Chapter 4:Darkness
"Even after everything I have done, you still can't bring yourself to do what is necessary. The one you knew as Dane is dead; Magus Sloe is all that remains. There is no reason to hold back." Sloe grinned, easing his grip on her hair.
"Our contract is only valid if you make the world better! Destroying it does nothing!" Ariel seethed, teleporting out of his grip but still losing a few strands of her fire-red hair to his grip.
"It rights every wrong done to me! Wiping everything from existence is the only way to make it better! You may think your power is infinite but continue to deny me, and I will tear you and your world apart brick by worthless brick until I have what I want, with or without your consent. I will ask only once more: hand over our daughter." Sloe hissed, letting go of Ariel's hair and following her as she walked to Rhinne, who stood horrified on the balcony, her gaze riveted on the fight below. Pulling her eyes from the battle, Ariel brushed a few locks of her silvery hair back.
"Mother? Why are the Knights fighting?" She had never seen the terror of war, and certainly not when that war included the Knights of the Temple. She was not new to the sight of death as she remembered helplessly watching Will disintegrate in her hands. But she never imagined how war could make death so much worse.
"They fight for you, my child," Ariel answered mournfully, trying to hold back her tears and keep a pleasant face.
"Why?"
"Because you are important to the world's survival," Ariel answered, looking back to Sloe. "And the time has come to fulfill your destiny."
"Why would you force me to go with…him?!" Rhinne whimpered. "He killed Will! He killed everyone in Aurora!" A dark mist appeared around Rhinne as light glowed in her palm, which she held toward Sloe, its fringes tainted with black.
"Ridding the world of you would make the world a better place." She growled, the light becoming brighter and turning a dark shade of red.
"That's it, my daughter. Let the Darkness flow through you." Sloe growled until Ariel touched her wrist, lowering her hand away from Sloe and pulling her into an embrace.
"You can't give in to the Darkness, Rhinne. Don't let Will's Light die with him. Hold on to it, and let your heart remain the roaring fire I know it can be. Be the Light of the world, and burn away the Darkness as the Silver Goddess." she soothed. Rhinne lost her composure, burying her face in Ariel's chest and letting out a great sob. Ariel sighed raggedly, spying a sand glass on a table behind Rhinne. Sloe stared down at them over his nose, waiting for Rhinne to take his hand. He was so close, so very close to his goal: the moment she took his hand, he could flood her body and mind with Darkness, and take control of a body millions of times more powerful than this pathetic human.
"You are bound for great things, far greater than I could ever imagine. Sloe may not be the one I expected, but he is the one the world needs; for that, he needs you." She whispered, holding her back and brushing a lock of her champagne-blond hair behind her ear.
"Mother, I don't understand…"
"I know, my child. I know. I'm going to miss you." Ariel cried, hugging Rhinne tightly when Sloe felt a surge in the air. Following its path, he watched the Sand Glass rise from the table and shoot over to Ariel's outstretched hand.
"Ariel! NO!" He ran and reached out to stop her. Ariel and Rhinne teleported away in a flash of light, making Sloe stumble as he caught his footing.
"You're only making this harder on Rhinne." Slow growled to the air. "Your violation of our contract will not go unpunished!" Sloe hissed, closing his eyes to feel where they had gone while whispers hung thick around him.
"Introduce 1% blood solution." Instructed Dr. Long, watching the monitor before him with excited anticipation.
"Increase power output to 32% and begin reducing pulse support."
"Power output increasing. Pulse support at 73% and falling."
"Dr. Long, Generator 5 is getting a little warm. The nerve connections are weakening. Power output is at 29.6% and falling." Dr. Long nodded, reaching into his shirt pocket and pulling out a key.
"I expected this. Initiating Dark Alchemic circle." He placed his hand on a flat stone, twisting the key and pressing the button beside it. The Great Circle's bright, pale glow turned darker as a set of circles, lines, symbols, and letters began to glow with purple light.
"Power output rising to 33%. Pulse support at 61% and continuing to fall."
"Stabilize pulse support at 50%. Do not let the heart's power output exceed 49%. Once there, hold for 14 seconds." Dr. Long commanded, sitting at a monitor and watching the data stream for the bio-mechanical heart he, Madae, and Carl had created.
"Pulse support stabilized at 50.32%, power output stabilizing at 48% and holding."
"Good, good, hold it steady. Increase blood solution to 100% over 14 seconds on my mark." Keyboards tapped like typewriters as the adjustments took place. Dr. Long watched in anticipation for the critical heart output percentage.
"Power output has increased to 48.74% and steadily rising."
"Stand-by…"
"Power output at 49%,"
"Mark!" Dr. Long shouted. A scientist next to him tapped the control board, starting the flow of a
bright red liquid through clear tubes to the mass of mechanical muscle, slowly turning it a deep crimson.
