The ride with his Uncle Nomis through the streets of Hollow Bastion were, as one would suspect, uneventful aside from the fact that there were pebbles of rock and clods of dirt that would hit the steel outer-layer of the vehicle. Caleb thought nothing of them as the rebellious citizens knew not what the Empire has done for them. They knew not what generous hospitality they have given them. It mattered not as Caleb would not think much of them, even as he sat next to his Uncle. 

It wasn’t until halfway through the ride that suspicions of his uncle’s then content mood was escalating into what seemed like anger. Caleb couldn’t place his finger on exactly what it was, but when his emerald-colored orbs carefully went to his uncle, he noticed a rather fast and angry tapping of his finger. There was definitely something that was making him go into that dark place again that Caleb had been a bit too familiar with.

Caleb would soon feel the speed of the vehicle slowing down as he would look through the window, avoiding eye contact with his uncle at all costs. He would notice that the vehicle had reached the designated location of the castle’s inner-walls. That was when both Nomis and Caleb had gotten out of the vehicle and proceeded to the castle’s main door. Along the way, Caleb heard his uncle mumble in an angry way. He didn’t know what had Nomis like that, but Caleb knew that there were only a few things in the universe that could enrage him like that. Angry mumbles wasn’t the only thing that he heard. Caleb also heard the loud pounding noise that his uncle’s cane was making each step that he took.

[b]“Uncle Nomis…”[/b] Caleb’s voice was low as if afraid to even address his uncle in his angry state. Nomis would go on to mention something about it being too late for ‘him’ to act. A red flag instantly went off in the teen’s mind. [I]Him? He can’t mean father, can he?[/I] Not daring to ask Nomis, Caleb decided to keep the thought to himself, but that was the only person that got under Nomis’ skin. 

The large, metal door started to open slowly, but Caleb would then see it fling open like a curtain pushed by the wind. He couldn’t believe the enhanced strength that his uncle had when he entered his rage mode. It was remarkable that the door stayed attached to its hinges and that the walls remained unharmed. Just that fact alone reminded Caleb of his uncle’s monstrous strength and it made the teen look like an infant compared to him.

It was on the same moment that they walked through the door, entering the castle that the two were met by the maids, to which Nomis would order for the preparations to be made. Caleb knew that was also directed at him as well, and that’s what Caleb would do. He would look to the maids and a silent, telepathic-like feeling was sent through them all, thus caused the maids to scramble and make such preparations ready.

In the hours that followed, Caleb, on the orders given by his uncle, was at the Empire’s Factory on Hollow Bastion. To be more specific, the teen was in the Core Room of the Factory with a full team of scientists clad in black and brown robes. They were all walking around with Caleb overlooking the progress they were making from the second level as he leaned over the guardrail. [b]“Now, make sure that everything is set up properly. My uncle is not one to take failure lightly.”[/b] Caleb shouted as he would remind the scientists of how Nomis could get, especially if it’s something to do with failure.

The scientists looked back up at Caleb as if wanting to say something. The youth gave them not-so friendly look, one of which that resembled the same one that Nomis would give them in the same exact situation. That’s what made them turn back around and went back to work on the preparations they were making for Nomis.