In a faraway city, cars drove on busy streets, and pedestrians walked on crowded sidewalks. Tall buildings loomed over the scene with their shiny glass windows and metal frames. The sun shone brightly in the blue sky, and the air was filled with a mix of noises. People went about their day, seemingly oblivious to the war beyond their city's walls.
Towards the end of a long, straight road, a large mansion stood at the top of a hill, surrounded by a freshly mowed lawn and a tall iron fence. The front gate was guarded by two soldiers in black, silver armor.
From inside, a tall, slender young teenager with heavy-lidded eyes and a permanent look of boredom observed the world from a grand window. He had short, silver hair with a long black streak flowing down his temple. He wore a regular black shirt with an open collar and jeans. His fingers traced the condensation on a glass of water. He took a slow, deliberate sip, and a faint sigh escaped his lips. "Another day, another pointless day," he murmured to himself, and his gaze drifted across the cityscape. He suddenly let the glass drop from his hand.
The glass didn't shatter on the marble floor. Instead, it hung suspended in mid-air and rotated slowly as if caught in an invisible current.
The teenager flopped onto a plush sofa and lay back. He watched the glass with a mild, detached curiosity. Then, with a soft, almost lazy swish of his hand, the glass gently settled onto a nearby table without a sound. "Effort is such a tiresome concept," he mused.
A knock echoed at his chamber door. It was a hesitant, almost fearful sound.
The teenager didn't bother to turn. "Enter," he commanded, and his voice was a low, monotone drawl.
The door creaked open to reveal a soldier guard. His posture became stiff, and he trembled slightly. He bowed low, not daring to meet the teenager's gaze, and greeted, "Sir Somnus." He kept his eyes fixed on the floor.
Somnus didn't look away from the ceiling. "What is it," he asked with a weary sigh.
The soldier flinched. "Sir, your father will return soon, and you shouldn't be here when he does. He will be extremely disappointed since you didn't pass your classes again," he stammered.
Somnus slowly closed his eyes. "Father's disappointment is a familiar drag I've navigated since birth," he asserted. He raised a single hand, and the soldier was lifted into the air as if by an unseen string.
The soldier's legs kicked wildly, and his face turned pale. "No! No! I'm sorry. You can rest here as long as you want," he pleaded with a groan.
Somnus opened his eyes and sat up. He tilted his head and regarded the floating man with a bored expression. "Of course. Though, I think it's much more restful to eliminate the source of the bother than to address the bother itself." With a flick of his wrist, he sent the soldier flying back out of the room.
The soldier crashed through the hallway with a loud thud and a cry of agony. He crawled on the floor, groaning in pain, until he stopped moving.
Somnus lay back down on the sofa. "Now, where was I? Ah, yes, doing absolutely nothing," he muttered.
In an instant, something within felt wrong.
Somnus gasped for breath as his body convulsed. He shot up, and a searing pain shot through his head. He clutched his temples with a groan. "What is this... annoying pain," he demanded to know, and he fell to his knees. He looked down at his hands and saw them changing before his very eyes. His skin turned pale and cold, and his veins became dark and visible. His nails lengthened and sharpened into claws. He staggered to the mirror across the room and stared at his reflection. His eyes glowed with a faint, red light. The skin on his face tightened, highlighting his bone structure. "What is happening to me," he whispered with a tremble of fear. With a loud roar, he knocked over a vase, and his body grew taller. He quickly outgrew his chamber, and it crumbled around him. With a deep, guttural growl, he smashed a hole in the ceiling.
From the outside, the mansion's roof cracked and shattered as Somnus's towering form rose from the ruins. His tattered, black shirt clung to his rotting frame. His hair was now matted with filth and dried blood, and a golden crown materialized on top of his head.
The soldier guards outside stared in horror at the monstrous transformation.
"Sir Somnus! Is that you," one of them exclaimed in shock.
Somnus turned his head and looked at the soldier guards with cold, dead eyes. "You always annoy me," he growled. He let out a deafening roar that echoed through the city. He stomped the ground as black markings pulsed on his body.
A shockwave of wind erupted and sent the soldier guards flying.
The soldier guards crashed through the iron fence and landed in a heap on the street.
Somnus stomped through the city, and each footstep sent tremors through the ground.
Cars swerved and crashed into each other. People screamed and ran in terror.
After a short while, a news broadcast played on a large screen in the city square. A woman with a meticulously arranged hairdo and a serious, practiced frown spoke into the camera. "And in other news, a bizarre disaster has occurred in the upper district of Little Tree City. What was once the residence of the noble Aurelien Family has been reduced to rubble. Eyewitnesses report seeing a colossal figure emerging from the wreckage. The Striboran Armed Forces have cordoned off the area..."
