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Year: 2153
[Observation Chamber – A transparent pod filled with shimmering nutrient solution. Inside floats a small boy, three years old. Different devices were connected to his body to monitor every biological process happening in his body. Currently, the child's eyes are open, half-dreaming, half aware, following the movements of the white-coated researchers outside the glass. The air hums with the sound of machinery. His eyes specifically rested upon the head researcher. A woman with striking blonde hair who was now addressing the others in the room.]
"How is he progressing, any new developments. "The blonde woman asked but her eyes quickly scrolling through the report within her hands.
Researcher 1[Reading from a data pad]
"We have noticed that subject A-01's… your son's cerebral activity remains… irregular. His brain waves don't follow conventional patterns of REM or non-REM sleep. Instead, we're seeing overlapping cycles—consciousness and unconsciousness firing simultaneously. It's as if he's learning while dreaming, processing input continuously without needing full rest."
Researcher 2 [Interjecting]
"Correct. His hippocampus shows memory consolidation in real time, even when he's submerged. Theoretically, he shouldn't even need sleep. The nutrient solution maintains his energy levels, but his brain functions at nearly double the baseline for his age—sometimes higher than an adult's."
Researcher 3 (leaning closer to the glass, voice uneasy):
"And yet… he watches us. Even now. It's not passive observation, he knows who is speaking. We measured micro-adjustments in his ocular nerves; he's tracking each of us individually, while half-asleep."
[The child blinks slowly in the tank, bubbles escaping his breathing mask. His eyes fixed on the one who just spoke. The researcher shifts uncomfortably. This makes the child smile and the researcher more uncomfortable]
Researcher 1 (hastily changing subject):
"On the immunity trials—results are consistent with the last phase. Even when introduced to high-load viral analogues, his immune system neutralized them before replication began. The T-cell response is unlike anything we've catalogued. It's not just accelerated… it remembers. Antibodies seem to adapt and improve after every encounter, as if his biology is preparing for threats preemptively."
Researcher 2 (nodding, cautious):
"Essentially, he may never fall ill."
[The blond lady listens silently, her reflection overlaying her son's form in the glass. The child's gaze flicks to her, and for a moment, his lips move against the mask, forming a silent word—'Mother.']
Researcher 3 (uneasy):
"With this kind of neurological load, Doctor, we should prepare for instability. A normal child's brain would have already collapsed under this strain. He hasn't. But if he keeps growing like this—"
"He will not collapse. He will transcend. While the rest of humanity struggles against disease, exhaustion, and ignorance. He overcomes them in his sleep." The blonde lady cut of the researcher, her voice firm.
The blonde lady then stepped closer to the nutrient tank solution. She pressed her hands against the cold glass.
"Document everything. His mind is writing the blueprint of evolution, even now."
[Inside the tank, the boy's hand slowly rises, pressing against the glass opposite hers. The machines spike briefly, neural resonance flickering across the monitors. The researchers exchange uneasy glances, but none dare speak.]
]
_______________DREA OF INFINITY______________
"Huhh." Mikael breathed out heavily, his body relaxed as his calm persisted. He could see how the man had clenched his teeth tightly as he finished speaking. How his fists tightened and how his body grew more agitated.
Yes, the reason he came all this way, the reason he refused to let anyone else do this job apart from himself was this very man, this faker who was impersonating his father, Sekani Garmadon.
The man he was looking at now was nothing more but a shadow of his former self. Mikael had wondered once, how would his father feel to know that his body had been parasitized, that despite being dead, it was still being used in such ways?
He was still gazing at those blue eyes, looking for a sense of life, a spark of the man he used to know but there was none.
Nothing but the same lifeless look he remembered five years ago. Yes, Mikael had concluded, he was looking at a dead man. Both physically and emotionally.
His father's body walked off the bed, with the same small smile on his face.
He walked slowly, lazily as if the fact that he was here to kill him did not matter a fact both knew and finally he stopped to stand in front of Mikael.
Mikael was sure the man in front of him knew how he felt, he was not hiding the fact at all. His malice fully focused on the man.
''Mikael! Won't you give your old man a hug?! It's been so long." There was strong mockery and sarcasm in his voice. He was not trying to hide it at all.
His father's body had already stepped close, coiling his arms around Mikael in what would have been considered a happy reunion hug.
But this was no normal hug, a close observer would see the visible struggle Sekani was exerting in his arms. His arm was strained and the veins in his neck bulged.
Mikael remained unmoved. He only gave the attempt a dismissive bored glance. His disinterest was mainly due to the thin sheet of hardened layer that had risen on his body, thin but extremely durable.
The man suddenly pulled back in one quick motion, disappearing in one big step and appearing back near the bed. The earlier smile was gone, the agitation in his stance growing, and the façade also equally disappearing.
