It's been a few hours now after leaving Krul and Delara's disagreement, they let him go, he was often that incosqueiental, his life held in another's hands...it's been like that for as long as he can remember, from when his human-father had his life ended to being taken in by Delara, saved by her from Krul, he never held it against Krul oddly for executing his father, he only has a distaste for him....for pointing that barrel at him..

  Yet now thinking of that human made who raised him, who he often cant forget.

  Aleph feels as if he understands what it means when he spoke to his servants, when he was terrified of vis-stasi investigations to have a cold sweat of anxiety,

  Feeling this himself now had Aleph clasping his hands held together nails digging into his palms, a coping mechanism he picked up, it was painful but helped him ease...

  'A coping mechanism is a weak human thing too...' That caused him to release his hands.

  Now he had to exit, after that victory final success back in the live-fire chamber, now he was entering that cold doorway...

  The tension built up leaving him as soon as he entered.

  After stepping through it came like a gunshot, a fist shooting into the back of his head, he could feel pain as if something ruptured, a bit of blood squirting out from between the lid of his right eye...

  It was Saiyah! waiting for the moment he entered the main quarters they all shared,

  “Thought we’d be here till 7000 AD waiting on you!” Her Voice back to its casual warmer than the tone she carried in that live-fire simulation hall. It's why He thought she had to have been raised by humans she had too much life, everyone else was moody, didn't speak, she always wanted to talk to him.

  Joke around too

  Saiyah had playfully socked him the moment he passed into the doorway, enough to cause a bit of blood to gush out his right eye, Now after she had him hooked by his neck with her forearm holding him in a lock, Aleph winces harshly at the pain but doesn't react but he can see the others, all once angered with him, now all of them having some form of half-hearted smile...

  'I'd imagine they would be ready to beat me all the more cause I just now succeeded....' But this, the idea they'd stand around to give him smiles, the few times he'd ever seen it, they were outright celebrating him here!

  'They are celebrating me?' He questions himself, realizing how crazy that sounds...

  Aleph considers, there is murmurings, positive ones an occasional

  'Mr.Runaway finally did it...Sorta proud of him...!'

  'I knew he'd do it eventually...'

  'Finally he impresses...'

  He heard them, murmurings, but all still positive none the less. Even if it had him change the rising smile into a frown, he still hated whispers afterall.

  But he doesn't have to question this is some form of small celebration.

  Asaph is there too; his natural resting frown remains leaning against a back wall near Aleph’s plate eyes closed.

  Giving little nod of approval toward him

  Coming from Asaph That lets Aleph know he must've really impressed back in there.

  He approaches him quickly, "So about the chamber...I'm sorry I had too go elsewhere, I was-"

  "Caught up with Delara, Krul? I know."

  “Everyone’s been waiting on you, finished in time I saw some of the dropships swing by.” Asaph opens his eyes and starts in dead tone–

  “Two months on that one singular trial, it was aggravating! insane!” Saiyah cuts in laughing aloud.

  Asaph just uncomfortably grumbles at her cutting in, and doesn't bother speaking because she goes on quickly, speaking fast.

  "Aleph, you went..." She hugs his shoulder again, close and blowing air into his ear “You went–.” She glances left to right like checking for witnesses, before getting even closer leaning in toward Aleph’s face.

  His dead grey skin still bright in some locations turns slightly red, as she pauses for a long time, Enough to cause Asaph to peek

  “Feral.” She blows into his ear, laughing after

  He jolts swinging his arm and knocking her back a few paces, her laugh growing distant

  She stumbles with a laugh,toward the others,

  the others are watching slightly smiling at the interaction.

  though when their limited social meter decays it dies quickly.

  They are slowly losing interest in the trio, turning toward one another sparing a few extra words but most are silent unlike the trio they don't even talk to eachother very often, humans give way to pointless chatter. No one would say that to Saiyah's face though...Aleph knew that much..

  He strode back over ignoring Saiyah's extra teasing and stood near Asaph. though still closely followed by Saiyah going on and on about how long it took him making jokes and gags about it, Asaph still coolly located next to Aleph’s assigned plate

  Their Quarters, where they currently resided wasn't a series of bunkbeds vampires needed no such thing and the intermission time between lessons, trials and training was much to small for that to even be worthwhile or viable, it instead was a massive hall, with hundreds of plates, as big as a ceremony hall, there was little furniture and there was an aggressive hum of some device bolted to the ceiling of the shared quarters.

