The deafening sound of metal crunching and glass shattering filled the air as the semi-truck and car careened into each other, their momentum carrying them towards the construction site.
The semi-truck with its massive frame towering over the tiny car, groaned and creaked as it veered off course, its tires screeching in protest. The car, a mangled wreck of twisted metal and shattered windows, bounced and skidded along the ground, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. The two vehicles barreled towards the construction site, the workers scrambled to get out of the way, their shouts of warning drowned out by the cacophony of destruction.
The semi-truck rumbled ominously plowing it's way through barriers and debris. The ground shaking beneath its massive wheels. The car turned into a crumpled heap of twisted wreckage, spinning out of control before slamming into a pile of concrete blocks with a sickening billowed from the wreckage, mingling with the dust and debris of the construction site.
The air was thick with the acrid stench of burning rubber and gasoline. The truck driver was deceased, the extent of the damage to the front of the truck was too severe for his body to withstand. His body was contorted in ways that seemed impossible until witnessed firsthand.
The truck was transporting a container that was well guarded, surrounded by nanotech-infused metal that appeared to resist most damage during the crash, keeping the unknown contents safe and undamaged.
Sounds could be detected coming from within the truck. A loud thudding against the walls as though a creature was trapped inside. Despite the heavy protection on the exterior of the container, the interior was not as secure. The banging noises grew louder, causing large dents in the metal to protrude until a big hole broke open in the truck.
Inside, there was a peculiar metallic liquid substance oozing out. It wasn't just any liquid; it appeared to be made up of thousands, if not millions, of tiny metals condensed into atomic particles forming into a small puddle. The liquid metal seemed to have a will of its own, flowing around the wreckage appearing to be searching for something like a food source until it eventually noticed something. It seemed to be sensing its surroundings, even though it lacked a nose.
A young boy, Lucius, was lying on the ground unconscious bleeding with broken arms and legs. He was covered in bruises, blood seeping from his body and his limbs twisted in opposite directions. The large metallic pool was observing the boy, even though it had no eyes.
It moved slowly towards Lucius, moving along the ground like a snake to avoid the debris from the crash. It made its way to his body, moving towards his mouth and then it happened. The metallic liquid entered his mouth and went into his body.
The liquid slid through the boy's throat, entering his body and was assaulting his cells. The liquid strangely began mutating his red and white blood cells into small fragments of metal. Not only that, but all the crucial nerves and cells in his body were undergoing a transformation. This process did not appear to be happening without purpose, it seemed that the liquid was spreading throughout the boy's body to break down and assimilate. However, an issue arose.
The boy's body started to resist the foreign substance, halting the spread before it could progress further. The metallic liquid panicked with nowhere else to go and found itself trapped.
It was stuck and if it didn't act, the boy's body would eventually refuse it and cause it's death. With no other option, it sought refuge in areas of the body where it couldn't be destroyed - the heart, the brain, and the boy's left eye. The heart and brain are crucial parts of the human body, the immune system couldn't access them and the eye was a location where the immune system couldn't penetrate.
With the metals now flowing through Lucius's veins, it turned out to be more beneficial rather than harmful. It worked quickly, much faster than expected. The metals present in his cells went unnoticed by the body since it somehow functioned normally. The metals caused Lucius's body tocontinuously purify itself, eliminating any harmful bacteria and diseases at a constant. The metal cells cooperated intelligently, working together with incredible speed to heal his fractured limbs and bruises as if the injuries had never happened.
The metals appeared to be a sophisticated form of technology and acted independently. If they had let the boy bleed out, the metals would also perish with him.
Lucius's eyes snapped open, fully healed, he sat up surprised to find himself without any injuries. "What happened just now? Didn't Caden and I just crash..." he paused abruptly in realization, his eyes widening with panic. "That's right, Caden was with me!" he exclaimed before he sprinting towards the crashed car.
He sprinted at a speed he had never reached before, resembling an athlete. Yet his mind was so preoccupied that he failed to be aware of it.
He came across the wrecked car smashed into a stack of concrete blocks, no longer in its original pristine state. "Tch," Lucius muttered in frustration. He then noticed his brother unconscious in the driver's seat. Lucius gritted his teeth, knowing he had only one option to rescue his elder brother. "I'm on my way to save you, Caden!" However, before he could take a single step towards the car, the engine ignited into a massive fire.
