It had been a couple of days since I'd discovered my new ability to regenerate, and let's just say I'd been pretty busy figuring out what I could do next.
My new car arrived early the next day. One of the dealership workers was there, practically bouncing with eagerness, waiting for me. Thirty minutes of paperwork later, and I was the proud owner of a brand-new car.
Driving for the first time was exhilarating. With my powers, I adapted quickly to the car's speed, and learning the rules of the road took almost no time at all. I still can't believe people fail their driving tests.
A quick drive into Seattle led me to a sporting goods store. They had a huge selection of weights and training equipment. I swiped my card and placed a large order for weighted gear, along with some punching bags and a treadmill. Everything was delivered the following day.
From there, I found a martial arts studio that offered one-on-one training sessions. Sure, it cost nearly triple the price of a standard class, but I was hoping that with my accelerated growth, I could make rapid progress with personalized instruction. My first session was scheduled for the following week. I was really looking forward to becoming some kind of Muay Thai prodigy.
My education was more or less complete, right up to the point where I'd choose to enroll in university. It wasn't that the work was particularly easy; it was just that my mind seemed to constantly evolve with every new piece of information I absorbed. I wouldn't say I could solve world hunger, but if you wanted a top-notch history report? I was your guy.
The town had slowly started to grow on me. I mean, it had only been a few days, but the people were kind, friendly, and approachable. Everyone knew everyone else's business. I was expecting Monday to be a day of answering a million questions from my classmates, but I was genuinely happy right now.
I was sitting on the roof of my house, enjoying the sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead. It was a relaxing place to unwind and decompress from the day.
"System, you told me I received a reward a couple of days ago. Could you remind me what it was?" I asked.
[Host has gained the ability Gene Control. This allows the host to control what happens with their genetics or DNA. For example, if the host's blood or DNA were to be forcefully acquired, it would simply burn up the moment it left the body. If ingested without permission, it will lead to death. This also means the Host can willingly offer their blood or DNA to others as well.]
I hummed at the information the System provided. It was a true godsend. The possibility of someone like the Volturi gaining power from my blood and using it for domination was a serious threat.
"Thanks for that, System. Speaking of which, can I rename you? I know you don't have a true consciousness or personality, but it would be better to give you a name."
[Please rename The Apex System, Host.]
"Hmm, what would be a good, simple name for such a ridiculously powerful system?" I pondered. It took me a couple of minutes before I thought of something fitting, yet easy enough to say.
"You'll be called Eos. Goddess of the Dawn, or, in my case, the reason I have a new beginning." Sure, it was a bit cheesy, but I had only just finished reading up on Greek mythology. Sue me.
[Apex System shall now be renamed to Eos.]
_____
Monday morning approached, and I woke up refreshed and ready for the day. Since I had been staying up quite a bit after my arrival, my body had already begun adapting to needing less sleep. Three hours of sleep, and I felt like I had slept for a week.
Jumping in the shower, I quickly cleaned myself and grabbed some clothes I had purchased in Seattle. My fashion sense was non-existent, so I ended up with grey sweatpants, a black compression t-shirt, and some Air Force Ones.
Instead of driving, I left the house and began my walk to school. It was less than 10 minutes down the road, and the morning breeze was a nice way to wake up.
'Maybe this will be good for me. I haven't really had much of an opportunity to talk to people my own age,' I mused as my feet led me to the entrance of the school.
I could see the students in the parking lot taking curious glances toward me. I felt like a new exhibit at the zoo.
"Cyrus! It's good to see you. Good morning!" a bell-like voice called out to me. Turning my head, I saw Angela standing with her friends—the same ones I'd seen in the movies.
Smiling, I walked over to the group.
"Mornin', Angela. How are you?" My eyes quickly shifted to her friends' faces, hoping she would introduce them.
She noticed almost immediately. "I'm good, thanks. This bunch has been asking a ton of questions since I was the first to meet you. This is Jessica, Mike, Ben, and Eric. Guys, this is Cyrus Thorne, the one I told you about."
Meeting everyone's gaze, I quickly nodded, smiled, and offered my hand. "Nice to meet you all. Hopefully, the rumor mill hasn't already started and made up something that isn't true," I said sheepishly, earning a grin from them.