  They, when not assigned, would be expected to stand on these plates when ordered until training began again, he could count on hand the number of times in the twelve– no ten years he’d been training here.

  Time worked differently, he thinks of how reliably things worked then, he hasn’t seen the sun in quite some time, comparatively to a human dwelling there’s no heat or lights.

  But he can see in the dark just fine.

  It bothered him to live like this for a while, but his complaints faded eventually.

  The plates each had their name, a blackened screen embedded center of the plate

  always projecting his name regardless of presence, cyan highlights same as the others, the glowing highlights had the room dimly blue at the surface.

  Frost would form and then melt, another sign of what Aleph knew to be.

  The Anchor

  Utilizing terror space, it’s had him thinking he’s been here for quite some time.

  'Two decades or three maybe...or maybe it's just a year or two truly inside this facility' he often thinks and argues within himself even he himself isn't sure despite having verification how long it's been often.

  It’s been one, for him it’s been a decade and extra, anyone on the outside has merely observed a year in passing.

  I’m going to be sick. Aleph often thought as he dwelled on the Facility itself, the interior betrayed the size of the exterior which by no means was small, the interior was much larger and stretched underground, built like a maze, purposefully lacking directions, Shocktroopers memorization, "Luck" and inherent aptitudes was tested.

  Thankfully he hasn’t had an issue with acing any of those since the first day.

  Same as everyone else.

  After awhile he was taken from dwelling on where he was to what he was doing now.

  “Aleph, one of the dropships I saw it.” Asaph finally spoke

  Aleph acts smooth unbothered that the alteration of time had been lowered enough for anyone to arrive here “Could be anyone, but for you to point it out to me, what is it?” Casually speaking with more bravado less meek.

  “What were the markings?” Aleph shoots straightly.

  Asaph gives a short laugh noticing Aleph attempting to play it cool “You get confidence because you finally beat the test?” He challenges planting hand on Aleph’s shoulder.

  He returns to a colder tone “Well that performance must’ve been a huge beacon, Vacerick culture markings, I saw a battlecruiser with escort curve in overhead down toward our atmosphere with escort from the skylight, its her!” Asaph informs "I assume with quick response and whatever you did in that chamber...they're here for you.."

  Aleph feels a bit slighted he is treating him being in crosshairs of the literal Eternal ruler of their lives.

  Saiyah to Aleph unhelpfully added, “Tcht you got very popular from just that small spectacle!?” She laughs and continues “Going to start handing out autographs?” she finishes, nudging him trying to goad him to speak.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Aleph gave a slow head turn, silent for a long while to make her slight smirk falter and wither away.

  Aleph considered she was being bright and cheerful to soothe his mind about this, “Haha very funny.” He speaks dead. “I’m unsure of this full picture, but apparently it was planned.”

  Asaph rolls his eyes “A-duh!” he mocks before rubbing his eyes.

  Aleph crosses his arms, his sharp teeth bared momentarily, Asaph doesn’t flinch or back down, he wasn’t even looking.

  Eyes closed he relents “Sorry it’s just. It’s obvious.”

  Saiyah “Benefit of a doubt Aleph probably was meaning it wasn’t a Krul trying to sneakily murder one of us again.”

  “His constant failure of that has only honed my senses.” Asaph, Aleph doesn’t miss that rare moment of Asaph showing a bit of pride

  Wide smile, drenched in blood as the mechanisms of a live-fire simulation sabotaged in an attempt to kill Asaph left to fail, more machines needed replacing, amidst it all Asaph staring in a mocking grin at Krul toward the camouflaged one-way glass.

  They stopped speaking and left to silence that was quickly then swallowed by the hum of the machine above them.

  Well at the very least this can’t be that bad.

  Delara was like a ghost standing in the hall leading to their quarters, she was a keg of much rage brewing, heavy enough to block the proverbial door to her surrogate son and all of the candidates.

  He wouldn’t share her fate nor would his friends share the fate her friends had, she’d kill everyone on this planet first.

