Renaissance High

"All we want from you is your full consent, Ms. Isaac."

"We both believe you are capable of bearing a child for us fit enough to lead the next generation of mankind."

"We shall shoulder the medical expenses provided for your hospitalization. All we need is your full cooperation and dedication to make this plan a reality."

Those were the last sentences that echoed through Ms. Isaac's mind as she struggled to keep herself at ease before the situation that befell her. She felt dizzy, lying down on her back as she dozed off from the immense feeling of numbness coursing through her muscles.

There was no backing out now, she thought, as she spent over two years being a test subject for the couple's rather.....bizarre, dubious experiments on the human body. It was her current condition that left her questioning as to whether she had a clear motive behind participating in their research. However, this wasn't the time for her to overthink.

Despite her thoughts blurring between consciousness and sleep, her mind was still clear enough to process what appeared before her vision. A set of round lights that were arranged in a circular shape, its brightness overwhelming her foggy eyesight. Sounds of a monitor made itself audible through the room which turned out to be a computer that continuously recorded her heart's rhythm. Her senses at that time were rather feeble and sensitive.

Before she knew it, she had a slight tinge of the location she was actually in. She was in a delivery room, strapped into the bed with the necessary equipment that helped regulate her physical condition. She was frail, looking paler than usual and barely able to move or speak. Suddenly, throbbing pain began to overtake her lower body. It was at that moment when she knew....she was ready.

She indeed was ready to bear a child with the best of her ability, the child to be supposedly presented before the richest couple of scientists in the Middle East. The pain felt quick, almost to the point where she could feel her inner muscles twitch in response to the overwhelming sensation.

"Everyone, gather around!"

A surgeon stood before her, examining her current state as three more surgeons began to follow.

"Ms. Isaac.....I'm going to need you to push!!!"

"Ahhhh....hah!!!"

"Quick, grab the epidural!"

"I can't.....!!! It's coming....out!!!"

"Relax, Miss. Calm yourself. We shall ensure you a painless delivery as fast as possible."

A surgeon rushed to inject her with an anesthetic, but to no avail.....

"Breathe, Ms. Isaac, breathe!!!"

Hellish screams of pain filled the room as the soon-to-be mother forced her lower body to give slow, yet hard pushes. Painful pressure continued to spread from her back down to the abdomen as she struggled her way to delivering the child. Being told to take continuous deep breaths, she could only gasp as she voluntarily contracted the muscles in her lower areas, almost as if the baby's head were to appear at any moment.

"Ms. Isaac, we're gonna need you to handle a bit more."

Her screams continued to echo through the walls of the soundproof delivery room, her eyes drenched in tears as she struggled to give out the final push. The surgeons began to see red as the baby's head appeared before their very eyes. However, it took a short while for them to realize that the mother's screams and cries had subsided in an instant.

"Ms. Isaac, can you hear us?"

No response.

"Excuse me, the monitor is currently showing a flatline. Ms. Isaac is confirmed dead."

"What's taking so long?" a young man wearing a black hat asked in impatience.

A woman, who happened to be his wife, spoke.

"I don't know, they're probably examining our soon-to-be child. Quick, let's take a look."

The couple got up from their seats, only to be stopped by a group of surgeons with bloodied gloves.

"Mr. and Mrs. Salem...we regret to inform you that the mother is confirmed dead. We have tried our best to revive her as swiftly as possible.....but she was beyond saving."

Instead of mourning over the loss of their dear test subject, the couple instructed the doctor to show them the child.

After a couple of days, the child was soon adopted by the couple as they raised her with grace and arrogance. Ms. Isaac, the supposed mother, was never heard of in public or within the household, and it didn't take too long before she was completely disposed of by the couple.

"Huh? What....."

"What was that about?"

A young man reluctantly opened his eyes wide.....realizing everything he had encountered in the hospital was just a dream. He felt like a bystander, investigating the scenario of a woman giving birth. He muttered to himself questions in his native language. Why did that dream feel so realistic? Why did images of a familiar woman suddenly echo through his memories?

Several questions left untold filled his head. Brushing it off and getting up from bed, he tried to move on and focus on his current surroundings. He realized he was nearly late for his flight back to Iraq, his birthplace and hometown.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he pondered on his previous accomplishments of being a graduate in criminology and his current internship at a firm as an apprentice. Criminology was a discipline he held dear, as he wanted to ensure justice and order for all at the very least. As the right hand of his father in office work, he believed getting a degree in criminology would help enhance his investigative skills in spotting potential criminals that often roamed around the military base and assassinated soldiers unarmed.

His father happened to be the highest ranking general of Iraq's most feared army. With this, the man believed he had more fortune than most people who lived in the impoverished slums of the country's urban areas. His mother, however, wasn't someone readily available at the household. She would often sneak out at midnight, openly enjoying nightlife, or staying at home as an emotionally absent housewife, according to the young man's description of her.

Another thought surfaced within the man's mind.

Renaissance High.

His alma mater.

