Memories flood in like a tidal wave:
2027, the first timeline.
The deepest part of TEC Labs.
Elizabeth stood in front of the giant glass container, looking at the figure floating inside - it was the original me.
"Project Angel Stage 1 complete," she wrote in her notes, "Subject perfectly accepted the implantation of the Time Particles. However... Experience with a single timeline is not enough."
The scene switches:
2028, alternate timeline.
I awakened as a Killing Angel on the battlefield.
Elizabeth smiles from the shadows, "Perfect, the experience from this timeline will also become sustenance."
Timeline after timeline flashed before my eyes. Each time, I thought I was unique, the chosen one of fate. But in reality...
"Do you finally get it?" Victor's voice was filled with mockery, "You're not some accidentally reborn Awakened. You're a 'time collector' carefully nurtured by Elizabeth. Every rebirth, every memory, is providing data for the final Genesis Protocol."
"No! This can't be!"
I fell to my knees as my Blood Angel form began to destabilize.
[WARNING: Sharp fluctuation in host's mental state
Multiple timeline memories detected being integrated
Danger! Personality dissociation tendencies appear]
"Why... To do this?" I looked up with difficulty.
Elizabeth's voice rang through the radio, "For evolution, my dear angel. human evolution, is limited by time. But if we can gather the experiences of countless timelines and incorporate them into a 'perfect container'..."
"You're... Creating a god?"
"No," she laughed softly, "I'm creating evolution itself. And you, my dear Liam, you are the perfect vessel. Carrying the experience of countless timelines, the crystallization of countless possibilities."
At that moment, the Time Resonator's energy peaked. In the purple vortex, countless figures of me began to manifest - some were blazing angels, some were awakened in other forms, and even... Completely corrupted versions.
"That system..." I suddenly realized something.
"Bingo!" Victor laughed, "You think that's some kind of reanimator system? That's a data collector designed by Elizabeth! Recording every choice you make, every experience..."
The system was silent for a moment, then spoke in Elizabeth's voice:
"I'm sorry, Liam. but this is a necessary process."
All the lies were revealed. I felt my consciousness crumbling. Memory fragments from countless timelines were rushing through my mind, each one screaming, each one trying to prove that it was the "real" one.
But just then, a familiar voice came through the headset:
"Liam! Whatever you hear, you are you!"
It was Jack!
"I don't care if you're some damn time vessel. For once, you in this timeline are my comrade in arms. That's enough!"
His words were like a beacon in the darkness.
Yeah, whatever time vessel, whatever plan. The person I am now, is me!
"System," I stood up, feeling the blood energy boiling inside me, "You said Elizabeth created you?"
"Correct."
"Then... Do you have more allegiance to her program, or to your current host?"
The system was silent for a few seconds, "Analyzing priority... My allegiance is to... Evolution itself."
"Very well," I flashed a smile, "Then let's have some real evolution!"
The Blood Angel form suddenly mutated, and the blood red energy began to absorb the purple time energy around it.
"What?" Victor took a step back, "This can't be happening!"
"No!" Elizabeth's voice panicked for the first time, "Stop! You'll upset the balance of the time collection!"
But I didn't stop. Instead, I began to actively connect to those of my own from other timelines. Since I was the vessel, let me decide, what to contain!
[Warning! Warning!
Unprecedented energy integration detected.
The host is attempting to contain the power of multiple timelines simultaneously
Success rate: 0.01%
Consequence of Failure: Timeline Collapse]
"Then let's bet on this 0.01%!"
I roared up to the sky, and the Blood Angel's energy plumes unfolded to the extreme and began to absorb the energy from the time vortex.
Now, let's see who is the dominant evolutionary leader!