Visions

Void crusaders ch.9

"Miles Numan" the beast transmitted.

Miles was shocked.

"How did you know my name?"

"I know everything about you, down to the number of hairs on your head."

There was a long pause.

"I am you."

Miles felt a deep churning sensation in his chest as if some ancient metallic lock within him that had long been rusted over was making its first rotation. Memories that he had forgotten long ago came rushing back to him. He remembered the promise he had shown as a young child. The marks he received in his early school days were practically prodigious. And then too came the memories of those around him who suppressed his growth and promise. The adults in his life, he now realized, were threatened by him. His lack obedience and regard for the standard customs in home world and classroom were problematic. But he wasn't a rebel for the sake of rebellion, he hadn't even recognized at that time that he was brushing against the grain. He was simply living naturally as a gifted child.

A problem child had its place in the order of things, if only to be an example to the other students of the folly of disturbing the established order. But the source of the envy and hatred of those around him wasn't due to his problematic nature. That would have been welcome and he would have been loved for it. No, the instinctual urge to crush him, even as a child, came about because — more often than not — he was right. He unwittingly embarrassed the adults in his life by accurately pointing out the flaws in their "order" simply by living out his own way. He also stirred up envy in his peers, he excelled at within minutes subjects that were difficult for them to grasp over entire years.

It wasn't his fault, and he was as little aware of his position as those were around him. All he knew, and even barely then was that he was unloved. He became accustomed to the idea that he represented some kind of threat, that he was some kind of monster. He didn't know what the reason was. All he knew was that he wasn't like the others and that in some vague way, he deserved to suffer for it. And that was how he learned how to survive and receive the love that any child — gifted or not — deserves. He made himself smaller, stupider, for the sake of those around him. So that they could continue, or at least begin, to love him.

"Your power has been locked away for too long, miles. Isn't it time to undo the damage?"

"What do you suggest?" Miles transmitted.

"I have been waiting for you for millennia. As you can see, I am in chains, shackled by the smallness and stupidity of the arkangeles. It's no mistake that you found me miles. In their stupidity they cast away their most valuable asset, you are the key."

"The key?"

"Indeed, you are the answer to my bondage. If you were to will it, my chains would be undone right this very moment."

"Why should I?" He asked with skepticism.

"Our fates our intertwined miles, you are a forlorn and suppressed prodigy, I am the angel of war held in chains and buried under an ocean. By harnessing my power your journey towards redemption no longer will remain a personal struggle. You will be able to fight back, you will be able to win and end the tyranny of the arkangeles."

There was a long silence.

"We were destined to meet Miles, I am a deep a part of you as you are of me."

Then miles' vision became blurry, a vision was transmitted to him from the creature. He woke up with a gasp in the barracks of the arkangeles ship where the host mother bent over him, running her hand down his chest and reciting dark prayers.

He watched helplessly as she began to violate him. And then she produced cables from her body which began to dig in to his cerebellum. He was frozen in shock, as usual. But this time was different, he knew something about himself that he hadn't before. He remembered that he was a powerful being, not subject to the whims of those who appreciated his strength only as much as they could abuse it.

He overpowered the circuitry that had been placed in his brain and managed to budge his fingers. He felt like he was waking up from sleep paralysis. He remembered that he had control over his own actions, he was not doomed to watch while he was violated. With one powerful and swift motion he grabbed the hand of the host mother and broke it at the wrist. She was shocked and began screaming in pain. He sat up briskly, the face of the host mother was full of anger and disbelief. He lifted her off the ground by the cables attached to her skull and lifted her to his eye level.

"You don't know who I really am." He hissed "How dare you fuck with me."

She stammered, searching for words. "Y-you are Miles Numan, patrol officer o-of troop 136-937, o-rder of the ar-ar-k—"

"Shut up. Just shut up." He said softly. "Save your breath mother."

With his other hand he clutched the cables digging in to his skull and ripped them out. A sharp pain ran through his whole body. Because he and the host mother were connected both of them could feel it. She shouted but he stayed silent.

"M-miles" she stammered. "You were so close to promotion, how could you at a time like this act in such insubordination?" Her indignation at was occurring began to return to her.

"I'm not your soldier, I'm not your plaything either."

Suddenly, something changed within her and all emotion left her face. She realized he was serious.

"I knew this day would come Miles, we all in the higher ranks were expecting it for quite some time actually. A truly gifted soldier like you really has no place in the gutter of the barracks. You shouldn't have to prove yourself by the same standards of those who are so far beneath you, yet we had to subject you to the same protocol as everyone else for the sake of group morale. We knew your strength all along. Congratulations you've passed the test. You've shown your leadership potential. You'll make an excellent commander."

Miles released his grip on her and she fell to the ground.

"We can begin preparations for your promotion right away, doesn't that sound marvelous Miles? Imagine, you in sparkling brass, leading legions. I'll be proud you have been my protege."

"Is that what I'm biding my time here for? Being dominated and debased day in and day out for? It's for the brass?"

"You misunderstand me Miles, commander is the most coveted position of any soldier. Most of us die only dreaming of occupying such a rank." Her voice was beginning to shake.

"I'll ask you a simple question." He said calmly "When I stand to receive my brass should I thank you for the regular character building you gave me by raping me while I was under paralysis?"

"Surely you aren't serious Miles? What is this nonsense you're going on about. We're soldiers! We stand at attention, we sacrifice ourselves to further the kingdom of god!"

Miles turned to leave the door of the barracks. The host mother clutched her broken wrist and he could hear her cackling madly to herself as he walked down the corridor of the arkangeles ship.

Only this time the corridor was different, it wasn't dark and austere as usual but was illuminated by a bright white light at one end. As he came closer to the white light, it surrounded him. He felt himself become lighter and lighter, as if he had shed some great weight. And in fact, physically he was shedding weight. The paneling of his armor fell from his body, like a cicada shedding its hard shell.

The metallic ports along his spine ejected from his flesh and the wounds began to heal over within minutes. With each step his body released more and more machinery.

Cables snaked their way out of his nose and mouth, along with them a gushing of sanguis dei until he was surrounded by a cloud of the liquid and various wires, tubes, machinery and circuitry. He became so weightless that he began to feel himself lift off of the ground. The panel that had been bolted to the back of his skull opened up, the hardwired circuitry in his brain came loose. It felt like a tooth coming out, painful at first but a sense of release and ease when it finally came unstuck and gracefully floated away. Entire portions of gray matter began to regenerate and the hole in his skull regrew its casing.

He emerged from the cloud of artificial material, completely naked and renewed. A natural human.