Eldritch Experiments
"There is in certain ancient things a trace Of some dim essence – More than form or weight; A tenuous aether, indeterminate, Yet linked with all the laws of time and space. A faint, veiled sign of continuities That outward eyes can never quite descry ; Of locked dimensions harboring years gone by, And out of reach except for hidden keys."
Meanwhile somewhere across Arkham a flurry of activity continued unaware of the conversation between Morrow and his latest charge.
The dimly lit laboratory was filled with movement as scientists in lab coats and masks moved at a plethora of tasks. Sparks erupted from the metal lump they worked on while at the other side of the space another group in dark black robes also worked. It was almost inconceivable for these two things to be present together, the hallmarks of science, equipment and shining metal, glass everywhere, computers and tools surrounded by mystical symbols, dusty looking tomes and candles. The air inside the lab was thick with the scent of burning incense, making the masks those working in the environment wore more necessary than it may first have appeared. Whirring machinery, the muttering of hushed tense conversations and the sound of chanting filled the room.
The robes stood in a circle, around a large, ornate circle of symbols etched into the floor in what looked like blood. As they moved their arms up and down in an intricate wave of precision the chanting grew, seven voices rising in unison as they called forth a powerful demon from the depths of the abyss.
Their work was now simply another part of their day, as countless times before a dark mist began to swirl around the circle, coalescing into a menacing figure with glowing red eyes and twisted horns made of smoke. The demon let out a terrifying roar revealing a maw of jagged teeth and causing a few of the more inexperienced scientists nearby to cower in fear.
But the robed figures were not deterred. Phase one was now complete. The chanting continued, a different tone switching from first one voice then another in a domino sort of effect, the circle edges glowed faintly purple as the demon inside lashed out hammering a shadowy appendage at the force keeping it contained. The demon bared its teeth and let out a deep, guttural snarl. "Fools," it hissed. "You think you can control me? You think i am weakened?"
They ignored its ranting malevolence after all it was not the first nor would it be the last time it screamed at them. They had done this many times over now summoning the same demon in the same ritual.
One of the robes stepped forward, holding a strange device that resembled an overly large syringe. With a steady hand, it inserted the device into the edge of the circle where a beam of red light burst forth from its tip and into the demon's chest.
The creature roared in pain and writhed causing the equipment across the lab to shake under the noise and psychic energy. Lights flickered and the air became thick with pressure, the syringe wielder struggled to stay on their feet.
"Fools! Insignificant fools!" The demon screamed as the room gave an almighty shake. One of the other robed figures gave a small gasp and collapsed sideways, it folded unconscious onto the floor. The robe holding the syringe moved one foot to gain a better balance. His now unconscious associate was picked up and taken out of the lab, immediately they were replaced with another robed figure, the chanting intensified. Seconds passed feeling like an eternity with the creature still howling and the lights shaking but the robe with the syringe had managed to do its job, extracting a small amount of the demon's essence. It stumbled away from the circle and the chanting to the other side of the lab where it leaned heavily on a countertop using both arms to support itself. It gasped for breath and began to reach up to remove the mask and visor across its face.
"Not in here!" A female voice in a lab coat hissed as it approached to take possession of the syringe.
"Leave for some air you idiot if they catch you doing that!"
"I know I know…" it muttered back "…I'm going." and did limp weakly to the doorway instead.
The scientist shook her head at the retreating figure and moved to her work. "Beginning phase three!" She called as with great care she pushed out a shadowy substance that, depending on how you looked at it, seemed to be both a liquid and a gas all at once. She sealed the essence into a small container and rushed it over to a nearby machine where her colleagues stood waiting. The air was tense as they attached the container to a port on the machine and began typing frantically on its keyboard.
On the other side of the lab, a group of technicians were busy finishing the assembly of a metal body, it was sleek and shiny, with long telescopic tentacle-like arms.
"Vessel complete Ready for phase four!" A masked voice called
As the demon watched, the scientists began to inscribe strange runes onto the metal creature's carapace and then moved away as a large glass dome came down over the body. It sealed with a hiss and, with more furious clacking on the keyboard, began to fill with the shadow substance from the demon.
The demon roared with rage, struggling against its bonds as it sensed part of its power ebbing but it was too late. The scientists had encased a part of its essence within the metal creature's body, and it was now under their control. The creature began to twitch.
The demon seethed with anger, trapped within the circle, a mere puppet in the hands of the scientists. However as it continued to thrash and roar, causing the circle to shake violently again it realised there was a point of weakness that had not been there previously. There to the left a slight smudge in the outermost marking. Far too subtle for any normal arcane creature or lesser being to detect, but while weakened it was still powerful, powerful enough to exploit this chink certainly. The sweet taste of revenge and retaliation drove it and It began to laugh as, largely ignored again, it probed the circle's defences.
