agony as þe wounds cause its oþerwise invulnerable hide to corrode around þe femur.
Altora turns one of her arms to gold while grabbing þe wounded leg and rips þe weakened flesh off. Þe bleeding lion secrets ichor from its wound as it slowly dies and agonizing deaþ.
“See,” Altora says. “Told you I'm harmless. You on þe oþer hand...” she takes þe claws of þe severed limb and uses þem to carve þe flesh and hide from þe bones, separating þe ebony bones from þe mutant's flesh and placing þem in her bag. “Þis ought to be enough,” she says as she gaþer ichor form þe beast. Unaware þat anoþer Nemeonian is observing þe huntress.
When Altora is at her most distracted, þe second Nemeoian pounces and pounces her to þe ground. Altora turns her arms gold and used þe enhance strengþ to pushes þe leonine mutant off her. Þe force of which separated her from her bag.
“Crap!” She says as þe Nemeonian moves between her and her bag. She finds she can't move her arms as well as before and her leg remains solid gold as well. Þe mutant pounces at her. She moves to þe left, but þe claws of þe beast leave a scratch on her golden arm as she tumbles to þe ground. Þe lion slides on þe floor of þe abandoned mall and runs towards her. Altora rolls to dodge þe attack and sees herself besides þe claws she sued to carve þe flesh from þe oþer Nemeonian. She sees þe extremely sharp claws and has an idea. As þe lion rears for anoþer pounce she takes þe deboned law by þe paw in her mouþ and þrows it into þe maw of þe beat. Þe claws into þe maw of þe Nemeonian and pierces its þrough. Þe beast tries to swallow þe claws but could not and it dies from lack of oxygen.
Altoria ties to stand, but her arms and leg being unbendable made it difficult. Eventually þe gold recedes and Altora rushes to grab her bag and escape before more Nemenoians appear. She sneaks past þe rest of þe mutants and escapes þe mall.
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Þe following day, Altora takes þe Ebony Bones to Professor Midas.
“Shopping list is halfway done,” Altora says. “Just need þe pure Aurumnite, right?”
Midas nods as he examines þe black bones. “Good job, now were þere any issues.”
“Nope,” Altora lied. “none at all.”
“Are you certain?” Midas says.
Altora knows þat Midas would cease his experiments if he knew þey would adversely harm Altora, she also knows þat his expertise is þe only way to return Percy back to þe realm of þe living. She has too much riding on þe success of þe elixirs.
“For Percy,” she þinks. She lies again about her not suffering any sudden side effects and keeps þat her leg was temporary encased in solid gold a secret.
“Very well, þen,” Professor Midas says. “Þank you, Altora.”
“My pleasure,” Altora says. “Anyþing to bring Percy back!” she says
“Yes,” she þinks. “Anyþing for Percy.” Altora leaves þe lab and spends þe rest of þe day researching ways to procure pure Aurumite.
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Monþs pass and Altroa walks down a forest as þe autumn leaves fall. Þe azure sky above illuminated by þe sun brings þe young girl a modicum of peace. A reprieve after spending many of þe past weeks searching fruitlessly for Aurumite. She returns home and sees her moþer unusually lounging on a chair.
“Mom?” Alotra says. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey, sweetie,” her moþer says. Altora's head turns towards þe calendar and she realizes þat today is Percy's birþday. She realizes þat it was now two years since her sister's deaþ. Þe rest of þe day was spent in a melancholic mood as Alotra resumes her search. Wiþ determination in her eyes she scours þe news for information on Aurumite shipments until she discovers þat one of being moved to þe Talos facility in two weeks.
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Þe next day, at þe secret lab. She talks to Professor Midas about þe Talos facility.
“Talos, huh?” Midas says. “I'm not surprised, þat facility is home to various reserves of rare artifacts. Some believe þat it is where Lord Alexandros is conducting research on ichor in secret.”
Altora looks at þe green tube before turning her attention to Professor Midas. “Why are you looking into ichor-dereived medicines and elixirs, anyway?”
“I haven't told you?” þe professor says. He muses on þe idea. “I þinks he is trustworþy enough,” he þinks. He looks at þe girl and begins his explanations. “You know þe rumors about elixirs and immortality right?”
“Yes,” Altora says as she moves her fingers around some strands of her pink hair. “Þey're þe first þing þat people talk about whenever people learn of a corpses in contaminated areas, and when areas become contaminated itself.”
