Chapter 25: Ordeal

"Absorb," a man in an odd suit wore his usual sly grin. Everything about this man is human, except the extras limbs spreading out his back. His empty eyes were looking at a man inside a chamber of glass.

Inside the chamber was a man, looking in his late twenties, black hair, black eyes, black suit. Square face, pointy nose, overall was a full figure build. The man raised his hands, then particles naked to eyes were absorbed inside his body. The absorption was too fast, that a digital device went from a hundred to zero in less than seconds.

"Incredible!" Claimed the man in an odd suit. "Are you seeing this?"

"Of course," replied a creature also wearing an odd suit. His voice cracks outside the mask he wore. Different tubes were attached to his neck connecting from his body. On his chest was a triangle-shaped power source, life support. "What's his name?"

"He doesn't have one."

"What do you mean?"

"He's a clone, that's why." He studied the creature beside him as his extra limbs were rubbing each other.

"What?" His energy source went from faint blue to bright blue, "but, what did the Emperor say about this?"

"Nothing, the Emperor doesn't need to know right now."

"How long are you going to keep this from Him?" He took a device containing the data about the man inside the chamber, "He will not like this," studying he paused his reptilian eye on the device "subject 000179. Under evaluation. Needs recommendation," he muttered.

"Yes, that's why we need to evaluate him," locking his gaze back to the chamber, he then pressed a button on a panel, "179, release the Xerontium as fast as you can."

Without hesitation, subject 179 released the stored energy inside his body. A shockwave was formed, then the glass crackled, forming a spiderweb net. But the damaged glass was instantly repaired back to normal.

"Fast absorption, rapid release, Mana to body ratio was above normal. No...way above normal." Said the masked creature. "Millions of species, and he's the first to exhibit a rapid change. And his a clone. I'm not sure how the Emperor will react to this."

"Not just the Emperor, Terrans, Titans, Giants, Elves," the human-looking man paused, "Elves, especially High Elves, I wonder how they will react to this."

"So how will you evaluate subject 179?"

"Passed. I need more data, I'll be sending him to missions and we'll see how he will perform." His extra limbs typed languages on the device and pressed enter.

Inside the chamber, 179 was attentively listening to what the two creatures are conversing with. I can hear them, how? 179 doubted his self. I can feel it, my heart pumping, blood running through my veins, the thick Energy inside this chamber. I can feel it. 179 raised his hand, then a sphere of Pure Mana was formed spinning on his hand. "Magic," he muttered. "Not liquid, nor air, definitely not solid." 179 paused for a moment. Closing his eyes, he focused. The Pure Mana was materialized to a solid form. Rock. Extracting another Mana from his body, the Rock turned to liquid, "H²O," he mumbled.

"With Pure Mana, I can make different matter at will. Which means," 179 imagined different elements. "First Carbon dioxide, then I need to separate another Pure Mana to form Water Vapor." With carbon dioxide and water vapor floating on 179 hands, he formed another element. "Unseen but can be felt—oxygen." Three elements were now controlled by 179, "Now to finish, I need Nitrogen."

"And with fuel and oxygen available, all I need is energy to start a chemical reaction, with precise control, I can hit the exact ignition point to start a fire." Combining all the elements he created, 179 then injected Mana as energy. Sparks started to form on 179's hands. With sparks, a flame was produced. The flame was floating on 179's hands. "It's hot," said 179. "But, using Pure Mana I can form a barrier on my palms, which limits the heat passing on my hands." 179 lifted the end of his lips, he smiled. "So this is Magic."

After evaluating 179, the two sent him to a mission. It was to aide a neighboring planet from the invasion of Elder Dragonich—dragon and lich combined.

Ranked up as Captain, 179 was tasked to command a group of sixty clones against a number of Elders.

Black hair, black eyes, squire face, and all wearing black suit. The cloned looked exactly the same as 179. Aside from an engraved 179 and insignia of the Sskat Empire on his suit, 179 and the clones are all identical.

Clones can draw Magic faster than other species, coupled with a pure intent to kill, they are indeed worthy of the title The Killing Machines.

But what others didn't know, was that a Magic with emotion was stronger than a Magic with an intent to kill. And that's what 179 will soon learn.

Arriving at the neighboring planet, 179 and the clones were sent via a Portal. Upon landing, 179 discovered that the natives were almost annihilated not just by the Elder Dragonich but by an Ancient Dragon called the Devourers.

Thousands of Elder Dragonich and hundreds of Ancient Devourers roamed the planet. Their task was simple, to feed.

"Raid Queen. Evaluate the situation." 179 prompted his system.

[Connecting to Base.]

[Satellite link complete.]

[Evaluation complete.]

[000179. One thousand six hundred sixty-six Elder Dragonichs and two hundred sixty-nine Ancient Devourers are currently on Planet BL- Q33.]

[Calculating Disaster Level.]

[Calculation complete.]

[Disaster level. Planetarium.]

"What about the inhabitants?"

[I'm detecting sixty thousand and twelve heat sources.]

