Eta Aquarids 2nd, 16384- UNIVERSE-P
As Siddharth's consciousness flickered back to life, he found himself engulfed in a black-crimson void, the oppressive darkness pressing in on him from all sides.
His senses were overwhelmed by the stark contrast to the peaceful white of before, leaving him disoriented and apprehensive.
Before him stood an opaque mirror-like pane, reminiscent of the one-way glass he had encountered before. But this time, the cyborg manipulated it with a gesture, transforming it into a transparent pane of glass, revealing a scene that shook Siddharth to his core.
In the center of the room loomed an immense apparatus, its metallic frame towering over thousands of cells arranged in orderly rows. Each cell housed a transparent capsule, reminiscent of those commonly seen in sci-fi, containing individuals trapped within.
The capsules, suspended within the apparatus, gleamed under the harsh lights of the chamber. Each one resembled a transparent cocoon, cylindrical in shape, with smooth, curved edges that refracted the ambient light in mesmerizing patterns.
The material of the capsules appeared to be a translucent polymer, allowing a glimpse of the figures trapped within.
Their features were visible through the transparent walls, their expressions in expressions of fear and anguish.
Some pressed their hands against the walls in futile attempts to escape, while others simply stared ahead with hollow eyes, resigned to their fate.
The capsules were arranged in precise rows, stretching as far as the eye could see, each one identical to the next.
The metallic frame of the apparatus loomed over them like a silent sentinel, its intricate network of supports and conduits weaving a web of intricate patterns around the suspended cells
Siddharth's heart lurched as he watched in horror as people were removed from their cells and fed into the system at the center.
The machine dissected them mercilessly, flaying their bodies layer by layer as they silently screamed in agony. Despite the brutality of the process, they remained conscious, their eyes wide with terror as their flesh dissolved away.
A surge of anger and revulsion coursed through Siddharth as he witnessed the barbarity unfolding before him. He turned to the cyborg, his voice trembling with righteous indignation.
"What is this?!" he demanded, his words ringing out in the oppressive silence of the void. "How can you justify such cruelty?!"
The cyborg regarded him with a solemn gaze, her expression betraying no hint of remorse. "This is the only way we can punish energy beings and purge them from existence," she explained, her voice echoing with a cold detachment. "For corporeal beings like yourself, there are no other means of purgatory."
She paused, letting the gravity of her words sink in. "Once they have physical form, we disassemble them layer by layer, ensuring full sensitivity and without anesthesia. This method is excruciating but necessary. For millennia, our battles have led us to develop this as the only reliable means of dealing with such beings. We have no other way of annihilating corporeal bodies with the required precision and thoroughness."
The cyborg's expression softened slightly as she continued, "What happened with you is an outlier, a deviation from our standard procedures. As such, we are forced to resort to these barbaric methods."
She continued ."However, I assure you, your team will be administered different narcotics before the procedure to mitigate the pain. Unfortunately, at this point, any further mercy from the machinery would be impossible."
Siddharth's eyes fell upon his team trapped within the capsules, his heart clenched with a mixture of anguish and determination. In that moment of desperation, he realized that he still had one wish left—the wish he had yet to claim.
"For my last wish , I want to save my team," he declared, his voice trembling with emotion. "And I wish to be given all the options presented to me before including reincarnation, transmigration and ascension."
The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his resolve. For a brief moment, the cyborg seemed stunned, her luminous eyes widening imperceptibly as if caught off guard by his request. In that fleeting moment, a fraction of a smile tugged at the corners of her lips, a glimmer of emotion flickering across her otherwise stoic expression.
But just as quickly as it had appeared, the smile vanished, replaced once more by the cold mask of indifference. With a commanding gesture, she turned to the bots hovering nearby, her voice resonating with authority.
"Cease this procedure," she ordered, her words cutting through the silence of the chamber like a knife. "Release them from their confinement."
The bots, obedient to her command, sprang into action, their mechanical limbs moving with precision as they began the delicate process of extracting Siddharth's team from their capsules. With each release, a sense of relief washed over Siddharth, mingled with a profound gratitude for the chance to make things right.
As his colleagues emerged from their prisons, their faces etched with confusion and disbelief, Siddharth felt a surge of emotion welling up within him. Despite the trials and tribulations they had endured, they were alive—and that was all that mattered.
Turning to the cyborg, Siddharth felt a sense of gratitude tinged with curiosity. He knew that their journey was far from over, but for now, he was content in the knowledge that he had the power to change their fate. And as they prepared to embark on the next chapter of their adventure, Siddharth couldn't help but wonder what other surprises lay in store.
As they began to float away, a figure among his colleagues caught Siddharth's eye, causing his heart to skip a beat.
It was Maya, his university crush and colleague, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of surprise and recognition. In that moment, Siddharth was filled with a wave of agony and grief for the future he could have had, a future that now lay shattered before him.
As Siddharth's gaze locked with Maya's, a flood of memories came rushing back, stirring emotions he had long buried beneath the weight of his responsibilities.
He remembered the countless interactions they had shared during their time together at the university, the subtle glances and fleeting smiles that had once filled him with hope.
But in the relentless pursuit of his academic and professional goals, Siddharth had pushed aside any thoughts of romantic entanglements, focusing instead on his work and ambitions.
It was only after he had moved to a different department, seeking new challenges and opportunities for advancement, that he had begun to realize the true nature of Maya's feelings towards him.
In the quiet moments of solitude, away from the hustle and bustle of his daily life, Siddharth found himself reflecting on their past interactions with newfound clarity.
He remembered the way Maya's eyes would light up whenever they spoke, the subtle hints and playful banter that had gone unnoticed in the heat of the moment.
And now, as he stood face to face with her in this surreal and nightmarish reality, Siddharth felt a pang of regret and longing for the future that could have been.
He saw in Maya's eyes a reflection of his own feelings, a silent acknowledgment of the connection they had shared and the opportunities they had missed.
In that fleeting moment, as the weight of their unspoken emotions hung heavy in the air, Siddharth was filled with a profound sense of loss and longing.
He knew that their paths had diverged irreversibly, leading them down separate roads filled with uncertainty and regret.
With a heavy heart, he turned to the cyborg, his resolve faltering in the face of his newfound despair. "Take me away," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the din of the void. "I have no reason to stay here any longer."
And with that, the cyborg complied, whisking him away from the grim reality that had unfolded before him, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and shattered dreams, as Maya continued to stare towards him with a look of intrigue and determination.