Daedalus
Hmmm, that is very, peculiar. I watched the footage on the monitor and found myself smirking. That thing shouldn't exist, it bent all laws of reason and biology but somehow, one of them knows what it is and was scared enough of it to allow it to form. Isaac, you are making me very intrigued and for that I thank you. I sipped on the cup of tea, spitting it back in the cup. Ugh, too cold. I turned from the monitor, giving a glance to my workshop. The floor was covered in sawdust, which I didn't much mind. I stepped through the workshop, weaving between a worktop that held angle grinders, files, screwdrivers, chisels amongst other tools that threatened to stab me in the ribs as I sidled past. I twisted around the drill press and circular saw. Finally reaching the kettle that held boiling water. Tipping out the remnants of cold tea, I dumped a tea bag and sugar into the now empty mug and topped up the mug with boiling water. I took a tentative sip, the tea was delicious. I hope they like it if they manage to get here before that thing kills them, that would be a shame, I would much like the company. I sighed as I remembered the loneliness.
"Dad?" The word surprised me and I looked down at my son. I smiled as I went to pat his head, my hand passing through him, hitting my thigh. Of course, why am I like this, that was years ago. I took another sip as I turned and walked through the door next to the makeshift kitchen, which really only consisted of a kettle and a pot for tea bags and sugar. I never got used to the sudden change in scent as the sterile air assaulted my nostrils. I took another sip, allowing the scent of the tea to override the air of the room. Scratchings came from one of the cages in the corner of the room, growls from another and snarls from another.
"Would you be quiet, I'm trying to enjoy this cup of tea." I said to the noise, but of course they weren't smart enough to understand my words. Sighing, I stalked over to one of the cages and squatted in front of it. The beast inside was covered in a cascade of iridescent coloured scales, it had a wet snout like that of a dog, but was likewise more like a cat. It was a sorry excuse for an animal and was only a project to see what this particular combination of genes would create. The creature looked up at me, hissing and rearing its back, like its predecessor would do when it would feel threatened. I opened the drawer to the side of the cage and removed a treat that looked like a twig. I waved it at the creature and it tentatively stepped forwards, sniffing with that ill looking nose of hers. "Don't worry, it's just a treat," it looked up at me with a look I took as uncertainty and then after a further moment of hesitation, it snatched the treat from me and started to nibble on it with reckless abandon. It devoured the treat within seconds, looking at me with eyes that begged for another. I took out another and handed it to the animal, then stood and wandered over to the other. I almost dropped my tea as I saw the animal's corpse, a new albino copy of it eating its host. The rat-like creature was tearing into the body, which looked like a more mature version of itself, whereas its fur was black. "Oh you beauty, I thought you would never have been bo-" the creature jumped at me, its teeth landing either side of the metal cage and I stepped back from the sudden movement. It gnashed its teeth, trying to break through the cage that separated it from me, it never stopped until I walked away. Well, that's a success I suppose, but it's very aggressive, maybe due to the way it is born. The third cage held a dog, a golden retriever. Gold fur glinted the light in the room, causing me to shield my eyes from it slightly. It bent its head downwards, nudging its empty food bowl towards me slightly, then it looked up at me with a pleading expression. I felt that awful feeling of loss again as I thought about Icarus and how he would've loved this unique creature. I could feel the tears wanting to form but they didn't and I knew why they wouldn't. My soul was too far destroyed to allow myself to weep. I topped up its bowl with a different mixture and made a note of the new ingredients on the notepad that hung beside the cage.
"What did you just do !" The sudden voice made me jump, dropping my cup of tea in the process. "What did you just do!" The anger in the voice made me wary as I made my way to the door, breathing out nervously, before steeling myself and pushing the door open. A vaguely familiar face was looking at the confrontation between Isaac and a different, much more physically imposing man. He held Isaac against the wall, a fist raised, ready to punch down. Isaac saw me first, his gaze looking over at me, though his expression was grim. The other man looked to me, but the tall man never broke his line of sight with Isaac. I looked behind the seated man who rested against the doorway which was firmly shut, the dull light that usually wreathed it was now snuffed, it was no longer accessible. "Why did you do that!" The words were more of an order than an actual question, but as Isaac went to speak, the other man's hand ignited in an unruly sphere of blue flame, the heat of which radiated outwards like a heartbeat, even reaching where I stood on the other side of the room. "And don't you dare lie to me!"
