Chips Fall Where They May

    Dr. Niell Tanner couldn't feel more amused than seeing the famous Reina Dominique look baffled. It was one of his goals to actually see her shocked and surprised, actually. Besides presenting his project and claiming its success and the glory for him alongside it, he wanted to see the daughter of her professor shocked. Tanner loved catching people off guard. And the presence of Ansel Price, the proof of his success, had helped. He felt his smirk widen as Ansel Price approached his side, looking blank—just like he wanted her to be.

      Tanner's eyes roamed the whole room, seeing the shock on the Liberators' identical faces. Excitement filled him. Right after this meeting, he will be known, he will be famous. He will be honored and thanked for bringing the biggest chance of humanity to survive. He spread his arms wide, welcoming Anael's blatant presence as she approaches him. Now, everyone's eyes are on the girl, except Reina. The young woman was still looking at Tanner, her eyes holding such emotions that Tanner couldn't quite put out. A mixture of shock and awe, maybe.

    He looked around proudly, a wide smile etched on his lips. "Yes, gentlemen," Tanner said in a smooth voice. "Anael Price, one of my subjects, the proof of the success of my—our project. She surpassed everyone in her batch as a former agent, was specialized, and finally volunteered to be one of NEXUS Labs subjects."

     Anael's eyes flashed with confusion, and Tanner could almost guess the very questions that are playing inside her head. No one told her what she was in her past life, and Tanner has no plans to actually tell her much. Right now, Anael was his way towards his vision and the new version of himself. He will be honored. And what's more important than honor? With it comes along respect and fame.

     Tanner's eyes met Reina's, challenging her to say something against him. In the previous minutes, she was winning the Liberators over, telling them how dangerous Tanner's project is, but now, the tables have turned. Being the best student of Tanner's boss, her professor, she was, in a way, a big distraction. Tanner tried to take her professor's spot, his boss, as the chief advisor because he knew it was for him, but Reina talked some sense from the higher-ups, and then his chance was gone. He always wanted to Aegis's advisor, to spread his knowledge and let them know that he was a man of science, of knowledge and brilliance, but it was gone.

     Now, another change took place. He's not going to waste it. Shaming Reina Dominique herself, proving her wrong, and winning the Liberators over in just one single day will make him euphoric.

     Reina Dominique stirred on her seat, glancing at Anael Price who's standing still beside Tanner, a blank look on her face. This is it, Tanner thought, a smirk playing on his chapped lips. He watched as Reina looks at the Liberators cautiously like she's forming sentences inside her head. He never saw Reina like that before, it was amusing. Finally, Reina's look hardened, her lips set into a hard, straight line.

    "How can you be so sure?" Reina asked finally, taking Tanner's challenge.

    "We have studied Anael Price ever since the experiment started. She was abnormal, unlike any other. Her progress will shock you, and I have Mr. Christopher for that. He saw how impressive and shocking Anael is." Tanner said, nodding at the man who was mimicking Tanner's thin smile. "In the third phase, where we let the subject adjust with the gods' characteristics, we realized that Ms. Anael Price didn't even have to go through such thing. Every characteristic, the strength, and the power, she matched the god implanted in her. Like what I just said."

    "Where's the proof?" Soren Zhang, the leader of Theios itself, asked. "We can't just believe in your words without actually seeing something. No one knows if you're telling the truth, even with Christopher Larson himself at your side."

     They all nodded, except Reina who seemed fixated on Anael Price.

    Tanner does the explaining all day. The process, how the god's core implanted in Anael and her DNA seemed to match and dance with each other, filling every empty space of each or how fast she did it and manage to stay alive despite being injected with a blood poison, but he figured that showing it to them will be much effective and faster than telling words and actually making them understand. The fast way to make a pea-minded person to understand things was to show instead of telling.

    He didn't answer Zhang's question and looked at his project, Anael Price. She knows what to do, but Tanner could admit that this was the hardest part. Price just got out of his lab, and she was adjusting, not with her current state, but at the confusion of what's happening. Her mind was been cleaned out and it would be hard for her to show what Tanner wanted her to show. But she had to.

     Anael's eyes flashed with confusion and slight panic. Tanner nodded as encouragement.

    The room was silent for almost like an eternity, all their eyes on Anael Price that almost looked like a ghost. God, Tanner thought. Don't tell me she doesn't know what to do? Tanner almost—almost tried to call out to her when it happened.

