Invincible Blood Sorceror

Chapter 218: Genesis Knights - 3

Outside the pod, High Priest Cain watched the vital signs displayed on monitors, assessing whether this candidate would survive the initial phase. Zayne’s heart rate had spiked dangerously, his blood pressure was fluctuating wildly, and his brain activity showed patterns consistent with extreme trauma.

But he was still conscious.

Still fighting.

Still holding onto life despite everything his body was experiencing.

"Good," High Priest Cain murmured.

"You have strength. Now let’s see if you have the will to use it."

He adjusted controls, and the Genesis essence infusion rate increased. Zayne’s body convulsed more violently, his silent scream visible in the contortion of his features, his essence meridians glowing through his skin as they were forcibly transformed.

The other occupied pods pulsed in sympathy, their own occupants experiencing similar agonies at different stages of the process. Eleven Genesis Knights in various states of transformation, each one being forged into a living weapon through suffering that would break most beings.

And now twelve, as Zayne Blackwell began the journey from mortal commander to divine instrument.

*

Above the Genesis Chamber, accessible only to the highest-ranking temple officials and military commanders, was an observation gallery where those with sufficient authority could watch the transformation process.

Currently, three figures stood at the viewing window, looking down at the twelve pods, at the candidates being broken and rebuilt in the Great Emperor’s image.

The first was General Helena Dixon, commander of the Empire’s First Army and veteran of thirty years’ military service. She wore her uniform with medals that represented countless victories, her grey-streaked blonde hair pulled back severely, and her blue eyes sharp with strategic calculation.

"Commander Blackwell was one of my best officers," she said quietly.

"Losing him to the Genesis Program is difficult, but necessary. We need Genesis Knights capable of countering elven bloodline abilities and awakened humans from Terraspers. Conventional forces aren’t sufficient anymore."

The second figure was MahPantheol Mordecai Kane, head of the Temple’s internal security and investigative arm. He wore black vestments marked with silver symbols, his gaunt face showing someone who’d sacrificed personal pleasures in pursuit of religious devotion. His dark eyes carried the intensity of absolute belief.

"Necessity is the Great Emperor’s will made manifest," Mordecai replied, his voice carrying that peculiar cadence of someone who saw divine purpose in everything.

"Commander Blackwell’s transformation serves the greater plan. If he survives, he becomes a weapon against the Empire’s enemies. If he dies, his sacrifice strengthens those who remain through the lesson of his failure."

The third figure said nothing.

She stood slightly apart from the other two, her presence commanding attention despite her silence.

Lady Samantha Valdis wore white and gold armor that seemed to shift between solid metal and flowing fabric depending on how light struck it. Her face was covered by a porcelain mask, completely white except for golden trim around the edges and eyeholes that revealed glimpses of amber irises.

She was a Genesis Knight herself, one of the first generation created fifteen years ago when the High Temple had perfected the process. She’d survived the transformation, emerged stronger than any candidate before or since, and now served as the Great Emperor’s personal enforcer for matters requiring absolute discretion.

"Lady Valdis," General Dixon ventured, knowing that the Genesis Knight didn’t speak unless necessary but hoping for insight.

"You’ve watched dozens of candidates undergo this process. What do you think of Commander Blackwell’s chances?"

Samantha was silent for several seconds, her masked face tilted slightly as she studied Zayne’s pod. When she spoke, her voice carried the musical quality of someone whose vocal cords had been enhanced beyond natural human capacity.

"He’ll survive," she said simply.

"His will is strong. His faith is genuine. His body accepts the essence more readily than most. He’ll emerge in approximately eight weeks, and he’ll be... adequate."

"Adequate?" Mordecai questioned.

"For someone who’ll become a Genesis Knight, that seems—"

"Adequate for the role he’ll be assigned," Samantha clarified.

"He won’t reach the level of the older Genesis Knights. He lacks the raw essence capacity that the first generation possessed. But he’ll be sufficient for eliminating elven threats and establishing Imperial dominance in contested territories."

She turned away from the window, her armored form moving with fluid grace despite its apparent weight.

"The Great Emperor has seen fit to bless us with more Genesis Knights. That suggests he anticipates greater conflicts ahead. Wars that will require more than conventional forces and standard essence users."

"The elven clans are becoming more organized," General Dixon observed.

