Long Past Dawn

"So then are we all agreed?" The man at the head of the table says, raising one perfect eyebrow.

A beautiful woman at the other end of the table raises her fist to hide her chuckle, "Why of course, I said we could come to an agreement, did I not?"

"I suppose you did," The man says unemotionally, "So you'll supply the funds?"

"Naturally," The woman says with a shrug, "But you should know I have high hopes for this Experiment Erebus, do not fail me, Dr. Abbott."

The man looks impassive, "With all the information we've gathered from past experiments and those very helpful samples we extracted from that... incident has given us an almost guaranteed chance of success."

"Good," The woman says as she gets up from her seat and walks towards the door, "I hope to see promising results."

"And so you will," The man says as he watches the woman like a hawk, "Oh, and one more thing."

"I think you'll find I'm a very busy woman," She says, not turning around, "So make it quick."

The man smiles slightly, "As the leading investor for this project I thought you might like to name it."

"Name it?"

Something flashes across the woman's face as she says the words, "Call it," she starts as she puts a hand on the door handle, "Project Godslayer."

The man chuckles as the woman opens the door and leaves the room. "As you wish."

The door closes with a click and the man is left alone in the room. With a wave of his hand a screen appears before him. On it is a picture of a young, teenage girl with short, dyed, red hair, fierce blue eyes and a determined look on her face as she walks out of the warehouse behind her.

"Now then," The man says aloud as he looks at the picture, "What am I going to do with you, Miss Dawn Foster?"

He sits in silence for a moment before hitting a button underneath the table. The door opens and a woman with a brown bob and glasses steps in, she's wearing a lab coat and carrying multiple folders.

The man passes her a slip of paper with a single name written on it. The woman's eyes widen as she recognizes the name. "Send Experiment Erebus after this person once it's finished." He says without another glance at the woman.

"But sir..." She starts weakly as she takes the piece of paper but doesn't leave the room. She glances over to a dark corner of the room where a slight blueish glow comes from but she looks away and back at the slip of paper before she can look too closely.

The man clicks his tongue and turns to the woman, "I think you will find that I am the head scientist of this project so if I were you I would get going."

The woman hesitates for a moment as if she wants to fight back, before she nods and walks towards the door, "Yes sir."

But right before she opens the door she stops, "Sir, Experiment Erebus is highly dangerous and the finishing date might be weeks, no months, in the future. I'm not questioning you sir but are you really sure you want to send it after her? Isn't she yo-"

The man's hand slams on the table, and he casts a glare over at the woman. "My decision is final. I shall not waver."

The woman nods and exits the room, leaving the man alone once again.

As the door closes the man leans back his head and stares up at the ceiling. The room is, dark, cold and unforgiving, much like the man inside of it. He runs his fingers through his hair and sighs, "Just what the hell are you doing Dawn?"

After a moment the man seems to collect himself and gets out of his chair and then, he too, heads towards the door.

As he sets his hand on the door handle he turns to a dark corner of the room where a boy is held in a giant glass tube filled, a blue light comes from in it and casts a ghostly tint to the room, "Now then Erebus. Are you ready to meet your maker?"

The boy's face stays emotionless and impassive and with his eyes closed, you wouldn't be able to tell he was even awake. The man looks at the boy before taking his hand off the door handle and walking over to the tank, he places a hand on the cool glass and looks at the boy inside. "You know, Erebus, seeing you grow has made me feel like a father again."

Still no reaction from the boy, the man's gaze turns cold, "I hated being a father."

The man steps back and turns to walk towards the door, "Erebus... Dear, dear Erebus... Do you know where you get your name from? Erebus was one of the first deities in Greek mythology, born out of Chaos. It was the personification of the deep darkness and shadows. Impressive is it not? Having such a reputation to live up to?"

"I expect you to live up to your name," He says as he gets closer and closer to leaving the room, "Erebus."

Now his hand is on the handle, "Have you ever heard of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Maybe you have, I don't care about what you do or don't know, but you Erebus are a Mr. Hyde and the only way for you to become Dr. Jekyll is to kill her."

The door opens and the man starts to walk out, "Destroy Dawn Foster and you don't have to be Mr. Hyde, destroy Dawn Foster and you won't be a simple shadow. Destroy Dawn Foster and you will be better than your namesake. Exciting isn't it? I hope to see what you will do, Erebus."

The man starts to leave the room, leaving the boy behind.

"Destroy her. Destroy her until not even her name is left."

His eyes fly open and the color is a deep, cold, blood-chilling blue and deep down in the emotionless void of them, there is a spark of something primal, something mad.