His fingers tightening around his back, Wolfgang turned to examine the Mythickin woman Asher had dropped into his lap; the demonic fool of a man had no idea how important she was.

Maria breathed in and out with calm, deep breaths that her body was forced to produce, yet her mind filled with dread while the otherworldly fiends complied with Wolfgang’s orders.

His demonic helpers weren’t the strongest—nowhere near the same realm as Yseress, yet the portion of his spirit that bound the alluring devil to this plane was in another splinter of his Core. Still, these creatures were adequate enough to follow instructions and be capable of handling the subjects he dealt with.

A suspicious hum rumbled in his throat as he took a seat in front of Maria; the demons had propped the restraining table up for him to examine. To think such an opportune chance would arise and in the final preparations before Asher’s surprise … It’s too convenient.

He’d projected a degree of paralytic energy into her Core that was tied to the Hades magic Yseress had taught him.

As the original, he had been the one to specialize in Core manipulation and research on the seeds that led to their splintering, allowing them to center on various fields to advance their plans. Everything was for the betterment of humanity, and he was so close to testing his hypothesis after 467 unique Demi experiments—repeats had to be made at times to be sure of the same results.

Relica was the one to coin the term—Demi—which he’d accepted; although he found it a rather simplistic identifier—it served its purpose, though, and he wasn’t going to argue with the stubborn woman.

At a population of nearly 300,000 people, Camagüey offered a decent sample size to determine the beginnings of a theory on the Demi transformation statistic. Yet, more data would be needed to be cited for crafting a more accurate thesis—after counting, there were 1,952 identified Demi inside the city—1,843 of which were able to be rounded up for his use and 1,805 that were now unusable.

He’d saved the very few twins that changed, and unsurprisingly, when a twin became a Demi, their counterpart was also gifted with the seed—his working theory came from the spiritual and Intelligence split they shared, which granted twins a very weak metaphysical bond that resonated with the object and acted as a split, much like what happened in the womb.

Ultimately, twins were the key to copying the seed without end, yet that would require extensive knowledge in a few fields that he’d worked tirelessly to explore.

Wolfgang leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees while pressing his steepled fingers against his lips and nose; the now unconscious boy next to Maria drew his illuminated blue eyes.

In its simplicity, and at first glance, the seed can be taken as an item used to grant the user’s desires, yet that would be a premature conclusion, given further study.

He pondered the information he’d gathered over the past three weeks of tireless study; not once had he felt the effects of sleep, sustained by the seed and his desire to accelerate his goals. The aid Relica had given on several fundamental discoveries, including the unique abilities she possessed and individuals at her disposal, accelerated his projects by years, which put him in this current opportune position.

Yseress’s insights have been the key to unlocking this path … Unfortunately, there is only one of her, and her focus is split between our programs. Obtaining the vision to peel back a person’s spirit and grasp the depths of what makes up their essence … I need to further increase my Levels and Grades in that area, but given this woman’s instability—she’s so unguarded.

Hot air shot through Wolfgang’s nostrils, fingers tightening against one another. Desires, hopes, and dreams play a significant role in the post-seed transformation, yet children are so malleable that if caught early enough, the progression can be halted … Yet, as an adult, Maria has forcefully restricted her own metamorphosis.

Subconsciously, perhaps? No, it’s impossible to halt it with a mere desire, as has been observed … Her very nature is the defining attribute without a doubt.

Maria’s mind sank further and further into despair, cycling in panic while Wolfgang continued to penetrate her spiritual network to see the effects of the seed.

Even while entering a manic state, her Oltera Nexus is still resisting … It’s opened, reaching into her Core like a golden path for me to follow. Still, I need time to trace its route. To see the raw glory of its bloom is … phenomenal.

He lost himself for a moment, picking apart every fiber he could observe from the tight orb of fathomless information, power, and radiance. Time was nonexistent to the object; it seemed to operate in a sphere of its own.

It wasn’t a dominating force, which mesmerized him; gentle, flowing tendrils of elegance defined washed through Maria’s entire being in such a loving embrace. Wolfgang was reminded of his youth, held protectively against his mother’s breast.

Mercy, benevolence, clemency, and divinity beyond that of any conceivable god invoked a benediction so enthralling it brought tears to his eyes. In contrast, a blinding, hallowed reckoning carried redress in glorious and terrifying retribution that Maria resisted—it was unable to sink into her Oltera Nexus to solidify her transformation, granting him this view.

A human’s Oltera Nexus can be like a stone, deflecting the delicate touch of the seed—it will not force itself into a place it is not welcomed, but once accepted, the change cannot be reversed.

To most of these Demi, the seed is practically falling through empty air through their Core, allowing it to instantly take root … A comet to erupt in a climactic radiance, and yet … there is an extraordinary case where it is neither stone nor free, but sand … gently easing its way, bit by bit … Why are there so few samples and the only two cases I’ve found are in children?

Two special children out of hundreds of thousands of souls are … troubling odds; pure seeds, untarnished by want, desire, and nature. It only grants me two chances to make this work, yet there are numberless other options to consider … If this succeeds, I can see the process in its entirety that could provide the answer.

