Prologue Part 2: Project Therion

~~Near the Alisen Industries Testing Facility~~

~~Thursday, July 25 (Morning)~~

On the rooftops of a tall building next to what is known as the testing facility for Alisen Industries' products, a group of thugs surveyed their target structure. One of the watchmen possessed special binoculars with x-ray vision, allowing him to see through walls. Eventually, he located the new mineral sealed inside its testing room on the eleventh floor.

"Anything yet?" A small, auburn-haired woman walked up to the group. She wore a military-grade, bullet-proof vest underneath brown rags.

"Yes, Miss Zima," The watchman said, pointing to the testing facility, "It's on the eleventh floor, sealed inside the testing lab."

Zima turned to his transmitter earpiece. "You got all that, Boss?"

"Eleventh-floor testing lab," said Drago's voice on the other line. "The rest of you, get to your positions and wait for the signal."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it. You better not screw up on your end, Boss."

"My, are we impulsive today, Zima. Is there a chance that-"

Zima turned off the transmission before Drago could finish. "Tch, what a pain in the ass…"

"Uh, Zima," A gang member spoke up, "If you don't mind me asking, are we sure we can trust this client of ours? I mean, we're stealing top-secret government property that we only just confirmed even exists. How'd we go from robbing Dust shops to...missions like this? That's a big gap."

"Beats me." Zima shrugged. "I have my doubts as well. Nothing good ever comes from the Eclipse, but if they know something about the Vastel Council that we don't, the odds are good it will help accelerate our plans. For now, let's focus on the mission and remember the golden rule."

"Yes ma'am!" The men shouted.

##

~~Outside the Testing Facility~~

At the entrance of the testing facility, a blue car arrived with the Alisen family sitting inside. Nitorin parked the car at his usual spot and turned off the engine.

"Alright, here we are," Nitorin said, glancing back at Jurabi, "The Alisen Industries Testing Facility!"

"Whoa!" Jurabi shouted as he rushed out of the car to get a good look at the tall building, "It's so huge! Is this where you test the weapons you make, Daddy?"

"That's right." Nitorin and Dana began exiting the car on their side. "This place houses dangerous prototypes, so the security is tight from the front and back."

"However, something tells me your company will need more assurance than that," Dana said looking up at the building.

"Of course, dear. I don't think I would be able to perform this important test if I didn't have you there with me."

Dana let out an annoyed sigh. "You could have just asked the officials at Oroseia to provide you with adequate hunter protection, Nitorin. Just because I am your wife…"

"I know, I know, I'm sorry!" Nitorin clasped his hands together. "But…even you have to admit your academy always sends the scary-looking hunters whenever I ask for assistance!"

Dana facepalmed while letting out a giggle. "That's…the point, you hopeless idiot."

"Hey, Daddy!" Jurabi shouted as his eyes sparkled, "Can we go in?! Please say we can go in!"

"Heh, I'm glad to see your infectious enthusiasm, Jurabi," Nitorin said, "You're in for a good treat if this building alone gets you this excited."

"Oh boy! I can't wait!" Jurabi squealed.

"Slow down, Jurabi," Dana warned, "You'll wear yourself out if you get too excited." As the Alisen family made their way to the front doors, Dana walked beside Nitorin and whispered to him, "Honey, are you sure it's a good idea to bring Jurabi along?"

"We already discussed this, Dana," Nitorin said, "My adoptive father didn't deny me this right to witness the birth of a new age when he founded the concept of dust bullets, so what reason do I have to deny Jurabi that same right? I believe a boy as impressionable as he needs to see the bright future we're going to create."

"But still…"

Nitorin placed a hand on his wife's shoulder and gave her a smile of reassurance. "Hey, if anything happens, we have you here to look after us. After all, Project Therion may have the power to save all of Vastel…but if it falls into the wrong hands…"

"…I know. As long as he stays safe…"

"Jurabi will remain by our side in the safest observation room. There's no possible way anything could go wrong aside from a minor test failure."

"I…suppose you're right." Dana paused for a moment, unable to shake off this feeling of unease.

"Dana?"

Dana snapped out of her trance and looked at Nitorin with a fake smile. "Sorry. I was lost in thought."

When the Alisen family entered the building, Jurabi was mesmerized by the sight of scientists and workers preparing for their shifts. Off to the side were mechanical experts building all different kinds of weapons in an isolated construction room.

The sight of the weapons all around made Jurabi scream in absolute delight as he put his face close to the windows to get a close look at the weapons. To Nitorin and Dana, Jurabi looked like a child first experiencing their first carnival ride.

"This…has got…to be…the GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" Jurabi screamed.

Dana sighed as she pulled Jurabi by his cheek, "What did I tell you about screaming indoors, Jurabi. You'll disturb the other workers."

"Sorry, Mommy, but…" Jurabi couldn't contain his excited energy as he marched in place, "How can you not love this place?! The workers, the equipment, how it all looks, EVERYTHING! I think this is what heaven truly feels like!"

Both the mother and father let out a laugh as they watched their son light up more with each gadget and weapon he sees.

"Good morning, Nitorin!" A familiar voice called out to him.

Nitorin turned to the voice and saw Gerald waving at him. He smiled and returned the greeting. "Good morning to you too, Gerald."

Gerald glanced over to Dana; his smile unchanging. "And you must be…?"

"Dana Alisen," Dana replied, "I don't think we've met in person."

"Ah yes, you were always away at your hunter duties. We hardly had time to even have a proper introduction. I'm Gerald Achilles, a good friend of your husband who's spending an ungodly amount of money for his…projects."

"Twenty million isn't that much, Gerald," Nitorin said, with a cheeky smile.

Gerald shook his head at Nitorin's oblivious understanding of economics. "To you, it isn't. I know some families that can live rather comfortably for a year on one million." He turned to Dana. "Your husband is a real handful when it comes to his spending habits."

Dana watched Nitorin roll his eyes before she shrugged and said, "We could donate this money to a charity. Or a bunch of charities. But it wouldn't help with our ultimate aim of...you know."

