[Prologue]

I join the organization because I though it was something different...I thought it was for the wellbeing of our people, to protect them from outsiders who came to hunt and enslave our kind, who brought sickness and disease to our world, who started the blood wars between our kind, I thought this was what I was helping to stop when I join...but I would learn...

I still remember the first time I met you...do you remember? It was back during the Goldlissy mission, me and my Squad were pinned down by outsiders and half bloods slavers, it was supposed to be a simple mission get in, save the civilian and get out with them but it was a trap, they knew we were coming thank to the half bloods with them, my squad had suffered heavy casualties, my friends and comrades we're all dying and I believe I was going to as well, but I remember seen the clouds over head change, they grew dark with purple lightning, your signature, why some call you Omen? Because with those ominous clouds you were soon to follow... and you did, you and your handler at that time came and turned the tide, it didn't seem real at the time, the things you did, Haha, ah, thinking back on it, just how naive I was...I thought maybe it was your armor that made you able to do those things but little did I know just /who/ you really were but I wanted to know...I even try to talk to you after the mission, thank you for saving my life and the civilians, and you...well you were not as Charming back then, you were quite arrogant and rude but so was your Handler, I will admit what you said got me a bit mad, but it was true my squad was not adequate for that task as you bluntly put it, and I did want to provide you wrong, so I started to train harde, to this day I still remember that conversation we had, there was something different about you...you were more like a machine than a person but there was something in your eyes that no words could stay or anything else seen, I seen hopelessness in your eyes...

The years went by, but I never forgot the first time you saved me...and from that day I trained harder and studied, as the decades passed I would occasionally hear rumors of a white knight who would turn the tides, a hero straight out of a fairy tale who would save us but I would learn truth, you were the one who was needing a hero to save you....I only wish I would have seen that sooner.

I will admit I was surprised when the organization contacted me, they we're impressed by my records and wanted me for a new assignment...to be your handler, they gave me briefing about my new tasks and about you, granted most about you was still classified however I still took the job... I spent the next 2'000 years training to be your handler, what my responsibilities were, how we should work together, at that time however you still had your current Handler but I eventually got word she retired and well I got to meet you again.

Looking back, I now wonder how you were with each handler you were given...by what I learned of you, they must have only seen you as a weapon and treated you like one, I know some treated you less, it's one of the reasons why you had those classified incidence or so I believe, but I would learn what you really are, what really is the dark star project and what the organization did to you but most of all, I want you to find who /you/ really are Judas.

[Chapter one: a new lesson]

(1)

Judas walk down the White hallway of the organization facility that he was being housed, he stop in front of a door...this wasn't the normal training room but his handler ordered him to come to this particular room so he didn't question it.

The door open making a *swoosh* sounds and Dark star interred, the room had an unusual setup one Judas was not accustomed to compared to the other training rooms, there was a table in the center of the room with a display of items on it, and light shining on them, two smaller table set-up next to two easels.

" Judas, dark star, punctual as ever" a female voice spoke coming around a curtain she had containers in both her hands.

She was a fair size woman, about 5'7 without counting her horns, her long silver hair was pinned up in a neat bun, she wore casual clothes but not as fancy or Flashy what she normally wore as a royal Vaseterm.

Dark star had his hands at his side, chest out and chin up with a stern look on his face when 'Alora' his handler revealed herself. " Dark star, J, 62, reporting for duty ma'am!" Judas shouted standing tall at attention

Alora smirk at that "at ease Judas" she said casually putting one container on one table next to an easel and the other container on the other table. The handler then wiped her hands on her light blue apron that had stains of old paint on it, she walked over to Judas, who was still standing straight, He now had his feet slightly apart and his hands behind his back, he was wearing his casual uniform, a mostly black suit with some silver embroidery on it but nothing was Flashy about his clothes at all for a high Royal.

// uh, that's really not at ease... rigid as ever Dark star// Alora thought amused looking over Judas, he had his normal buzz cut hair that she thought never seem to fit him // 40 years and he never change it because it's regulation...I bet he look better with it a little longer, not to long, but I think he look nice with it a little longer//

She pushed her thoughts to the side for now and go on to why she called him"Today we start your first lesson in learning art, do you have any questions?" Alora said calmly but in a firm voice so Judas knew she was telling him his commands.

