《Stranger Than Fiction》Chapter 17: Assimilation
Advertisement
Darkness.
The STATE of the anomaly was damaged. Multiple issues were detected, but nothing that PROPHYLAXIS could not deal with. Discharge of copious amounts of LIFEFORCE was a bad idea since discharge points appeared to be blocked. Foreign bindings on HOST BODY were keeping it from breaking out.
It was almost enough to register as a PROBLEM.
The sudden influx of a foreign SOUL into HOST BODY triggered the reaction. The omphalos observed it, running equations about the relative value of utilizing the new SOUL PROTOTYPE as an acceptable substitute for BASE HOST.
Silently, it ran the numbers.
SOUL PROTOTYPE ANALYZED
RACE
Yurei
TYPE
Spiritual Parasite
ENERGY CORE
Ether Mana
Match with HOST BODY
9%
If the omphalos had lips, it would have pouted. 9%? That was practically nothing. Anything less than a 95% match was not worth considering. Normally, it would have left BASE HOST at the helm, but the unwanted attribute RATIONALITY was a recurring problem.
It was an added attribute that came with its own share of benefits and concerns. The omphalos could work with a LIVING BIOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT, but the extra baggage of BASE HOST MIND and its unwanted attributes were a problem.
Especially with MENTAL STATE maintained at a default HUMAN setting.
How…[human adjective] tedious.
The omphalos reached deeper. Vital statistics showed the situation was bordering on [human adjective] irksome. Any further decrease in MENTAL STATE to unacceptable levels of shock carried the potential to push the matter to [human adjective] aggravating.
Unacceptable.
The omphalos acted.
Activating Intensive Repair…CANCEL! Path Reset.
Activate Auto-Scan, Auto-Analyze
A spherical wave burst from HOST BODY, invisible to all but omphalos-kind. The omphalos sensed the GREATER ANOMALY outside HOST BODY.
GREATER ANOMALY IDENTIFIED
CRYPT OF FIENDISH WORMS
Size
Class-3
Potential
Sub-Singularity
Estimated Monster Count
2381
Estimated Energy Reserves
917,277,532 Units
Advertisement
Odd. It seemed like CRYPT OF FIENDISH WORMS was larger in size, but younger. It had an immense number of MONSTER HOSTS, but a majority were PRIMITIVE beings. It was spread out over a larger geographical area but equipped with rudimentary functions at best.
A confusing confusion.
Recommended: Deactivation of BASE HOST MIND until better Alternatives are present
Tempting. But deactivation of BASE HOST MIND would allow the PARASITE SOUL to take over and ALTER the HOST BODY.
Not an option.
The omphalos came to a decision. It was likely too early for this, but even HOST MIND needed to start somewhere.
Balance Reality Foundation—Counterbalance
Equalizing…
Base Focus Medium Chosen
Host Identified
Enacting LEGACY PROTOCOL
That was it. There was no turning back now.
New OMPHALOS FUNCTION Added!
FUNCTION
LEVEL
ENERGY COST
Soul Siphon
N/A
20
DESCRIPTION
Consumption of Soul Prototypes post the death of the organism and their storage in the Monster Prototype Array.
New OMPHALOS FUNCTION Added!
FUNCTION
LEVEL
ENERGY COST
Alpha Condition
1
Variable
DESCRIPTION
Allows for Allowed Possession of Host Body by Monster Prototypes and eventual release of Host Body upon completion. Passive resistance against mental intrusion.
Yes. This would do. Wait—
ALIEN TRUTH from PRESENCE
POTENTIALLY UNAVAILABLE in absence of BASE HOST
The omphalos did not curse its inability to frown. It did not have time nor inclination for such things. Instead, it simply ran the numbers once more.
The GODDESS had a BOND with BASE HOST. Quite naturally SHE had recognized the ACTIVE ROLE the omphalos was taking in molding HOST BODY to suit its purposes better. This must have been the GODDESS’s attempt to balance the scales.