     Everyone's jaw dropped when wings suddenly sprouted from Anael's back. It was razor-sharp, like a wing made from millions of blades and swords, shining gold under the cold lights of the room. Slowly, gold liquid materialized, staring at her stomach until it covered her full body. It was later they realized that that gold liquid hardened, serving as her armor, and Tanner couldn't help but marvel at the beauty in it. Two sharp, golden blades that Tanner could swear that was made from Anael's flesh sprouted just at the pulsing vein of her wrists. It grew until it finally looked like a long, glowing sword, with intricate black silver lines glinting on its edges.

    Anael's usual deep amethyst-colored eyes turned into a  dangerous shade of glowing gold with red around its edges. She looked like nothing Reina had imagined and showed at them. She looked marvelous, beautiful, and regal. Like a  holy being descending from the heavens. Or maybe from space. Aliens, as the Old World called them.

     The golden plates, the curves of her armor, fitting her body, was exactly how the god implanted in Anael looked like. A Skywalker, a Primer. An A-type god. It was a human-figured god with golden wings and a golden body. It was feared by its nature, by the way, it kills anyone living. A Primer has outstanding speed and strength, with deadly sharp weapons they can materialize at will, but most of the time, they kill with the sharp edges of their wings. There were many things Aegis didn't know about them, for they're wary and rarely shows themselves.

     Even Tanner's knowledge about the Primers was lacking and limited. They rarely attack the people outside the walls and even with their gigantic wings that can obviously reach the wall's peak and descend right on the four-part of the walls, not even one showed themselves. They're absolutely capable of murdering each and everyone inside the walls, but they didn't.

     It was beneficial for Tanner to choose its core for Anael personally. Choosing that type of god for Anael, he can know more about the Primers. But if Tanner knew from the start about Anael's impressive progress and

    Behind all the beauty and the marvelous golden-covered body, Anael looked confused at herself. But Tanner didn't mind what Anael was thinking, all he was focused on was the shocked, amazed and afraid faces of the Liberators and Reina Dominique. Some shook their heads, some rubbed their eyes and some shrank back to their seat as they stare and study Anael's new shocking form. Tanner himself can feel it in the air, the power that she was exerting. There was this big tug on the air, an invisible force sucking the energy in the air, sucking their energy, their breath. The others may not notice it because of shock, but Tanner can feel it. It was incredible. He was exhilarated.

     Tanner watched as the others take in Anael's new appearance. Her gigantic, golden, and metallic wings, the curves of her golden armor, and the sharp edges of the gold on her shoulders. Even with the fear in their eyes, Tanner can see that they were marveling, like how you marvel and wonder at things you haven't seen before, a treasure that no one found.

     "Unbelievable..." Tanner heard Orion Pazel mutter under his breath, fixing his glasses and shrinking back onto his seat. "This.. this was nothing like I imagined."

    "This is nothing like everyone imagined." Tanner corrected, shifting his eyes on Reina who still looked like she's trying to keep her jaw from dropping. But there still was this calculating look in her pale eyes. "As you can see, this is the look at the total harmony of both kinds. A god and a human. She's the proof of what I was saying. With that so, I'm absolutely sure that I can say no danger will come from them. From my project."

    "The others.." Soren Zhang said, gulping. "do they.. look like this?"

     "Yes, of course. But not in their fullest form." Tanner answered proudly. "They can wield the power of the gods, use them to slay their half-kind. But as I was saying, not like Anael Price. Anael Price can herself be in almost full form. It will be risky to try such a thing, but I believe that in a matter of time and practice, not only her but also the other subjects, can do it. Despite being in the humanoid form of the gods in them, their human minds and self, I believe, will be in control. But with the gods' power. Isn't it.. amazing?"

     Before anyone can say anything, the glowing golden metallic wings disappeared in a flash of light. All the eyes snapped back to Anael, who appeared half-naked in front of them. She was covering herself with the straps of garment left on her body. If she was ashamed or scared, Anael did a great job to cover and mask up any of her emotions. Her eyes turned back to its normal color.

    "If you'll excuse me." She said in a monotone, nodded at Tanner, and got out of the room. Everyone's eyes followed her until she was out of sight. Tanner was kind of disappointed, but it was enough for the Liberators. He now caught their attention.

     "As you have seen, Anael Price has full control of herself. No harm was done, and I'll tell you, gentleman and women, that there'll be no such thing as for the 'getting out of control.' They won't cause us any harm. In fact, and I hope you realized this already, that they are made to protect us.  They were people turned into the newest and strongest weapons of humanity against the gods. With them, we have our chance to survive and overtake the gods." Tanner said proudly. He looked straight at Reina, who still had her lips set into a hard, straight line. "Don't you think so, Ms. Dominique?"