"I hate it when you do that. That hug would have been enough to rip apart one of our enhanced soldiers but to you, It's nothing more than a tap!!! Your title as the modern-day Adam does not lie. "
A hint of anger broke through the facade of a smile that was on his face. Hate and jealousy. Something Mikael had grown used to seeing in the past.
Sekani swung his arms wildly, the angle they traced both inhumane and impossible for what a normal human should be able to do. They were like hose pipes. Or like whips, in their air born state.
"I wonder, what makes you angrier ...? " Mikael turned to walk backward, circling the bed to where the black armored guard stood. His back wide and exposed.
" The fact that your attempt at parasitizing me failed..."
Mikael was relaxed, oddly. His anger was still there, boiling but controlled for the moment "... or the fact that you failed to call for backup! "
His body shot forward, sharp long crystals elongating from his nails into a deadly killing tool.
[splat]
It took moments and the guard's head was flying. in the same instance, Mikael swung his clawed arm again behind himself, perfectly slicing the tentacle-like arm that had tried to ambush him.
The cut appendages wiggled on the ground while spilling blood, it took mere seconds for them to start to wither and they were gone. A matter of seconds and it was like nothing at all had happened in the room. Apart from the obviously headless body.
"And now it's just you and me." Mikael spoke with calm. His eyes detached, slitted as he focused fully on the sole person still alive in the room.
Silence once again returned, no sound of breathing, no sound of blinking no sound of a heartbeat.... a truly abnormal silence.
Sekani now visibly sweated. He did not want it to arrive at this point, the fact of the matter was that he was not Mikael's match at all if a fight broke out. If only he had known Mikael was coming earlier! He was a coward at heart. A coward who understood clearly his own limits.
The man missing an arm burst out laughing, a silent deranged laughter, that was disturbing to hear.
Sekani clapped, a slow loud clap.
" I'm impressed, you planned all this through. And you also managed to reach me but... "His smile widened fully showing his now sharp deformed teeth as he opened his arms widely. This was his last line of confidence.
" ... YOU CAN'T KILL ME! " He laughed again, soundlessly. Because it was the truth. Even the perfect human Infront of him could not kill him easily. Even by cutting him up or crushing his every bone and limb. He would still regenerate. And this was what allowed him to be as arrogant as he was.
His laugh only became more manic and his body began to unveil the inner monstrosity that had been hiding finally showing.
His body became bulkier, increasing in both height and mass as the nightgown he wore burst.
Tentacle appendages burst from his body in a blood shower, reaping his back in a shower of blood as they swayed in silent agitation, their sharp tips and barbed flesh ready to strike.
The skin covering his frame visibly withered like time had been accelerated and was replaced by a white mass that rose from within him, quickly hardening into a bone armor, covering some parts of his torso while red visible muscle covered the rest. His limbs finally extended oddly as sharp blades rose from his shoulder blades, long and deadly.
His jaw ripped apart completely as the whole of his normal teeth fell off being replaced by a long shark-like saw.
'One minute left.'
Mika lightly clenched his fist, feeling the object, he held. He would play this act.
" Why don't you attack?? " Mikael asked, slowly smiling a cold cruel smile. He already knew the truth. And that was why he allowed the process to happen. This man Infront of him above all else, was a coward.
" Maybe it's because you're afraid of me beating you up? ... It always made you angry, right ... LOANNIS!"
The monster personating his father, the beast that he wanted to kill, the virus that should have died the moment it was born.
His very own twin brother, Loannis Garmadon.
Loannis slowly clenched his jaw. Enraged, his body now visibly trembled. Shock and a growing horror rising quickly within him.
" You… You knew the whole time!?? " Whatever form of confidence Loannis possessed evaporated. All that was left was fear. Fear and confusion.
His voice was monstrous and scratchy, visible steam coming from his every breath.
A sudden burst of killing intent burst forth, a wave of malice so strong that Loannis found himself unable to move.
Another useful skill Mikael liked using. A burst of killing intent that sent the brain into a state of shock. Something called the flight or fight state. And as you would expect from the coward that his brother was, his choice was obvious.
" Somethings never change. You're still the same old coward. " Mikael said, ignoring the growing hate and despair in his brother's eyes.
Mikael anger only grew, what right did this monster have to show such an emotion.
"Huhh." He would have to calm himself. His anger could wait. For now, he needed answers.
"Why did you do all this ... why did you make yourself a MONSTER ... WHY DID YOU ATTACK OUR MOTHER!!! ... WHY DID YOU KILL FATHER ... ANSWER ME???!!!"
Mikael's voice rose the more he spoke, pure killing intent that was directed to Loannis. His hate was palatable in each of his words and his eyes showed the control he exerted to prevent himself from tearing apart Loannis.
POV: LOANNIS
Loannis remained unmoving. His body refused his command, but his smile still stretched crookedly, an outer sign of the normal deranged malice he felt.