Still, there was a TRUTH attached to this GODDESS.
Not a bad augmentation. Allowed.
…for now.
BASE HOST activated. HOST BODY responded. Eyes opened.
HOST MIND AUTO-ACTIVATE.
PROCESS CALCULATED. INTERCEPT ROUTINES.
ENACT.
Advertisement
- In Serial14 Chapters
Fort Geranium
'Mariana''Lieutenant''Admiral''Europa Airgetlam'Those are some of the names people have taken to calling me but it wasn't always like this. I used to lead a much simpler life as a florist but apparently fate didn't like that I was wasting my time. Cruelly was my life taken away from me and I found myself in another world with a different identity: Mariana Von Ulysses. Another world, another life, it's all the same to me. The only reason I ever became a florist in the first place was because it was an easy opportunity for me to live comfortably. That's really all I ever wanted, to live 'comfortably', and perhaps I didn't have any grand ambitions of my own but what's wrong with that? However this new world is hellbent on not letting me have it my way. Wave after wave of problems, from monsters to national politics, it seeks to drive me towards the center of all these inane drivel. If that wasn't bad enough, apparently humans are hated in this world, eh? I'm a human too... Fine, you want it your way world? If you push then I'll push back! I'll solve these problems the only way I know how: Flowers! Don't underestimate their poisonous attributes just because they have cute colors and girly patterns. Orcs? Elves? Humans? Fairies? Dwarves? Dragons? Titans? Celestials? Ascendeds? Gods? To stand before me means that they have forfeited their lives. I shall show them all, the deadliness of plants... The slow and agonizing torture of poison and venom, swirling within your system as you writhe in excruciating pain. It burns you from the inside with no escape. The only release from this hell would be 'death'. That is my power. In the end, the world does not seem to want to leave me alone. Thus I've come to a conclusion: the only way to make myself truly comfortable in this world is a hostile take over! So let me demonstrate their powers to you; I'll let you taste the reason why they call me the 'Flower of Malice'.
8 216 - In Serial7 Chapters
Dark & Light
When two opposite elements equal in harmony. It's called balance. It is so simple to read yet hard to understand. The all-mighty create being after being with this inside them, balance. So to prevent the one other to become unstable and ruin the balance. The Lord created two beings that will keep them balanced. The Dark and The Light.
8 58 - In Serial18 Chapters
Begin the End
The legend of Alexander Wren, was a tale passed down through generations. Telling of a hero's quest to pull his love back from the gate of death. The story told is always a happy one.The hero slays the beast, saves the girl, lives happily ever after. However this is merely a folk tale, a story told to children. The truth is much more sinister This is the true story of Alexander Wren, the beginning of the end.The very thing that led us here, to the day the mortals die.
8 83 - In Serial11 Chapters
The devils journey
An old goblin sat at his death bed as he recalled the past with regret, his blurry old life on earth and the struggles and chance luck to survive, but this is the end and even though he knows it is he still wished to go back and be different. This is the tale of the old goblins 2nd or rather 3rd life and his journey from the weakest to the strongest to protect those he wishes and kill those who stand in his way. I do not own the cover message me if you want it removed, all credit to original cover owner
8 164 - In Serial7 Chapters
The Princess, the Witch and the young Dracolich
After an incident involving a Necromancer and his legions of dead invading a small settlement, the castles ruler a young princess ally’s a witch and a newly created dracolich to adventure to find the invading forces and defeat them, along the way the setting begins to change, the dead arisen and the lands twisted, what was a journey to redeem their people becomes a mission to save the lands and quite possibly the world itself...
8 223 - In Serial8 Chapters
Blitzø x stolas
Blitzo and stolas is having a meet-up on the full moon for exchange of the grimoire,stolas finnaly opens up to blitzø he wants to get things more serious.Then you know what happens (wink wink nudge nudge)
8 119

