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Story
+ Angel Hunt ~ Streifen +
Future Effects
Ten years into the future, the idea sparks...
A story collaboration between Angel Hunt and Streifen
Interlude
[03]
He’d been watching him for hours; the only movement he’d made during that time was the idle turning of the Gioa crystal shard contained within the glass vial he was holding in-between his fingertips. Extraction of this item had gone without incident; research during the week he’d kept the Ancient Bright had excelled faster than he’d anticipated. There was much to be learned of this item, much the Bright himself didn’t know.
What he would ultimately find of the crystal and its nature mattered little to him at this point in time though. During the research of the last week, he’d learned enough of it to know that he would be able to implant this shard into Aki without detrimental harm to him, thus buying him the time he would need in order to honor his word.
He would keep the Eclipsed by his side forever.
The Demon closes his eyes while his fingers continue to twist the vial slowly back and forth, taking a deep breath in. The sound of Aki’s heartbeat fills his senses a moment later and he continues to remain still, simply listening to the steady rhythm beating beneath the boy’s chest nearly in tune with his own.
Small dots of light dance behind Aki’s closed lids while he sleeps, slowly pulling him from his dreams and causing him to stir. Cerulean blue eyes open sluggishly in the darkness of the surrounding room and the Eclipsed quickly looks around to find the source of the strange light. Jenova sits silent at the foot of the bed, the Demon’s face eerily lit up by something he was turning in his hand.
Blankets are pulled off and Aki crawls his way over to the larger man, squinting at the light the object was making. Crimson eyes open when the Selestarri touches his hand, stopping his movements and allowing Aki to bring the object closer to himself and inspects it.
“Is this… Is Ikkairius…?”
A half smile forms on pale lips as Aki continues to examine the shard in his grip, “Your guardian is fine.” Jenova reaches out with his free hand pulling a surprised gasp from Aki’s mouth when he wraps clawed fingers around the Eclipse’s wrist to pull him swiftly into his lap. Leaning forward, the Demon tilts his head, white plaits spilling to the side as he touches his nose to the bare chest before him. He takes a deep breath in, another smile moving over his features when Aki’s scent fills his senses. Lingering for a moment, crimson eyes slip partially closed while he trails over soft skin before pulling back and leaning against the footboard once more. Glass-like claws slide up to tuck long hair behind his ear and he holds the other up in between them, offering the vial to the Selestarri in his lap. “There were no ill effects and the extraction went without incident. He is in his room, left just as I found him.”
“Good, I’m relieved. I’ll go see him tomorrow to make sure he’s ok.” Aki takes the vial and proceeds to spin it slowly just as Jenova had done, watching as the light filters out around them. “Despite all the pain it causes him, it’s really beautiful… even as just a fragment.”
“That it is…” Jenova says simply, his eyes never leaving the Eclipsed.
Aki’s hand closes around the glass and he turns into the Demon’s shoulder, whispering, “I’m really glad he’s ok, I was worried. I didn’t want anything to happen because of this. I know you wouldn’t have let harm come to him, but it still didn’t stop me from being afraid.” He pulls away, looking at the crystal again. “I’ve been told on more than one occasion that Valcaerien magic can be very unpredictable at times.”
The two sit silently for a moment, the shard still spinning in Aki’s hand before he finally speaks again, “So… now that we have this… what now?”
Jenova reaches out and closes his hand over Aki’s, turning his palm up, “Now, this…” he slides his fingers over, threading them in between Aki’s to carefully pull his hand open. The vial rolls slightly in his palm, the minimal light causing prisms to reflect and wash over them, illuminating both men softly. Clear crimson meet cerulean in the darkness, his tone quiet and serious, “will become apart of you as the whole is apart of that guardian of yours…”
Aki nods after a moment of hesitation. It wasn’t death that scared him, or even the thought of implantation of the crystal going wrong, it was the life there after that did. Ikkairius had been tempered and hardened with age, as was Jenova. There were many traits those two shared that creatures who have not seen the years they have do not. The Eclipsed could only imagine how Ikkairius must have been when he was younger before he had lost everything. Jenova was borne into that loss and has most likely only become more reserved over time. Would he turn into something similar? Would he stop caring about most everything around him?
