Chapter 3: Lars Walker
"ATTENTION!" yelled the Mars Dominus. All the assembled members, including me, gave him a salute.
"Today we've been invited by the Thoth Dominus to inspect the Genetic Mutation Experiments going on in the Thoth Institute for Genetic Experiments otherwise known as T.I.G.E.
"You few who are assembled here are to inspect these experiments and return with a report with which we can use to determine if genetic modification can constitute a threat to Hassien. If we condemn it we will return to shut it down. You're all dismissed and are required to gather back here in thirty minutes."
As the briefing ended I went to meet our Dominus in private.
"Um excuse me sir, but I don't think I'm cut out for this," I said."I f you weren't then I wouldn't have chosen you as one of our representatives," he replied.
"I know but," I sighed, "I don't think I have the confidence to go into another faction's territory for something as big as this."
The Dominus just smiled and ruffled my hair. "You've always been like this since we found you all those years back," he said, "Always so insecure and reserved but I know that you have the ability to take charge when necessary, you just need the right stimulation."
He gave me a pat on the shoulder and walked off. I sighed again but deeper this time. The Dominus had always been like this. Always tried to get me out of my comfort zone or as he called it on several occasions, my shell.
I felt a smack on my back and turned to see my friend Scott. His caramel skin still managed to glisten in this dim light. His brown light hair which was usually curly was now pushed to the right for the sake of the upcoming event. His light brown eyes were filled with excitement.
"Aren't you hyped for this?" he asked, "We get to see all the crazy things that go on in the Thoth laboratories."
"Can't wait," I responded with fake enthusiasm.
"Come on," Scott said with a smile. "You should at least feel happy you get to go to Thoth territory."
I couldn't lie about that. The thought of Thoth's game changing technology made me feel a bit giddy. Who knew what they had hauled up there.
"If the genetic experiments get accepted, soon we'll have our own bioweapons," a voice said from behind us. I turned around and saw Medan, the most destructive member of the peacekeepers who would rather start conflict than resolve it.
The Dominus had the safety of Hassien and it's people on his mind by sending us to inspect T.I.G.E and the fact that Medan only saw the chaotic aspect of Thoth's project and that infuriated me.
Before I knew what was happening I had gone to confront the older peacekeeper.
"The purpose of genetic modification isn't to create weapons but to make our nation flourish," I said. "The sooner you get that the better."
Medan had a look of outrage on his face. He clenched his fist and punched my gut. I fell to the ground and held my stomach from the pain.
"Who do you think you're trying to teach me right from wrong?" he asked furiously. "I guess I ought to show you your place!"
He attempted to attack me a second time but he was stopped by Scott.
"That's enough Med," Scott said.
Med pulled his wrist free from his grip, clicked his tongue and spat next to me.
"Next time no one will be there to save you," he warned and with that he walked away.
Scott pulled me up and dusted me off. "Thanks," I said.
"Don't ever try such a thing in your life," he cautioned.
"Why did you tell him off? Learn to mind your business," I looked to the ground with sad eyes.
"He was missing the point of us being sent to T.I.G.E," I said. "It just didn't sit well with me and I had to do something."
Scott simply shook his head and gave me a small laugh.
"That's our Lars. Always ready to stand up for higher authority."
"I never said I did it for the Dominus," I responded.
"You didn't have to," he replied.
I looked to the ground again, feeling irritated that Scott could read me so easily.
I felt my friend's hand around my shoulder.I looked at him and he was smiling.
"Come on!" he said. "It's almost time to reassemble."
I don't know why I remembered this at that time. Maybe it was part of having your life flash before your eyes at the moment of death.
Somehow, the machine conducting the mutation began to malfunction. The alarms installed began to warn of danger. I looked for Cyan but I couldn't find him. While everyone ran for their lives, I stood there dumbstruck.
Scott grabbed me by my arm and pulled me along side the escaping peacekeepers. I didn't understand what was going on. Where did it go wrong?