Renaissance High was a university so prestigious, yet so shrouded in mystery....its rules raising suspicion to the masses. College entrance exams were nonexistent. It was true, though. They usually did not recruit just anyone into the campus for quality education. Most of the chosen students had exceptional qualities that qualify them for admission to the campus, yet their criteria for who is deemed fit to attend classes at its doorstep remained unknown. Some say the students there didn't even have a middle name, or were plain outcasts that were rejected by society. Some say they recruited students who had no source of income, as studying in the institution was free. He didn't fall into the category of being a "poor outcast", and yet, they still sent out an invitation to his family declaring he was an officially admitted student at Renaissance High.

The young man instantly returned to his senses as he realized he had spilled his coffee.

"Damn it!"

His outburst at least granted him with some sense of urgency. Yet he couldn't be any more disgusted at the sight, as he realized he was sleeping in a hotel room this whole time. At an instant, there came two loud knocks on his door.

"Azrael! You're going to be late! Hurry up, sir!", a loud, stern voice shouted.

"I'll be right there!" the young man frantically replied. "I just need to get dressed..."

It was his bodyguard. The young man always surrounded himself with bodyguards, particularly highlighting his feared name in all of Iraq. People can be quite the type to make a fuss, stirring conflict towards the family of three, which is why his father made it clear that his son was to be protected by security. Violence was commonplace in his neighborhood, and often so, criminals usually targeted powerful figures, family members of the armed forces being no exception. Sure, the young man was not all that intimidating.....but his father wasn't just someone to toy with in the battlefield. His father's combat prowess made him highly respected, yet an easy target for potential enemies.

Ignoring the sight of spilled coffee on the floor, he rushed to the comfort room in order to make the necessary preparations. Within fifteen minutes, he was ready.

"Let's go."

The ride didn't take so long, fortunately. They checked out of the hotel and arrived within thirty minutes. Making their way to the airport, he and his bodyguards took care of the luggages and waited for hours before the plane arrived for boarding.

Hours later, the man and his respective guards took their seats, fastening their seat belts. He waited for this very moment. He wanted to hunt down the killer of someone none other than his father. Yes, his brave father was revealed to have been killed in a "genocide" that was deemed a mystery according to the news, since the suspect was nowhere to be found.

They chose to name the suspect Lilith, as her appearance was akin to a beautiful, seductive woman. The young man took note of her appearance, but he couldn't give two cents about how attractive she looked, as he was only after her head. The young man consulted everywhere regarding the suspect's origins, and people responded saying Lilith had escaped to another dimension, which he clearly remembered to be called Luxuria. Subsequently, a huge memory revealed itself before him.

Seraphina. Could she be behind all this?

He wanted to ask anyone but Seraphina, the most powerful woman in the Middle East, and a renowned world leader. She was never trustworthy in his eyes. Intense, influential, and charismatic, she received a cult following due to her philanthropic acts and projects. She used her fame for unbelievably proper reasons, building shelters for the homeless and allocating more funds that supported similar causes.

However, Seraphina raised suspicion to the young man. While she might have had hordes of followers for her charitable works, there were definitely others trying to bring her down. Multiple people came forward with claims, accusing her of human trafficking! Those rumors were connected with the disappearance of random citizens, never to be seen again to the ends of the Earth.

Due to the rage of several families who have lost their loved ones, multiple people filed a lawsuit against Seraphina. In court, she finally pleaded guilty to the allegations. According to her words, she was indeed the one in charge of kidnapping strangers suitable to become test subjects of her Creation—the "parallel universe" known as Luxuria. In turn, it was revealed that the victims of her human trafficking agenda have entered Luxuria without anyone's knowledge, resulting in the sudden disappearance of people in her hometown. As soon as people pressed charges on her, she was sent to jail for the crime, only to be bailed out for four times.

With her knowledge of the global economy and influence over the masses, he didn't have a choice. There were no possible people he could ask for Lilith's whereabouts. She was the only person he could run to especially when dealing with information that were deemed confidential at best. Well, actually, he did have a choice to ask others, but such efforts to even inquire them about the news have all gone to waste.

With his connections amongst several government officials and fellow classmates, he received vague responses on her precise location. Some of them even confessed to working for Seraphina, and they themselves had zero clues as to where Lilith was. He dismissed and dismissed the idea of asking Seraphina one simple question (Where is Lilith?), and immediately moved to the thought of visiting his father's wake.

"Azrael....You've been awake for the whole time. Is something the matter?"

"No, no....it's just that....I spilled some coffee back in the hotel. Do you think they'd get mad?"

The bodyguard chuckled.

"You needn't worry about trivial stuff, Azrael. If they really wanted to go after your ass, they'd call in a hitman to assassinate you immediately!"

The young man laughed at the thought.

"I'm sure they would."

"I'm serious, though. Is there something wrong?"

"Nothing of the sort, Nahla."

Nahla. One of his bodyguards. A seemingly shy and innocent woman, her combat skills speak for itself.

"Well, I'm not going to bother you for the time being. Make yourself at ease, Azrael, and let me know if you have any troubles."

The man nodded.

Hours and hours passed as he and his bodyguards indulged in a quick nap. Upon preparing for landing, Azrael's thoughts began to wander, staring at Nahla as she yawned before awakening.

