Let’s Begin the Experiment

Meanwhile taking the opposite path, King and Dr. Creeks search for the other key piece. Not too far behind King, Dr. Galea Creeks continues scribbling in her notes.

The withered… we know so little about them. What they are, where they came from? If only I could get a closer look at them. Given who I’m paired with, that seems unlikely…

I wonder why after everything he’s been through, he’s still so adamant about it.

Is his retaliation really worth it, is it possible to go too far in the name of justice.

Who is the real enemy here? Is it the withering? The Demon Lord? Eryth? Perhaps it is so.

Although, us humans are technically the invaders this time around. Are we the enemy?

…

I could go about thinking it as just punishment. The daystars invaded us after all. Dropping their empty vessels on our planet’s surface. Eventually leading to the withering infecting life on earth. Could that have been their motive from the very beginning, expecting that our curiosities would lead to the withering.

And then there’s this world, it's like a parallel to earth. Where life dwells here, the withering has destroyed it on earth… The withering is like a cosmic parasite that eats worlds and its inhabitants, and then spits them out in another world. Whose to say how many times any other distant planets have been completely taken over by the withering.

But something is off with this world. I believe things went awry this time around. The withering shouldn’t be in this world.

My hypothesis: The wither consumes a planet, everything from buildings to living breathing creatures are transferred to this other world. At which point they are reborn into the daystars or other daystar native creatures.

How does this transference occur? Magic.

What’s magic? I believe it has something to do with this other world. According to King, he was unable to use his magic when returning to Earth, only being able to spark up again upon descending through the rift. It probably has to do with this world’s air.

Meaning if my hypothesis is correct, the magic of this world is likely fueled by the lives of those stolen away from Earth.

But there are some added variables. Daystar artefacts, and their blood, still retains magical properties, allowing us humans to achieve magic without breathing their blessed air. King’s shovel, and Gil’s body both fall under this category.

…

That just leaves the withering monsters. They come in all shapes and sizes. Some are almost human-like while others become monstrous entities.

There is only one logical conclusion–

“Hey doc, I’m hearing a commotion up ahead. Stay back and let me handle this”

“Oh is that so? You sure you don’t need some back-up? I can throw a pretty mean right hook.”

King chuckles, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Oh please, you clobbering a monster like that, I can’t even imagine. Just hold back and take notes, watch my sick skills in action!”

King unhooks his shovel from his belt, snapping to conduct a string of static electricity upon it.

“I’ve got this, I’ll be done in a flash.”

“Hmph good one.”

And with a quick wave he bolts through to the next room.

…

I’ve seen that look before.

King and I, we share the same eyes.

That yearning, that desire–there’s only one thing he truly wants in this world.

Although I don’t think he truly knows it for himself yet.

I believe despite everything his focus still lies solely on himself.

That doesn’t mean he’ll abandon me or the kids.

All he wants is revenge.

…

For me it’s the pursuit of knowledge…

And with that, my curiosity cannot contain itself any longer.

I must have a look at this room full of monsters!

…

Ramparts of withered beasts roam ahead, as King cuts through their forces attuned to his armor of electricity. Large foes ahead, but it seems he’s missed a few. Small one, little stragglers. Peeking out from under their chairs and hidden in boxes. They look upon me with what I believe to be uncertainty. They seem to think of me as a threat. This is true.

Oh, it's a waiting room! The hall right before the 3rd Observatory… then that would mean he returned to his home.

How disappointing. If only I knew the layout by heart.

Alas, the cat’s out of the bag.

I guess there’s no holding myself back now…

There’s only one thing to say…

Let’s begin the experiment!

As King fights ahead, I approach one of the hiding withering creatures. It's quite small, about the size of a cat. Up close it appears more than just whirling dust, but rather it has a physical body obscured beneath the black cloak. These ones have small faces with protruding dark eyeballs.

It’s quite creepy.

Going to touch it, it stings my hand. Almost feeling like touching a hot stove. Figures, I likely can only handle this thing with a daystar artefact or magic of my own.

“WOOAH–Hey–what are you doing! That thing will kill you!”

King screams back to me, as I continue to prod the monster.

“Ridiculous. It's perfectly safe. I am merely collecting some hands-on information–”

The withering baby leaps from its container, latching onto my face!

Ahh it burns–this must be how the test subjects felt. It makes me a little sorry that we failed so many tests.

All in the desire for mankind’s evolution to the divine!

“DOCTOR!”

FTANG–

ZAP–

His shovel crashes into my face, he could have lobbed my head off if he wanted to. Maybe I’d deserve it.

The creature scratching at my visage is torn away and stomped out by King’s electrified boot.

“Dr. Creeks! Hey are you alright? Your face is–it’s not alright.”

The burning lingers, and I can’t see out of my right eye.

“I’d say it is all-right–haha get it.”

“You’re delusional.”

“I probably look pretty messed up right now, give it to me in full, King.”

He pauses a moment, still shaken up by my face, his eyes continuously make attempts to look at anything else.

“The area around your right eye socket has begun to… disintegrate, it's started withering. It slowed down but… I can see into your skull…”

His eyes fall to the ground again. Unable to look me in the eye.

Accompanying his fearful relay there are other voices. A very diverse cast, distinctly though they are mostly adult men, with some women mixed in. and a backdrop of terrified screeching.

“Look he’s retreating! We won!”

“He’s killed how many?”

“Why is this happening today?!”

“WAAAAAAWAAAAAAAA!”

“It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay, I promise I’ll protect you.”

“Oh no he’s not done with us!”

Finding me stable enough, King turns back towards them, reigniting his sparks.

“Stand back this time, Doctor.”

He can’t hear them.

I can finally understand them

They can speak.

They really are…

Just humans.

END CHAPTER 33