A sad sigh rushed through his lips, vision narrowing as he rubbed between his eyes; one of the demons next to him provided updates regarding their intruders from Asher.

So, the summoning has started … And instead of prioritizing the calamity, they’re making Maria their objective … Disappointing. One woman taking priority over tens of thousands. Not your standard heroes. In any case, I cannot be interrupted at this delicate stage.

Rising to his feet, Wolfgang rubbed his neck and sent silent commands to his demon escort to prepare to enter the bunker; considering the instability of Camagüey, it was only natural to fortify a place to escape.

Wolfgang took out a small deck of cards from his back pocket, sliding out the last one and feeding a tiny amount of the demonic force Yseress infused inside his Core; it didn’t take much to activate, yet the price was great—he only had a year to live, given the experiments he’d conducted, yet his clones could carry on the work—his life was more than adequate for the results his research promised to bring about.

Armand was notified through the small ritual engraved into the card, and he took out another, using it to initiate one of his trump cards.

The room began to hum with an ominous note as the runes carved into the stone drew upon the spirits he’d gathered in its central design—all sound would have instantly been blocked, blinding the Hare Mythickin Asher spoke of.

Pressure closed in around Wolfgang’s frame with everyone else he’d identified to be drawn into the ritual; the twins and Maria couldn’t so much as move from the paralytic agent freezing their spirit from interacting with much of their body.

Darkness enveloped the space, and when it lifted, they were inside the bunker, teleporting all of the necessary supplies related to his work. His exact location was blocked by relatively weak devil’s magic, which was more than adequate, given the stages most seed bearers were at—Armand was a distinct exception—the dull-minded brute had dumped everything into a single field, which showed his insecurity.

Lifting his head, Wolfgang observed their new area; Maria was made a part of it by being strapped to the table. The boy and various twins carried with it the same concept due to their bonds. All but one of his demons had made the trip—one laid dead next to him, smoldering ash. It was a necessary sacrifice for such a spell.

“Well, back to work,” he calmly stated, sitting in his chair to look at the Mythickin again; nothing could interrupt his thoughts.

Silence fell upon the large underground room, which used to be a secret underground bunker for Castro. It was long forgotten, given those that were a part of the project had been executed to keep its secrecy; of course, it wasn’t difficult for the insectoid demons to come across and for him to repurpose—the documents left behind certainly were interesting.

Wolfgang retook his seat and glanced between the tools at his disposal. The second child is still isolated in her room a few doors to our right, which means my one obstacle is Maria herself … If this is going to work, I need her complaint … Why is everyone so focused on the limited individual? Small minds that cannot see the picture of peace and prosperity my actions bring.

Sitting back, he crossed his legs and gestured for Maria to move her head, giving her access to motion again. “I understand two of these young women arrived with you to enact your heroic rescue of Camagüey.”

Maria’s lower lip tucked under, tears welling up in her eyes while following his hand to the chained women that were now bound to an identical demonic mechanism that held the sixteen remaining twins in Camagüey suspended in the air by their wrists. The two known as Isabel and Edelira were as subdued as were the rest of the men and women, vision vacant after the teleport had enacted a more restricted protocol.

“No need to fret,” he assured, swapping to Spanish to further ease her nerves; it typically helped frightened individuals when speaking their native language, and it put a sense of familiarity into the conversation the person tended to be unaware of. “I am not here to hurt them, Maria.”

He gave her a compassionate smile, taking a deep breath; Maria’s face was swiftly flushing with emotion, and her frame began to tremble. “I understand you are frightened, but panicking will do little to help your situation.”

Applying another dose of demonic aura to her exposed Core, Wolfgang waited for her body to calm again. “I only need you for one purpose, and in the end, I will release you, Maria—if you comply, I promise to do the same for most of these twins. Surely, their lives are worth your composure?”

A full minute passed before he could sense her Core stilling; she was frightened, as would any person when even their ability to control their vision was taken from them, but the woman’s hero complex was strong enough to pull her back.

Shifting his legs to cross the opposite direction, he rubbed his stiff left shoulder; everything he’d dreamed of was moments away. “Good. Now, allow me to further clarify my position, so you aren’t taken unaware.”

He returned her movement faculties again, pointing her toward the twins. “I only need three pairs of twins to test my theory and begin Project Eve. Who those twins are matters little to me since this is a blind experiment and requires the results to be measured across multiple subjects.”

Knowing how indecisive and brutal of a question it would be yet posing it nonetheless, Wolfgang asked, “Do you wish to choose who takes part and who remains exempt? If you do not choose, I will choose for you.”

Opening her airway, he watched the woman cough, struggling to regain control over her disrupted breathing. “Y-You … sick … I … mmgh … Dang it!” she screamed.

Wolfgang ignored the tantrum; it was expected and calculated. “Are you saying you don’t want to save them?”

Maria hissed, chest heaving against her restraints as she glanced at the motionless teenagers, adults, children, and elderly twins. “No … You’re messin’ with me!”