     Tanner's words echoed across the room and inside the Liberators' minds. They were nodding at each other, a sign that Tanner waited for what feels like an eternity. Tanner was winning them over just as he thought he could. Well, how can anyone deny the words that I have said? He thought to himself. No one. He felt the same pride that he felt when Christopher Larson had visited him at NEXUS Labs, but the pride that he was feeling now was exhilarating. He can almost see herself sitting with the Liberators, having a nice chat with them, and actually ruling the whole Den.

      But such a thing won't happen that fast. Tanner wanted more. He won't stop until every last one of the people left on planet Earth will know his name and honor his greatness. Such a greedy thought, yes, but Tanner didn't care about that. It was his ambition, his dream. He needs to impress the Liberators and the bloody and useless citizens of Arcane, too. He'll emerge from this room's door successful at winning some of the Liberators over, and the next thing he will do was to win the citizens over. There'll be no need of Defenders or soldiers or any weapon. He will make sure to make them feel safe, and from that, his legend will start.

     For what seemed for a moment, Reina finally said, the look on her eyes hardening."It's still dangerous. You basically mixed another creature that despite being on Earth for hundreds of years, we still lack knowledge about it.  Price's form represented a Primer. What knowledge do you know about those beings, Mr. Tanner? Who knows what she's capable of?"

     Tanner almost rolled his eyes and swore under his breath. He was hating how convicted Reina Dominique was. How stubborn.

     "She's capable of saving us. They all are! Can't you see where I am coming from, Ms. Dominique? They will save us from this era. I will. If you think that my experiment is risky, no one is stopping you. But all we did, for hundreds of years, was to play safe, hidden inside our big walls that' that is slowly crumbling away while the gods kept evolving and getting stronger every passing moment. If we don't take this risk, our own aegis will kill us. Our own shield. Our sanctuary I'm helping to prevent it. I am preventing it. I respect you, Ms. Dominique, I really do. But your knowledge about the gods won't save us. As you said, they are lacking. Years are spent, Ms. Dominique and our specie are slowly fading away. Can your knowledge about the gods and their origins prevent that?"

     Tanner watched as Reina's lips part and closed it again.

    "No," Tanner answered for her. He turned to the Liberators, fighting down a snug smile. "I hope you all realize the sense of what I am saying, gentleman. If you still think my project is a risk, then it's a risk worth taking. Deep down you know that this is what everyone needs. It's our only hope. Not the Defenders or the soldiers or our weaponry against the gods. This is what we only need."

     "I agree with Mr. Niell Tanner, gentlemen." Christopher Larson said. "And I think it would be foolish to decide otherwise."

     "I'm still not sure about it." Soren Zhang muttered bit it didn't matter. He's sharing the same look as Reina. Hard and calculating, like they're expecting that there'll be someone or something coming at them. "But I think it will be best to let them to their purpose for now. It will be a test for them, and if anything happens, I'll do anything I can to  put a stop on it."

     It was Orion Pazela's turn to share his thoughts. From all the Liberators, Orion Pazela was the one that Tanner both liked and hated. He was weak and an actual scaredy-cat that's also the thing he liked about him. He was easy to manipulate, and Tanner can use that in the future. The weakest minds are the easiest to manipulate.

     "It is.. terrifying." Pazela started. He was starting to relax in his seat ever since Anael Price left the room. "But I agree with Mr. Tanner. Such benefits should not be ignored. And we all saw the proof of his success. If it's for Arcane and if it will increase the chance of our survival, then why not? I just hope that they won't fail us, or die or something..."

    "It's foolish," Struther said. Everybody looked at him in an instant like they've been electrocuted. Then a grin spread on his face. "But awesome. I'll take the risk that you're presenting, Niell." and that's it. No reasons why and no one asked.

     Arthur Struther talked to him so casually it actually took Tanner off guard. He never met someone so laid back in such meetings, and to think that this man that he heard about before is a Liberator was just plain shocking. And even at first,  he had a bad feeling about him. Such casualty in a way, dangerous for Tanner. He got to be wary of Struther. But, regardless of he's thinking, he nodded thankfully at Struther. Struther, still with his old-man grin, nodded at him, too.

     Now, let' save the best for last, Tanner thought as they all look at Reina for her opinion. She may not be a  Liberator but with her knowledge about the gods and other things that Tanner didn't care about as of the moment, her opinion was important and heard of. Actually, right now, her opinion didn't matter. Even if she disagrees commencing of the god carriers will still be continued. She would be against the majority. But Tanner was enjoying the look on Reina's face.

     "My opinion about this is obvious." She said, eyeing each and everyone inside the room. Then, she stared straight at Tanner. "I am not convinced. I am against it. This idea is lunacy itself. You may have won the Liberators' mind and convinced them but not me. I'll do anything to prove you wrong, Mr. Tanner."