"Right," Gerald said as he noticed off in the distance, "And I see you both brought your kid here today as well."

"That's right," Nitorin said, turning to Jurabi, "Jurabi, say hi to Gerald." But the boy he called out to was still fixated on the weapons. Letting out a sigh, Nitorin went over to drag Jurabi back to where they were. "As I said, Jurabi, say hi."

"Hiya," Jurabi greeted Gerald, "I'm Jurabi. It's nice to meet you."

"I've never seen a child be so fascinated by our work," Gerald thought to himself before responding to Jurabi, "Hello, Jurabi. I'm Gerald Achilles. It's very nice to meet you too."

"I'm sorry for dropping in with my kid, Gerald," Nitorin said, scratching his head, "Dana and I couldn't leave him alone at the house. I hope no one on the team minds."

"No worries, Nitorin. I've actually been interested in meeting your son in person." Gerald then gave Nitorin a look of concern. "But…you're not going to let him inside the testing lab, are you?"

"He'll be with us in one of your observation rooms," Dana said.

"Still, if an explosion occurs…"

"The scientists sent me every detail they discovered in the past five days," Nitorin said as he took out a notebook. "Their tests show that the mineral isn't prone to detonation under the usual conditions. So, we have no worries about it exploding like so many other dust crystals."

"Mineral?" Dana thought to herself.

"Well, that's a relief," Gerald said.

"That is unless we rapidly heat it to twenty-five thousand degrees Celsius."

Jurabi scanned Gerald from top to bottom until his eyes widened, "Gerald...Ooh, I remember you. You're that Gerald dude I met a few days ago at Daddy's workplace!"

"Aw, you remember me," Gerald said with a smile, "I'm slightly hurt it took you that long to recognize me, but you are a young one. Still, I am happy, Jurabi. If I recall correctly, your dad brought you there to look at all of our weapons, right?"

"Uh-huh!" Jurabi cheered, "They were all so cool but now they can't compete with what this place has to offer!"

"Haha, that smile of yours," Gerald said, "You must have some special semblance to be able to brighten up everyone's mood with just your smile."

"Hehe, maybe I will get a semblance one day," Jurabi said with a big smile, "But I would prefer it to be something cooler with some flash."

"Semblances don't work like that, Jurabi," Dana said, shaking her head.

"Anyways, get this, Mr. Gerald," Jurabi said, "Daddy talks about you all the time."

"Oh, does he now?" Gerald asked, giving Nitorin a sly smirk.

"Yep, he says something about how everything he's done was not possible without you, and how grateful he is," Jurabi said.

"I can vouch for that," Dana said with a smile, "Nitorin has a habit of running his mouth about all the people who do him favors—Not counting the people he forgot."

"Jurabi…Dana…" Nitorin said, slightly embarrassed that his own son and wife were telling Gerald all of this information.

Gerald let out a loud laugh before patting Nitorin on the back, "Geez, Nitorin. You didn't have the guts to tell me all of this in person?"

"I was planning on thanking you sometime later," Nitorin said, rubbing the back of his head.

"I'm not so sure about that, Honey," Dana said, "It sounds like you forgot about that too."

"Dana!" Nitorin shouted.

"Hey, don't sweat it," Gerald said, "Stuff like that happens to the best of us. It's no big deal to me. All that matters is that we get this project done."

"Project?" Jurabi asked.

"Gerald!" Nitorin growled, giving Gerald a stern glare.

"Whoops, me and my big mouth," Gerald said, scratching his head.

"Did you just say...project?!" Jurabi screamed, "What kind of project?! Is it a new rocket cannon or maybe a special, mechanized bow?! Or maybe it's a dual-bladed scythe!"

"Jurabi, keep it down," Dana said, holding her son to keep him from running all over the place.

"There he goes again…" Nitorin muttered with a smile, "We can discuss such things once we head to the eleventh floor."

"The eleventh floor?" Jurabi asked.

"Heh, you'll see once you get there," Gerald said, "Now let's hurry along. The fun will soon begin."

"Just keep in mind that...no one else is supposed to know about this yet," Nitorin said.

"Oh...it's a surprise, isn't it?" Jurabi asked.

"...Yes, that's one way to put it," Nitorin said, noticing Dana staring at him. He knows he has a lot of explaining to do for her as well.

As the group made their way to the elevator, one of the male workers lowered his glasses, watching the group enter the elevator. Once the doors shut, he immediately began making his way to the elevator next to it.

##

~~Eleventh Floor~~

The elevator arrived at the eleventh floor where the tests on new weapons are conducted.

Jurabi wasted no time zooming around the hallway, watching all of the tests be conducted for all kinds of tech, ranging from weapons to engines, and all the way to regular kitchen machinery.

Before Jurabi could scream, he immediately placed a hand over his mouth, knowing that his mother would scold him again if he shouted. Instead, he whispered loudly, "Wow...this feels like a dream I never want to wake up from! How long did it take to make all this?"

Gerald smiled as he glanced back at the little boy, "It seems your son has taken a liking to this place, Nitorin."

"Well, he'll be in for a big surprise once we show him the project," Nitorin replied as they arrived at a sealed door.

Jurabi looked on in awe, scanning the door from top to bottom, "What's behind here?"

"What lies beyond this door, Jurabi," Nitorin said as he began inputting the password to open the laboratory door, "Is the future."

Behind the door was an observation room full of scientists and technicians working at the operation desk.

"Whoa…" Jurabi whispered as they all walked around the observation room. Some of the workers took quick glances at Jurabi before greeting Nitorin and Dana.

"Daddy, what is this place?" Jurabi asked as he looked beyond the glass window. Two things caught the young boy's attention: A sealed container that had large, black talons emanating a black aura, and another sealed container with a large, white mineral. Both of these were connected by a small tube, "What are those?!"

"This is an important testing area," Nitorin explained, "And what you see over there is the future I'm talking about. Project Therion."

"Project Therion?" Jurabi asked.

"Nitorin, I don't think it's wise to tell him about the project," Dana said.