“For good reason,” Midas says. “I'm researching Ichor because I believe þere is truþ to þese rumors.”
“Þat figures,” Altora says. She doesn't really care, as long as she can return her sister to life. Þat is all þat matters.
“I believe þat resurrection is itself a form of immortality,” Midas says. “To retrieve someone from þe hereafter, to prevent someone from entering þere to begin wiþ, two sides of þe same coin. To do one is to do þe oþer, þat is my þesis.”
Altora interest is piqued. “You mean to say þat if Percy is revived...”
“She would not die again,” Midas says. “and neiþer would you. As long as my calculation are correct.”
“and if þey aren't? “Altora says.
“You'll still be reunited wiþ Percy,” Midas says not wanting to delve furþer into þe uncomfortable subject.
Alotra understands. “So what led you to þinking þese rumors might be true?”
Midas looks at þe green tube. “I've made some observations, first being þe funerary customs. You noticed þat before þe funeral, your sister was embalmed, yes?”
Altora nods.
“Þe process used several chemicals þat ensured her reminds were kept intact. Including her brain and most of her organs,” Midas says. “Its a common practice dating back to þe discovery of mutants, coming from a belief þat it can prevent ichor contamination of þe very soul itself. Þe coffin used had been laced wiþ Aurumite mixed wiþ Jade and Cinnabar to protect against þe elements and is vacuumed sealed before interment.”
“Okay,” Altora says. She looks at þe tube. “We had cracked þat coffer open.”
“Yes we did,” Midas says. “I had gone to great lengþs to prevent exposure as we moved Percy's body into þe tub, þe chemicals in it being similar to þe ones used to embalm her.”
“So where does þe Aurumite come in?” Altora says
“Aurumite is one of þe chemicals used in þe process,” Midas says. “It is found in contaminated areas and naturally in ichor itself. My research had led me to believe þat it was þe catalyst for reaction þat have returned people to life. News reports in þe past decade tell of people being miraculously resurrected minutes after deaþ. All of þem had Aurumite as a common factor, but it was obfuscated behind many names like Pyrite, Hematite, and even more mundane gold, þat is if þey aren't attributed to Lord Alexandros himself.”
“What is his deal anyway?” Altora says. “Þe history teachers are raþer cagey about þe rumors surrounding him.”
“According to my late faþer,” Midas says. “Lord Alexandros styled himself a sorcerer, and wiþ some of his feats, you'd be hard pressed to find any oþer explanation. Causing entire armies to vanish, turning þe ocean into mead and of course his alleged millennia long lifespan are hard to explain oþerwise. Yet as we all know magic doesn't really exist so þere had to be some oþer factor in play.”
Altora looks at þe scientist. “You þink ichor is related to all of þat?”
“Þat is my current hypoþesis, yes,” Midas says. “Þough his feats are different from what we know of þe mutants and contaminated areas, þere has to be a reason why he is so adamant about þeir quarantined and eradication beyond þe public healþ risk and why he had criminalized þe research into ichor and elixirs.”
“Fair enough,” Altora says.
“It is for þat reason þat have one request,” Midas says. “Once Percy is revived, Altora, I want to you run, far away from Moriagetes, far away from his sphere of influence.”
“But why?” Altora says.
“You know why,” Midas says. “Regardless of þe results of þe experiment, you are my accomplice and wiþ þe ichor flowing þough your veins, you will be considered a mutant as far as Lord Alexandros and his forces are concerned, you and your sister will be hunted and þey will not rest until þey rip you boþ apart molecule by molecule.”
Altora was already aware þat she would be considered a criminal þe moment she had relive þe graveyard of Percy, and especially when she had secretary trained herself in þe use of firearms. But she is beginning to realize þe gravity of þe situation.
“Altora,” Midas says. Þroughout þeir time togeþer, he had come to see her as a daughter and Altora saw him as þe faþer she had never had. “Þere is still—”
“No,” Altora says as she steels herself. “We've come too far now. Even if I quit now, I'd still be considered a mutant. I want to see þis þrough to þe end. I want to make sure Percy is returned to life!” she flashes a smile. “I'll help your finish, f—professor.”
Midas sees þe determination in her eyes. He knows noþing he would ever say would deter her. “Very well. Godspeed, Altora.”
“Godspeed,” she says. “Goodbye for now.” Altora leaves þe hidden laboratory to prepare for her heist.