     Tanner couldn't help but ask. "Please, do as you wish."

     Niell Tanner got back to NEXUS Labs with a big and proud   smile on his face, with Anael Price trailing behind him, still saying nothing. The young woman appeared blank and emotionless ever since she came out of her pod, Tanner noticed. He couldn't help but remember subject zero, the first one he had worked on. He was not as successful as Anael, but he was proud of him. He wondered where he is right now, maybe stuck under the ground and working for Aegis or serving as a guard. He doesn't know. He remembers that the moment his experiment on him finished, he had the same look on Anael. Blank and accepting.

      Vincent used to call him obsessed with his project, but the guy doesn't know anything at all.

     "Can you believe it?" He asked Anael, flashing a great big smile. The same smile he used to win people over. To convince them that he's trustworthy, a good man. "You did great. They took our side. It's all because of you."

     "I did nothing but to reveal my monstrous self, doctor," Anael replied, gazing forward, towards the great big glass doors of the main space.

     "Monstrous," Tanner scoffed. "You were a god hours ago. A marvelous one. You made their jaw drop. And have you seen Reina Dominique's face?"

     "I have," Anael said shortly, nodding.

     "I can repeat her look inside my head all day." Tanner sounded pleased. Anael kept quiet. "Anyway, I suggest that you go with Vincent. He knows what to do with you. And if you ever feel something is wrong with yourself, don't be afraid to ask us. Your attacks are becoming more and more frequent. It will be such a shame if we need to put you inside your pod again."

      It took a moment longer for Anael to answer. "Yes, doctor." and then she parted from Tanner.

     Tanner didn't waste any time and decided to go to the two subjects. Ygnil Bard and Shiina Mashiro. If Tanner remembered it correctly, the two are friends with Anael Price back in their days in Aegis where they worked as agents before volunteering to be his subjects for the gods implanting project. From all the volunteers and the ones that NEXUS handpicked, only the three passed the aptitude test.

      When he descended and finally got in the lower part of NEXUS, Tanner met some of his workers along the way, some congratulating him, some just nodding at him as an acknowledgment. I'm about to save their asses, Tanner thought. When Tanner was about to reach the reposal room for Ygnil Bard and Shiina Mashiro, Diana Sandoval came up beside him silently.

     "Mr. Tanner," She said, nodding but looking ahead.

     Tanner was more pleased to see Diana Sandoval than the perky and cherry Vincent Chase so he nodded at her as a form of acknowledgment since his project became successful, he never really saw his assistant around, which will set Tanner off if any normal days, but then again, he's in a good mood.

     "Ms. Sandoval," Tanner greeted back.

     "How did the meeting go, doctor?" Sandoval asked with her usual cold voice. "Did it went well?"

     Unlike Vincent, Tanner was more pleased than saying things to Diana Sandoval. She's not demanding, and it allows Tanner from saying whatever he likes without side comments, the complete opposite of Vincent Chase. Tanner liked her for that, he liked her for her silence and reserved self.

     "It did," Tanner said proudly, a smile etching on his chapped lips. "They were shocked. Especially Reina Dominique. It was pleasing to look at their faces. The Liberators decided that it will be best to stick with my way, and really, I think they couldn't say an absolute no. In a matter of days, the god wielders will be known and be put into test outside the walls."

     Sandoval nodded, "I expected no less from you, doctor."

     Tanner's smile widened as he nodded, pleased. When they reached the room where Ygnil Bard and Shiina Mashiro rests, Tanner was greeted with blinking and cold blue lights from the side of the two subjects pods, meaning that they're conscious. Two images of sphere-like figures appeared from thin air showing the vitals of the two subjects.

      Tanner marveled, shooting a look at the pods. "When did they make this much progress?" He asked, his heart pounding. Just like Anael Price, the two subjects are making impressive adaptations and progress while managing to merge their selves with the gods' core.

     "I must say that it took a while for them to show their true potential. We chose them well." Diana said, impressed.

     "This is amazing." Tanner murmured to himself.

      It was better compared to what he actually wanted to happen. Lady luck is by his side. With the two subjects showing impressive progress and adaptability, it can erase the doubts from the Liberators and prove Reina Dominique wrong.

     Although, it makes sense. When the three took the aptitude test, they all had the same results, the same potential. But it didn't matter to Tanner about who had the most potential, all he cared about are how the three can serve as his ladder towards the Liberators.

     A grin etched itself on Tanner's lips. Just a little bit more, he thought. And everything will fall in their places.