"It'll be fine, Dana," Nitorin said, giving his wife a reassuring smile, "I have faith that this test will work." He turned back to Jurabi and pointed toward the testing room. "See those talons? They used to belong to the Zenith Grimm: Ragnarok."

"Whoa!" Jurabi shouted as he looked at the talons again, "Really?!"

"That's right. Project Therion is a program where we will attempt to extract the powers of Ragnarok's dark atoms. If we succeed…"

"Then the hunters will be able to fight back against the Zenith Grimm!" Jurabi shouted, "This sounds so similar to what created Honkai Girl. Humanity tried to utilize the Honkai energy, but ended up-"

Dana pulled Jurabi by his ear, "That's enough, young man. Your father doesn't have the time to listen to you go on and on."

Nitorin let out a chuckle. "Go easy on him, Dana. He has every right to be excited for what we're about to do today."

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Alisen," A pair of scientists greeted, "Preparations for the test are complete."

"Great, then let's get into positions." Nitorin turned to his family, "You guys can take a seat and watch the show." He then looked at Gerald.

"On it," Gerald said as he got into position near the terminals.

Nitorin looked onto the glass window and smiled. "This is going to work. I know it."

##

~~Outside the Room~~

Meanwhile, the black-haired man stood outside the door to the testing area. He pressed on his communication device. "Zima. I found the testing lab. Exactly where it should be."

"That was quick," Zima said, "The gang and I are in position and ready for the signal."

"Good, we'll have a thirty-minute window soon. Be ready."

"Don't need to tell me twice."

##

Back in the observation room, Nitorin cleared his throat. "May I have your attention, please?" He asked as the workers and scientists all gave him their undivided attention, "Good morning to you all. I know it is almost lunchtime, but I ask that you all stay until the Project Therion test is complete. This will require all available hands to be present, so please bring your A-game for this. Are there any questions before we begin?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Alisen, but are you sure we should be moving this far ahead right now?" One of the scientists asked, "The Zenith Grimm are hard to handle for a reason. We still don't know the full capabilities of Project Therion…and with all due respect, your family is here too. I know I wouldn't want to subject my family to this risk."

"I understand your concern," Nitorin replied with a reassuring smile, "We've spent the past ten years working on this project, and now the stakes are even higher than we could imagine. However, if we succeed…if we pull this off, humanity and faunus-kind will finally have an answer to the Zenith Grimm threat. People will no longer need to cower in fear, wondering when all of this will end, and our children will grow up in a peaceful world. Well, at least one without the Zenith Grimm, where other Grimm can be reliably dealt with. I believe in my wife as she believes in herself."

"Sir, you're no less inspiring than you were all those years ago, but it's my job to remind you: there's no guarantee that this will be a success." A technician said.

"Not to mention what could happen if we fail. We still don't know just how bad it could get." A scientist then stated.

"I am aware of all that," Nitorin said, "The risk is high and the consequences could go beyond even what we could fathom. I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid, but nobody ever got anything done fearing the unknown. If the worst should happen and this project fails, then I shall be the one to take the brunt of the consequences. That is my responsibility as your boss. I am sorry if some of you disagree with my decision, but I don't see any other option than this. We've dragged this out for ten whole years, some of us have passed on without seeing its end. We mustn't delay any longer."

"I don't understand what Daddy is saying," Jurabi said, tilting his head.

Dana remained silent before giving him an answer. "Your Daddy's…saying that we should look forward to seeing how this project goes."

"Oh, is that it?" Jurabi put on a cheeky smile. "He should have just said so then."

Every scientist and technician looked at each other, remaining silent for a few seconds.

"You heard Nitorin." Gerald stepped in. "He's made up his mind. Should any of you not wish to go through this, you may take your leave. You'll be reassigned and expected to keep your mouths firmly shut, but unless you sabotage us or leak classified information, you will not suffer any consequences. Staying means you heard the man, and you want to see this through to the end."

But no one in the team moved an inch from their spot for ten seconds.

This made Nitorin smile before he continued. "Alright, then. Let's finish this project once and for all! Are all the final checks on the instruments ready?" He asked the technician team.

"We ran a check and double-check, Mr. Alisen," A technician answered, "We're ready when you are."

"And the status of Therion?"

"No anomalies detected." Another technician said. "We're ready to detect anything strange during the test."

"Good. Is the scientist team ready to conduct research once the test is complete?"

"Yes, Mr. Alisen," replied the head scientist.

"We're all ready, Mr. Alisen," said a technician.

"Then let us begin," Nitorin said.

The whole room began to buzz with activity and anticipation. Jurabi and Dana watched as the workers moved back and forth as everything seem to start moving at once.

"Now, begin with the transfer process," Nitorin ordered, "Take it slow and careful. Twenty-five percent power efficiency."

"Yes, sir," The technician said as the team took to the controls and activated the containers of both the Ragnarok talons and the mineral.

Soon enough, the tubes connecting the two opened on both sides and the dark atoms around the talons began to be sucked through the tube into the area with the mineral. Upon connection, the mineral started to absorb the dark atoms, changing into a darker color.

"It…it's working…" said a scientist witnessing this.

"How is the equipment?" Nitorin asked.

"Everything is still in the green," said the technician, "This might work."

"Don't jinx it. Up the output to...hm...let's go with forty percent. Keep an eye on everything and watch for anomalies."

Jurabi watched his father work hard at organizing and instructing all of his workers. He was nothing short of inspired by how good Nitorin was at being a leader.

"Dad looks so cool…" Jurabi said.

Dana heard Jurabi's words and smiled, "Yes, your father is brave to be facing this unnerving task head-on. He may not have the powers we hunters possess, but he more than makes up for it with his charisma and beliefs."

"Is that what you like about him, Mommy?"

Dana's cheeks began to glow as she turned away for a moment to hide them. "Oh um…you could say that. L-let's just say that your father is a man who always sticks to his ambition to preserve life itself. Everything he does is for the good of Reigal."

After an hour of testing, the transfer process finished. The new mineral had changed from a bright glow to a darker-colored crystal.

