Chapter 23 Lockdown and Her

King Argo felt a bit strange. It was like there was something going behind but I couldn't put my finger on it. He has me in the palm of his hand because he is the king. Though I don't think I want to be on another fetch mission for the nth time! I have to get back to my team as fast as possible or something else might happen. Nitra and Nex have to be waiting for me with the others in Talos. This so called king was the only person left to help me but I wasn't going to be sidetracked any longer! They had to be waiting for me at Talos or something. This whole things has gone far too long.

Arc: King Argo, with all due respect but I need to find a way back to a place called Talos. I need to find the royal scientists lab. If there's anything I can help you with then it has to wait.

Argo: I don't think I have to wait much longer. The problem has finally arrived.

He raised his finger towards the wall of the separate district. Something was rumbling and shaking from a distance. Even though it was from a far, I could sense high amounts of Adamian magic from here. There were only a few with that kind of power. I knew that I couldn't run from her any longer. A second later another giant surge of magic was in the air followed by another giant rumble of the ground. King Argo didn't seem to be phased by this. In fact, his body was perfectly still.

Argo: The first Adamian is coming for someone.

Arc: And who would that be?

Argo: You.

Arc: What?!

Leon: Adamian!

Before I could even turn around to look at Leon, I saw a fraction of Terra's smiling face. I don't think there was a hell of a chance that I was going to dodge anything. I felt a hard blow on the back of my head. However, by the time I noticed, my face was pressed to the cold Karble ground. Leon's shoes were the only thing I saw before darkness had finally set in.

I wasn't quite sure if I was in the middle of something but I was awake for some reason. However, the area did seem familiar. Was I dreaming? I was back in the Herbology classroom on the platform again! Something didn't seem right about this place either. All the carnivorous plants have finally matured into their breeding stages. That shouldn't be right because usually we would cut them down before they get the chance to propagate or at least cut their reproductive systems. Walking through this fever dream classroom, I noticed something else that didn't make sense. Juxo was standing by the door. His face a bit annoyed and tired, probably from tending to the Ichidan root vegetable again. As I approached, he smacked my face with a strong back hand! I fell on the ground pretty hard. I didn't expect that I would get a backhand as I approached him. Right as I got up, another me got up from the ground instantly. It was like looking up towards a projection or hologram! There was something even stranger going on!

Juxo: Man, I didn't think you'd lose that easily. But whatever, I mean you were against the yellow veterans. Though I don't think you'll be able to make the cut if you can't even keep up with them. You know I'm sticking my neck out for you. You have to at least make me look good. I'm the one giving the referrals after all.

Arc: I'm trying! These guys have leagues of experience than I do! I can't just suddenly get good at fighting.

Juxo: I think it's because your fighting style isn't what you think it is.

Arc: I want to fight as strong as the veterans! Their fighting style is proven and tested. There's not way that my fighting style isn't as good. It's theirs after all.

Juxo: Yeah but your build isn't good enough to fight like them. They're mainly strikers because of their physique. If you try punching them then you'll end up looking like a twig slapping a log. You're going to look stupid is what I'm saying.

Arc: Then what do I do?!

Juxo: Find a fighting style that suits you. You have your basic combat levels. It's time for you to find something that suits your style. The basics is all you have. Try thinking of something outside the box. Use the theories and practice that you've learned to develop your own style.

Arc: Outside the box huh…

Juxo: Try using your body more. You're still pretty tiny and slim. Focus on your agility and stamina. I'm sure it'll knock the wind out of the veterans if you punch them right here!

Juxo lunged a sharp punch right on my liver causing my younger self to drop on the ground gasping for air. It looked like it really hurt but it was a good thing this was just a memory. Juxo started to laugh as he kept explaining more about other fighting techniques like pressure points and soft spots. I couldn't help but smile about this memory. Why was I remembering this though? Wasn't I in the castle of King Argo? Right as I started to think about it, a sharp electrical pain started to surge in my head. It was like something picking at my brain with a million needles. My body was shaking. However, there was something that was stopping my body from struggling from the pain.

