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Astelia Chronicles

In the world of Astelia, our protagonist embarks on a journey across the seven unique continents that make up this world. Along the way, he faces challenges, both personal and political as he navigates through the complex societies and cultures. As he uncovers the truth about the world, he must struggle with his loyalty and his morality.

BlankVisage · Fantasy
Not enough ratings
24 Chs

The departure of anvil of justice

Last night, as Jinn and Michael were trying to rescue little Joel, they soon realized that it was too late. The serum had already taken over his mind and body, making him aggressive and uncontrollable. They knew that they couldn't take him with them, as he would be a danger to not only themselves but also the other orphans. With heavy hearts, they left little Joel in the secret facility and quickly made their way back to the dormitory.

The next day, the Ironclad soldiers who were in charge of the secret facility noticed that little Joel was missing from his bed. They quickly sounded the alarm, and a search was organised to find him. The older children, Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, Beth, Thomas, and Natalie, knew that they had been discovered infiltrating the secret facility, and they were on high alert. So, for the time being, they must remain quiet.

Meanwhile, during the urgent meeting among the Ironclad soldiers and Captain Willard,

Captain Willard stood at the front of the room, his face etched with anger. "We have a security breach," he announced, his voice cold and hard. "One of the subjects has been freed from his medical equipment."

The Ironclad soldiers looked at each other, fear and concern etched on their faces. They knew that Captain Willard was not one to be crossed, and that the punishment for failure was severe.

Captain Willard announced that there had been a security breach in the secret facility and that one of the subjects had gone missing. He ordered the Ironclad soldiers to be on high alert.

"We will not stand for this," Captain Willard continued. "I want every guard doubled, and I want a full investigation into the matter. We will find out who is responsible for this, and they will be dealt with accordingly."

The Ironclad soldiers nodded, their expressions grim. They knew that they had to find the responsible party, and fast.

Because of the secret facility's security breach, the Ironclad soldiers increased the security around the compound, making it almost impossible for the older children to think about escaping from the orphanage. Jinn and Michael knew that they had to be careful, as they were now being closely watched by the Ironclad soldiers, but what they didn't know is that little Joel managed to somehow escape from the secret facility during that night.

-----

As the days passed, one of the older children, Jake became more and more distant from the group. He would often spend time alone and seemed to have lost interest in the activities that they used to enjoy together. The others, Alex, Michael, Sarah, Beth, Thomas, and Natalie, noticed the change in him but they didn't pay much attention to it, thinking that he was just going through a phase.

But Jinn, who had known Jake for a long time, couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He noticed that Jake's behavior had become more aggressive and that he would often argue with the others for no reason. He decided to talk to Jake about it.

"Hey, Jake," Jinn said, approaching him as he sat alone on the edge of the dormitory. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

"What is it?" Jake replied, his tone short and dismissive.

"I've noticed that you've been acting a little differently lately," Jinn said, choosing his words carefully. "Is everything okay? Is there something you want to talk about?"

"I'm fine," Jake snapped. "Just leave me alone."

Jinn could see that Jake was not in the right state of mind, but he didn't know how to help him. He knew that something was wrong, but he didn't know what it was. He decided to keep a close eye on Jake, determined to find out what was troubling him.

During the night, Jake couldn't sleep. His body was feeling restless, his mind racing with thoughts and emotions he couldn't quite understand. He was starting to feel the effects of the diluted "Neo-Genesis" serum raging inside him, and he knew that he needed to keep it a secret from the others.

He tried to distract himself by reading a book, but the words on the page wouldn't stay still. He tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable, but it was no use. Eventually, he gave up and decided to take a walk around the dormitory to clear his head.

As he walked, he couldn't help but overhear the conversations of his fellow orphans. He heard them talking about the escape attempt, he suddenly felt a surge of anger and frustration.

He tried to push these feelings down, but they kept bubbling up to the surface. Eventually, he couldn't take it anymore, and he started to argue with the other older children, picking fights over small things, anything to distract them from his real problem.

"Why do we always have to do things your way, Sarah?" He snapped at her.

"What's wrong with you, Jake?" Alex asked, concern etched on his face.

"Nothing's wrong, I just don't like being bossed around," Jake retorted, trying to hide his true emotions.

The others exchanged worried glances, but Jake refused to talk about it anymore and eventually, they all went to sleep.

The next day, Jake began to notice the changes within himself as they became much harder to suppress. He could feel the serum coursing through his veins, making him much more stronger, faster, but more.... aggressive.

He knew that he had to keep this a secret from the other older children, knowing that they would never stop worrying about him, thus making it harder for them to plan for the escape. He was afraid of being labelled a hindrance, so he distanced himself from the group, not wanting to put them in danger.

He knew that the diluted "Neo-Genesis" serum was starting to take effect, and he was scared. He didn't want to become like the others before him—mindless and aggressive.

Meanwhile, Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, Beth, Thomas, and Natalie were in the dormitory, discussing what had happened the night before.

They were all worried about Jake, who had become increasingly distant over the past few days. They knew Jake as someone who is fiercely protective of his fellow orphans and has a big heart. He's also one of the eldest orphans at the Iron Haven Orphanage, and he's known for his strength and dependability. He's always willing to lend a helping hand.