Judas just stood there staring straight ahead but replied " yes ma'am, what is the purpose of this class?" He inquired not understanding.

Alora simply replied back in the same tone as before "I've been assigned to assess your mental state, to over see and diagnosis what might be the cause of your sporadic disobedience, by succeeding in these lessons I hope to be able to diagnosis what the cause in your undesirable behavior so that it may be treated " she explained then ask "do you understand?"

Judas held his stance and replied "yes ma'am"

Alora smirked " good, now let see what you can do with a paint brush, Dark star"

(2)

Judas follow Alora over to the setup she had made for them, he stood at his station looking very awkward compared to the female.

Alora demonstrated setting out the paints on the tray, she only place White, Brown and blue " we're going to start painting only using black and white, for grayscale, to get black we are going to mix the brown and blue together and he is a little white to know if we got them mixture correct " she demonstrated mixing the two and then adding White to make a gray color.

Judas was confused by all of this but he followed the instructions his handler gave without question, it didn't take him long to mix it correctly. He then looked over at Alora for his next instructions.

The Royal Vaseterm held up her paintbrush and pointed it at the still life on the table in front of the two "good, now we are going to paint that still life on to our canvas "

Judas blinked at that, what she said it did not compute to him.

The handler noticed dark star bewildered look " you disapprove?"

" the colors that were assigned are not sufficient to this task" he replying plainly looking back at the display, the item set up were golds, purple and greens.

Alora shook her head and chuckled " they're not supposed to, we are using grayscale so you can understand light and shadows before we get onto color"

Judas look at the still life display analyzing it more deeply " the lighting is coming from a right 90 degree angle from the spotlight, ma'am "

" Yes, but we're going to paint the picture only using grayscale" she reply and started to demonstrate painting on her own canvas." You understand now?"

Judas watched her for a moment then look back at the display then to his own canvas,"Affirmative"
Dark star replied in his almost robotic way, he took his brush and attempted to mimic his handler.

After a while Alora set her paintbrush in the tub, she wiped off her hands on a towel and then got up to observe Judas's progress, it look good for his first try, but she already had a feeling it would look pretty decent, he had a reputation of being a perfectionist but that's how Vanessa wanted him...

"Stand down Judas"Alora commanded him to stop, she walked over to the still life and picked up the gold tea kettle and walked back to his canvas, she held it up next to the picture and shook her head with amazement, he had painted almost the exact same size as the actual tea kettle, and she already knew all the items were the same, that he painted was incredibly accurate but she could tell he was getting frustrated with actually how paint works and mixing the colors and using what she told him, " it's not bad Judas, your edges are too rigid, to get the proper blending you need to mix wet and wet, your letting the paint dry in some areas"

Judas stop when he was told and just stood there, he listening trying to take in what she told him but still certain things still didn't register yet, he observed how she demonstrated smoothing out the edges and blending. Dark star brow frown slightly, to him paint was inaccurate, what he was observing could not create an exact replica of the still life, painting texture was flawed to him, there was better methods of creating a picture, photograph would be most efficient and accurate but he didn't protest against his handler methods...he wasn't told he could speak yet...

Alora continue to demonstrate, she occasionally glanced at Judas, his face was Stern but she could tell his mind was trying to grasp the concept of her lesson, a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips // we got a long way to go... I can already tell you're going to have a mental meltdown when we get to using colors but I only let you use complimentary ones... One baby step at a time Alora, don't need to break the super weapon on his first lesson//

(3)

The Royal female when back over to the still life display and arranged it differently, she then went over and got a fresh canvas and replaced Judas's with it " I want you to try again, this time doing what I showed you"

Judas just stood at attention, looking more like a statue then a man, until Alora gave her commands "affirmative" he replied and got his paint brush an attempted to paint again.

Alora watch the test subject, she push her lips " I know what we need, music" she thinks out loud, the Royal took her arm band and made a display appeared, she moved her fingers along the display and then tap a symbol that held information to all of her favorite music. Her armband was linked to the room functions and it sent a message to the computer and instantly classical music filled the room.

