"Do you like what you see, Cain?" the mirror asked as it projected an image of a Humanlike creature, pitch black and deformed. Blades pointed from its elbows, as two horns grew atop a Demonic head. Crimson red eyes stared back at me as pearl-white sharp teeth grinned wickedly.
"What is—could I—like a monster? Is this me?"
"Cry! Scream! Beg!" the creature laughed madly, as it flicked its fingers. The pain subsided, allowing me to move again. Instinctively, I punched the mirror, shattering it into a million tiny droplets of blood.
"Yes, I like it! No, I love it!" I replied and looked down at my arm. A red blade stuck from my elbow, while my fingers looked like sharp, rending claws. My skin looked like tree bark, rough and thick.
"Oh? I thought you’d be begging me to stop and turn you back? See, I know all about you and your previous life. Your benefactor told me to go easy on you, but where would the fun be in that? Now, I’m sure you have so many questions, but I don’t care. Unlike what you might think, this was quite taxing on me, so we’ll meet again once the time is right. I’ll be sure to visit when you need me most, and when you’ll give everything for my help."
"And I’ll be waiting for you, monster. As long as I get what he promised, the power to change my future," I whispered as everything plunged back into darkness.
"He’s waking up," a soothing voice spoke from my left and was accompanied by a bright light that flooded my vision.
"Turn that off, will you?" I snarled, slapping the flashlight from the woman’s hand. As the image before me became more evident, guilt washed over me. But shining such a thing directly into one’s eye was sure to make them uncomfortable and angry.
"Ahh, he’s a rather feisty one, no?" the woman remarked to someone else in the room. Her darker skin and long, brown hair were a match made in heaven. Soft, emerald green eyes stared back at me. She was tall as Gremory but much slimmer and missing the muscled physique that went so well with Lady Death’s look.
I looked to my right and saw a tall, burly man who seemed quite important with all sorts of medals pinned to his uniform. A thick black mustache was the only prominent feature on his otherwise ordinary, and ugly face. The crooked nose and wart on his cheek didn’t do him any good in the beauty department. The cap atop his head was pure white as his uniform. Beside him stood someone I finally recognized. Gremory.
"He survived? Good. Put him in the third battalion. Also, would you mind telling me why it was that you summoned me here, ladies? I don’t see any of the usual marks belonging to Armament users."
"I’m sorry, Commander," the woman to my left said and bowed slightly. "But everything seemed as if he was about to become a user. Then, the charts died out for some reason."
"Doctor Ashiala, it’s only because of your decent track record that I won’t punish you this time. Do not burden me again with trash like this," he growled and looked at me as if I was a piece of filth.
"It won’t happen again, Commander," the doctor replied.
"I’m sorry as well, Commander. Next time we’ll wait—"
"Bah! Get your troops ready for the journey. You have three days until we open up a black hole. Dismissed."
Gremory looked away, both sadness and apparent hatred on her face. Why the hell was she taking this from the Commander? Wasn’t she supposed to be a goddess of war? The top Armament user of all the known legions?
The commander brushed off his uniform and stepped through the open door. Only when it closed behind him did the two stand at ease. I would have to ask someone about that bastard before I said something unwise.
"You don’t ask anything just yet and don’t talk with anyone about what you’ve seen in your dream," Gremory whispered while emphasizing the dream part heavily. "Doctor, please have them take him to the third battalion’s rooms and tell them to steer clear from him. He’s personally under my protection, make sure they get the message."
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I’ll have the techies take him," she replied, waving Gremory off. "As for you, young man, this should help you get through the worst of it," the doctor said, her voice both motherly and caring before producing a needle that might have been made for elephants. Before I could protest, she rammed the thing into my side and leaned in close. "Sleep well."
Chapter Three
The pain coursing through my body was excruciating. My head felt like it was about to burst open, and my body felt like it was on fire. An unexplainable itch paired with the need to scratch my own eyes took over the moment I could see again.
