A/N: For Warning and Disclaimer, refer back to PROLOGUE
Chapter 8: Foresight
The two Embryon members, Sera and Fred made a silent trip toward the EGG facility where they hoped that they may use Sera's capsule as a means of speaking with God in order to stop the data transmission. Gale had assumed command once again. What they found though, was completely different from the last time they saw the facility. The data sustaining the facility's existence had become corrupt resulting in the transmutation of all that were inside. The walls had also gotten warp holes as a result of the data corruption. The Embryon team persevered. They had already lost three of their comrades; they would not lose anyone else.
As they entered Sera's chamber, they realized that they were not alone. Sera took a step forward with trembling feet, "Heat?"
Heat had transformed into a hideous beast. His tentacles swirled around them and he was fifty times their size. He had acquired great power and was drunk with ecstasy knowing it. Everyone in that chamber knew that Heat had gone completely out of bounds and that there was no way to avoid a confrontation.
"I told you I was strong Sera! I was strong enough to protect you…but it wasn't enough was it? Well, what do you think of me now huh? The only thing left for me to do is to devour you Sera!" Heat bellowed.
Sera found a lump in her throat but forced herself to speak, "Heat…please. We just want to talk to God! Please! If you want to devour me, it's okay. But I need to talk to God first!"
Heat laughed at her silly proposal, "Talk to me!"
Sera trembled in fear and Cielo spoke up, "Take it easy brudda. We jus want to talk to you…jus de way you like it."
Gale stood by Sera supportively, "Be careful!"
Heat nodded, "Good…you know how I like it right?"
And so, the Embryon group fought the comrade that had once shared their beliefs, happiness and sorrows. Sera could feel her heart ache as she fought Heat. He was one of her special people but now, he willingly threw all those memories away for a chance at power. But Sera did not believe that. She still believed and hoped that Heat would return to normal again, return to all of them. She just hoped that when they won, he would remember all that they had gone through together.
xxxxx
"It would seem that the fluid that sustained Sera has saved you as well…" a voice spoke, "You should be able to wake up…"
Serph heard the calm and soothing voice in his head, 'Who is that? Aren't I dead?' He slowly opened his eyes and came face to face with a black cat. But Serph knew that it wasn't just any cat. It was the same cat that was there in the Junkland. It was the same cat that had been following them.
"I am Schröedinger. You may call me by that name as all things in this world require names to represent data. All things in this world are made of data; you, me and the world. Data originates from God and to God it returns. This is the circulation of data."
"It would be easy to return to God right now. But, you have an obligation to the people whole lives you touched. I will show you the data that you wish to see…" As Schröedinger said those words, his brilliant feline eyes shone a blinding light and engulfed Serph.
When Serph opened his eyes, he was rewarded with a vision…
xxxxx
He knew that this was 'his' past. The real Serph. This was the memory and life of the model that was used to create him. He also saw Heat, his best friend and the love of his life, Argilla. She looked different there though, he noticed. Her hair was a dull blonde and her face was clear of the stitches that adorned the skin around her left eye. He watched in pain as he saw how manipulative and self-centered 'Serph' was. He did everything for himself. 'He' did not even stop to consider Sera's welfare in the least. To him, she was his lab rat that could be replaced anytime. 'He' promised her so many things; things that were so simple that only a pure-hearted child could appreciate. But he knew that 'he' would never really keep them. 'He' was just feeding her lies as 'he' fed her the stimulants that were required to boost her performance and sustain her already withering life.
Serph felt anger boil in his chest as another vision came. This time, it was in a park. 'He' and Argilla sat by the bench. 'He' whispered something into her ear to which she flushed a crimson hue. Serph shook his head. 'He' was manipulating Argilla and by the look of her eyes, she was deeply in love with him.
"When I obtain God's power…I'll create a new world…I'll rid us of the Cuvier Syndrome and you'll be at my side." 'he' promised her. Argilla looked so happy that she wrapped her arms around him, "I would do anything to help you…"
'Serph' grinned, "I knew I could trust you…"
xxxxx
Heat. Passion. Intensity.
The two bodies collided with such force neither knew of the world around them. Their mouths danced together and their tongues fought for dominance. Hands roamed wherever they saw fit; they explored each other thoroughly, greedily and without reserve. No contour of each other's body was left unattended and untouched. Heat and fire surged through their veins that both thought they would explode.
'Serph' set within Argilla a frantic pace that she could have sworn could have torn her apart. He groaned and grunted while she moaned and whimpered. Her hands flew to his back as she desperately clung to him for support.
The air in the room grew damp as their activity's passion diffused on to the surroundings. Argilla arched her back in order to meet him, hip to hip, thrust by thrust.
Both soon reached their oblivion and 'Serph' collapsed unceremoniously on Argilla. They panted and said nothing. 'Serph' paused for a moment before latching his lips on her the jugular of her neck and tearing the skin there with his teeth. Argilla squealed in the unexpected pain that her lover had caused. 'Serph's' teeth sunk through the skin, breaking a few arteries and drawing blood. He smirked at his work before latching his lips once again on her neck and sucking on the wound. Argilla moaned in pleasure as 'Serph' sucked on her neck and pulling her tighter against him.