"Sir, Generator 5 is getting close to overheating."
"Decrease its output by 10% and compensate. We're almost there." Dr. Long commanded. Seconds passed in eternity. The cool gunmetal of the heart slowly turned crimson as the blood engorged it. On the monitor, progress bars filled as the biological and mechanical components bonded, working in synchronous harmony.
"Doctor! The Great Circle is beginning to show signs of instability! Reaction energy is leaking from the containment barrier!" Maxus shouted, looking into the chamber and seeing a small jet of bright white plasma beginning to melt the cave walls around the Great Circle.
"Cut all power and cease Pulse support. Begin circulation of Synthetic blood. Ramp up the pressure to simulate 120 over 80 and hold." Behind them, the whine of the generators descended as more tubes filled with a dark red liquid flowed through the heart. The Great Circle and the Dark Circle stopped glowing as the residual energy diffused as mist. A minute passed as the heart pulsed, pumping the synthetic blood through it. Then, two minutes passed. Five. Ten minutes passed with the rhythmic thud ringing in all their ears.
"Gentlemen, we've done it! The biomechanical heart is complete!" Madae announced. Cheers and congratulations erupted through the room. Some scientists ran out of the cave and into the streets to proclaim victory to anyone who would listen. Dr. Long turned from his team to a tall, thin man standing off to one side, watching the proceedings with stern interest.
"Thank you, Master Arkarium. Without your knowledge, we would have never been able to complete this." Dr. Long exclaimed. The white-haired gentleman extended his hand and gripped Dr. Long's firmly.
"You are very welcome, doctor. I have been researching Dark Alchemy for many years, and while my research has made great strides for Kritas, this is by far the greatest." His horse-sized cobra familiar reared up and spread its hood wide while flicking its tongue toward them all. Dr. Long backed away from the creature, unsure what was happening.
"Oh, you needn't worry about my familiar; he is under my control. He is merely curious. But alas, as sweet as your success is, I must return to Kritas, where my research will bring about a new age. You have the notes I left you for my Dark Transmutation circle, correct?" Arkarium asked.
"Yes, and again, thank you so very much for your help, Master Arkarium," Dr. Long emphasized. Arkarium's smile left Long unnerved as he watched the alchemist leave the cave. No sooner had Arkarium left than Dane and Menodora entered, returning from their year-long journey worldwide. Instantly, both of them noted the lighter mood of everyone nearby. It even felt as if it were beginning to flow through Margata.
"What's going on here, Maxus?" Dane said, "It sounds like Dr. Long's team achieved a great breakthrough.".
"Dane! It's good to see you again, son. Come and see, we've just completed the first organ!" Maxus excitedly exclaimed, escorting both of them to an observation window. Dane silently looked on as Menodora pressed her face to the window, watching the pulsing heart in the center.
"You got it working?! It's amazing! How did you do it after all this time?" Menodora squeaked. Dane remained silent, noticing unnatural burn marks on the ground near the heart and the walls.
"Madae's student, Russel, led us to a gentleman named Arkarium, a master of what he calls Dark Alchemy. It allowed us to slow time in a concentrated area and remove the excess energy keeping us from making this organ," Maxus said excitedly. Dane's face fell as Menodora became quiet.
"What's the matter, Dane?" Maxus asked. Dane called him to a quiet corner of the room away from the happy celebration.
"I hope you appreciate the enormous risk you have taken in using Dark Alchemy without the proper safeguards. It is a dangerous and potent art that completely breaks down energy and magic."
"You mean it destroys energy? That's impossible: energy can't be destroyed. What about the theory of conservation of-"
"Dark Alchemy doesn't work within the normal boundaries of science. Using it to complete this heart proves that," Dane interrupted. Maxus thought back to just a few minutes prior.
"That would explain what happened," Maxus muttered. "As the reactions were in their final stages, I saw part of the Great Circle's Barrier melt away and release its contained energy against the surrounding stone," he said, pointing out the glassy rocks to Dane and Menodora.
"Have you checked the Lidium control crystals yet?" Menodora asked.
"No, why?"
"Because of Dark Alchemy's properties, it doesn't use any form of standard power for its reactions. If you were to check on the Lidium now, you might see fractures in every crystal in this facility." Maxus brought them along as he entered another room beside the main control booth, where massive fuse clamps held half a dozen head-sized Lidium stones. As Maxus looked them over, he saw that each one contained minor fractures or massive cracks running through them.
"How is this possible? Lidium is harder than Diamond. A crystal can channel twice the energy within the entire power grid of Margata!"