  Yet her stance betrayed this, hands at ease, legs tightly together as she was straight, she even had her helmet on, a single white line with a sphere acting as a mono-eye, it flickered occasionally.

  A towering figure in purple armor subject to what took on the appearance of a woman barely even able to be compared to the stature of the hulking 7’4 woman.

  “Delara S-.” Eternia was nearly about to start

  Delara put her hand up, she faced down the woman with many names, she knew from history on earth in the dark ages of 1862AD it had been Emilia, it changed so frequently it was just title she went by.

  Eternia was shouldered by two guards hulking a similar but different shade of purple, shackled with weapons, they seemed to waver at the sight of Delara, they recognized her some had survived her.

  But Delara didn’t see just fear, she could sense hate among them. She’d double the existing reason they already had to hate her for if they tried anything. They held Ion-Spears bladed weapons with capability of range, they weren’t slouches either

  marking on their armored masks betrayed their anxiety, seasoned veterans of conflicts stretching decades uninterrupted.

  She knew Eternia had a disturbed relationship with this caste she was born of, it isn’t out of question that if Aleph has something they want they may just need to take him, or may be looking for a mutation they need to be rid of.

  I won’t let them take him. Her hands at-eased tighten enough to be heard, plates made to shrug off high-caliber rounds buckle at the tension she exhibits.

  “You’ll have to wait. Be elsewhere now.” Delara starts but seems subtly lose her footing on what she wants to say just to get her to leave

  “Of course, but I’m here first for you again.” Eternia finished looking to begin new conversation.

  Delara had always known something was wrong, Delara was a survivor of an entire generation sentenced to death a sole survivor of the black-helms of the second shocktrooper generation, and yet for all the time she’d been alive could so casually encounter often the nightmare ruler and show little respect.

  “I know you wish to speak with me, it’s been some time.” Eternia’s voice pulls Delara back to senses her wrist twists out of what looks like a mixture between a robe and a dress, her face obscured in oppressive unnatural darkness.

  She can see bones on her fingers that fade quickly into flesh and skin as they form on them almost in an instant purely by her own will as the arm stretched out from her strange apparel.

  Eternia rose an eyebrow “I know I can’t read minds, but I can read intention, What Vampire is not mine?” She finished matter-of-factly

  Not him, not me not anyone else She fiercely shows on her face, this time an expression she wishes she wasn’t hiding.

  “Let’s talk, elsewhere.” She started to walk, and she could sense a towering presence follow, it wasn’t the guards it was Eternia alone, unspoken she seemed to supernaturally suggest they remain.

  A mountain of suffering held over Delara’s head, she could see sorrow, anger.

  Kill them, kill them all. It was starting again, any Vampire felt this around her, it was ambient an open secret Eternia hadn’t even known.

  They traversed cold blackened walls, darkness that soon ended.

  “I’m more used to lights.” She speaks simply smoothly in stride alongside Delara.

  Delara doesn’t hide the jolt of surprise, how she can become almost invisible to her even in her most uneasy state.

  Delara is aware, but it only worries her anytime she’s had to speak to Eterenia, Eternia speaks to Delara so cooly as if she was a friend, Delara had challenged her and

  she treats her almost like one would an unruly daughter who’s attitude you refuse to entertain or acknowledge, it worries Delara. They have the same hair after all.

  “Before we reach this place, I have a question you may answer, Aleph’s father-Where is he?”

  That question has Delara’s blood boil for another reason.

  Where the hell is his father! Her senior, one of the first generation just gone! Missing! Leaving his son to be raised by feeble humans to nearly die, idiots.

  Delara is so lost in the thought she didn’t realize a switch in which Eternia had lead her to a training hall until Eternia lets out “Hm?” to regain her attention.

  She doesn’t have time to think of how by just being in her thoughts she can barely keep track of where she wanted to initially go. This Entire facility was built in such a way any brain would be scrambled with the patterns to the point of lobotomy, but a Vampire’s brain, a young one would be more susceptible to indoctrination

  “This arena has seen much action, hasn’t it?” She stares ahead not immediately prompting Delara to reply but giving her a moment to reflect.