Judas didn't flinch or respond in any way to the new sounds, to him it was just noise that had no purpose or meaning it was just white noise, static in the background. He was given a task and that was to paint, even though he still didn't grasp the concept yet, just like he didn't understand music...

(4)

[ 40 years later... ]

Alora continued her art lessons between her and Judas's assigned missions from the organization...

Over the course of the years
Judas had improve greatly with his painting, he could paint anything his handler set on the table but today was different, Alora didn't put anything on the table to look at...

Judas just stood there at attention, he was staring blankly at the table that usually had the display.

Alora had already started to paint her canvas but she stopped when she noticed the test subject hadn't touched his " Judas, paint something" she said cheerfully and then watch the test subject curiously.

Judas was very confused by this order, it didn't make sense there was nothing on the table to paint " this task does not compute... There's insignificant resources "

The Royal female giggled and look at Dark star " Judas, that the point of this lesson, I what you to paint something /you/ want to do...not something I set up, paint something you see in your mind, try using your imagination"

The test subjects stood there silently, he was trying to processes the tasks but didn't understand it, he didn't know what imagination was, Alora had mentioned it before in their previous classes but it was still something he couldn't grasp, but Judas was given a task and he wasn't one to fail easily... He glanced at his surroundings picking a subject to paint and so he started...

Alora smile seen Judas finally started to paint, she then started to play with her arm band display, picking a song for them to work with it, it took years but she finally was able to figure out what type of music the test subject preferred, at first Judas didn't respond to music but as time went on he started to have preferences but he only shows this through little signs, he unusually wrinkled his nose if it was a song he didn't approval of and if it was something he like, Judas look more laxed and not as much of a statue.

Alora chose an adventurous orchestra from her playlist and glanced over at test subject, he seems to not be as tens.

she work on her own painting and let Judas work on his.... Hours past before Alora stop to check on the test subject project, "Judas Stand down" she called.

The test subject stopped, he put his paintbrush down and stood at attention.

Alora approach but stopped abruptly, she put a hand over her mouth and gasps quietly, she didn't expect seen what Judas had painted...out of everything else in the room he could have chosen to paint, he picked /her/...Alora was silent as she examine the portrait of herself, Judas like always did an extraordinary job, he had almost every detail accurate, but she wanted to know why he chose her " Judas, why did you pick me? There were other things in the room you could have painted"

Dark star didn't know how to reply, he was confused by his own actions, there was better subjects in the room to pick, a chair in the corner had good lighting on it, he could have picked Alora's easel to paint, there was another items in the room that had just as much potential if not more idea elements but he didn't, he picked Alora herself when he had never done a portrait nor was he ordered to do so.... Judas stared at his canvas, he didn't know how to reply, her orders were playing in his head 'I what you to paint something /you/ want to do...not something I set up'..."for this assigned tasks, I was given liberty to paint a subject that interest me, I selected the most optimal subject " he finally replied

(5)

Alora had been watching him and when the test subjective gave his reasoning for painting her portrait, the Royals face flushed, she design This task to be a test but she wasn't expecting this result, that Judas pick her...

The handler by this point knew how Judas operated, he did what was ordered and had a very particular way in executing the task, she purposely gave him vague orders to see if he would request clear orders or if he would improvise and he did the following... that was very unusual for Judas... Expecially seen Vanessa had trained him to follow orders no matter what, even if they were completely suicidal, he would still carry them out, just like she tell him, but that why handlers were needed, Dark star would follow orders but he needed someone who could direct him with a clear strategy.

Vanessa raised Judas to /react/ not to plan or think things though, he was told to do something and he did it... This was something Alora learned after 80 years of being Judas's handler, and before that she work with the organization for 10,000 years and 2,000 years of that was training to become Judas's handler, to say she knew him well was an understatement...

Alora observed his facial features, looking for any sign of expression, she was still trying to diagnose the test subject occasional sporadic behavior, in the time of her being his handler he hadn't an episode yet or at least nothing major but Vanessa strongly believe it was due to Judas showing signs of Independence, something she didn't want and would attempt to correct by erasing part of his memory's.

But Alora was Judas's handler now, and unlike his other handlers before her who only used Judas as a tool, she wanted to understand him, to better work together, She wanted to see if he could improvise and be independent, if that was really the cause of his disobedience and after 80 years working together, Judas for the first time did something without being told to.