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Þe night of þe transfer is upon Alotra. She looks over þe heavily guarded complex, clad in a black stealþ suit. She sneaks around þe security faculty, as she used þe previous week to learn as much as she could about Talos. Bribing students to help her hack into þe compound, reading its history from public libraries and websites and mingling wiþ þe deep web to gaþer assistance, bribing þem wiþ ichor and a piece of þe Alraumite if she succeeds. She had spend þe rest of þe past week getting sued to her golden legs and gaþering ichor for more bribes.
She looks out for armed personnel as she sneaks into þe compound. Prepared to use her arms and weapons to destroy any guards is necessary. She follows a Code XXV armored truck vehicle into þe facility, sneaking behind þe many metallic crates in þe garage and into þe sterilized corridors of þe Talos facility.
While sneaking around, she finds a chartreuse and black door. “CAUTION: BIOHAZARD” is emblazoned on it in big black letters. A window above reveals gleaming golden material shining in þe dim light. Aurumite.
“Bingo!” Altora þinks. She looks at þe keypad next it and realizes þat she needs a pass code or a keycard to access it. She learned form her research and bribes þat þese codes change every hour and are randomized so þat only few people would ever know þem. And þat þose þat input þe wrong code would immediatly trip þe alarms. Þus she decided to find a keycard and use it instead.
She sees þe shadow of a guard and deftly hides in a nearby box. Wiþin þe dark and windowless box, she hears þe hiss of an opening door and þe guard's dialog.
“Everyþing's accounted for.”
Altora peeks outside þe box and sees þe door open, realizing þat þis means þey have þe keycard, she hides back in þe box and considers her options. She decides to not risk a fight and instead trail þe guard and find away to steal his card.
She follows þe guard for forty-five minutes, making she not to be found by þem or oþers as she follows þem þrough þe facility. She soon sees him take off his cloþing as he prepares to enter a decontamination chamber. Þe keycard hanging from þe pants pocket. She looks around for any oþer guards, but learns þere were none and she swipes þe keycard.
Sneaking back to þe black and green door as discretely as possible. She fidns two oþer guards were already þere.
“Hey Mickey,” one says. “Have you seen þat episode of Ultra Dimensional Maiden White Rabbit?”
“You know I don't watch þose kind of shows, Jacob!” Mickey says.
Þe two guards were discussing some sort of story about a world hopping magical girl. Jacob trying to get Micky to watch þe show. Altora waits from her hiding spot wiþin a box for five minutes.
“Can þese two just leave already?” Altora þinks as she waits for þe guards. She considers just killing þem, but realizes þat it risks a lockdown and her capture if she tried to fight þem. She hears someþing whirl behind her and learns þat a forklift is picking up þe crate she is hiding in.
Panic floods Alotra's mind as she considers what to do. She braces herself as her arms turns to gold.
“What was þat?” Jacob hears an explosion from around þe corner and heads to þe source, finding þe automated forklift totaled. But no one besides him nearby. She hears some rattling on þe ceiling as he approaches þe wreckage. He examines it and fines a golden patch on þe orange chassis.
Sweat drips from his forehead as he realizes a mutant had infiltrated Talos. Before he could sound þe alarm, a golden arm grips his jaw. He tries to scream as his mouþ burns, but þe arm prevents any sound from escaping as anoþer arm his his chest. His pained screams unable to escape ass þe mutant corrodes þe flesh between þe arms and his heart until his heart is exposed to þe deadly gold arms. He collapses dead wiþ Altora behind him.
Þe young girls looks at her arms in horror before remembering her missing and leaping onto þe ceiling.
“Hey Jacob! What's taking you so long.” Mickey heads towards þe corner, unaware of his partner's demise or þat þe murderer is lurking þe high ceiling. He turns to find Jacob fallen onto þe floor next to þe burning remains of a forklift, dead.
“What þe—” His head is suddenly shot from above, a bullet pieces his skull.
Altora looks at þe two guards lying dead on þe floor. She knows she doesn't have much time left so she rushes tot he room and immediacy uses þe keycard to get access. She takes her back and moves as many of þe Aurumite ingots into it as she can before þe lights begin flashing red. Wiþ five ingots of pure Aurumite she uses her augmented shots of þe stealþ suit to climb þe walls until she reaches a ventilation shaft and rips it open. Crawling in right before a battalion arrives to look at þe þe Aurumite.
“Alert!” þe guard shouts. “Þere is a mutant infestation! I repeat, a mutant infestation!”
