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Prime Ascendant Chapter 12
In a different part of the world...*****The hum of anticipation filled the room, though nothing particularly exciting was happening on the surface. Rows of desks neatly arranged, students sitting with disciplined posture, and at the front, an instructor tracing diagrams on a digital board—a lecture, as routine as any other. Yet, there was an unspoken awareness beneath the surface, a quiet vigilance. Elara had felt it for weeks, and judging by the way her classmates watched the instructor’s every movement, they had sensed it too. Today, though, she tried to focus, even as her mind drifted.The instructor, a stern-faced woman in her fifties, pointed to a holographic projection of a plant shimmering in green and blue hues. "This," she began, "is the Ulvanis Serrata, a species notable for its regenerative properties. But, more importantly for our studies, its unique ability to detect and respond to high levels of radiation. Now, can anyone tell me why this might be especially useful?"E
Prime Ascendant Chapter 13
Elara stepped out of the academy building into the muted, dusky light of the compound. The campus stretched out in all directions, a labyrinth of steel and glass buildings interwoven with walkways and vibrant green corridors. This wasn't like any city she'd seen before; her home, like the academy, was walled off from the rest of the world. To her, the endless concrete and manicured lawns, the highly secure gates, and the ever-present guards were part of normal life.She passed the central fountain, an ornate structure with figures of mythical creatures carved into the marble. They symbolized some ancient story she had once learned, but the details had faded from her mind over the years. The streets here were wide and lined with tall trees, their canopies shielding her from the wind. People strolled about, calm and purposeful, yet always alert. Residents of the compound carried themselves with a quiet intensity, a result of the years of carefully controlled living under the organizatio
Prime Ascendant Chapter 14
The candidates were led down a sterile hallway, its white walls gleaming under cold fluorescent lights. Elara walked with the group, her mind racing. The patriarch’s words echoed in her head, but when she glanced around, everyone else appeared eerily calm. It was as if the thought of not surviving the “test” didn’t faze them at all. She wanted to ask someone if they really understood the weight of what was about to happen, but she held her tongue.At the end of the corridor, they entered a large, windowless room. Rows of sleek, metallic pods lined the walls, their surfaces polished to a mirror-like sheen, each one equipped with a small screen and an access panel. There were forty pods in total, one for each candidate. The hum of the machines filled the air, and the clinical smell of antiseptic was almost overwhelming.An elderly man in a pristine white lab coat stepped forward, his hands folded behind his back. His face was wrinkled yet composed, with an unsettlingly neutral expressio
Prime Ascendant Chapter 15
Elara lay tense in the pod as the warmth in her veins intensified, creeping through her arms, spreading up to her shoulders, and seeping into her core. Her body felt like it was being enveloped in a strange fire—both cold and burning at once. A sharp sting flared at the base of her spine, and she clenched her fists, trying to keep her breathing steady, but the sensation was relentless.The compound had triggered a reaction at the cellular level, initiating the "adaptive response" the old man had described. Deep within her, every cell was reacting to the foreign neutral gene, which was nudging each strand of her DNA into a new configuration, unlocking dormant sections of her genetic code. Elara could almost feel her body being rewritten, as if someone were tearing her apart and piecing her back together from the inside out.A sudden, stabbing pain shot through her chest, and she gasped, her body straining against the restraints as the heat turned searing. Her muscles tightened involunt
Prime Ascendant Chapter 16
As the sun dipped below the horizon, evening shadows stretched across the desolate streets, casting an eerie calm over the scene. Clara, Erika, and Ian carefully made their way out of the building, each step cautious, as if even the ground itself could betray them. Clara kept her grip on her compulsion spell, feeling its fraying edges; maintaining control over two people this long wasn’t easy, and it was beginning to wear on her.A burst of gunfire split the silence, distant but unmistakable. Ian’s head snapped up, a glimmer of hope lighting his face. “Think it could be Briggs?” he asked, his tone almost pleading.Erika shot him a look, harsh and skeptical. “Don’t be an idiot. We blocked the only exit. No one’s getting through there.”Ian became confused. “And why did we block the exit?"Erika’s face clouded over, and her expression wavered between confusion and irritation, as if her mind was trying to piece together a memory just out of reach. Clara felt her influence slipping, a tin
Prime Ascendant Chapter 17
The bikers shoved Clara, Erika, and Ian forward, forcing them toward a crumbling, abandoned building looming like a haunted skeleton against the night sky. The gang members laughed and jeered, clearly enjoying the helplessness of their captives.Clara glanced around desperately, hoping to spot some way out. But before any plan could form, a sharp, commanding voice sliced through the evening air behind them."Release them, or I’ll start popping bullets," the voice drawled, cold and confident.Everyone turned, and there stood Briggs, holding a rifle steady and pointed at the gang, his expression all business. Beside him, Marcus watched with narrowed eyes, taking in the scene, his arms crossed and posture tense. His gaze was sharp, calculating.The tattooed leader barked out a laugh, his men’s guns immediately swiveling toward the newcomers. “Well, well,” he sneered, flashing a crooked smile, “look who decided to crash the party.”Briggs cocked his head, his finger resting just above the
Prime Ascendant Chapter 18
Marcus raised his pistol, aiming at the advancing bikers, only to hear the hollow click of an empty magazine. He cursed under his breath—he was out of ammo. With no other choice, he slung the pistol over his shoulder and pulled out his axe, gripping its handle tightly. The weapon felt reassuringly solid in his hand, its blade gleaming under the faint moonlight.Just as he was about to charge, a shot rang out, and Clara cried out in pain, clutching her arm as blood began to seep through her fingers. Marcus's jaw clenched as he glanced at her. This bastards were certainly not going to let them leave here alive.Without another thought, he surged forward, swinging his axe with brutal precision. The first biker he encountered barely had time to register the threat before Marcus buried the blade into his shoulder, forcing a shocked gasp from the man as he crumpled to the ground. Marcus wrenched the axe free, his eyes cold, and turned to the next target.Each swing was a blend of speed and
Prime Ascendant Chapter 19
The group trudged through the deserted streets, their boots crunching against the shattered glass and debris. Marcus walked in silence, his axe slung over his shoulder, but the thought gnawed at him. The vent—their supposed escape route—had been blocked earlier. Something about that didn’t sit right with him. Finally, unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, he broke the silence. “That vent,” Marcus started, his voice cutting through the eerie stillness. “It was blocked earlier. How?” Clara froze mid-step, her body tensing for a fraction of a second before she quickly resumed walking. Her mind raced. 'He’s suspicious.' Taking a deep breath, she focused her thoughts, reaching out mentally to Erika and Ian. This wasn’t just about silencing doubts—it required precision. Implanting false memories wasn’t her strongest suit, but she had no choice. She concentrated hard, weaving her thoughts into their minds. 'You didn’t block the vent. You never saw it blocked. Everything was norm