"Do you need medical attention?" Judas inquired staring at his handler, his tassels were fanned out behind his horns picking up Alora's temperature change however slight it might have been." Your body temperature has increased"

The Royal female blinked coming out of her deep thoughts, " no! Judas I'm fine! It's nothing to be concerned about" she waved her hand in front of herself, her face grew even hotter "I just wasn't expecting you to paint a portrait of me that's all!"

(6)

Judas had been confused about this task to begin with, but most of Alora's assignments were confusing compared to his other handlers, he had to guess what she wanted a lot of the times or do things that were unfamiliar to him, this was one of those times and the test subject look to his canvas wondering if he did something wrong " did I fail the mission?"

Alora quickly put out a hand " no, Judas, you didn't fail " she looks at her portrait, it was beautifully done, it was one of his best and it was his first time doing a portrait, the handler could tell Dark star had put his all into it... His reply play back in her mind
'for this assigned tasks, I was given liberty to paint a subject that /interest me/ I selected the most optimal subject' Alora was reading between the lines but what she put together was that in the way Judas said this and the effort he put into the painting both told her, Judas /like her/ but he likely didn't understand what that was, how could he? He was practically a living robot.

Alora placed a hand on the test subjects shoulder as she look at her portrait again "I say this was a success" she tapped his shoulder " how about we try a different test?" She then took down his canvas and placed it in drying rack to the side, she got a new canvas and brought it back to Judas. " I would like you to pain something you do not see in this room, I want you to paint something you see with your mind" she explained and place the canvas on the easel.

Dark star frowned his brow, he didn't understand that request

His handler could tell by his look he didn't understand, Alora went over to her own canvas and turned it so the test subject could see " Judas, see "

The test subject look over his handlers picture and wrinkled his nose with disapproval " this is not accurate" he commented

Alora look at her own picture, she had painted these fantasy scene, it was a colorful world with a blue sky. " What do you mean it's not accurate? Enlighten me what's not accurate" She said with a slightly sassy tone.

Judas narrowed his eyes analyzing every image of the painting " many of the Flora life does not have any records in Deluna database, the birds also have no records in Deluna database, " he then pointed at the blue sky " the atmosphere does not comply to Deluna" Deluna had a lavender sky not a blue one

His handler put her hands on her hips, she push her lips looking over her picture getting criticized " Judas, that because this isn't Deluna"

The test subject look at his handler not understanding "does not compute" he replied

Alora just smiled at him, she knew that look, he was trying but like always it would take time, thankfully she was patient " it's not Deluna, I painted a world from my own imagination " she tapped her forehead " I use my imagination to see things differently, to make a world and things only I can see unless I show them by art, in my world I made, the sky is blue"

" is imagination have to do with mental capacity? Is it a deficiency in processing reality?" Judas replied.

His handler knew Judas was really trying to understand but it was like trying to explain color to someone who was colorblind or explain music to someone who is death.
Alora shook her head and smiled" Judas having an imagination is completely normal, it doesn't mean anything wrong with a person" she try to reassure the test subject, even though there were some artists who stuff really didn't make sense but, she wasn't going to overload Dark star with more information he wouldn't understand yet.

" Here, let try something else, get a new tray with fresh paint and I'll set up your new task " Alora order and went over to a work bag and pulled out a blindfold...

Judas did what he was told cleaning up his station and putting fresh paint out.

(7)

Alora return to the test subject " now I'm going to place this blindfold on you and I want you paint what ever you see in your mind" she said to him firmly and place the blindfold securely around Judas's head.

Judas just stood there as his handler blindfolded him, he replied to her command "yes ma'am" even though he still didn't quite understand it.

The female stepped back and watched the test subject... Seconds turn to minutes and he didn't move, Alora messed with her arm band changing the music to something she knew Judas's didn't like...he scrunched his nose at the rap music but still didn't say or move, his handler smirked and changed the music to something he like again " Judas, try listening to the music, what does it make you feel? What pictures appear in your mind? Try painting what you feel" she instructed and watched.

