Cell

In the vast, shadowy expanse of the Palace library, with its towering shelves and the scent of ancient parchment hanging in the air, Shauna and I were surrounded by the weight of countless tomes and scrolls detailing the intricacies of Solar politics. Yet, despite the scholarly setting, Shauna seemed distant, her gaze often drifting away from the texts in front of her.

"There are at least 150 species in the Solar, and we're all separated by diet, appearances, powers, and abilities, among other things," I said, trying to draw her back into our discussion. But she continued to fiddle absent-mindedly with her pencil, her mind clearly elsewhere.

Suddenly, her eyes locked onto a passage in one of the books, a flicker of interest crossing her features. "What is blood trading?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"It's an ancient tradition of the Corin," I explained, shifting my position to lean closer, ensuring she felt engaged. "Some still practice it, but as you'll read on, it's akin to an addictive drug."

"Have you ever blood traded?" Her question came swiftly, her gaze piercing as if trying to uncover secrets I might be keeping.

"No. It's forbidden on Palace grounds," I replied, maintaining a steady tone despite the intensity of her inquiry.

"Really?" She seemed skeptical, perhaps recalling something she had seen or heard before.

I nodded, deciding to delve deeper into the subject to clarify her doubts. "Well, the Corin used it during intimate moments to bond with their mate forever. Once you blood trade with a Corin, both of you are forever connected. At least, that's what the texts claim," I said, gesturing towards the ancient leather-bound books that documented such practices.

"So, why is it illegal on Palace grounds? I mean, if two people want to bond with each other, it sounds like their choice, not the Palace's," she countered, her voice carrying a mix of defiance and curiosity.

"Not everything about blood trading is about love," I cautioned, sensing her intrigue was leading to a misunderstanding of the risks involved. "You could overdose on blood, become your lover's stalker, become obsessed with the one you are doing the blood trading with. There are all kinds of complications that could arise. Keep reading," I suggested, pushing the book closer to her.

Shauna nodded slowly, her brow furrowed as she absorbed the implications. She turned back to the book, her fingers tracing the lines of text as she continued to read. I watched her, impressed by her thirst for knowledge but concerned about the allure such forbidden practices held for her.

Shauna rummaged through my bag, her curiosity piqued by the ancient scrolls I had mentioned earlier. As she unfurled one, her eyes widened slightly, a sign of recognition—or perhaps surprise—flickering across her face.

"Are those the scrolls you were going to show me?" she asked, her voice a mix of excitement and skepticism.

"Yes," I confirmed, watching her closely as she scanned the delicate, aged parchment. Her ability to decipher the text caught me off guard.

"Really? Zeus is a myth," she remarked dismissively, but her eyes remained fixed on the words.

"So, you can read this text?" I probed, intrigued by her ease with the ancient script.

"Yes. It's written in English, right?" she replied, looking up briefly.

"No, this is ancient words, but maybe it's some skill you possess because you are the King's daughter. What does it say?" I asked, a part of me eager to learn more about her seemingly innate abilities.

She returned her gaze to the scroll, her expression turning contemplative. "It claims Zeus created the Earth in memory of his daughters that were taken away from him by his brother. It says one of the daughters would possess powers beyond comprehension."

Her voice trailed off, and she looked up, the weight of the mythological narrative settling between us. "It's a lot and heavy. Even if this is true, this happened millennia ago and it doesn't apply to us now, right?" she questioned, her skepticism mirroring the rational part of her upbringing as a Hominin.

"I don't know. We don't know our origin, so it would be nice to know. Especially for a half-breed like me," I joked lightly, trying to ease the heaviness of the conversation. But inside, I was curious about the implications of such myths and their potential links to our current realities.

Shauna handed the scroll back to me, her eyes lingering on the text. "This could just be a story, Cell, but what if it's more? What if there's truth to these old legends?"

Her words hung in the air, a challenge to the boundaries between myth and reality we both had come to accept. The possibility that the tales of gods and ancient powers could hold some kernel of truth about our present was both thrilling and daunting.

As we sat there, surrounded by the musty smell of old books and the quiet hum of history, I realized that Shauna's connection to these stories might be deeper than either of us anticipated. Whether as a diversion or a deep-seated part of her heritage, the mysteries of the past seemed to be woven inexorably into the fabric of her destiny. And as her friend—and perhaps something more—I was determined to help her unravel the threads of her true identity, wherever they might lead.

 I watched her for a moment, trying to gauge the right words to break through her reverie.

"What's wrong?" I asked, leaning closer to catch her eye.

