2— The beginning and the End.

Something cracked.

All of sudden Artyom felt this strange sensation that right now in this moment in time things had stopped being 'real'.

He couldn't explain why, but every instinct he had left was screaming telling him to run. Yet, even if he wanted to, he couldn't.

[Apotheosis.]

[Genesis.]

[Rapture.]

Artyom's heart was now racing, pounding in his chest so hard he could feel it in his fingertips. The world around him was changing, warping into something unrecognizable.

He felt like he was drowning in a sea of fear, the waves crashing over him relentlessly.

The once-bustling hospital ward was now eerily quiet, as if holding its breath, waiting for the unknown horror that was approaching. The air felt thick, heavy with the weight of an impending doom. Artyom could barely breathe, as if the very oxygen around him was turning against him.

And then he heard it. A sound like metal scraping on stone, or was it laughter? It was faint at first, but it grew louder, more persistent, until it was all he could hear. The noise was coming closer, and with it, a sense of unease that threatened to overwhelm him.

Artyom's eyes widened in horror as the air in front of him began to waver, like the surface of a disturbed pool. His stomach churned, threatening to expel its contents. He knew something was about to happen, something that he couldn't even comprehend.

"What on earth is happening," he thought to himself, the fear in his mind's voice somehow palpable.

He could not run. He could not scream for help. He could only watch.

The whispers that had sounded like laughter had now become urgent, urgent enough for Artyom to recognize them as whispers. Then, a few meters away from him, he saw something emerging from the shifting space ahead of him.

It was glistening and wet, and a bright light began to grow and spiral, almost blinding him. The low roar of whispers became a deafening noise.

A death bell tolled deep inside the very core of his being, and the air around him turned into a raging inferno. Artyom felt like he was burning from the inside out.

The light dimmed, and he was able to steal a glimpse of the being that had emerged from the unknown space. Its features were indescribable, beyond anything he could have imagined.

Artyom was left trembling, not knowing what to do or what would happen next. The fear had turned into a such a paralyzing terror that he was sure that even if he could move he would be rooted to the spot by this dread, and if he was sure of one thing it was that nothing would ever be the same again.

Artyom was alone in the dark. He couldn't see anything, but he felt a presence there with him. It was like nothing he had ever experienced before. A million voices spoke in unison, and he could feel the vibrations of the sound waves moving through him.

"I am the Alpha and Omega," the voices spoke. "I am everything and nothing. I am the beginning and the end. Rejoice, for I come here bearing three gifts."

Artyom tried to speak, but his voice clearly wouldn't work. He was trapped in his own body, unable to move or make a sound. The whispering that had risen to a loud droning were now absent as if afraid to speak over this being.

The alpha and omega loomed over Artyom, its form shifting and changing with every breath it took. It spoke in a million voices, each one echoing through his mind like thunder.

"I offer you three gifts, mortal," it said, its words reverberating through the very air around them. "The first is a body free of sickness or imperfection. No ailment shall afflict you, no wound shall scar you. You shall be a perfect vessel, unblemished and eternal."

Artyom shivered at the thought. The idea of being invincible was tempting, but he couldn't help feeling a sense of unease at the being's words. It seemed too good to be true, and the way the alpha and omega spoke sent a shivering chill down his spine.

"The second gift is the ability to perfectly integrate with a certain substance," the being continued, its voice deepening to a low rumble. "You shall become one with it, able to control it as if it were a part of you. It shall obey your every whim, and you shall be its master."

Artyom frowned, unsure of what the being meant by this. What substance could possibly be worth such power? The idea of controlling something completely was both alluring and terrifying at the same time.

"And lastly," the alpha and omega said, its voice rising to a crescendo. "I offer you the ability to absorb the knowledge and talents of those around you. Their skills shall become your own, their experiences a part of your being. You shall become a master of all trades, a jack of none."

Artyom was taken aback by this offer. The thought of being able to learn anything and everything was tempting, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread at what it might cost him.

The being looked down at him, its million eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. "Choose wisely, mortal," it said. "For once you accept my gifts, there is no turning back."

The being spoke again in a voice that seemed to echo from the depths of the universe, "You can have these gifts, Artyom. But know that they come at a price."

