《Axis:Legacy》Chapter 9: Forced Legacy
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Kyle Hoffman and Petra Lowell, originally known as TS-46 and TS-63 respectively. Were the sole survivors of a failed experiment led by the now-defunct Niltria Industries known simply as Project Legacy which was spearheaded by one Zekiel Erbus, which is to create two artificial humans that carry the same power and skills that both Andras Desper and Arios Elpis had before their deaths, and turn them into natural super soldiers which can be sold to both sides should another war between them escalate.
The process on it was horrific, they would take in orphans who had lost their families from the Axis Conflict and would be subjected to physical and psychological alterations through surgery, heavy mental conditioning, extreme amounts of performance-enhancing drugs and harsh physical training, but the worst part of it all was that they would have their DNA severely altered to be combined with that from a DNA Sample from both Andras and Arios. Causing whatever memory they have before being taken into custody by Niltria Industries gone.
When the Axis Academy had heard of such atrocities, it took a coalition effort of both the Faculty and several other members from the Embassies of both Exavis and Jorouse who were sympathetic to the cause and led the raid to the said Lab located within the Culthos Mountains. Leading to the deaths of many other Test Subjects, save for the two of the youngest ones.
Test Subject Number 46 and Test Subject Number 63.
TS-46 would later be adopted by Ambassador Vinhelm Hoffman of the Exavis and TS-63 would be adopted by Yui Lowell, a Jorousian Representative within the Axis’ Government. And over the years they would grow and become skilled students within Axis, but being nothing more than Pseudo Clones, they were given a very short lifespan as they are only meant for combat and is more likely to die in combat making them completely expendable.
Unfortunately for both of them, that lifespan is slowly coming to a close.
[Axis:Legacy]
Petra frowned as she sat quietly underneath a tree as she tried to read the book. But to her discomfort and mild horror, she can’t move her left hand. One of many signs of her genetic flaws as a Clone.
“I see… it has begun.” She muttered in silence. She was about to get up she spotted Axel walking towards her with a curious low growl.
“Oh hey,” She tried to stand up but the feeling of losing the control of her left arm had made things difficult for her as a whole. But she brushed it aside to approach the young dragon who made her way towards her.
“Hey there little one,” She said as she picked the little dragon up by the neck at his lips curled upwards as if he was smiling at her. Ever since that incident with Sen, both Axel and his Mother would go out of their way to talk to her and hang out. Despite brushing off their attempts at befriending her, she didn’t mind. Not that she’ll admit that in front of them.
“Shouldn’t you be with your mother or something?” She asked out of curiosity.
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“There you are!”
Petra turned and saw Ester running towards them with a worried look. As soon as she was near, Petra handed it to her with an exasperated sigh and handed Axel to her as he curled in her arms.
“Better not lose this little guy,” Petra said raising an eyebrow at her. “Or else that girl would go and harass you again.”
“Thank you in that case,” Ester smiled but she noticed that there was something off in the way Petra walked. But before she can press further, Petra simply excused herself and left, she had to begin preparations for her last moments. The way from the courtyard to her room in the Dormitories felt like a painful eternity, with the process of her Genetic Deterioration getting worse with each step brought a slow and dull pain in her bones.
Her ears began to create a deafening and continuous ring that came along with a headache, causing her to briefly slump on the wall and briefly stagger, and from the corner of her eye, she spotted Thomas reaching out to her with a worried look and Ester walking behind him.
Both of them appear to be saying something but the ringing in her ears prevented her from hearing what she meant. Instead, she simply brushed off his attempts for help and simply shook her head.
“I’m fine.”
But as soon as she said that she immediately passed out. Causing Thomas to panic and the two quickly carry her towards the Nurse’s Office without hesitation. Meanwhile, Kyle had gone through a similar situation, as in the middle of his tutorial with Lissa and several other students who were eager to join in the next Terra Warzone Session.
However, he was unable to bring a proper explanation he struggled his best to make sure that one was to notice that there was something wrong with him. Though a handful of the students, such as Lissa and Louis, noticed but they chose not to question or press on the matter.
But much like Petra, eventually, the ringing and the head-splitting headache had arrived and eventually, he too passed out causing many students to panic and hurried him to the Nurse’s Office too. And by the time the two of them had arrived, they found Thomas and Ester with a currently incapacitated Petra on the bed.
“Is she alright?” Lissa asked worriedly as Nurse Slate also tended to Kyle while Louis and Ester watched worriedly.
“She had a headache and the next thing we knew is that she immediately passed out, what about Kyle?” Thomas explained. “The same thing, he looked like he wasn’t feeling well but then he suddenly collapsed,” Lissa answered as well.
The door suddenly opened revealing Arthur and a silver-haired young woman with dark grey eyes who had a worried look on their faces. This young woman was none other than Princess Charl Jorouse Noctria, the Crown Princess of Jorouse.
