[One-Shot]
“The outside world says us Blood Raiders lack a heart… That claim is untrue, I obviously have a heart inside me beating away, producing blood like any other human being… The difference here is that unlike them, I look deeper into my own heart. Look deeper into the blood that it pumps into my veins and see the untapped strength locked away inside it. The strength 'they’re tried to hide from me! From others… Well, it be selfish of me to keep this knowledge to myself.”
- Lord Atox
“Don’t be afraid little one, it is safe to come out.”
February 3rd YC 124
Cargo hold of a Bestower-Class Industrial in deadspace - The Bleak Lands
“Lord Atox, our men just reported back, so far they’ve managed to round up Thirty-five of the passengers thus far. As well as fifteen slaves.”
“And the rest?”
“Fled to living quarters and emergency shelters. Strike teams are split up trying to cut into each holdout right now.”
“How long?”
“Shouldn’t be any longer than 10 minutes, milord.”
“Good. Let the tension get their hearts running… Send word to the bleeders aboard my ship. Have them make preparations.”
“Figured as much and already sent word to them, milord.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“… I’d suggest you be careful in trying to impress me, Sergeant. It can be hazardous to your health…”
“M-My apologies Lord Atox!”
“Very good. Won’t have any delays then… Any update from the quartermaster?”
“Quartermaster reported that the slaves are just now bringing the first crates from this hold to the ship only a minute ago.”
“Have the slaves we captured given to the quartermaster to hasten the process.”
“Of course, milord.”
“We plunder as much as we can from the hold, and leave immediately once the holdouts are in tow.”
“Another fifteen minutes, if our readings are accurate. And that’s assuming the holdouts don’t have any defenses on the inside.”
“We have time.”
“… Assuming our readings are right, milord… Lord Kegamot is among the passengers.”
“… Is he?”
“Strike Team Bravo picked up his biometrics when getting a scan of the emergency shelter they’re cutting into.”
“For your sake Sergeant, I do hope your readings are right as I do not like being teased with ‘assumptions’.”
“T-The new version of the scanning equipment is cutting edge, remarkably accurate and reliable milord! We should have Kegamot soon for you, milord.”
“About time, me and him have a lot of catch-”
< Create falling over >
< Sergeant reading his weapon and aiming at the crate pile the crate fell off >
“Stay behind me, milord!”
“Probably just a fedo… Go on Sergeant, investigate… I’ll remain here.”
< Sergeant cautiously approaching crates >
“Sometime today Sergeant…”
< Sergeant pushing aside stack of crates >
< Small boy shrieking >
“Ah! We found a stray milord! A child!”
“Interesting…”
“I’ll have him brought back to the ship mi-”
“-That won’t be necessary, Sergeant…”
“M-Milord?”
“Come back over here Sergeant…”
“…”
< Sergeant walking back over to Lord Atox >
“…”
“…”
“Don’t be afraid little one, it is safe to come out.”
< Small boy peeking over knocked over crate >
“…M-Milord is this really necessary? I can just dra-”
“-Question me one more time Sergeant, and it will be you I send to the bleeders…”
“…O-Of course milord. I apolog-”
< Atox hushing the Sergeant >
“Come out little one, I mean you no harm…”
“… It’s afraid milord.”
“Yes…Of you. Leave us. Relay my orders and join strike team bravo, ensure Kegamot is taken alive…”
“… Y-Yes Lord Atox!”
< Sergeant running off >
“…”
“…”
“… The scary man is gone now, child. You need not be afraid of him anymore…”
< Child cautiously coming out from behind the crate >
“That’s it… Come here. To me.”
< Boy variously walking toward Atox >
< Atox kneeling down to the kid’s level >
“What is your name?”
“…”
“Many call me Lord Atox. However, you can call me Atox.”
“…”
“What happened little one? Why are you out here alone, hiding…?”
“I… I can’t find daddy!”
“You can’t find your father? What happened?”
“The… The ship started shaking! There was screaming! Lights going out! And- and - and people were running! And - and I couldn’t find daddy!”
< Child crying >
“Hey! Shhhhh, Shhh, Shhhh… Everything is going to be alright!”
< Child crying >
“… Do you know about God?”
" < sniff > Y-Yeah?"
“What do you know about God?”
“T-That I can pray to him when I’m scared. W-When I’m Alone or in doubt. And-and-”
“-Have you prayed since you lost your father?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Did you feel better? Did you feel as if God gave you the comfort you were looking for?”
“N-No…”
“Of course… Because God does not waste time with our trivialities. Our weaknesses or vulnerabilities. We need to look into ourselves and find strength…”
< Atox tapping his wrist’s veins >
“In here…”
“What’s in there?”
“Blood my child.The source of our strength.”
“D-Daddy never told me this…”
“Your father hid this knowledge from you… Though no malicious means of course. This is knowledge some people don’t want being shared. If Daddy told you these things, he would have very angry people after him. He hid it from you, because he HAD to.”
“W-Why?”
“Because ‘they’ fear the truth. They fear us unlocking our potential and disrupting their control. Becoming strong enough to break our chains and topple them…”
“…”
“… Here.”
< Atox removing his Golden Vial necklace and placing it in the child’s hand >
"Take this. This is yours now, child. With this, you’ll be safe.”
< Atox closing the child’s hand >
“Don’t ever lose it! Keep it close with you and you’ll never know fear again.”
“B-But I already have a necklace!”
“Hmm?”
< Atox examining the boy’s necklace >
“… This symbol… Is… Is your father, Lord Kegamot?”
“Y-Yeah! Do… Do you know where he is?!”
“… I do. I do know where your father is, child.”
“C-Can you show me? Can I see him?”
“… No. I’m afraid not.”
“B-B-But-”
“-I can only show you the way to him, child. You’d have to go it alone.”
“A-Alone? B-But there are more scary people out there!”
“There is! And you’ll have to get past them all to see your father… Are you strong enough to do that?”
“…”
“… An answer, child…”
“N-No…”
“Do you want to be strong enough?”
“Y-Yeah…”
< Atox standing back up straight >
“Then take my hand. Child. I will lead you down the right path.”
“… Tolo.”
“What was that?”
“M-My name is T-Tolo…”
“Tolo… I like that name. Now… Come with me Tolo, let this be the end of a chapter, and start of a new one.”
< Tolo Taking Atox’s hand and walking away >
“W-What about everyone else on the ship?”
“They’ll be coming with us Tolo!”
“E-Everyone?”
“Yes.”
“W-Where are we all gonna go?”
“Home tolo. We’re going home…”