" Why, you`re asking me WHY!! ...IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU!!"
" I KILLED MOTHER BECAUSE SHE LOVED YOU MORE!"
" I KILLED FATHER BECAUSE HE TRIED TO HELP YOU ESCAPE!! "
"I BECAME THIS MONSTER SO I COULD KILL YOU!!!"
" ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT!! EVERYTHING I'VE DONE IS YOUR FAULT! IF ONLY YOU WEREN'T THE SPECIAL ONE NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. I WAS MEANT TO BE PERFECT, I WAS MEANT TO BE BEAUTIFUL, NOT YOU!!"
His body trembled violently as if in denial of the harsh reality that was his life.
Loannis wished he could move his body, wished he could shake off this fear that constricted his body.
He wished to look into Mikael's eyes and see the despair and guilt in them, he wished to see him blame himself for everything that had happened because everything bad that had happened was Mikael's fault.
But what he saw terrified him, it shocked him, and he struggled more, as he gazed into those soulless eyes. There was NOTHING!!
He expected anger, he expected hate, he expected guilt but the blankness in those eyes terrified him. Like he was a bug this whole time who thought he was worth more.
Dread started to creep up his spine. He needed to run away! Whatever this thing was, it was not human!
POV: MIKAEL
Mikael felt nothing, he expected those words would influence him but now there was just nothing. There was no more hesitation.
His brother was gone, all that was left was the jealous monster standing in front of him.
He had managed to approach Loannis' stagnant body in a short moment.
His arms snaked forward circling the monster's neck and he pushed on the syringe in his hand its sharp edge piercing the monster easily and injecting the compound it held.
(A/N: Hardening will describe formation of the crystal membrane on Mikael)
Loannis struggle finally came through, the tentacles at his back whipped out stabbing Mikael their edges taking a metallic sheen.
Mikael hardened his arms, his hands dicing the approaching tentacles with masterful ease. While easily deflecting their pointed blades.
Loannis took the opportunity to get distance, his breath was strained and came out heavily. To overpower his own instinct and move away from Mikael had taken a lot out of him.
With his new freedom, he tried regrowing the cut of parts of his tentacle appendage, and the process started smoothly, halfway before completion, the grown parts withered in a moment and fell off.
He tried again, and again and again. And the process failed each time! Something that had never happened before. Something that should never happen.
" WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO ME!!?? " There was only one person who would have done this and Loannis turned to confront him. His fear growing, his despair deepening and his rationality falling apart.
"I've just realized that you never truly understood father." Mikael replied, talking to himself. His voice was strangely calm. Lacking the earlier heat.
Mikael showed the syringe he still held onto " Did you ever know that father knew you continued undergoing the experiments ...?" Loannis was shocked.
" WHAT!! That's impossible ...!" Shock and confusion. That was all Loannis felt now.
"Do you know why he didn't stop you? " Loannis was silent awaiting the answer.
" For him, this was supposed to be an experiment, a test in his own words. He was curious to see which one had better results. The perfect experiment he conducted on me or the untested one you were undergoing. You know he was always a fan of the unknown." A smile came this time to Mikael
Mikael stopped, remembering a certain memory. " That's why when he realized the adverse effects of the experiment you underwent, he said it was garbage and never spoke about it again."
Loannis was trembling once again, his face went purple in anger and his eyes turned bloody red.
"But he did not stop there. Out of spite for your 'betrayal,' he made something else. Serum X produced from my antibodies, a compound that was created for the sole reason of destroying you!"
Loannis was shocked. He could feel it, his body refused to regenerate, his body refused to split and worst of all, the clones he had created were perishing!
The connection he had with those he infected was gone!!
"But you know what I find funny. The fact that the serum was in this very house and you did not know Ha ha ha!! "
This time, Mikael was the one who laughed. A toneless laugh that only held mockery.
"Roar!!!"
Loannis launched himself towards Mikael, his arm whipping wide as the four tentacles on his back thrust widely, tearing apart everything in their way.
It was terribly sad, sad for Loannis because Mikael waited. He waited until Loannis was completely committed to his attack and dodged at the complete last second. Mikael could see the desperate rage in the eyes that flew past him.
Loannis came right back, swinging his grotesque arms but Mika parried and avoided them with skilled ease.
It was a predetermined outcome, like having a baby fight a fully grown adult.
His latest attack resulted in him flying past Mikael again. Loannis started to use the walls as his stepping path, his pace increased as he traversed the room, jumping and bouncing from one corner to another.
The wind picked up with his movement and the room was in a complete state of destruction.
'Now!' He pushed of the wall, directly above Mikael, a blind spot he believed it to be. His hands were bulging, increased disgustingly in size to their maximum limit and turned into a grotesque dark color.
He could already see it, the fountain of blood that would rise when he ripped Mikael's head apart.
At least that was what he initially believed would happen.
