As David returned to the estate, he took in the scene with quiet satisfaction. The estate was thriving, with towns expanding and technology advancing at an impressive rate, yet he knew that true power and progress demanded more. He allowed himself a few days to settle back in, observing and evaluating the people and their work with a discerning eye.
After some days of quiet observation, David called for a gathering in the central hall. Word spread swiftly, drawing scientists, engineers, front-line soldiers, and officials into a grand assembly. Among them were not only the most brilliant scientists who had broken boundaries in their respective fields but also soldiers whose valor had won battles, some bearing scars and others with permanent injuries from defending the Howlett estate.
David walked to the center of the room, his commanding presence bringing an immediate hush over the crowd. Behind him, aides presented carefully prepared dossiers and charts, marking the estate's most notable achievements in science and technology and honoring the names of those who'd made sacrifices on the battlefield. As he began to speak, his voice resonated with pride and purpose.
"Today," he announced, "we celebrate the excellence, resilience, and unyielding courage that has brought us to this point. In my absence each of you has contributed immeasurably to the progress of the Howlett estate and our dreams for a better future." His gaze swept over the crowd, resting momentarily on scientists with groundbreaking inventions and soldiers with hard-won wounds.
He gestured to a handful of scientists seated at the forefront. These are men the and women who had pioneered new engineering designs, tested daring theories, and produced innovations beyond expectation of the current norm. Then he turned to the soldiers, his tone growing solemn.
"Those of you who've fought bravely to protect our land, those who have paid a heavy price and bear the marks of your courage," he said, his eyes on the warriors with missing limbs, bearing scars that told of battles fought and won, "your sacrifices for the well being of the Howlett estate do not go unnoticed."
David extended a hand, and aides brought forward containers filled with a silver, metallic substance. It is the essence of the techno-organic virus which he introduced as 'transformium'. He explained the living-metal's power, detailing how it would not only enhance their mental and physical abilities but also grant them regenerative properties and potentially boundless capabilities. "The techno-organic nature of the transformium is a gift, a reward for the best of the best among us. It is an invitation to become something greater, to possess power beyond the reach of most."
As the first of the selected recipients received the techno-organic virus, the room seemed to hold its collective breath. Scientists, soldiers, and officials alike watched in awe, fascination, and a hint of fear as David placed a small amount of the silvery, lustrous substance into the hand of Dr. Otto, one of the estate's pioneering engineers.
Dr. Otto, once a slightly frail man with thinning hair and eyes weary from countless hours of labor, felt the substance surge into his veins with an almost electric intensity. His body tensed, muscles flexing involuntarily as the virus began to flow through his bloodstream, igniting an energy that seemed to both consume and renew him. The onlookers could see his skin ripple as metallic fibers spread out beneath the surface, threading through his veins and musculature, weaving a new layer of organic machinery throughout his body.
Otto's hunched frame straightened as strength seemed to return to his bones. His vision sharpened, his mind felt alert, and his hands, once plagued by the slight tremor of age, now moved with precision and power. The transformation took only moments, but when it was done, Dr. Otto stood taller, his eyes gleaming with a new clarity.
Thin, dark lines of circuitry traced his skin, following the contours of his veins in a metallic shimmer that caught the light as he flexed his hands experimentally. Then with a thought his skin returned to its previous state like nothing happened. If you look at him, you'd believe if he said he's not even forty years old. 'How do I explain this to Anna?' He thought in a daze.
"Good man!" David patted Otto's shoulders and approached a man in a soldier uniform, Captain Harkins, he lost an arm in a battle with the vampires just months earlier. The captain's heart raced as he held out his remaining hand to receive the virus. As David administered it, Harkins felt a rush of energy flood his body. His veins pulsed, glowing faintly with the dark substance's energy.
Before the eyes of those gathered, the stub of his arm began to twitch, shuddering as the virus worked its way through his cells, building metallic bones, tissue and machinery at once.
The crowd gasped as they watched an arm reform before their eyes, a perfect blend of flesh and metal, seamless and powerful. Harkins stared and touched his restored limb in disbelief, flexing his new hand, feeling strength he had thought lost to him forever. Tears began to flow from his eyes uncontrollably as he began to express his thanks to God and to the Howlett estate for not discarding 'liabilities' like him.
