The Essence of Secrets
A Work In Collaboration With Npmaster69
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There's a dripping of water or sewage along the walls, the tunnels above must be leaking once again.
The dripping of questionable liquid continues flowing down smoothly, pooling down onto the already damp rug, a rank smell fills the air.
Within this pool, there is a sprinkling of red intermingling, dancing in a myriad of movements that is life itself.
It seems that I must tidy this place up soon, such accommodations would be most unsightly.
My latest project lays limp, spread-eagled across the floor, an unfortunate sacrifice to my eventual Magnum Opus.
"Please," the project gurgled, "water..."
A simple clap should do the trick I suppose, that is given this new project bears some sort of fruit.
*Clap
The subject, against the protests of its feeble mortal body, strains against its rebellious shell to pick itself up off the ground.
It seems that this new project shows some signs of success. This must be recorded.
*Snap
Yet another one of my former subjects, #24A, one of the first of my Visionaries flaps down from the rafters, casting its eerie gaze upon the subject, hovering just behind my shoulder. As it should.
The beating of the pulsating veins on its eye mirrors the beating heart of my newest subject.
And so my newest subject arises, the withered feet dragging along the floor as it set about the task I had assigned. Its arms swung haphazardly to and fro, swishing a decrepit broom around in vain to brush some of the water out.
As it struggles in its task it seems akin to that of Sisyphus, enduring a task that shall never be accomplished due to orders ordained by those higher up.
Such thoughts put me into a pensive mood, I'm afraid I must abandon such a riveting subject.
But regardless, the newest subject was truly extraordinary, it breathed, it spoke. It even captured some of the intent of the original soul.
Is the original soul still inhabiting this body? Where did this soul go? So many questions, so much research to be done.
So many flaws also, the flesh of the subject is already wearing off, revealing its rotten underskin and weathered down bones that had long been exposed to the elements.
An arm has long since fallen to the ground with a loud thud, splashing water onto my robes to disturb my line of thought.
Yet another failure. I sigh, breathing in and out. There isn't much time left. The end of time approaches, at least for me that is.
Work must be rapid, the work must be efficient, and most importantly it must innovative.
Perhaps if I had a way to rope in another fully conscious subject and use some sort of Mind Warping then I can obtain another perspective on the matter.
It's truly a shame how little see things from my point of view, my fellow peers confining themselves in their ivory towers of so-called integrity and honor.
The decaying flesh is rapidly decomposing amongst the now rank water, fizzling out of existence.
Well, regardless. Out of sight, out of mind.
It's time to test out another one of my subjects, hopefully, this one would be a greater success.
Walking over to the corner of my catacombs there's a cage covered with a yellowed cloth, a deep grunting reverberating off the walls.
With a flourish, the cloth is whipped off the cage, revealing another one of my past subjects, a simple boar.
Its flesh has now turned a sickly green, akin to those afflicted with the Devil's Delusion.
With a rattle of the keys, I unlock the cage and the boar charges out avoiding me entirely in favor of the failed fallen subject.
With the utmost lack of care, the boar simply wades into the sewage eating what little flesh remained from what had rapidly decayed.
Then, the janitor having committed his job returned back to his residence while I set myself about tidying up my documents.
This boar happens to be one of my more promising subjects, a complete success in reanimation, and not only that, it still manages to complete the task assigned to it relatively well.
Sure there are still some flaws to it, but that can be easily maintained with routine flesh substitutions. Preferably that akin to that of its original species.
Maybe I should develop a name for it at this point, this subject has lasted long enough to be granted one. Perhaps this will be my first truly named experiment.
But this presents a variety of problems that now sprout up. I must remain insensitive, impassive to events occurring around me.
No developing personal connections, it'll only make the pain worse when they eventually leave.
With a deep rumble, the boar turns itself around in the cage before settling itself down with a heavy thud.
Hmm… I'll have to compile a new dossier in regards to my recent subjects, perhaps even develop a new line.
Suddenly, there's a deep rumble from up above, and it can't be from the boar, it just settled down next to me.
Some dirt dusts down over my workspace, yet another nuisance that I must set about resolving.
I'll settle it tomorrow though, maybe deal with it and the leakage at the same time.
The ceiling shakes once more, probably some sort of monster rampage occurring on the surface, it can't be the hunters or adventurers coming to hunt me once again. Surely I've hidden my tracks well enough?
Then as if the Gods wanted to specifically prove me wrong, suddenly the roof of the catacombs bursts down and explodes down onto me.
Staggering across the floor, my documents are scattered all over the place and my workspace is ruined.
The boar is a panic and is ramming against his cage while the rest of my subjects like the many Visionaries are knocked aside.
Thankfully enough of the previous experiment has been recorded into the Elmira crystals, now they are safe.
Whatever has caused this cannot be allowed to continue, they have angered me and now they must face the consequences for their actions.
The dust clouds my eyes and robs me of my sight, my flesh body screams in protest upon inhaling all these particles and coughs.
Then from the cloud of dust, a voice addresses me, "Cease your actions villain. No more shall anyone fall victim into your dastardly plots, you fiend."