"...You know that's a lie." I blinked, glaring at the laid-back demi-god.

"How can you know that?!" I shouted, clenching my hands around the arms of the chair. "I'm the one who killed Nano! I'm the one who was provoked into killing one of my closest friends!" Something was wet on my cheeks, but I didn't have long to think about it. I was enraged. How could he possibly think that I am Sjin?!

"...Nano was your friend. Isn't that proof enough?" These words hit me hard, winding me. How words could do that I had no idea, but I had no breath to shout anymore. I just leaned back into the chair, feeling tired. "No, Sjin would have not killed someone in normal circumstances. But, these aren't exactly normal circumstances, are they?" His voice captured me again. It made everything seem normal, somehow. I slowly shook my head. A word popped into my brain and I instantly said it.

"Lalna..." I murmured. "What about...Lalna?" I asked. The smile on Ridge's face both comforts me and worries me.

"Don't worry about him. I'll talk to him about it." Ridge replied. He then took my hands in his own. "You are Sjin. If you keep denying that then you will truly lose yourself, and become like the taint." I flinched. I...I felt this before. I needed reminding that I'm not them. This time it was just harder to accept - Harder to accept the fact that I am not 'evil'. Though I hardly believed that myself, I guess at least Ridgedog believed in me. I looked straight into the demi-god's eyes. They seemed to sparkle in a different way to Lalna's. Not with beauty, but with more wisdom than any mortal could have. I mouthed 'Thank you', as I could not make sounds. He nodded, before he left me to sit alone. I closed my eyes, trying to dismiss her unconscious, cold body from my thoughts.


As always, my sleep was full of nightmares. Each more gruesome than the last. It was like a timeline of the events that happened in the last week, or so. The most vivid being Nano's death. I tossed and turned as I tried to sleep, but as I reached the moment I killed her, I would wake. I was left alone in that room. Alone through the night, until the next morning. I was curled up on the floor, digging my fingers into my scalp. My eyes wide as I stared ahead, not really noticing what was there. I didn't even notice when the door opened, my body still shaking. I doubt that shake will ever leave me now. I felt a touch on my hand, instantly slapping it away.

"Sjin...it's ok." I looked at the voice's owner. I almost didn't recognise Lalna. Not because he had change, though. It was because I was losing myself. I was losing my friends...Sjin's friends. His body was soon pressed gently against mine, my head now in his lap. "You're ok." He murmured. The feeling of anger almost made me pull away. Why did I feel angry at him? The scientist had done nothing. Maybe because I wanted him to be angry at me.

"...I-I killed her, Lalna." I whispered. My voice was shaky and strained. "I'm...s-sorry." Tears yet again dampened my cheeks, as I gazed up at the scientist. He had removed his goggles, so I could see his true eyes underneath. They continued to sparkle just how I remembered them. Those comforting eyes...

"It's...ok." Lalna murmured, his hand running through my tattered mess of hair. "Sjin...I could have done the same thing." I looked at him with confusion. He could've killed Nano? "Anger does that to a person. It scrambles their thoughts, messing them up. If I became angry like that, I wouldn't have thought twice. Hell, remember the Tekkit War? I didn't seem angry, but inside I was. I was angry at you; at Rythian...I just masked it." He explained slowly. I slowly sit up, feeling his arms around my shoulders.

"How can you control anger, though? It's just a basic trait of people, isn't it?"

"Yes. Normal anger is just a trait of people. Extreme anger, however, is not. It is caused by certain situations. For example, the taint taunting you." Lalna explained. "Though, I think there is more to it than just you." He added. He stood up, helping me stand. I wanted to ask where we were going, but I just decided to wait. It wouldn't be too long, hopefully.


"So...tell me again why I'm strapped to this chair." I glanced at my arms, which were strapped tightly to the seat I sat in - As were my legs and neck. Why he chose neck I have no idea. It just made it slightly harder to breathe. To my right stood Lalna behind a glass screen...maybe not the BEST material to make it out of. Though, we could still see each other. I guess that was the main purpose.

"I have a theory." Lalna began as he set up his machines. "When you blacked out, just before Rythian died, I think Xephos did something to you." He explained. "It was before he was weakened as well, so it makes more sense." I heard a few beeps and boops before I spoke.

"But how could he have done that to me?"

"...That part I HAVEN'T figured out. This test is just to see how the taint has affected you, as a trigger." He continued. "We definitely know it is a trigger, now. Whenever you see the taint, or even hear it, you get pulled towards, or into, the state of extreme anger." It was true. Each time he mentioned the taint, I kept thinking of the three that had died, and the others turned. It infuriated me each time. "After the extreme anger, you then begin to doubt and lose yourself. You keep denying that you are Sjin, even though you ARE." He sat behind the glass, watching me. "Now, just close your eyes. I'll be here every moment. You...probably won't remember that, though." I raised an eyebrow. What's that supposed to mean? Anyway, I did as he told me and closed my eyes...


When I opened my eyes, I was surrounded in white. I kept turning: one way, then the other, but still white was everywhere. What is this place? Suddenly, the familiar purple sight begins to creep in from a distance. I reach for a sword that isn't there. It comes closer, soon entering from other areas too. What's happening? I don't understand. I can hear something, but not a language I understand. I assume it's the taint's language...whatever that is. It suddenly pierces my skull, causing my brain to ache. I wince as I fall on my knees. Suddenly a voice from nowhere in particular said:

This is your mind, Sjin.

My...mind? I looked around, seeing the 'edges' being tainted. Maybe this did explain my nature. The taint was slowly creeping in...But how did it get here? I wasn't touched, not that I know of. The taint began to advance on me, terrifying me.

"M-Make it stop..." It kept going. "Please, stop!" Nothing changed, the taint beginning to reach out to me. "No!"


"Sjin, it's ok!" I gasped, waking up to the experiment room. Lalna was standing in front of me, holding my cheek. "It's ok. You're safe." He whispered. I could see a concerned look on his face, and I knew it wasn't just about me. What I saw made almost no sense. The straps on my arms loosened, allowing me to sit up from the chair. Lalna watched me through goggles, reminding me that this was an experiment.

"...Find anything useful?" I asked quietly. Lalna sighed, shaking his head.

"It didn't give us much new information. I guess it showed that the taint was inside you, in a sense." He replied. "But, that was it. It didn't really explain why you hate it so much, or get so aggressive." He added. Silence followed Lalna's voice, apart from our synched breathing. I slowly stand up, closing my eyes. I imagine the simulation again. Something seems wrong. Why did the taint choose to use me? As I said before, Lalna or anyone else would've been more useful. Rythian...I guess was immune, so that was one thing. Maybe Lalna's goggles prevented eye contact? So it was between Honeydew and I. Huh...it still doesn't make sense. I stumbled over to a wall, leaning against it. Lalna watched me with a concerned look. Even with his goggles it was easy to tell he was worried. "We...could try again." He suggested.

"No...I'm just trying to figure something out." I explained slowly. "I mean..." The words came slowly, and were almost forced. My recent thinking...I needed to figure it out. Lalna nodded along. "So I need to figure out why I'm different." I continued. "If I can figure that out, then I can figure out how to control my anger...no?" Lalna thought for a moment, adjusting his goggles.

"It makes sense. Should we run tests for that, now?"

"No, no. I need a break from them. Later sometime, Lalna. Anyway, you should get back to work on the cure with Ridge." I pointed out. The scientist smiled, before nodding. He led me out of the room, leaving me in the large garden. I felt better outside, seeing as I was a farmer. I decided to tend to the crops while Ridge and Lalna were busy. At least it would take my mind off of the intense bursts of anger I've been feeling...and off Nano.