We're too late. 179 thought. "Connect me to all clones." 179's steady voice resounded inside a ruin. Outside, a desolate area stretched as far as 179's view could reach.

[Connection complete.]

Raid Queen's smooth robotic voice echoed on Ned's head.

"Clones!" 179 cried.

"Ye!" Sixty clones, rhythmed all at once.

"I know, you're not afraid and I know you're ready to kill," cried 179, "this may seem odd to you, but please, as your Captain. Try not to get killed."

"Ye!" Sixty, all at once. Emotionless.

I hoped you understood what I meant. 179 speculated. A ding notified 179 on his Heads Up Display.

[One message received.]

[Open. Yes or No.]

"Open."

[Message from Engineer Calhisto.]

Inside 179's display, a creature resembling a human with extra limbs appeared. He's the man who approved 179's mission. His low-gruffed voice disturbed 179. "Subject 000179. Your mission is simple. Eliminate all invaders and reclaim the planet."

"Mission accepted." Replied 179.

After the transmission was cut off. 179 issued his commands over the clones. "To all clones, illuminate all Elder Dragonich."

"Ye!"

With the command, clones flew over the barren land using their energy boosters. As for 179.

"Raid Queen."

[Yes 179.]

"Record these directives. I'll be taking all the Ancient Devourers." Ordered 179.

[Affirmative.]

"Evaluate."

[Evaluation complete.]

[Subject 000179.]

[Energy is at 100%.]

[Mana Points is at full. 130,000/130,000.]

[Plasma blade at full capacity.]

[Plasma gun at full capacity.]

[Holy hand grenade. 600.]

[Plasma Armor Durability is at full.]

[Full body scan complete.]

[Everything is stable.]

"Copy that." He added. "Locate the nearest Devourer."

[Target confirmed.]

"Teleport." 179 mumbled.

For a matter of a second. 179 found its first target. An Ancient Devourer, a dragon cased in bones. Its socket eyes were ignited by a green flame, randomly bouncing inside its empty eye. Mist of red, purple, and black mist oozed outside its body. But the Devourer's hollow chest was filled with blue energy. And the mist followed wherever the Devourer went.

Locking it's green hollow eyes to 179, it spoke, "Terran," a loud and hoarse voice traveled the entire area. The Devourer was about to swallow an inhabitant when 179 arrived. Throwing the captive on the ground, it flapped its wings. Raising its short legs, the Devourer crashed the inhabitant on the ground. "To think that the Empire will send one single specie," the Dragon scoffed. "The Empire is underestimating our strength."

"Raid Queen. Overload." 179 stood unmoving.

[Overload activated.]

Mana started to flow outside 179's body. His Plasma Armor shined. His Plasma blade emitted a light able to cut everything.

[Overload complete. Body enhanced to 1000% percent.]

[Overload will drain 1 Mana Points per Second until deactivated.]

"Puny Terran!" The Devourer opened its mouth, and a thick cloud of dark smoke started to gather and formed a sphere. "Perish!"

But before the Devourer could release its devastating breath. 179 vanished. The next thing the Inhabitants saw after 179 appeared was the Devourer laying on the barren ground. Dead. Only bones remained, no smoke or mist, no green socket eyes, only empty hollow bone remained.

On 179's hand was a ball of energy floating. The life force of the Devourer on 179 hands. Crushed, nothing remained of the Devourer.

"Raid Queen. Find me another target." 179 ordered his system.

[Target locked.]

[Target counting to thirty Devourer.]

"Teleport."

Upon landing, 179 saw thirty Devourer destroying a city of stones, and only a handful of the natives left.

The Devourer saw 179. And thirty of them lunged to 179 all at once.

Outnumbered. 179 conjured a spell. "Igneous Burst!" 179's body exploded several times, releasing a wave of azure flame, incinerating all the Devourer it came in contact.

Just like that, after a couple of hours. Two hundred sixty-nine Ancient Devourer was eliminated by 179 alone. And the rest of the clones did their mission successfully. 179 issued a command to regroup all the clones that were left.

"Raid Queen. Evaluate how many clones left."

[Twenty-five clones left.]

[Not bad for your first mission.]

Not bad? 179 asked. "They're not some devices you'll just discard after they broke. They have lives too! This mission is a fail!" 179's breath quickened, heart pumping fast, sweat appeared on his forehead, and his eyes turned red. 179 was confused. "What's this! There's something in me, this feeling, I don't understand, I feel so...I can't!" Knees fell to the ground and 179 clenched his chest. After a moment, 179 heard footsteps approaching him. He raised his head, he saw a clone closing in on him.

The clone then holds 179's hands, "it's okay, you'll be fine, don't worry about us. Just keep going." The clone then paused for a moment, then his face started to blur. "Well be here to support you... Ned."

Then the clone's eyes turned to look at Ned, tears started to fall. The clone's dark eyes slowly turned deep. His short hair blurred and slowly extended until it reached longer his shoulder.

The clone's body let out a scream of freezing air. The surrounding felt cold. Clenching Ned's hand, the clone shouted. "Ned!"

179 paused for a moment, then he muttered. "Toni?"