In a room illuminated by an intense light, a scientist in a white coat and mask covering his entire face could be seen, protecting every inch of his skin. "Hello, Gol," said Eros Laos as he entered the room carrying Adia's sculpture.
"What do you bring me, partner?" asked Gol, a man whose voice sounded metallic beneath his protective gear. "This," replied Laos, pointing to the sculpture. "You, who know so many things and gave me access to this technology back in the sixties, when no country had managed to create anything like it. Well, the Russians tried, but they failed," he added with ironic laughter, recalling old comic books.
"Mr. Ras doesn't want any more failures," commented Gol as he examined the sculpture. "Besides, we have a patient who seems to come from an era of ancient wars, judging by her attire. She's young, perhaps between fourteen and fifteen years old. Maybe it'll work, or it'll be another loss. We've tested soldiers, even eighteen-year-olds, but we always end up with error after error. The boss is already demanding results." Gol touched the sculpture and closed his eyes. "I can feel a thirst for battle in her. She'll be a good candidate."
"And tell me, why did you call these things we're creating Metalux?" asked Laos. Gol sighed before answering, immersing himself in memories of the past.
"As I told you the first time we met…" began Gol, and fragments of his story emerged in his mind. He remembered how he was a researcher of ancient artifacts and extraterrestrial objects until he found an alien spaceship. Its occupant, injured and fleeing from their home planet, offered him help to create "the perfect weapon" in exchange for refuge. "My race is advanced, but fusing our mystical powers with humans is complicated. In our world, only the most skilled can take these liquids without dying, and they do so from a young age. That's why I insisted they must be young. Unless, of course, you had the black stone, but that thing is impossible to obtain, not to mention guarded by a guardian."
"It's true," interrupted Eros, "but you also had no other choice. You were injured on a hostile planet, and that's why you hide your hideous alien form."
"Yes, you're right. We made a deal, and since then, we've worked hard to improve this country with advanced weapons for this era. But you still haven't fulfilled what you promised: the perfect human, the one with the strength to destroy and rule under our command."
"And as for why I called them Metalux… It was because of the gemstones, which on your planet are considered metals. I decided to add 'metal' in front of 'Lux.' Ha, ha," explained Laos sarcastically.
"Not as dumb as what you called the defective ones, Reudux," retorted Gol. "For the reduction of their human state to nothing more than brainless things. And now, what will you call them? Anglux for the ones that turn out well?" said Gol mockingly.
"Well, well, the time you've spent here has taught you sarcasm," commented Laos. "A little. Well, it's time to get to work."
Gol took a couple of liquids from a table and poured them over the sculpture. Suddenly, it began to dissolve, revealing a young, sleeping Adia. "Excellent. You never cease to amaze me," said Laos. "Something like this seemed familiar to me from my home planet," noted Gol.
"Gol, is your key to activate the machine ready?" asked Laos. "The design of your machine is precarious, but there wasn't much we could do with the current components from this era. Besides, we had to bring some members of the royalty who know how to open portals to obtain more stones," explained Gol.
"Well, tricking your own kind to use them as human batteries. How ruthless you are, Mr. Gol," commented Laos. "I don't care about life. I've already told you: I only serve science, striving to become a superior being and someday destroy those who betrayed me. There were subjects chasing me on the ship, but I managed to escape, though I almost blew up upon arriving at this primitive planet."
Gol typed on what looked like a laptop, and a robotic voice responded, "Good morning, Mr. Gol. What can I do for you?" Gol entered some codes, and the machine announced, "Protocol Xen activated."
"Prepare the brat," Gol instructed through a communicator near the table. The people on the other side understood and took the girl away to change her clothes.
In what appeared to be a cell, the voices of two young men arguing could be heard. "See, I told you Father would get angry. That was nothing, Drake. I'd do it again. That fool thinks he has rights over our lives," said one of them.
"Because of you, Milo, we're locked up here. You should act like the eldest," replied the other.
The girl woke up due to the noise of the argument. "Wait, brother, it seems our guest has awakened," said Drake. Adia opened her eyes and saw two boys in front of her. One had blonde hair and green eyes, the younger one, and the other had brown hair and red eyes. Both were dressed in hospital gowns. "Hello, my name is Drake, and yours is…" said the younger boy.
The girl touched her head and noticed she was dressed the same way, barefoot. As she approached, Drake tried to put her in a hold, but she flipped him onto the ground. Then she looked at Milo, who said, "Hey, calm down, we don't want to hurt you."
The girl began speaking, but in a strange language, lunging at Milo and slamming him against the bars, bending his arm. "Ouch! That hurt," said Drake as he got up. "Hey, leave him alone, he hasn't done anything to you!" he shouted.
