"Aavesh- you're transforming too fast", Chu Feng spoke with worry.
"I can even see stumps beginning to form on your head- your skin is already faintly red- Aavesh- We must leave or this transformation will be irreversible", Coral chimed in as well, though guilt and grief in her eyes were evident.
*Cough
Aavesh grit his teeth and blinked a few times to shake off the numbing pain.
"Got a plan anyone...",Aavesh spoke hoarsely with a smile.
But Anya flicked his head softly," If anyone has a plan in this room- it's you- I may be crazy but you can outhink almost everyone here- almost!"
"There's no way out here is there?- ", She smiled as the expressions on Chu Feng and Coral became downcast.
"But you are not afraid", Anya flicked his head softly again.
"Tell me"
Aavesh gazed at her and felt as if there was no deception that could go past her.
She may be a kid like him and throw random statements but her mind was exceptionally Sharp, despite her crazy streaks.
He opened his mouth," I know you can hear us Khorramzadeh - you kept us all here for a reason "
"Coral- to make me a "key" and use her as leverage - so I will willingly participate in your plans"
"Chu Feng as the "witness" to what you are about to unleash, to let the world know that you have the "heart" as a warning "
"Anya is a sacrifice due to her essentially being classified as a Demigod in the offspring sense but not in the power level sense, her blood is the reason you want her"
"As for me- you want me dead, but not yet, not now- you have something left, the final part of this suprise, you will use me and then neutralize me"
" Now Tell us Khorramzadeh ", Aavesh spoke out loudly as the other three winced uncomfortably at the mention of that name.
From the shadows, 2 Glowing Orange Eyes lit up as a devilishly handsome man stepped out with a smile as his Infernal horns lit up in flames.
"It's much better like this- your emotionless state was quite aggravating, but still... your eyes remain unsettling, heh- Not that I care now, I must say- nice job on trying to figure out the motives, you are correct - very correct - almost"
He then dramatically sighed as he shrugged,
"But it won't make a difference - you are bound to me by the contract, unless you complete the contract I can't kill you and you can't leave - How Vexing!"
Aavesh raised an eyebrow at that and spoke," You will not be the one to kill me- you will make me kill myself, not intentionally from your side- according to the contract if I survive through your gifts, you won't kill me directly or indirectly as long as I don't provoke you - But that's where your big backhand is - 'Survive' "
"I will complete the surprise and I will live - bit not for long, because your "Surprise" will ensure that If I don't die now- I will die later because I will never become a Devil and will die due to Mythic Rejection, but even faster... This is your guarantee - you wanted me to sign that contract - you were practically jumping with joy as I did it", Aavesh gazed at Khorramzadeh's smug face calmly as a brief glint flickered through Chu Feng's Eyes.
"You don't have to die - accept your heritage and Your Ancestral Mythic Power - you will live"
" I love talents - but you don't seem to be convinced yet, no worries, I love Talents that remain buried the most!"
It was a clear threat.
Any Sane human should probably shit their pants at such a threat from an Infernal Demigod.
But...
"Pfft Hahaha!", Aavesh suddenly laughed out loud.
Anya gazed at him as if looking at a new specimen with curiosity.
If there was one thing Tricksters trumped over Axiomites, it was EQ- And they often exploited their exceptionally high EQ to crack the funniest jokes in the Cosmos.
But that also made them terrifying.
At this very moment, Anya sensed something unusual about Aavesh's emotions - like that laugh- it seemed to be so intense, yet so calm...
And those Eyes - to others it was unsettling, but she felt it quite refreshing, as someone with Trickster Mythic Power, she had long been able to see through ugliness of sentient life but in those Eyes - she didn't feel that familiar ugliness, only a deep melancholic loneliness suffused with absolute Determination.
As much as she looked like a child, she had mentally matured long ago due to suffering inflicted by her Key Spirit.
She found this mix to be quite perturbing in Aavesh- especially since this was the second time she met him... The last time she saw him, his eyes had shown that panic and familiarity strangely.
She had never met him prior to that.
Still there was relief in his eyes, like a great burden had removed off his shoulders.
She could not forget how fearful he was of her- that amused her to no end.