I looked back to see Medan running towards the machine. What had he planned to me. All I knew was that it wasn't going to work.
A surge of energy escaped the machine. The wave sent Medan flying at us as it engulfed us. We all flew into a wall and it crashed under the combined force of our weight and the strength of the surge. The remaining part of it collapsed separating us from the others.
That's when it happened. Whatever that energy triggered in me kicked in. I could smell everything and nothing, hear everything and nothing, feel everything and nothing.
My four canines fell out and regrew constantly. Each time more painful than the last. My fingernails and toenails forced themselves out and regrew repeatedly as claws before doing the same thing to regrow as their normal selves.
Every skin cell in my body continuously hardened and softened , grew scales and shedded them, sprouted feathers that fell off immediately. Every bone broke and repaired themselves, growing longer or shorter depending on their suiting.
I had no idea of what was going on. All I knew was it was that it was painful.
"Are you okay?" Scott asked worriedly. "What the hell is happening to you?"
I tried to speak but only gave a bark. Tried again but what ame out was a mew. I continuously tried but each time was a different animal cry. My throat grew sore and exceedingly pained from the continuous shift in animal cries.
From my head sprouted horns which fell off and another pair took their place.They kept on sprouting and falling, each on different from the last. Their eruption caused blood to pour down my face.
Preoccupied with my pain I didn't notice when IT came for Scott. A large claw pierced through his chest just as I looked up at him. I looked towards the terrifying beast that owned it.
It's body was swollen and mismatched. From it's head to its chest were covered with eyes. Bones pierced out of every possible place making it's body serated. From it's hands extended long black claws the length of men. Its skin was tinged red from blood and on it's body was a ripped Mars jacket.
This creature was Medan. He had gotten his wish for bioweapons and was now a grahfin.
I looked behind him and saw maimed bodies of our fellow representatives. Murdered by his monstrous bloodlust. New he had come for my best friend.
Scott looked down on the claw and grabbed it with his hands. He coughed up blood on the claw. Medan put in another claw into him and he screamed in pain.
I tried to yell for him to stop but only bleating came from my mouth. Immobilized by pain, I could only watch as the grahfin murdered him.
"R-run..." Scott managed.
Medan put in more fingers and ripped Scott apart. Blood and guts splattered all over the room. I felt the red liquid fly onto my face. An eyeball landed right infront of me.
What happened next was more undescribable than the pain I felt.
I released a cry of rage in the voice of the animal kingdom. I felt the ground beneath me vibrate from the force of my voice. The strength of the wild flowed through me all at once.
I charged at the grahfin. It swung its black claw in an attempt to cut me in half. I felt my skin painfully shift into a hardened shell. The claw broke on contact with it.
I punched Medan with animalistic strength. The grotesque being flew out of the room with the wall crashing. Feathers sprouted and I flew at him with makeshift wings.
I was in no control of what I was doing. Only fighting with my animal instincts in charge. It felt horrible , yet so pleasant and beautiful all at the same time.
Blood splashed. Flesh ripped. Bones cracked. My sensitive smell and taste were picking up the hormones the grahfin was giving off. It reeked of fear, tasted of regret and pleaded for forgiveness. At that point in time, I would show no mercy.
Medan was right. No one was here to save me. Fortunately for me I wasn't the one who needed saving.
The grahfin cries continued to echo. I ripped off its flesh from it's bones with my claws. I crushed it's bones into fine powder with my fangs and hardened teeth. I bathed in it's blood until I was completely red.
The grahfin was gone but my fury was not. I roared in triumph and hunger. I felt like I was being consumed. it felt like if this went on, I'd become something like Medan if not worse.
I grabbed myself and clawed my skin. I wailed as I desperately fought to maintain my humanity and not get consumed by power.
Slowly, it faded to black.
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TheWriters4
TheWriters4 I know it's been long and sorry I was occupied but I hope you enjoy.
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