"As Menodora said, Dark Alchemy doesn't rely on standard electrical or plasma power sources. These cracks come from the corrosive energy it uses building up in the Lidium crystals. We haven't studied it enough to know what energy Dark Alchemy relies on for its reactions."
"Do you think that we shouldn't use it then?" Maxus pressed. While its use helped advance research, he still had a nagging feeling that what they were doing was far too dangerous.
"As you were, no. By its very nature, Alchemy is semi-magical, albeit heavily skewed as a scientific tool. Like anything else, there are fundamental scientific laws in the world that we manipulate for the desired effect. Dark Alchemy does not follow these laws and outright ignores them."
"Dark Alchemy is like Anti-matter to standard Alchemy." Menodora continued. Used in small amounts, Dark Alchemy can be a powerful tool. But the amounts and intensity that you are using border on the perilous. It could easily dissolve the barrier created by the Great Circle and rupture these control crystals. The result of which could potentially destroy all of Margata." Maxus' eyes widened as he began to understand the magnitude of the danger they had created for themselves by performing this one experiment.
"Are there any precautions we can take to prevent this?" Maxus pressed. Dane held his chin for a moment as he thought.
"For one, you can't use the Great Cricle's control arena for application. You'll need to create a separate station for it, isolated from the main controls without any control crystals." Menodora explained as Maxus ran to the main chamber, reached for a notepad, and madly scrawled notes as Dane continued.
"If Dark Alchemy doesn't use Control Crystals, how can we moderate its intensity?" Maxus pressed.
"Unfortunately, there is no reliable way to regulate Dark Alchemy beyond activating or deactivating its use. But a Septagonic balancing matrix between the circles will keep them from overpowering one another." Dane instructed, drawing out the pattern for them to use containing ancient but extremely powerful runes.
After Dane's warning and help, the scientists replaced the Lidium control crystals, built the Dark Circle's activation station, and forged ahead, creating other organs and body parts over the next two and a half years. Dane and Menodora watched with interest to ensure nothing would go wrong with the circles, making adjustments to the Balancing Matrix as needed.
The couple's studies abroad allowed them to study magics and arts far beyond what they had previously learned, digging into Usorian Magic's history and re-discovering the power of runes and sigils previously abandoned for modern magic practices.
Periodically, Dane and Menodora would leave to help the already strained traveling bishops of the world by healing the sick with healing spells or medicines. Occasionally, they would also battle off strange misshapen creatures made of nothing but shadows similar to what the Queen of Arientia had described. Despite their year-long journey and assisting the traveling Bishops, the Darkness felt as if it only worsened.
"Have you found anything telling you what the Darkness is?" Adelia asked once Dane and Menodora had returned from one of their journeys.
"Not entirely, but we do have a working theory. Our only real progress helps us better understand how to push it back or reduce its effects." Menodora answered, sipping on a cup of tea.
"And what is your working theory?" Maxus pressed, setting down his cup and leaning over the table with eager eyes. Dane breathed slow and purposefully, locking eyes with his parents as he leaned forward.
"Maxus, I am only going to share this with you and Adelia because you are my parents. I do not wish for you to pursue this. Am I clear?" Dane asked, looking to both of them for confirmation that they understood.
"Darkness is somehow connected to one's emotional state. The Darkness within the world appears to be a collection of pain, sorrow, disappointment, and hate gathered together in such a concentrated state that it becomes tangible. It is as if wounds left in a person's soul come together and manifest as festering force." Dane explained as Menodora continued.
"The 'Light' we discovered comes from companionship, care, love, and comfort, helping to heal those wounds left behind in one's spirit. It's slow, but we're progressing with our research to eliminate it and help anyone we can." Maxus and Adelia remained silent for a long while, intensely thinking when Maxus turned with a ponderous look.
"Tell me something, Dane. You said that this research would take you to some very dark places. So far, you haven't even touched on them." Dane sighed heavily, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin upon them.
"The dark places that I spoke of do exist Maxus. The Queen of Arentia is an unfortunate victim of one of these atrocities. But rather than searching for those specifically, we have decided to refine the 'Ultimate Light,' then spread it to the world." Dane reached over to Menodora and gripped her hand.
"We've found that one's 'Light' can be directed inward or outward. Inward-focused light, while helpful in keeping your spirit up, also tends to pull in the Darkness surrounding it very quickly. This inward property makes the care and comfort offered more focused on the self rather than another, leading to a proximity-based effect of comfort and absorbing the Darkness." Menodroa explained, drawing a basic diagram with arrows and circles around a pair of stick figures.
"Outward-focused Light must be present to drive back one's Darkness, properly exposing the wounds for healing and care, and keep the Darkness from being absorbed. The Outward property is due to focusing on another person with little thought of the self. But these people cannot project this light infinitely. It is like they are giving it away, and people with this Light are often taken advantage of for their selflessness. If they do not care for themselves or allow time to rejuvenate their Light, it will eventually burn out, becoming a very dark well of stubborn Darkness." Menodora finished as she drew another pair of stick figures with more arrows and circles.