"I had to," Isaac answered, his voice quiet and shaking. "I didn't want to, but I had to." He emphasized the words as if trying to convince himself of their authenticity.
"Had to? Don't give me that glib response Isaac, I saw what you did when that thing was chasing us," he turned to gesture at the figure on the floor. "Because of what you did, Levin, Jason and Harley are still back there. They would've made it if not for-" he stopped abruptly as he finally saw me. His anger turned into confusion which lasted for two brief moments before he addressed me. "And who the fuck are you?" he pointed at me with the hand that was still on fire. I found my eyes looking at it, watching the odd sputtering of flame spew free.
"My name is Daedalus, and please put your flames away," I gestured to the floor which made the three widen their eyes, finally noticing the fine layering of sawdust. Fire wilted in the man's hand, shrinking until it was gone, the uncomfortable heat going with it. "I know of Isaac, but I don't know your names."
"Hans," the seated figure breathed out, his hand against his head. The taller man turned back to Isaac, ignoring my presence.
"What the fuck is this Isaac? Where are we and why does that old man know your name?" Anger was once again present in his tone.
"We're here," Isaac let out a sigh, "we're here to hopefully get some answers."
"Answers? To what Isaac, I thought in the fact that you come from-"
"Shut up Jacob!" Isaac suddenly pushed towards the man, but the action didn't seem to have the intended effect he was most likely hoping for.
"Why would I do that? After what I saw you do, why the fuck do you think I should listen to you. Just because you can turn back time, doesn't mean that you leaving them to die is anything less than a murder, because that is truely what you are Isaac, a manipulator and a murderer."
"Turn back time?" I muttered to myself, finding a smirk on my face, so that's why that thing was there.
"I would have thought you would understand where I am coming from Jacob, you were there when-" Isaac paused abruptly. "No, no, not you, the other you."
"What the fuck are you going on about ?" Jacob muttered, confusion mingling with the fury.
"That thing, it was what killed him," he looked to the floor, "that thing is what killed Sebastian."
"I'm done listening to your lies Isaac, I'm not going to blindly believe you." Jacob turned to leave, but Hans grabbed his leg. "Get off me!"
"They, they say that Isaac is telling the truth." The seated man muttered, though his voice betrayed the words he spoke, as if he didn't believe them.
"Who's they?" Jacob spat as he kicked his leg free from the man's grasp.
"I don't know how to say it, but the only way I can think to describe it is that I have multiple voices in my head, each with different personalities."
"Mul-"
"No, it's not," Hans said defensively. "I know how it sounds, but that was the power it gave me." I stepped forwards towards the group who at that moment just remembered my presence.
"How interesting," I stroked my chin, "a case of multi-entity neurological personalities. How many can you hear?"
"Uhh," he paused for an extended time. How interesting, Is he conversing with them now? "Three."
"And they are all distinct?" he nodded.
"And why does that matter?" Jacob stood, shocking me from my various thoughts.
"It matters because he holds the knowledge of three people, no four including his own mind, as they grow older, then he may just become the smartest person in any place." I squatted down, inspecting him like I would a specimen, ohh, how I would love to do some tests on him.
"That's impressive and all, but what has that got anything to do with him?" Jacob pointed a finger at Isaac, who seemed to be watching me with a sense of curiosity.
"The, voices, all agree with Isaac's statement, though I don't personally know what he means."
"Jacob, the reason why I am here is to help Sebastian kill that thing," Isaac stated, causing the towering figure to spin, raising his fist as he did so.
"Impossible," Hans muttered under his breath.
"Sorry?" I asked as I was closest to the man.
"They are saying it's impossible."
"It's not impossible, I plan to give him something that will ensure us our victory, and it will hopefully turn the tides." Isaac placed a hand on Jacob's shoulder and as the man went to shrug it off, Isaac's next words caused the man to stop. "I plan to give him my ability."