Aki’s voice comes out barely above a whisper. “Would… would you let me die… if it became too much somewhere down the line? If I couldn’t keep up this life forever?”
“There are… options Aki…” Jenova raises their hands in the slightest, his gaze shifting to the vial, “there is storage should you find life unbearable… I will hold you close no matter the years that pass us by and reawaken you when you find living more… desirable.” Glass like nails slide away from Aki’s hand, shifting forward to wrap around his other and pull it close to his body. He lays the Selestarri’s palm over his own heart, light blue eyes meeting red as soft liquid notes reach him in the Demon’s dialect, “but should you find that this One is still not enough to sustain you in the flow of time, and death is what you seek, then I will indeed give it to you should you ask it…”
Aki stands at the Ancient Bright’s door, not bothering to knock. Ikkairius knows he’s there, and he is hoping he’ll want to talk about… things.
“You can enter Aki, you do not need to stand outside my door all day.”
The Eclipsed sighs, turning the knob and preparing himself. For what, he wasn’t quite sure, but he was preparing none the less. The heavy door opens slowly and the Ancient Bright comes into view looking much the same as he had before, if only slightly more tired than usual.
“Are… you ok?”
Ikkairius nods briefly and motions for the Eclipsed to sit and have tea with him. Aki speaks as his cup is poured. “I didn’t want… I asked Jenova not to do it but he had already taken you. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him in time.”
The Ancient bright gives him a tired smile. “I am fine, Aki. The first day upon my return was not very… pleasant, but over all most of that has faded. I have suffered no ill effects that I am aware of, in fact, there has been a surprising benefit.” The Eclipsed looks at him curiously while taking his first sip. “By removing a portion of the crystal’s mass, it seems that some of the negative effects it has on my daily life have lessened. To be specific, it is less painful. Still there, mind you, but slightly decreased. It is a… welcome change. I was unsure of how a shard would react outside of its containment, but it seems your Demon’s research organization has been on top of things and produced results.” Ikkairius taps the manila envelope beside him on the table. “While none of the results surprise me, it is interesting to have many of my suspicions confirmed. I am assuming he has shared this with you already?”
Aki shakes his head and places his teacup back down on its saucer. “Not really, I was mostly interested in knowing you were ok.”
Ikkairius picks up the envelope to hand to Aki, pulling it away at the last moment and meeting his eyes in all seriousness. “Aki, research on the Gioa shard was preformed much like any other form of research. Test subjects were used, many of them, until results could be confirmed. Many died for this and while I am not surprised in the least, I know your reverence for life is strong so you will not agree with what was done to obtain these results. This is something you will need to come to terms with. Understand that it is done and those lives cannot be saved, also that they would have perished some other way under possibly worse situations had it not been for this. They were tools used by this research organization and you know the humans you love do far worse to their own. If you have reservations about what was done, I suggest you take this up with Jenova personally.” He gives his words a moment before finally handing the envelope to Aki.
Gioa Crystal Properties.
Research and development.
AH Organization files 0.9785.52620.1a
Last results updated 20.2017
Summary report
-This report is a summary outline key points of interest. All details, exact numbers and procedures can be found in the full research report.
Extraction:
- The primary host was presented to the lab in an unconscious condition with the appropriate containments and wards already intact.
- The Gioa Artifact was contained by both the host’s form and the protective casing around the crystal its self.
- Attempts were made to remove the artifact in it’s entirely but the procedure was cancelled once it was discovered that the casing was fused with the host’s spine.
- Extraction of the shard was completed by laser etching under severely controlled circumstances. See main report for detailed procedure.
- After extraction, no known immediate harm was experienced by the host.
Properties of Gioa crystal:
- Refractive crystalline structure of Valcaerien make. [The Valcaerien are an unknown species in all current databases.]
- Held in protective casing which serves to contain the Artifact’s instability.
- The Artifact’s “storage” is simply empty spaces beyond our known plane of existence. The Artifact serves as a pathway to those planes. [It should be noted that the shard has access to the same connected pathways, therefore an item stored can be retrieved from either piece.]
