Cadmus 4
Meanwhile...
After defeating three Kryptonians, using her brains more than brawn, she finally gets the chance of her life. She never thought she could come across such an opportunity, but here it is, presenting itself before her in the form of a Kryptonian clone, with fresh blood running through it. Even if it is flawed, it is a chance that is hard to come by.
Without hesitation, she lunges forward and bites into the clone's weakened neck, as the power suit that constantly supplies energy from the yellow sun has been turned off. Her teeth pierce the skin, and she tastes the hot, burning blood, but she persists and starts drinking from the dead clone.
She keeps drinking, almost losing her mind in her vampiric nature, as the blood feels like a fountain of youth, brimming with life force. After what feels like an eternity, the blood finally stops. She realizes she has almost drained the clone's body. As she finishes, she starts sensing something within her, a growing burning sensation. It becomes too hot to bear, and her skin begins to burn and regenerate simultaneously. The pain overwhelms her, and she briefly loses consciousness as her cells rapidly burn. She falls beside the clone's body, spasming and struggling to keep up with the pain and her regenerating body. In the midst of the agony, she feels an unprecedented sense of power coursing through her.
As the pain subsides, leaving only a residual warmth beneath her skin, she clutches her hand and her eyes, once completely dark, return to their original color. She feels a sense of peace as her regeneration calms her pain. She realizes that her power has substantially improved; she feels as though she could bring down a building with a single punch. She looks at the other two dead clones and changes her mind about drinking from them. Instead, she focuses on her darkness, summoning a dog-like demon that consumes the two bodies, before she regains control and reverts to her normal form. She can't believe the tremendous improvement she has experienced from drinking just one clone's blood.
Julie reflects on the idea of drinking from the original source, recognizing the immense danger it poses. She pushes the thought aside and focuses on her plan for now. Her first task is to leave the cadmus and officially join the team. But before that, she surveys the room she's in, a mixture of organic and advanced technology. She spreads her darkness, destroying everything to eliminate any traces of her presence.
Having destroyed the room, she continues searching until she discovers a hidden door beneath organic material. With her newfound strength, she easily opens it. Inside, she finds three floating tubes, two of which are empty, while the third contains the clone she was seeking: Project kr Match, a flawed but full-blooded Kryptonian clone. If awakened, he will die within a short period due to cellular deterioration. Her main objective was to retrieve Match, but she encountered three different Kryptonians instead—a stroke of luck, she supposes.
She jumps and punches the tube, retrieving the sleeping clone. Once again, she contemplates drinking his blood but hesitates due to the memory of the previous pain. However, she also recalls the power it bestowed upon her. With a deep breath, she decides to proceed. She removes the solar suit, allowing time for the clone's skin to weaken. After waiting for five minutes, she indulges in her meal.
As she sinks her teeth into the sleeping clone, she immediately feels an even greater burning sensation than before. The pain intensifies as her skin starts to burn, but she persists, consuming all the blood and life force. The reaction is swift this time. Her entire body—skin, organs, eyeballs—burns and melts away. It is a gruesome sight, but her strengthened regeneration combats the imminent death caused by drinking blood filled with the power of the Sun, her direct nemesis.
The process lasts much longer, and she slips into a brief coma of almost 30 minutes. Her body continuously breaks and regenerates at a rapid pace. She produces an incredible amount of blood, organs, and organic waste, but they all burn away, leaving no trace behind. Eventually, she awakens from her coma, gasping for air, feeling as if she had been lying in a pool of lava. She is still radiating intense heat.
After taking a moment to compose herself, she realizes the profound difference in her body. It feels unlike anything she has ever experienced—a power almost overwhelming. She needs to exercise control. Before she takes any action, she finds it bizarre that things have unfolded as they have. Nevertheless, she gambled and gained incredible powers.
With her newfound strength, she obliterates the entire floor, eliminating every genomorph in her path. In between, she searches for more genomorphs to kill, as she has never been fond of them. Her priority now is finding the boys and discovering if they are alive. She is uncertain if her presence will change anything, so she set of again.