Yeah. I Have Changed

"Processing complete."

Minerva's smooth voice roused me from my flashback.

I rubbed my eyes and let out a deep sigh.

Incarni! If only I could erase certain memories.

The pods hissed open, and the recruits stepped out, most of them still unclothed.

I gestured for them to approach the lockers, saying, "Get dressed and collect your uniforms. Don the provided bracelets as well."

"Careful. This might sting.", I warned with a grin. 

A collective yelp and screams of pain followed as the laser etched the Shield's insignia onto their skin.

The scent of burning flesh reached my nose but was swiftly whisked away by the ventilation system.

A few minutes later, the newbies were fully clad in default Deathwalker uniforms, everyone looking like they just got poked with a red hot iron rod.

Everyone looked quite impressive in their uniforms.

Not as good as me though.

I snapped my fingers and the wall at the back split to reveal an armory containing an array of weapons made of schattium.

Swords of various shapes and sizes, daggers arranged like dragon teeth, spears poised like deadly frozen serpents, and an assortment of gauntlets, hammers, battleaxes, and scythes gleamed on the racks.

All of these weapons, made of schattium glinted on the racks and entranced the newbies.

I gestured at the deadly toys.

"Choose your preferred weapons, newbies."

"I see that some of you have brought your weapons, but unless they're made of schattium or enchanted against daemons, they're quite useless.", I informed them. 

In response, Carlo hefted his claymore over his shoulder and shrugged, "Not a problem for me."

I observed his claymore and noticed an intricate sequence of runes enveloping the long blade of the deadly weapon.

Impressed, I remarked, "Looks like the Devereux Family is well-versed in daemon combat."

"Every Axial Family is, Your Highness.", Carlo replied, a hint of hostility in his eyes lingering from the Sean Blackwood incident.

It seems like he wasn't completely over the Sean Blackwood incident.

But hey! That guy was asking for a head slamming into the tarmac.

He looked at Iris with those sleazy eyes!

How bold!

Anyway.

"Axial Families are quite amazing.", I remarked, "I can see you surviving your first battle, master Devereux."

I gazed at him and I focused my aura on him.

Carlo's knees buckled but he stood strong against my powerful aura.

I smiled, "Do not disappoint me, Carlo Devereux."

"You have changed a lot, Your Highness.", Carlo gasped as my aura stopped pressing down on him.

I raised an eyebrow, "You knew me?"

"I once saw you in the Dawn Palace when I was young.", he recalled, "You were more-"

"Weak? Pitiful?", I suggested, a dangerous edge in my voice.

"Gentle.", Carlo's abyssal black eyes gazed into mine.

The other newbies looked quite nervous at the staredown between us.

Except for Apollo. The guy looked like he was ready to bring out a bag of popcorn to watch the drama.

What a weirdo.

There was an uncomfortable silence as I and Carlo locked gazes and the air trembled from the power we unconsciously released.

"You are aware of my past?", I inquired.

He nodded, "I am sorry for the suffering you endured."

"Save it.", I growled, Bloodlust leaking out of me as a long-forgotten anger sparked in my heart.

Carlo gulped as his body became paralyzed by my Bloodlust.

"Since you are from an Axial Family, I assume you are aware of what happens to someone who becomes a Deathwalker?"

He nodded, "I have a small idea."

I tilted my head and gave him an emotionless stare, "In the Shield and Blood Valley, the ones who fight daemons almost every day turn into monsters themselves."

My voice resonated with power as I spoke, "Deathwalkers fight a brutal war against the daemons."

"We destroy our bodies and then have them fixed, only for them to be destroyed again in the next battle."

"We watch our comrades get brutally torn apart by the wretched daemons before our eyes."

"We even kill our friends who turned into wraiths by subjecting them to one of the worst ways to die."

"The pain and horror of all of this changes a person, Master Devereux.", my voice washed over the newbies, making them tremble in their spots.

"It doesn't matter if you are a criminal or from the royal family.", I continued.

"It doesn't matter if you are an evil or good person."

"It doesn't matter to the daemons. They'll just keep killing."

"And this constant cycle of death and slaughter can change a person."

The room trembled slightly as I gazed into Carlo's deep black eyes.

"So yeah. I have changed a lot."

There was a heavy silence as my words sunk in.

The other newbies, already wielding their weapons avoided my gaze.

Even Carlo looked quite disturbed by my words.

"Have you all chosen your weapons?", I asked, scanning the newbies.

Most held schattium weapons, but my gaze lingered on Apollo.

I arched my eyebrows at the black chains wrapped around his arms.

Smirking, he said, "I have quite the practice with these babies."

"By the way.", he approached and looked up at me. I was taller than him after all.

"You are Mordred Pendragon, right?", he asked, his golden eyes gazing into mine.

