Being free to walk without being bound to someone else's schedule or whim was bliss.

With every step I took away from that cell, a decision I'd made without any input from staff or otherwise, I felt a sense of liberation and control that drowned out all else. I wasn't 'walking' in the way I would have liked to, but this was better than nothing. Better than being stuck alone in a cell with nothing to look forward to beyond tests, questions and punishments.

I needed this.

The white lights that often blanketed the facility were gone now. Everything was cast in a dim darkness. I wasn't using a traditional sense of 'sight' anymore, but I was glad to see some part of my [Darkvision] stuck with me after I...

The [Sensory Zone] seemed to keep me aware of everything around it without consideration for the lack of light. Was that because of the [Darkvision], or because of how the zone itself functioned? Either way, it didn't matter. I could see, and I could move.

That was enough.

As much as the freedom helped my mood, the constant sound of droning alarms and grating messages around me dulled the feeling. They kept me grounded, constantly aware of the situation. I was free for now, a feeling that kept me afloat, but if I didn't escape or properly arm myself, that would change. If I was caught, that last thread of hope might be dashed. I might be locked up in a higher security cell, my magic stolen from me once again, or punished at an even greater level than before. I couldn't let that happen.

If I came across metal, or any resources beyond featureless walls and floors, I'd collect them. Carrying materials within the platform didn't seem to faze me in the slightest. The extra weight wasn't a concern to my [Telekinesis]. I needed to be strong and remain alert. My platform was tough, strong and made of metal, but that mightn't stand up against the Dolls, or even other Chimeras.

Getting spotted while I walked was my worst fear. As strong as I was, I didn't know how well I could perform in a fight while using this body. Worse still, I had no idea where I was or where I could find the exit to this place. As it was, I wandered aimlessly from hall to hall, scanning for anything around me that could indicate an exit. I didn't expect to find anything as convenient as a sign or arrow, but I could hope. All I'd found were shattered windows and broken cells.

I was trying to be quiet, but there was only so much I could do to make a heavy, eight-legged platform carrying a huge slab of meat stealthy. My [Camouflage] didn't work, either. They'd taken that from me, too.

I wanted to test my [Mantle]. If I could make it extend over the platform too, that would be a huge help in combat. It wasn't part of my body, but if I could strengthen it, my ability to defend myself would grow. I couldn't risk the platform taking unnecessary damage, either. It was my lifeline, and I felt wary of testing it in these halls. The light of my aura might give me away to any of the creatures lurking around corners or clinging to ceilings.

For all the broken cells I spotted, I hadn't seen a single Chimera. Still, I could see the results of infighting all around me. Pools of drying blood, shattered glass, and indents beaten into every surface all told stories of conflict.

How long had this breach been going on for? I had no way of knowing. Without the sun, moon or stars, keeping track of time in this place was impossible. It felt like I'd been here for months, or even years, but time was inconsistent. One day could hurry past in a flash, while another would drag on for longer than it should.

Turning a corner, I spotted my first resource.

Among a cluster of glass shards and an overturned vat, I spotted a pool of glowing green liquid. The sight of it made me sick to my stomach. The scraping sound of metal on metal shocked me back to awareness. I cast my 'sight' around, looking for the source, only to find that I had involuntarily scrambled backwards.

I didn't want to look at it, or even be around it, but... I needed every resource I could get.

I could almost feel the sensation of melting as I looked towards it. Burning. Screaming. The void. Still... if it was the same acidic liquid as before, it could be useful. As much as the idea revolted me, this was a resource I could use.

I steeled my nerves, taking slow, methodical steps forward. My [Telekinetic] hands undid the latch on the side of the platform, moving the blood stained metal plate. I pulled out a few empty beakers, flying them over to the pool.

I tested the waters, attempting to scoop some of the luminous acid into the bottle with care. The last thing I wanted was for some of it to splash up onto me. To my surprise, the glass didn't melt. I knew that [Witches] used glass to hold hazardous or magical materials, but being able to hold acid capable of eating through flesh and bone was something else.

With a growing appreciation for the strength of glass, I filled up several beakers, tightly corking the tops. With hands holding them far from my body, I gave each a ginger shake. My awareness was focused entirely on the beakers, ready for the first sign of bubbling or burning. No matter how much I shook them, they didn't react. The idea still frightened me, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt, placing them inside my compartment.

I turned and left the pool behind, being careful not to accidentally step in it.

Even as I walked, my mind drifted back to the acid. If left alone, would the acid eat through metal? The thought of the bottles breaking or falling over scared me. Eating through the bottom of the platform wouldn't hurt me, but it would make carrying materials within my makeshift 'toolbox' that much harder. It was a risk that... that I was tentatively willing to take.