Still she didn't know how he found about her, despite wanting to capture him and find the reason, she didn't do such things.
Because he was the one who helped unlock her key spirit and cured her crippling condition, so she would never forget that.
The second time she saw him, he had grown greatly in the mind, yet within his eyes there was inexplicable grief subtly laced within.
But strangely upon seeing her, he showed immense relief and happiness - like a drowning man managing to find support at the very last moment.
She found all of this to be quite... Interesting to say the least.
She gazed at the absolute Absurdity of the spectacle but she couldn't wait for Aavesh to slap that Kho- Khorrwmza? Let's call him Kho- Yes she couldn't wait for Aavesh to slap that Kho's face.
Khorramzadeh's smile froze as he stared at Aavesh intently.
" I am the Variable, so if you are going to use me- be prepared for the consequences", Aavesh replied back calmly and the temperature in the room suddenly plummeted.
Khorramzadeh then held Aavesh by his throat and spoke in a calm yet eerie voice," I think I have been too merciful with you lately - it's time to take everything to the next phase, I hope you didn't get too close to that little half Elf, if not The results will truly be spectacular "
"You Can't Resist Causality "
Then his eyes flashed with black Light and Aavesh instantly fainted.
-----------------------------------------------------
*THUMP
At the sound of a massive heartbeat Aavesh opened his eyes- only to find absolute darkness and he seemed to be on a fetal position within some kind of amniotic sac filled with a disgusting liquid which he couldn't spot out even of he wanted to.
Out of survival instinct, Aavesh immediately paused his emotions as he felt something was completely off within his very self.
Something had contaminated him and had already begun to mess with his emotions.
*THUMP
The sound of that Heartbeat came again and a strange fluid entered his body along with the amniotic fluid.
Wait his body-
Aavesh activated his Arcane Eye Augmentations to see what had exactly happened with him and where exactly he was.
His 'new' Left Arm had transformed into a bundle of veins, pumping that dangerous fluid into him.
It seemed to be connected to the amniotic sac.
He no longer had skin, he had been Flayed alive.
Apart from his left hand, his other limbs were intact, kind of, but they had been fused into the fleshy aperture of the Sac.
Multiple bone like protusions were connected to his spine and an extremely large flesh protusion piercing his skull from the behind.
Apart from his two Eyes, nothing else could be moved, not even his Third Eye.
He had been imprisoned!
In the most disgusting and disturbing prison that would terrify any sentient being, he emotionlessly analysed how to get out of this.
'It was undoubtable that Khorramzadeh was involved in this but why? And what is this Heartbeat? Why does it make my own heart Tremble', Aavesh as he struggled to move his limbs.
But as soon as he did that,
*Thump *Thump *Thump
*THUMP! *THUMP! *THUMP!
The bone protusions trembled as mass bundles of nerves erupted, as the Heartbeats suddenly became more frequent and Aavesh felt a strain on his mind.
His eyes dilated as his perception stretched as if everything enlarged-
*Boom
A flash of white light filled his Vision.
But in an instant it disappeared as his mind was filled with new sensations.
He was - a monster made of resentment flesh.
That very monster he saw before when he unlocked that heart.
His vision had transformed to an inhuman state, imagine being able to see Eight Different Views through Eight Eyes.
He felt an undulating power within this body, at his fingertips but it was locked.
He was that giant biological construct, yes... Now everything seemed puny to him yet he was kneeling before Khorramzadeh as he sat on his Burning Infernal Throne with his signature smug smile.
"The Surprise is almost done- besides you are not human anymore - your flesh has Fully Transformed into it's Infernal Heritage"
"Remember that 'Heart', It's now within this Biological Construct-No This Bio Mecha! It was the second last piece needed to push it to A Psuedo Demigod State", He gazed at Aavesh playfully.
"You - You were the last piece! Your Dual Neural Augmentations should have involuntarily activated to preserve your life at the cost of your Vitality -since your body is now Infernal in nature, you should feel your Origin - oh wait I dispersed it! I would have destroyed those 3 seeds that resist the change but they intrinsically tied to your life so they can stay now- but even the Vitality provided by them will soon be unsustainable Aavesh!"
