Chapter 87: Revenant
Subclassification of the MALformed, according to NeoCore Agent: Alisha Noori’s notes for her instatement exam.
The MALformed represent the MALswarm’s organic force. Compared to earth’s normal fauna, they boast incredibly unnatural regenerative speed, strength and endurance. When the Swarm first descended, they resembled tentacled insectoid creatures but over time have only grown more diverse and dangerous. We have classified them into four main categories.
Chimeras: The most common variant of MALformed, achieved through their consumption of Earth’s organic lifeforms. A chimera MALformed looks like anything from a housecat to monstrous amalgamations to even resembling mythological creatures such as dragons, the most infamous Chimera is the MALtitan known as The Infinite which has the ability to constantly shift its shape across thousands of possible creatures.
Warlocks: MALformed with unique applications of their Warp Energy to create unnatural phenomenons. They often appear as bipedal creatures and have denser cores, boasting incredible strength despite their smaller frame. Although highly dangerous, Warlocks often became the source for powerful Esper Mutagen, so take great care in neutralizing them.
Carrion: MALformed with no distinct shape or size. They consume biomass at an incredible rate and are the fastest reproducing MAL variant we face. It is speculated that the MALtitan known as The Mother is one such type, capable of splitting itself up into numerous parts that can act independently of themselves.
Parasyte: MALformed created by a SIM’s degradation to 0%. When an Adapter is in the low 10%, by law in all civilized societies they are to have their Implants removed. If they do not, then their Implant overtakes them, and causes their organic form to take MALformed properties. Regenerative, strong and capable of using all the mutations they had while they were alive, Parasytes are a deadly force to be dealt with immediately.
9:13 August 24th
Anthony
”Brian Ulrich.” I stared at Royce Keagan… “Uh, Diana’s father sent you? To me?”
”You were the last living witness to have her location.” Keagan entered my home, quickly taking a seat on our dining table. He looked at my father with thin eyes, disinterested in my old man. “This is a matter between Brian Ulrich and your son, we apologize for the inconvenience, may this compensate you for giving us privacy?”
And he handed my father a Bronze shard, my dad stared between the man and the sliver of metal but just shrugged and tossed it back. “Yeah, I’ll give you two some alone time. But I’m not about to be bought, this won’t get out of the house.”
My dad left the table, but offered me a supportive look as he mouthed ‘Be careful’ to me.
I nodded, taking a seat next to Keagan. “So… what exactly do you want?”
”To employ you.” Keagan’s hair fell in perfect neatness right next to his eyes, it was like they were curtains opening up to unveil for him.
”Employ me?” I took in a deep breath. “To find Diana?”
”To use your knowledge of her whereabouts and the unique Mutations of your SIM to help me find her, that is correct.” Keagan slid his finger, a long and detailed contract appearing in my view. “You will be compensated, you will also be expected to follow the non-disclosure-agreement regarding my involvement here.”
”Uh…” I looked through the contract again. “It says here that I will be sponsored and given the resources to improve my SIM up to a Silver? Is this correct?”
”It is.” That was all the answer I got.
”Okay…” I tried to find my words, if Diana was reading something like this, she would have mentally torn the contract to shreds and spat in Keagan’s face, saying something like ‘I don’t need your money to save my friend’. That much was true for me, but the difference was… I really needed to get a Silver.
”Alright.” I said more confidently. “What… do you know?”
”She attended an auction being held by known crime affiliate The Gourmet. Was presumably doing an investigation into Soul Killer, a known entity responsible for several hundreds of missing persons over the last two centuries. She is currently in possession of the SIM spawned by the Gold MAL that attacked The Toxin Club the midnight of June 1st. Is this to your understanding? Also we will need your signature.”
It was sort of terrifying how business-like he was making this, I mentally signed the contract away, then hopped onto the conversation. “You’re right about all of this, she said she would contact me if she was in trouble, but then didn’t do so until today.”
I sent over a screenshot of the message, but Keagan didn’t appear too interested in it. Instead, he turned to me. “May I inspect your frame?”
”Um…” I was a little uncomfortable with that, but if it meant helping Diana, then I would do it. “Alright, do it, man.”