"Stage four complete. Stage five test initiated." Another voice called as the mental creatures glass dome was lifted. More keyboard noises and slowly it began to twitch and stir, as if coming to life. The scientists watched with fascination as the creature slowly rose to its feet, its metallic tentacles writhing and twisting. Its eyes glowing red and looking around itself.
From the safety of a control room some distance away a group of others in shirts and ties monitored the progress of the lab and a handful of others on a series of screens.
"Stage two complete, beginning stage three." One voice commented into a headset.
"Data received. Lab three clear." Another said into a different headset.
"Lab six reports stage five test successful. Beginning programming of unit. Summon release imminent."
In the center of the room a balding man in a pair of hairy brown suit trousers and a sweat stained pink shirt walked back and forth, a half cigarette dangling from his lips. He wrung his hands. "Tell them not to release until the damned program test comes back positive this time." He muttered and turned to survey another screen where another scientist, perhaps a doctor given it wore a stethoscope, was bringing around an unmasked blonde woman in a purple robe. Another dark haired portly man in similar garb was talking and wiping his head and neck with a towel.
"How long since summoner rotation?"
A person answered "three summons labs 1 through 3. Four summons labs 4 through 5, five summons lab 6." They rattled off. "Of the 12 attempts 4 successful summons and 3 partial. Five failed attempts."
"How many units?"
"Two successful and in operation. One more looks successfully connected now. Two lost hive connection and were eliminated."
The man chewed his cigarette. "Damned them." He muttered and banged his hand onto the console he stood by causing the person by him to jump at the outburst.
Suddenly, alarms began. A klaxon blaring. On one of the screens the robed figures lay on the ground around the destroyed circle. The demon had broken free, its eyes blazing.
"What's happening!" The man with the cigarette yelled, coming to lean over the shoulder of a woman who was typing furiously.
"Containment breach in lab six. Repeat containment breach in lab six."
The scientists on the screen tried to run, but they were no match for the demon's power. It lashed out, sending them flying through the air, its fury unleashed. It lunged, its massive claws tearing through the shelves and destroying the lab.
The metallic creature they had created was picked up by the demon and physically ripped apart, it was dropped and lay motionless on the floor, as the demon's power slowly drained away.
"Evacuation procedures!" The man said "get them out of there NOW!"
But another voice cut through the commotion "No." it said it's voice cracking through the air like a whip. " Seal the lab. Release the dispelling agent."
The man turned to stare at the voice's owner. An imposing figure in a deep purple robe with a large black trimmed hood that cast shadow over the dark black sun etched on the metal mask that covered it's face. Only it's eyes were visible, flashing angrily in the limited light.
The woman with the headset looked at the man with the cigarette.
"Do it!" The man said reluctantly. Fingers flying across the keyboard. The klaxon cut off and heavy iron doors slid shut over the lab entrance. Inside lab six those still alive frantically tried to escape, but it was too late. They cried out for help that they knew deep down was not going to come. Instead the lab filled with a thick, choking gas. The bodies fell and twitched as the demon also collapsed, writhed and convulsed. As the lab filled completely with the substance, the cameras foggy with it the demon dissolved into nothingness, screaming obscenities as it went leaving the lab in ruins and the scientists inside dead.
"Send in a clean up crew and salvage what you can then seal the lab completely."
"Ma'am with only five lab's operating we will struggle to fulfill your quota…"
"My quota?" The voice asked dangerously.
"Our…our quota."
"It appears to me that you were struggling to do so before this incident. Regardless, the lab is contaminated. A clean up crew will take a month to make it useful again."
"Yes ma'am." The man with the cigarette said quietly.
"A pity, that particular demon was of the first we summoned; its essence was rich. It vexes me to have had to destroy it." The woman said somewhat impassively, she sighed "Make sure the circle is redrawn in each of the labs before the team conducts the next summon. I do not want a repeat of this…incident."
"Yes ma'am." The man with the cigarette said his voice shaking. Death it appeared for those observers in the control room was just another small price to pay in the pursuit of knowledge and power.
"What is the update on the missing test units?" The masked woman asked
"Our field team have located them and are currently sealing off the remaining exits. Once we have them sealed in we can attempt recovery or if not…detonate the Essence."
"And the witnesses?"
"We paid off the police and others who attended the scene. The injured party has been relocated to one of our facilities where he's being cared for and having his memory modified of the event. The storm covered much of the trail and was a convenient excuse."
"Excuses are becoming tedious. And the others?"
"Our sources tell us they escaped but they have nothing of note to tie to us. We are still looking for an identity but they won't be an issue…"
"See to it that they aren't. I am holding you accountable for this mess."
The man hung his head "yes Ma'am" he said
The figure turned away out of the light from the monitors and out of the room leaving a chill silence in her wake.