"Whoa...it changed the rock somehow!" Jurabi whispered. He almost shouted, but Dana had shot him a stern look just as he opened his mouth, and it turned into a whisper.

"Incredible…" Dana whispered.

"Amazing," said the lead scientist as his team examined the crystal, "So when forced outside of a host, the dark atoms must have the ability to change anything it touches, adapting the substance into whatever new host they so desire."

"It sounds to me like you've come up with an interesting theory." Nitorin said, "I would like for you and your team to discover as much as you can. Your first priority would be to see if it is possible to replicate these crystals...these...Therion Crystals."

"Right away, Mr. Alisen," said the lead scientist as he and his team of scientists entered the testing room to begin the examination.

"Therion Crystals, Daddy?" Jurabi asked.

"Uh, yeah, weird name, I know." Nitorin rubbed the back of his head. "But don't you think it's fitting? These dark atoms came from Ragnarok, after all. It's said that the Therion's once thrived in the shadows of the night under the guidance of the Guardian of Darkness."

"Oooh, that's so cool, Daddy!" Jurabi was unable to contain his excitement.

"Try not to give him too much credit, Jurabi," Dana said, "I bet your Daddy came up with that name on the spot."

"N-No I didn't, Dana," Nitorin said, his eyes widened. A moment of silence passed before he admitted, "Okay, the name could use a second or third opinion, but I at least put a bit of effort into it if I do say so myself."

Dana smirked slyly at her husband. "Heh, of course, you did."

But suddenly, she heard a voice call out to her.

" ...my lady…"

"Huh?" Dana turned in the direction of the voice. But all she saw was the Therion Crystal sitting in the testing lab. " ...lady…" She repeated.

"Dana?" Nitorin called out to her.

Dana snapped out of her trance, shaking her head. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Hear what?" Jurabi asked.

"I didn't hear anything," Nitorin said.

Dana rubbed her head, unable to put her confusion into words.

"Are you okay, Mommy?" Jurabi asked, leaning forward, "You don't have a headache, do you?"

"I...I thought I heard a voice say something about a lady," Dana said, frowning as she tried and failed to recapture the sound.

"A lady?" Nitorin asked, "I don't think anyone in here said anything about a lady."

"Ah...I may have been imagining things, then," Dana said, but in her mind, she had a feeling it was more than a simple imagination.

Nitorin became worried for his wife but had to put it aside as the lead scientist approached.

"Mr. Alisen, I am pleased to report that the Therion Crystal is close to stabilizing," the lead scientist said, "It won't be long before we make the breakthrough of the century."

"Excellent," Nitorin said, "Send me the results in my office when you're finished." He looked over at his family, "I'll be going back to my office. Dana, are you sure you're okay? Because I'll need you to keep an eye on the Jurabi?"

"It's no problem at all, Honey," Dana replied.

"What?! Why can't we go with him?" Jurabi asked.

"I'm sorry, Jurabi, but your daddy has important business to handle for the rest of the day," Nitorin explained, "I promise I'll find time to hang out with you before we leave."

Jurabi looked down at the ground before letting out a sad sigh. "You have work again, huh…?"

"Don't be sad, Jurabi," Dana said, placing a hand on Jurabi's shoulder, "As your daddy said, he will spend all of his free time with us once he's finished with this project."

Nitorin nodded. "In the meantime, I'll send a tour guide to give you the best walk around the facility you could hope for. I'll see you soon."

After Nitorin left the room, Jurabi moved his gaze over to the Therion Crystal behind the observatory glass. He couldn't help but wonder what his father's plans are for the crystal.

"I have to say Nitorin achieved something of a marvel," Dana said, looking at the crystal with him.

"Yeah...will I be able to use this to fight the Grimm?" Jurabi asked, looking up at his mother. But he only saw his mother silently gazing towards the crystal, "Mommy?"

Dana snapped out of her second trance, shaking her head, "Ngh…"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jurabi asked, "You might actually be sick."

"No...no...I'm…" Dana felt the inside of her skull getting heavy as her vision began to blur, "Ngh! This again…!"

"Mommy?! What's wrong?!" Jurabi shouted in concern.

" ...Dana…"

The voice again calls out to her.

"Who…?" Dana whispered.

" ...my lady...Dana…"

"Get...out of my head…!"

" Please...try to remember...your true…."

Dana fell to her knees, sweating heavily and drawing the attention of the remaining staff in the room.

"Mommy!" Jurabi shouted, rushing to his mother's side, "I knew it, you are sick!"

"What's going on here?" asked a scientist as he sees Dana on her knees.

"Help! I think Mommy is sick!" Jurabi shouted.

"Allow me to take a look at her." The scientist checked Dana's forehead for any signs of a fever, "Hm…it isn't a fever, but we should inform Mr. Alisen about this." After the scientist helped Dana onto a chair to rest, he turned to Jurabi, "Please remain here with your mother. We will be back shortly."

"No...please don't…" Dana whispered, but the remaining staff had already left to inform Nitorin about Dana's collapse.

In the corner of the hall, Drago watched the remaining staff leave the observation room with a smile. "Heh, the gods of fortune must be smiling on me today." The man said before his skin began to grow scales on his body, transforming him into his komodo dragon form, "Time to claim the grand prize."

Back in the observation room, Jurabi held onto Dana's hand, staring into her tired eyes.

"I'm...sorry you had to see me like that," Dana said.

"What was that, Mommy?" Jurabi asked.

"I…don't know." Dana looked back at the sealed Therion Crystal, "I keep hearing voices whenever I look at that crystal."

"The crystal? But you said it was just your imagination."

"I thought that at first...but the voice I'm hearing sounds so...familiar to me."

"Familiar?"

"...I think…" But before Dana could finish, a voice called out to them.

"Is everyone here alright?" asked the voice. Both of them turned to Drago, disguised as a doctor, "Mr. Alisen sent me after hearing of a collapse."

"Ooh, that was quick," Jurabi said, "And you look so cool for a doctor, Mister."

Drago smiled and chuckled. "I appreciate the compliment, kiddo." He then turned to the sweating Dana. "Now, Miss Alisen, would you mind if I perform a check-up on you?"