He slid his sleeve back, his otherwise human arm suddenly growing mechanical seams that peeled away and spurned metallic chords that he manually connected into my frame. “Ah… I see… there’s no traceable location from the message, it appears to be coming from within a wide range of areas throughout the city. A proxy network.”
”Uh uh.” I acted like I was following this… “So it’s being sent from one of these locations?”
”Of these 138 locations, it is possible.” He commented casually, to which I stammered.
”A- a hundred and thirty eight?! How are we supposed to find anything out soon?” He sent me over a map of the district, but it was absolutely huge and sprawling with dots.
”However, I should note that we have knowledge as to when her Bioshard was removed and discarded. We believe she was transported by a car, and this is the path it took prior to her shard’s removal.” Keagan’s map flashed as the white line of a car’s path drew over the map, landing in between quite a few spots — still easily maybe 30 or 40 of them.
”How’re we going to find this place?”
”We will perform thorough background checks on each location, Brian Ulrich has many men on his payroll… we can expect all of the locations to be analyzed by the 10th of September. As for any suspicious locations, you and I will infiltrate the location and search for her.”
10th of September? That was impressive for scouting out 138 different areas, but it was still far too long in my opinion. “Hold on, let me check this out, maybe I’ll find something?”
I looked through the map, there was the obvious location of Little Requiem which was a sphere of black in the city map, but it would also be… too obvious.
As for the other dots, I scanned them down. Some massive warehouses, others were corporate facilities, an animal resort, a couple of hotels, numerous gang-affiliated bars and other locations…
Wait, an animal resort?
Didn’t that message say something about Diana being at a resort? One with cute puppies? That… that had to be too exact to not be a coincidence? So if it was her who left that message, then why ping it through all those locations?
”Let’s check this place out. Pennridge Animal Resort, it resembles a clue from Diana’s message to me.” I had nothing to do other than to place my hope in the message.
”Okay… let’s see… My schedule is free on the 2nd of September.” Keagan nodded.
I tried to keep my voice down. “Your schedule? Doesn’t Brian Ulrich have better priorities right now? Like saving his fucking daughter!”
Keagan, for the first time, showed a hint of annoyance. “I assure you, everything I do is according to Mr. Ulrich’s priorities. We will have it looked through, and operate on the 2nd of September as I have told you. If there is nothing more for us to discuss, then our business is concluded.”
”Business? This is her life?!”
”Yes, even that is business.” Keagan stood up from his chair, walking towards the door. “Pleasure doing business, Mr. Grazhe.”
I scoffed as he politely closed the door on the way out, you had to be fucking with me?
2nd of September? I couldn’t…
No. I had to wait, because if I went alone then I would just be repeating her mistake. I may be stupid, but I’m not that stupid.
Though, maybe I’ll do a bit of scouting by myself.
———
Diana
When I awoke, I was alerted that it was meal time. Entering the meal hall, I found my platter in the hands of Simon Jugosla who took a deep pride in handing me the platter. It was different today, more gummy-like texture that melted in my mouth… the taste was distinct, unlike anything I’d tasted before.
”What is this?” I stared at the meat, feeling a warmth build up in my chest. And also an uncomfortable pinch.
Hostile Mutagen Detected
1%…
2%…
1%…
0%…
Hostile Mutagen has been cleansed.
“What is this?” I said more firmly through the barrier between us.
”You killed it yesterday, one of my fangtooth’s.” Soulless eyes spoke back at me.
This was MAL meat? I stared at it again, just a little more nausea building up through me now. I stuffed it all down, returning to taking bite after bite.
”I was expecting more resistance.” Soul Killer leaned on the table.
”You’re feeding me more power.” I commented through bites. The meat was intensifying my stores of Warp Energy, and the slight boost to Mutagenic Drain was only going to improve my resistance to Soul Killer’s Soul-Forfeit Mutagen, did he season it with the pollen?
”Shame, I was prepared to have you fight until you were starved.” Soul Killer deflated in his chair, the light returning to Simon’s eyes. “So… you enjoying it?”
”Better than I thought.” I stared at the meat, it wasn’t the first time I feasted on one of my kills.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
———
I only got in about an hour with Aliya and the kids, getting to know them before I was called in for ‘testing’. It was no surprise when I ended up back in that same arena again, my eyes fastened on the elevator.
