My hands shutter as I try to clench them with all my strength.

"That's good, Momoko. One more time now."

A woman wearing a white cape walked over to me and pressed on my left tricep.

"GAAH!" My arm's surface starts to emit bubbles as if tiny circular organisms wanted to be let free.

"Focus. You must sync with the antibodies so they can help you. You're really just fighting yourself."

I take a deep breath and relax both of my shoulders. The bubbling subsides as my arm's veins give off an orange glow.

"Very good!"

The nurse walks over to the right side of the room and picks up a purple crystal. She returns to me and forces it into my mouth.

I instinctively chew as the rocky substance mixes with my saliva and slides down my throat.

A single lantern illuminates the entirety of the room, consisting of a small white table and a single chair; The walls surrounding us are painted with white tiles with some inscriptions of magical runes in the middle.

I've been kept in this room for the past few days as they did tests on my body. I don't remember much from the procedure except it was painful, and I blacked out several times; however, the doctor made sure to make me conscious throughout the whole thing by giving me different medicines.

At first, I couldn't move any part of my body, but as the days went by, I slowly got the feeling back in most of my limbs. As of today, I've regained mobility in both my arms.

"That's good that your body is circulating your new blood into your vital organs and circulatory system. It shows that you're a good match and shouldn't have any internal problems in the near future. It's been a while since we've had such a healthy and strong hostess like yourself."

The doctor gave a soothing smile as she walked over to the countertop at the edge of the room and returned with a syringe filled with an orange liquid.

—Clang

My feet kicked instinctively as I looked toward her with widened eyes.

"Don't be like that… This will be the last injection for a very long time… Be a big girl and flex all your muscles."

Doing as I'm told, I tighten all my muscles as I clench my teeth.

She wipes a wet cloth on my right arm and injects the needle into my skin.

"GAAAAAAH!" My whole body trembles as the blood beneath my skin fester, causing bubbles to form beneath my clothes.

The doctor caresses my hair while pressing down on the syringe to empty the rest of the extract.

"Haa… Haa.." The pain resides and leaves me gasping for air.

"You've come a long way Momoko, you've usually gone unconscious whenever you took your daily shots. Now, look at you, still standing strong!"

I tilt my head upwards as drool escapes the side of my mouth. My eyes are clouded by tears and the light of the lantern swinging above me.

"Later today, we'll be doing combat training. Please be sure to rest up by then."

The doctor leaves the room as the door locking behind her echoes throughout the small space.

I honestly have no clue what they did to me; A strange consciousness sometimes forms thoughts in my head. I'd like to think that it's that dragon that they merged with me… But who knows.

—Clink Clink Clink Clink

The four metal straps confining my hands and feet come off; I stand from my seat and move my palm above my stomach.

I don't really get hungry either… In fact, I'm still quite full from the fruit bowl they'd give me about a week ago.

My head turns to face a floating block of rock filled with blood spots at the edge of the room.

"HAAA!" I throw my body towards the rock and move at a fast enough speed that gusts of air are left in my wake; My fist is slammed into the center of the rock as a shock-wave form around it. A speck of blood drips from my hand as I release it from the stone.

My speed and strength have improved as well… Not to mention that the more I take those shots, the less pain I feel.

The cut formed from my hand starts to heal itself as I throw my left fist into the rock.

—CLACK CLACK CLACK

My attacks cause the room to ring with noise. With each hit, more red liquid drenches the rock and the floor below it.

. . .

The door behind me opens, and the same female doctor from before flashes a smile. "Momoko, we're ready for you."

My once short black hair falls to my back with a purplish hue. My eyes shift towards her gleaming with a lavender tint.

"Huff… Huff…" I pull myself upwards and walk away from the blood-filled block as my meshed hands start to form back together.

I walk in front of the doctor as she closes the door from behind us. We walk down a large white corridor with steel doors being a few feet apart paralleled on each side of the wall.

"Are there other people here that are going through this procedure?"

The female doctor nods her head with a somber expression. "We usually take a handful of knights each year after the Rites for testing… But unfortunately, none of them were compatible with the specific breed of Kraulep we brought back this year."

"So I was the only one who was suitable for the surgery?"

"Not quite… But Calina insisted that we performed it on you. She said that you were a 'special case.'"

At the end of the hallway, we reach a large blue metal door with no handle. The doctor hovers her hand above the entrance as white and black runes form around her palm. After the fifth rune turns, the door heaves open, with vapor being released to the floor in front of us.

The female doctor gestures toward the room as I step inside.

—CLANK

The door closes shut as a group of lights start to elude from the top of the room. The room is similar to my chamber, being scaled with white tiling on the floor and walls. However, this one was quite large, with a ceiling that was several feet above the ground.

And then… There was that…

"RAAGHR!"

A beast covered in black mist roared as it maneuvered from it's relaxed state and ran towards me.