"If giving this kind of Light to people is the solution, then shouldn't it be able to correct the world's imbalance?" Adelia inquired, leaning forward in interest as Menodora shook her head.
"If only that were it. Helping people heal would be a portion of the issue. But the world is the biggest source of Darkness. So far as we can tell, it's only gotten worse since we started helping where we can, and we don't know why."
"What about this Ultimate Light you mentioned? Wouldn't that be able to help?" Adelia suggested. Dane nodded.
"It would: Ultimate Light is the outward-directed Light Menodora spoke of earlier. For something as large as the world, all people would need to have all their hurts healed first. Menodora and I have found that all couples produce this Ultimate Light to varying degrees of strength. In a few months, we will test a pulse of this Light from Azwan's Great Obelisk. I've already spoken to Vusron, who has agreed to the experiment." Maxus and Adelia nodded as silence fell over the small group. Dane's parents tried as best they could to wrap their minds around what they had learned. How could the Darkness in the world and the Darkness in a person's soul be connected? And how could one make the other worse?
"That reminds me, Maxus. How's the progress of your project going? I heard you recently put the body together?" Menodora asked, instantly lifting Maxus' face into a smile.
"Yes. Once we fuse the body, we expect partial mind transfer tests within the next week. I would very much like both of you to come, " Maxus said. Dane and Menodora nodded, eager to see the progress and history about to be made, though Dane could see Maxus' expression trying to hide something else.
"Are you not eager for this, Maxus?" Dane asked, reaching for his cup of tea and sipping it silently.
"I worry that completing this body will lead to more worrying consequences. Dr. Long has said he will destroy all the research about his body. But the fact that we are moving forward with it makes me think we are treading dangerous ground. Russel was the one who planted the idea that Dr. Long could transfer human life force and mind to another body. What's to stop us from using this research for something else?" Dane nodded, setting his cup down and holding his chin.
"Those are valid worries, Maxus. Russel is known to be less concerned with how he uses alchemy as long as he makes advancements and discoveries. I have no concrete answer for you, Maxus. But if you find a solution, I will support you."
Carl strolled to the Acaldos wing of the city with Maxus and Adelia with long and excited strides, knocking on the door of the greasy mechanic's shop. Madae opened the door, wiping his grease-covered hand on his smock.
"Yes? Oh, council members, what can I do for you?" he asked, lumbering out of his door and closing it behind him. Maxus noted that Madae's apprentice, Russel, worked hard at a table inside before the door closed.
"We came to you for an opinion. If Dr. Long's project succeeds, we should grant him the title of Master Alchemist of Margata." Adelia explained. Tilting his head slightly, Madae rubbed his chin as the last bit of grease on his hand smeared like a dark beard.
"That does sound fair. But what about our current Master Alchemist, Han? Hasn't he proven to be a competent leader?" Adelia nodded, though her eyes betrayed her thoughts.
"Han has indeed been a competent leader for nearly a decade now. But without new leadership every so often, the direction of the city can become stagnant; we all believe it is time to let a new Master Alchemist be appointed and bring a new perspective to the city." Madae listened with intent, rubbing his chin and darkening his grease beard.
"Your argument is valid. Give me a day to consider this, and I will let you know of my decision," Madae answered, reaching for his shop's door when Maxus stopped him.
"I'm sorry, Madae, but we must have your answer tonight. Dr. Long has decided that his first mind-melding test will begin tomorrow night." Madae paused his step, coming back and thinking more intently about it.
"Let me have an hour, and I will come and find one of you for my choice." The three on his doorstep nodded in acceptance and left to their various duties. When Madae turned back to enter his shop, he saw Russel sprawl across the floor in surprise.
"Were you trying to eavesdrop, Russel?" Madae asked with an edge in his voice.
"I couldn't help wanting to hear what the council members were saying. Are you truly going to appoint Dr. Long to the position of Master Alchemist?" Russel challenged, his eyebrow lifting deviously after standing and brushing off his clothes.
"I am currently considering the counsel's recommendation. Of course, his appointment hinges on the success of his experiment," Madae grunted, lumbering back to his desk and pulling over a machine he had been working on, drawing a matrix around it on paper.
"Why should he be the only one considered? There are others just as worthy." Russel asked with a hint of disdain in his tone. Madae looked back with a lowered brow, glaring at him momentarily before returning to the machine.
"Is there someone else you can think of? If so, please tell me so that I can make a recommendation to the council." Madae pressed. Russel threw his cape aside grandly, putting a hand on his hip and striking a pose as though he were some valiant explorer.