"Hey, calm down! Stop screaming already," a strong voice ordered from my left. I blinked through the pain and tears, only to see a young man sitting next to me on a chair. His uniform revealed he was a high-ranking officer, or at least that’s what I assumed.
"I-I’m—where am I?" I muttered, taking his out-stretched hand I pulled myself up, as I looked around the cold sheet rolled off my chest down to my waist, revealing red and black blotches all over my body.
"It will be over soon, don’t worry. We’ve all gone through this phase, more or less. What am I saying, I have no idea what the hell even happened to you," he added quickly shaking his head. Well at least he was honest, I thought. "As for where you are, this is the third battalion’s living quarters," the man said with an apologetic smile on his face. "And as to who I am, well, you can call me BC Aiden, or just Aiden if we’re alone."
"BC? What’s that for a rank?" I asked while mentally cursing myself for misspeaking. "Sir," I added quickly. Aiden winked at me and patted my shoulder gently.
"No worries. Today you get a blank check. And BC stands for Battalion Commander. It’s stupid to call me by the full honorifics during a battle, so I let the troops call me BC when we’re in battle."
"I see, BC. Thank you."
"No need to thank me, thank Gremory. If it weren’t for her, you wouldn’t even know who I was, and I wouldn’t have bothered coming here personally."
I winced and pushed my feet off the bed, staring out onto the enormous space he called our living quarters. Row upon row of beds was stacked against the gunmetal-grey walls, as well as in the center of the room, along with cabinets adjacent to each bed. The equipment left much to be desired, but I guessed the rumors were true about the financial state of the legion. The lights overhead flickered on and off constantly, only adding to my suspicion.
"Yeah, we’re on a budget. Don’t ask, because you don’t want to know."
"Yes, sir," I replied and winced as a wave of renewed pain shot through my arms.
"Kris, come over here!" Aiden called and waved for someone to join us. Loud, quick footsteps thudded to my left, but I couldn’t move my head far enough to see who it was. A young woman stopped next to the BC and saluted.
"Sir, what can I do for you, sir?" she barked and stood at attention.
"Drop the act," he said and hit her with a stick.
"Hey! What the hell? The newbies should know how to behave in front of their BC! You’re giving them too much leeway," she protested.
"Get some of those special bandages we keep for our wounded. Wrap this guy up. Gremory personally wants him taken good care off."
Her eyes and mouth opened wide in equal measure, and I couldn’t help but notice her blonde hair that was tied up in a ponytail. Were there no regulations here when it came to haircuts? Not that I cared about such things, it just left me wondering what kind of outfit this was.
Two clear, blue eyes studied me for a long moment before Kris crossed her arms over her chest. I couldn’t help but notice how she’d purposely positioned them under her breasts to heave them up. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part.
She regained composure quickly and nodded before running off. I stood there dumb founded by how cute the young woman called Kris had been that I did some unnecessary gaping.
"Easy there, soldier. You might be under Gremory’s protection, but that doesn’t mean you can do anyone you like," the BC whispered. Before I could even think of a reply, Kris wa
s back with a metal case in her hands.
I looked up at her apologetically as if I’d done something wrong and averted my gaze quickly. Her small nose was barely visible, but the way she bared her two rows of pearly white teeth at me told me enough for a start.
"What? I got something on my face?" she hissed and leaned in mere inches from me. The warmth her body gave off along with the cold breath made me think of a cold summer morning. It both gave me the creeps and turned me on at the same time. Wait, why was I so head over heels about this young woman? Maybe I liked to play out of my league? Surely not, I thought.
"No, I’m sorry, mam. I was out of line," I replied quickly.
"Oh, looks like we got ourselves one with manners here. It's about damn time," she whispered and looked around as if someone could have overheard us.
"You’re right, Lieutenant. And according to Lady Death, he’s one of the people who will finally help the Legion get back on our feet. If she’s to be trusted."
"Whatever you say," she murmured proceeding to wrap the bandage around my arms and chest. The burning sensation started to die out after she’d applied it to my skin.