She snapped out of her daze, fixing me with a look that held a mixture of resolve and mischief. "Nothing, how about a date?" she proposed, her tone light but her eyes serious.

"A date? You mean somewhere that isn't your room. Why?" I was genuinely surprised, not just by the suggestion, but by the casual way she dropped it into conversation.

"I don't know. A reporter asked me if I was dating this morning, and I didn't know what to say. We haven't officially gone on a date since I took you to Earth. Now, it's your turn to show me what you love," she explained, her words tinged with a challenge.

I hesitated, aware of the potential complications. "This will not sit well with the council—two crossbreeds on a date on Eminence, and one could possibly run the Solar one day... I think you should consider running it past your father," I suggested, trying to mask my own excitement at the idea with a tone of responsibility.

"Okay. I will," she acquiesced, stepping closer to seal her agreement with a kiss. Our lips met briefly, the connection sparking a warmth that flooded through me.

"Well, I see it didn't take long before you two got together after the singing party with each other," came a voice, dripping with disapproval. I turned to see Hawk standing there, arms folded, an unmistakable look of disdain on his face.

Shauna rolled her eyes at the sight of him. Without a word, she collected her things and strode out of the library, leaving an awkward silence in her wake.

"Wow, and the 'Block' of the Year goes to," I muttered, unable to resist the jab.

"Does she even know what you are?" Hawk's voice cut through the tension, his words sharp.

"As a matter of fact, she does," I retorted, feeling a surge of protectiveness.

"I doubt that. If she knew you were a flesh eater, she would never touch you," he shot back, his words laden with venom.

Anger flared within me, the insult stinging more than I wanted to admit. "What is your problem with me? Or are you just mad that I have tasted more of the princess than you have?" I challenged, stepping closer to him, our faces inches apart.

He clenched his fists but held back, his jaw tightening. "Look, see, there is a reason why you haven't hit me yet. I may be crossbred, but I dare you to try me, brother," I taunted, my voice low and threatening.

Hawk's eyes blazed with anger, but he remained motionless, the tension between us crackling in the silent library. With a final, scornful glance, I turned and walked away, leaving him to stew in his frustrations. The encounter left me rattled, but resolute. Whatever Hawk thought or felt, it wouldn't change what was developing between Shauna and me.

__________________________________________________________________________

Two Hundred Hominin Years Ago

In the war-torn reaches of the Solar, where the boundaries between species blurred under the banner of survival, a remarkable child was born to a woman whose bloodline was as controversial as it was powerful. Her name was Elara, and she hailed from a mixed heritage of Corin, Bellicose, and Interloper—an amalgamation that made her both formidable and feared on the battlefield.

Elara was not only a warrior; she was one of the best fighters her faction had ever seen. Her strength and strategic prowess were indispensable during the relentless conflicts that plagued their worlds. But it was her secret, the boy she bore in the quiet solitude of the war's shadow, that would define her legacy.

The child, whom she named Caelum, was an anomaly. Strong, extraordinarily intelligent, and innately cunning, he possessed a primal urge that was both a gift and a curse. From a young age, Caelum exhibited an insatiable hunger for the hunt, chasing down and devouring wild animals with a ferocity that belied his years.

Elara, torn between her role as a mother and a warrior, struggled to temper her son's darker instincts. She taught him the ways of the Bellicose, hoping to channel his aggression into something more honorable than the raw savagery of his hunts. Yet, the young boy's appetite for live flesh was relentless, and so, in her waning strength, Elara covered up his transgressions, allowing him to feed in the shadows.

As illness took hold of Elara, the bond between mother and son deepened. In her final days, confined to the sparse comfort of their dwelling, she divulged the truth about his lineage and implored him to seek out his father, a figure shrouded in mystery and power. But when Caelum finally confronted the man Elara had pointed him toward, he was met with revulsion and rejection. His father could not see past the beast within to recognize the potential of the boy before him.

It was during these darkest moments that Marcell, a high-ranking official with his own complex ties to the ruling factions, stepped in. Witnessing the rejection, he saw something of himself in the young outcast. Marcell adopted Caelum, providing him not only with a home but also a purpose. Under Marcell's guidance, Caelum learned to control his urges, channeling his inherent ferocity into strategic cunning and political maneuvering, later Caelum will be known as Cell.

Yet, for all of Marcell's influence, the seed of hatred for the world that had shunned him grew in Caelum's heart, festering until the day I laid eyes on Shauna. In her, I saw not just beauty but a beacon of hope, a chance for something pure amid the chaos of his existence. Her presence challenged everything I had come to accept about myself and my fate, igniting a conflict within that was as intense as any war I had ever fought.