This time, they brought two of the mangy mutts down. Fangtooths, Soul Killer named them. Where was he getting them from? Were they being farmed here, or something else?
My cuffs disabled and the cages opened, this time I was more prepared.
The two beasts weren’t at all coordinated with each other, fighting for dominance to be the one to kill me by well — trying to kill me. It was easier than expected to take the first one out, I had a rough idea of where their cores were now so ripping it out took me just about a minute of finding the opportunity.
Absorbing the core netted me only one Meta-Mutation this time in Mineral Assimilation. Improving the mineral deposition through my skeletal system, presumably hardening my bones. The second went down easy enough, the boost to my strength and regeneration allowed me to spear a jab of my thunder-veiled claws into its core, destroying it without needing to weaken it first.
This time, I realized something I hadn’t when I killed the other two by draining out their Warp Energy. Destroying the core sent a wave of Warp Energy into the body of the MALformed, and within seconds an Iron-colored insect rolled out. A SIM.
So it seems like if I absorbed the Mutagen and Warp Energy in their cores, I would also destroy their ability to produce an Implant. Interesting.
———
Soul Killer didn’t try forcing any more of that pollen of his into my body, but they were making the fights between me and the various MAL he had more common. I lost track of the hours, but the schedule more or less followed me fighting increasingly numerous and more difficult groups of Iron MALformed. It couldn’t have been more than… three days since the first time I fought one.
I got about a few hours of rest and a meal of my kill before he would send me for another round of testing. By now, some of the inmates were curious as to why I had to scurry away so often, but it never resulted in anything so far.
This fight had my first Iron Warlock MALformed, it was a tall and bulbous frog-man-thing that could manipulate the arcs of acid it lobbed at me. One attack had nearly burned my leg off and cost me heaps of Warp Energy.
Getting close to it, I pushed out a longer-range pulse of my electricity similar to how I managed with that thunder-whipping guy at the Metal Heavens base. It wasn’t quite me throwing out electrical blasts like my guns, but it was a slight boost to my range that I sorely needed.
When I was allowed to rest, sleep came to me slower than usual. It also lasted less often, something in me was keeping me awake and fresh — maybe my new neurons, or perhaps all the absorbing of Warp Energy and Mutagen… but less sleep meant Soul Killer put me through more fights. More fights meant more progress.
And progress meant escaping here.
———
I stared at my Gene Development, today had me fighting a chimera with a rocky armor that looked like a hybrid between a bear and a penguin of all things. It was my first Tier II MAL, and it had been tough — mentally and physically.
A battle of attrition, its stone protection regenerated slower than most other MAL, and once I felt its core pulse to heal the creature it was easy to take it down. The Tier II Mutagen also netted some fantastic yields.
Tier II Mutagen Absorbed: [Iron] Stone Shell…
Mutation: Compact Tissues has gained additional Meta-Mutations. Great increase to Warp-Influenced muscle density; great increase to Warp-Influenced skin density. Development: 87%
Mutation: Electroneurogenesis has gained an additional Meta-Mutation. Increase to conductive speed across neurons. Development: 68%
Mutation: Kinetic Catalyst has gained an additional Meta-Mutation. Kinetic cells now provide extra structural support to the skin, improving their shock absorbing properties. Development: 52%
Mutation: Mutagenic Drain has gained an additional Meta-Mutation. Improvement to the Adapter’s ability to drain Warp Energy and Mutagen from living organisms. Development: 44%
* Electrical Neurogenesis [Cognition] [68%]
* Compact Tissues [Integrity] [87%]
* Mineral Assimilation [Alteration/Integrity] [62%]
* Bioelectrogenesis [Energy/Metabolism] [82%]
* Electromagnetic Vision [Cognition] [64%]
* Mutagenic Drain [Alteration/Energy] [44%]
* Kinetic Catalyst [Metabolism] [52%]
Integrity has reached Bronze I
Iron-Grade Integrity Boon: Increases the Adapter’s ability to withstand Warp Burns sustained through Mutagen ingestion.
Development: 73%
I’d expected a Meta-Mutation for Mineral Assimilation, I guessed Mutations could be pretty random. So far, Kinetic Catalyst and Compact Tissues were my most important Mutations without a weapon to charge myself with. By now, I had enough natural strength to compete with a Tier I MALformed without electrical input. The added kick of Electrical Neurogeneis was added at just the right moments so I could conserve my Warp Energy, oftentimes letting me lash out as quick as a whip at a moment’s notice.