"What is this stuff?" I asked. "Is it alien tech?"
"Oh, look, he’s also a smartass. We’re truly fucked, BC," Kris joked as she waved me off. I felt stupid for being handled that way, and only had myself to blame. I surely had to leave a great impression of how smart I was and ask the wrong questions as always.
"You would do well to ask as little as possible, rookie. No one likes people who ask too many questions if you feel me," the BC said as he got up from his chair. "Rest up. You’ve been out of it for three whole days and missed our departure from Earth. The next target is a colony world of the Gebradim insect race. We should be there in about seven days. Starting tomorrow, you’ll work in the training chambers to speed up your progress. If by arrival you have failed to become an Armament user, all you’re getting is a basic trooper set. Just like everyone else, except for Gremory. She’s the only Arma we have."
"I see. Thank you, BC," I replied and snapped the man a salute. He waved me off irritably and told Kris to take care of me as if I was a kid. It bothered me much less than I thought it would. Something else nagged at my mind instead of the slight insult. If Gremory was the only Armament user, what did that mean when it came to this legion’s battle power?
"Drink this," Kris said, offering me a thumb-sized pill along with a glass of dark red liquid. "Do us all a favor and get some sleep. I don’t want you bleeding out all over the quarters," she said. There were many questions still left unanswered, which all were just being added to the ever-growing pile of the unknown. However, one thing seemed clear, this Legion was in way over its head from what I saw reading in between the lines.
The next morning found me feeling surprisingly well. The burning itch was mostly gone, and I felt revitalized, full of energy and power unlike I’d never felt before. Looking down at my legs and arms, I couldn’t escape the feeling I’d even gained some mass. No, that must have been my disorientated state of mind, I thought. Until I focused hard enough and saw a 110 pop up right over my legs. I closed my eyes for a long moment, breathed in and out, and then opened them again. The numbers were gone.
I sighed as my eyes roamed the living quarters. Both men and women were gearing up as they chatted in groups around their bunks. Some were naked, and others fully clothed. To my surprise, I found a set of clothing waiting in my cabinet.
"Is there no shame in this Legion?" I whispered, turning my back to the others.
"Nothing I haven’t seen before, rookie. No need to hide your modesty," Kris said as she walked up from behind. I couldn’t help but eye her slender body for a split second before I looked up at her eyes. What irked me was that she didn’t seem to be bothered by being naked in the least, no doubt from serving years in the military. I was by no means a ‘modest’ man, but I still felt like waltzing around naked was a bit too much for me.
"I’m sorry. This is all new to me," I replied as I tried to pull up what passed for my one-piece outfit. The fabric worked against me, no matter how hard I tried.
"Hey, that’s not how it works. Come on, take it easy, I won’t bite," Kris chuckled, forcing me around. "Look, you have to treat this baby like a lover. If you pull and tear at it, the smart-cloth works against you and won’t adapt to your body. It’s a one size fits all suit that mends around your body once it’s on."
"Oh."
"Oh? Is that all you have to say, rookie?" she said playfully. Running her hands up my back.
"I’m sorry, Lieutenant. Is that better?" I asked, pulling it up slowly. A strange sensation washed over me as the smart-cloth pressed against my skin, adapting to whatever my body had to offer. For the first ten seconds, it felt as if I was diving underwater.
"Quite a bit to take in for the first time, no?"
"Sure is. I hadn’t expected for it to be this cool, yet pleasant," I replied while stretching both my arms and legs. The smart-cloth’s resistance was minimal, and the fabric moved just fine along with my movements no matter how I turned and twisted.
"You’ve seen nothing yet. Come on, help me with mine. I’ve always had trouble when putting it on," Kris said, handing the cloth to me. She turned around and lifted her left leg. I knelt and pulled at the suit. The smart-cloth immediately crawled up her legs, reaching her hips a second later, and then up her body.