"Why not me? Have I not made immense strides forward in our bio-mechanical alchemy? And what of my exceptional scores within the alchemic academy? You said I had a vast intelligence rivaled by even the most learned minds." Madae sighed hard and stood, his face becoming blank as he turned back to the young man.
"What I said of your intelligence while being true, also stated that it still needed the temperance of wisdom and time. I do not dispute your vast mind, but you are far too hasty, and your heedless regard for your fellow man is one of many reasons you are still an apprentice. You have the potential to be a great Master Alchemist one day, which is why I had you learn from Carl. But you are not ready for such responsibility."
"So, you admit to holding me back while others apprenticed to you are granted the title of Alchemist while spending half the time I have?! What about my advancements and discoveries? Those alone should grant me the ability, no, the right to be Master Alchemist! Isn't it MY research of life force transference Dr. Long is using?" Madae's face drooped into a frown, his plump cheeks sagging nearly to his throat.
"Yes, but only the discovery. While your theory was a base, Dr. Long and his team had to research it for another two years. Your methods were hasty, with little regard for the life you worked with." Madae growled.
"Our work and research may dance within the grey of ethics at times, but I will not allow you or any student of mine to lower themselves as much. There is weight to life, all life." Madae thundered, his form appearing to grow as he stood over Russel, pummeling him with his words.
"You have not earned the privilege of Master Alchemist, let alone Alchemist!" Madae barked, turning to leave with heavy steps. Behind him, Russel clenched his jaw and balled his fists, his mechanical implants buzzing.
"What do you think we are?! We are gods walking among men! Science and Alchemy is our power! We can create that which some may say only the divine have rights to manipulate!" Russel shouted when Madae turned back to him with a hard stomp.
"We are not gods! It is because we have an understanding of Science and Alchemy that we must be wary of how we use it!"
" I WOULD TAKE MARGATA TO NEW AND GREATER HEIGHTS! OUR POWER WOULD BE LIMITLESS! WE WOULD BE HAILED AS HEROES AND GODS!" Madae marched to Russel, striking him hard enough to throw him to the ground.
"We must have limits! If not, we are no better than animals!"
"Why do you limit yourself like this?! You could do so much more!"
"Just because Alchemy CAN do something, does not mean we SHOULD do it."
"And deprive yourself of the renown owed to you? What about me? Will I be nothing more than a footnote in Dr. Long's achievement?!" Russel shot back as Madae bowed his head.
"It is clear to me that you have not taken our place in the world seriously. You will begin your training anew as a junior apprentice and will remain as such until you accept that we are men of science , not gods to be worshiped or lauded." Russel began to shake, his face shifting through shades of red and his teeth creaking.
"I refuse to be brought low. Do you want to know what I did to bring you my research? Have a look!" Russel growled, running for a door leading at the back of the machine shop, unlatching the heavy bolt, and throwing the metal door open. Madae cautiously approached and peered inside. The light spilling through revealed scores of machines resembling small bodies in differing stages of completion. The smell of decay wafted over Madae, making him heave and cover his mouth while backing away.
"What in the name of the Great Mother have you done?" he demanded, his voice echoing through the chamber, making the machines look at the open door. Mechanical screams and hisses tore through the air as the machines bolted for the opening. Russel slammed the door shut, bolting it as the machines slammed against it, their tiny wire arms scraping against the metal as if trying to escape some horrifying monster.
" THIS is what it took to prove that we can transfer life to a machine. I proved it can be done! I did the dirty work. I did what you would not. Without me, your Dr. Long would be nothing!" Russel sneered as a realization came over Madae.
"What did you use for your experiments?" he growled, his usually beady eyes wide in horror that he had been so blind.
"My experiments with the Sand Rats could only get me so far. We needed to know if human life forces could be transferred, and Han did want a solution for the orphans clogging up our public houses." Madae's eyes widened further at the implication. Ten years ago, Madae remembered hearing about a string of kidnappings targeting orphans living in public houses, but he never imagined that person was under his tutelage.
"You didn't…"
"What does it matter?! I can manipulate the human life force at will! Not even Haim can stop me!" Madae's face cycled through shades of red, tightening his iron grip with every word spoken until he could no longer stand to see Russel in his presence.
"Get out. You are no student of mine! You are naught but a monster!" Madae seethed, grabbing Russel and dragging him to the Guard station, telling them of the atrocities committed. Within minutes, Russel was sitting in a jail cell, but his mind churned. Why should Dr. Long be appointed to the position of Master Alchemist? Long had done many experiments heralded as a triumph, where his experiments were scorned as an ethical abomination. Where was the line? Where was the difference?