"Oh, there's no need for that," Dana said, "It was just a minor headache. Should be gone right about now."

"Even the smallest headache can take a turn for the worse," Drago said, "Your husband insists that you receive a look-over."

Dana remained silent for a moment, feeling something off about the faunus before her. "I appreciate your dedication, but truly I am fine. Please tell my husband and his team that there is no need to worry."

"…Very well, if you insist." Drago looked over at the Therion Crystal. "Mr. Alisen also asked me to retrieve the new crystal. Would be bad if some miscreants snatched it from under our noses, right?"

"You mean thieves?" Jurabi asked.

Drago nodded. "Exactly. You're a lot smarter than you look, kiddo. Keep a close eye on your mother, okay? I'll be right back."

As Drago entered the testing room to retrieve the sealed Therion Crystal, Dana tapped onto Jurabi's shoulder.

"Hm? What is it, Mommy?" Jurabi asked as Dana whispered into his ear. The boy's expression shifted from surprised to confused before ending with a nod.

Drago returned from the testing room with a black briefcase in his hand. "Now then, let's be off to Mr. Alisen's office. We can't keep the man waiting."

Jurabi raised his hand. "Oh, wait, hold on! May I have a look at the Therion Crystal?"

"A look?" Drago raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you've had your fill watching the testing process, kiddo."

"Y-yeah, but...I wanna see it up close." Jurabi clasped his hands together, looking up at Drago. "Please? Please?!"

"I…really shouldn't. Your father would never let me hear the end of it if he caught wind of me letting you close to such a dangerous item."

"There's no need to worry," Dana said with a smile, "I've only allowed my son a close look, nothing more. And this will be our little secret too."

Drago pondered on this, trying his best not to look worried. "Hm…have they caught on…? It would be bad if I refused. Best to play along." He nodded as he opened the briefcase to reveal the Therion Crystal. "Very well. One glance, though."

"Woooow." Jurabi was in complete awe at the dark atoms trapped within the crystal.

"Incredible, isn't it? Your father is a genius to have pulled this off."

"Indeed, Nitorin is," Dana said, "By the way, I'm surprised to see a scientist like you on your own. Usually, you're assigned to a team."

"That…is because Nitorin asked me to personally collect the Therion Crystal and check up on you, Mrs. Alisen. Not a task for scientists, I know, but the pay's worth it."

"Oh, trust me, working hard for a check is brutal." Dana patted Jurabi's shoulder. "Especially when it's spent on hungry children."

Drago let out a laugh. "Too true. That's why I never plan on having kids myself. No offense to the kiddo, by the way."

"No plans on having a wife, at least? Because I think you would be a wonderful husband like mine."

"Oh you're too kind, but I doubt I'll ever be as good as him."

"I know." Dana's tone grew cold in an instant. "Because whenever I have so much as a minor headache, Nitorin would always be present to check up on me…instead of sending someone else to do it for him."

The room went silent after Dana said those words.

Drago closed his eyes and spoke in a menacing tone. "You have your son here, Alisen. It wouldn't be wise to start anything here."

"Of course." Dana pushed Jurabi back.

The moment Drago saw Jurabi move back, he realized why the boy was keen on seeing the crystal. He glanced and saw the crystal was no longer in the safe. "Looks like I've been found out. A lot sooner than I wished."

"You thought I was dumb enough not to notice you, Drago Fuchou? There isn't a hunter alive who hasn't come across your name."

"Drago?" Jurabi asked, "You mean...THE Drago? The leader of the Drago Gang?"

"Heh, so my reputation has reached even the kids, hm?" Drago said, tossing the briefcase aside, "Well, then there's no need for introductions then. I'll cut right to the chase: I'm here for the crystal. Hand it back over and I promise to give you a cut of the profit."

Dana sneered as she pulled out a light red, claymore with patterns of an accordion's strings etched on the blade. She pointed the weapon at Drago's head, "Why would I accept a cut from your thievery? We hunters of Vastel have more dignity than you thieves have seen your whole lives. I suggest you surrender yourself to the authorities quietly, or I will personally turn you in with fewer bones than you have now."

" Boss, we're in position and awaiting the signal," Zima said from Drago's comms.

Dragon smiled at Dana. "Not an option. I've got a schedule to keep, after all. Stores to rob, dust gemstones to steal. Now Zima!"

Before Dana could react, the lights began to flicker before completely shutting down.

"What?!" Dana shouted. She then felt a sudden gush of wind before a scream from Jurabi.

"AH! LET ME GO!" Jurabi screamed.

"Jurabi!" Dana shouted, unable to see anything in the darkness.

"Sorry, Alisen, but I'm going to borrow your kid for a bit," Drago said, as he took out a pair of smoke bombs and threw them onto the ground, causing an explosion of smoke, "Until next time~!"

"Jurabi!" Dana shouted, unable to see the direction Drago ran after going through the door, "Ugh, it's so hard to see," The huntress thought to herself, "But the backup generators should come back online soon." Dana took out her phone to try and call Nitorin, but saw that there was no working service, "Damnit, the service too? They must have knocked out power to the area. No time to think about this. I have to save Jurabi!"

As she began making her way through the darkened hallway, she noticed something odd, "Wait...why is it completely dark?" She asked, realizing that it should be noon, "The sun should be out. What's going on?!"

##

~~Head Office~~

In Nitorin's office, his meeting with the council was cut short by the power outage.

"What the?!" Nitorin asked in surprise. He looked around and noticed that the building had gone completely dark. "Are we in the middle of an eclipse?" He took out his phone to call Dana, but there was no service. "What the hell is going on?"

"Mr. Alisen!" A scientist rushed into the room. "Project Therion and your wife and son are missing!"

"What?!" Nitorin shouted, slamming his hands on his desk. "Call the Vastel military and close down all the exits!"

"Yes, sir!"

##

~~Outside~~

Outside the testing facility, there were a group of vehicles prepped for departure. At the center was Zima, whose eyes had turned black, palms planted onto the ground.