“Princess!” Lissa immediately bowed before her meanwhile Thomas also did the same thing for Arthur. “What happened?” Arthur asked them in fear, all the while Charl hurried to Petra’s side.
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“It has begun.” Nurse Slate said, upon hearing those words, Arthur suddenly sat down in shock while Charl remained silent. “Wait what has begun?” Thomas quickly asked, causing the three to look at them immediately realizing that they were still in the room.
“I’m afraid that’s none of your business.” Charl finally spoke looking at them with an almost apologetic smile.
“Well we’re curious about it now,” Thomas spoke up. “At the very least tell us because we might end up misinterpreting all of this.”
“Thomas, that’s enough.” Lissa chided him while Arthur remained silent while Ester and Louis quietly watched the three of them.
“No, this is fine,” Arthur spoke earning a look of disbelief from Charl.
“You can’t be serious?” Charl spoke looking at him. “This is something only officials of high ranking should know.”
“At least let me finish Charl.” Arthur said with a serious look and then glanced at Nurse Slate who kept quiet on the entire scene. “Whatever happens I’ll take full responsibility by telling them the truth.”
“I understand.” Nurse Slate answered, Arthur then turned his gaze towards Thomas, Lissa, Louis, and Ester.
“I want you all to swear to us that you will keep this a secret, no matter what are we clear?” Arthur said this earned a sigh from Charl who stood up and looked at them one last time.
“Alright then. What we will explain to both of you is considered national secrets. And should a word of this were to be leaked out in public then chances are you will be persecuted and permanently silenced. Do you understand? If you are afraid or do not wish to get involved further then please leave the room while you still can.” Charl spoke, she waited for a response from each one of them. There was a momentary hesitation from each one of them, but none of them walked away as she had offered.
“I understand.” All of them said. This caused Charl and Arthur to exchange looks as they began their explanation towards them, neither Arthur, Charl, or Nurse Slate filtered anything in regards to the origins of the two. And all four of them were shocked after all the four of them had become acquainted with the two, with Thomas and Lissa even becoming close friends with the two.
“Is there a way to save them?” Lissa finally spoke, Arthur noted the look of determination that she had in her eyes. It surprisingly reminded him of the pictures of the late Arios Desper that his parents had in the past.
“There were files that mentioned on a way to replicate the medicine for it,” Charl answered. “If you can find those files then perhaps we can replicate for them.”
“Is there a way to permanently stop the deterioration?” Thomas said, his initial disbelief and anger had disappeared and was replaced with that of a calculating look. Much like Arthur, the look on Thomas’ face reminded her of old photos of Andras Desper, who had the same calculating look on his face.
“Possible,” Nurse Slate nodded. “Not right away but we might be able to make a permanent cure.”
“Alright then,” Lissa said standing up looking at the other three. “We need to get ready then.”
“I agree.”
[Axis:Legacy]
"Are you sure it's a good idea to let them head there?" Nurse Slate said as the four left and went to meet up outside with their equipment ready.
"I agree, they're just first years." Charl pointed out with a frown. "They might die. Especially when I heard from the news that both Erbus and Rivers have managed to be freed via intervention by their troops."
"I saw something in those two," Arthur answered firmly. "Great Potential. Not to mention they're the top students so I wouldn't be surprised if they can handle a Mission if this caliber."
"I'm not sure about that," Charl said standing up and shot one last look at Petra with Axel curled up next to her worriedly. As the two grow up together, Charl had become to view Petra as a sister and is one of the few people that Petra generally opens up to.
She was not going to sit idly by and watch her closest friends die in agony. Not like this.
"I'm joining them as well," Charl said with a cold stare at Arthur. “I don’t care if you’re against it or not, but I’m joining them.”
"Who said you're the only one?" Arthur smiled, he always found her abrasive personality one of her endearing traits, in contrast to most of the women that he had met, who would focus on their appearances and social standing. Charl on the other hand doesn’t hesitate on getting her ideas out even if it gets her into trouble nor does she care about it.
"I'll be joining them as well for the Mission." Arthur followed behind her.
While they're considered Royalties, neither of them has decided to use their authority as a future head of a Monarch, and instead, they insisted that they would be treated as regular students. While there were still that view them as Royalties, most generally view them as regular students as they hoped to.
But in this case, with the lives these two on the line they’ll need to hurry as a result they used their Royal Authority for their Professors to grant them an excuse to leave classes with Nurse Slate supporting them.
As a result, they knew that the situation at hand if urgent, especially with the Crown Prince and Princess of both nations urging them to do so, but of course none of them know yet about the case with Petra and Kyle so they decided to let them with this ‘Urgent Mission’ that was granted upon them by Nurse Slate and the Princes.
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