The ceiling lights of the long hallway flicker and buzz intermittently as Valion's shadow paints the sterile wall panels one at a time as his path follows the trail of blood leading him deeper. The trail gets deeper in color and more viscous the longer he follows it as well as the screaming starting to get louder. The emptiness of the hallways sends a shiver down his spine as the other interconnecting hallways lights are dark due to inactivity.

  The screams give way to other conversations and shouting between screams before they are the only sound heard from that direction. The screams stop as Valion starts to crouch toward the source, lowering his stature.

  One final corner separates him as he carefully peers around it, noticing through an open door, a large padded chamber with a seat inside of it. The chair is occupied by a black furred wolf with a strange black glass helmet over his head. The glass fills with color as he realizes its actually a sort of screen, but the digital interface on it flashes rapidly and glitches sporadically.

  The prisoner screams out once more, arching his back under his restraints as his head violently rocks back and forth. The scientists close in on him with notepads, quickly scribbling in between examinations before finally the prisoner rests back in his restraints as blood drips from the helmet.

  SLAM!

  A large bang is heard as an angry and familiar voice yells from the attached observation room.

  "GODDAMIT! Did we get anything new from this one?!"

  The voice gets louder as the figure steps into the experimentation room to reveal Galvion addressing the scientists.

  "How many subjects have we tested on? and we're STILL no closer to figuring out why its not accepting them!"

  One of the scientists, a rat with white fur covering his body that blends in with his lab coat like snow and his pink hairless hands clasp a clipboard. His deep red eyes peer through large framed glasses with thick lenses over said clipboard and he slowly creeps toward him, addressing him in a meek voice.

  "S-sir, with all due respect, we didn't have time to prepare the subject... You called us in a... well, what i assume to be an inebriated state in the middle of the night to test on-"

  Galvion takes a large step toward the scientist as he swings his arms widely "OH REALLY?! Our lead scientist needs his beauty sleep?! is that what I'm going to tell the leaders when i explain how this BOTCHED KIDNAPPING didn't turn out ANY results?"

  Galvion leans in toward the scientist as Valion leans closer to hear his low conversation.

  "I lost my wife there dammit. After YOUR reports said this thing was the MYTHICAL HEIR TO THE CRIMSON CAPTAIN?!" His voice raises to an 'over the top' volume once again as his tone now takes a more mocking one.

  "i-i said he could be. i d-didn't think they'd act so hastily"

  Galvion places his hands on his hips as he lets out a long drawn out sigh and lowering his head. He pinches the bridge of his nose as he continues addressing the scientists "aside from this one, we've captured countless other villagers at this point from all over that trash heap, and we've only gotten close to a perfect host... once" Valion's eyebrow raises as he mentally logs the information he's hearing.

  "Perhaps we just got lucky. We found the helmet on that planet and we're just assuming they've unlocked its secrets, but none of them have been accepted. I honestly have no clue why the brass are so worried about it. WE have it, THEY don't. that should be enough."

  He throws his arms upward in frustration before beginning to pace around the room.

  The head scientist pushes his glasses upward before nervously responding while fiddling with his clipboard. "Sir... if we can harness the abilities and somehow, extract orrrr replicate its results... We could have an army of super soldiers. unkillable, ruthless, and under our control. No other army would stand a chance. We wouldn't just be the most commanding force in the surrounding systems, we'd be the most commanding force in this, and every other GALAXY... Theoretically of course."

  His careful choice of words and slow and low demeaner buys some sense of calmness from Galvion as his eyes dart from the subject to the scientist. Finally he exhales sharply once more.

  "Fine Doctor Bremucubro. Consider my faith in you restored" He pauses while striding towards him, his large frame dwarfing his as he bends forwards towards his ear.

  "for now... now get whatever notes you need from this corpse and dispose of it. I'll be bringing in a fresh one within a we-"

  His words cut off abruptly as his eyes lock with Valion's. His eyes widen in abrupt fright as a shiver runs down his spine. His instincts are engulfed in an aura, screaming that death awaits him if he doesn't run. His muscles flex in response but his body doesn't move. His arms and legs refuse any command they are given in fear, and sweat begins to pour from his brow as Galvion slowly rises with his eyes still fixated on his next target's. His pupils dilate as he slowly takes steps toward Valion while addressing him

  "Heard everything you wanted boy?" His voice drips with disdain as he uses quick hand signals to communicate with the guards.

  In a flash, the quick marching of military boots surround Valion, followed by a symphony of low buzzing as energy weapons are powered to an operable state and held toward their new prisoner.