"Something's not right with Jake," Jinn said, his voice low. "He's been acting strangely ever since that night when we infiltrated the secret facility."

"Yeah, I've noticed that too," Sarah said, her expression worried. "I don't know what's going on with him, but I think we need to talk to him and find out what's going on."

The others nodded in agreement, and they decided to talk to Jake after their daily training.

-----

As the orphans' children, Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, Beth, Thomas, and Natalie, were participating in their daily training, Jake suddenly began acting strange. He was distant and withdrawn, not participating in the exercises as much as he normally would.

Alex decided to approach Jake.

"Jake, are you okay?" Alex asked, noticing Jake's behavior.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Jake replied, his voice tight.

But something was off, the other older children could sense it.

He tried to suppress the urge to attack, but it was becoming harder and harder as the serum took over. Suddenly, They noticed that Jake's eyes were starting to change, becoming more red and wild-looking.

"Jake?" Sarah says, while staring at him with a look of concern.

"What's happening to him?" Thomas exclaimed as he watched Jake's eyes turned red.

"Hey! What's going on here? "Get back to training," one of the Ironclad soldiers shouted.

Suddenly, as Jake's eyes turned red, he lunged at the Ironclad soldiers, attacking him with a ferocity that caught him off guard. The other older children, Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, Beth, Thomas, and Natalie, were also caught off guard. They quickly realised that the serum had taken effect on Jake, and he was unable to control himself.

"Jake!" Jinn shouted, trying to get through to him.

"We have to stop him before he hurts someone," Michael shouted as he and the others charged towards Jake, trying to subdue him.

Jake's eyes were only focused on the Ironclad soldiers. He fought with a strength and speed that was beyond human, taking down several soldiers before they could even react.

The other young children were horrified, as they watched Jake tear through the Ironclad soldiers with ease. Captain Willard, who was watching the scene with a cold, unfeeling expression, ordered his men to shoot Jake.

"Shoot him" Captain Willard ordered, seeing the danger Jake posed.

The other older children tried to reach Jake, to stop him before it was too late.

The Ironclad soldiers opened fire on Jake.

"No!" all of them shouted, their hearts breaking as they saw their friend being shot at.

Despite being shot, Jake was still able to move quickly and with great strength. The other older children, Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, and Thomas, tried to reach him, but they were met with resistance from the Ironclad soldiers. Jake fought with a ferocity that was beyond human, taking down several soldiers before they could even react.

Jinn, Alex, and Michael fought their way through the soldiers, trying to reach Jake and stop him before it was too late. Sarah, and Thomas helped as well, using their quick thinking and agility to distract and disarm the soldiers.

"Jake, stop!" Alex shouted, trying to get through to his friend. "It's us, your friends! We're here to help you!"

But Jake didn't seem to hear him, his eyes only focused on the Ironclad soldiers. He fought with a strength and speed that was beyond human, taking down several soldiers before they could even react.

As the Ironclad soldiers opened fire again on Jake, he let out a blood-curdling scream. It was a mixture of rage and pain, and it sent chills down the spines of all the Ironclad soldiers. They could see the determination and anger in his eyes as he fought against the bullets, still able to move quick despite being shot.

He was relentless in his attack, slicing through the Ironclad soldiers with his enhanced strength, his screams echoing through the training courtyard.

"Stop this madness, Jake!" Natalie shouted, trying to reach out to his friend, tears welling up in her eyes.

But Jake's mind was consumed by the serum, and he couldn't hear Natalie's voice. He was completely lost in his rage, his screams becoming louder as he killed more and more soldiers.

"You will all die for this!" Jake screamed, his voice filled with anger and hatred.

The older children were horrified as they watched Jake, their friend and someone whom they knew as fiercely protective of his fellow orphans and who has a big heart, being consumed by the serum. They knew that there was nothing they could do to stop him, and they could only watch as Jake fell to the ground, finally succumbing to his wounds.

The fight was intense and brutal, with both sides taking heavy casualties. But in the end, it was the Ironclad soldiers who emerged victorious, overpowering and outnumbering the older children.

As the older children lay on the ground, bruised and beaten, Captain Willard approached them with a cold, unfeeling expression. "This is what happens when you resist," he said, looking down at Jake's lifeless body. "You will all learn to obey, or you will suffer the same fate."

The other older children who were still laying on the ground, bruised and beaten, were still in shock, tears streaming down their faces as they mourned the loss of their friend. They knew that it was the serum that had caused Jake to turn into a monster, but that didn't make the loss any less painful.

Captain Willard then gave the orders to his Ironclad soldiers to lock up Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, and Thomas in a cell except for Natalie and Beth.

They will be locked up in a cell awaiting their punishment and questioning regarding the security breach of the secret facility. The other young children were horrified as they watched their older brother and sister being dragged away, still in shock and mourning over the loss of their friend.

As Captain Willard gave the orders for the Ironclad soldiers to lock up Jinn, Alex, Michael, Sarah, and Thomas in a cell, Natalie and Beth were left standing there, unsure of what to do next.