"Yes, they’re living to an extent," she said as she turned to me. "This is technology from a race we conquered at the start of our space conquests. The other Legions have much more advanced versions than us though."
"Because we can’t afford it?"
"I thought you were told not to ask too many questions, but yes, you’re right. Our budget is tight, insanely so in comparison to the other legions. And what money there is, the Commander of the ship spends it on crap we don’t need."
"I see. Thanks for telling me what to expect, Lieutenant." Kris smiled and winked at me right before turning around. "Still, they do look elegant to an extent, the combination of black and green for the guys and black and red for the women. Someone must have racked his brain to come up with that, huh?"
"Get in line rookie. We’re about to head into the training hall. Discussing colors isn’t going to help you get through this," she replied and walked off without another word. I stood there a moment longer, studying the way her hips swayed with each step.
I followed her up to a group of rookies, or at least that’s what they looked like as they didn’t seem any better off than me by the way they stood and looked around. I kept to the side though, as I didn’t have the chance to meet anyone yet. There was no illusion that I’d fit in just like that, so why even bother.
My agony was short-lived as the BC arrived only a couple of minutes later.
"Form up on the Lieutenant," he barked, "And leave enough room for movement to either side. Be quick about it!"
Just then, as we all started moving, it finally dawned on me how large of a group this was. There were easily a couple hundred of us present, and most looked fresh off the streets. What I could see, though, was that no one had a smug look on their face and seemed to think themselves a smartass, at least not in front of the BC. Lieutenant Kris stepped out of the line and turned to us.
"Today we’ll be fighting the fourth battalion with shock ammo. It hurts like a son of a bitch, so don’t get shot is my first piece of advice!"
"Yes, sir!" the regulars barked in unison. Kris looked around and shook her head as if disgusted by our appearance.
"Has anyone become an Armament user over the last three days? You should know by the way your body craves to get laid, much more so than usual might I add! You will feel like burning up, and the only way for it to stop is to burn up some hormones."
"I crave you, Lieutenant!" a smart ass replied, drawing a couple of laughs from the people around him. The BC’s voice boomed in our ears as he burst into laughter, stepped up to the rookie, took out his side
arm, and shot the bastard right in between the eyes. His head rocked backward as he started convulsing.
"Anyone else thinks being shot by shock ammo is funny?" the BC’s voice thundered. No one spoke. I guessed most of us were too shocked and afraid of even thinking about replying. "I thought so. Now, as it seems you’re all worth less than shit, so follow Lieutenant Kris to the training room and get equipped. Move it!"
The young men and women ahead of me sprang into motion. I glanced at the two people on either side of me, but they looked like they’d seen ghosts. Or the devil. Oh god, I didn’t want to think about that guy, not right now. And where was Gremory? Wasn’t she supposed to be mine, or whatever that meant? Shouldn’t she be protecting me from what life had to throw at me?
We left the living quarters for more dull, grey, and white corridors that stretched on to no end. No one spoke as we ran and ran. Half of us had to catch a break before we made it to the armory and got reprimanded for the infraction. Two massive doors opened before us, inviting a horde of rookies into its bowels.
On the inside, hundreds of racks lined the walls and the center of the room. Every single one of them was chock-full to the brim with rifles, melee weapons with blades that hummed strangely, body armor and some strange looking mechanical suits. Seeing everyone was doing something, I busied myself equipping chest armor the way I saw the rest do and armed myself with a sleek, black rifle.
"Listen up!" Lieutenant Kris yelled from up ahead. "If you have your armor and weapon, get the fuck out into the training bay. At the door, take two magazines of shock ammo. Each mag holds seventy rounds so don’t worry about ending up without ammo!"
I hurried past most of the rookies, and even some regulars who milled around but was stopped at the exit by the BC.
"Rookie. Don’t lose your temper out there. Can you do that for me?" the commander asked. I frowned but nodded slowly. It didn’t make sense why he would say as much, but I filed it away for a later time.
Legion of Steel Page 3