The thought filled me with anxiety, but I swallowed my fears. I would rather have a dangerous weapon at my disposal than nothing at all. If the acid was potent enough to melt bone, I could use it as a makeshift weapon, should I need it. I couldn't fling glass as fast as I could metal, but I should be able to throw it fast enough to break.

Would I even need to fight? If I came across Chimeras, we'd be on the same side, wouldn't we? If our goals were both to escape, then surely I could reason with them. The thought didn't bring me much comfort. Chimeras were always dangerous, and often unstable. No matter what, I needed to keep these facts in mind.

The thought of the researcher calling me 'incoherent' came to mind, and my skin rolled in rebellion. If I found a Chimera, I'd give them a chance.

I kept my focus on the task at hand, pulling my thoughts away from fear and worry.

My objectives were simple. I had to find Sigura, Yrlack and Dairen, then escape. It was easier said than done, but it was all I had. I had no way to navigate this place, and they wouldn't either. Unless I found something as convenient as a lock of fur or a message scrawled on the walls, I couldn't search for them. The best I could hope for was to stumble across them by chance, or... look for places where Chimeras had gathered.

It was a gamble.

There was power in numbers, but that power could easily be used against me if I misjudged the situation. If they turned out to be hostile, I could be forced to run or fight my way out. I might even be killed in combat.

The platform I'd commandeered as my legs provided a feeling of comfort and security. I was somewhat battle-ready, even if I had no combat experience in this body. If I needed to defend myself, I could. Besides, I'd faced death once already. Even that was preferable to the idea of being captured and alone in this place. Now that I'd tasted this sense of freedom and hope, I couldn't go back. The only way to move was forward.

Although the corridors were bland and hard to tell apart, it felt like I was getting somewhere. The walls had dents in them, meaning someone or something must have passed through. Trails of drying blood dotted the walls and floor. Not all of it was the red blood native to most Humanoids, either. The green of Insectoids and some smatterings of blue and yellow pooled with the red.

So... it wasn't the blood of the researchers. That, or the researchers had non-Humanoids on their staff. My gut said it the blood belonged to the Chimeras, but I had no way to know for sure.

Relying on my gut to come to a conclusion... I was really beginning to slip without my [Silent Heart] to guide me.

I couldn't see as far as my old body could. Instead of eyes, I had to rely on this Skill. I could see well in darkness through an omnidirectional sphere of vision, but the distance was lower than what I was used to. If something was following me at the edge of my vision, I'd be clueless.

My sight was clear up to a certain point, until it just... stopped. Colour and shapes became blurry and indistinct, hard to make out. Beyond that, nothing. I might have been able to stretch the bubble out farther if I tried, but I had to conserve my energy. I couldn't afford to wear myself out. Not now.

I found a door. Not a broken cell door or window that something had crawled out of, but one of the thick metal doors that I'd seen on my usual route to the cafeteria. Next to it, I saw a plastic panel with a blue and pink crystal inside. If the Selarium had magic within it, perhaps I could use it for something. Even if I'd seen one in use, I had no idea how to work it or apply it to a potential invention.

I placed one of my legs up against the panel. No reaction. I'd wondered if my aera coming into contact with it would be enough to trigger it and open the door. It had been wishful thinking, but I was on a roll. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I spread my telekinetic hands outward, trying to spread my influence through the metal doors. The steel was thicker here, too thick to get a good grip on. I found the joints connecting the doors to the wall, but they were enchanted, connected to the panel. Unlike the metal of my platform, the joints felt incredibly heavy and cumbersome, near impossible to move.

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Was there another way I could force the door open? I could try and use my [Telekinesis] to push the heavy metal apart, but with those joints in place I'd need to move the metal independent of them. That would take effort.

I laid down on the floor, sucking the telekinetic force out of my platform to pour into the door. Even if moving it this way was unrealistic, I wanted to try. I shoved outwards, and felt the strain of my Soul pulse as it worked to enforce my will, pushing at the door. Nothing.

Could I melt a hole in the door? Not likely. Even if the acid worked on the thick steel, I didn't have an infinite supply. I wouldn't have nearly enough to make a hole I could fit myself through. Another deficit of having a body like this. I couldn't take a deep breath to steady myself either. I had to keep moving.

Could I break the door down? If I brought the vat I'd found earlier, I could throw it at the door to try and push it apart with sheer force. Even if that might work, it would take too long. I had a limited amount of time, until these people at the facility found a way to-

I saw something.

Movement outside of my bubble. The idea surprised me, but I was sure of it. It wasn't just my imagination. It 'felt' different, too. A blob of warmth, moving in my direction. Something big, moving with shocking speed. I couldn't 'see' it, but I knew it was there. It was my [Heat Sense]. It had to be.

Whatever the shape was, it was charging in my direction.