Moments later, 'Serph' disentangled himself from Argilla completely exposing her nudity to him.
"You better take care of that." he said, pointing to the wound on her neck, "It will bruise and will be there for quite some time."
Argilla blushed and nodded. 'Serph' smirked, 'Now I have you…' he thought evilly.
Serph felt contempt as he saw his model desecrate such a pure and loving soul. He was using her and she believed him to be just and fair. She placed her life and love in his hands and he didn't care. He would use her and then discard her…
xxxxx
As this vision faded, another took its place. This time, it was during the live exercise in which Sera was being used to communicate with God.
"Her heart rate is climbing! She is aging at an accelerated rate! We can't push her any further! She'll die!" Heat shouted.
The colonel overseeing the experiment raised an eyebrow, "Is this true?" 'Serph' smirked, "Do not be concerned, Colonel Beck."
Heat turned to 'Serph', with his mouth agape, "Are you mad! But she'll die!" 'Serph's' face hardened, "She should last a bit longer. Inject the stimulant." he commanded. As the other doctors did as they were told, Heat saw the pained look on Sera's face as her body was overwhelmed with a sudden rush. This, however, was the limit to what Heat could take. Whatever had been going on in this room was unethical, inhumane and had to come to a stop. And so, he did the only thing that he knew that could stop 'Serph'.
"Stop it right now!" he shouted. The other doctors were startled and left the room in a hurry not wanting to get caught up in the feud between the Dr. Heat and the chief doctor Dr. Serph. But, one of them accidentally let the com link with Sera and the rest of the EGG facility opened. 'Serph' was unfazed with Heat's sudden outburst and turned to face him calmly, "Why are you being such a hypocrite? You joined us because you wanted to learn about God right? If Sera dies, we'll simply move over to the next child and the next after that. Hm…we really shouldn't be wasting time arguing like this…We're both better than that."
Hearing 'Serph's' calm reply only drove Heat to the edge, "What do you think you're doing! You can't just manipulate people to do whatever the hell you want!"
'Serph' smirked again and closed his eyes, only to open them again, looking straight at Heat's brown ones, "Oh can't I?"
A gunshot was heard at that very moment and Heat fell unceremoniously to the ground. He moaned in pain. Argilla stood by the doorway, trembling with fright as she held the gun that had shot Heat. 'Serph' calmly made his way towards Heat's body on the floor and crouched down, "Simple huh?" he started as he took the gun that Heat held and twirled it in his hand, "People's hearts are just like machines; you could predict any behavior. Considering my goal is God's powers," his eyes hardened, "people, are just tools."
As Sera heard those painful words, she quietly sobbed through the intercom. 'Serph' quickly got up, surprised that Sera had heard him. "Sera?"
Sera was unresponsive and continued to sob. It was then that the vision faded.
xxxxx
Serph once again came face to face with Schröedinger. The wise feline spoke, "Her sadness angered God. The man became a demon who devoured everyone in sight…"
Serph saw with his own eyes how Argilla was devoured by the man she loved. By the very same man who had promised her everything. Serph now knew why she was afraid of him. Argilla had probably seen this too.
Schröedinger continued, "…who was eventually killed…"
Killed. That was the destiny for all monsters. The question was, was he a monster as well?
"Now that you know the truth, go…and fulfill your purpose!"
xxxxx
Serph's eyes began to focus as he blinked. There in front of him, stood the man whom he had killed in cold blood. Heat. He knew that Heat had meant him no harm; he merely desired to be released from the hellish prison that was created by trapped spirits, like himself, who had not yet attained eternal peace. Heat had been waiting for this moment for years; waiting for Serph to liberate him.
It was then that Serph saw his counterparts; the data of the departed.
"What did you do to me?" glared the real Varna. Serph glared at the sight before him. He was the one who killed Heat and Argilla. Then, another version of himself came. It was the first version of himself that Sera created within her virtual paradise. It was a Serph model who looked lost and weak. Serph knew that if he was to free himself and attain salvation, he needed to defeat these phantoms and correct the sins of the past.
"You and I are dead," Heat said, "It is time that our data be circulated back to God."
The real Varna snarled in defiance, "I am not dead! I refuse to believe it…!"
Heat stepped forward, beside Serph and morphed into his Atma form. A battle ensued and it was to the favor of Serph and Heat that victory paid its respect to. "Now I am free," Heat smiled at Serph, "Thank you…" With those words, he was gone.
xxxxx
The two Embryon members and Sera had defeated Heat. Heat had said that they had killed their leader. No matter how much the team had psychologically and emotionally recovered from Serph's loss, Heat's simple words had shattered all their flimsy barriers around them, and their suffering and grieving had begun anew.
As they moved forward, Heat's belly suddenly burst, with red fluid gushing out. They all gasped at the image that they saw.