Trial of the Riders
World of Riders: The Shadow Zone Syndrome
The Shadow Zone Syndrome is a virus caused by unprotected contact with portals created by those with Chaos Aura. As you may remember, enter these portals drain a small portion of aura. If there isn't enough aura to be drain they will receive the Shadow Zone Syndrome. Symptoms of this syndrome are weak muscle, fragile bones, extreme fatigue, and low aura. When had the weakened variation after his first time using Chaos-Verto, he was so weak that Pyrrha could push him over with one hand and that was after Onyx was a decent way through his recovery. The normal variation is almost untreatable, the only treatment would be to give the infected Chaos Aura which would act like both a vaccine, those with Chaos Aura are immune to the Shadow Zone Syndrome, and the cure.
Onyx enters a room with nothing in it but a bed. Connected to the side of the bed are three devices similar to that of an IV drip, each one filled with a different chemical. Everyone else was already waiting for him.
"Chamber's ready?" Onyx asks.
"Tools too." Amaranth answers.
"Good." Onyx says.
Onyx uses his Aliquam to gently lay Ruby on the bed. They then strap Ruby to it.
"Amaranth, make the required incisions, insert the tubes into her veins." Onyx orders.
Amaranth does as she is told.
"Ready." Amaranth says as she finishes.
"Open the valves, one at a time." Onyx orders, "Doesn't matter in which order."
Yang leans in the corner with her arms crossed, glaring at Onyx. Amaranth opens the first valve, causing the liquid to flow into Ruby's veins. Ruby screams and tries to struggle. She continues to scream until all of the chemical enters her veins.
"Is it working?" Yang asks.
"It it wasn't, the pain would have sent her into shock, killed her." Onyx states.
"So everything is going smoothly?" Yang spits with undying malice in her voice.
"No." Onyx ansers, "But, its within known norms."
Onyx turns back to Ruby.
"Next." He orders.
Amaranth opens the next valve, causing Ruby to scream and squirm once again. Yang gets up and leaves the room, she couldn't handle seeing Ruby in such pain.
"Next." Onyx orders.
Amaranth opens the next valve and Ruby reacts exactly as she did with the previous two. This time, blood leaks from her eyes and nostrils.
"Calm down." Amaranth says as she begins using her Vita to stabilize Ruby.
"What now?" Anna asks.
"Now we wait for the chemicals to do their work." Onyx answers, "Might take a day, might take more."
"You may need to wait, but I must keep her stabilized." Amaranth says, "Her body is not nearly as resistance as a healthy Human. Without this, she'd..."
Amaranth is interrupted by Ruby vomiting. She turns her head to side, nearly hitting Amaranth.
"Anna, get Yang and-" Onyx begins.
"Find a mop." Anna finishes, "On it."
Yang and Anna talk as the mop the floor of Ruby's vomit.
"Can't believe we're doing this." Yang groans.
"Mopping vomit of the floor?" Anna guesses.
"No." Yang says, "Ruby."
"She could come out of this crippled, insane, or just emotionless." Onyx interrupts, "But that's on you."
"I trust the Demon." Anna says, "He knows what he's doing."
"I don't doubt that." Yang states, "But do we know what he's doing? You remember how likely this is to work?"
"The floor's as clean as it will ever be." Amaranth interrupts.
Anna and Yang look down and see they are just mopping unnecessary, focused only on their conversation, not their task.
Ruby begins to mumble incoherently.
"That normal?" Anna asks.
"Yes." Onyx answers, "Her soul is dissolving, once that's complete, I'll need to reform it... or she'll die. Lux used to user her own soul, we will use mine."
"Amaranth." Onyx calls, "You're dosing off."
Amaranth slowly opens her eyes.
"No. I'm just... resting my eyes." Amaranth responds.
"Yeah, it's called sleeping." Onyx states.
They were the only ones still away. Yang and Anna had fallen asleep in chairs that were brought into the room.
"Then do something to keep me awake." Amaranth says.
"Pinching's apparently affective." Onyx responds.
"No." Amaranth says, "How about... why haven't you been talking to Lux?"
"She's been giving me the silent treatment." Onyx states, "Ever since I joined the Cultis Ex Ipsis. She claims that I went too far, but..."
Onyx taps on the Shard of the Riders and it begins glowing, signaling he is contacting Lux.
"The world was and still ending I think the moral limits we set for ourselves are long gone." Onyx argues, "Also, you made the laws of the Cultis Ex Ipsis. 'Nothing is forbidden to us'."
"Talk to me." Amaranth says, "Tell me a story."
Onyx glances at the sleeping Anna.
"I ever tell you about the time Anna and I went ice skating?" Onyx asks.
"Isn't your memory perfect?" Amaranth asks, "You know you've never done that."
"It was a winter I spent in her village." Onyx recalls, "Couple months into winter, she started complaining I was too harsh. I brushed it off at first. Then she asked me to go skating with her. I didn't really want to, I've never done it before. But she insisted. Soon as we hit the ice, she started skating circles around me, yelling 'Not like that. Footwork. One then the other. Crossover. No. Wrong. Brake with the heel of your skate, not the toes.' Needless to say, from then on..."
Ruby groans a little.
"She's awake." Amaranth states, "It's time to remake her soul. Are you sure you want to do this? Splitting one's soul is dangerous."
"It's too late to turn back now." Onyx states.
Ruby begins screaming as her body glows red. Red smoke begins rising from her chest as he screams louder. Yang and Anna both rush to Ruby's side. The smoke, the embodiment of Ruby's shattered soul, flowed upwards leaving her body. Once the smoke leaves her body, Ruby stops. Onyx placed his left hand on his chest, focusing his aura and his actually soul into his hand. Onyx's soul appeared as a crimson ball of light. Onyx pulled a small piece of the ball which was immediately regenerated. Onyx takes the small fraction of his soul and places it on Ruby's chest. The tiny ball of light enters Ruby's chest as Onyx spreads his soul throughout his body, after placing the crimson ball that embodies it back into his chest. Ruby suddenly gasps, her eyes glowing silver.
"What happened?" Ruby asks.
"She speaks Rider now?" Yang asks.
"What are you...?" Ruby asks.
Ruby gasps as pain laced her chest. She clutches it as the effects of the Shadow Zone Syndrome return.
"She'll be fine." Onyx states, "She needs some rest, we'll give Chaos Aura tomorrow."
Onyx leaves the room and Anna follows.
"Demon, I have a favor to asks you." Anna states.
"What is it?" Onyx asks.
"Can you teach me how to release my father's soul from the Ring of the Riders?" Anna requests.
"No." Onyx answers, "I've freed his soul the first time the ring came into my possession, when I first defeated Umbra."
Anna tears up as she hugs Onyx.
"Thank you." She whispers.
Onyx lies down on his bed with Amaranth sleeping beside him. She stirs and stares at him for a moment.
"Why'd you do it?" Amaranth asks, "Lie about turning Ruby into a Rider."
"I didn't lie, I simply didn't want to put Ruby through that." Onyx answers.
"So why did you?" Amaranth asks, "You could've said no."
"Better question, how did Hebenus learn that it was possible, I didn't even tell you?" Onyx responds.
"Which we are gonna have to talk about." Amaranth states, "But I don't know, you both acted out of character."
Onyx sighs.
"Indeed I did." Onyx states.
