CHAPTER 1: NEW CENTURY

The first time Leqaria Vanxie awakens, she finds herself in an old building that has been turned into a national museum. She was locked inside a chamber. 

No one found out about it because the chamber was hidden deep below the building and had no path to enter. The chamber was dark and eerie until a mechanical voice sounded and stirred the silence.

"The recovery process has reached 100%. Awakening is successful. "

Leqaria was in a daze after opening her eyes, with a numb feeling around her body. It was only until a prick around her right wrist hurt her a bit that she was reminded that she was breathing again. Yet, she frowned at the smelly dust around her surroundings.

A moment later, she recalled her past memories.

"Ah… I died…" Her low and hoarse voice sounded dry.

"Body function, normal. Body fluid, below 40%. Status, will be in hungry mode in thirty minutes."

She moves her limbs. It still felt a little heavy. Soon, she felt her blood pumping around her whole body. She can finally move normally after a few minutes. 

Her body was lying down in a casket for dead people. But the casket was made of high-quality metal with gold patterns crafted around the sides of the top cover.

And on the same top cover, with a layer of thick dust, a symbol with some words, ‘Division 13 Deceased Major General, Leqaria Vanxie. Date of death, 25th February, Stellar Year 2339', was carved on it. 

She didn't see the carved words yet and moved to sit up. The top cover was opened to the side using her spiritual ability, and the dust was moved away like a gentle wind had blown and gathered it in one area. The chamber itself was closed off without an exit. 

So, there shouldn’t be any winds other than her own ability. She yawns while stretching her hands above her head. She wondered what century it was now. She had died, no, she had been forced to sleep to recover from her vicious wounds.

While in her baby suit that was not tainted by the dirty dust, she stood up and took her first step out of the casket. Her long, slender white feet touched the cold floor. 

Magically, a beautiful flowery red and white dress covers her entire body, no longer letting the surroundings stare shamefully at her. 

Not like anyone was there anyway, except for her artificial intelligence assistant, which was in the shape of a thin silver bracelet on her right wrist. She looked at it.

"Ambrion, what time is it?"

"Analysing... Successfully searching for information. Current century, Stellar Year, 3428. Date, 25th February. Time, 8:52 PM.." 

The mechanical voice sounded again.

"Woah... I slept for almost a thousand years? Is this still in Z-tur Stellar Space?"

"Answering, yes, and master is currently in Marvon Base, which no longer exists. The base was destroyed in the Interstellar War IV between the Freelancers and the Federal Union. The base was rebuilt with a new name, Glaios."

Leqaria scowled. "What the… Then, which side triumphs in the last war?"

"History says that it was The Freelancer who won the war, but three hundred years later, the Federal Union got it back and has governed the base until now."

"Ah, I see. How about my death? Is there anyone crying for me?"

"Answering, the entire army of 13th Division and General Allison was wrecked during your annihilation. Unable to get your full corpse, which was only left with the right arm and left leg, they could only make your tomb where you are currently awake from."

"God, I was lucky. If there were no remains, I wouldn't be able to regenerate." 

She shuddered and was glad to be alive. She then remembers General Allison and her mecha squadron. She missed them before she put the memories behind her like usual after she appeared in a new century.

"Deniable. As long as there's a small amount of cell DNA of master still around, you can still regenerate. They did, however, cremate you and scatter your ashes where you were lying now."

Leqaria blinks her eyes. Damn! Did they burn her without her knowledge? She was lucky that she didn't feel it.

"Alright, alright, I know I am immortal, but I am feeling really hungry right now. Tell me, is the human species still around?"

"Answering, the human species changed into another species eight hundred years ago, called the Changeling. To become one of the supreme species, they have created a new genetic modification that mixes up with other species' DNA and modifies them into their own. The human species no longer has pure blood in this current century. They can also live more than three hundred years and can awaken abilities like you master."

Leqaria doesn't look so surprised about it because, during her time period, there was movement from the DNA Research Division about these. It's just that it was still at the beginning of development. 

Who could have thought they really had broken through after two hundred years?

Yet, she realised one of the breakthroughs was because of her cell and several people close to her who knew it.

"Can my Blood Shadow eat those changelings?"

"Searching for results. Searching completed. Answering, can eat."

She let out a sigh of relief. If her Blood Shadow or known as her clones couldn't eat, she might not be able to use this skill anymore. She flexes her fingers and suddenly, drops of blood drip down and fall to the floor.

A second later, shadow smokes appear and slowly take shape into her.

"Time to hunt."

…………………………………………..

"Report! Another unconscious teenager has been found. Gender, male. Location, Glaios Base, Pathway 2 Alley." 

