9

“Is there a problem doctor?”

“N- No.”

“Good.”

Clara glared at the shivering man for a moment before wiping off the oil gathered on her face.

Before them stood a large machine. Just exactly what the machine was supposed to be was up for debate since it seemed that most of it had been ripped out and carefully placed all over the room.

They were standing inside a large hall. This place was one of Clara’s favourite playgrounds. When she’d been little her mother would often be away from the house. She now knew that this was the time her mother had spent fighting in foreign countries and setting out on missions in enemy states.

But while she’d been little, as unashamedly innocent as could be, the only thing she knew was that her mother would often leave the house and come back distant. This had made the young Clara quite sad, so one day, when her mother once again announced that she would be going away Clara had cried and begged her not to.

Amara, was no stranger to dealing with little children, having many nieces and nephew many years younger than she, dealt with it in the best way she knew. She bought Clara out.

From that day on every time Amara returned she would bring with her a gift she found on her travels. And soon, Amara not one to do things in half measures, the things she brought became bigger and bigger. It was then that her father decided to gift her with this room. Or should she call it bunker.

Internally, Clara had always called it her secret laboratory.

The mind was a strange and wonderful thing. As gifted as Clara was she was also in a unique position to appreciate the wonders of the mind. Not only was it adaptable enough to serve as the controlling organ of the whole body, it also provided people with inspiration and the capability to find their way through almost any situation, no matter how hopeless the problem might seem.

This capability could be used for good or bad.

Clara used it for herself.

Even though people believed that Clara was someone inherently good, it wasn’t really quite the case.

Clara didn’t believe in good or bad. Those were hopeless abstractions, there was only the self. The morals which came from society and imparted upon the individual. [Alt1]

Was killing inherently an evil thing? Clara didn’t think so, at least not logically. Soldier kill, yet they weren’t evil. A small example being that animals and people kill to eat.

It wasn’t an evil thing, at least not according to Clara.

But it was a sad thing. Death.

Clara didn’t want lives to end for the sole reason that it was the ending of someone’s story. Maybe it was a selfishness, not wanting to have to face her own mortality, and so she would do everything in her power to keep people from dying.

Clara left the doctor behind who continued working on the part below him again.

She arrived at a small machine laid out on a table. It was a machine but it was in the form of a person.

It was not in the form of a human or any of the other races within the Meritocracy. It was something long theorized within fiction, only now, with the right amount of resources, the great deal of research, and also the genius of the dear doctor, that they were able to create something like this.

“Your original plan would never have worked.” Clara said. The doctor listen but he kept working on his own machine.

“Although the clan’s don’t have nearly the individual power of one of your machines, it isn’t like we don’t have our own tricks. How do you think we managed to survive against the outside world.”

She lifted the robots arm, testing it’s movement, then let it fall back to the table.

“Compared to the things outside, this is nothing.”

“But without any form of magic the clan’s…”

“We do have mages you know. Well not my house, but the clans do have their own mages. The Leashed, they call them. Your friends the Maribara clan are in fact quiet well known for keeping those creatures.”

“What, I’ve never heard of.”

“You and your originisation only function within the limits of the Meritocracy’s borders. Where it’s ‘safe’. Up until recently the clan’s have never dared wage war within the confines of the border… The world outside though is another story all together.

“How did you even think it was possible for the Maribara sect, who doesn’t have any industry or institutes of any kind to be crowned as the strongest?”

“We always assumed.”

“Yes, you assumed, I know how your group works. Or at least I think I do. A group of like-minded individuals, all of whom secretly hold a rebellious heart and all of whom have read way too many fantasies!”

She stopped, this wasn’t getting her anywhere. It really had nothing to do with her if the Sage Guild had thoughts of cutting out a section of the Meritocracy for themselves, even if they were hopelessly ill-informed.

“Let’s concentrate on what we’re here for. What have you done?”

Doctor Khostra nodded, “I’ve completed the modifications to the impetus drive. It should be 5 times more powerful that the general drives.”

Clara nodded, “What about the artificial animus? Have you had any troubles with it?”

Khostra seemed to hesitate. “That… I think you should see for youself.” Without another word he turned and stepped to a table that was humming with energy and a small glowing crystal floating above it.

Clara looked it over. “This seems normal.”

The crystal glowed then dimmed, then went back to normal.