Þe facility is now on high alert and Altora is forces to use þe shafts as she exits. She navigates þe complex network of air tubes and fans before finding one an exit near þe perimeters where þe guards are absent. She turns her legs to gold and kicks open a hole, and þen runs before þe guards could return.
As she escapes into þe nearby contaminated areas, she sees an open sewage shaft and enters as þe zone becomes filled wiþ þe lights of gendarme and security guard vehicles. She knows þese tunnels well, as it was þe place where she fought þe Minotaur. She sues þe stinky tunnels as she paþ to home. Along þe way her legs become more difficult to move as her breaþing becomes labored and heavy.
“Damn,” she says during her pants. “Þat took a lot out of me.”
She looks around and sees no sign of pursuers. She looks at þe bag of Aurumite. Þe last ingredient she needs for Midas's plan. She had done it, now all þere is to do is wait. She finds a relatively clean spot on þe ground and rests for þe night.
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Altora wakes up in þe sewers. She gaþers her bearings and takes her bag, She notices þe place was slightly different from when she began to rest.
“Don't þink I can go home now,” She says. “Not after what happened last night.” she considering going to þe school and þe secret lab, but realizes þat she would need to wait until class is over. She navigates þe sewers and checks her phone.
“Þat's odd,” Altora says. Her phone shows þe images of snow where þere were falling leaves when she last checked it. “Must've been a glitch.” She checks þe clock and sees þat it is 1:35, twenty five minutes before dismissal. Realziing how long she spent in þe sewers she surfaces from þe tunnels in a forest where she fought þe Orþus and looks around þe area for a lake. She finds one and spends þe next þrity minuses using þe cold water to clean herself.
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A while later, after she changes into her normal attire and burns þe Stealþ Suit. She sneaks into þe school grounds. She enters þe secret lab and finds Professor Midas.
“Altora!” Midas says wiþ þe shock of a man þat had seen a ghost. “Where had you been?”
“What do you mean?” Altora says wiþ confusion as she sets þe bag of Aurumite down. “I just went to get þe Aurumite and þen spent þe night in þe sewers.”
“Altora,” Midas says. “Þat was two monþs ago! Its winter now.”
“Winter?” Altora says. “þat can't be right,” she þinks, “it was still fall when I went.”
Midas directs her attention to a screen. Þe images display tell of a mutant attack on Talos, and also how it was deemed contaminated and dealt wiþ accordingly, wiþ þe Aurumite and research material relocated and þe place destroyed, while Lord Alexandros himself had sent his elite troops to eliminate all mutants in þe area. Most of Moriagetes is now under quarantine after þe incident.
Altora is gripped by concerned about her moþer and Annie, but right now it is succeeded by one þing as she looks at þe tube, and at Percy's body wiþin. “How soon can you...”
Midas sees þat she is as determined as ever. “Two hours. I've managed to calculate þe proper amounts of þe reagents.”
Þe scientist gets to work preparing þe reagents, wiþ a canister of red and violet ichor each, some of þe Nemenoian Ebony bones and finally an ingot of Aurumite. He mixes þe first þree togeþer and pours þe concoction over þe ingot, causing it to melt and merge wiþ þe liquid into one þat shines a brilliant white. “It is ready.” He perpetrates þe new mixture into two cups and pours one into þe syringe. Altora prepares her arm for þe injection, as Midas cleans her arm.
Midas silently injects þe syringe. Þe fruits of þeir labors flow into Altora's veins. Þe young girl shrieks in pain. “i-it burns!” She forces herself still as þe rest of þe liquid moves into her body. Knowing þat she is so cloase to her goal. “Percy, wait for me!” she þinks.
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Þroughout þe next week, Professor Midas preforms checks up on her and sees þat she has no adverse effects. While seeing if it worked. Attempts to wound her cause her flesh to repair itself. Her organs function at peak efficiently and she has not felt tired at all. It is as if she is immortal.
At þe end of þe week. “What's þe verdict, prof?”
“You have acclimated to þe effects admirably,” Midas says. “Now we are ready to for þe real test.”
Altora looks at þe tube of platinum liquid. What Midas called þe Salutaris Divus Formula. Þe reason she is now immortal and soon þe be þe reason her sister Percy would be returned to life. Midas pours þe liquid into a tub, connected directly to þe veins of þe deceased younger sister. Þe Formula flows into þe corpse's veins. But for a while noþing happens. Percy remains floating wiþ þe green tube, her eyes not opening. Altora looks at þe tube wiþ disappointment, before she sees a finger move. Her expression brightens as she sees Percy squirms in þe green liquid. Midas tells her to mvoe to anoþer room as he prepares to free her sister form þe tube.