The Drago gangsters looked on to see the testing facility surrounded by a veil of darkness.

"Incredible...so this Zima's power," commented a gangster.

"Yeah, the Boss chose her for a reason," spoke another gangster, "Now enough yapping. You'll break her concentration."

"Ah, right."

" Ugh...I better get a raise from this," Zima muttered in her mind.

##

Dana then realized why everything had turned dark, "Could this be...a semblance? If so, I might be able to trace it."

The huntress took in a deep breath and closed her eyes to concentrate. She reopened her eyes, which had shined a glowing red, and the area around her became clear as she could map out her surroundings and see anything behind the walls. This was Dana's semblance, Mind's Eye.

Dana looked down and then up to find Drago on the rooftop, carrying Jurabi, "Found you!" She shouted as she started running up the staircase.

##

On the rooftop, Drago had just finished calling his men to retrieve him. He turned to Jurabi, who was struggling to escape his grasp.

"No use in trying to get away with the crystal, kid," Drago said, "There hasn't been a valuable in existence that's escaped this thief's grasp."

"Maybe so, but you're like the Racoon Thief from Honkai Girl!" Jurabi shouted, keeping the Therion Crystal enclosed in his hands.

Drago was dumbfounded by the statement the kid made. "Heh, Racoon Thief?"

Jurabi glared at Drago while smiling. "That's right. The Racoon Thief was a notorious thief who always stole from people, but Honkai Girl always manages to catch him in the act!"

Drago let out a laugh of genuine amusement. "That's quite the story." His grip on the boy's wrists then tightened, causing the Jurabi to wince in pain. "But too bad there's no Honkai Girl around. Now, best to hand over the crystal. You're not old enough to appreciate its value."

"Ngh! N-No way! Daddy is going to use this to save the world from the Grimm! I'm not giving it to a thief like you!"

"Save the world?" Drago's eyes widened before he let out another laugh. "Oh boy, that's a good laugh. Do you seriously think that lapdog can save the world? Don't be naive!"

"Lapdog?!" Jurabi got angry at the faunus for insulting his father. He struggled to get out of Drago's grip as he shouted, "You take that back! My Daddy's the best at building anything! He'll make a weapon that's going to make all the Grimm go away. When that happens, you'll think twice before insulting him."

"Tch. I'm not going to waste my breath trying to convince you." The Komodo dragon faunus frightened his grip further, even going so far as to dig his claws into Jurabi's skin. "You'll learn soon enough that your father is nothing but a fool trying to play god, and why his hands are stained in blood like this company and the council. Now cough up the crystal or I'll show you exactly what makes me a komodo dragon faunus."

Jurabi bit his lip as tears formed in his eyes. He saw blood leaking out of his wrists and for the first time felt excruciating pain; however, he still won't back down. "N-no! You can ask a thousand times and I'll still say no!"

"What's with this kid?" Drago thought to himself as he tightened his grip more and said, "Fine by me, kiddo. What're a few broken bones going to cost me, hm?"

That was when the door to the roof was sent flying as Dana rushed out. "Let him go, Drago!"

"Tch, caught up to me already?" Drago turned to Dana, who bore the face of an angry mother. Her red claymore was infused in darkness.

"Mommy!" Jurabi shouted, happy to see his mother, but at the same time felt a chill go down his spine seeing her expression.

"Dana Alisen, the famous Crimson Huntress." Drago's expression became that of annoyance. "Of all the hunters to be assigned on guard duty for your husband, it just had to be you."

"You have nowhere to run, Drago," Dana said coldly, "Your only option now is to give me back my son and the Therion Crystal. You've already guaranteed yourself a painful trip to prison, courtesy of me, after hurting my son, so don't push your already bad luck."

Drago smirked as he put Jurabi in front of him. "Making demands, are we? In case you haven't noticed, I'm the one with your son in my clutches. One wrong move could prove fatal to him, Alisen."

"Mommy…" Jurabi whispered.

"Is the crystal all you're after, Drago?" Dana asked.

"Indeed it is," Drago explained, "But if you ask me, I don't think it was worth risking the necks of my men."

"How is it that a bandit like you was able to discern its value?" Dana asked, "It should look like nothing more than a rock to you. Unless someone outside Alisen Industries told you about it."

"You have no one to blame but the security of your husband's company for that." That was when an air transport arrived at the rooftop behind Drago. "Looks like my ride's here. Be a good dear and tell your son to cough up the crystal, before he meets the rest of my gang up close and personal."

Dana's grip on her claymore tightened as she thought about her next move that would guarantee Jurabi's safety and the crystal's retrieval.

"No, I won't do it, Mommy!" Jurabi shouted.

"Ugh, why are you so intent on holding onto this rock?!" Drago asked, frustrated at the persistence of this one child, "Are you insane enough to believe it's worth more than your very life?!"

"No…" Jurabi glared at Drago, "I'm insane enough to believe that the world my Daddy wants is worth dying for!"

"Jurabi…" Dana was shocked that her own son held such a strong conviction.

"This kid…" Drago too was surprised, but it also made him grit his teeth.

Suddenly, the crystal inside Jurabi's hands began to glow.

"Huh?!" Jurabi looked at his hands in shock.

"The crystal…" Drago whispered.

"Jurabi put the crystal down!" Dana shouted as she rushed towards Jurabi and Drago.

"…Therion…" A voice spoke in his head.

"Wha…?" Jurabi asked, "Therion?" The moment he spoke the words, the crystal in his hands grew sharp and punctured Jurabi's hands, causing the boy to scream in pain. "AAAAAH!" Jurabi let out a howling scream as the rooftop became engulfed in black fire.

"What the?!" Drago shouted, letting go of Jurabi, who squirmed on the floor in pain.

"Jurabi!" Dana screamed. Before she could reach her son, a sudden ring of fire formed around the boy, keeping both her and Drago back.

"Ngh! What is happening to him, Alisen?!" Drago asked.

"I…I don't know!" Dana said, "I've never seen anything like this! But...this fire…"

"M-mommy…" Jurabi whimpered, watching the crystal's sharp edges poking straight out of the skin of his hands.

