Chapter 30: The Horror Awakes

After many apologies, Ferral and others returned to their work. Everything went as scheduled, taking about the week that Ferral anticipated after all. During this time, he tried to be more friendly with the others. It was going well. However, Ferral didn’t want to get too attached; it’s not like he’d see any of these people again. He would make small talk or join them for lunch, but never got too personal.

“So, you’re married, huh?” Everett nudged him while they worked. Ferral nodded, “Yeah, we have two beautiful children. A boy and a girl.” Everett smiled, “That’s wonderful. I’m married too, my wife and I adopted a boy not too long ago.” Ferral looked at her, surprised. “Wife? That’s…I thought…” He lost himself in thought, while Everett chuckled. “Guess I should’ve told you I was bi beforehand, huh?” Ferral squinted his eyes, “She bought you?” Everett looked at him, confused and somewhat offended. “What? No.”

Leona walked over laughing, patting Ferral on the shoulder. “Oh, Ferral. Never change, buddy.” Everett and Leona walked off, leaving Ferral completely confused. Arimin tapped the table for Ferral’s attention. “Bi is short for bisexual, my friend. Means she goes both ways.” Ferral’s expression was as if he had discovered gold. “Really?” He leaned over the table, “I didn’t know you could like both genders, I thought it had to be one or the other.” “Really? Huh, I’m actually quite surprised.” Ferral shrugged, “I’m not too familiar with sexual orientations. By the time that topic reached my study list, I had become too caught up with other things. Never had the chance to get to it.”

In the very early mornings, Ferral and Leona would train for about two hours. The guards had gotten used to seeing the two heading out, even beginning to enjoy watching them spar. It was free entertainment for their long shifts. The main goal of their training was to break through the ceiling of Super Full Power. It was a task that was easier said than done. Their previous evolutions were achieved through very intense training and sometimes mixed with feelings of rage or agony. They tried to apply the same logic again, but that only got them so far. Only their eyes would change, and even after that, they would burn and cause them immense pain.

“Maybe this is just as far as we can go.” Ferral said before dunking his face in the bucket of ice-cold water, they began to bring to cool their eyes. “It shouldn’t,” Leona scoffed, taking the bucket. “There’s no way.” She dunked her face into the water. “I’m not sure what exactly we were doing wrong then.” As the two contemplated, a silver colored jeep was driving up toward the west gate. Curious, they raced back inside.

“I assure you, everything is going according to plan,” Armin said. He walked with two other men. Both in the service uniforms of their respective countries. One from America, General Davis. The other right here in Germany, General Weber. “We’ll have it completed by tomorrow.” They caught sight of Ferral and Leona heading over to them.

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!” General Davis exclaimed, “What the hell are these two giants?!” “Armin, erklär dich!” General Weber added, “What are these freaks doing here?!” Armin quickly stood in front of them, “They are the experiments who came to help us. Mr. Ferral and his bodyguard, Ms. Leona.”

“F-Ferral?!” “Der Höllenhund?!” They demanded answers from Armin. “They’re here to help us! They won’t harm anyone!” “Tell that to the countless lives that have died by this monster’s hand!” Weber sneered. “We’ve let you do some stupid things, Armin.” Davis hissed, “But this? Not this time.”

“I can assure you, we have no intention of harming anyone.” Ferral spoke up, “We would’ve done so already.” The two generals weren’t too convinced. “Man sagt, es sei fast fertig?” Weber raised his chin. Armin nodded, “Yes, and if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have made nearly made the same progress.” Davis humphed, “This conversation is over, Armin. We’ll deal with you later. As for you two…” He glowered at the two, “We’ve got our eyes on you. I don’t know what Armin sees in you, but don’t think for a second I’ll trust you, furry freaks. Especially you!” He pointed at Ferral. Ferral scoffed, ignoring him. Keeping their gaze on Ferral and Leona for a little longer, as they turned and walked off. Ferral leaned over to Leona, “Would anyone really be upset if I killed them?” Leona smacked his shoulder.

Armin let out a long sigh, “You guys have some timing,” He ran his right hand through his hair, “Well, at least that didn’t go as bad as it could’ve.”

The rest of the day was nothing but work. They had finally finished the machine; now the only thing left was to make the cure itself. It required various unusual fluids, but the main thing was freshly plucked fungi. They made sure to be extremely careful handling it. After dumping all the ingredients, the group could leave while the machine does all the work. In the dead of night, Armin got up and went to check on the machine. He wanted to make sure everything was working fine.