A man salutes another man sitting behind a table. He was covered in a police suit of white, mixed with black and blue. As for the man at the table, he was wearing a higher-grade police suit in black with dark gold lines. Both have police caps on their heads.

Silver irises narrowed at the information given. The owner sighed and pushed his body to the back seat. His head tilts upward.

"Another one. Is it the same place?" 

"Yes, chief! The teenager has a bite wound behind his neck near the gland. Other than being low on blood, his glands and body were not injured. Still, this can be categorised as an assault case."

The chief blinked his eyes and watched the ceiling above him. He nodded slightly.

"His family?"

"No family. He grew up in an orphanage centre. All the victims before have had the same condition and background."

"The attacker is smart. He or she must have investigated these teenagers quietly before attacking. Zio, have you got the list of the Changelings under twenty with orphaned backgrounds around the base?"

"Not yet. The Identification Division has informed us that their chief is still away and it may take a while to get his approval."

Zalgar Rainos slammed his hands on the table loudly. Without thinking about his uncontrollable strength, he accidentally broke the table into multiple pieces. Zio Neon, who made the reports, stood stiffened in his place while lowering his dark brown eyes to the soft black rug under him.

'Here we go again…' He thought quietly.

"Shit! Did that bastard think we were playing around?! It's been three months! Three! Where the hell did he go?! Did he think this case was a simple one?! This shouldn't be an assault case but a rape case now!" 

Zio nodded in agreement. The reason why it could become a rape case was because the gland in every changeling was the most sensitive place to be touched. It has the same sensitivity as men's and women's private parts. Touching the place without consent can be considered raping the victim directly.

And biting it turns the case into a heavier one since the changeling might feel violated and lose the confidence to have a partner in their life. It's like their virgin was taken away from them without their consent. So, it can be stated as a rape case too.

Zio shuddered and unconsciously touched the gland behind his neck. His gland has been protected by a metal collar since the incident started. Not just him, since the incident happened again and again, many Changelings who knew about it began to wear them for protection.

However, not many changelings can afford the pricey neck cover and can only protect themselves with a necktie or simple clothing tied to their neck. Some people are afraid of living in the city and have taken to hiding within their homes, only coming out in groups of three Changelings for safety. Yet, the unlucky one would still get their neck bitten.

"Chief, why do you think the attacker did this?" Zio asked slowly.

"Who knows. A pervert, maybe. But he or she sucks blood like a vampire species. Yet, no vampire species has existed since many thousands of years ago. Every one of them was killed during the Purification Century. I haven't heard of a case like this. Anyone can be suspected since we all have fangs. As for its use, I don't need to talk about it."

Since they became Changelings, their five senses were heightened, including adding extra parts to their bodies, like transforming small claws from their fingers and forming fangs from their upper line of teeth, as well as having more strength to fight any enemies coming at them. 

Yet, not everyone has the same strength. If they want to be stronger, they need to exercise more. Changelings, who didn't, were still stronger than normal humans, who have no longer existed since their changes.

Zalgar had a small headache thinking about how to solve this case. He rubs the part between his eyes and sighs.

"Call a team to check carefully around the assault area as well as the schools, learning institutions, and military academy nearby. Since the victims were all under twenty years old, it may have something to do with people they are close to or anyone they have close contact with. Don't forget to investigate the teacher's background as well as the neighbours around the victim's living area. Any suspicious mark should be investigated properly." Zalgar ordered again.

He had repeated the same order that was made two months ago, and yet not many clues can be found since everyone has a clean background. Yet, "clean" doesn't mean that anyone was innocent. Not to mention, there were twenty-three schools, nine learning institutes and three military academies around Glaios Base.

When Zio was ready to walk out with his instructions, he was called back.

"Yes, chief?"

"I suddenly thought of something bizarre. What if that attacker doesn't know anything about Changelings and their glands? What if he or she is not a changeling like us…?" 

Zalgar felt like an unknown being was living around their base and narrowed his eyes.

"That, that could be true, chief! If so, should we use the Red Order?" Zio thought it was reasonable.

No changelings would have bitten the others if they were not afraid to be executed by the individual law of protection and safety. Anyone who broke it would be sentenced to death without any trials. Unless it was consent by the victim, then it was no longer under the protection of the law.

"Wait, I need to make a report to the higher ups for approval first. As for the Red Order, we can't cause panic among the civilians. Just use a small amount around the suspected area as I told you before and make sure no civilian knows what we are doing."

"Got it, Chief!"

Zio finally walks out of the Zalgar office chamber.

"I'll definitely find you, pervert!" Zalgar growled.

