Trifold
Stage Four
By TK Date

It was complete and utter darkness. It had been so for so long that he had lost track of time. He did not know what day it was, what week it was, what time of day it was, or even where he was for that matter. The cold from malnutrition dulled his senses. If there had been anything else to see aside from the eternal darkness it would have been blurred and almost pure white. Instead the darkness covered all.

There had once been some traces of sounds around him. He was assured that they were because of his imagination overacting. However, as time went on the noises only increased. Things that he was sure that he had heard in his head earlier now sounded like they had come from the outside world, if there was one. There were voices, oh so many voices. Voices that taunted him, spoke to him, questioned him. He could not respond though. His mouth had since ceased form any semblance of understandable words.

For the longest time his body had been kept in the fetal position to try and achieve some sense of warmth. It was all in vain though. The shivering never stopped. He felt his heart flutter and skip beats inside his chest. Death was growing near him through the murky darkness. All he could do is wait and welcome it as his last breath slipped in and out of his lungs.

~~~~~

When his eyes finally opened he was in a familiar position but not a familiar place. Some strange force bound him to a six-pointed star, limbs attached to all but two of the points. He knew the situation from his past but the location was one he had never been too. The entire area was engulfed in blackness. Had his hands not been bound he would not have been able to see them an inch in front of his face.

However, that was not the worst of things. His head throbbed like it had just met the business end of a sledge hammer. Through a thin layer of armor he could feel numerous needles inserted into his flesh.

After thinking on it for a moment this sensation puzzled him. He didn't recall having donned his armor. However, he was bound and it was took dark to gain a good view of himself. Hanging his head, his sea green eyes fell shut as he attempted to banish the headache through rest.

"So you're finally awake."

His head snapped up, eyes open, as he searched for the foreign voice. The sudden movement gave his headache new strength as he felt tears sting his eyes. After the wash of pain had passed he made an attempt to respond.

'Who are you?'

Had anyone been able to see him they would have seen shock spread liberally across his face. He'd spoken, yet his voice sounded as if it had come from his mind. How was it possible that something like that could happen? What force had disabled his mouth and routed communications directly to his telepathic ability?

Apparently his empathetic abilities had also been linked, seeing as once the thoughts were formed the thing that waited across the room for him laughed.

"Surprised aren't you? This is all my master's work. He has wrought his infinite power, making you into his vessel. You will be the soul device that he will use to conquer the world. You are going to be the destroyer of the entire human race. Though it's hardly something that would be expected of you, eh Shin?"

The voice was familiar. Even though his hearing was muted by something that vaguely felt like the helmet of his yoroi he knew that voice.

'Seiji? What are you talking about? We're the Samurai Troopers, we're not supposed to destroy the world…we're supposed to save it. What's gotten into you Seiji?'

A harsh slap met his cheek but the sound that radiated from it was almost a likeness to that of flesh striking yoroi.

"Watch your mouth, Shin. I believe it is time I tell you that I am not the Seiji you know. He is far dead by this time. You never managed to rescue him. I am the child of Shikaisen, his creation. I was born to this earth to fulfill my master's duties and I will not fail!"

'Shikaisen…but we killed him!'

A harsh laugh echoed in his ears, "Are you really that foolish? To think you can kill one who is so close to attaining the perfection of life? Shikaisen wields the trifold path. He holds the ultimate power of magic, machine, and man! I am his first creation of this path…and you will be the perfection. You have become a perfect blend of the magic of Suiko, the machines of Shikaisen, and the man of Mouri Shin. Come…look upon yourself. See the perfect being that shall become the ruler of all."

Lights flared around him as he found himself staring into a mirror. However the grotesque creature he beheld could not possibly be himself. The figure resembled the Suiko yoroi, only the armor platings now held a metallic color and were sprouting numerous needles and tubes, the very same he had felt earlier. Yet instead of the soft curves the yoroi had once fashioned for sleek mobility in the water there were now harsh angles that almost looked like blades sprouting out of his shoulders and elbows.

However, that was not the most frightening thing. As he stared into his own sea green eyes he found that the helmet of the yoroi, with its orange faceplate lowered, had been melded into his face. The reason he could not speak was because his mouth was no more. Instead just an expanse of hardened flesh that held a sickly blue color. In fact his eyes themselves were merely flat looking circles hidden within the visor.

"Surprised? You are no longer the person you once were. Now you are but a shell that shall soon house my master."

'That's not true! I'll never serve him, I'll find some way to get out of-'

His words were cut off as he felt some foreign substance entering his veins. Soon his vision blurred and he was barely able to form a thought.

"You are not complete yet. Your body is still vulnerable to manipulation. Only when your soul is fused with his will you be complete."

'My…soul?'

"Yes, my master has found a way to meld himself into your very being. Soon you will be one with him. Then you will be no more. There will be no more Suiko no Shin, no more Mouri Shin."

'No…that can't be possible…'

"Ah but it is, it is Shin."

Seiji's sinister laughing was the last thing he heard before his vision went black