"Hypocrites, all of them." he seethed, staring at the wall outside his cell, the air around him visibly darkening. If Dr. Long's appointment to Master Alchemist hinged on his success, he would only need to fail! And that would leave the door open for him to sweep in as the hero to condemn such ill-fated experiments. Yes! It was perfect.
6 months later
Dane and Menodora excitedly watched as numerous scientists strapped Dr. Long into the chair behind his Bio-Mechanical body everyone dubbed Humanoid Type-A. The partial mind transfer test a few months earlier was a resounding success. Afterward, preparations for the complete mind and life force transfer had started. However, in the time leading up to the grand event, parts, equations, and equipment would be found in a state of minor disrepair that would delay it by weeks. The sabotage stopped only after security increased around the Great Circle, where the transfer was to take place.
Coincidentally, reports of Russel having broken out of jail began surfacing around the same time the sabotage started. The city guards did their best to find him, but he seemed capable of evading them at every turn. There was no doubt that Russel was the culprit, but even with multiple search parties, they couldn't find him.
"Now you're sure you've written the Matrix out correctly? There are no mistakes?" Dr. Long asked, wincing as a researcher put an Itrovenus line into his arm.
"Yes, doctor. We've checked everything multiple times."
"What about the Dark Alchemy circle? There are no smudges? And what of the Balancing Matrix? There must be no mistakes-"
"Darling, please. You and those working with you have checked and re-checked everything. You will succeed. Have faith in those around you," Felicia, Long's wife, urged with a smile. Keni, his daughter, also approached him and grabbed his hand.
"You can do it, Daddy. I know you can." She smiled and kissed his cheek.
"Mathias, I love you always," Felicia said, kissing his lips one last time before walking into the observation lounge where Dane and Menodora waited. When the last heart monitor was set and the final vile of a liquid injected, the attending scientist patted his arm and nodded. Dr. Long sighed nervously and nodded in return as a large metallic helmet lowered over his head.
"One last thing; have there been any sightings of Russel?" Dr. Long asked.
"Not tonight. Focus on this transfer, and then we'll search for him," a researcher said over the intercom. Dr. Long nodded, shifting into a comfortable position and sighing with a long breath.
"Activate Great Circle!" Long called. Light hummed to life around him with a blinding blue-white color. A dome shimmered to life as machines in the background spun up.
"Increase the output of generators 1-4 by 10% over 12 seconds." The lead commended.
"Power increase complete. All vitals normal."
"Begin mind connection, 1.86% per second over 40 seconds. Increase all generators to full over the same time on my mark. Ready activation of Dark Circle. Mark"
"Mind connection at 20.46% and climbing. Generators at 79% full power and climbing. All vitals normal."
"Prepare defibrillator shock for Humanoid A, 55-joule pulse on my mark; activate dark circle." The light surrounding Dr. Long became darker as a purple glow surrounded him, and the balancing matrix came alive.
"Mind connection at 39.06% and climbing. Generators at 100% and holding. Capacitors at full, ready for defibrillator pulse."
"Ready Pulse."
"Mind connection at 50.22%."
"Mark!" A pulse of electricity shot through the biomechanical body, making it jump from the table. At the same time, Dr. Long also tensed his body as if both were the same person.
"Humanoid-A body showing a steady pulse, all vitals normal. Dr. Long is showing signs of elevated adrenalin but within tolerances."
"Increase Mind Connection to 5.58% over 20 seconds. Dump capacitors 1-3 on my mark and ready capacitors 4-6. Mark! Recharge 1-3, and dump 4-6 on my mark. Mark! Recharge!" The pattern would repeat many times as Dr. Long grunted within the circle, both bodies wriggling on their respective tables. After another minute of pulses, the body opened its eyes.
"It's working!" Dr. Long shouted, his voice coming from both bodies. Dane and Menodora noted the light but tense air around them all, thick with anticipation for its success. As the power within the Great Circle was reaching its zenith, Dane felt a mass of Darkness permeating the air. Menodora also noticed the change, looking around the lounge for anyone who could be producing such a massive amount of intense Darkness. But there was no one within the room they could see. Maxus took note of their panic and handed off his station to another researcher as he went to them.
"What's wrong?" Dane leaned close to his ear.
"Someone here is giving off a massive amount of Darkness, but I can't see where they would be." Maxus nodded as he, Adelia, Menodora, and Dane began searching the area for anyone suspicious.
"Take care if you find this person. They are most likely taken by madness." Dane warned before they split up. As he searched, Dane wondered why he hadn't felt this mass of Darkness before. He should have at least felt its presence in the city. His only theory for not being able to sense it was that it had something to do with the reactions within the Great Circle since Dark Alchemy was in use. Menodora found someone kneeling just outside the flickers of light shimmering from the Great Circle like a reflection of water. The power from the Great Circle made some of her hair stand on end as she tried to avoid the plasma threads reaching out to the cave walls.