The girl continued speaking in a language incomprehensible to them. They tried communicating with gestures, but she ignored them. Finally, something electrocuted her, making her collapse to the floor. Milo caught his breath and looked at his brother. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Yes, idiot, I'm fine," replied Milo, annoyed. "Stupid girl," he muttered as he prepared to hit her.
At that moment, they heard applause. "Put chains on her feet and legs," Ras ordered one of his henchmen.
"Well, well, who would have thought this young girl would turn out to be quite the powerhouse, leaving you two incompetents unable to do anything," said their father as he entered the room. "From you, Drake, the soft one, I expected nothing less. Your mother spoiled you too much and never let you fight your own battles. You're thirteen years old, though I was already hunting and fighting at that age. But you, Milo, you're seventeen, the eldest, and you couldn't handle her. Pathetic. Silence, fools!" their father exclaimed.
"Father, why did you lock us up with her? Aren't you going to forgive us for that?" asked Drake. "Ah, still asking mediocre questions. You stole from a store, my store, and yet you expect me to forgive you. Technically, it's hers too," said Milo. "You're a fool, you bring me shame, Milo, and on top of that, you drag your brother along to cover for you. If you're going to do something, do it right. You tarnish my name, and this will be your punishment. I only came to wish you luck: if you survive this, I'll forgive you; if not, you were collateral damage," said Ras, leaving the place.
"So this young girl speaks in an extinct language," said Laos. "Here, put this collar on her," Gol instructed one of the assistants. "Now we have to wait for her to get up again. Unconscious like this, it won't work; she has to be awake," said Gol. "Alright, we'll be back," indicated Laos, and both of them left.
After a while, the girl got up again, but this time she was chained to her feet and hands, with chains immobilizing her joints. "Hello again," said Drake. "What's the matter, Drake? Are you scared? She can't move, see? Those things are heavy," commented Milo.
"Damn it, who are you, and where am I?" asked Adia. "You can speak our language," noted Drake. "Of course, with that collar, she can speak our language. All thanks to those two mad scientists."
"Hey, we're not your enemies. My name is Drake, and this is my brother Milo. We're not your enemies; we're in the same trouble as you. Well, whatever they plan to do to us," said Drake. The girl thought about staying silent but then responded, "I am the great Adia, daughter of Dormant the Great."
"Did you say Dormant the Great? That guy was a legend in history books. It's a shame he was defeated. Such a pity," said Drake.
"No, my father couldn't have been defeated. He was an imposing and powerful man, with an entire army under his command," she stated. "Apparently, you've been frozen in time, princess. Your father was betrayed by his son-in-law, who allied with the Red faction after he lost his daughter," added Milo.
"So I'm the reason my father lost," said Adia, tears beginning to stream down her face. Drake slowly approached to comfort her. First, he moved cautiously until he reached her and embraced her. It was the first time she had felt something like this, aside from her father. "What is this feeling I'm experiencing?" the girl wondered in her mind.
"Well, looks like you've fallen for the barbarian," said Milo, noticing how she blushed when his brother hugged her. "No, I haven't fallen in love. I'm a free spirit; I don't seek a husband," Adia quickly retorted, pulling away from the embrace.
"Well, I see you're all awake now. You'll become part of history—well, more than you, girl, since you're already part of history. But you'll be something great," said Laos. "Or perhaps you won't survive," added Gol. "And what about that covered man?" she asked. "I don't know. He's always like that. Some say he suffered severe burns; others say he was born without skin," said Drake. "Well, enough chatter. It's time to begin a great milestone in history."
They led the kids to metal tables fitted with shackles. "Place the subjects on them," ordered Laos. The three were secured, though with Adia it was different because she tried to escape but was subdued.
Once they were placed on the tables, Drake, who was to Adia's right, said, "Are you afraid of dying, Adia?" "I won't endure any torture like a warrior," she replied firmly, though her expression betrayed otherwise. "You know, I know what you're saying isn't true, and it's okay to feel fear sometimes. I feel it too. I hope to see you on the other side," he said tenderly. His words made the girl's heart beat strongly. She felt something for Drake. "Well, I'll see you on the other side too," said Milo, who was on Adia's left. "Yeah, brother, whatever."
"Let's begin the experiment," said Laos, and another hooded subject, tied to a chair, was brought in. They injected several tubes filled with liquids into his body, causing him to writhe in pain, screaming so loudly that the sound echoed throughout the place. A compartment behind him opened, and the liquid began flowing toward the three of them.
"Go collect. You have two minutes," Gol instructed some workers who were equipped with picks, shovels, and wheelbarrows, as if heading to a mine.
The liquids were now close to the three, and as they entered their bodies, they felt immense pain that reverberated throughout the laboratory.