Judas focused on the melody, he could tell every type of instrument playing in the orchestra and what key in that moment but over time it slowly wasn't just noise to him, the rhythm and the tempo did something for the test subject, it moved him...he wasn't just listening to sound but he heard music and it awoke feelings in him he had locked up long ago...

Judas took his paint brush and dipped it in his paint, he had memorize the exact locations of everything on his station, he took his free hand and felt the edges of his canvas memorizing the measurements and then he started to paint...

Alora stood there watching as the test subject painted blindfolded, it was amazing to watch, every stroke hit we're he wanted but she knew this was how he was made.... Judas's mind was like a supercomputer, when he moved his mind calculated every square inch he took a long with everything else around him, he just need to looked at something to know the measurements and could see things in a far greater dep's then normal people, It was why he was the best Marksman in Deluna, why he could do some of the impossible things he did, his mind just worked on a different scale, and everyone else Judas had to slow down for...

As she watched, Alora, wondered if Dark star had someone else who was more on his level as a handler what would he be like? If he didn't have to slow down or had someone who could explain things on a level he would understand better? Then her mind begin to ponder, what would happen if he didn't listen to orders? would anyone be able to stop him? She pondered all of this, the Royal knew Judas was made to be a weapon and why... but how he became one and the extreme measures done in making him, she didn't know yet...but As the picture began to take shape on the test subjects canvas something moved and Disturbed Alora...

(8)

The Scene took place with each stroke Dark star made, it started off as a very dark and morbid feeling painting, his choice of colors are dark and gloomy, there was a black and red birdcage with chains and spikes around it, around the pen were feathers and dead birds...but inside the birdcage was four live birds, the birds look the same but we're either different sizes or slightly different variants in color but they look almost identical.... The other half of the painting though had a much different feel to it, it was light and colorful, a seen of clouds against a lavender sky, a flock of birds were flying of different varieties that Alora never seen before...

But as she watch the painting take shape, she analyzed it trying to figure out his psyche...she wondered if the dead birds were meant to be people that he killed or something else? Was the cage what Judas really felt but why was there four birds inside? Was he really longing to be free but who were those other birds supposed to be?

Alora's assumptions weren't too far off, but what she didn't realize nor did Judas, was he was painting a a glimpse of the future...

A strange anomaly with Dark star was visions involving him were very rare, even for himself, but this painting told more about Judas then either one of them would understand at this time...

The dead birds did represent people who died, they represented the siblings he did not even know existed and the people he called or would call friends who dead because of him.... The flock of birds flying where people in the future he would come to call friends and family that he would long to be with...the four birds in the cage represented the force pieces of Judas mind that would one day be known as Omen...and the cage itself bore the same symbol of Soledormir...the Demon who would be the responsibility of destroying everything Judas care for...

" Judas... Stand down and take off your blindfold"
Alora ordered, she still didn't understand what all his picture mean but she knew this meant something // did he paint a vision?... Or is this what really going on in his head? Is he the birds in the cage? But why is there four? Who are all the dead birds...// Her eyes land on a little blue bird who look to have died at the door of the cage and a shiver ran down her spine...Alora couldn't explain the sensation that she felt but it made her feel cold and sick // w-ho? Is that supposed to be?// She wondered but something in Alora gut told the handler it was her...

(9)

The picture was both captivating and terrifying, Alora was coming up with many different theories of the meaning behind the picture but one thing she knew for certain...the symbol on the cage...

" Judas take off your shirt" she ordered, Alora knew she had seen that symbol before but she thought it was just a marking of no important before today...

" Yes ma'am"Judas replied and did what he was told... undoing the buttons and unbuckling the snaps to release his shirt from his wings, the test subject removed his shirt.

It didn't take the handler long to find what she was looking for, it was right on Judas's chest, that same symbol // why did he put his war paint on the cage? Does this mark mean something?// " Judas why did you paint this marking?" She pointed to the symbol on the cage

Judas look to his painting, he didn't know at this moment but one day he would understand " I do not know why, ma'am" he replied

Alora push her lips in thought, she couldn't shake the feeling that this symbol meant something...she look at the test subject again and notice the heart of this symbol was right we're his largest Guardian Stone was...she narrowed her eyes watching was his two smaller purple Guardian Stones by his collarbone pulse in unison but the bigger red one in the center of his chest pulse on a different pattern...Alora wanted to test something, she place her hand on Judas's chest and focus on feeling his heartbeat...

