Chapter 10: Heresy Grows From Idleness

Klaxons blared their haunting screams as NK, MT and a hundred strong platoon of Killer T cells raced their way along the thoracic duct that would lead them to a junction near the liver.

Other groups stationed in the lymphatic system were also rushing toward the main organ where sketchy reports indicated an entourage of macrophages led by Lady Em had revolted. Many, however, found the news appalling and insidious to mention the second highest rank macrophage in the world would even rebel. Several kill teams even requested confirmation for the validity of the report from headquarters, but so far, no response had been given.

Orders to subdue the archtraitor and her traitorous maids soon came from Commander Helper T in the Thymus headquarters. That had already been an hour ago and, after that, no more updates of the situation had been broadcast. Attempts to contact back HQ all failed with communication signals only blurting out static.

"This is insane!" yelled out KT who now goes by the name MT, or Memory T Cell, after being promoted to the position a day after their meeting with the Neurons in the Hypothalamus. "Have they all gone mad?"

Like the KT cells they were ordered to reinforce in the liver, MT's platoon now donned special black riot gear as well as riot shields and gladius swords. MT himself now sported black cyto-combat armor, heavy greaves, and boots. On top of that, he also wore a great coat with red epaulets to mark his rank, and a peaked officer's cap with the words, MEMORY, etched at the front. Though he didn't hold any shield, he did wield a chainsword ready in hand.

NK didn't respond.

MT gave his jogging partner a look and saw her expression grim but apprehensive. Like everyone else in the adaptive immune system, she too had changed her wardrobe though not as pronounced and heavy as him and his squad. She still wore her usual black tank top, green shorts, and army boots, but now, she sported a chest plate on top of her shirt and a sleeveless long coat. In her hand, she no longer wielded her usual saber, but now a crackling power sword called Libertas.

"Hey," MT tried to call her out from her stupor. "You alright?"

NK gave him an annoyed look. "Tsch, yeah, yeah, I'm fine…"

MT's lips formed a frown as he rolled his eyes. "Oh for the love of… Could you stop beating yourself up fool? This is nobody's fault ok? Nobody screwed up, YOU did not screw up!"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" she snarled at him, baring her teeth. "How many times should you bring this topic up?!"

"As many times as you remain stubborn," he shot back. "This is not the time to quench your ego by beating yourself for not preventing this revolt!"

"I'm not beating myself up!" she denied vehemently.

"Oh yeah? Then why are you always trying to get ahead of us?" he countered, scoffing. "We've been sprinting non-stop ever since we entered the thoracic duct just to keep up with you. You really that eager to fight the enemy?"

NK said nothing. Of all the muscle heads who happened to be with her when the alarm for all cells to move to the liver came, it had to be the one who irritated her the most.

This was not the first time they had this argument. For the past few days, whenever they meet, they would always end up with voices raised and faces smashed. She hated the fact that MT had started to become an annoyance who constantly bugs her on how she was doing her job. Of course, she'd respond in kind, but somehow, his words sting more than her fists.

She didn't want to admit it, but he was right. She was indeed harsh on herself for not able to find the enemy before they attacked. She couldn't help it. After all, it was her job to track down heresy before it could spread and she failed spectacularly.

Heresy grows from idleness, or so the hunter's creed profess.

And what's more, MT just won't stop trying to make her feel better by saying it was not her fault. This idiot just doesn't understand… As a hunter, she just can't drop this failure at all. This had now become personal, and she needs to atone herself at all cost.

But she couldn't admit that to the bloke jogging beside her hence their constant arguments.

"I'm a hunter. I work alone. I don't need a lecture on how fast I'm running from anyone especially from you."

He shook his head and sighed. "Fine, do whatever you want, but know that blaming yourself for this mess will not do you any good."

No, it will, she thought to herself.

Their group had now reached the T7 junction of the Thoracic spine region, and it would only be a couple more vertebrae before they reach the exit for the liver.

NK started to slow down her pace followed by MT and his team.

MT raised a hand and immediately, his team unsheathed their blades in preparation for combat.

A thick smog covered the road right after the T7 junction, and it looked like war had already claimed the place. Everywhere the grey smoke parted, signs of battle could be seen. The paved ground had cracked. Deep craters likely caused by explosion potted the landscape, and debris, blazed or charred, were scattered everywhere.

What's worse, however, was that pools of red cytoplasm painted wide swaps of the road, and yet something that should be any carnage was missing.

NK gripped the cold hilt of Libertas tightly. Everywhere she looked, she could see the aftermath of a battle and yet, curiously, no corpses.

She didn't like it… She didn't like it one bit.

"Formation!" MT bellowed.