- Storage of living creatures causes all life processes to freeze in the state they were upon being stored. Upon retrieval, the creatures continue on from the point they were stored with no change to their condition prior.
- The effects to a living creature with outside contact to the Artifact are nullified when inside because of all life process stasis.
Artifact’s effect on host:
- Physical
o The casing that surrounds the major Gioa crystal has fused with the host’s spinal column over time.
o Around this conjuncture, neurological pathways have increased production moving from the Artifact to the host and vice versa.
o Thickened scar tissue surrounds the area of fusion.
o Wing feathers directly touching or growing from the Artifact it’s self have taken on a metallic sheen, mutating from their original structure and becoming almost scale-like.
o Wings feathers just outside of direct contact have taken on a more pointed structure. The pigment ranging in color and often fading from one color to the next seamlessly. [The host’s natural feather color is white with no pigment]
o Mild to moderate preservation of the host’s body, affecting aging. [See physical preservation under Demonic testing.]
o The host is able to induce a ‘self stasis’, leaving only the Artifact. When pulling the host free of stasis, the host’s physical form resurfaces around the crystal. If pulled from the removed shard, the original Artifact is pulled through with the host. Vice versa if pulling the shard through the original Artifact. Any creature attached to the shard will be pulled through in a similar fashion. - Magical
o Experiments preformed shows that the magics are not compatible.
o The host’s systemic magic fights the complete acclimation of the Gioa crystal while the Artifact’s magic fights to infiltrate the host’s system. The host’s magic is strong enough to prevent full acclimation internally. [May potentially explain why the host has not experienced a similar ‘poisoning’ effect as noted below]
o As the magic released by the Artifact is increased, so is the magic created by the host’s body and vice versa.
o As magic from the two sources increase, the effect on pain receptors is immediate. Emotive states may alter this slightly but these experiments were unable to be preformed with the host unconscious. The host refused all testing while awake. - Mental
o Yet to be determined. The host refuses to undergo psychoanalysis. - In comparison to potential recipient’s cellular testing
o All testing revealed the same results as in comparison with the host.
Affect on other species:
Conclusion of study:
4.8392005 AN
The Eclipsed places the papers back into the envelope with a sigh. “This is not what I wanted…”
Ikkairius shakes his head. “It would have been done regardless, if not with the crystal then with something else. He has done and will do this repeatedly until he finds the answers he seeks. I suspect Fuan was resurrected in much the same way. Jenova will go through any means to keep what he claims as his. You are what he claims, Aki, you must understand this. Acclimating the shard will satiate him for now. As much as I would not wish this fate upon you, I know where your heart lies. Jenova would not allow direct harm to come to you. Should the shard prove to be too much, you do have a window of time to remove it without compromising your life. I am not so lucky, but that is a mute point now.”
Aki nods, looking away and to the grounds outside. “I will talk to him… find out what needs to be done. No one else should die for this.”
The Demon remains still, long plaits scattered in a blanket of white across the ground beneath him, his body suspended erect and upside down by one clawed hand planted firmly in the sun-warmed grass of an open patch of grounds. He remains motionless for many long minutes with his free hand held out to his side for balance he doesn’t truly need.
Crimson eyes close, the shining silver of his elongated blade forming in his outstretched hand with one quick snake of light, the scroll patterned, black lacquer-like handle warm and familiar to his touch as it solidifies completely in his palm. From the time he’d seen form, this blade had been a part of him, the pain it brings with each calling dulled only mildly through countless years of usage.
Jenova bends in the slightest, bringing his face just a little closer to the ground before he arches back, heavy black leather boots touching down in the grass below. Snow colored strands cascade down his back as he straightens himself a moment later. Twisting his body around, claw tipped fingers spin the katana effortlessly in his hand and throw it high into the air. Completing the turn of his body, he falls back onto his hands, twisting himself in a few series of fluid backwards flips. He throws his hand out to catch his falling weapon in the final movement, never bothering to reopen his eyes to see it hit its mark.
The Demon straightens and continues to twist the blade in tune with his own body, completing stance after stance, both leather clad form and katana acting as one with every practiced step.
