The medications alleviated this suffering, but some pain was too great to alleviate. Its mechanical parts were badly regulated, the operations were still underway, making and remaking what was done previously. He felt like a painting, being made and erased on the whimps of the artist.


    After an operation he saw a little brown book on its desk. It had no cover nor title and his pages were yellow.


    It took him a few pages to understand what was it, he nearly trowed it away in a fit of rage. "The confessions of Lazarus, GS translation" was the name of the book. It hadn''t the stamp of the government, the book was out of print and was probably illegal to own a copy. What I say? Obliviously it was illegal to have a copy!


    After that he called Sully and asked him about the book. Sully knew nothing of it. Pxan asked him to throw the book in the trash together with the used medicinals and blood.


    ....


    <<...this is an X-ray of your torso that we took when you arrived, as you can see several wires had penetrated the lungs, stomach and kidneys, causing enormous damage to them. This is of your legs as you can see->>


    <<How was I still alive?>> Pxan said


    <<Well>> the head surgeon brought its hand on its head <<we have no idea. But we found something strange in your blood.>>


    <<My blood?>>


    <<Yes, you were under drugs, and quite heavy ones I might add>>


    <<This is probably the reason why you were able to move at all. Second, we found something strange in your injuries, someone had already treated the lethal ones>>


    << How-? W-who?>>


    <<We suspect that it wasn''t human given the precision and the strange...materials used.>> he paused noticing Pxan shocked expression <


    >


    <<Y-yes, sorry I was just busy thinking...>>


    <<Ok, so this is the X-ray of your...>>


    When Pxan returned to its room it was nearly night time, not that it mattered. He couldn''t sleep. Sully entered the room silently.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.<


    >


    Pxan didn''t answer, he just stared blankly at the wall.


    <<I just wanted to tell you that in a few days...well I would be transferred.>> he came near his bed


    Pxan turned its head<<Why?>>


    <<You see my credentials are too low for this high-standard hospital, probably they would transfer me somewhere in the middle quarters>> he smiled when he said that.


    Pxan knew that smile and that tone, he had used it himself when he was younger <<Sully can I ask you one question?>>


    <<Sure>>


    <<Why do you want me dead?>>


    <<What you mean?>>


    <<Just curious, that book wasn''t exactly common.>>


    <<How you dare insulting me in this way? Do you know that I can send you a->>


    <<Sully I lied to you too.


    <<Have you presented when I said that I didn''t remember much? That was a lie. I was one of the last to evacuate from the planet. At fourteen years old. I did anything to survive and prosper. I created a new identity and a story for myself, faked documents, birth date and location, cheated the citizenship test.


    <<All of this...all of this only to be at your mercy...>>


    Sully was surprised <<so this means that...you are like me.>>


    A brief silence followed


    <<Who wants my head?>>


    <<The order of the golden serpent.>>


    <<They descend from the order of the stone rose, who descends from the order of the new dawn. Incredible how griefs can survive anything. Including generations.>> Pxan face darkneed


    They stayed there for a few minutes, Sully took a seat and watched Pxan eyes.


    <<All of this stuff>> saying pointing to the artificial limbs <<and operations to save you...what have you done to deserve it?>>


    <<Nothing. I was lucky>>


    <<How have you understood that I am a cultist?>>


    <<The first day, when you entered the room.>>


    <<How?>>


    <<Nurses and doctors talk to patients after the council members, always after, never before.>>


    <<Ah, I understand...>>


    The two looked at each other for a few minutes.


    <<This is your first time killing someone, isn''t it?>>


    <<Yes...I am used to saving people>> said Sully


    <<So you are really a nurse. When were you initiated?>>


    Sully looked back at the door, no one would come to this room for a few hours.


    <<Why do you care?>>


    <<Just curious, you are going to kill me after all.>>


    Sully looked at him


    <<It was a long time ago...>>