  She could make him sound unappealing now, it’d help her out.

  But Delara is drawn from that idea by the unusual sight of a patient Eternia gazing upon the stains of a blood with a disturbing look of wonder.

  She knows which bloodstains are his. Such a thought makes Delara sick and terrified at such capability she just learned of In this instant she remembers the earlier question and jumps at it

  “I found him about to be executed by Krul, years before you assigned Krul here. –” Delara starts to inform but,

  “He’s forgiven purely because he failed, I’d had him killed if he wasted the efforts put into my test subject.” Eternia cuts in immediately with possessiveness mixed with a feint lack of care.

  Eternia doesn’t take a false execution of any Shocktrooper lightly, Delara’s hate for Krul fades, she feels a bit sorry for him, almost regretting she revealed that.

  Delara is disturbed as always to know Eternia is so far from her vampirism or her ancient human persona she can’t be wholly dedicated to caring or treating the Shocktroopers like numbers.

  “You didn’t answer my question, did you?” Eternia starts speaking quickly “To-the-point!” She demands fiercely.

  Delara’s strength fades, she answers as if her father or any other member of the founding caste scolding her when she was a candidate training fiercely. They don’t leave the enclaves anymore, so broken by Eternia.

  “His father was missing; I found him raised among humans.” Delara informs

  “His father mentioned he had humans assigned to help watch him, they must’ve been the ones that cut contact with my chosen prototype.”

  Delara’s head snaps up and swings left.

  A revelation she struggles to speak against, the mere audacity of what she’s heard has her lips unable to part. Her fingers trembling with turmoil and a pain far too familiar to her.

  It continues to leave her silent a long time letting the ambient hum of the reactor that vibrates through the

  Eternia entertains the silence so much it goes on for seven minutes.

  “He-willingly abandoned his son. To you? –.” Awe struck Delara speaks

  “Gave me!” Eternia sharply corrects Delara doesn’t argue.

  Eternia gives a short laugh “The same as your father had done with you? Is it not?”

  Delara flinches at having to even think at that question she doesn’t answer knowing the words are simply a blade. Though no matter how much she thinks herself aware it’s a blade that cuts well to the soul.

  Eternia gives a slow head turn not breaking contact.

  Delara even Delara slumps a bit losing composure she can’t sweat but she can feel pounding in her head, her eyes stuck wide under the helmet.

  Don’t take it off. She warns herself in a half mutter.

  I can read you This cruel stare from Eternia speaks

  Delara struggles to speak up.

  “Mutations? I can accept that.” She joked looking over it, taking it upon herself to monitoring his unusual kinks far different than his livelier almost human physicality.”

  It wasn’t accidental mutations or mutations at all as Eternia seems to be suggesting

  Worryingly enough it sounded like something done in ancient times and it has Delara hurting at feeling powerless seeing how well planned out his life is and how she only contributed to this.

  Eternia has snatched Aleph and Delara feels ignorant and uncertain of what will become of him.

  “I mutilated his soul, at birth from Thanatos.” She paused then continues threateningly moving her fingers at Delara “From many lightyears away as I was half-resting.” She often treads what Delara knows she can do just to verbally punish her.

  It’s working. Delara’s hands unclench from fists behind her back and are at her sides, she feels small despite towering over her. Her head is pointed downwards and not raising back again

  “I am brewing a prototype to face against the Mechra, have you not noticed they face machines much like the Mechra here more often than in your training you and your lost kin trying to kill each other.” Eternia informed

  “So, you’re going to suit him up and throw him to them, you came here to collect?” Delara speaks to Eternia in reply in nothing but a now weakened whisper.

  “I now know my prototype was being nurtured by my best, kept alive, you even went as far as to enroll him, I’m sure he hasn’t missed a day here.” Eternia prods.

  “When I brought him here initially.” Delara starts but is almost shaken enough to pause stumbling back

  Eternia’s face is shown, angry, grey skin and abyssal pitch-black eyes with Violet dotted in center glowing in their natural color “Don’t waste time.” A threat arises, the first Delara’s ever heard that’s shaken her.

  “He would often escape.” Speaks Delara, refusing to say anything further and risk the little things that keeps Aleph resistant to indoctrination tied with his training.