"The Council recently recognized the Sol’vur restoration. Intelligence reports suggest they’re preparing more coordinated resistance to our harvesting operations."

"And Terrasper’s awakened population is growing stronger," Mordecai added.

"The Moorne Corporation’s operations there have been... disrupted. We may lose our primary contact point for acquiring their technology and essence manipulation techniques."

Samantha’s masked face turned toward both speakers.

"Then the Great Emperor’s foresight is proven wise, as always. More Genesis Knights. More living weapons. More instruments to execute his divine will across all realms that dare resist human dominion."

She walked toward the gallery’s exit, her armored boots making no sound on the stone floor despite their apparent weight.

"When Commander Blackwell emerges, assign him to my unit. I’ll train him personally and ensure he understands what it means to serve as the Great Emperor’s blade rather than merely a soldier with enhanced abilities."

"Yes, Lady Valdis," both General Dixon and High Inquisitor Mordecai replied.

Samantha paused at the doorway and looked back at the Genesis Chamber below.

"Tell me—have there been any sightings of the Sol’vur heir recently? The one who destroyed our deployment of thousands of soldiers?"

General Dixon consulted a tablet device.

"Intelligence reports suggest he left Vael’thoria briefly, traveled to Terrasper for unknown purposes, and has now returned. Our operatives in the elven territories report he’s begun consolidating power, absorbing smaller clans, and positioning himself as a major political player."

"Interesting," Samantha murmured.

"A bloodline warrior capable of killing armies, with political ambitions that could unite the fragmented clans. He’s becoming exactly the kind of threat the Genesis Knights were designed to eliminate."

"Should we prioritize him for termination?" Mordecai asked.

"Not yet," Samantha replied.

"Let him grow stronger. Let him unite more clans under his banner. Let him become important enough that his death will shatter elven morale rather than just creating a martyr. Then, when the Great Emperor deems it appropriate, I’ll kill him personally."

Her masked face turned back toward the Genesis Chamber.

"And when Commander Blackwell emerges from his transformation, perhaps he’ll accompany me. It would be a good experience for a new Genesis Knight to witness how we eliminate threats that think themselves untouchable."

She departed, leaving General Dixon and Mordecai alone in the observation gallery.

"She’s terrifying," Dixon admitted quietly.

"She’s perfect," Mordecai corrected.

"The Great Emperor’s will made flesh. The ideal of what humanity can become when it transcends mortal limitations and embraces divine purpose."

Below them, in his pod, Zayne Blackwell continued to suffer through the transformation that would either kill him or turn him into something similar to the masked woman who’d just discussed his future as casually as someone might discuss tomorrow’s weather.

The Genesis Process continued. Flesh was broken down and rebuilt. Essence meridians were forcibly expanded. Abilities were cultivated through agony that no conscious being would willingly endure.

All in service to the Great Emperor.

All for the glory of the Empire.

All to ensure that humanity would dominate the realms, regardless of how many other species needed to be enslaved, harvested, or eliminated to achieve that divine destiny.

The Shrine hummed with power, with faith, with the absolute certainty that their cause was righteous and their god was real.

And somewhere in the cosmos, forces beyond their comprehension watched and made their own plans, seeing the Empire not as divine destiny but as one more piece on a board where games were played across centuries and winning meant things that mortals couldn’t even conceptualize.

But that was a truth the Empire would never accept.

Because for them, for the faithful who served the Great Emperor with absolute devotion, there was only one truth that mattered.

Their god was real.

Their cause was just.

And anyone who opposed them would be crushed beneath the weight of divine will made manifest through genesis-forged warriors and unwavering faith.

The transformation continued.

And the Empire prepared for wars that would reshape multiple realms.

***

In Brownhill Dunes,

Jorghan woke to sunlight streaming through the window of his quarters in Sigora’s dwelling. His body felt recovered; the exhaustion from crossing space and fighting on Earth was finally processed by his bloodline’s enhanced regeneration.

He’d slept for nearly fourteen hours, longer than he’d allowed himself in months.

He couldn’t even remember the last time he slept with such peace.

He rose, washed, and dressed in practical clothing suitable for the day’s work ahead. Building a clan from scattered remnants required hands-on management, not ceremonial displays.

Sigora was already awake, sitting in the main chamber reviewing documents spread across a large table. She looked up as he entered, a slight smile touching her features.

"You actually slept," she observed.