Immediately, his platoon moved to form a solid rectangular block that stretched from one end of the road to the other. It took twenty cells to form a tight row of interlocking shields five columns deep.

Every member of MT's platoon was a veteran who could take down multiple opponents at once. In fact, many had boasted that their ferocity in combat was already at par with the most skilled macrophages in the world and now they finally had the chance to prove such an assertion.

As for the two leading leukocytes, both NK and KT stayed out of the formation, choosing instead to remain by themselves on the front.

The unusual fog had started to thicken the more they trudged forward. Step by step, they advanced, and soon they heard the sounds of screams, shrieks, and howls upfront hidden inside the blanket of the fog.

"They're in front of us," MT voiced out to his platoon. "Stay sharp everyone, expect everything!"

NK could feel her sword arm itching for cytoplasm to be spilled. The shame of failing in her duties demanded atonement and not until the last mitochondria of her enemy ceased beating would she declare her debt repaid.

For a minute, they continued moving in silence. They saw more evidence of carnage, with hundreds of broken shields and swords littering the ground. A brutal battle had been fought here, and yet still there were no corpses of the fallen.

NK finally stopped in her tracks. MT also did the same as he immediately turned on his chainsword, producing its iconic whirring sound.

The KT formation also stopped in their tracks, planting their riot shields firmly on the ground to form an impenetrable line of defense.

The fog surrounding them swirled and swayed as if angry with their hubris to tread inside it.

NK narrowed her eyes. She could feel them now. Every organelle in her body screamed at her of the incoming massacre. Her cytoplasm boiled with righteous fury and it took her every willpower to restrain herself from charging aimlessly forward.

She heard muttering from behind. Various KT cells murmured prayers for blessings and protection to the Consciousness.

For a second, she closed her eyes and whispered a prayer for herself not for deliverance, but for her to be given the opportunity to slaughter as much of the enemy as she could.

"Brothers!" MT bellowed amidst the growling of his weapon. "Stand fast and true! The enemy approaches!"

His platoon roared in response.

"Do you want to live forever?!" he asked.

"NO!" they replied.

"Do you want to die of old age?!"

"NO!"

"Do you want to party in the liver after we win?!"

"Only if you sing, commander!" shouted someone from the ranks.

This got a hearty chorus of laughter from everyone including MT.

"Then by day's end, you will all be treated to my beautiful singing voice!"

Another bout of laughter from his subordinates.

NK paid no heed to MT's banter with his platoon. She focused all her senses at the fog as she now heard the thrumming of a hundred footsteps fast approaching.

This was it. She could finally start paying off her debt. The world would run red with the cytoplasm of her enemies, and it would all start here, at the T7 spinal vertebrae of the Thoracic region.

She opened her mouth and screamed.

"THEY'RE HERE!"

And NK finally saw what happened to the dead.


A/N:

And we are finally back to NK and KT who is now called MT. Ok, so yeah, I actually made a boo-boo. I started this fic forgetting that Killer T Cell is already a Memory T Cell in the manga. Instead of updating the whole previous chapters, I just promoted him off-screen after their meeting with the Neurons. Of course, this is not how KT cells become Memory T cells so let's just say, MT's promotion was long overdue.

Anyways, NK and MT now sport new clothes here and since I'm a Warhammer 40k nerd, I made MT wear a Commissar's uniform and NK wear a sort-of Inquisitor-ish summer costume. Don't worry though, I'm commissioning an artwork to my artist friend (who did the cover for this) fanart for these two. XD

And speaking of art...

I've updated the book cover from a pic of Lady Macrophage in Space Marine armor to that of Lady Em in Terminator armor.

Unfortunately, FF is still stuck in 2009 so I can't upload the whole image here. Fortunately, I've uploaded the whole pic in photobucket so you can check the whole original by using the links below.

Note: Remove the spaces and the dash '-', as well as the ( d a t ) changing a period, when pasting them in the url.

Lady Em in Terminator Armor: h-t-t-p-s : / / tinyurl ( d a t ) c-o-m / ya8u2pgw

Lady Macrophage in Space Marine Armor: h-t-t-p-s : / / tinyurl ( d a t ) c-o-m / y8d87s7k

If you still have problems with the links, send me a PM so I can personally give the link. ;)

Lastly, since I'm seeing that Lady Em is becoming popular (thank you all for the amazing reviews!), I just want to share that Lady Em is actually an actual macrophage in the Anime series. She's the one you always see in the beginning recap sipping tea with Lady Macrophage. I don't think we ever hear her name so I just called her Em.

Until next time everyone!


Revision History:

- Originally published on Nov. 9, 2018