"It's acting," said Dark as they sat next to each other in the Dining Hall.

    He ate a small plate of fruit paired with a cocktail (which had someone's tears), continuing to walk Mark through the way of an Evolved.

    "What Xilef said was perfect," continued Dark. "Turn your fear into fuel."

    "I'm not that angry of a person, though," Mark muttered, poking at his food. He rested his elbow on the table, head tilted. "He just irritates me."

    Dark chuckled at that. "Do you know what his ability is?"

    Mark gave a small scoff, glancing up at Dark. "I don't really know anyone's," he answered. "I know Voxe controls the house, Ether's a healer... You do some weird—eye shit..."

    As he trailed off, Dark smiled, reaching for his cocktail and swirling the contents mindlessly. "Xilef has been my right-hand man even before Antinstine came to power," he said. Memories glittered in his eyes, but he pushed them aside. "The Aurist. Never one to question but to console."

    He leaned closer to Mark, smirking. "He told you to use your anger, because you're aura reeks of it." He took a sip of his drink, gazing at Mark through the corner of his eye as he did so. "We both wondered if you were an Evolved when we first saw you. Your aura—constantly shifting... never a single emotion or stance, but... evolving."

    Mark hummed at that. "Is that... how you guys found me? When I ran off that one night."

    Dark hesitated before nodding. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs, letting the glass rest in his fingers neatly.

    "Xilef told me how strong your aura was that night." He tilted his glass. "Red with passion, heat, fury... Then with blues and purples—your fear... Large as a wildfire."

    Mark gave a snort at that. "So I'm a special human," he said. "That it?"

    Dark breathed through his nose as he smiled, the red of his eyes calming. "You'll be more convincing an Evolved. Getting into the character of 'Viper' won't be as hard."

    "Will that really be my name?" laughed Mark. "Viper?"

    "It may sound funny to you, but for Evolveds, names like that are normal," said Dark. He set down his glass, turning in his seat to fully face Mark, then folded his hands in his lap. Mark straightened himself at the change of posture, raising a brow.

"Tell me more about your childhood," he said simply. "And then we'll find out who Viper really is."

Mark fell into a silence for a long moment, then took a deep breath, giving in.

"Well, uhm... we didn't have money as a kid—we were poor," he started. "So instead of playing with toys, I killed animals. Spent my time in the woods away from everyone else... It wasn't bad, but—it could've been better."

As he told his story, Dark listened, nodding along and finding how he could bend his words into something more akin to an Evolved.

———

Miles away in the Evolved City, on that same night, Antinstine's mansion was alive.

    Glittering and grand, standing prodigious with golden arches and crystal buttresses, so bright it could be mistaken for a star. Within the mansion, High Evolveds walked to and fro, shoes clicking on the pristine, almost mirror-like marble floors. Their chatter rose in a dull roar that echoed through the aged walls.

    Antinstine walked among the Evolveds, chin up and face drawn back. An Evolved taller than him approached, the horns jutting from his head in elegant arches.

    "Prada," greeted Anti, voice nearing a scowl. "Why haven't the men arrived, yet?"

    Prada bowed his head. "They're late," he said as he straightened himself, yellow eyes glowing. The red markings on his face seemed to flash. "I'm not surprised."

    Anti scoffed. "Tell the guards to call them. If they're not here in two minutes—"

    At that, the arching doors opened with a loud creak, the disturbance doing nothing to cut through the mild chatter within the mansion. A group of three men clad in white hurried into the grand foyer, the guards shoving them forward and shutting the doors after them.

    Prada gave a snarky laugh, fangs glinting beneath his dark lips. "Speak of the devil."

    Antinstine's fingers twitched at his sides, and he waved a hand at Prada. "Tell Cibil to meet me in the throne room."

    Prada nodded and rushed up the stairs in the foyer. Anti put a smile on his face and splayed out his arms, clapping loudly when he approached the three men. They flinched at the sound.

    "Syl, Ox, Sev!" Anti greeted loudly, voice edging a growl. "What took you so long?"

    "We apologize, sir," Syl rushed to say, pushing up his glasses. He lifted a suitcase, swaying in the slightest. "The traffic in the city—"

    "I don't have time for excuses," spat Anti. He straightened himself, glaring at the three of them. "I hired you. Each of you know my standards."

    The three men were reduced to shakes, clutching onto their suitcases, and Anti huffed through his nose.

    "Follow me," he ordered.

    They walked through the large halls, many Evolveds stepping out of the way as they passed. Most of them knew why these men were here, and many sent them smirks of sadistic satisfaction.

    They walked through a grand opening, which presented the throne room. A red carpet stretched yards away from them, leading up to a throne sat upon a raised floor. Chairs lined both sides of the carpet, and Anti motioned for the men to sit on any one of them as he walked along the carpet. They obeyed, setting down their suitcases with dull thuds.