His black pupils' eyes sharpen into a vertical slit in the middle. 

As for the perpetrators who did it…

Achoo!

"Analysing body health… Complete. No symptoms. Status, healthy." Ambrion informed his master.

Leqaria shrugged. "Someone must have missed me. Haha, what a lame joke. No one here knew me. Urgh, this is so boring…"

She groans while rolling to the right and then to the left before repeating it. She was bored. Really bored. She has been hiding inside her awakening chamber for one months now. 

When she was hungry, Ambrion ordered a take out where her Blood Shadow went to pick it up and send it back to her.

Thanks to Ambrion updating his data to follow the current century technologies, he managed to find something to make money for her. Leqaria was glad to have an independent AI beside her who knows what to do.

The chamber was a little plain before with only the casket in it, but now, it has many things like a wardrobe, a tall mirror, a bed, a big chest box, a dining table for four and a bathtub that has no water inside.

The floor was covered in soft green rugs, while the walls were painted in soft yellow. As for the dust around the tomb chamber, she has to clean it using her water ability before she puts her new things in it.

Leqaria was laying down on her new bed, which she had bought through her Blood Shadow. 

She was still nervous to go out toward an unknown environment and use her Blood Shadows to roam around for her. She could see and feel from them like she was the one who had gone outside personally.

"Searching for fun things to do when you're bored…"

She chuckled at Ambrion's dedication to help her. She thinks Ambrion is cute and more human at times.

"Searching completed. Take a walk. Watch a movie. Read a book. Vacation."

"What vacation? I am having the vacation of my life. No longer do I need to train those muscular brats that were weaker than me." Leqaria harrumphed.

Suddenly missing them again, a suffocating feeling of loneliness reached her whole being. She slowly sits up and hugs her knees.

"Ambrion, you would always stay by my side, right?"

"Answering... Affirmative!"

She feels lonely, but with Ambrion by her side, the feelings of loneliness and sadness dissolved a little bit.

"Should I become an educator?"

"Master needs a new identity and identification check."

Leqaria nodded. "First and foremost. Let's steal someone's identity, or is there anywhere I can make a fake identity?"

"The Smith Shop in the West Base can make fake identities."

"Huh? Isn't the Smith Shop for creating weapons?" She was confused.

"The shop name is just for a show, master. The front sells weapons, but the back has an underground area for modifying fake identification."

"As far as I know, the current year has more advanced technology. Won't we get detected that easily?"

"Don't worry, master. You don't have to go there. I’ll connect to the network and create your identity in this world without a problem. I'll just add a new person to it from their birth to their current age. How old would you like to be, master?"

Leqaria finally felt some excitement about her presence in this new life.

"I want to be 167 years old. This should show that someone like me has a lot of experience. Ah, set me as a traveller coming from another planet."

"Are you sure, master? At this age, you should have a husband and children by your side. The laws state that anyone after thirty must have married, or they would be forced to enter their genetic DNA for matching. This is to ensure better future generations with excellent genetics. The current century has favoured children since the last war killed many changelings. "

Leqaria's mouth slowly opens wide. "What?!"

"This is the law."

"Are you serious?!"

"Yes. And to be an educator, you need to have three levels of pass certificates for teaching to show you can instruct. The restriction is that the age must be forty years old or above."

Leqaria wanted to hit Ambrion. He once gave her hope, and now he destroys it. But, she couldn't be mad at him since he got the information from this period of time.

What stupid person makes such a law?!

She sighed. "Fine. Let's live like we always did in the past."

"Old objective restarting... First, find friends."

"Why not?"

"Master, the world is now threatened by other species helped by The Freelancers as in the past and to make the federations stronger, the government made a new law to have children after six years old to be tested out for eligibility to be a soldier. They also must go to military school. Unless they have mediocre skills, then, they would be sent to normal school.

“Hm… With my power, I guess military school is an appropriate place to be. Where is the closest one for me to enter?”

“Searching… Hades Military Academy. The academy is one of the best academies around Glaios Base, where the 17th Division General had graduated from. Luckily, master, there will be a recruitment next month for changelings from 16 to 18 years old. Would you like to register there, master?”

“Yes. If there’s a requirement of my status, put it as mediocre. I don’t want to attract people so I’m going to seal my power too and use only one skill, the Blood Shadow.”

“Understood.”

Leqaria smirk. ‘I should find a hottie for myself. With the current technologies, there must be a way for me to have children.’ 

Ambrion connects to the base network and breaks into the Identification Division without alerting the changelings. He then inputs some data about her master and her background.

"Creating a new identity… Successful!"