Artyom shuddered, feeling another chill run down his spine. "What price? What must I do?"

"You must abandon this world and the vessel you inhabit. Your body must remain here on this planet, and you must depart with me, beyond the reaches of this universe."

Artyom's mind reeled at the thought of leaving everything he knew behind. But the promise of these gifts was too great to ignore.

"And if I accept? What will happen to me?" he asked tentatively.

"You will be reborn, free of the shackles of your mortal form. You will inevitably transcend into something greater, something beyond your wildest imagination. You will be one with the universe, and the universe will be one with you."

The being paused to draw in a rasping deep breath that threatened to consume all of existence.

"You must understand, Artyom," the Alpha and Omega spoke in a voice that seemed to echo through the void of space and time. "These gifts I offer are not meant for the small world you know as home. They are meant to be utilized across countless worlds, dimensions, and galaxies."

Artyom felt a third chill run down his spine as he listened to the being's words. The sense of awe he felt was overwhelming, as if he were standing before a god.

"The body I offer you will be free of all imperfections, a vessel capable of traversing the vast expanses of the universe without the limitations of flesh and bone. The substance I offer you will allow you to integrate yourself seamlessly with any environment, allowing you to survive in even the harshest conditions. And the knowledge and talents of others, well, they will be yours for the taking. You will become a master of all trades, a being capable of achieving any goal you set your mind to."

Artyom was both terrified and intrigued by the being's offer. He wondered what kind of knowledge and abilities he could gain, but the thought of leaving his world and his body behind filled him with dread.

"However," the Alpha and Omega continued, "these gifts come at a price. You must leave behind your world and your physical form. You will be a being of pure consciousness, free to roam the universe and explore its infinite wonders. But you will never be able to return to your world or old physical form again."

Artyom hesitated, unsure of what to do. He felt the weight of the decision bearing down on him, as if he were being asked to give up everything he knew.

"But know this, Artyom," the Alpha and Omega spoke once more, "once you leave this world, you will be forever changed. You will become something greater, something beyond mortal understanding. And the journey you embark upon will be one of infinite possibility and discovery. The choice is yours."

"Do you accept?"

Artyom hesitated, weighing his options. He had nothing left on this planet, and the thought of a new beginning, free from the limitations of his body, was tempting.

"Very well," he said, "I accept your offer."

The being let out a blood-curdling sound that was both a laugh and a scream, and suddenly Artyom felt himself being lifted off the ground. He watched in awe as the world around him began to distort and warp, and he knew that he was leaving everything behind.

But as he departed, he couldn't shake away the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of his mind. What had he truly signed up for? And what would become of him now that he had left his body behind?

Back at the hospital the two doctors had returned to perform their last rounds for the night before they went home at shifts end, when they heard a strange rasping sound from one of the rooms.

The two doctors looked at each other and nodded before heading toward the room.

The doctors cautiously entered the room, feeling an inexplicable sense of dread wash over them. As they approached Artyom's bed, they were met with an unimaginable horror.

The once motionless body was now writhing and contorting in agony, as if trying to escape an invisible force.

The doctors stood frozen, unable to comprehend the horrific sight before them. It was as if something had taken control of Artyom's body, twisting and distorting it beyond recognition.

The sickening sound of bones splitting and cartilage tearing filled the room.

One of the doctors finally mustered up the courage to approach the thing on the bed, but as he got closer, he could see that Artyom's eyes had turned an otherworldly shade of green, glowing with an unnatural light.

The writhing became more violent, and the doctors could hear a cacophony of screams and whispers emanating from Artyom's mouth, each voice sounding more twisted and malevolent than the last.

The doctors tried to help, they really did, but it was as if the being that had offered Artyom the gifts had left a curse upon him, a curse that was now consuming him from the inside out.

The writhing and screaming continued for what seemed like an eternity, until finally, with a final, bone-chilling scream, Artyom's body went limp, and the writhing stopped.

The doctors were left shaken and horrified by what they had witnessed. They knew that they had just borne witness to an unspeakable evil, one that they could never hope to try and understand, only to try to forget.