Arc: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

I could feel my body finally waking up. My eyes opened up to see that I was strapped up to a mechanical chair with a device on my head. There was no way that I could move from the harness around my body. Where the hell was I? After a brief delay, things started to become more and more focused. There were people in front of me tinkering with some knobs on a metal desk while on top was a giant paned window with people that I knew behind it. The place looked like some kind of laboratory that wasn't big. It was a giant circular room that had numerous instruments that didn't make a lot of sense to me. Though one notable one was the giant metallic tube generating energy on top of my head. The place was dark and was only being lit by the gigantic generator above me as well as the lights from the instruments. This place was cold. King Argo, Terra, and a man in a lab coat. That had to be the royal scientist. It seemed like I had a hard time trying to breath because of that jolt of electricity that coursed within me. Everything was starting to burn up in my body. The faces behind the glass finally looked my way. Terra stared at me while taking some steps towards me. She looked at me like I was some kind of maniac. Her figure stood right in front of me now with her arms crossed. She didn't look damaged from that other time but I could tell that she was pissed.

Arc: Good seeing you again. What's with the face? You look pissed as if someone had buried you alive.

Terra delivered a swift left hook to my jaw! My face was now burning and in pain. That punch was solid, hard, and filled with hate. Right as she was about to deliver another haymaker, the scientist behind the glass stood up and yelled. Terra promptly stopped then moved to the side. Seconds later the scientist came up in front this time. His face looked completely exhausted. Eyes so dead that it might as well belong to a corpse. The man was late into his 30's or 40's but his hair was already starting to become white on the sides while above was still a dark brown. He didn't seem intimidating but I could tell that he was no ordinary person. The scientist brushed his hair back to reveal his face. The only thing I could describe was exhaustion or despair.

Scientist: Calm yourself child. We don't want to ruin our subject here. We need him intact for everything. So this is another one of your kind huh. Or should I say our kind.

Arc: You're the royal scientist Peter.

Peter: The one and only in the flesh. Oh no need to introduce yourself, your friend here already told me everything about you.

Arc: So you're the one that tamed Terra.

Peter: Stand down girl. He won't be spouting things like that soon. So tell me Arc, have you read any good books in your life?

Arc: Why should I tell you?

Peter: I think it's important for the younger generation to indulge themselves in the teachings of the past. Learn from the mistakes of the elders. We humans in our world had them in the millions. I would probably need to live two lifetimes just to read them all. Assuming of course I didn't eat, sleep, or do anything else meaningless.

Arc: What does this have to do with anything?

Peter: Nothing really. I just simply want people to be enlightened about the greater things in life. From the many great teachings of the Buddhist monks to the chilling proverbs of warlords. I just think that it's impossible to live the life they wanted humans to live. What about you huh? What do you think? I think it's a great service for humans to be gifted which such knowledge. Yet, all of them refuse to find this perfection.

Arc: I think I want to get the hell out of here. Get me out of here!

Peter: I'm sorry I can't do that obviously. You have something that I want. Something that I don't think you even know you have.

Arc: I don't think you're going to be pleased to see that there's nothing in here.

Peter: Well, I shall be the judge of that. From what we've scanned from your brain so far, there is something that is worth investigating. Like this here, the Platform. You seem to have secrets that even you don't know you have.

Arc: Like what?

Peter: Juxo. This man, was he someone close to you?

Arc: I don't need to answer that.

Peter: Well whatever he was to you. He had some crazy stuff. Terra has provided me with some valuable information. And I want to see to it that I take everything that I need.

Arc: What the hell would Juxo do? He's just some kind of crazy teacher on the platform. Or was at least.

Peter: Very, very interesting. Looks like he did a great job in choosing.

Arc: Choosing?

Peter: They say that the body is a temple. And that of course also means your mind. Your mind in particular Mr. 24 or 25 is sturdier than most. It is up to us to strengthen mind and body. We'll see how strong your mind really us huh.

Arc: Wait what the hell are you all doing here anyway!

Peter: We're the ones that ask the questions. Don't forget that okay? Why would we reveal our plan to a prisoner like you anyway. Terra, y'know what to do.

Without another word, Terra delivers another strong punch knocking me out again…

The hours felt like eternities as they kept using this machine on me over and over again. Each time they tried to probe my head, I kept waking up over and over again. That meant that I would be knocked out because the machine only works better if I was asleep or unconscious. They even tried drugs and other substances to keep me from waking up but nothing seemed to stop the machine from waking me up. The shocks never stopped and I could feel it every time. No matter how many times I thought I would get used to the pain, something even bigger comes. At this point my mouth was oozing of my saliva. I was being broken multiple times then being rebuilt. I tried to clench myself each time I knew the shocks would come but it would only break my teeth. My entire head was on fire. A million needles piercing my brain with every attempt. This spanned not just hours but days. They'd throw me into a metal prison with nothing but my pellets. Terra knew that I could use my abilities to escape from this prison. It was hopeless. There was no way out. But I knew I had to leave. I had to find my way out of here. Each time they'd get me out of the cage they'd just tranquilize me then it was back into the chair. I couldn't even remember how much had passed. All I knew that there was nothing but suffering. The worst part was that I didn't even know what they were searching for in my head.

