Three years passed by in a blink of an eye. Cinder, Alina, and Victoria haven't seen each other since their first encounter, but they could still feel each other through their spiritual link, and this link has only grown stronger through these past few years.
Walking down pristine white corridors was Nick, followed by Cinder. Fifteen minutes passed of complete silence before they arrived at their destination, a white room like everything else in this facility. In this huge room was a 20-foot high cylinder tank with a radius of 40 feet, filled to the brim with dark grey liquid along with six large needles connected to six large wire-like tubes that went to the floor of this strange futuristic tank.
"You know the drill; get in, and we'll do the rest." Nick said before exiting.
If Cinder were still a regular human, he would require a ladder, but he was anything but ordinary ever since that first injection. Cinder easily jumped straight into the tank with ease.
After jumping in, the six large needles attached themselves to Cinder's body like heat-seeking missiles. One on each limb, one on his center back, and the last one inserted itself into his brain from the back of his head; even Cinder flinched at that one. Cinder should be dead for all intense proposes, but he wasn't, just some severe pain.
Not even a minute passed before Cinder could feel liquid being pumped into his body, making him feel bloated until this feeling also gave way to intense pain. Along with the dark grey liquid, Cinder was submerged in being just as painful as before. For some reason, Cinder didn't need to breathe anymore, so he could stay submerged as long as they wanted him to.
This pain fest lasted for 24 hours, even Cinder was starting to crack under this pressure, but he made it through in the end.
***
With clutched hands and baited breathe, Chris finally got to witness his beautiful creation's final metamorphosis. Joy was written across all the doctors' faces, for they had witnessed humanity's hope for a better future overcome their last trial. Cinder no Adam was their first and last subject to pass the final injection. Eve and Lilith wouldn't even of stood a chance of surviving this ordeal, and the doctors knew, so watching Adam crawl out of the now empty tank of divine was a joyous occasion.
"Now, with this Adam's physique is perfectly prepared for the coming storms, all we can do now is wait." Chris closed his eyes, unsure of what more he could do to prepare Adam, Eve, and Lilith now that they have all reached their limits of enhancements and dosages of divine.
"Lilith and Eve have both reached their limits. All we can do is keep training them now, honing their skills." Natalie said while deep in thought.
Nick kept his eyes locked on Cinder, who was now lying unconscious against the empty tank.
***
Both Victoria and Alina could feel the pain Cinder was going through, of course not personally, but they could feel how it affected Cinder. But they couldn't do anything, so they just hoped Cinder was doing okay. Ever since they met and had those odd feelings, they all bonded in a way, plus sharing memories just fortified that bond even further. Even though they weren't close friends before, they all knew they were going to be each other's source of encouragement and strength in the coming days. Who else could better understand each other than them?
***
Forty-eight hours passed before Cinder woke up in a daze back in this room. After numerous attempts to get off his bed, he finally managed to get on his feet. Unsteadily walking towards the restroom, only to hit his left shoulder against the doorframe, subsequently falling to his knees. After slowly getting to his feet, Cinder started to notice or feel different compared to before, but he couldn't put his finger on what changed, so his gaze wandered to the mirror.
With an expression of slight shock on Cinder's face, he quickly scrutinized his body and face. Cinder was now 6.2 feet tall with snow-white hair and blood-red irises with now dark red pupils, his body, looks, everything improved again, unlike before with the second dosage. Cinder thought he was done changing, but he was wrong now and in the future.
Cinder closed his eyes to constraint, to try and feel what else changed, but no matter what he tried, he simply couldn't. He inadvertently noticed his connection with Victoria and Alina improved, he could hear bits and pieces of their thoughts, but it was all jibberish to him. Feeling their concern for him, Cinder assured them through their connection he was fine, but why did he? Cinder started to question if they were somehow important to him, but this train of thought didn't lead anywhere, so he put such useless thoughts away for another time.
Coming back to reality, Cinder did his usual morning routine before waiting for Jess to bring breakfast. Jess dropped off his pills and ran away like always, finishing the bottle of now black and red pills; Cinder started to feel normal or abnormal, whatever state you would call him.
One hour later, Nick came by like always told Cinder to follow him to a room filled to the brim with failed Adams, Eves, Lucifers, and Liliths; for some reason, he was only allowed to eat the Adams but didn't they let him eat a guard? Cinder couldn't understand. After many hands' through chests' including the women, Cinder finished the massacre dripping in blood and guts.
Unlike before, Cinder wasn't being controlled by his other personality or whatever you want to call the voice within his mind; Cinder still had an expressionless face with lifeless and cold eyes to match.
Cinder's eyes' circled the room before closing to help process his train of thoughts. How was Leylin doing? When am I going to see him? Cinder kept thinking about his brother; he couldn't help it. Cinder hadn't seen Leylin physically in five years; his worry grew more significant by the minute, but unbeknownst to everyone, including the doctors, Cinder, Victoria, and Alina were going to see the light of day very soon.
***
Hope you're enjoying my novel.
Author: RogueErebus
Bonus Chapters
25 power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
50 power stones = 2 Bonus Chapters
100 power stones = 4 Bonus Chapters