Quick, strong bursts of strength were the key to dealing with the MAL.
As I began eating a stew of Sisyphus-golem soup coined by Simon Jugosla, the last thing I expected was for Soul Killer to interrupt by… lecturing me about my Mutations.
”You’re neglecting Mineral Assimilation up on the surface, not to worry, this soup in particular has plenty of inorganic material that will strengthen your body. You see, the Mutation affects your base-line strength the most since it can deposit…
“…Compact Tissues should be used where these accumulated minerals have been focused on, that maximizes the effect. If I calculated right, you should notice your skin and hair becoming tougher after digesting this soup, any keratin-based structures will be approximately 47%…
”…Electrical Neurogenesis is doing it’s job, but it isn’t progressing at all. You need to find new ways to use your brain, to accumulate everything that’s filtering into it, nerves are responsible for perceiving all stimuli — there’s no reason why it should be limited to only increasing reaction speed…”
”…those new subdermal organs for Bioelectrogenesis are definitely the way to go, allowing you to instantly shock the MAL and power up your musculature locally rather than inefficiently spread Warp Energy from your heart…”
”…you could definitely train Electromagnetic Vision to be able to read neural activity. Especially on higher Tier BUG Adapters, maybe I’ll throw in a MALware to…”
”…Kinetic Catalyst? Personally, I think it’s the odd one out but I could see it having great potential as you advance, giving you a domain over electrical and kinetic energy to…”
”…as for Mutagenic Drain. Train it, I’ve never seen a Deviant Mutation like it.” Soul Killer finally gave my ears a rest. Even if what he was saying was helpful, the second he began to delve deep into the molecular genetics of it all was when I zoned out.
I passed the metal tray into the depositing bin. “So when’s the next fight?”
“Rest and digest. Let your parasympathetic nervous system do it’s job first, I’ll get you in an hour.” Soul Killer stood up, and I took that as my invitation to leave as well. I hated how much I was falling for their schemes, whatever he was planning, but as it happened to be beneficial for my growth I felt it was the best option.
Soon… Soon I’d have the strength to reach the elevator. Soul Killer was careful, only deactivating my cuffs once it had completely descended, and turning them on before the lift rose. Upgrading my Grade had allowed me some measure of manipulation, but it wasn’t enough to break the cuffs or give me enough strength. I had, maybe, 10% of my power available to me?
I didn’t bother conversing with anyone but Aliya or the children over these last few days, I would be escaping soon and… it hurt. Talking to these people hurts. Even if I escaped with them, what could I do? Soul Killer was within them, ready to betray me.
Leaving them behind was my only option, but looking at these children, around twelve of them, my heart sunk in despair. Was he making these children fight the MAL? A few times, someone other than me would be called away, but it wasn’t to the degree of my own exits.
”Kimbley.” I said to the red-haired kid, he was trying to make an origami crane but folded it the wrong way. “Why don’t you show that to me?”
Discreetly, I corrected his latest fold while pretending to inspect it. “It’s so pretty!” Then I handed it off to Kimbley, his big red eyes staring proudly at the creation.
Then the red-and-white of his eyes reversed, bulging veins creeping around the edges of his eyes. Soul Killer’s tone spoke through the child, and I had to bite my tongue to stay strong. “We await you in the arena.”
I nodded, standing up and bidding farewell to Aliya and the kids. Walking away, I felt weak. I wanted to save them, I had to save them, but how? It would be-
“What have you got that we don’t?” Hands pushed me to a wall, a jaded woman with braided white hair had flakes of ice sticking to her fingertips. “What have you done to get noticed so bad? I’m itching to fight too!”
“I43… I’m just- He thinks I have an interesting Mutation, that’s it.” I pushed her cold arm off mine, but she snickered in response.
“An interesting Mutation? That’s why we’re all here! Those of us that have been taken away, but you… you don’t smile like us. We were all poor, lost, but they gave us some fucking stability… ever since you’ve appeared the rest of us are being forgotten!” She grabbed my arm again, and this time I felt the frost cling to my body.