I couldn't recall anything by now. It felt like I spent my whole life in this chair. I couldn't even remember what the outside looked like now. Though spending time here. I could feel every muscle in my body screaming for pain but I could also feel another. Something new. The walls felt completely different to me. I touched the metallic surface but to no avail. I still couldn't feel that connection that the doctor had mentioned. But before I could search for that feeling, the door to the prison opened. It was Terra.

Arc: Why? I don't understand.

Terra: Strange, I thought by now you wouldn't be able to say anything. You're so annoying.

Arc: I don't get anything…

Terra: You don't need to. Just know that when everything is done. You can finally die.

Arc: I thought we were teammates…

Terra: I thought so too. But I learned something. My eyes have been opened. I now know something that I can't live with. I want to pursue this. But there's something in me that I just can't quel.

Terra grabbed my arm and carried me on her arms like I was a corpse. I wasn't sure what was happening but I was sure that I was going to be taken to the chair again. My body was completely paralyzed because of the pain of my head. At this point, my magic felt like it was completely gone.

Arc: Where are you taking me?

Terra: Somewhere else. They think that if we burn your brain it might be irreversible. We did what we could to make sure that you could be nothing but an asset and not a threat.

She placed me in a wheelchair then wheeled me towards and past several rooms until we finally reached one with a giant glass window. I wasn't sure where this was but from the view. We were above. As I took another glance, I realized we weren't just up but in the sky itself. The lab was above Hyer the entire time! Looking down on Hyer reminded me of a nest. Though what's strange is that the city was lit with different lights popping at random intervals.

Arc: Is something going on down there? I can't tell from up there.

Terra: Hyer is going to die. As of right now we're purging the city below.

Arc: Why?

Terra: Because the King bargained with us. We're going to destroy Hyer to make room for Talos.

Arc: That's terrible! Why would the king do that!

Terra: Indeed. Hyer has too many precious resources to be wasted on being a tourist destination. Resources that can even rival Polarity's wealth.

Arc: That's impossible. Polarity had the wealthy of the different galactic constitutions. It took the combined good of Adamian population to even help for the treaty of Polarity.

Terra: They didn't have an untapped reserve of primordial crystal. Just one of those crystals has the capacity to contain a fraction of the energy released by the big bang. A battery that can almost self preserve itself. Yet these people use it to light simple structures. The king agreed that it could be used for better porkects.

Arc: How did this happen?

Terra: What happened?

Arc: Why did you betray us?

I could barely speak even now but I wanted to know the truth of what was happening. For once, I wanted to know what I was even being tortured for. Everything was so blurry to me that I wasn't even sure that the face above was Terra's or someone similar to hers. She knelt down to touch my face.

Terra: Because we're not real Arc. Or whoever we used to be.

Arc: What are you talking about?

Terra: That's what we want to know. Juxo knew something about the secrets of the Platform. That's what we've been digging inside your head.

Arc: I don't know a thing about the Platform secrets. It doesn't make any sense.

Terra: That might be so but they did the same to my mind as they did yours. Except, what I experienced was the truth. We've uncovered some of the secrets of the platform. Though it was incomplete. I've already said too much.

Arc: What's going to happen to Hyer?

Terra: It will be reduced to ashes. No one can probably survive. If they do then it's their reward

Arc: The people…

Terra: Will be turned into the new people of the new kingdom. They will be changed into creatures imbued with our magic.

Arc: So you were behind those vermins.

Terra: That's an impolite thing to say about the citizens.

Arc: You killed them to make henchmen!

Terra: They should be honored to be part of the new age of Hyer. Not long from now, everyone will be given magic like us. Though that's if they survive the purge below.

Arc: I need to save them… augh….

Terra: You can barely even move. Much less help them. It's just as they prophesized. When we land, there will only be ruin.

Arc: The people…

Terra: They'll turn into slaves after the process of course. Mining the crystals will be our next priority.