The Eclipsed watches silently as Jenova flows through all his movements with ease and grace, but his thoughts are distant. Because of himself… because of himself so many died to find out what the Gioa shard holds. Their deaths were not quick or painless. If he had known, maybe… even if he had, it doesn’t mean it would have stopped the Demon. It wouldn’t surprise him if there were countless other failed experiments that had gone on which he was never told of simply because the results were fruitless. And this was just for him, there is no telling what was conducted in the thousands of years he spent trying to bring Fuan back before it was successful.
He almost felt dirty knowing those deaths had been inadvertently caused by him… for him. But no amount of talking would convince Jenova otherwise in his search, Aki knew this. If acclimating the shard will stop the experiments for now, then that is what he will do, no matter the pain it will cause him. He will do what he can to prevent others from dieing. Aki walks up to the Demon who stops mid swing.
“When… what do I have to do?”
Crimson eyes narrow briefly and he straightens, his katana snaking out of view in another quick flickering of light. He stares at Aki for a few minutes in silence, his constant gaze causing the Eclipsed to finally avert his eyes. Jenova continues to watch the smaller man for a moment longer before he turns away, his quiet words carrying a tint of annoyance.
“What you must do is nothing, just as I will do nothing until you decide what it is you truly want. If you feel you must remain at my side because of some convoluted sense duty to the life around us, then you do not need to remain by my side at all.” The Demon turns away towards the outer grounds.
Aki ‘s gaze remains looking away. “What did you expect me to feel when I found out? How can I possibly make an unbiased decision when lives are dieing for me? Because of me? Fuck.” He picks his head up, his words gaining more resolve. “Jenova, I know what I want, I just don’t know if I can handle it and I know I don’t want others dieing for it. This is who I am, you know this. I want to be with you forever but it’s incredibly fucking hard when what it takes to do that goes against pretty much everything I believe in. I’m not going to lie down and die but I’m also not going to go out of my way to kill others. Life is not an expendable commodity to me, no matter whose it is.”
“Yes, that is who you are… and that is who I love” Jenova glances back over his shoulder, red eyes narrowing, “just as this One is what he is. Cold. Cruel. Violent. Tainted. Monstrous so I have heard. Uncaring of the life you hold so dear. Willing to sacrifice anything to ‘possess’ what I see as mine so your nursemaid has thought on many an occasion. Is there more Aki? Have I left a detail out? Fuan calls this One impossible, unfeeling, venomous even, stubborn and incapable of understanding what it is to feel as others feel. Incapable of ‘humanity’ itself. All of which are true I suppose. I am these and more. Yet you chose to love this One, and now you doubt because you feel I have wrongly sacrificed others for your sake.”
He turns his head away once more, “And these other lives you hold so dear… the ones used to find the information I have found, the ones you now condemn me for were nothing more than the same creatures that captured and tortured you all those years ago, the same creatures who gave no second thought to your death so long as they could utilize that power you hold inside. The same creatures who wished to use your entire race for their own purposes with no thought or care beyond their wants and needs and would have succeeded had I not stopped it when I did. Those creatures, the humans who assisted them and the demons who cast in their vote against you on the High Council, these were what I used, and I would use them again with no regret whatsoever just as they would have had no regret had they succeeded in taking you from me and wiping your people from the face of this planet to meet their own goals.”
The Demon smirks “I felt these particular deaths justified… though I suppose that due to my ‘lack of understanding’ of basic emotions and common decency, my judgment in these matters is not to be trusted…”
The frustration is clear in the Selestarri’s voice as he calls after the larger man. “What do you want from me? I wouldn’t be here if I thought you incapable of compassion and understanding. I obviously don’t let what Ikkairius or anyone else says color my opinion of you. That has never changed, in fact it has only grown stronger over the years. You are cold and cruel but you have never been that to me. The fact that you trust me enough to show me and tell me things you never show anyone else, even Fuan, means more to me than you know. It’s not you I doubt, it’s the value of my own life versus so many others. If I condemn them to death for simply being what they are, that makes me no better. It’s not you I blame, it’s myself for being selfish enough to want to be with you so badly that others had to die for it. You did what you felt was right, with no remorse or regret. Now let me do the same.”