Was there anywhere I could hide? I skittered forward, looking for a cubby-hole or ruined cell. Anything I could fit into would be fine. I backtracked to a broken window, shattered shards marking the entry point. Hoping that the monster wasn't using something like my own Skill, I pushed my way inside, awkwardly climbing through the gap and into the empty cell. I stumbled back in the dark, the sound of metallic footfalls suppressed by something damp.

I hunched down, hiding at the back of the chamber. At the edge of my vision, I saw it run past the broken window. An enormous furred shape with grotesquely oversized arms and a bulging, veiny chest. A pair of tusks curled upwards from its mouth, going back around its head and behind its ears. It was an Orc. Or... it used to be.

I heard an earth-shattering crash, one that I could even feel reverberate through the platform. The Orc had ran into a wall. I heard hooves clatter against the floor, and it charged again. A deafening noise rang out, the sound of tusks against metal. My heart soared in realisation. This monster was going to do the work for me!

I laid down, keeping my legs at my sides. I didn't have any breathing to regulate, but I worried it might hear me pulsing, or smell the sweat trickling out of my pores.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

Ba-

CRACK!

The distant sound of alarms and magically generated voices paled in comparison to the rending of steel.

I heard the beast continue to charge, as the metal around it was surely torn, running quickly out of earshot. That had to have been the door. Even if it had been a wall, it would have made a hole big enough to run through, wouldn't it?

It might be enough for me to squeeze through, even if my body wasn't as dexterous as a fully organic creature. I might need to spill a bit of acid here or there to round out the edges, but I could manage. I stood on steel legs, making my way out-

One of the legs was smoldering, a hole having been burned in the side.

I hadn't even registered it, but my emotions shot into overdrive as fear and panic stole my logic from me.

I'd retracted my [Telekinesis] to rest for a moment while the Orc monster attacked the door, but now that my senses had spread through the platform again, I felt it. There was a hole in the metal.

My Skill kept my body upright, but I felt wobbly now. Unbalanced. As my vision expanded outwards, I saw what had damaged my platform.

A thread of green slime hung from the ceiling, swinging down from somewhere high above. The mucus reached for my body, and I scurried out of the way, watching as it dripped to the floor, leaving a sizzling sound in its wake. I heard the sound of something shifting high above, and felt a shock course through me.

I wasn't alone in the chamber.

I crept towards the shattered window, just in time to see more acidic mucus fall from the ceiling, landing on the floor in front of me. I couldn't see my assailant, but I knew this had to be a targeted attack. It was too close to have been an accident or coincidence. I turned around, keeping my back to the exit. If my physical body got hurt, I had my doubts I could fix it. I had no idea how my body worked now, not enough to heal wounds. I couldn't afford to let myself get hurt.

I heard a loud sucking noise above me, like a plunger being peeled from a floor. A sphere of green, bulbous skin covered in acidic mucus swung down from the ceiling, bobbing in the air with only thick threads of goo keeping it from falling.

It swayed back and forth, the skin swelling. Pores parted as it tried to throw another glob of slime at me. The shots fell far short of their target, steaming on the ground in front of me. It moved like a pendulum, picking up speed as it swayed back and forth. If I stayed here, it might be able to strike me with another glob.

"[Stop! I'm on your side!]"

I didn't expect the Chimera to be able to understand me, but I wanted to try. It didn't look like it could speak or register anything I was saying anyway. Still. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I had to believe that.

I didn't want to kill it, but I had to make sure it wasn't a threat. The last thing I wanted was to suffer injuries and cripple my ability to move any further. The damaged leg bent under the weight of the platform, a problem that still lurked at the edge of my awareness.

I wanted to fix it, even if it wasn't dangerous in itself. If I needed to, I could have used one of the legs securing my body in place to keep myself moving. I didn't need to fix the leg to stay alive and mobile, but I wanted to. It wasn't a matter of necessity, but of pride. This platform had been turned from a cage into something different. Something that was mine.

I didn't want this thing to damage it any further.

I scurried to the right as a stream of liquid shot from a bulbous pore on the front of its body. More of the wall burned beneath its caustic spittle, turning to mush. Was it the same liquid I was carrying? It looked similar enough, but I couldn't say for sure.

I had to immobilise it. The momentum of the swinging and its vantage point were what made it a threat. Without a mechanical aide like mine, there was no way for it to chase me.

I ran to the back of the chamber, dodging another wave of mucus. I used my [Telekinesis], removing the panel I was using to keep my compartment closed. I knew how to beat this Chimera, how to keep it from attacking me. I didn't like the solution, and a part of me hoped I could think of another way, but...

I swung the panel forward, spinning into the thick clumps of stringy goo suspending it from the ceiling. The sound of melting metal hissed in the air as the panel cut through the slime.

I could feel the panel falling apart in my grip, but I didn't hesitate. It continued to spin and fly, acting as a makeshift sawblade, reversing direction to chop through the threads holding the Chimera aloft. With mechanical precision, I simultaneously kept my focus on dodging its ineffective attack while cutting through the slime. With the last thread cut, the monster fell to the floor with a thick squelch. It couldn't attack me anymore. The threat was neutralised.