The imprint of a leg suddenly appeared in his vision. An instant was all it took, an instant Loannis had been unable to see, and the foot met his face.
Boom!
/VOMITING SOUNDS/
His body crashed near the door of his room, his jaw disfigured, and several teeth knocked out. The spike of pain made him recall who exactly he was fighting, and that knowledge only increased his desperation.
"I wasn't finished speaking brother." Mikael lowered his leg as he watched Loannis struggle to get on his feet. He was taking his time.
Loannis wiped the blood from his mouth staining his face a bloody red. He growled like a mad dog, spit flying from his mouth.
" You must be curious, where could the serum have been hidden that you could never find?"
The monster stopped once again. "Hmm, maybe father's office. The one you were never allowed to enter."
" Or maybe behind a specific family portrait, the one you were never part of!!! " Mikael did not hide the disdain in his voice.
Mikael smiled, watching the monster again tremble as it realized the hidden truth. Loannis anger rose, wanting to surpass the inner fear he felt.
The action filled Mikael with a sickening joy.
' Time's up '
\SIREN STARTS SOUNDING\
Mikael ignored the noise and continued.
"You've probably realized by now ... you weren't the only one stalling. You can feel it right, all the spare bodies you made dying one after the other ... and you can't do anything about it."
Mikael burst out laughing a loud mocking laughter that enraged the monster.
Every moment of this encounter had been planned for.
'ROAR'
Mika circled the monster, waiting for it to act.
" There is no escape brother! I've already won. " Mikael said simply. Feeling nothing at the victory.
"Not YEt, I JuST HaVe to KILL YoU aND .... "
" But you can't brother, you already know this. That's why the monster in you is losing control. IT fears me. IT knows I'm stronger. IT knows I'm faster. IT KNOWS I'M BETTER!!!"
"This is it, brother. It's over." Mikael removed the tiny handle that was hanging on his hip. He wanted to see the face Loannis would make, the face of complete defeat when faced with despair.
'BANG, BANG, BANG. '
The door Mikael entered earlier was heavily knocked on, but it would not budge. None of them had the necessary strength required to forcefully open the door. They were not him.
Loannis regained some of the hope he had, he just had to survive long enough until help arrived, and he would win!
" Do you know what this is? " Mika raised the remote he held, showing it off casually, and pressed the button on it.
''It's the controller for the hydrogen cell bomb I placed in Father's office. So, before we all blow up, I'm going to rip you apart." Mikael hardened nails came back, sharp and ready.
Dread replaced the look that was on Loannis as he went on all fours and started rushing towards Mika. A true last-dish effort at survival.
A last futile attempt to harm Mika. ' THUUDD' The door behind crushed down as a swarm of armed guards rushed in guns blazing.
'SHIU, SHIU. '
His perspective overclocked again as he could see everything approaching ever so slowly.
Mikael's also moved forward, meeting their futile efforts. But this time, he was smiling at what he was to do.
......…
Thirty seconds, that was all it took. That was how long Mikael allowed them to live longer.
The room had become red, from the damaged walls the floor and even the broke windows, fully red. The smell of iron in the air was nauseating enough to make someone vomit and if that wasn't enough, the scattered limbs, internal organs and body fluids would have done the job.
Mikaels foot rested on the dying head of Loannis, slowly squeezing down. Taking his time to enjoy the moment.
"I … hate … you. "His voice was strained. Mikael could hear unwillingness in his tone and this further satisfied him
"I know. "Mikael smiled as he replied.
[CRUNCH]
His foot completely smashed the head into paste, staining his leg with brain matter and blood.
For the first time on this night, his heart was beating strongly. Mostly in satisfaction.
'It's time.'
The feeling of FREEDOM took over him, it felt so nice.
' I'M SORRY URIEL.'
First it was the light that came, a great burst of light that started at a small point and quickly expanded outwards, encompassing everything. Then the sound, like countless roars or billions of people shouting at the same time.
It was then that Mikael realized something was wrong. Both things happening he had managed to perceive them. It was then that he realized the explosion had not reached him. It had stopped! Barely touching him, just a tiny insignificant inch.
He quickly came to understand that it was not the world that had stopped, but it was as if time itself had stopped. He realized the world around him oddly lacked color. His own body had become stiff. It happened then, in that cold space that time had stopped, words appeared in front of his eyes. Crimson red as they were written with blood itself.
What do you desire? Money and wealth? Honor and pride? Authority and power? Revenge? Or something that transcends them all? Whatever you desire—it's here.
It was only when he tried to comprehend what was happening that his mind blanked out, and after that he stopped thinking.
'BOOM'
***************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
A/N
Greetings observers.
Mikael's journey in his home world has come to an end, but that does not close future doors for travel, it only opens countless more.
...….
THANK YOU FOR READING...
PEACE OUT!!!!!