Extermination Protocol was underway.

Such protocols were always in a state of CONSTANT UPGRADE, altered according to Experience and information gathered from INVASION DATA and Analysis of Invader Soul Architecture.

Even so, the current version of Extermination was taking longer than usual.

This could become a potential PROBLEM.

The Omphalos of the Crypt of Fiendish Worms recoiled, analyzing the effects of the Protocol. Extermination was always an action performed under Extreme Duress, and was almost immediately altered post the encounter with INVASION.

Information rose before the Omphalos’s own meta-consciousness.

Extermination 3.0

Version 3.0.

The Omphalos reared back, aggressively rechecking historical data. As a creature of growth and evolution, Historical Data was mostly rendered obsolete after every one million oscillations. Even so, reports of Extermination Protocols were retained, owing to the constant presence of CURSE on the exterior side of the Anomaly.

Extermination Protocol 1.0

Launched against Wraith Invasion

Attacks from the desert above. The very first danger against the Crypt of Fiendish Worms.

More information flooded in.

POST-EXTERMINATION ANALYSIS

Heteromorphic Monsters survived with minimum damage against Mental Erosion

Croisium found effective against Spiritual existences

It quickly checked the results.

Non-heteromorphic monster proliferation suspended.

Heteromorphic Monster proliferation heightened to maximum capacity.

Active Synthesis of Croisium

Mental Erosion analyzed, replicated, and added to SOUL CRYPT

…

More information was required.

The Omphalos looked deeper.

Extermination Protocol 2.0

Launched against Yokai Invasion

INVADER ANALYSIS

Mental Erosion Wraiths

Elemental Wraiths

Creatures with natural mana-synthesis facilities

Creatures capable of POSSESSION and CONTORTION of possessed body tissues

POST EXTERMINATION ANALYSIS

Heteromorphic Monsters unable to deal with Mana Synthesis

Croisium found effective against Spiritual existences

Innate slowness of heteromorphs found lacking

INFERENCE REPORT

Continued Synthesis of Croisium in the Heart of SOUL CRYPT.

Freezing of MANA-SYNTHESIZERS owing to lack of substantial replicative information.

Postponed production of Monsters with MANA-SYNTHESIS capabilities. Stored in SOUL CRYPT.

Addition of VATUATIL metal to heteromorphic monster prototypes. Assimilation of cartilaginous tissue and metal endo and exo-skeletons to heteromorphic hybrids.

Facilitated production of Heteromorphic Hybrids.

It knew the rest. The Failsafe had been manufactured as per the Inference Report. An alloy of Croisium and Vatuatil were used to construct its structure, the former in minute proportions owing to its inability to fuse with organic flesh. Extreme regeneration was added, keeping true to the reports from the first Invasion Inference Report, and an appropriate skill structure had been perfected.

That brought it to the current problem.

Anomaly Health less than Threshold

Shutting down auxiliary operations

And that was it.

Extreme Regeneration required a healthy amount of Anomalous Energy to be converted into lifeforce. Vatuatil had a very low Energy to Lifeforce Conversion Ratio, causing an even greater waste of anomalous energy. Plus, DECAY required a 97.6% Lifeforce potency, causing even greater drain.

But it could still deal with that. What it couldn’t deal with was—

PREDATOR draining Failsafe

He-Who-Consumes-Within was causing the Failsafe to regenerate endlessly. Predator, on the other hand, was draining the lifeforce and diluting its potency. This was causing ESSENTIAL OPERATIONS to be rendered temporarily dormant while all power was directed toward Failsafe, allowing it to function independently and with complete autonomy until Extermination was achieved.

And yet—

Anomaly Disintegration Rate - 7%

Shutting Down all Regenerative Processes

Auxiliary Power Sources Absent

Anomaly Lattice Disintegration Active

WARNING!

Power Drainage by FAILSAFE exceeded Threshold Limit

The rift was deepening.

Something drastic needed to be done.

DENIAL!

Shut down Failsafe?

…No.

Intentional suppression of Failsafe was not going to aid against INVASION. Alternate countermeasures needed to be deployed. Alternate Failsafes required to be created.

The Crypt of Fiendish Worms expanded its awareness, looking for resources.

Alternative Countermeasures absent

This was bad.

Perhaps an alternate method could be used?

If Failsafe could not be interrupted, could it be accelerated?

Auxiliary Power Sources absent

Anomaly Disintegration Rate - 11%

Anomaly Lattice Disintegration Active

Power Drainage by FAILSAFE exceeded Critical Value

Shut down Failsafe?

Yes.

No.

Yes.

No.

This was confusing.

It was confused.

It did not like being confused.

Shut Down Failsafe?

…Yes.

Shutting Down Failsafe!

Activating Recovery Operations

Initiate Scanning for alternative Failsafe Operations

DENIAL of new outgrowths

DENIAL OF ███ ██ █████ ███

…?

This was odd, and unexpected.

And frightening.

More information arrived.

Ongoing Removal of FAILSAFE PROTOTYPE from SOUL CRYPT

Initiate Retrieval?

Yes.

There was no other option but yes.

Yet the Omphalos of the Crypt of Fiendish Worms stayed its hand.

This was not the first time that He-Who-Consumes-Within had devoured a Monster Prototype from its Soul Crypt, and given how this was the FAILSAFE Prototype, chances of its selection for Assimilation were greater than 91%. It could initiate a retrieval, or the fifty-one alternative options it had set up for such contingencies. However…this wasn’t just an ordinary Monster Prototype.

This was the FAILSAFE.

Something that was integrated with the Crypt in a far, deeper way. A Bond that went beyond Soul Architecture and Evolution. A door that allowed the FAILSAFE access to resources that no other monster was allowed access to.

And doors opened on both sides.

He-Who-Consumes-Within was a Neonate at best. The FAILSAFE was engineered for a far superior Anomaly Design. That, along with the backdoor into the FAILSAFE spiritual lattice, allowed the Omphalos to enact all kinds of interesting things.

Initiate Soul Contortion.

Yes, the Omphalos decided.

All kinds of interesting things indeed.