Hatching

"Today marks the second day of observation." Beliz typed as he stands in front of the window. He places a hand on the glass, he feels the its coldness taking away the heat of his hand. He gazes at Titania, somewhat in a way of desire. In the center of the room is a brown, porous cocoon-like structure with many tendrils attaching itself to the corners to the room.

He had reviewed the video footage of the events that lead up to Titania being in the observation room. His heart pounded in his chest watching him wail in pain as the boils begin to crawl onto his skin. His eyes watered seeing Titania bang his arms on the door begging for help of any kind, a call for any savior to save him from his perdition. Only for him to arrive so late.

It was painful to see a close friend of his in such pain and unable to ease his agony. Or what's left of his friend anyways. Beliz is lost. Is Titania still the same person that he knew before? What happened to Titania when the Infection took hold of his body? Did it take his mind and soul as well? Putting him in this experiment crossed many lines in the researching world, using a subject that the researcher knew personally could alter the results. However, given what Beliz did to Titania in the past, Beliz thought he could only redeem himself by using Titania as the subject.

And who was that on the phone? That enigma of a phone call? Beliz tried getting a recording of the phone call and got nothing but mumbled garbage noise. Beliz chalked it up to an error in the facility seeing that the rotary phone started to spark and destroy itself. No, it could be a mistake. The camera audio showed that he was talking to someone, even if Titania was giving short, curt responses. Beliz shakes his head to clear such thoughts.

"No significant physical developments have happened so far, however there has been a development regarding data," Beliz continues to type, maintain his stare at Titania in the cocoon, "We have discovered that the growth process of the infection is similar to that of a caterpillar's. Just how a caterpillar transforms into a goo in its cocoon which later hatches into a butterfly so does Titania as well, just in a different way. A research hypothesis proposes that memories are storied genetically, rather than in the brain like a human."

Beliz didn't know how to properly put what he saw into words, but that's why he has a team of researchers to help him. To do the work that he didn't know how to do.

He walked away from the glass and went to some of the research workers and check their data, what they are trying to do is predict the time of when he will "hatch" by comparing the data to the first time he hatched.

Rad was sitting in the back of the room on a little stool watching everyone do their work. He knew that he and his son was of no help to the research station other than reporting to their superiors and even then Beliz can do that himself. The only reason why he was there is to prevent him from lying on the reports and make sure that there was proper conduct, which he seemed lax on.

He has tried to offer help to Beliz before but just ends up confused and risking altering data, so he does his best to be the emotional support of the facility. Notably, he gets along like a house on fire with the security staff. Always having a chat or played cards with them.

Rad got up from his stool and went to Beliz. "So, uh, any new developments," Rad asked Beliz, the truth is that he is getting bored with doing nothing.

"No there is nothing new so far-" Beliz said before he heard all of the recording machines in the room go on the fritz.

Like before when Titania first appeared in the world, the brown porous mass started spraying spores everywhere, creating a thick smoke of deadly spore. Those that watched through the cameras where blinded by the thickness of the spores in the air that the cocoon wears as a perfume. The tendrils anchoring the mass-like cocoon started swing in wild abandon, as though to protect itself from enemies from all directions.

Beliz and Rad rushed to the window of the observation room. Ajax watched from behind them.

Through the thick fog of the spores they could see

Like Venus rising from the foam of the sea so does Titania emerge from the cocoon.

In his full glory covered in a mucus- like substance, Titania breaks the cocoon with both hands, sending all of the spores that covered it soaring into the air. The chrysalis that he emerged from has shattered into a million pieces, littering the sky.

It now slowly descends around him like the snow from the clouds. As though to reveal to the others a celestial being has descended upon the mortal plane of existence.

Titania no longer feels nausea or the urge to vomit or ill in any matter. Newfound energy fills his body to the brim. He is full.

He steps out of the remains of the broken cocoon around him and gets closer to the window of the observation room. He stares back at Rad, Beliz and Ajax. His face is still for a moment but then breaks into a gentle smile.

What was his thoughts on being an experiment? He knew from the beginning that he was the main experiment of the whole facility and had its undivided attention. He was poked and prodded with needles. His vitals and movements monitored at all times in strange looking devices. All in the name of research.

His personal opinion on the attention? He didn't care.

In fact, he stands benefit a lot from it actually. This is a new class that he has, he needs to know the limits of the class.

What can it do? what can't do? Can other people get this class? How is this class countered? Can it work with teams or by itself? Or worse is there a cure for it.

So many questions and he could have them answered. And the best part is that he didn't have to do the hard work of the research itself. It would be handed to him!

But what would be do when he got what he needed? Still stay with the research facility and still work with the Imperial Republic? Go out on his own and wonder aimlessly with nothing but high hopes and a smile? Betray the country and work for a different nation on better terms?

He will decide when the time is appropriate. Sometimes thinking ahead can detriment the present.

He stood in front of the window. Through the thick cloud of spores he could see the faint outline of Beliz and the General looking back at him. They stare back each with different emotions on their face.

He spread his arms wide and flung his head back as though to receive a warm embrace of a hug. He let out all of the air in his lungs.

The spores in the air started to swirl around Titania. As time pasted the movement of the spores grew faster. Soon a vortex of spores formed around Titania with him being in the center.

He opened his mouth and took in a deep breath of air. With the air followed the spores. Like a vacuum all of the spores went inside Titania's lungs. And from his lungs, dispersed throughout his body.

After a minute all of the spores has entered Titania's body, not a single speck can be found on the ground, even the cocoon that held Titania prisoner could be seen.

If he was filled with energy before, now he is overflowing.

All of the spores in his body gave him a great boost of energy, removing all of the tiredness that he had felt over the days from the first stage of the infection. In the moment of great energy Titania checks his status on the system.

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Name: Titania

Race: Infected Human

Main class: Rat King

Subclass: None

Level: 1

Experience: 0

Attributes: Str: 35 Dex: 27 Con: 40 Int: 35 Wis: 20

Status condition: Healthy [+5% to all stats]

Mana Points: 350

Health: 50/50

Stamina: 50/50

Abilities: 1

Skills: None

Talents: 3

Remark: Now you can defend yourself!

___________________________________________

When Titania saw the information provided to him he was ecstatic. He received a huge power up! He had strong stats and he was still level 1! And it can only go up from here! Plus with that growth Talent that he got from the Entity would work wonders for him!

Such fantasies ran through his head at lighting speed. A future where he is powerful. A future where he is strong. A future where he can have fun and have no worries at all!

A future where he is free.

He looks ups at the ceiling and takes a deep breath, filling his lungs to the brim.

He is full.

Prelude to Arc 1 finished.

Arc 1 begins: Infectious Ideology, Reign of the Rat King