We had a brief meet-and-greet before the bell rang, signaling that classes were about to begin. After a quick goodbye, I agreed to meet them in the cafeteria for lunch before heading to my first class.
_____
'This is so boring. Holy shit. Sure, gym class was fun—basketball is easy with my body and skills—but maybe I should have held back in my studies. It's like I'm having a really bad revision session.'
Sighing, I made my way to the cafeteria. My mind felt sluggish after the classes I had attended. 'How the hell do the Cullens do this regularly?'
Grabbing some food, I beelined toward where Angela was sitting, assuming that was where the group would be.
She smirked at me as I sat down. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you hated school," she laughed.
"Yeah, yeah. I've got a resting bitch face, I know. Laugh it up," I retorted, smirking as I opened the mystery-meat sandwich I had purchased. I almost gagged at the sight of the... thing... inside the bread.
Soon after, the rest of the group sat down. Barely a second passed before Lauren launched into her interrogation of me.
"So, Cyrus, someone told me you came here all on your own? What's up with that? Did you move here with a girlfriend?" She seemed genuine enough, but it felt like she was writing a report on me.
"Ah, sadly, I'm by myself. I'm an emancipated minor, and I'm the last of my family." At my words, the table went a bit silent, which was awkward. "It's nothing bad, don't worry. My family was very small, and the judge thought I had enough experience in life to care for myself."
Smiling, I took a bite of the sandwich, almost throwing up instantly. I could hear the others snickering as they watched me eat. 'Maybe it's packed lunches from now on,' I thought.
Trying to salvage his girlfriend's awkward question, Mike smiled at me. "Well, seeing as you're new here, how about we head to La Push this weekend and enjoy the beach?"
God, he was like a Labrador retriever reborn as a human. "Sure, I haven't been to the beach in years!" I said enthusiastically, even though it was a lie. I'd never even seen sand before.
"Great, do you need a ride?" he asked eagerly.
"Nah, thanks, though. I've got my own car. I just didn't drive it because I live pretty close to the school."
Nodding, the group seemed happy with my answer.
Eric, practically bouncing in his chair, looked at me. "I heard a story—kind of a school-paper thing—that you saved Bella in the forest from hypothermia?"
'Oh God, I didn't even mean to! Is this going to stick with me?!'
With a groan, I nodded and explained the true story. He seemed satisfied, but his eyes dimmed when I mentioned I didn't save her from a bear. 'Who the fuck told him that?!'
The rest of the day continued with pure monotony. Classes were simple, but I did enjoy sitting with my new friends and having small chats. They even gave me their phone numbers!
Sadly, I knew that no matter what happened, eventually I would move to another world, or gain some type of immortality that would pull me away from their lives.
'I'll just cherish the new friendships I have until that time,' I thought.
_____
Mike and Eric offered to drop me off at my house. It seemed they knew the previous owner, so they didn't need directions.
Waving goodbye, I entered my home, content and happy.
"Now, Eos, can you explain this whole bloodline situation to me in terms of the system functions?" I asked aloud.
[Bloodlines: The Host has the ability to assimilate the bloodlines of any supernatural being, gaining their powers. Be advised, due to the Host's EX-grade adaptations, all bloodlines will be absorbed as subcategories. As the Host is a singular entity in the Omniverse, they will never truly be one species again.]
"Wait. What the fuck do you mean? Does that mean I'm no longer human?!" I asked aloud. This was freaky.
[With the binding of Eos, along with the EX-grade skills, the Host has begun their transcendence past the human species. The Apex, or Eos System, is there to aid the Host in becoming the singular peak of all species or existences.]
I let out a long breath I had been holding as I listened to Eos explain my situation. I wasn't truly human anymore, but it seemed I would never be truly defined by any set term again.
'Okay, I understand. Is there anything else I should know?' I wasn't happy, but I wasn't sad either.
[If the Host desires to travel to another world, they may request it through Eos. Emergency quests, along with other quests, can enable omniversal travel for the set duration of a quest. Anything gained through these missions will be permanently owned by the Host.]
"Well, fuck, that's a nice tidbit of information. You were holding out on me, weren't you?" I said snarkily. I was getting a little peeved at the lack of information. I hated being blindsided.
[Host can always question Eos. The System is here to help, not hinder the Host.]
'Yeah, yeah. I need to get some food and sleep.'