Strange.

Clara looked over at the doctor. “Well?”

A arrogant smile grew on Khostra’s face. “Hmph, I’ve created something never before seen in the history of science.”

Clara held up a hand, “You mean something unexpected happened. Now you’re trying to take credit for it.”

“…” the doctor sighed. “Yes. That’s exactly it.”

“What have you discovered?”

“This animus seems strange, Although I’ve done this before, the result is way beyond my expectation. All of the factors are similar, but the adaptability and intelligence displayed by the animus is simply astounding.”

As he talked he pointed at a stack of pages sitting on a table to the side. “I’ve tried every test I could think of and even a few of my own invention and the result is always off the charts!”

“Hmm.” Quickly Clara went over the tests. The results were quite surprising. Though intelligence and wisdom was something not easily measured there were certain factors which influenced them.

For artificial animus, these man made souls, the method to test the potential growth had already been divided into 10 different points.

“Hmm.” She continued reading.

The tests were esoteric in nature, with no correlation to the points of intelligence. But these were the results after decades of study and trial and error.

To distinguish the grade of an animus they were given designations based on their potential and a tag based on the predicted form they would take.

Wisp, Sprite, Ghost, Caliph, Adar, and finally Holy.

These test showed that the small glowing gem hovering over the table was a holy animus, and maybe even something many times more powerful. A stage only the Overseer had been theorized to have reached.

The form of the spirit was also difficult to determine. But within the rigid structures of the tests it could be considered a Joyful-Prosperous type animus.

“This is interesting.” Clara said and smiled at the doctor. As soon as he awkwardly smiled back at her she threw the pages at the wall. “But it’s useless to me. Stop wasting time on this and get me another animus. One I can actually use!”

Although this animus had many times the potential compared to the normal spirit it also meant that the growth rate would take much longer compared to other stages.

Clara didn’t need a strong spirit. She was within the Meritocracy were the majority of power was based on physical ability and scientific technology. She already had the ultimate weapon to go against that, the robot body. She didn’t need to have something which would be like a baby for who knows how many years.

Clara stopped by the table and stared at the crystal. It seemed to notice her and started glowing, as the tests showed, ‘joyfully’ on feeling her presence.

“What am I to do with you little one?” She said, then thought for a moment.

After she made her decision, she pressed a button on the table and the table surface started folding up, encapsulating the animus inside in a box.

The animus was still visible through the transparent glass fitted on the metal frames of the box. It glowed somewhat ‘anxiously’ at the humming frame until Clara picked it up before going back to its tranquil waves of brightening and dimming.

“I want the robot completed by the end of the day.” She said before leaving the lab.

“Now, I think I’ve found just the right place to put you.” Clara muttered, her smile somewhat twisted.

“So, you’re part of Shadow’s group? How’s Galen doing?”

The woman grit her teeth, “How dare you call the chief…hmph!”

Teresa rested her foot on the face of the purple girl’s face. “Let’s not misunderstand things here. Me inviting Galen and his isn’t due to me being afraid of you. This is me doing him a favor. So don’t get any ideas while you’re here.”

Teresa lifted her foot then stepped back right as the woman jumped to her feet. “Why you. Ugh!”

Faster than the eye could see Teresa spun and kicked the light-green skinned girl in the stomach.

“I can do this all day. Galen might even come around and thank me for this.” She chukled then walked away. The girl was down for a longer period this time. The girl groaned then huffed as she held her stomach.

“Let’s get going.” Teresa said.

They left the alley and went walked to a small two storey building pushed in between two other much larger industrial buildings.

“This is it.” Teresa remarked.

“You sure?”

Yes, this place looked like a dump. Sort of how Clara’s house would look if I left her to her own devices. Teresa chuckled and the green skinned girl looked at her contemptuously.

“By the way, what’s your name?” Teresa asked, still looking at the dirty walls of the building.

“Serena…”

“Fancy name for such a brat.” Teresa chuckled and headed through the door.

“Grrr!” Serena grumbled, but she’d learned her lesson and kept her mouth shut as she followed Teresa through the door.

“What do ya’ want!” A old hag sitting behind a service window shouted at Teresa.

“Zimon,”

“Upstairs, third door to your left.” The woman yawned then spat.

Teresa ignored the behavior and climmed the stairs. “Serena,”

“…Yes?”