A few days later, the helicopter from The Sacred Forest descended towards a huge military base, far from the Aurelien Family's hilltop mansion.
High walls with watchtowers and armed soldiers surrounded the perimeter. The Striboran flag fluttered in the wind. On the ground, soldiers in matching black and silver armor marched in perfect formation and rhythmic cadence.
The helicopter landed on a helipad with a smooth touchdown, and its ramp lowered.
Hafen, Matteo, and Stark were wheeled out on their stretchers. They were still unconscious.
"Take them to the medical wing for treatment immediately. I want a full report on their condition. Their weapons, however, will go directly to the armory," a stern masculine voice ordered.
The soldiers saluted and carried the stretchers away.
In a white laboratory, an insistent beeping filled the silence. There were no windows.
A young man with kind eyes and blonde hair sat by a desk. He wore a pristine white lab coat with a pinned Striboran insignia.
A reflection from his glasses caught him staring at a vial of blood labeled "Matteo".
The young man analyzed a sample from it through his microscope, and his eyes narrowed in intense concentration. "Very interesting," he muttered.
Nearby, a nurse looked up from her clipboard, and her eyes sparkled with fascination. She asked with a friendly smile and an eager curiosity, "What do you see, Dr. Plinius?"
The young doctor with glasses, Dr. Plinius, gasped, "It can't be." He stood up with his eyes impossibly wide.
The chair skidded back and bumped into another desk.
"What is it," a soldier queried and flinched from behind the desk.
Dr. Plinius composed himself with a deep breath and pointed out, "The cells of this patient are regenerating at an incredible rate. It's like he's a living fountain of youth. Still, there's something else," he marveled. He returned to his microscope and frowned.
"What do you mean," the soldier questioned while tilting his head.
"I've never seen anything like this. It's so otherworldly," Dr. Plinius mumbled to himself. He took a step back and gulped nervously. "It's nothing actually," he lied.
"Are you sure," the nurse insisted and stepped forward.
Dr. Plinius turned to her with a forced smile. "Yes, I'm sure," he replied.
The nurse frowned. She glanced at the microscope and asked, "Can I take a look?"
"Oh, no need. I've already analyzed it," Dr. Plinius reassured and blocked her view. "It's nothing to worry about. Continue with the treatment," he urged. He quickly put away the vial and the slide in a drawer.
The soldier and the nurse exchanged glances and shrugged.
Just then, a groan reverberated from the other side of the sterile room.
Dr. Plinius turned to the source of the sound.
On the other side, there were three beds.
On one of them, Matteo slowly stirred and opened his eyes. His vision was blurry at first, but it soon cleared. He found himself on a comfortable bed, and a white blanket covered him.
"Indeed. They are special specimens," Dr. Plinius' voice echoed from the corner of the room. His voice grew louder as he commented, "I can't wait to test their powers and study them further."
Matteo attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his body. He winced and fell back on the bed.
"Easy there. You need to rest," the nurse urged and rushed to his side.
Dr. Plinius smirked as he stood on the other side of the bed. "It's good to see you awake," he remarked.
"Where am I," Matteo stammered with panic creeping into his voice. He looked around the room with wide, fearful eyes. "Where are my brothers? What did you do with them," he sought to know.
The nurse gently pushed him back onto the bed. "Please, calm down, boy," she insisted.
"Stark? Hafen," Matteo called out with a strained voice.
Dr. Plinius stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on Matteo's shoulder. "Like you, they are recovering, Matteo. Right over there," he explained and pointed with a thoughtful expression.
"Recovering," Matteo repeated with confusion. He glanced at the other beds and saw Hafen and Stark. "What happened," he queried.
"You were severely injured and unconscious for an entire week. We brought you here to our base for treatment and another matter," Dr. Plinius elaborated while reorganizing his tools.
Matteo remembered what had transpired: the fight with Princess Bera, the arrival of her mother, and the painful beating he had endured. His eyes fluttered wide in disbelief, and he struggled to sit up again. "But why take us? Who are you people," he questioned.
"We are a part of General Bobby's Army. We saved your lives," the soldier interjected with a serious look. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to report your awakening to the general," he declared. With that, he turned and left the room.
Dr. Plinius turned to Matteo. "Try to get some more rest, Matteo," he advised calmly. He gave the nurse a subtle nod before walking away. He stopped at the door and glanced back at their patients. A mix of curiosity and excitement passed through his eyes before he departed.
The nurse, with a kind smile, adjusted Matteo's blanket.
Matteo pondered what to do. He had a feeling he couldn't trust these people.
Matteo woke up in a mysterious room with strangers. How far are they from their home, The Sacred Forest. What happened to Somnus?