Seeing this he understood that he had only a brief moment to rescue his cherished older brother before the car coud explode. The car was entirely powered by advanced technology, which mean't it would explode entirely on its own within seconds. Despite the dangerous situation Lucius rushed in, determined not to lose another loved one after already losing his mother.
For a brief moment that felt like it dragged on forever, the time counted down until reaching its final second.
"Caden, please don't die. I've already experienced significant losses and I can't bear to lose everything!"
Lucius cried out in despair, exerting all his strength, but it was unavoidable. Destiny had already been determined and nothing could alter it. It appeared that Lucius was destined to experience the loss of his brother, much like he had with his mother.
His was already destined to go through constant sorrow and grief.
"If only I had power, the power to control fate itself and change this cruel world. If only I had more time!"
Just then when he shouted for hope, his wishes were granted. In the moment before the explosion, time began to decelerate. The explosion came to a gradual halt, the air stood still and even the Earth's rotation slowed significantly. The construction workers who were reaching out for help froze in place. Everything in the world, including time itself, came to an almost complete standstill. Everything except for Lucius.
Indeed, Lucius was seemingily unaffect by the sudden gradual slow in time. He halted upon realizing the situation. He exclaimed in confusion, his face reflecting curiosity, "What is happening here?" He suspected it might be a tasteless joke, asking, "Is this a prank of some kind?" A mysterious voice responded, "This is no joke... Lucius Von Imperius, the son of the Empire's Lord and Japan's princess." The voice seemed almost unreal, resembling that of an robot.
Lucius looked around in astonishment, scanning his surroundings to locate the source of the echoing voice however, he couldn't spot anyone nearby. "Who are you and how do you know that name?" he inquired, opting to keep his composure since he was uncertain about the situation unfolding before him.
"I go by the name Prototype 1, but you can refer to me as P1 and I know of many things about you, Lucius Von Imperius. I know that you feel hopeless, confused, having lost everything and above all, your desire for power."
Lucius furrowed his brow, wondering how his thoughts were being read. "What do you want from me?!" he yelled, not denying what the voice said.
"Lucius Von Imperius, I am presenting you with a proposition: I can give you what you desire most, what you seek and what you long for - power. And all I ask for in return is one thing."
Lucius, despite experiencing something supernatural, inexplicably found himself trusting the words spoken by the voice. It felt as though he was being strongly influenced even though he had no prior memories or knowledge of such occurrences.
He grunted, "Why should I trust some unfamiliar voice in my head? I could be losing my mind for all I know!"
"You have no alternative, so it would be more sensible to take the risk, otherwise you and your brother will be caught in the explosion."
The voice made a valid argument, highlighting the difficult situation. Lucius acknowledged this by nodding before responding, "Alright, I agree to your offer P1! But what are your terms?"
"My wish is for you to survive, Lucius, no matter what and in return I will bestow upon you the power of kings!"
The voice echoed yet again, this time with a harsh tone that seemed almost magical. At that moment, Lucius felt his entire genetic makeup being manipulated, turning into something never seen before. The intricate threads of his essence, once set in stone, unraveled and realigned like pieces of a puzzle, forming like an unbreakable string of webs. It was then that a profound change occurred deep within the boy. His left eye began loding it's shade, transforming into something different. His once formerly dark iris gradually fading away into something metallic.
The eye itself had be encased in a metallic frame, resembling the hands of a clock, with gears and cogs visible underneath the surface. The iris, a deep, rich shade of midnight blue, reminiscent of the night sky with tiny glowing lights scattered throughout like stars.
The eyelashes were thin, delicate metal wires, curling gracefully around the eye and adding to the mechanical aesthetic. The skin surrounding the eye were smooth and flawless with a faint shimmer of silver running through it, giving the impression of brushed metal.
As the eye moved, the gears within the frame would shift and turn, creating a soft ticking sound that only the wearer can hear. When the eye blinked the hands of the clock would sweep across the surface, marking the passage of time in a mesmerizing display of precision and grace.
Not aware of the exactly how long time would be slowed, Lucius promptly rushed to the driver's side of the car where his brother layed unconscious, noticing that the door was entirely torn off, possibly from the impact of the crash. Without hesitation he picked up Caden and carried him on his back before hurrying away from the radius of the explosion.
His eye which is in the form of metallic clock, with the hands moving slowly until it reached ecactly ten seconds. At that point time returned to its usual speed. Lucius was amazed, his eyes reflecting the scene before him as the car exploded into countless pieces that drifted past him.
It wasn't only that, but time had reverted back to its previous state all over the world.
"I have to be dreaming right now..."