"Hello? Is there something I can help you with?" Menodora called. The man turned to her, his eyes filled with rage and his face stained with tears that had long since run dry.
"What are you doing here?" Menodora asked gently, slowly approaching him.
"It will be mine! It was stolen from me, and I will make it mine!" he grunted, reaching into his pocket and producing a small notebook. From it, he began copying a matrix onto the ground.
"What do you mean? What was taken from you?" Menodora asked, quietly stepping closer when she saw Dane approaching from the other side. Slowly, she waved her hands, palms down, as she neared, telling Dane to keep his distance for the time being.
"All of it, heh… heh… it will be mine again. I am the only choice. I should be the one, but no. Apparently, he has it all, and I don't. That will soon change once they see him for the monster he really is!" he muttered, still copying down the matrix. When Menodora was close enough, she knelt beside him and touched his shoulder, noticing that the matrix was poorly copied and would probably cause more harm than he intended.
"Why don't you come with me? I can take you somewhere, and I'll listen. Let me hear what has scarred you so badly." The man stopped moving, setting down the chalk he was using. Dane recognized the man as Russel when he saw a small mechanical implant on his wrist while reaching under his coat for something. Whispering a spell, Dane readied to cast it and stepped closer. Russel dropped his head slightly, then smiled widely back at Menodora.
"I guess I should. But I've come too far to stop now!" He growled, pulling out his hand from behind him. The flash of steel glinted in the dark as he drew a knife. Dane cast his spell, energy hurling towards Menodora to cover her in a protective light. But the spell missed when Russel pulled her down and thrust the dagger into her gut, twisting it hard.
"NO!" Dane screeched. Russel looked back, drawing a pistol from his belt and firing. The iron ball ricocheted from a barrier Dane cast before himself as he teleported to Menodora, catching her as she fell to the ground. With a swing of his dagger, he caught Dane's arm when he tried to defend himself, backing away with the bleeding Menodora in his arms. Russel clenched his jaw, and turned back to the matrix, slamming his hand into the center.
"IT WILL ALL BE MINE!" he screamed. The matrix drew energy from the Great Circle's barrier, creating a crack in the rock floor that spread under the outer matrix ring. Dane was about to attack when the stone floor shifted, opening a hole for a mass plasma to rush out, smashing into the man's face in a jet. Within seconds, Dane watched as the floor continued to crack and shift, letting more of the contained energy escape with increasing velocity.
The heat made the rocks crack further, reaching into the balancing matrix and destroying it. Within moments, the Dark Circle's barrier grew, and alarms blared. Dane could see the scientists and researchers scrambling in the control room, but he knew it was too late. Dane reached his hand forward with a sigil, casting a powerful shield spell. The heat escaping washed against his palm, heating the silver sigil and burning his skin, but he had to remain, or else it would destroy him and Menodora.
The Dark Circle's size grew until it rubbed against the Great Circle, disintegrating the containment barrier and releasing all the energy within as a flash of blinding white light. For miles, everyone could feel the ground quake as a cloud of dust plumed high into the air. Many more beyond that could hear the low blast over the many dunes of sand.
Ariel, the Goddess of Time, felt the eruption of energy, waking her from slumber. She rushed to the railing of her home, the Temple of Time, and looked down at the world below. She had never felt such power coming from Usoria in eons, not since the Great Beginning. What had happened? Had these humans created something so terrible that even she, a goddess, would fear it?
Extending her vision, she focused on the point from which it came. Ariel's consciousness flew past the Dancing Light Ribbons around her temple, past the stars, past the clouds, and down to a dimly lit crater. Smoke and dust obscured everything. People lay strewn across the rubble: some of them dead, mauled by flames beyond recognition, or crushed under mountains of rock. Others missed limbs or parts of their bodies. She was horrified. Some seemed safe, as if a barrier protected them, but they were stunned at the sight around them.
So much death and despair in such a small area nearly overwhelmed her. She touched those who desperately tried to lift the rubble away and gave them extra strength while helping stabilize wounds in others.
In the farthest part of the cave, she could hear someone in agony. Moving closer, she saw a man with long white hair upon his crown, holding a burnt sigil that had seared into his hand. Around him were the charred marks of fires that had billowed towards him, deflected by a protection spell he had conjured. He clutched a woman she guessed to be his love to his chest. As Ariel touched his hand to heal the wound, the woman stirred.
"Dane, you're alright. Thank goodness." The woman whispered.
"Menodora, please, don't speak. I'll get a doctor here right now to-"
"No, don't, please stay." She insisted. The man dropped the sigil and held his hand over her as a healing spell simmered to life. Just as he was to touch her with it, the spell collapsed. Dane tried again, using more power, but the spell failed again.