I sensed a dangerous and eerie feeling out of them the longer I stared into those eyes.

I nodded, "Yes I am."

"Then you are the one who killed my brother, right?" he asked, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

The room fell silent as the temperature dropped, and even Carlo prepared to intervene.

Unfazed, I confirmed, "Yes. I killed Damien."

My words cut the silence like a sharp dagger through the black flesh of a daemon.

"I see.", Apollo closed his golden eyes, and the temperature normalized.

Opening them, he displayed a sense of loss and a sad smile played on his lips.

"I have read the report. Everything was over the instant the crimson smoke entered Damien.", he said.

He fixed his gaze on me, "How did it feel?"

I took a deep breath before replying.

"Horrifying."

He nodded, "And his last moments?"

My lips formed a sad smile, "Damien went out in a blaze of glory."

"Sounds just like him.", Apollo laughed and held out his hand.

"Thank you for killing my brother. I'll be sure to survive and even join the Lunatics."

"I hope you survive your first battle.", I responded as he energetically shook my hand.

Just as the words escaped my mouth, the daemon alarm blared all around us, startling everyone.

Even I almost jumped out of my skin.

Jeez. Try to be more subtle, Minerva.

"What a weird coincidence.", I remarked, noticing everyone's bracelets flashing green.

"Alright, newbies! This is your first battle against the daemons. Do your best and worst!", I yelled over the blaring alarm.

"Try not to die!"

In a bright flash of green light that almost blinded me, all the newbies vanished and teleported to the battlefield.

"Damn. Minerva really green flashed all of them.", I grumbled as I rubbed my poor eyes.

A door to the room opened and Iris walked in. She too was rubbing her eyes.

"Why are you green?", she asked, squinting and blinking rapidly.

I frowned, "Really? You sound like you replaced your eyes with Basil's."

"Teleporting multiple people at a time can do that to an observer.", she explained, shaking her head.

"Ah! That's better," she smiled contently.

"So? Minerva took everyone?", Iris asked.

I nodded, "Yep. Yours too?"

She nodded back, "Minerva is really eager to plonk them on the field."

"Of course I am! They are quite promising recruits!", the AI exclaimed in my ear.

"Somebody is excited.", I noted.

Iris snorted, "Who would've thought? Wish I could see them in action. Especially Artemis, Ava, and Krystal. They are quite unique!"

See them in action huh?

An idea bloomed in my mind.

"Hey, Iris! Are you up for another battle?", I asked, looking into her beautiful blue eyes.

She frowned, "What's with that question? Oh Ohh."

Her eyes lit up as she immediately realized what I meant. A mischievous grin played on her lips.

"My. Is it proper for us to join them?", she inquired, her eyes glinting with an insane avarice for battle.

"We're in charge of them. So why not?", I reasoned, my lips curling into a wicked grin of my own.

"And I know just the place to teleport to."

I tapped my bracelet and called Minerva.

 "Any chance you could squeeze in two more hot-blooded Deathwalkers into the battlefield?", I inquired the AI.

"You two are absolutely batshit insane, aren't you?", the AI sighed, as if she was now used to our crazy antics.

"Can you?", I requested.

"Yeah. There are a lot of vacancies opening every second now. So it won't be hard."

"But really? You are willing to enter battle against the daemons for the second time in one day?", Minerva asked incredulously.

"Do it please.", I looked at the surveillance camera in the processing room and gave my sweetest smile.

I heard a resigned sigh in my earpiece.

"Fine. Where would you like to be dropped off?"

I looked at Iris and she gave a smug smile, "I know what you are thinking.", she chimed.

I chuckled and told Minerva, "The highest point of the Shield."

"You are inconceivably bloody mental but consider it done!", she responded.

I grinned, giving Iris a thumbs-up.

She looked delighted, "I guess it's a date then?"

I raised an eyebrow playfully, "Wasting daemons and scouting out powerhouses?"

"Sounds fun! You and me together doing something fun! Kind of sounds like a date right?", Iris giggled.

"You are not the only one falling for the crazy and stunning roommate.", she said with a coy smile.

My heart fluttered and my mind raced. But I hid it well and chuckled, "Looks like it's a date!"

Minerva groaned.

"Oh Incarni! Get a room you two! Oh, wait."

"Anyway! Teleporting in three, two, one!"

A bright green flash enveloped us, and the next thing I knew, Iris and I stood on the highest watchtower atop the Shield

Below us, Deathwalkers and daemons clashed in a vicious battle to the death.

The echoes and sounds of their violent clash reached our ears as we peered over the black railings of the watchtower.

"Shall we?", Iris glanced at me with a smile.

I returned her smile, "Let's make quite the entrance!"

With that, we jumped over the railing and plunged into the battlefield below, hearts racing and smiles filled with excitement.