He entered the room, and to his surprise, saw Ferral working on something. “Mr. Ferral? What’re you doing in here at this hour?” “Working.” Ferral replied, setting down a large knife from the kitchen. “W-Were you going to attack me?” “Aren’t you glad I picked up your scent first?” Armin let the door close behind him before continuing their conversation. “You still didn’t answer my first question. What on Earth are you doing?” As he got closer, Armin could see Ferral had six vials in a rack on the table. Each one was filled halfway with a red liquid.

Then he noticed the cutting board with some chopped-up red mush. “What is this?” Armin examined the table, walking to the other side. “The future of experiment evolution,” Ferral said, taking a pipette filled with a purple liquid and squeezing two drops into each vial. “I don’t understand. What are you trying to do?” After Ferral was finished, he set the pipette down. “I’m creating a safer way for an experiment to awaken. Instead of being forced to undergo some berserk transformation, I’m utilizing the formula we used for the cure but tweaking it in a way that’ll do the opposite. Instead of killing off the animal DNA, this will strengthen them.” Ferral took the board of red mush and the knife, scraping off small bits and having them fall into the vials.

“The fungus is quite fascinating in how it interacts with an experiment's body. Figured while it’s still kicking to put it to some other good use.” “Why didn’t you just tell me that from the start?” Ferral shrugged, “I wasn’t sure how you would react.” “What if I reacted in a way you didn’t approve of?” Ferral placed his hand on the table, giving Arimin a threatening smile. “Then we wouldn’t be having this talk, and you wound’t be standing.” He winked.

Ferral took the vials over to another table, putting a cap on each one and picking them up one at a time, and shaking them. Armin didn’t know how to react. Ferral looked at his upset expression. “Oh, relax, Amrin. I’m only joking…kinda. Besides, I’m not doing anything dangerous.” Armin shook his head, “You’re terrible at telling jokes.” He joined Ferral at the other table. Ferral was now pouring the mixed liquid into the small holes of a tiny sphere-shaped mold. Once he was finished, he took the tray and placed it into a specialized freezer in the left corner of the room.

“Alright, those should be done before we leave.” Ferral stretched. The two stood in silence while the machine and freezer hummed. “Ferral, can I ask you something?” Armin asked, sitting on a table. “What is it?” “What was my father like? I’ve heard very little about him, and I didn’t have enough personal experience with the man to make a guess.” Ferral leaned against a wall, looking at Armin.

“He was…cold, and calculated. He didn’t care for people; hell, he told me he hated humanity almost the same as my father.” Armin’s head drooped, “I see…” He sighed sadly. “But,” Ferral continued, “I do remember him telling me something before he died.” Armin lifted his head, curious. “He said, ‘I hate humanity, but I have a wife and son. At least there’s something for me.’” Ferral’s face softened, “You and your old man aren’t too different. Sure, he was a bad person, but his fascination with experiments is something you share. Of course, he did want to sell us off to fight in wars, so I guess that doesn’t help. And he didn’t exactly treat others right…”

Ferral trailed off, making Armin laugh. “You’re so bad at this.” He smiled. Ferral stopped and chuckled, “It’s never been my specialty. I’m usually the comforted, not the comforter.” The two laughed. “Well, then I guess I wasn’t missing out on much,” Armin remarked. “But, at least I know he somewhat cared about me.” Ferral walked over and patted Armin’s back, “I’m positive he’d be proud of the man you’ve become. You know, in his own weird little way.” Armin chuckled softly, “Thank you, Mr. Ferral.”

Back in Australia, the morning sun peaked over the horizon. At the abandoned facility, the tank was surrounded by the fungus. Inside, a fully formed adult man rested within the blue liquid. His skin was a light grayish color, blood red hair flowed gently in the tank. A green light on the left side of the tank flashed, and a loud beeping sound went off. The man’s arms and fingers twitched until his eyes shot open. He shattered the glass door with his fist, the liquid spilling out. He smacked and kicked more of it away until falling out and onto his hands and knees.

He wheezed, gasping for air. His eyes open wide; pitch black sclera, crimson irises with white pupils. He stood up, looking fascinated at his hands. The man’s entire body, aside from his eyes and hair color, was the same as Ferral’s. He grinned with joy, throwing his arms in the air and letting out a psychotic laugh. The man stumbled out of the facility, stepping on the grass. He chuckled through a grin, lifting his head into the air and letting out an ear-piercing and horrific inhuman roar. The sides of his jaw ripped open as his cry sounded throughout the entire jungle.