Arc: You're all sick bastards...

Terra: Don't be so upset Arc. We're going to give the platform back what we owe them. Let's go shall we. We have more digging to do. Though I do miss that I can't fight you anymore. Maybe someday when we'll find what we're looking for in your head. I'll make you my sparring slave. I can't wait for the day I can beat you mercilessly.

From anyone else's perspective that smile on her face was calm and gentle. To me, it was twisted beyond reform. I wasn't quite sure how to deal with it because I was still paralyzed. She started to get back behind the wheelchair then pulled me towards the dreaded room again. How were the others doing? What about Olley? Was she alright? Or maybe Leon? I haven't seen him in ages. It's funny because I'm about to get my brain dissected again but I'm here worrying about people that probably forgot about me already.

These halls were bright white that it was about to make me go insane. Though I was finally granted permission to leave my prison out of my own volition now. However, there was no way for me to escape.They attached a collar in my neck that would inject me with paralyzing agents if I stepped into an area of the airship that wasn't within range. I could barely walk because my brain was still completely mushy. It was like seeing everything with double vision. I couldn't even walk straight without a crutch. My gear was taking away that it felt like I was naked. The only thing they gave me left was the specified lab gear such as lab coats, black pants and shirts. I've spent so much time wearing those enhanced contacts that it felt seeing darkness without closing my eyes. As I was about to enter my room, I was dragged by the neck by someone with extreme strength. Before I realized who it was, my body got tossed inside what looked to be a training area. This meant only one thing!

Terra: Get up. I've been waiting for this for so long!

My legs could barely get me and yet she has this hunger in her to try and best me. I tried to get up because I knew that she was going to lunge to mount me if I didn't.

Terra: So you do have some strength. I hope you don't disappoint. Then again, you never really do.

Arc: Why do you hate me so much?

Terra: Just fight already!

She started berating me with punches but because of my weak constitution, I wasn't able to dodge as frequent. I've only parried a couple of attacks into counterattacks. However, it wasn't enough. She beat me senselly until I was already on the ground. Though barely felt any of the blows that she landed. I wasn't sure if that was because my body couldn't feel any more pain. It just felt like I got assaulted by stumps more than fists. I curled up already on the floor trying to defend against her kicks.

Terra: WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!

Her screams were echoing all over the room. My ears were starting to feel pain from how intense her voice got. It wasn't like any other scream I've heard her do. She eventually stopped when that last kick got me to cough out blood. Now my body was even in worse conditions.

Terra: Why… doesn't this feel right? Answer me Arc… If you even are… Nevermind… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone too far there. Let me help you.

I couldn't reject her offer because my body just refused to move in itself. Just like earlier, Terra carried me back to my room. She couldn't bring herself to bring me to the infirmary. Her face was completely empty. Something that I thought I would never see. She sat by the chair with the desk after she placed me on my bed. My eye had been bruised so I could only see with one eye at the moment.

Terra: I'm really sorry for that. I'll try to get you some ice later.

Arc: *cough… Why are… you still even… here?...

Terra: I feel responsible.

Arc: You're sure are… different…

Terra: It's not my fault I am. I was opened up to the truth...

Arc: The truth… Was it so great… to make you turn from the… platform…

Terra: Yes. Someday you will understand too.

Arc: I don't know… Why not just tell me…

Terra: Because you will never believe me. If it was simple then Nitra would have never ran.

Arc: What are… you going… to do to them…

Terra: I'm going to kill them. I have no use for them nor do they have for the research. Though I'm sure that Nitra has already contacted the Vanta team. I'll take care of them promptly.

Arc: There's no way… that this… is happening…

Terra: You must trust in me Arc.

Arc: You… almost killed me…

Terra: That's where you're wrong. I never hold back against you Arc…

Arc: Huh?

Terra: My intention was never to kill you…

Arc: I felt… Your killer instinct. Don't lie to me… I recognize it better than anyone else's.

Terra: Maybe I have a different personality inside of me that I can't control when I start fighting. But you're important Arc. Everyone else is different from you. So please if something comes for you. Please… Stay…

Arc: You people… mangled my brain... that I'm not ever… sure if I can feel anything anymore… And you expect me… to stay here?... You're… crazy…

Terra: Maybe I am crazy. But there's nothing I can do when I've learned everything. There's no stopping what we're going to do.

Arc: Tell me… something…

Terra: I can't…

Arc: Then I cannot trust you…