“I’ve been told you’re one of you’re groups, ‘heavy hitters’.”

“That’s right…”

“Get ready… True not to kill any civilians.”

Serena understood immediately, she mumbled to herself and her body was covered in green flames. Her leaf-shaped ears twitched, scanning for any sounds of movement.

Teresa chuckled, “You won’t hear them.” She pointed up.

Serena looked and a figure appeared in patches. It was clinging to the roof and looking down at them. It was wearing a mask and was completely covered in a suit of light grey.

“Invisibility!” Serena paniced and threw a transparent ball of green flame at the figure.

The figure jerked in surprise, let go of the ceiling and spun horizontally, letting his cloak catch the ball of fire. The fire made a *whomp* sound then disappeared.

“Anti-magic! What is it with you people!” The girl fully burst into flames. The green fire around her completely concealing her features.

From the green fire came a tendril of black.

The flaming figure grasped that black tendril then pulled. The tendril slithered and whipped around for a moment before straightening into a spear.

The cloaked figure however wasted no time in turning to run.

“You won’t escape!” Came a proverbial growl from the flaming figure. “Aaaaaahhhhh!” The flaming figure shouted then tossed the spear at the cloaked figure’s back.

Just as the spear arrived and the person was about to be skewered another grey figure arrived and slammed against the spear with a baton.

Teresa hummed then kept on walking, soon she was by the door leading to Zimon’s apartment. “You keep them busy while I go and talk to the boy.”

“What? You’re leaving me now. Ahhh!” Serena ducked and shouted as a knife flew over her head.

“You can handle it. Oh, don’t kill these ones… They aren’t the ones I wanted to warn you about… so, yeah. Good luck~~~♡” Teresa said as she walked through the door and slammed it shut.

Serena growled, then stopped, the flames around her puffed out a moment after. She then shouted at the grey cloaked figures, “You people, who are you?”

The two were just about to throw another two knives when they stopped then looked at each other. The one shrugged. The other turned to Serena, then took off it’s mask, revealing the face of a woman.

The woman was a Gorian, she had brown skin and reptilian skin with no ears and also no hair. But she was noticeably a woman.

The woman bowed to Serena, “Greeting warrior. We ask you cease your hostilities, we are only here to protect our lord.”

Serena looked at where Teresa had just entered. “Then what about her?”

The woman shrugged. “We know we are outmatched. We can only beg for your mercy, please spare our lord’s life.”

Teresa squinted her eyes. “Quite loyal aren’t you. What about your own life then?” Teresa lifted a palm, a small blue flame looking many times more dangerous compared to the green flames of last hovered over her hand. Seemingly pulling invisible strands of energy from her hand and distorting the air around it.

“We live to serve.” The two intoned then bowed.

“Haaa.” Serena sighed then threw the ball of flame at the couple. They remained standing as the flame passed them and crashed through a door.

“Aaaaahh!” A man holding a large sword in hand shouted as he fell down and the sword tumbled to the side.

“Get ready, there’s more of them.”

“Amari assasins.” The Gorian woman said in surprise.

The other grey cloaked figure looked at the charred figure then spoke with a male voice, “They’re using endo enhancers. We need to get our lord to safety.”

“No need,” Teresa kicked open the door. She was carrying a young bound teenage boy over her shoulders. It looked pretty odd since Terersa doesn’t have very broad shoulders.

“I’m leaving, you take care of the others.” Teresa instructed Serena. She then looked at the two grey cloaked figures. “You two, my mistress wants to speak with you.”

They bowed then followed along.

Serena was left on her own, her power was calling to her, telling her to use it.

It was all so boring. She’d heard the same thing million, billions of times. She’d been thoroughly innocullated against the promises of her power. She was so far away from losing control over her power it wasn’t even worth thinking about.

What she really struggled with was controlling herself.

One day she would surpass the Queen of flames. But this would never happen if she was always so driven by her emotions.

When she’d asked Chief on this he’d told her to let time do the necessary work. Only through time would she grow and learn to control herself.

She had to agree. Besides she couldn’t see any other method of gaining control over her emotions.

Not anything that wouldn’t permanently harm her at least.

The assassins came, just like Teresa said they would. Not knowing that their target had long since left the area.

