The Puppet Alchemist
Chapter 1
The Taboo
My creation was forbidden. I wonder how things would have went, how many people would still be alive, how many cities would still exist, and would he have lived to a ripe old age. My creator did not have much of a childhood. He was always sickly and never interacted with the world. But he had his books and he had his alchemy. He researched alchemically charging objects with energy. He was very powerful but since he was stuck at hoe due to his chronic illness, he was lonely. He eventually decided to create a companion. He figured as long as he didn't try to implant an actual soul, he would not be affected by the taboo.
With determination, my creator began to spend months slowly creating my body from a unique clay he created. It would be smooth but sturdy to support everyday life. On the night he finished my body, he started transmuting the energy from various things to give me movement with no avail. He then had a thought, what if I used my own energy, just enough to have her sit up. When he started to transmute his energy into me, I sat up and even looked at him. He grinned to see that it was a success with no rebound. With a bit more of his every, I moved based on how he wanted me too. I never made a sound and I didn't even know what I looked like. I had no free will and I ran on something like batteries. Every night he would transmute more energy into me because if not, I would slowly stop moving. This was routine for a few months until one night he wanted to see what would happen if I had more energy. Could I run errands, or could I go for a whole day without having to be recharged once. So he transmuted more energy than usual, and that's what caused the rebound.
Originally, we both where in his laboratory where he usually recharged me, but then we where suddenly standing on a plane white plain. I looked over past his shoulder and saw him. He was all white and was just sitting there, smiling, but when I looked at him I felt fear, but I also felt like I had more energy than before. I stood up and spoke for the first time and asked, "Who…are…you?" I jumped back, startled by my voice. It sounded soft and sweet.
"I am called many things, Truth, Universe, World, "You", One, All, God, but you can call me Truth." He responded. He sounded so young, like a child. I stay silent, still afraid to speak.
"I am quite interested in you, doll." He said to me. That's right I am a doll, I shouldn't be able move of speak on my own. Then I looked over at my creator. He was just standing over the matrix, like I was still sitting there to be charged.
"I had to use his door to bring you here, but he always stopped charging you before I could open it, like he knew that would cause him to break the taboo. But he messed up. He decided to give you more energy, and then I was able to speak with you. I even gave you your own energy so you could move and even speak." I just stared at my creator, silently.
"So…what…do…you…want…with…me?" I asked in a shaky voice, I was still so unsure on how I felt about being able to speak.
"I want to make a deal with you and your creator. I want him to offer me something, and in return I'll give you endless energy, a life of your own you could say." Truth said with a grin.
At this point, I didn't realize that Truth had released my creator and that he was standing behind me, listening to Truth.
"What could I offer? There isn't anything that equals to a life." My creator said with a worried look.
"Well a life equals a life, doesn't it?" Truth said with a grin.
"You don't mean?" My creator exclaimed.
"Your soul? Oh, yes, I do." Truth laughed then continued.
"But why?" My creator questioned.
"You have created quite a masterpiece there, a doll that has the capability to speak and move without a soul. That is quite impressive indeed. However, you did still try to create life in a way, even if you made the body out of inorganic materials. I still have to punish you for ignoring the laws of equivalent exchange. So what should I do? Speed up your illness? Make you 80 years old? Give your life to your doll? Any are a fitting exchange for your crime. Since I am such a nice guy, I'll let you pick!" Truth said with a grin and walked past us. He sat back down between two large steal doors with weird trees on them.
I looked over at my creator who was pondering his choices, so I walked over and sat down across from Truth. I had a few questions of my own for him.
"What is…with…the doors?" I asked. I sound clearer, more fluent, but I am still not use to this talking thing.
"Each of them belongs to the two of you. I made you one incase you were given a soul. If not it will simply disappear." Truth said like it was suppose to be obvious.
"Is…that so? What do…they do? I said more confidently.
"It's hard to explain, but I guess you can call it an alchemist's alchemy." Truth just said and grinned.
"I see." I said and left it at that.
Not long after, my creator came over like he made a decision. I just sat and watched Truth.
After a brief hesitation he said, "I decided that I'd give my life to her." I was startled by his choice. Why me?
"Oh? What brought you to this conclusion?" Truth grinned. I had a feeling he already knew why and asked for my benefit. What is Truth after?
"In all honesty, I am tired and I'm only in my late thirties. My disease is going to kill me anyway, might as well put my soul to some good use." My creator said with a grin like he had no regrets.
Truth laughed and after a while said, "Very well. Consider it done, but first I need you to agree to something doll." Truth said and looked at me.
"Agree to what?" I asked timidly. I am still surprised by what my creator said.
"That you will work for me in the human world. In exchange for a life with no restrictions on you, you just have to do certain things for me when I ask you too. Simple enough?" Truth asked.
"But can't you do it yourself?" I asked him.
"If I go to your world, I would destroy it. Your world can't handle me." Truth said rather plainly.
"What exactly do I get out of this?" I asked. It seemed too good to be true.
"Pros. When you are not running an errand for me, you can do what ever your little non-existent heart pleases. You won't ever age nor die. Sounds good right? Now here are the cons. You will know everything, but can't share anything I don't want you too before it is time for you to do so. You can know someone's fate just by looking at them. Again, you can't warn them, even if they where to die within the hour of you meeting them." Truth said rather matter-of-factly.
I thought about it, it wasn't much for what he was offering, like I would be a part-time worker for Truth.
"Fine." I said after a moment.
"Great!" Truth exclaimed.
He snapped his fingers and suddenly our doors just cracked open. At first nothing happened, then small black arms sprung out and grabbed us, dragging us towards our respective doors. I reached for my creator because I was scared. He was too far away so before I was dragged in my door, I shouted with all my strength, "Thank you." I looked to see my creator smiling as our doors shut us inside.
The next thing I knew, everything was going past me at fast speeds. I felt like my head was going to split open and my eyes where going to bleed. The little hands where holding my eyes open so I couldn't look away. It felt like hours. I cried and screamed till my throat was soar. I begged to be released. I soon lost track of how long this went on. When I didn't even realize it, a hand appeared before me. Without a though I grabbed it. Then I was back standing on that white plain again. Truth was there in front of me.
"So how was your view of the truth?" He asked with a rather sarcastic tone.
"It's horrible." That was all I could say before I corrected myself and said, "but it was also beautiful."
"Excellent! Now that part one is done, we need to finish your body. First, I am going to carve every alchemical matrix that you just learned about into your body." Right when Truth said that, the inside of my entire body began to burn. I was a hollow doll so I didn't have organs but he was literally carving all these different alchemical circles in my body all at once. I was so exhausted from seeing the truth; I didn't even have the strength to scream. I just writhed in agony. As soon as it started however, it was over.
"See, not as bad as seeing everything. With this you can perform alchemy without a circle or clapping your hands together like the other alchemists who have seen some extent of truth for their taboos. Now all you need is a name." Truth said and crossed his arms like he was thinking. Then he snapped his fingers like he thought of something.
"Vyra." He said simply and for some reason I knew it was another name for truth from another culture. He snapped his fingers again and the simple dress I had been wearing changed into a long robe of some sort.
"You will start where I place you and follow everything that I tell you when I tell you." Truth told me as he raised his hand to snap his fingers again. But before he did I asked a quick question. "How will you tell me?"
"It will just pop into your head." He said with a creepy grin, and snapped his fingers.
The next thing I knew, I was in a city in the middle of the desert. And from what I can tell, it was the same day and time I entered that weird plain with my creator. Time had not changed at all. I guess that shows how powerful Truth is.