A soft sigh leaving pale lips and the Demon shakes his head in the slightest, “If you truly wish to grieve for a choice I have made, then so be it. It is not my desire to take this from you, pointless as I find it. Though I feel it to be… self defeating of you to have this need to take responsibility for my own choices. Will you regret for eternity a decision made that you had no hand in? Will you spend forever thinking on the shortened pathways of lives you could not control…?” Crimson eyes shift back, meeting frustrated blue, “the burden is mine Aki, as it was my choice to make so allow me to bear it as I should. I will not allow you to choose this path simply because you feel it will stop me from taking more of those lives you hold so dear. If their lives concern you and you wish it of me, I will sacrifice no others to unlock that item’s secrets. But neither will I allow you to choose life by my side if the only emotion you feel in this is duty.”
The Demon allows his head to fall back and his gaze to slide up into the sky above, his voice dipping low “I will not allow your need for self sacrifice and sense of loyalty to carry over into our love regardless of who you are. I am not that former partner of yours; I will not allow you to remain near my person simply because you feel you must. You would be foolish to think I could not see how that would taint us over time… how it would taint you.” Slowly he drops his head to stare ahead once more, “…You will choose this path because you wish it, or you will not. That is all I want.”
Aki walks forward until he is only a few feet from Jenova, his voice quiet. “I do want to be with you, regardless. I just don’t want more lives sacrificed for it.” He looks away. “I know that’s unrealistic to ask considering you wouldn’t expose me to potential danger without knowing the risks. With the crystal, you know them now and it’s enough to do what needs to be done for quite a while. Am I happy with what was done to obtain that information? No, but I can’t do anything about it now and I really can’t expect you to have done otherwise. I can only ask that it doesn’t continue, which is what I’m asking you.”
He turns back to the Demon. “If it becomes too much, you have given me an out, you will let me die if that’s what has to happen. That is all I need, it solidifies my decision.”
Jenova slides his hand behind him, never looking back at the Eclipsed while he holds claw tipped fingers out. Without hesitation, Aki moves in close, reaching out to take the Demon’s hand a moment later. Glass-like nails close over his hand and twists his body around, pulling him back against the taller man. Crossing his arms over Aki’s chest, white plaits spill forward as Jenova leans down to touch pale lips at the junction between shoulder and neck. Blue eyes close and he tilts his head, full lips parting when sharp fangs gently graze soft flesh, his own fingers finding the arms enveloping him and gripping tight. The Demon lingers for a moment, smiling when a subtle shudder rocks through the slender frame in his arms before he slides his mouth up to Aki’s ear and whispers, “All that I do, I do for you…“ Clear crimson closing briefly, mouth remaining suspended just above skin before he finally pulls away. Jenova straightens without relinquishing his hold, continuing to hold Aki close to him as he speaks, “If that is your wish, then I will honor it… no more tests will be done using others. The information I have gathered is sufficient for the task at hand...”
The room was very… sterile. Aki looks around nervously at the various equipment riddling the white walls. Monitors display charts and numbers, none of which he knew the meanings of. The thin patient’s robe he wears does little to keep the cold from him as he’s led to a steel table in the middle of the room. The Eclipsed is about to sit down on it when one of the laboratory workers gives him a strange look, flipping the table upright when Aki finally moves away. The middle is slid out to reveal just an open rectangular frame.
Amidst the rushing and preparing around him, Aki’s eyes move to the far end of the room where Jenova stands, watching him silently. His blue gaze shifts to the opposite end where another table is laid out with jars and medical instruments still wrapped in their sterile packages. In the middle of it all lay the shard in its protective vial, glinting slightly through the glass in the stark light shining from above. To his side was a large window, people on the other side rushing around between monitors and jotting things down on clip boards.
“Sir, you need to come with me…” A voice catches his attention and he turns to face a lab attendant who begins ushering him towards a metal chair sitting on one side of the room. “Please sit, we need to place this before we can begin.” Aki nods, unsure what exactly he was agreeing to as he sits. The attendant pulls out his arm and begins to prepare his skin. The Eclipse’s eyes widen when a large needle is picked up and brought down near his flesh.