"Jurabi!" Dana's eyes widened when she saw the skin on Jurabi's hands changing from tanned to pitch black as if a virus was spreading onto his body, "Could it be that…the Therion Crystal is trying to inject something into him?"

Jurabi's tears began to fall from his cheeks as he curls up in a ball. "Mommy...what's...happening to me…?"

"Jurabi, no matter what happens, don't panic! Mommy will be right there!"

"Are you crazy, Alisen?!" Drago asked, watching Dana move towards the black fire, "That boy's body is being altered by the Dark Atoms! If these flames don't burn you alive, the dark atoms he's giving off will do worse!"

Jurabi's eyes widened as he saw imagines of monsters killing people. "What is this I'm seeing?! So many people…getting hurt…!"

"Breathe, Jurabi," Dana said, getting pushed back by the fire, "Mommy's right here. Daddy's on his way too. Breath. Everything is going to be alright!"

Jurabi's visions got worse as he saw monsters killing people in them, "P-people are…dying, Mommy! I don't want to watch anymore!" The dark atoms on his arms continued to spread to his shoulders.

"I don't think your son is listening to you, Alisen," Drago said.

"Jurabi, I'm going to walk over to you to try and remove the crystal from your hands!" Dana shouted, "You have to be brave at this moment. If you calm your emotions down, whatever is happening to you will calm down with it!"

"But…Mommy…" Jurabi whispered.

"Keep looking at me and nothing else, understand?"

"…O-Okay." Jurabi began to take in deep breaths. However, nothing was working. No matter how calm Jurabi was, the flames only grew larger to the point where he, his mother, and even Drago began sweating and coughing.

"It's no good," Drago said, "If this keeps up, we'll all die of heat stroke!"

"Jurabi, Keep trying. Don't give in to your fear!" Dana said, getting closer to Jurabi while avoiding the black flames.

"I'm trying, Mommy..." Jurabi said, frustrated that nothing was working. His visions worsened along with his pain and he had reached his breaking point, "It's no use...I can't do it!"

"Yes, you can, Jurabi. I believe in you. Remember when you were brave enough to stand up to the bullies at school? Use that now. Fight the Dark Atoms! Fight for your humanity!"

"Mommy..."

"I'm here for you until the very end," Dana gave Jurabi a reassuring smile despite being on the verge of passing out.

Jurabi suddenly felt pain coursing through his head, "AAAAAH!"

"Jurabi!"

"More bad images! Make it stop, Mommy! Make it stop!"

That was when Nitorin arrived at the rooftop with soldiers, "Good Reigal…" Nitorin was horrified by the sight of the black flames before seeing his son in immense pain. "Jurabi!"

Jurabi's eyes became lifeless, his arms limp. The Therion Crystal retracted its sharp edges and fell to the ground next to him, shattering to pieces. The fire around him disappeared as if they were never there.

"NO!" Dana screamed as she ran to Jurabi, the danger in front of her. She held her son close to his arms.

"JURABI!" Nitorin shouted, rushing to their side.

Drago looked around, his eyes filled with confusion, "What in the world just happened?"

"Freeze, Drago!" The soldiers shouted, pointing their guns at the faunus thief.

Nitorin placed a hand on his son's forehead, feeling his temperature rising. "He doesn't look good, Dana. Hang in there, Jurabi!"

"Someone get a medic here!" Dana shouted.

Drago, now surrounded by soldiers, glanced down at the shattered Therion Crystal. "There goes my end of the bargain." He looked back at the soldiers. The faunus slowly raised his hands.

"We're here, Boss," Zima said through Drago's communicator.

Drago watched as the soldiers got closer to him. Using his tail, he secretly grabbed a small, round object. "Okay, you all got me, but I have one thing to say…" He smiled as he threw the object at the ground, "Don't go smoking, kids."

"Smoke bomb!" A soldier shouted.

An explosion of smoke soon followed. On the other side of the smoke, Drago quickly jumped off the rooftop, "Until we cross paths again, Alisen's."

"Don't let him escape!" A soldier shouted as the smoke was cleared away by the wind coming from the dropship that picked Drago up. The soldiers fired upon the aircraft before it flew away, "Blast! They got away…"

"Inform the patrols to be on the lookout for that aircraft, and call for an ambulance immediately," Announced the leader as the soldiers acknowledged.

Both Jurabi's parents stayed at their son's side, watching as the Dark Atom corruption began to dissipate on his body.

"Dana, look…" Nitorin said.

"The Dark Atoms…" Dana said, "They're...disappearing?"

"Mr. Alisen!" A group of scientists and doctors arrived at the rooftop, "Are you okay?!"

"Don't worry about me, everyone," Nitorin said as he watched the scientists and doctors place Jurabi on a stretcher. He turned to Dana, who had a horrified look on her face. "Dana...the Therion Crystal. Don't tell me that Jurabi…"

Dana couldn't bring herself to revisit the horrible sight she saw and instead held his body close to her as tears fell from her eyes. "I'm sorry…I'm so…so sorry! I should have known it would come to this!"

Gerald and a team of scientists were busy checking the building's items and weapons for any malfunctions while the soldiers and police conduct their investigation. In the end, none of that mattered to the Alisen family. Nitorin ordered his workers to speak nothing of this issue and to continue work as usual while keeping him posted on updates.

##

~~Location: Unknown~~

In an unspecified location, Drago was speaking to a hologram showing a masked figure wearing a dark cloak. He was clearly angry at the lack of information given to him.

"Hello, Drago," Deathwatch greeted, "Have you retrieved what I had asked for?"

"I demand an explanation, Deathwatch!" Drago shouted at the figure, "What the hell was that I just saw with this "Project Therion"?!"

"I am afraid I do not know what you are talking about, Drago."

"Don't play dumb! The Therion Crystal, or whatever it was called, went crazy and set a rooftop on fire. Not only that, but the Dark Atoms stored within the crystal disappeared before it shattered to pieces! So I'll ask again, what the absolute FUCK is going on?!"

