The next day had arrived when I'd met up with Kyra and Cynthia. We all came to the building designated by General Michael, where we were supposed to be introduced to Garren by Overseer Uriel.
[ A.X.A. Testing Facility ]
—The building label had read.
Upon entering, we were all brought through layers of security before finally reaching the innermost part of the building. There, we would find what was called Chamber X. It was a large white testing chamber that could be overseen as tests were conducted inside. Standing just outside its entry was a tall individual wearing a white lab coat. I'd never met him in person before, but I immediately recognized who it was.
It was Overseer Uriel.
"There you guys are!" He called us over. I was excited to know he recognized me. Then I second guessed, and realized he'd probably just recognized the more well-known Kyra.
We gathered around the window he stood at. He looked at us with energy. "I was scared Michael might have given you guys the wrong address! But finally, the ninth division is all together! I'm so excited to introduce you three to your fourth member, Garren."
"Where is he?" I asked.
Overseer Uriel pointed through the glass, into the chamber. Standing at the end of it, I could see a male standing still. He was wearing would looked like a thick, yet tight jumpsuit that covered his whole body from neck to toe. His hair was disheveled, and he seemed a little shaken-up.
"Why is he shaking?"
"Don't worry about it. It's all a part of his Fractal. You'll see. That's what you came here for." Overseer Uriel quickly ran to the control room, giving the scientists permission to begin the tests in Chamber X. When he ran back to us, he eagerly looked through the window.
"It's beginning," he said.
Into Chamber X walked a dozen Angels, all clad in their combat suits.
"Angels?" Kyra was surprised to find them somewhere other than in an infantry. "What are they doing in there?"
"They're part of the test for Garren's Fractal." Overseer Uriel tapped the window. "Just watch. Focus."
The Angels that entered had began to circle around Garren until they eventually had him all surrounded. They each took a step back as if they were ready to pounce.
Beep!
An alarm in the chamber sounded, signifying the beginning of the test. At the same time, each Angel leapt from their positions towards Garren. They tackled him from all angles simultaneously, beating him into the ground as they piled on top.
"What—?!?"
The sight caught each of us by surprise, except for Overseer Uriel, who watched carefully unphased.
"What are they doing?!" Kyra asked. "Help him! Somebody help him!"
"Shush," Overseer Uriel told her. "The test isn't over yet."
"What kind of test is this?" Cynthia got scared. "I thought you were just going to show us his Fractal?"
I watched in horror as Garren's body couldn't even be seen anymore beneath the pile of Angels. I thought I was witnessing a horrible accident. But at the same time, Overseer Uriel seemed far from bothered. He watched it happen as if he'd expected this. It terrified me.
"Is this supposed to be happening…?" I asked.
"Bingo!" A grin grew on Overseer Uriel's face. "Watch! The good part should be coming up soon."
Suddenly, blood erupted from beneath the pile. I watched with horror assuming it was that of Garren's. That was until absolute chaos ensued. Out of nowhere, a flurry of thin slashes began serrating through the Angels' bodies, slashing through their limbs, and spraying blood everywhere.
"What the—?!?"
The Angels began dropping in succession. My mouth hung open as I watched Garren rise from beneath the pile of twitching Angel corpses. His hands in particular were completely lathered with blood. I noticed his eyes were bloodshot, as he trembled in what seemed to be a triggered state. He looked around the chamber frantically, but couldn't seem to find what he was looking for. He began to scratch at his jumpsuit endlessly, and that's when the alarm sounded again.
Beep!
It stated that the test was now over. In that moment, Garren suddenly fell to the floor. He'd knocked out on his own, unconscious, the state of agitation finally ending.
I was speechless. I didn't know what I'd just watched. I didn't know what to say.
Overseer Uriel brought the focus back to him, and away from the bloodbath in Chamber X. "So? How was that?" He asked, nonchalantly, as if we were supposed to just ignore what had happened. Each of us to our own were unable to speak. We didn't even know how to respond to his question.