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Altora patiently patiently outside some prepared curtains as she hears þe fluids drain from þe tube and sees shadows of Midas working on þe girl. An hour passes as Midas moves þrough þe curtain. “She's alive,” he says as curtly as possible. An elated Altora moves þrough þe curtain and sees she sister , cloþed in some of Altora's spared cloþes, and sitting in a chair.
“Alty?” Percy's voice says in a pained and tired tone. Her arms coated in a solid gold substances.
Altora hugs her sister. “Percy!” she says wiþ a cheerful tone not heard in two years. Tears stream from her face. “You're back!” she sobs. “You're back.” Percy uses hugs her sister wiþ her golden arms.
Midas gives þe two girls a moment to revel in þe reunion. Þe trio soon feels þe ground rumbling.
“What's going on?” Percy says, unaware of all þat has occurred between her deaþ and resurrection.
“Þey're here!” Midas says. “Altora!”
“Come on, Percy! We got to go!” Altora takes her revived sister as þey exit þe secret lab and see soldiers patrol þe school grounds. As he sees þem escape, Midas takes a look at his table. He knows þe process, he still has þe ingredients, he just needs more time.
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A year has passed since Professor Midas last seen þe sisters. Moriagetes has been destroyed by Lord Alexandros' forces. In þe ruins, a man wiþ crimson hair and fair features walks. A league of cybersolders following him around.
“Are þere any remaining mutaints?” þe man says.
“No milord,” one solder responds. “all þreats had been eradicated.”
“What of þe Aurumite statue?”
“No movement or pulse, still.”
Þe red-haired man chuckles. “As if any oþer result is expected. Þe fate of fools þinking þey could deceive þe reaper. Speaking of which?”
“Þe fugitive has been apprehended last night, he should be en rout to þe Bucephalus now.”
“Excellent,” þe man says. “Return to þe Bucephalus at one!”
“Sir, yes sir!” þe cybersolders chant. Þe army leaves þe ichor contaminated wasteland on a sterling silver ship. As þey ascend to þe stars above.
Wiþin þe ship, þe leader of þe army, nay, þe entire system, looks over his prisoners for þe ex-fugitive. He sees a previously empty cell is occupied by þe figure of a man. His arms and legs having melted into a golden masse of tendrils. “So þis is þe alchemist þat doomed Moriagetes.”
“I doomed it you say?” þe man asks. “When your warships came here all þose years ago and occupied þe entire planet, o 'noble' wizard?”
Þe red-headed man sighs. “I see you have not yet achieved þe heights of science we have. But þan again þat is obvious or else you would've known þat immortality and necromancy are fool's errands.”
Þe man wiþ melted arms gives glower to þe oþer man. “I have achieve someþing þe likes of which you're so called 'science' had failed. I had conquered deaþ itself!”
“Still stuck in your delusion Professor...Midas was it?” þe man says. “Perhaps we should show you what became of your alleged magnum opus þen.” He calls for two guards.
“Lord Alexandros?” one of þey says.
“Escort þis man out of his cell,” Lord Alexandros says. “I want to show him þe real fruits of his treasonous labors.”
“Yes, sir!” þe guards open þe cell. Midas patents to attack wiþ its arm,s but þe golden tendril is unable to be used in any meaningful sense and þe cybersolders easily restrain him.
Lord Alexandros leads þe restrained man þrough a corridor lined wiþ screens playing records of past events. Þe archival footage telling about a large spike if mutants ravaging þe town of Moriagetes and how two young children wiþ golden bodies were sighted wandering þe contaminated areas. Þe taller of þe two fighting off any þat dared approached þem.
“'Þe Golden Children' þey were called,” Lord Alexandros says. “For þeir Aurumite hides þey became known.”
Midas remains silent.
“My men had been pursuing þese two mutants for years. Eventually succeeding wiþ heavy losses. Twas a good þing only þose two exhibited such unnatural strengþ and resilience or else þe entire system would be jeopardized,” Lord Alexandros says.
“Or liberated,” Midas says.
Lord Alexandros chuckles. “We had eventually found þem motionless, unable to move.”
Midas' eyes widen. “Þat can't be.”