"What's wrong?" Menodora asked weakly.
"My healing spell won't work! It keeps failing!" Dane put up a barrier and tried to heal her
Again, allowing the spell to work for a short time, but the barrier quickly dissolved, instantly making the healing spell collapse.
A realization came across his face as he found what Ariel already knew. He couldn't heal her, and she was going to die. Something was surrounding them, causing Dane's magic to fail instantly. Ariel looked around at the others she had touched, noting her power freely given was gone entirely. If this invisible force erased her power so quickly, she wouldn't be able to stop this woman's death.
"I'm going to try and move you away from the city. I think there is a mass of Anti-magic that is-"
"There'd be no point," Menodora muttered weakly.
"Don't say that! I have to get you away from-"
"Dane, don't." Dane looked around franticly, putting a hand to her wound and pressing just hard enough to keep the bleeding to a minimum.
"Help! Anyone! Are there any medical alchemists nearby!" Dane called. A doctor rushed to them, reaching into his bag and pulling out a bandage, but with the mass of Anti-magic making all Alchemy or magic useless, there was no way to stabilize Menodora in time.
"No…" Dane had a basic understanding of human anatomy, but not enough to perform actual surgery without the aid of Alchemy or Magic. Had he come to rely on this powerful art so much that he was now powerless to do anything when he needed it most? Menodora's breath began to become labored as he pressed on the wound, making her wince, realizing that he had been steadily applying more pressure.
"Do you remember the day we first met?" Menodora asked quietly, reaching for his hand, which he took in earnest.
"Yes. You were wearing that blue checkered dress."
"And remember how disinterested you were? I thought for sure I could break that icy exterior you put up if I just kept at it. And wouldn't you know it, I did." Menodora coughed, blood spilling onto her cheeks.
"Stop talking. You'll be fine! Just stay awake..." Menodora gripped Dane's hand with what little strength she had left.
"We both know that's a lie, Dane."
"No, it's not! Just stay with me. I'll find another doctor to get you all healed." Dane moved to set her down when Menodora gripped his hand, her eyes welling with tears.
"Please, just stay here. I'm scared." Dane gripped her hand as hard as he dared, setting her down on the rocks and leaning over her to hear every last one of her breaths. Ariel felt tears sting her eyes, reaching out and slowing time around them to almost a standstill. She wanted their last few moments to last as long as possible, though the anti-magic made it challenging. As the moments passed, perfume drifted through the air around them of roses and lavender. Ariel could only wonder if Dane would ever smell these flowers without reliving the pain of this moment.
Even with her help, the end came all too soon. Menodora's breath steadily came in lighter and shallower wheezes. Ariel thought of helping since Menodora meant a great deal to Dane. But she would have to use a substantial amount of power to overcome the anti-magic in the air, and Menodora's life force, weak as it was, might not withstand her power.
"Dane? Dane, are you there? Dane? I can't see you!" Menodora asked in quiet desperation, waving her hand after Dane had let it go to balance himself.
"I'm here, Menodora. Right here, I'm not going anywhere." He whispered, softly kissing her lips and taking her hand once again. Menodora grinned, turning her head to where she guessed Dane was sitting.
"Don't let the light we created… die… with me. Promise me…"
"Menodora, I…"
"Promise me... Please." Dane stared for a long while into her pleading, empty eyes, once full of bright life, now dull and lost. Before he could answer, she gasped one last time before falling still.
"Menodora? Menodora? No, no, not yet. Please, Menodora, say something!" Dane begged as flashes of her smiling face whipped through his mind like a mocking reminder. His light was gone. His light was gone, and it was all that man's fault! After tenderly setting Menodora down, Dane stumbled over to Russel and hauled him from the ground. Half his face burned away, bleeding profusely. Wrath surged through his entire being, and Dane shook him violently.
"WHY! WHY DID YOU TAKE MENODORA AWAY FROM ME! WHY! WHY ARE YOU ALIVE, AND SHE IS GONE! TELL ME! TELL ME!" Dane roared. But the man only wheezed and chuckled, unable to say anything. Dane threw him to the ground with a hard grunt, holding his hand back where a swirl of flames roared to life. Ariel reached out, setting a hand on his shoulder and telling him to stop.
Moments crawled by, the flame growing and shrinking in power until Dane unleashed it at Russel, obliterating him in a flash. Dane tried catching his breath, looking at his blood-stained hands, seeing Menodora's blood covering them, making him shake, sob, and laugh all at the same time as great heaves of sorrow wracked his body. Ariel embraced him as he curled to the ground and sobbed, her only want being to comfort this man in any way she could in his time of immense pain.