“Everything going okay? I’m not really good with blood so I couldn’t help! I’m out here so if you need any other things let me know!” yelled Oscar from the front.

Damian sighed and replied, “Yes everything is fine, I’m sewing her up now so I need to focus! Don’t come in there’s quite a bit of blood!”

Damian looked down at the deceased Trish as he started to think. Trish was critical to the story he knew and if she were to be gone early then Cole might not become strong enough to fight the Beast.

With a mixture of reluctance and annoyance, Damian spoke to the lifeless Trish, expressing his thoughts aloud. "Damn, I really didn't want to waste this on you, Trish, but I guess I have no choice now. Cole needs you, or he may go down the evil path. Truthfully, I wanted to use this on Sasha instead, but circumstances have forced my hand."

He knew that Cole had the power to control bioelectricity and heal injuries, and if he could utilize this ability, he might have been able to save Trish. Damian, on the other hand, had no such power and she was now dead, so this really was the only way to save Trish now.

Upon returning to Trish, he carefully consumed her as well, her essence merging with his being. Damian was now ready to proceed with the transformation, a process he had never attempted before. When he finished, he absorbed all her memories, and if he could sum up her character, it would be: Strong-Willed, Compassionate, Stubborn, Resourceful, Independent, and Protective.

For the first time, Damian thought of making a minion. He felt a change in his biomass. Instinctively, he began to split a quarter of his biomass, preparing to forge a new form for Trish, a superior minion. Once split, a tendril extended from his main self into the new small mass.

Once connected, Damian was drawn into this mental landscape. A tunnel-like passage appeared before him, a conduit through which he could guide the veins and form the new entity. He knew that if he gathered the veins representing Trish through this passage, he would succeed in creating a superior minion. Damian found the vein he needed and willed it to come closer to him.

Damian focused his will, honing in on the specific vein representing Trish. With a touch of his consciousness, he beckoned the vein to draw closer to him. As it approached, he felt a rush of memories and emotions flooding into his mind, joining the amalgamation of traits and characteristics that defined who Trish was.

As he touched the vein, he felt all of Trish and knew it was also possible to add knowledge he personally held. Although they had become part of him, every person he consumed could not access the knowledge of the blue veins, even when they turned red. This meant unless Damian wished, even his superior minions would not know this world was a game.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

He decided to grant her access to the knowledge that had been contained in the first blue vein, which held the truth about the nature of their world, the existence of the game, and the future and truth of this world. With this decision, he completed the merging process, weaving Trish's essence with this information before sending it into the new entity. Damian's first Superior Minion was born, a being that embodied the essence of Trish.

Once the process was complete, Damian was forcibly pulled out of his mindscape. He returned to his physical form and found Trish's essence had been channeled into a separate, smaller, and autonomous entity made of his biomass. Once done, he shifted back into his human form, as did the new Trish.

The newly created Superior Minion resembled Trish in appearance and mannerisms, her consciousness. She was Trish down to the last detail, with the exception of the new knowledge now inside her mind. She appeared dazed as she took in her new existence. She glanced at Damian, her gaze filled with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"Hello, Trish," Damian said, acknowledging the creation he had brought into existence. "You are a part of me, and yet, you are distinct, with your own abilities and knowledge. You’ve been reborn as something more than human. How does it feel?"

Damian's question was met with a thoughtful pause as she seemed to process her newfound state of being. "It's... overwhelming and strange," she finally replied, her voice carrying a sense of wonder. "I've been reborn into something more than I was. I understand things I didn't before, and I know things I shouldn't. Going by my personality, I understand that I should be mad at you, but somehow, I don't feel angry. So, I'm confused if I'm really Trish."

Damian nodded in understanding and replied, "I know this is a lot to take in, and it's unusual. But you are Trish, and yet, you're more now. You've become part of me and those who live on inside me. We are a collective while also being individuals. It's weird, but I promise, you'll still be you, just with a broader perspective."

Damian acknowledged Trish's apprehension and replied, "You'll slowly get used to it, but now we have a problem to deal with."

Trish, now processing her new existence, understood the pressing issue at hand. She responded, "You mean Oscar, correct? He saw me shot and bleeding, so I can't walk out of here. But I also can't take two to three weeks pretending to recover. I have to be at Cole's side and play my part, right?"

Damian concurred, saying, "Yes, if he sees you up and about, he may contact Amanda, and this might get back to Cole or Zeke. I'd like to avoid that, so I think we should kill him and be on our way."

Trish, however, held a different perspective. Her response was immediate, and she asserted, "No, I don't want to kill him."

Trish's insistence on avoiding violence in this situation intrigued Damian. Despite their shared memories, it seemed they still held their own unique perspectives and beliefs. Damian respected her decision and asked, "Interesting, so even though we share the same memories between us, we still have different perspectives. Alright, I understand. Well, how do you wish to deal with this situation, then?"

Trish pondered for a moment before suggesting, "We could kidnap him and hold him for two weeks. That way when he’s released my injuries should by human standards be healed. If that doesn't work, we can consider other options, but I'd rather avoid taking a life if possible."

Damian weighed Trish's suggestion of kidnapping Oscar, but he found several flaws in the plan. He expressed his concerns, saying, "That plan seems quite haphazard to me. If he goes missing, then Amanda will obviously get involved. Besides, this is already the second day, and the city gets even more dangerous with each passing day. Did you forget that a Reaper just gunned you down? Where in this city can we safely keep him? There's no such place."

Trish's voice carried a deep sadness as she acknowledged the limited options. She reluctantly asked, "So is there really no other choice than to kill him?"

Damian sighed, understanding her hesitations and concerns. "Okay, since you're so against this, there's another plan. We could let Oscar fall into Sasha's hands. She'll use her black tar to mind-control him. He'll be relatively safe until Cole takes down her organization. That way he stays out of our way, and we won't have to worry too much about him dying. Does that work for you?"

Trish nodded, her expression still heavy with sorrow. "It's not ideal, but I suppose it's better than taking a life. Let's try that plan then."