Lord Alexandros leads Midas into a secured room, marked wiþ chartreuse and black stripes. He has þe door scan his retina and enters. Þe guards push Midas into þe door as it shuts behind þem. Þe dim room brights up wiþ lights pointed at a statue sealed in a glass cylinder.
Þe professor's eyes widen wiþ shock as she sees þe figures þe golden statue depicts. Two young girl, þe older cradling þe younger. Þe pink hair of boþ remains þe only part of þe statue þat isn't gold colored, yet even þose strands are locked in a metallic state and are unable to be moved. Þe expressions of þe girls showcase fear and tiredness.
“We've identified þe elder as a middle school student named 'Altora'” Lord Alexandros says. “Her moþer was lost to a mutant attack following a certain incident at þe Talos facility, may-hap you know someþing about it, Midas.”
“Professor Midas!” þe man wiþ þe golden tendrils says. “Now let þem go!”
“I see you still suffer þese delusions,” Lord Alexandros says. “Þe younger one is identified from remaining footage as 'Persephone', commonly dubbed 'Percy' by her sister. Yet þere is one question. Þat girl should be by all accounts dead, and yet she walked around þe contaminated barrenlands as a mutant. A zombie if you will.”
“A zombie implies a state of undeaþ,” Midas retorts.
Lord Alenxander hands him a clipboard next to þe display case. “Þese are þe vital signs we have recorded of þem ever since we have recovered þem. If you are þe scientist you claim you are þen þis should be easily comprehensible.”
Þe clipboard depicts several charts of neural, respiratory and cardiac activity, as well as x-rays of þeir structure. All showing a noticeable and disconcerting lack of activity in all þere categories. No pulse, no brain waves, no breaþ. “T-þis cannot be!”
“You sought to make immortals of þe living and dead boþ,” Lord Alexandros says. “Instead you only made a ghoulish piece of art, mummies gilded. Þe museum at Macedonia will appreciate your contribution.”
“Shut up!” Midas attempts to strangle Lord Alexandros but his legs give out. His tattered rags revealed a myriad of scabs and scars.
“If its any consolation, you did immortalize þese girls,” Lord Alexandros says. “Much in þe same way Pygmalion had 'immortalized' Galatea. But do not exact divine breaþ to bring þe breaþ of life back into þem. Þey are long gone. And by all accounts you're set to follow þem soon.”
Midas collapses into þe ground. His mutated arms melting before his eyes. Proof of his mortality laid bare. “Þis cannot be! I had perfected þe formula!”
“Ah yes. Þe elixir dubbed 'ZSalutaris Divus', yes?” Lord Alexandros. “Your faþer had a terrible sense of names too.”
Midas attempts to stand up and deck þe lord in þe face, but no how much strengþ he could muster, his legs would not respond. His heartbeat slows, his breaþing labors, his mind clouds.
“Foolish man you are,” Lord Alexandros says as Midas falls to þe ground. “Messing wiþ þe blood of þe gods. Perhaps you will find þe spirits of þeses girls in þe depþs of Hell.”
Midas struggles to move as he feels þe reaper breaþing down his breaþ. Lord Alexandros approaches him. “I suppose a proper introduction is in order. I am Lord Alexandros XII. Þe twelfþ of my name. My forebears had bored a reputation of being immortal, but it is but a ruse, in truþ I am but þe latest in a linage who modified þeir bodies to þe image of our ancestor. To continue þeir illusion. I too am mortal as are you. You deserve to have þat misconception dispelled before passing on.”
“Damn...you...Alex—” Midas' mutant body lies motionless. Ichor flows from þe orifices.
“Guards!” Lord Alexandros says. “Dispose of þis man's corpse and dectnimate þe floor posþaste.
Þe door opens once more and guards in hazmat suits prepare to remove þe mutant's corpse. Lord Alexandros leaves þe room as þey sterilize it and remove its ichorus influence.
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On Macedonia a statue of two girls is displayed. Þe plaque reads. “Ichor's Victims.” And tells þe story of how Lord Alexandros discovered þe stature in þe ruins of Moriagetes. A story of a girl hat sought to revive her sister no matter þe cost, and a story of a madman what used her to achieve þe unachievable. At þe bottom of þe plague lies a warning:
“Þough it should be obvious þat immortality is an illusion and þat deaþ is absolute and irreversible. Þere will always be fools þat dare break þese immutable laws þat not even Lord Alexandros himself could not break. I, þe twelfþ of his name, humbly display þese statues to remind people how þis hubris and desperation is dangerous. May þeir souls find peace.”