“This is an IV, sir. Trust me, you want this, we can make it go a lot smoother this way. With the pain you’re going to feel from this procedure…” The attendant immediately silences himself as a stern look from Jenova is directed his way. He clears his throat, “right… this will only sting for a second.” Aki looks away, gritting his teeth as the catheter enters his skin. Pain normally doesn’t faze him to a point, but he was so nervous right now and everything was more pronounced because of it. He looks back when he feels the catheter being taped in and exhales slowly.
He wasn’t expecting to be so… afraid.
This was an environment he wasn’t used to- anything medical was not generally an issue for a Selestarri as they rarely ever got sick. So unless something traumatic happened, they never see the inside of a hospital. Granted this was a laboratory, which isn’t quite the same, but somehow it only made it all feel more… cold. He wasn’t a patient here; he was a test subject for the most part. Aki briefly wonders if this is how all the others felt before they had been tested with the shard.
“Sir…?” The attendant pulls his attention back once again and he rises, following the man towards the upright table frame. “Stand here with your back to the opening, get as close as you can to the frame.” Aki nods distantly and backs up. Immediately, several other attendants come up behind him and pull his arms up and legs apart to strap them securely. The Eclipsed panics slightly before forcing himself to calm down. This was all too similar to how the Angels liked to restrain those they keep for questioning. Aki still remembers that day so many years ago all too well and this was hitting a little too close to home. Someone behind him opens the back of his gown, placing various pads on his skin. They were cold, very unfamiliar and Aki was really starting to not like this at all.
“Sir?” A different voice from behind him catches his attention and he tires to turn his head in the direction, unable to fully view the source due to the restraints. “Please release your wings, Sir.”
“What…?” It didn’t quite filter into his brain properly. Somehow it surprised him they knew about his wings, though he realized he shouldn’t be given what they were about to do. “W-why?”
“Sir, we need you to release your wings, we have to implant the crystal shard while they are out otherwise you may not be able to release them again once the procedure is complete.”
“O-oh… ok…” Aki turns his head back to face Jenova at the far end of the room, looking for some form of reassurance before dropping the seal on his wings. The Demon nods and silver-feathered appendages form quickly behind him, bringing with them a few hushed whispers regarding the unique color they hold. It takes him a minute to realize that they are probably only used to the wings of Demons and Angels, so they wouldn’t normally see anything other than various shades of black and white.
One attendant hesitates slightly before grabbing onto one wing and pushing to the side, strapping it securely against the metal frame. The second follows soon after, leaving only cold metal between his body and his wings.
“I apologize, Sir, we will have to remove some feathers from the procedure site. This will only take a moment.” Before Aki can even finish his nod, fingers rip out the down at the very center of his back in a few harsh pulls. Only a slight yell escapes the Eclipse’s mouth before he manages to silence himself, closing his eyes against the pain. Their voices filter in as they are whispered behind him.
“No, you idiot, what are you doing?” - “But I’ve never seen this color before I wanted to test some of the feathers, find out more about his race…” - “Are you fucking nuts? The boss will kill you. He specifically said that anything removed, including feathers, goes directly to him. No research.” - “But I just…”- “No! I am not losing my job or my life because you want to be an idiot, the fact that we even get to see this procedure should be eno…” The attendants silence themselves abruptly as Jenova moves away from the wall and walks towards to the Eclipsed, quickly finding themselves somewhere else to be.
Aki’s voice cracks slightly as he speaks, fear showing in cerulean blue eyes as he meets the Demon’s gaze. “Jenova, I’m afraid. I didn’t think I would be, but I am…” his voice drops to a whisper, “I’m sorry…” Clawed fingers reach up slowly, touching lightly at the Selestarri’s cheek. Aki turns his face into the Demon’s palm, pressing full lips against warm flesh while tears slide down his face.
Jenova’s soft voice reaches his ears, his tone gentle and soothing. “This One will be here the entire time, Akio. I will not leave you.”
The Eclipsed nods. “Thank you… for everything.” Jenova smiles down at him in the slightest before flicking his gaze to the attendants, signaling them to begin the procedure.
Something warm enters his veins suddenly and begins traveling through his body, causing him to look around for the source. An attendant near them answers his silent question nervously, not daring to look up at the Demon while he speaks. “This will help you relax and prevent some of the pain.”