I slowly made my way back towards the window, keeping my legs away from any of the pools that had formed. It tried to spit at me, but without the momentum of the swing, the liquid merely dribbled out the side, running down its uneven form. I felt bad for it, in a way.

The hole leading out of the cell was larger now, but I had to be more careful. I stepped over the caustic bile by the entrance, making sure no more metal was wasted.

I pulled my [Telekinesis] back, letting the half-melted panel fall to the cell floor. It was covered in mucus, a glowing swamp-green plague that ate through the steel and dried blood. The panel was just another piece of metal, worn and ready to be replaced. Still, I felt strangely sentimental. I didn't want to leave it behind, even though it was useless now. It had led me to the discoveries that allowed me to take my freedom.

It was a waste of time and energy. I extended my [Telekinesis] again, filling the half-eaten panel. I spun the sheet around, sending bits of acid flying around the room and off the metal. Once I'd shaken the worst of the goo from its surface, and scraped some of the more persistent chunks off of the wall, I pulled it out of the cell, hanging it on a piece of steel jutting out at the back of my platform. It had no functional use, but I couldn't bear to let it go. There was no harm in keeping it, so I would.

I stepped away from the window, silently apologising for the intrusion before scuttling down the hall.

I'd been right. The Orc had rammed against the metal doors, tearing them apart from the impact. Shards of shattered steel littered the floor of the corridor. I stepped through the hole it made, trying to get my bearings, some semblance of direction or understanding of where I was.

Still nothing.

All of these corridors looked the same to me. I extended my [Telekinesis] outwards, grabbing some of the metal shards left in the monster's wake. Bent plates, pipe-like cylindrical pieces, and curled, twisted metal. Oddly shaped, but not impossible to work with. Maybe I could use them to repair the platform later. I didn't want to just leave them there, now that they'd been laid out for me. That would have been wasteful.

I could see prints in the ground, ones left by the heavy hooves of the monster. It had run down the corridor to the left, making its path clear and easy to follow. Clearly it didn't worry about being followed or seen in the same way I had. I felt a silent pang of jealousy, that it could be so powerful and confident in its abilities.

Having no better lead, I decided to follow the prints. If it could sense something I hadn't, or recognised the path, following it was something worth doing.

Before I left, I cast my focus back to the door. I'd picked up clumps of metal, but there was more I could salvage. Perhaps I was being greedy at this point, but it never hurt to be prepared. With a single leg, I pried the plastic panels off the walls on both sides of the door, pulling them into the compartment. Possibly useless, but perhaps I could find some use for them. Behind the panels, the two Selarium crystals hung on the wall, ripe for the taking.

With a note of surprise, I realised they were resistant to my [Telekinesis]. They felt heavy, heavier than the lumps of metal I'd been carrying around. I had no idea why, but it only made me want to have them more. Using a tipped leg, I pried them free from the hooks in the walls, letting them clatter to the floor. The legs weren't flexible enough to act as a hand, but there was something else I could try.

With my [Telekinesis], I pushed one of the metal scraps under the crystal. The weight was still there, but it was easier to manage. I brought the scrap to my compartment, letting the crystal roll inside. I could feel it weighing me down from the inside, even if it was easier than trying to pick it up with magic alone. I did the same with the second crystal.

Whether this was a good idea or not, I didn't know. This would tire me faster, but... I needed more tools. I wanted as much at my disposal as I could get. I couldn't use these crystals, not right now, but I might be able to find a way.

With an abnormal weight settling inside my platform, I began to move forward once again. As tiring as the weight might be, it felt familiar. That sense of familiarity and preparation brought more energy than the weight of carrying them expended.

I'd barely walked far from the door before I noticed the blood. Pools of it lay scattered around the corridor, with tufts of fur, torn skin and broken teeth littering the ground.

It wasn't just from one creature, either. The size and colour of the leftovers differed from spot to spot. The discovery only led me to be more certain that the Orc knew what it was doing. It was going somewhere, or chasing something.

There were more Chimeras ahead.

I pulled one of the misshapen iron scraps left from the door out of my compartment. To give me something to focus on, I tried to bend it into a workable shape. Leaving the compartment open for my tools to fall out of was making me anxious. Even if the scrap couldn't be made into a perfect panel, some sort of covering was better than nothing.

I leaned the scrap against the hooks, using [Ignite] to soften the metal. Using my magic, I welded the pieces together. It was a haphazard job, one that would put any craftsman or [Inventor] to shame, but I was working with limited time and resources. A bit of sloppiness could be excused given the circumstances.

Even if it was something small, the action gave me a sense of calm. A sense of progress and fulfillment. A sense that things might work out.

Even if it annoyed me. I needed to get better tools.