  Valion's eyes are unable to look around him as they are still locked on his father's while he slowly approaches him. His fur stands on edge as his legs start to quiver slightly. He merely lowers himself and his gaze to his knees, fearful to make even a slight move as his instincts frenzy with dread as Galvion finds himself inches from Valion.

  Unable to move, he simply stays kneeled like a decorative statue. "Maybe you ought to take a closer look."

  Galvion's hand reaches down and grasps his forearm. The force of his grip expels a yelp from Valion as he begins to try and pull away, unable to slip through his grasp. The surrounding crowd follow Galvion into the test chamber as he throws his son to the floor in front of the seat.

  "Go on. Take a loooong look. Maybe he's a buddy of yours? We plucked him off that cesspool your kind call a planet you know. Every second i stare at you, I'm constantly reminded what you took from me. My food, my water, my home, my wife... you even managed to dig your roots into my lineage, infecting my son to make him think you love him, and that he needs to love you."

  A tear runs down Valion's cheek as he finally lets his emotion show through. His sniffles fill the room before he responds.

  "So what now? once I'm out of here I'm going to blow the whistle on this WHOOOOLE operation. Then I'll REALLY take everything from you. Oh yeah. You might think that you can lock me away forever, but Osiris will know I'm missing, and when they find me? I'm going to have a nice long chat. So what are you going to do, you megalomaniac?"

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  Galvion's hands ball into fists of rage as his fur begins to raise. His stature seems to fill the room as scientists and even his own guards back away slowly out of respect, or more accurately, self preservation.

  "I'm going to do what i should've done in that shit stack village all those years ago." He takes a large step forward, grabbing the scruff of Valion's neck, the strength of which is almost enough to crush his windpipe as he forcefully tears the helmet off of the prisoner.

  A horrid sound of squelching fills the room as the sight of the prisoners mangled head is revealed. Muscle fibers can be seen in places while holes in the flesh down to the bone can be seen in others. The one remaining eye the prisoner has is rolled into the back of his head, and a patchy face of anguish is held as his last emotion.

  Galvion takes a step to the side before pushing in a button on the side of the chair, causing the restraints to simultaneously unlock in a quick burst of whirs and clanks. He then proceed to kick the corpse as it flies out off the seat to the side, blood splattering across the viewing window and staining the sterile walls as if dropping a paint can.

  Dr. Bremucubro clutches his clipboard to his chest while his tail runs down his leg and wraps around his ankle as he takes carefully short steps toward his commander to protest.

  "Sir... Sir!" Galvion's rage induced scrambling pauses as he stares into the empty chair, absent mindedly waiting for the speaker to continue.

  "Surely you... Don't mean to proceed with the experiment using... your so-"

  Galvion's head swings toward him, his eyes wide, showing a ruthlessness that engulfed the doctor and showered the others behind him.

  "He is NOT my son. He's another subject i plucked from that backwater planet well in advance for this... experiment."

  His words are as cold as his blood while holding the doctors gaze, causing him to shake and shudder involuntarily.

  Valion thrashes under his father's grip, quickly analyzing what he could do. After weighing his options, he merely screams. "STOP HIM PLEASE, HE'S CRAZY, YOUVE GOT TO HELP ME! PLEASE!" His words reverberate off of the rooms walls as neither guard nor scientist dare to move a muscle.

  Clink

  Clank

  The cold metal of the restraints wraps around each of his limbs as his shouting falls to silence.

  His fists uncurl and the tension in his body seeps away, accepting his fate.

  Valion looks into his father's eyes, sensing a cold unfeeling response as he utters his words. "Your last heinous act in my life. You know, ironically enough, i never thought id die by your hand. I thought it'd happen while... protecting my brother or something." Galvion's stare doesn't waver, as the helmet emanates a low hum, awaiting its next recipient.

  "For what it's worth... deep down... i think i did want to make you proud... just a tiny bit. Just to get you to see me as something more than a stranger. You're the only father I've ever known after all."

  His words ring in Galvion's ears. His mouth gapes slightly and his eyes soften. His brow loosens and droops with the weight of his decision finally bearing down on him. Before ever so slightly shaking it off, and placing the helmet snugly around Valion's head.

  "Start it." He addresses his head scientist without turning away, focusing his attention on Valion's last moments. Dr. Bremucubro shuffles toward the large panel adjacent to the chair, as he twists dials and pushes buttons. The room rumbles slightly as a nearby generator shakes to life, jolting the heartbeat of the helmet into action.