"A thief like you is in no position to ask questions, Drago. More importantly, you said the Dark Atoms disappeared?"

"That's what I said. Right after Nitorin's son was punctured by the crystal."

"Nitorin's son?" A long silence followed afterward.

Drago waved his hand in front of the Deathwatch hologram. "Hello? Earth to Deathwatch?"

"Tell me more about this son of his."

"Seriously? That's what you're asking?" Drago raised an eyebrow as a tick mark appeared on his forehead. "You still haven't answered my question!"

"I am under no obligation to give you an answer. I can, however, give you this." A file was sent to Drago's personal computer. "On that file is all the information you could possibly want on the Hunter Council."

"Zima."

"On it, Boss," Zima said, checking over the files. Her eyes widened as she turned back to Drago, "Yep, these are legit classified files. Shit...it even has their names and everything."

Drago's eyes widened, turning back to Drago. "How did you get this information?"

"From a trusted source. Now, tell me everything about this Alisen boy."

Drago rubbed his chin, trying to remember what the boy looked like. "Well...there's not much I can say except that his hair color and eyes were the same as his mother. Black with red highlights. I believe his name was...Jurabi, I think."

Silence followed after Drago's statement before Deathwatch muttered to himself, "…So…they were not wiped out completely after all."

"What was that?"

"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Drago Fuchou."

"Hey! We're not done-" But Deathwatch ended the call before Drago could press him any further.

"And they bail without so much as a thank you," Zima said, "Boss, let's not risk our necks for these dangerous jobs again."

Drago was silent as if he wasn't listening at all.

"Boss?"

Drago felt his stomach bubbling up. Whenever this happens, it means his instincts are telling him something was wrong. "We got the information we need. But still..." He thought about what had transpired on the rooftop with Jurabi and the Therion Crystal. "That was no mere project Alisen was working on. And how in the world did that kid survive? I thought this was just a usual thief's job, but the Drago Gang may have put its nose into something really big."

XxxxxxxxxX

~~Oroseia Hospital: Eight Hours Later~~

Nitorin and Dana took Jurabi to the Oroseia Hospital for a check-up.

First, the doctor assigned to check up on them performed several x-ray tests and bodily verifications, such as looking into his mouth, eyes, and nerve coordination. Once he was finished, he placed Jurabi in the resting ward and walked out to the waiting area where his family patiently waited.

"Mr. and Mrs. Alisen, I've done a thorough check on your son," The doctor said.

"And?" Dana asked in anticipation, "Is he okay?"

The doctor sighed as he gestured to Nitorin and Dana to come with him. Nitorin and Dana followed the doctor into his office and sat down on the other side of his desk.

There was a brief moment of silence before he began talking, "Physically, your son is stable. Aside from fatigue, he should be fine once he takes a week's worth of rest here."

"That's…not bad at all," Nitorin said, "But…how-"

"Please let me finish." The doctor handed Nitorin an analysis on Jurabi, "I have good news and I have bad news. Which would you like to hear?"

Nitorin and Dana looked at each other for a brief moment.

Nitorin looked back at the doctor and answered, "Bad news."

The doctor took in a deep breath. "We detected an anomaly in Jurabi's blood."

"An anomaly?" Dana asked.

"In his blood?" Nitorin asked.

"Yes, his blood cells have been completely altered, right down to their cellular structure," The doctor said pointing at the analysis of the blood, "When we took a sample of Jurabi's blood, it was pitch black."

Nitorin's blue eyes popped open. "Pitch black?! What?!"

"Oh no...is his blood…?" Dana asked, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"I'm afraid so." The doctor said, "Your son has completed the transformation into a Grimm."

Dana's tears began falling as she leaned on her husband to cry.

Nitorin did his best to comfort his wife while continuing to speak with the doctor in a weak voice. "Does that mean that our son is dead…?"

The doctor shook his head. "That's where the good news, or at least I would call it such, comes in. Your son, by some incredible miracle, still has his humanity intact."

Dana gasped, as she looked up at the doctor with red eyes. "You mean...he's not…?"

"We can't say for certain, but there is a possibility that your son was able to fight back the Dark Atoms. At this point, even with medical treatment, a human or faunus would still transform into an Apathy Grimm, but that boy of yours seems to be an exception to this."

"Oh...oh thank goodness! Thank...the Guardians!"

Nitorin breathed a sigh of relief as he tightened his hug on Dana. "I was afraid of the worst, but if this is all that's happened to him, I'll take it. As long as he is alive."

"Wait…" Dana's eyes widened as she looked up at Nitorin. "What if the Hunter Council hears of this? If they find out about Jurabi…"

Nitorin turned to the doctor.

The doctor nodded, "We'll keep your son in a secure ward. None of what's been discovered will be revealed to the public. My team and I will do our best to find out more about this abnormality. Best case scenario: we may find a way to revert it."

"Please do," Nitorin shook the doctor's hand, "Thank you so much, doctor. Is it okay if we check on Jurabi now?"

"Of course," Doctor said, "Please follow me."

As the doctor led the Alisen family to Jurabi's private ward, Dana couldn't help but think back to what Jurabi was saying. "...Did the Dark Atoms give Jurabi the visions he saw? If so...then is it possible..."

" ...that Jurabi saw a tragedy from the ancient past?"


Jurabi Therion: Heeeeeellooooooo~~! This is Jurabi Therion, bringing you another chapter of the Vastel Guardians. This chapter in particular is the remake version of the third chapter and I made quite a lot of changes.

A lot of changes were made from the original and frankly, it's hard to keep track of it all. So what I WILL say is that this is definitely the final draft. No more changes will be made from here on. Also, I deleted the chapters after this to make it easier for newcomers to follow along with the story. So sorry to those who have been here since day 1. We will get past the second arc, I swear!

Anyways, guys, I hope you enjoy this chapter! If you did, please let me know in the reviews and leave a kudos and be sure to bookmark to keep track of all the updates. Also join me on my own discord server to have a nice chat. Thank you very much for reading. See you next chapter~!

Discord Address: xMYF8ggTjC