Bor·bo·ryg·mi!
"Ahh!" I groaned, holding my belly as it made a nasty sound.
I felt a biting pain I could barely ignore. The feeling made me wish I could find any food, even if it was raw meat soaked in blood. Unfortunately, the coyotes were completely vaporized by the beam.
I sincerely wouldn't have minded snacking on those two sickly beasts.
[Careful. We Xenovians are carnivorous by nature, but with the power to Devour, I became something worse.]
I nodded in acknowledgment as I began walking up the slope leading to the cave exit.
"What exactly happened to you?" I couldn't restrain my curiosity anymore. "I've seen so much about the royal Xenovian lineage, so how did someone with such status and power become a voice?"
...
I was expecting an answer, but there was silence. This only made me even more curious about the matter, but also frustrated because I had no means of forcing the voice to speak to me.
[I can't tell you that. At least not now...]
My face lit up as I heard the voice, thinking I'd get an answer, only to be disappointed by the response.
"Can I ask why?" I pressed on regardless.
Since I was stuck with this voice, it was necessary I knew what it was and the kind of life it lived before its current predicament.
[Even though knowledge is power, it's best that some knowledge is left untouched until you are ready to receive it. If not, it will be counterproductive.]
Hearing this, I couldn't help but nod in agreement. That's why the government usually hid some information from the people—to prevent a nationwide panic.
"Okay, but I have the right to know what you want in exchange for the power you gave me. What is that?" I asked with a hint of suspicion in my voice.
[Even though I cannot disclose this yet, all I can say is that you will be going against the leaders of the entire planet.]
Leaders of the entire planet?
Strangely, I wasn't afraid, nor was I unwilling to do this. These were the same leaders that brought back slavery, which ended up taking Mom and Dad's lives.
Why would I have a problem going against them?
Sigh!
I could only sigh at the response and continued moving. I hoped I would get a more detailed answer on how to do this, but since the voice said nothing else, I could only shove my questions aside for now and walk in silence.
[What are you planning to do?] the voice asked as I drew closer to the edge of the mine.
"To save my sister... That's the main reason I agreed to your offer in the first place," I responded.
[I see...] the voice gave a dry response that left me a bit suspicious.
"You don't plan on stopping me?" I asked.
[Why would I?]
"Because it's dangerous and one man can't defeat a horde of beasts. I doubt you gave me this power just to have me die the same day," I speculated.
[Let me explain something to you. Aetherium meteorites are an important resource to humans and beasts alike. Entering here was a stupid move because the beasts were bound to come here.]
"Ooh…" I blinked in shock and realization.
It turns out my brilliant plan was one of the dumbest things a person could do.
But how was I supposed to know?
I'm just a slave with little knowledge of the world and how it works.
[The horde of beasts is made up of different species who begrudgingly banded together to wipe out the human occupants in this part of Ohio, to seize control of these mines and strengthen themselves. Do you think the government is going to give up such an important location to these beasts?] the voice asked, leaving me stunned.
"Wait… Hold up! You're trying to tell me this beast horde attack was a planned attack by animals?" I found it hard to believe.
The thought of beasts gathering to discuss the attack in "beast language" sounded so unreal to me.
[Foolish human. Underestimating anything and everything will be your downfall,] the voice scolded harshly.
[Before the night of the Blue Death, animals were smart—just not as smart as humans. Now they have been mutated and upgraded. Do you really think they haven't gotten smarter?] the voice asked, causing me to freeze.
"But why would they want this place so badly?" I couldn't help but ask.
[I would have asked if you'd been living under a rock, but considering where you've been living, it makes sense that you know nothing.]
"Can you just answer the fucking question without cursing?" I rolled my eyes and began walking toward the exit of the cave.
[The beasts that attacked are no different from humans like you who failed to awaken abilities. But unlike humans, animals are far sturdier and more resilient. By monopolizing the excavation site and exposing themselves to more Aetherium, they hope to force a second evolution—this time awakening abilities.]
"Beasts can have abilities? The hell?" I blurted out.
[Humans are nothing special.]
Damn! I couldn't help but admit my pride was hurt by that statement.
"So you're saying the government must have dispatched reinforcements to reclaim the area?" I returned to the main topic.
[The region has already been reclaimed while you were asleep. The only reason they haven't come here yet is probably because they're counting their losses and dealing with the dead.]
At that moment, I walked out of the cave, and just as the voice had said, there were corpses littered everywhere and soldiers moving from body to body, kicking them to make sure they were dead.
Seeing someone suddenly emerge from a cave startled them, and they all pointed their weapons at me. But strangely, I didn't panic. I glanced at their faces one after the other before speaking.
"Don't shoot." My voice was more of an order than a request.
"A kid?" they sounded surprised.
"It's a slave..." a cold voice rang from afar, causing the soldiers to quickly form a neat line as a man walked through.
The man was an imposing figure. His broad shoulders and chiseled physique spoke of a lifetime of rigorous training. He wasn't too bulky, but he wasn't slim either—he just had the perfect build.
He wore a sleek, black battle suit like everyone else but without a helmet.
However, what caught my attention most was a scar that ran jaggedly beneath his left eye. It gave him an intimidating look that would easily make anyone quiver in fear.
But I just stood there, looking him in the eye like he was another slave from the slums. At this point, I knew something was off with me.
Emotions like fear had become nearly non-existent in my life.
The man walked up to me, sizing me up in silence. After a while, he turned around and began walking away like I was trash not worth his time.
"We don't need such feeble young men when we can ship able-bodied men from other territories to resume mining here... Kill him," the man said with a shrug.
Just like that? I blinked in surprise.
Like, he didn't even consider letting me grow or interrogating me. To him, I was no different from the many lifeless bodies laying around.
[Quickly! Tell them about your ability!] the voice in my head boomed as the soldiers turned toward me, pointing their guns.
"I AM A GUARDIAN!" I barked, fists clenched.
My words made the soldiers freeze, and they looked to the man—who also paused. He slowly turned and looked at me with doubtful eyes. Only those with unique genes gained abilities, and these genes were mostly hereditary.
While there were cases where people with powerless parents were born with abilities, it was extremely rare. However, if what I said was true, he would be rewarded handsomely for bringing another Guardian into the fold.
"What did you say?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I have a special ability," I said, locking eyes with him.
"Then prove it." The man pulled out a handgun and aimed it at me. "You better not be wasting my time."
Heh!
A mocking smile spread across my lips. Getting threatened didn't sit well with me. For some reason, the boy who happily ate tasteless porridge was offended by the words of the men who'd suppressed him all his life.
Did this fusion make me inherit the pride of royalty?
Because this is not me!
Regardless, I shoved those thoughts aside and lowered myself, placing my hand on the ground.
At that moment, I felt a call from the earth—and I accepted without hesitation.
Instantly, I felt something flowing into my body, spreading through me like warm liquid.
"Ooh?" The man's eyes lit up with pleasant surprise as he watched the earth cover my skin like armor.
Pulling my hand off the ground, I looked at my rocky palms with genuine surprise. Even with this earth armor layer, I didn't feel heavier or slower.
I felt no different from before.
"Aaah, noble Guardian!" a voice called out.
It was a soldier—but this time, he wore a friendly smile like he'd just met an old friend. A complete 180 from his initial attitude.
"I am Sergeant Major Skull. Welcome to America..." the man said as he put away his gun and stretched out his hand for a handshake.
Shameless motherfucker.