// the two purple Guardian Stones matched with his heartbeat...// She thought and started at the red one that she now realize didn't match the rhythm of his heart.

The two purple guardians we're matched they're anchor like a they were supposed to but the red one did not... She knew chaos familiars we're often abnormal but it was like this Guardian Stone had its own heartbeat...// What did Vanessa really do to you?...// She thought looking over the rest of Judas's torso, his healing was faster than any normal Vaseterm but there was still remnants of scarring from injuries of combat and incisions from experiments done on him...

(10)

This was the start of Alora questioning the organization, what did they really do to Judas? Her gut told her there was more than what she read in the report and was told, she look at the chaos familiars Guardian Stone and something inside her said
dark secrets surrounded Judas and she wanted to fine out what really happened to him...

Alora thought stepped back to reality when she noticed Judas staring right at her, it was only then she realized her hand was still on his chest, Alora pulled her hand away, her face grew hot again.

Dark star tassels were fanned out again but he didn't inquire if his handler was well this time, he just stood there staring at her.

Alora rubbed her hand that she touched Judas with, her heart quicken as he stared at her with his amethyst eyes, // Alora stop it! he your patient, your not supposed to get attached, not in that way, your supposed to diagnose and treat the subject not start crushing on him! Vanessa will fire you in a heartbeat and you'll be thrown out of the Burning Suns, a 10,000 career down the drain and nowhere to go... just do your job, he your patient and the organizations tool, remember that// she tried to tell herself but her feelings worked against her, she was falling for Judas and she knew it.

Alora try focusing on her task instead, she look at his painting wondering if any of the other markings head significant meaning, she walked around the test subject to look at his back, his war paint she knew had always been abnormal but now she could analyze them without Vanessa or the other scientists poking and prodding Judas.

His markings we're beautiful and bizarre at the same time, they didn't seem natural but they we're, they bore the same coloring as his chaos hands, where the skin around the edges were black not pale, Alora now wondered what the true meaning behind this was...but at this time she nor Judas knew the true meaning of his markings... Let me unlike other male Vaseterm his markings were meant For something far more...

Judas wouldn't discover this until after he challenge Soledormir and lost the battle...he wouldn't know until after Soledormir let Killy have full control over his body for a thousand years...Judas wouldn't know until he suffered under a blood moons red light...he would not know until his own people call him 'the devil of the night' when he takes the form of the king of Red Demons...
Alora and Judas wouldn't know until it was too late... because right now they didn't even understand what Judas really was... that he was made to be a vessel for Killy, a prince of chaos, Soledormir's claimed favorite son...

Alora put her thumb and index fingers together making a little box with her hands, a holographic screen up here between her fingers as she held them up framing the test subjects back in it, the screen flash, taking a picture, his handler was going to do more research on this, she knew more was involved even though she couldn't explain it...

Alora took the screen and folded her hands around it until it disappeared saving the image in her arm band, but just then the power flexed in the room making the lights flutter... The handler look up "another phantom surge?" She questioned out loud.

Judas look up at the fluttering lights his tassels were fanned out as he whisper "Hunter..."

Alora glanced over at the test subject, phantom surges were bizarre anomalies that no one could explain, some claimed the compound was cursed as others believe that it must be some sort of classified experiment of some type, they called them phantom surges but Judas always called them 'Hunter' but when asked he didn't know why

(11)

A cold shiver ran down Alora spine, it always made her feel uneasy " how about we call it a day? We made a lot of progress and I have to analyze this research I gathered... Judas put your shirt back on and clean your station, then you may be dismissed " she said rubbing her arms, the handler then started to work cleaning up her station, there was a lot on her mind, as she glanced over at the test subject doing what he was told, Alora had a strange feeling things we're only going to get stranger the deeper she went in finding out the truth about him...

To be continued

I need more you tease! >:O

Alora is so pretty in this picture~ <3

OOOOOOOO

rip alora :'D

SHE'S SO BEAUTIFUL WHAT

I will be able to read this eventually hnn......