  The helmet's visor flashes with a quick succession of red lights as Valion yelps in pain, feeling a stinging sensation in the back of his head, proceeded by an agonizing scream as it burrows deeper into him and sends shocks of excruciating pain throughout his body. His eyes roll into the back of his head before everything goes dark, and his body falls limp into unconsciousness.

  Valion slowly comes to, surrounded by the void of his mind. His subconsciousness turns in all directions, attempting to analyze the situation before a low toned thunderous foreboding voice echoes from the darkness.

  'Hmmm, what a specimen you are. A very nice body. You've been taking care of yourself. and that mind?! why its a wonder you're not a genius! Yes, perhaps this vessel will suit me very well.'

  'hello?! who are you?'

  'it speaks? not many have the mental fortitude to comprehend me. This is... new. Your group of studiers refer to me only as Experiment 13.'

  'what- what do you want with me?'

  'With all of you? nothing. I will consume some of your mind, and force my way into the rest of your body. With my new vessel acquired i will leave this place. You, will simply cease to exist.'

  'How- How many others have you... fed on?'

  The voice cackles softly like a creaking door.

  'Soooo many. I've lost count. That big oaf out there kept giving them to me. They expect me to yield to them once I've found my vessel, the fools. but they all... tasted... like you.'

  'Tasted like me? like they came from my home planet?'

  'Precisely. He brought all kinds. Men. Women. Elderly... The young... but i never found the perfect vessel amongst them, so i simply ate the waste to build my energy.'

  Valion's thoughts race as he remembers the attack on his village so long ago. All the prisoners filed onto the ships. Then flashes of every mission his father ever went on. The countless lives lost, fed to this experiment. A rage begins to build within him as flames fill his subconscious, illuminating the once dark void revealing a pair of disembodied glassy red eyes in the distance.

  Valion's own expression mimics that of his father's only moments ago as he begins to walk toward Experiment 13, his hands clenched with determination and resolve. Once directly in front of the experiment, Valion's own voice booms within the void.

  'I don't care what it takes even If i have to claw my way through you, here and now. I will destroy the U.S.N. But first, I'm going to kill that son of a bitch... So... get out of my way'

  The eyes start to show a hint of concern and awe, as if it were unable to comprehend Valion's own strength of will, then tilt upwards in thought before a crooked red glassy smile materializes underneath the eyes as its voice speaks once more.

  'Perhaps you'd consider... an agreement?'

  Valion's stare remains fixed past the experiment, but addresses him regardless.

  'What?'

  'I can give you what you need... Power... speed... Endurance...wrath. I will lend you a portion of my capabilities to enhance you, but if my full power is required, i will need control. Only temporarily, to do so. In return, you allow me to... feed... on some of our victims, AND you allow me to take control, here and now.'

  Valion's stare slowly turns toward him, sending a shudder across his digital eyes.

  'And what's stopping you from just keeping control? consuming my consciousness, my mind and just taking my body as your own vessel?'

  'It's difficult to explain, but I'd be on... borrowed time until i found the next suitable vessel. A thief jumping between vehicles until it runs out of juice... So to speak. But if we were both to occupy the same mind? a symbiotic relationship? Well, id be more like a co-pilot in that case. Besides... what do you have to lose if you refuse?'

  His words drip with a 'matter-of-fact' tone that accompany a smug smile. As if to say there's only one answer.

  Valion's eyes droop to the floor in contemplation before reconnecting his gaze with his response.

  'Fine. Agreed'

  The voice unleashes a ear-bursting cackle as tendrils manifest from behind him, inching their way toward Valion.

  'excellent choice. Then allow me to... REBOOT our systems...'

  His eyes tilt inwards as his tendrils shoot into Valion's body. His cries of pain echo into nothingness, increasing in volume as this subconscious procedure takes place in his mind, but filtering out to his real body, first feeling as if he'd eaten too much, but still hungry for more. Then feeling like long nails are driving themselves into his body all over.

  His crescendo of screams culminate in him slowly losing vision, with the last sound being the cackle of the experiment as his poisonous words enter his ear once last time.

  'What fun we will have together...'

  If you have the time, please leave a comment telling me if you like the way it is, or if you prefer it shorter/longer! id love to try and accommodate to as many readers as i can! And leave your thoughts as well as to the story or my writing in general! I'd love to hear your opinions! It will all help me to grow and more importantly to engage with my readers!!! :D

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