As more soldiers received the virus, the transformations varied, each adaptation tailored uniquely to the individual's needs and strengths. Sergeant Liao, who had once relied on crutches after a severe injury, felt the virus course down his legs.
Muscles that had long since withered now pulsed and swelled with life, laced with a lattice of dark metal that reinforced his bones. He discarded his crutches, taking a step forward with renewed strength and perfect balance. He moved faster, smoother, his new limbs almost humming with energy.
Another scientist, John Newlands, gasped as his body began to adapt. His senses heightened; he could feel the vibrations in the air around him, hear the faintest sounds, and even see details sharper than ever. His hands glowed with faint metallic tracings that allowed him to interface directly with the tools and machinery that he had dedicated his life to creating. It was as though he had been designed to work seamlessly with the technologies he'd once only manipulated.
As each person transformed, the onlookers couldn't help but notice how their appearances subtly changed. Eyes brightened, skin hardened, senses sharpened. Those who had lost parts of themselves in battle or to the ravages of time were now whole again, stronger and more capable than they had been before.
Some of the soldiers bore marks of battle like scars, burns, missing limbs yet the virus healed these without a trace, integrating the damage into their new forms. If they so desired, scars can be turned to faint metallic lines that glowed softly, as if these were badges of honor transformed into marks of power.
An example of this is a soldier whose face had been marred by shrapnel now bore sleek metallic etchings across his features, accentuating his rugged appearance, while another whose eyesight had failed with age now could see with laser-like precision, his eyes gleaming with faintly metallic flecks.
As the last recipient stepped away from David, transformed and revitalized, a hush fell over the room. The atmosphere was charged with both reverence and awe. These men and women had become something greater than human, fused with technology, their bodies vessels of strength and resilience. David looked out over them with satisfaction.
"These transformations are not merely gifts," he said. "They are responsibilities, symbols of the greatness we can achieve when we push the boundaries of what we think possible. You are the pioneers of a new world, the first of many who will lead our estate into a future where our strength knows no bounds."
Each of the scientist and soldier in attendance who accepted the transformation felt a mixture of awe and pride as this event signified the fruit of their sacrifices. "With this gift, you will become leaders among our people, examples of what we can achieve. Together, we will create a future that will surpass even the grandest of visions."
After ensuring the transformation was stable, David left the hall and made his way to the outskirts of Zama City, where the reports of a vampire infestation had been rampantly plaguing the outskirts for days. It wasn't long before he found James and Victor, entrenched in a violent battle with a group of feral vampires who had ventured too close to the estate's perimeter.
Howlett soldiers fought them off to some extent due to their counter weaponry but the physical disparity between the two species proved hitting the vampires with the bullet or the dagger can be quite challenging without engaging in a formation. Many soldiers are injured as they bled from the attacks. there are also those who lie on the ground leaving an empty husk.
Blood and guts littered the ground in a melee between two groups. The sight was visceral, a scene drenched in blood and gore, lit only by the eerie glow of the vampires' red eyes. James, his figure looming and formidable, swung his claws with deadly precision, each slash slicing through the air and finding its mark.
Blood sprayed as he tore into the chest of one vampire, ripping it open with raw power. Meanwhile, Victor was like a whirl of brutality, his fangs bared in a savage grin as he gutted a vampire from neck to navel, spilling its entrails onto the ground. "Come to me you fucking bloodsuckers! Come and get some!" He began taunting.
*Shkkk* John appeared from out of nowhere and impaled an unsuspecting vampire in his claws before lifting it up and tearing the poor bloodsucker in half. He opened his mouth and received the blessing of blood and guts. He opened his mouth laughing.
David watched with interest, his brothers alone can without a doubt decimate their opponents. Their soldiers on the other hand will all die with nothing to show for it. He sighed as he stood in the air. There's a bit more tactical precision than their previous performance but their animal instincts may be preventing them from performing with peak efficiency.
He could see the strain beginning to wear on their soldiers as the vampires, who had a taste of immortal blood, fought with frenzied vigor. One vampire, faster than the rest, darted toward James, its claws extended to tear into his flesh. James twisted, dodging, but not before the creature's claws grazed his shoulder, drawing a line of dark blood.
"This fucking bast-"