"What are we going to do?" Beth asked, her voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.

Natalie shook her head, her mind racing with thoughts. "I don't know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what we can do without the others."

Beth looked at her, her eyes filled with fear and desperation. "We can't just leave them there," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "We have to do something, we have to find a way to help them."

Natalie took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. "I know," she said, her voice firm. "We'll figure something out. We have to be strong for them, and for ourselves."

But despite her words, Natalie couldn't shake the feeling of hopelessness that weighed heavily on her heart. She knew that the situation was dire and that the odds were stacked against them, but she refused to give up. She and Beth would find a way to help their friends, no matter what it took.

-----

As they were locked in the cell, they sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and feelings of guilt and regret. They knew that they should have done something to stop Jake before it was too late, but they didn't know what they could have done differently.

"We should have seen it coming," Jinn said, his voice heavy with emotion. "We should have known that the serum would have an effect on Jake."

"We couldn't have known," Michael said, trying to console his friend. "We were all given the same serum, and none of us have shown any signs of aggression or changes in behavior. We can't blame ourselves for this."

"But we should have been more aware," Sarah said, tears streaming down her face. "We were the leaders to the other, younger one, yet we couldn't even protect our own friends."

Both Alex and Thomas were left speechless, not knowing what to say as they were still in shock over the death of their closest friend, Jake.

The older children sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts and feelings of guilt and regret. They knew that they had failed their friend, and that they would never be able to make it right. They could only hope that their punishment would not be as severe as Jake's, and that they would be able to make it out of this alive and make sure that no other child would have to suffer the same fate as Jake.

-----

Soon, the older children were dragged one by one into a small, dark room that was filled with various instruments of torture. They were strapped to chairs and interrogated by the Ironclad soldiers, who were determined to get answers about the security breach of the secret facility.

Jinn and Michael, knowing that the others were innocent, stepped forward and confessed that they were the ones who had infiltrated the secret facility. They explained that it was their idea and they had acted alone, in an effort to save their fellow orphans from the cruel torture and punishment.

Captain Willard, furious at their disobedience, ordered his men to torture Jinn and Michael. They were beaten, starved, and subjected to various forms of torture. The days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, but Jinn and Michael never broke. They knew that they had made the right decision, and they were willing to pay the price for their actions.

Meanwhile, Alex, Thomas, and Sarah were locked up in a small cell with only a small amount of leftover food and water to sustain them. They were kept in isolation and were not allowed to see or speak with anyone. They were forced to listen to their friend scream in agony as they were tortured.

But despite their dire circumstances, the older children never lost hope. They knew that they had to survive, for the sake of their fellow orphans and for the memory of their friend, Jake. And so, they held on to each other, and to the hope that one day, they would be able to escape and put an end to the cruel experiments once and for all.

-----

Meanwhile in the secret facility within the orphanage, the day following the horrific massacre.

Captain Willard is seen walking with a scientist who came from the Ironclad Institute of medical and science laboratory.

As Captain Willard and the scientist walked through the secret facility, they came to a sudden halt in front of Jake's lifeless body lying on an anatomy dissection cadaver tables. The scientist, who was an arrogant and clean-freak, couldn't help but wrinkle his nose in disgust at the sight of the blood and gore.

"What happened to him?" the scientist asked, looking at Jake's body with a clinical detachment.

"He was one of the older children at the orphanage," Captain Willard explained. "He and his friends managed to infiltrate the secret facility and free one of the subjects. We were forced to put him down when he turned on us."

The scientist nodded, studying Jake's body with interest. "I see," he said. "And why did he attack only the Ironclad soldiers and not the other children?"

"That's what I was hoping you could tell me," Captain Willard said, looking at the scientist expectantly.

The scientist thought for a moment before replying. "It could be due to his strong desire to protect his friends," he said. "The serum we're using, Neo-Genesis, can alter the subject's mind, erasing their sense of self. But in Jake's case, his desire to protect his friends may have far surpassed the effects of the serum."

The scientist went on to explain that the serum was made from a mixture of various chemicals and hormones, which when combined and injected into a subject, drastically enhanced their physical abilities, making them stronger, faster, and more resilient. However, the serum also had a dangerous side effect, it changed their mind, completely alters their personality, erasing their sense of self, and rendering them unable to recognize the difference between friend and foe, becoming aggressive and uncontrollable.

Captain Willard listened intently, nodding as the scientist spoke. "And what about the sound wave device you mentioned?" he asked.

The scientist explained that the serum make them more inclined to obey the orders given by their superiors without question and it may also affect their brain's ability to process information and make decisions, making it more difficult for the subject to resist or question orders from superiors with the help of a certain sound wave device. Additionally, the serum also have a psychological effect, by conditioning the subject to associate obedience and compliance with rewards and positive reinforcement, making it more likely for them to obey without question.

"I see," Captain Willard said, a look of satisfaction on his face. "Well, we'll make sure to use that to our advantage in the future."

The scientist nodded, looking back at Jake's body with a sense of detached curiosity. "Indeed…"