Today Serena tried something different. She cloaked herself in flame, the flame as always was fickle with what color it wanted to be. It was a pearly blue now. It covered her arms and body. But this flame-cloak was somewhat different.

It wasn’t the average flames, rather the flames were controlled, subdued. They left her body only to quickly turn around and enter her body again. It almost seemed like she was wearing real physical armor.

Serena waved her arm, the air infront of her burst into multiple colored flames. She held out a hand and grasped. The flames stopped moving, then gathered together. Finally it became a pearly blue like her armor.

“Let’s try playing with this for now.” She muttered.

She stopped waiting around and instead went outside. Here she looked around then ran to another area. She kicked against a wall and ran up it then stood on its rooftop. “There.”

She pointed with her blade then burst into flame and appeared next to the hiding assassin.

He too wielded a sword. He shouted then hopped away and pulled out an injector and slammed it into his neck.

A moment latter he started glowing and his eyes lit up. His fear slowly disappeared, then he started smiling, suddenly confident in taking on the world.

Teresa stepped towards him. He too stepped forward. He stabbed out with his sword. She swung her blade, It didn’t produce a clang but it did move the sword to the side.

She stepped forward then stabbed at the man’s heart.

The man growled, he spun to the side and avoided the blade. Serena stepped right then prepared to swing once again.

She suddenly stopped then dived forward. A post box flying past where she had just stood.

She turned around. Another one, this one already busy glowing. This one seemed to have found her first.

“This is getting a bit more interesting.”

The first attacker slashed at her back, she stepped into it then spun with it, avoiding the cutting portion of the blade. She raised an elbow clipped the man’s nose. Then, before she could finish him off she stepped back. A hammer passed by her face, the hammer was buzzing with lightning as it rubbed against the air.

It was attached to a chain. The chain pulled taught and the assassin came flying towards her. On the assassin’s other hand was a long thin baton, He swung at her, fasted than she could react.

With no time to think she raised the power on her armor to the max and jumped back. The armor broke away from her body and sailed forward to intersept the baton. The armor and the baton touched. There was a flash then the armor shattered and the ground beneath it dented away.

Serena whistled in appreciation. But there wasn’t enough time for her to just stand and fool around. She brought the flame under control again. It was purple this time. She spun, then threw the flame out. The flame elongated until it turned into a serpent.

The serpent charged at the assassin and bit at him. The assassin leaped upwards then cut a cross through the air with his fingers and shouted. A light came from his forehead and slammed the air infront of the man. A cross appeared and cut down at the serpent’s body.

The serpent let out a roar, a portion of its tail and side had been cut.

It reared then breath out gout of flame. The assassin shouted as he was engulfed. He fell then stumbled to his feet.

Serena didn’t give the man a chance. The next moment she rushed forward and slashed her blade through the man’s back.

She turned and found the other assassin missing.

“Hmmmm.” Teresa won’t like to hear that I let one get away…

It was better to hide the evidence.

Serena drew out a large flame and scorched the area around the corpse until there was nothing left of it.

She then turned and made her way to the address Teresa had given her. There was the Harcourt clan, there her team had just set up their base and were waiting.

Waiting for their next mission and waiting for her return.

“There wasn’t that much to do though.” She frowned.

A figure looked through a binocular as Serena left the area in flames.

“I told you we shouldn’t have taken this job!” He said to the figure next to him. This was one of the muscular race, it spoke, unexpectedly, this one was a female.

“There’s no way I would’ve know that those people would be involved.”

“Well now they are, and that means we’re short two fighters. I don’t mind them dying but we’re not going to be able to complete this mission. You’ll have to think about what you’re going to tell the King.”

THe woman startled on hearing this. She looked away for a moment before looking back, “Alright, I’ll deal with King. You find out just who those people are, if we get that at least this mission won’t be a total failure.”

The man considered for a moment. But there wasn’t really much to think about, he didn’t want to be anywhere close when the Kingpin finds out that his latest deal had fallen through.

“Fine I’ll go tail the girl. You-”

“Just leave already, she’s getting away.”

The man stopped talking and left.

[Alt1]A small example being the fact that people ate meat. Was such a thing evil? Was taking a life inherently evil? No. But it wasn’t a concern about evil or good. Taking the life of an innocent was the severing of that person’s fate. That had so many things ahead of them, but murder ended all interactions that individual might have had with society.