"She's beautiful."

He muttered to himself.

Wait, she's beautiful? Yes! He meant to compliment his very own bodyguard.

"I heard that."

"Oh....uh, forget about it."

"I told you so, Azrael. You can't hide anything from me. Come on now, we need to prepare for landing."

Upon arrival at the airport, Azrael, Nahla, and the rest of the bodyguards made their way to the exit after making the necessary arrangements.

"It's been a pretty long trip, Azrael. We better get ourselves some rest!" Nahla exclaimed as they rushed out of the airport.

"Sure...." Azrael agreeably replied, "....But I have yet to mark my next stop which is the lab where Seraphina stays. I don't trust that woman, but she's all I can ask about Lilith's whereabouts. I believe Seraphina stays there all day."

"I can't believe Seraphina is still free and wandering upon in the streets. The fact that she should be in jail for her crimes must be enough punishment."

"Tsk....What can I expect from a woman with a cult following?" Azrael said, mockingly.

"I know. But rest assured.....the Phoenix Battalion is after her. You remember them, right?"

"You mean the progressive group of savages that burned down Renaissance High? Yes. I believe you're talking about how they were so furious at Seraphina that they murdered a bunch of poor people by the streets for carrying a picture of her."

"Yes, those people! But rumors say they've been long dead. They're only a small group, I recall." Nahla replied.

Azrael nodded.

"Mh-mhm."

"I wonder if Lilith killed them too?"

"We don't know....but I shall find out...once we get to the lab! There is no turning back, Nahla. I have to find Seraphina. I know she must be responsible for my father's killer escaping. No matter what it takes, I shall avenge his death even if it means sacrificing my own life."

"You seem to be very sure of yourself."

"Yes, because understand, he has been the only person who's stuck through thick and thin by my side."

Azrael grabbed a drink as he met up with another group of bodyguards ready to fetch him. As Azrael and the rest of the bodyguards entered the car, Nahla had a few questions to ask. Waiting for her turn to talk, she stared towards Azrael's dark brown eyes as he drank his cup of iced coffee.

"So...." Nahla paused. "Uhhh....I just wanted to ask..."

"What is it?" Azrael turned to Nahla.

"About Seraphina's laboratory....H-How did you track down her location? I never knew she revealed it to the public..."

"Oh..." Azrael let out an awkward laugh. "Well, it's complicated. I have this....ahem...ability where I am able to find out a place's location just by detecting vibrations from the ground."

"What is this ability called?" Nahla asked.

"A Soul."

"When and how can I learn more about Souls? I kind of wish I had one...." Nahla inquired.

"I'm afraid only one organization has the ability to give you the concoction needed for you to possess a Soul. They're...the Renaissance Foundation."

"Them?"

"Yeah, if you haven't been living under a rock, they're a philanthropic organization that built Renaissance High for a couple of people to study in."

"I know what the Renaissance Foundation is, silly! I just need to figure out how to possess a Soul so I can become as powerful as you!"

"If you want a further explanation of Souls and what they do, feel free to read this flyer, Nahla. And tell me what you think." Azrael replied while bringing out a flyer from his bag.

"Sure! Hmmmm.....Souls— A manifestation of life energy present within a human being, animal, or a plant. Souls come in forms of different elements. There are eight elements in total—Fuega (Fire), Aqua (Water), Terra (Land), Umbra (Darkness), Electra (Electricity), Lucerna (Light), Glacia (Ice), and Venta (Wind)." Nahla read out aloud.

Nahla paused for above five seconds.

"Hmmm.....Azrael...Are we able to choose which element we want to possess?"

"I'm afraid not." Azrael said, laughing. "The reason why is because the element you possess is heavily based on your personality. For instance, my Soul is Terra for I am a down-to-Earth, grounded person."

"Oh, alright! Hmm...I wanted to possess the Soul of Venta, because I'd like to be free-spirited....like the wind!" Nahla said cheerfully.

"Yeah, yeah, but try not to get your hopes up." Azrael said...his face slightly frowning. "To have a Soul, you have a 50/50 chance of survival."

"Huh? What does that mean?" Nahla asked.

"Just read the damn flyer." Azrael said in annoyance.

"People, animals, and plants granted with Souls are expected to develop traits that go against the rules of human nature. These traits are mostly supernatural abilities that will guarantee them magic suited to enhance their quality of life......This is cool. But...."

Nahla continued to read.

"NOTE! Only people who were injected with a man-made concentrated substance called "Luxurium" are able to possess Souls. Being injected with the concentrate gives you a 50/50 chance of survival. These chemicals either kill the individual, or bestow them with a Soul of their own. When injected, the probability of a person to survive is based on sheer luck.....NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

"Got hit by reality yet?" Azrael smirked.

"I don't want to die!!! I'm content with being your bodyguard, besides I can FIGHT!" Nahla screamed.

"Ssshhhhh....You're making too much noise."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I'm sorry, Azrael. I just got carried away...."

"It's alright. Anyways, let's get ourselves ready....we're almost on our way home."