The warmth changes to a pleasant sensation and before he realizes it, Aki feels his eyes getting heavy. The sounds of people moving around him and metal clanking soon become fuzzy and distant in his mind. He can only vaguely feel someone at his back, something cold on his skin, a slight stinging and then warmth running down his flesh. Despite the fogginess of his brain, he manages to conclude that they must be cutting the skin in order to place the shard inside. This wasn’t so bad, he expected much worse.
Metal clinks against glass behind him and then the room falls silent. Aki attempts to lift his head, he wants to ask Jenova what was going on, but the heaviness of his body was making it difficult. It takes a few moments for his eyes to finally listen to him and all he manages to catch is the tail end of a nod before it hits him.
The pain was immediate and excruciating.
The Eclipsed screams, arching involuntarily as far as he can against the secure binds. It burns, his whole body burns. Every nerve has lit up like fire, all radiating from his back in searing tendrils, the pain so intense that bile threatens to rise up from deep within him. Jenova wraps his arms around the smaller man, holding him still while he trashes and jerks. Magic rushes out of him in all directions, not all of it his own, spiraling in electrified waves. The shockwaves shatter the large window to their side causing scientists to scatter frantically away from behind the broken glass.
Aki attempts to push free of the restraints holding him down with everything he has, his telekinetics making short work of the straps binding his arms, tearing them free. Jenova catches him, forcing the Eclipsed back against the frame, not allowing him the freedom he wants. Aki’s eyes snap open, burning gold staring through the Demon holding him as he continues to struggle, trying desperately to get away from the pain that mercilessly wracks his slender frame.
[Aki]
Jenova’s voice cuts through the static of his mind and pulls him back, blazing golden eyes attempting to focus through blinding tears on the crimson and source of the voice before him.
[Jenova… it’s too much… I can’t… I’m sorry…] The Eclipsed begins to hyperventilate, his struggles never ceasing while tears continue to stream down the sides of his face. [I love you…] Aki manages those final words before he falls slack in the Demon’s grip, blackness taking him immediately as he drops into unconsciousness.
“U-umm… Sir?” A nervous voice comes from behind the Selestarri, pulling Jenova’s attention away from the man in his arms. Red eyes narrow and shoot towards the source, causing the attendant to immediately look away. “T-the procedure was s-successful… It’s done, Sir. The shard has taken to its new host.”
The Demon’s eyes slide away from the attendant and back the unconscious Eclipsed, clawed fingers reaching out suddenly to tear the metal aperture away from Aki’s wings and remove the remnants of the IV line hanging from his arm, lifting him completely free. Nearby scientists gasp and move quickly away as he carefully slides Aki up, using one hand to hold him against his body and the other to secure limp silver wings as he straightens himself. Broken glass crunches loudly under thick leather boots as he turns and moves without a word towards the laboratory doors, exiting the room a moment later.
o Rapid neoplastic growth from almost any amount of physical exposure.
o Death within days if contact is kept.
o Preservation of physical body beyond death.
o Physical pain strongly evident from initial exposure to death.
o The Artifact’s magic leeches into the subjects’ form, reacting similarly to a poison.
o See non-humanoid mammals
o Angelic magic is volatile in the presence of Valcaerien magic.
o Immediate painful reaction on all tested subjects. A physical burning of skin was noted.
o Angelic magic is broken down systemically within hours of exposure.
o The [Higher] the Angelic subject in age and physical status, the quicker and more violent the reaction.
o All Angelic subjects perish within hours, all corpses combust internally if kept in physical contact with the Artifact.
o It is strongly advised that all with possible Angelic genetics avoid this Artifact.
o Purity of bloodline differentiates between expected results. Those of a purer line experience less negative affects where as those with a more diluted line react much as non-humanoid mammals.
o Benefits experienced are similar to host but in muted quantity.
o Demonic magic can do little to fight the Artifact’s acclimation to their system therefore, the negative affects are still present such as immediate and extensive pain and slight physical poisoning.
o Neoplastic growth is minor in comparison to non-humanoid mammals.
o Physical preservation of subjects was noted. Aging significantly slowed when artificially induced in test subjects. Physical preservation ceased when the Artifact was removed.