What he said was true, Aavesh could feel his head almost burn from overdrive, if they stopped his brain would be destroyed, if they continued this, he probably would have only a few months left to live unless he could somehow remove himself from this Monstrosity.
So his guess was true- Aavesh analysed logically, but in this paused state he decided to buy time, because he had already alerted Aug Sys to deduce a way to reverse the Infernal Transformation and make this biomech eject him, without threatening his life.
At the same he already deduced Khorramzadeh's intent- not to make him a permanent slave but a critical yet expendable chess piece, he didn't believe Khorramzadeh would give someone like him a catastrophic biomech- he had a reason.
" Of course your eyes are as unsettling as ever- you know I can't read your mind in this state- it's so bizzare... But look around your friends are here"
With that Khorramzadeh pointed to the Trio that were next to him, paralysed in a stasis field.
" I won't kill them"
"But their deaths will depend on you Aavesh"
He then waved his palm and a hundred foot tall gate suddenly appeared on the side.
" This is a special contraband, A Teleportation Gate back to the Material Universe, in due time your restraints will be open and you will not alter anything in this rift- your duty is to step into it, along with your little buddies- or die, very simple*", Khorramzadeh gazed at Aavesh with special nonchalance.
"Oh and before it activates- a projection will be displayed, You better listen to it carefully, if you deviate from it- heh though I don't think you will deviate after you see it, now you wait here until it's time"
Khorramzadeh then stood up from his throne and left as Chu Feng, Coral and Anya stared Blankly at Aavesh's current state, unable to speak anything.
Aavesh then simply called out Master Mirror mentally.
" Well- you've seen better days kid, this is just rough", Master Mirror's voice replied back mentally.
Aavesh however ignored small talk in his paused emotion state and spoke," You told me - you would let me know when the weapon was near- you did, when I analysed the biomech for the first time- I told Khorramzadeh how it was made, but I also mentioned that there was something more to it- right before he cut me off and forced me to release this 'heart'"
" This Biomech was a successful fusion of the 3 Great Evil Mythic Powers- Khorramzadeh had succeeded... With help of the Remnant Liquid form of True Evil Essence being leaked from that box"
"I felt a slight instinct but I ignored in my paused state... I understand now it was you"
" But I can't help but be surprised - why give it to me? Knowing that I will kill Conrad-"
Master Mirror's voice then interrupted him, " He's got his own scheme - you remember he wanted Rathiel to declare war on Planet X? There is so much you don't know, but this memory Projection will help you understand -soon"
"Aavesh You better remove yourself from your paused state- like it or not- it is exceptionally dangerous because your paused state ignores your innate Survival Instinct"
" If you want to kill Conrad- you will need it, and Study the Mind Breaker Martial Techniques that has been etched into your Mind Pool- atleast it will give you a chance to use the Demigod like abilities of this Biomech"
"The Heart of Evil has been implanted into this Biomech as it's sole Power core while you must act as it's Processor- Or Soul to be honest, but you can do it"
"The Heart of Evil is the only thing that can power this Biomech due to its... Tri-Mythic Nature, but it is also being injected into you- Your rejection has somewhat aggravated this Heart of Evil, it will not speak now but it will try to corrupt your Soul, so hang in there- This will be just a matter of few weeks and the Corruption won't set in until it's at the Critical Moment "
"So- keep things simple, Study, Resist and Kill- Easy right?"
Aavesh remained speechless at this advice- it seemed logically... Sound for some reason.
"Good Hunting then"
Master Mirror then became silent .
Aavesh remained silent and then slowly unpaused his emotions.
He then felt every inch of his soul revolt in disgust with his body- he felt grief for sometime for the undulating Energy in this biomech because it was formed from the Resentment of his own Infant Clansmen.
It was too much.
He remained silent for a while and then muttered mentally," I - I have to survive - I must Survive!"
He then dove into the Mind Breaker Techniques and Memories that Coral had been forced to impart to him, mentally practicing them with focus while suppressing the uncomfortable sensations from his now Infernal body.
The fight was going to come soon.
Maybe-Just maybe- this nightmare would end.
All one could do now was-
Wait.