"Is Garren okay…?" Kyra asked.
The concern took Overseer Uriel by surprise. "Of course he is! He always faints after using his Fractal, so don't mind that. It uses a lot of energy, so it's expected."
"What even is his Fractal…?" Cynthia added on.
"It's his nails. They're indescribably hard, even more-so indestructible. Think of your hardening Fractal, Cynthia, but apply it solely to the nails. With such solidity, it can cut through flesh like a knife. That's what his Fractal is."
Hearing that made me frustrated. Not because of his Fractal in particular, but because no one was addressing the elephant in the room. I chose to.
"12 Angels just died in the testing chamber. Garren killed them..."
"Yeah, and?"
Overseer Uriel's lack of concern shocked me. "What…? I'm saying that 12 lives were just lost in that chamber! Why is this being overlooked? Was that supposed to happen? Wasn't that unintentional?"
"It was most definitely intentional," Overseer Uriel reassured me, which unassured me.
"You're saying that those Angels were meant to go in there and die to him?"
"Yeah! Yes!" Overseer Uriel smiled. "Anyways, me and Michael wanted to give you a glimpse of what you'd be dealing with by having him in your division. Think of him as insurance in the case that you get caught in a dangerous spot. Otherwise, good luck in finding the Sin of Discrimination!" He began to walk away.
As Overseer Uriel got further and further down the hall, away from us, I felt my mind fall deeper and deeper into confusion. Even after I'd expressed my concern about the shocking event that just happened in the testing chamber, he only glossed over it, even claiming it all to be intentional.
"12 people died just so we could watch Garren use his Fractal…?" I looked back into the chamber, watching as they carried his unconscious body out. Nothing was making sense to me.
"I'm deeply unsettled," Cynthia said. "That wasn't at all what I was expecting. I don't think I've ever seen A.X.A. use its own members like that."
"They sacrificed their lives for the sake of a test!" I stated it. "You're telling me that 12 Angels willingly chose to die just for a test!?"
Kyra was silent. She seemed too dismayed to speak. Cynthia spoke in her place. "Didn't the General say that as long as there's a command, the Angels will do whatever…?"
What she said sparked a memory in my head. I remembered watching Sixth and Tenth's infantry stand docile while Melysia's border was on the line during the war. It reminded me to what extreme extent the Angels were trained to follow orders. "I can't believe the Angels are willing to go that far… It's absurd."
"I know," Kyra said. "But they've always been like that…"
I turned to her. "Are you saying that you aren't shocked by what happened in the chamber just now?"
She stuttered. "I am… It's just better not to question it. From what I can tell, A.X.A.'s Testing Facility has always done this kind of thing…"
I sighed of frustration, trying to relax myself. The other two could tell I was phased. Cynthia tried pushing optimism. "I mean at least we know Garren can take care of a large crowd if it ever comes down to it. He seems pretty strong."
I tried my best to ignore the alarming feeling that was rising inside of me. I tried. I tried really hard.
"I guess, yeah…"
I couldn't tell if it was just the initial shock of seeing something I hadn't expected, or if it was a sensation I'd been holding back all this time. It felt like I'd turned a blind eye to many things during my time with A.X.A.'s military. But this time, it didn't feel like I could just ignore something so viciously upfront.
"Was it just me, or did he seem scared at the start?" Kyra finally pointed out something else that was on my mind. "He was shaking."
"The way he acted at the end too," I said, recalling his frantic state.
We all tried to handle one another's feelings but couldn't tell what to think.
"Let's just meet him and see how things go." Cynthia made a suggestion. "Maybe we can reassure ourselves more about the tests by asking him about it directly."
I nodded, still unassured. Considering the state Garren was left in after the testing, it didn't seem like we'd be starting any of our own progress on Operation Zenith that day. So we agreed to all meet tomorrow with Garren and proceed from there.
I went home. My head was filled with uncertainty.