    Behind them came the click of Prada's heels and the tap of Cibil's bare feet.

    "I have Cibil for you," called Prada, eyes sharp. Anti waved a hand, and Prada nodded, standing at the entryway in silence and guarding with watchful eyes.

    It was quieter here—separated from the rest of the mansion. The chatter was a dull echo now, adding to the severe essence in the room.

    Cibil walked forward with her hands folded in front of her, an eerie silence about her. Her pastel dress hung off her slender body, oddly still. She said nothing, joining Anti's side and staring at the three men through her faded-blue blindfold. They quivered at the sight of her, muttering amongst themselves.

    "In three days," said Anti, snapping the men's attention, "I will have one of the Tear Stealer's Evolveds."

    The men threatened to fall into mutters again, but Anti continued before they could.

    "You three will live here until I'm done with you," he said. "When I call for your services, you will come immediately, without question, and drop whatever you're doing." He walked down the aisle, and the men straightened themselves as he passed by. "Now, I'm merely repeating myself because I have doubts you three even read the contract I gave you."

    He turned around to pace down the carpet again, every step of his feet making the men's hearts beat a little faster. He then stopped in the middle of the carpet, standing right in front of the seated men. He turned to them, blue and green eyes flashing, sparks seeming to flash out of them.

    "I will make myself clear," hissed Anti, glaring down at them. "If you make me doubt you again, I will eliminate you. I will make sure no one else will ever want to hire you." He tilted his chin up, fangs gleaming threateningly. "To disappoint me would be destroying everything you've ever worked for. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir, yes, sir," said the men in frantic squabbles. Anti gave an amused scoff and glanced over at Cibil. She walked forward and joined his side again at the mere glance.

"My sister, Pearl, and I will be your keepers," said Cibil, voice quiet and withdrawn. "She will lead you to the laboratory whenever you're called for. If Antinstine is unable to spectate your tests, I will."

The man in the middle, Ox, swallowed, his lizard-like eyes shifting nervously. "S-sir—this Evolved... will they be comatose when we work on them?"

Cibil gave a slight frown, the future flashing before her eyes, but said nothing. Anti didn't notice, flashing a smirk.

"Preferably not," he said. "It depends on how strong they are." His eyes gave a sadistic glimmer. "I'd rather witness their expressions as you work on them."

The man on the right, Sev, fumbled with his hands. He pushed back his stringy hair. "W-we've read the contract quite carefully, sir," he said, glancing aside. "But—even so, what you're asking of us—i-it's very—"

"Illegal," said Syl, the man on the left. He pushed up his glasses. "We respect you, sir, very much—and we hold you in extremely high regard—" Ox nodded as Syl spoke. "But even with an Evolved of your status, there's still a code we have to follow. Conducting such tests is... well, it's unorthodox."

Antinstine rose a brow at the men, and when he took a step forward, they straightened.

"I will give each of you a chance to leave right now," breathed Anti, leaning over so his breath fanned over their faces. They trembled. "Do. Not. Question me."

He lingered there, glaring at them with his face inches away, and Sev seemed to falter the most, caving under the pressure. Anti and the other two men glanced at him.

"I-I know I signed the contract, sir," said Sev. "B-but I—"

"Leave," Anti seethed, turning his full attention to him. Sev yelped and nodded, grabbing his stuff and standing.

"Leave the bags," said Cibil, taking the words from Anti's mouth. Sev swallowed and set down his suitcase, bowing his head and glancing at the other men before hastily making his way out of the throne room.

Anti stood straight and flicked a hand towards him. A jolt of electricity flew from his hands and streaked past Sev's head, bouncing off the walls and down the halls. Sev yelped and scurried off.

Anti sighed and brushed off his hands.

"Such a shame you're the only good scientists in this godforsaken country," spat Anti, glaring at the two remaining men, Ox and Syl. Anti turned his head towards the entryway, motioning for Prada to come forward. He obeyed, standing tall with his horns sharp and menacing.

"Take their bags to their rooms," said Anti. Prada obeyed, carrying the luggage and stepping out of the throne room. Anti motioned for them to stand, and they quickly obeyed.

"Before you rest for tonight, I'll show you the laboratory," said Anti. Cibil tagged at his side with little interest, having seen this scene before in her own head. Ox and Syl stayed close together, still slightly shaking.

They walked out of the throne room and into the foyer again, turning into the middle hall. Anti briefly stopped, pointing at the stairs.

"Your rooms will be up there," said Anti. Prada was heading up those stairs with a swift grace, his motions elegant and precise—almost doll-like. The scientists nodded, and they walked under the balcony and down the middle hall. There were less Evolveds roaming the halls at this time of night, so it was much quieter and more open. Every one of their footsteps echoed throughout the sloping angles of the mansion.

