Snake - Dela's P.O.V

Slowly, I opened my eyes viewing the lights on the ceiling, some of which slowly moved into and out of the main electrical load that produced the light energy. Sitting up, I looked around and realized that there was nothing blocking a bit of my vision. That was normal to me.

I touched my face and proceeded to my head while speaking in a half-asleep voice, "Oh... I had tied my hair." I got down from my bed which was in the far corner of the room and walked through the mechanised door into the bathroom on my far left.

The lights were turned on automatically the moment I entered and the first object I approached was the mirror. I stared at my worn out face for a while,"Ah yes, I was tasked with finding data on alien wolf genes." Water began to flow out of the tap after it had sensed my palms.

Quickily, I washed my face and untied the thick thread that held my hair together. It felt better now that my hair had covered most of my face... especially my left eye.

I'm Dela of the crimson sky clan and a member of the branch family of the royal tree. We weren't really special at all despite having links to the royal family even though we had the task of safeguarding the legendary crimson sky sword for generations. Right now, the sword isn't in the hands of my family and a dirty scum was to blame.

I touched the part of my hair that covered my left eye and a feeling of regret welled up in my chest.

*Ring*

The sudden sound stole my attention. "Reveal.", a screen appeared before me and there seemed to be an unread message. The moment I focused on the icon, it opened on its own and revealed the message.

" Lykana:

Meet up with the others in the arena.

6:12am"

Without wasting anytime stalling, I took off my clothes and proceeded to the bathing system. The warm water from above me rained down, cleansing my skin and providing some kind of relaxation, "I had forgotten all about the meeting.", I sighed.

I got out into my bed section and went towards another door. It had the symbol of a slitheryon, an extremely rare alien snake that lived in the uninhabited southern forests on this planet, 'the great mass'. Behind this room was my mecha suit which was mainly created from the scales and juices that the slitheryon secreted.

Upon recognising my palm, the sensors authorised my entry and unlocked the door. The juices of the rare snake possessed extremely strong compounds that oddly lubricate objects... they used it to make swallowing easy but if a bit gets into the body system during lubrication, it will either destroy it or improve it. This actually fascinated many scientists since this phenomenon didn't make any sense. If what was meant to make digestion easier may end up increasing the odds of losing their prey, why do they use it?

There was a panel in the middle of the room and the only light source. I slowly removed my towel, exposing my body and walked onto the panel. A quick body scan was taken almost immediately.

-Body temperature: 36.5°C (Optimal)-

-Immune system: Strong-

-Body acids: ... reducing activity... reduced-

-Respiration: Normal-

...

...

...

-Killing cells... one million killed-

-Cell replacement... one million replaced-

-Injecting slitheryon acid-

-... Mecha suit tranformation complete ...-

My body began to ring with pain as the suit formed to fit my body. The moment I was released from the panel's scan, I fell to the ground and spat out blood. "I.. I'm getting weak every day.", I got up slowly and supported my body on the nearest wall while struggling to wait for my body's system to respond.

"Hm...", I gave a little smirk when my body began to flourish with energy. "I'll have to hurry now.", I stood firm on my feet now and left the room, taking my left down the hallway and into the elevator at the far end.

"Aunt! Aunt!", a tiny female voice cried out.

As I turned to look back, she lost her footing and fell into my arms. This little girl with long caramel hair was in her mecha training suit and she seemed to be finding it difficult to walk with the heels beneath her feet.

"Are you okay?", I inquired.

"Y-Yes, thank-", she looked up and gasped. "S-Snake's eye mecha suit!", she was even more terrified when she locked eyes with me. "Miss Dela! I-I'm so sorry!", she looked down.

"What are you doing on this floor?... it's restricted to students.", I walked closer but stopped when I noticed that she was shaking violently. "Perhaps, I'm sounding too serious.", I thought. "Don't be afraid.", I offered my hand.

She looked at it and then slowly into my eyes. Her fear slowly disappeared.

"Let's walk together.", I smiled.

She reached out and I grabbed he hand. We walked into the elevator together.

"What's your name?", I kept staring foward as the doors closed.

"I-Ignitia ma'am", she said under her breath.

"Scorx huh.", I looked at her. "You're from the planet scorx... experts at utilising heat energy for many things."

"Yes!- Sorry ma'am.", she looked down.

I had had enough of her unnecessary fear and formality at that moment, "How old are you?"

"15 ma'am.", she answered.

"Okay then, from now on you shall call me sister since I'm only 4 years older.", I smiled and gave her head a pat.

"Huh? but... how can I? You're my superior and I'm even supposed to be punished for staying with you for 5 seconds!", she somehow seemed a bit confident.

"W-What?", there was a bit of silence until my laughter completely destroyed it. "I-I-Is that what t-the other children say about us?", I couldn't stand laughing. I had to support myself on the elevator walls. The way she had made her face so certain was both adorable and funny.

"W-Why are you laughing?", she blushed.

"It's no-", the eleator had reached the training section and stopped, revealing the huge training arena with many students practsing suit control.

One would think that I was paying attention to the students however that was the partial truth. My sight was fixed on my reflection through the glass wall. What I stared at wasn't me, it was monster... a human with the eyes of a snake, red as the crimson colour of blood. Slowly, fangs appeared in the mouth of my reflection.

Was I truly seeing it or was it an illusion?

Within a flash, a slitheryon emerged from the reflection's mouth and lunged at me. My vision was engulfed completely, leaving my vision only in darkness.