”I’m not here to fight you!” I yanked my arm back, a small expulsion of thunder charging it up. “Look, I don’t like this either, but Soul Killer wants me for some reason… I have no other options.”
I didn’t give her the chance to respond before I stepped away, climbing down the staircase to make my way into the arena where I found for the first time… Soul Killer in Kaisel’s body was inside it.
”You’re in here?” I had a strange feeling about their presence.
”Just need to make some preparations, thought you would find this interesting.” They smiled at me, and the elevator began to drop.
What would it be this time? Maybe a Bronze? I waited and waited for it to descend the long verticality, but whatever was on it was tiny since I couldn’t make it out until-
No, not tiny. It was laying down flat. A few things, actually, the first was a box of what looked like scraps of metal and Shardware.
The second was a corpse.
It took me a few moments to make out who it was, I’d only seen them once but they had a pretty significant impact in my life. It was Stormspinner, the Bronze Mercenary who had joined the police raid on the hotel and had saved my life. She’d given me her gun before fighting the R0N1N, losing her arm and-
Why was her corpse here? “What’s the meaning of this, Soul Killer?”
“What happens when an Implant reaches 0% compatibility?” They asked me, taking out what looked to be a Bronze BUG from their lab coat.
”They become a MAL, either a Parasyte or a Fractured depending on the Implant type.” I commented, feeling uncomfortable pricks across my skin.
”An astute obersvation.” They chuckled, as they pulled out a syringe to which I only grew more nervous upon seeing. It had a vial within it, where a few of those red spider lilies were compressed so that the liquid inside was a sanguine scarlet. It looked potent, and I wasn’t confident I would survive being injected by it.
“Oh, this?” Soul Killer shook the vial as I stared intently on it. “Not fit for human consumption, I know, I know, you’re surprised. It’ll kill a human before I can infect them, but there is… a reason I made them.”
He injected the syringe into the BUG, crimson vines growing along it’s surface before they sank in… then he flicked it over to Stormspinner’s corpse.
The BUG flared to life, and I’d never seen an Implant’s active state be so ferocious, it skittered across her neck to delve deep into her spine where it would… connect to her brainstem.
”Now, I was just looking on the Abyssnet for any corpses with useful mutations, but turns out the police were sitting on one the whole time! Good thing I’m friends with Anabelle Grazhe then, I actually believe you’ve met this fine woman, Laura Richards.” Soul Killer put the syringe back into their pockets, but my focus was firmly on Stormspinner’s body as bronze webs began to slowly spread all over her body.
Fear gripped me. “What did you do?”
”Oh, right, that! Just turning her into a MAL. A Fractured, actually.” They casually walked closer to Stormspinner, squatting down to stare at the process. “Her body’s a little decomposed so it’s taking a while, but it should still…”
Stormspinner’s eyes opened wide, husky red globes that latched onto Dr. Kaisel’s body. Her one good arm lurched, clawing after Kaisel’s throat.
Then stopped in its tracks, Dr. Kaisel just smiled at the MAL formed from Stormspinner’s corpse.
”That’s impossible.” I muttered. “You can’t just… turn a dead body into a-“
”Who said that I only kill souls? I can also give one.” Soul Killer stretched, patting the dead woman’s head as he began to walk back to the entrance. “You’d be surprised at everything I haven’t shown you! Just be a good girl and take care of her, oh sorry, I was talking to Laura.”
”You want me to fight… her?” I stared at the MAL, at Stormspinner, as she stood up less like a human and more like a puppet. She had a BUG though? Why, what would a BUG… wait, Soul Killer could control MALs as well? This was too much.
Stormspinner locked eyes on the box of metal scraps, and a scrap of her Warp Energy tingled mine… I watched as bits of torn metal and broken machinery floated up to her arm, under the influence of her electromagnetic manipulation Mutation.
The various wires within pulled apart like a yarn ball being unwound, striking into her arm and… building up. Pieces of technology with no particular purpose in their fractured parts merged and melted over each other under the discordant Warp Energy of a MAL, becoming more than their sum. A new, metallic arm unlike any Shardware arm I’d seen before grew.
Those crazed eyes then met my own, they were docile at first, curious in fact.
Soul Killer’s voice came from the speakers. ”Alright, Laura, you can kill her now.”
Then they went hollow under the primal urge to kill.