The floors shifted from pristine marble to something more gruff and worn, and the hall opened up to reveal the conservatory. It was a wall of glass that reached the ceiling, allowing the moonlight to pool in and charge the crystals within the mansion. An energy thrummed through the building, and the scientists trembled. It only fueled Anti.

"Sir," said Syl as they walked through the glass doors, pacing through the sunroom-like building. It was a large enclosure, made entirely of glass and filled with aisles of beautiful, thick plants. The moonlight seemed to energize most of them. "I have a few questions about the—Evolved."

They weaved through a bushel of tree-like plants, pushing back the dense leaves like curtains. The only light came from the inside of the mansion or the moon above, and the scientists stumbled in the slightest.

"Go on," said Anti.

There was another door that led to the outside of the conservatory—a large expanse of neatly-kept yard that seemed to go on endlessly. It stretched on and on, and groomed hedges kept the enclosure private.

"When we test on the Evolved—where will they stay?" asked Syl. "They would—certainly have their own... rooms, yes?"

"The Tear Stealer's scum deserves no respect under my roof," said Anti with a smile. Up ahead, neatly nestled beside the mansion garden, was a large building—not very tall but long, stretching along the expanse of the hedges.

"Well, sir—what Syl is saying," said Ox as they neared the laboratory, "is that... w-we need a healthy patient to test on." Anti glanced over his shoulder and rose a disinterested brow. "Even if this Evolved belongs to the Tear Stealer, they need adequate rest. A—a proper bed and a place for privacy."

They entered the longhouse, and Anti pressed his hand into a metal box by the door. There was a moment of silence before the box sparked with blue streaks, and then the lights turned on in one large wave. The scientists squinted at the sudden bright lights.

Ox made an attempt to continue his point. "If the patient is too stressed, the... procedures won't work."

Anti walked down the hallway, passing lab tables, drawers, and other outlandish items.

"I'll think about it," said Anti, rubbing his hands together. He turned around and smiled, fangs gleaming. He splayed out his hands again and motioned towards the endless tools in the building.

Cibil sidled up to the scientists, and they wavered at how close she was.

"You have everything you need here," she said. She paced down the hall, running her fingers along the lab tables. She pulled her hand away and rubbed some dust off with a hum of distaste. "These devices are all new, never used." She glanced back at them through her blindfold.

"You will spend most of your time here—conjuring whatever formula, serum, or poison Antinstine desires for the day." Even though the words pained her to say, she knew not to bend the future. Her visions would not fail.

Cibil pointed to a desk beside the metal box at the entrance. "You'll check in everyday at that table," she said. "That's when we'll know you need the lights."

She glanced over at Antinstine, who gave her a satisfied, twisted smile.

"The testing room's further down," he said, the anticipation clear in his voice. The scientists nodded, following after him and Cibil. Glass vials and bubbling tubes glinted under the fluorescent lights, and needles seemed to be everywhere. It intimidated the scientists, but not as much as it would the soon-to-come Evolved.

The endless lines of lab tables and herb-filled cabinets suddenly stopped, and the floor dropped a few feet down. There were steps lining the perimeter, and Anti walked down, his heart pounding as he ran his fingers along the metal table in the middle.

Its smooth surface glittered under the lights. Clean, new. Anti walked around the metal table and held one of the four leather straps attached to it, petting it like an animal. A grin curled on his lips.

"The patient goes here," said Anti, voice almost dreamy. He tugged on the leather binds, imagining the Evolved restrained against this very table. "I made sure it'd be as uncomfortable as possible."

"What if we're given a stoneskin o-or a superstrength?" said Ox. "Leather isn't enough to restrain them."

Anti chuckled at that, and he stretched out the leather strap. The buckles on it clicked menacingly.

"I paid a great deal to have these enchanted," he breathed, eyes glimmering. He then put his own wrist in the leather and restrained himself tightly, tugging a few times to show his point. "No Evolved can escape."

He clenched a fist, and it sparked blue with electricity. The bolts attacked the leather, but it didn't burn. No matter how brightly his hand glowed with power, the restraints wouldn't budge.

Anti smiled as the lightning faded from his hand, and he undid the restraint, gazing over at the scientists with half-lidded eyes.

The leather was intact.

"Any questions?" breathed Anti, eyes sparking.

Syl and Ox glanced at each other, then shook their heads, staring at Antinstine. He gave a satisfied smirk, rubbing his hands together to calm the energy from his hands.

"Very well," said Anti. "We'll have fun tearing apart Dark's little friend."

They began to walk back out of the longhouse, and Cibil muttered under her breath as Anti said the same words on his own accord:

"Make me proud, boys..."

Thank you so much for reading, my dears!

What are your thoughts so far?

Have a wonderful day and stay safe out there!

-Kass