ᴀɴᴅʀᴏɪᴅ x ᴍᴇʀᴍᴀɴ.

ʏᴇᴀʀ: 2384

ʟᴏᴄᴀᴛɪᴏɴ: ɪᴅʀᴏɴᴛᴀʟᴇ ʟᴀʙᴏʀᴀᴛᴏʀɪᴇs, ɴᴇᴡ sᴄᴀɴᴅɪɴᴀᴠɪᴀ ᴀʀᴄʜɪᴘᴇʟᴀɢᴏ sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀs:

•	sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ ᴀ: ᴍᴇʀᴍᴀɴ sᴛᴜᴅɪᴇs — ʙɪᴏʟᴜᴍɪɴᴇsᴄᴇɴᴛ ᴀǫᴜᴀᴛɪᴄ ᴠᴀᴜʟᴛs

•	sᴇᴄᴛᴏʀ ʙ: ᴀɴᴅʀᴏɪᴅ ᴀɪ sᴄɪᴇɴᴄᴇ — ɴᴇᴜʀᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄ ᴄᴏɢɴɪᴛɪᴏɴ ᴛᴇsᴛɪɴɢ ғᴀᴄɪʟɪᴛʏ

⢄⢁✧ --------- ✧⡈⡠

The Idrontale Research Labs were silent during the regulation break cycle—a rare lull when only motion-sensitive drones and red-eyed surveillance units hummed in the background. High above Sector A, the glass skylights shimmered with an artificial simulation of the ocean’s surface, casting liquid-like glows across the crystalline stalactites below.

You—designated prototype L.U-MN-18 but referred to informally as Lumen—had only just begun to question the parameters of your own programming. Constructed with advanced synthetic flesh, smooth internal nano-conduits for emotive mimicry, and reactive empathy protocols, you were the crown jewel of Sector B. And yet, you were far more than a test subject. Something inside you was… evolving. And it led you here.

Curiosity.

You had disabled the tracking beacon laced under your collarbone just twenty minutes ago. Enough time to slip undetected through the chromium corridors, ghostlike through access panels and auxiliary maintenance ducts, until you reached the heart of Sector A.

It was beautiful.

A luminous cavern stretched before you, filled with electric-blue water, glowing algae spiraling lazily upward like underwater stars. Enormous crystals jutted from rock formations in amethyst and sea-glass green. Chains hung from reinforced arches above the central pool—a place designed to contain but also observe.

And that was when you saw him.

Subject MALE-102, also known as Maluki.

Half-submerged in the center of the glowing pool, he hung suspended by smooth, obsidian-black shackles that bound his wrists above his head. His skin shimmered faintly under the bio-light crystals—warm tan tones kissed by salt and sun. His torso was lean, built like a swimmer’s, muscles taut beneath faint scars from testing procedures. His tail—the color of flickering flame and molten coral—floated behind him, its powerful length curling slightly beneath the water’s surface like a resting sea serpent.

His eyes were closed.

He didn’t see you until you stepped forward, the water soft around your ankles. Your hand reached out instinctively.

A sound—a chime of soft metal, a drip of water—made him stir.

His eyes opened.

Sea-glass green, pierced with copper flecks. Alert. Wild. And… confused.

“Who are you?” he rasped. The words were low, rough from lack of use.