“On the contrary,” Wolfgang stated, retaining a calming presence to further accelerate her compliance, “I am very serious, Maria. These are important individuals that I’ve gathered for specific purposes, and I will personally see you through the barrier myself if you comply. Although…”

Lips tightening, he nodded. “I can see why you might have trouble selecting which should stay behind. Should we ask them who you should pick to save?”

Deactivating the runic seals restraining the twins, Wolfgang expelled a sad sigh as tears, screams, and pleas escaped in a torrent from each of their mouths; a few went so far as to curse Maria for not jumping at the opportunity to save them.

The Mythickin was paralyzed by their responses, and with a single snap of his fingers, silence entered the room again; he allowed the throng to listen this time and could see the Champion Demi twins trying to be brave while grasping the situation. How interesting; the younger is willing to take another’s place.

Before Maria could collect herself, he released Isabel’s gag.

“M-Maria … If you need to p-pick someone,” the girl’s voice fluttered with her chest, “t-then I’m good … There’s children here…”

“Frik, I know!” Maria spat, nose twisting as she glared at him. “Do ya think I don’t? Yo, me for everyone else. Good?”

“No,” Wolfgang immediately shot down, causing the hope in a few of the twins’ eyes to shatter. “I told you, Maria. I need your cooperation and six twins.”

The woman’s silver irises shifted to the child on the table next to her. “What about this boy, huh? Is he counted in this crap, too?”

“Let me be clear, one last time, Maria.” Leaning forward, Wolfgang looked the woman dead in the eyes. “I need your cooperation, and it will happen one way or another. We can move to the torture of these people, or you can do a few straightforward steps and walk away with those that remain. Any more lip and one of these demons will carve a gash in one of your friend’s bellies until they reach their womb.”

Maria’s mouth snapped shut, visually frightened, and he soon learned why while continuing to study her; she could tell if someone was lying. Excellent. This will make things much easier!

Rising to his feet, Wolfgang held his hands behind his back. “I do this for the betterment of mankind, Maria. My work here may look heinous … Indeed, it is, by most standards, had I not the talent and ability to gain the means to launch humanity into the age of gods!”

Walking forward, he gestured toward the demons. “Do you suppose devils are the only threat we face? No, and the moment I learned of Asher’s plots and that what he sought was indeed real, I knew action had to be taken to protect the whole. Creatures beyond our understanding lie in wait, manipulating our destination and playing their games, but I will be no one’s pawn.”

He grunted, hard vision sliding to his workforce as they laid in wait to rip him apart the very second his hold over them slipped. “My place is to support humanity against those that would seek to use and enslave us, but there are rules they must abide by or else civil war would break out among them, and they are far too cowardly to invoke such odds, which gives us time.”

Maria’s eyebrows pulled together, vision falling to the floor as she processed his words; every one the unequivocal truth. “How … Yo, that’s twisted! You think you’re the good guy, dude? You’ve killed … How many people? An entire city? You are a Demon!”

“Mhm,” a smirk lifted his lips, “and how many would one of these god-like fiends kill if allowed to enter our world? Every human that doesn’t possess a seed would be fodder—worse than even what you have seen outside of these walls! You act the hero, but what do you have to show for it?”

The woman’s tongue was on the roof of her mouth as he continued; emotion was what would snap this woman into helping, and he knew exactly how to do it. “At this very moment, hundreds still suffer and die around you—tens of thousands of lives are having their spirits turned to pump to feed a devil’s aspiration to take these seeds for himself—and where are your friends? Are they saving these people? Stopping this ritual? No, their only concern is you,” he snarled.

Maria bit her lip, causing rays of light to shine through.

She’s close, but doubling down will be worse than honey.

Taking an audible breath as if trying to calm himself, Wolfgang ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. “I don’t do these things to hurt people, Maria … I do it to save more lives in the future … More than can be counted so long as the human race survives, and that is my goal. I want to save humanity from enemies you cannot comprehend, and the only way to do that is to unlock the secret of these seeds and spread them.”

Eyes widening upon realizing his sincerity, she shook her head. “I … how the freak can you believe that … After everything I saw outside … This is helping humanity? What do you mean you want to spread the seeds to save us?”

“Don’t you see?” he whispered. “These seeds are the key to everything—humanity’s advancement, the right of gods, and rising out of the mud to take our place beyond the stars—into a higher state of being. Yes, these seeds can accomplish that, Maria, but only for the select few … What if I said I could grant this gift to everyone … All of humanity, armed to fight these creatures leering down from on high like ravenous wolves.”

He looked away, showing the weight of his actions that pressed in on his psyche. “Am I perfect—no, Maria, and will I rot in the nightmare I brought upon this city? Without a doubt.”

Speechless at his conviction, she watched him unbutton his shirt to reveal a ritual Yseress had carved into his body, from neck to feet. “I am willing to risk my everything … My soul will be dragged to Hades, and there is no reprieve. To gain the power I needed to make this a reality, I sacrificed my own seed … An offering to Yseress’s master to give humanity the edge in this eventual war … I am chained to Hades.”

“You’re insane,” Maria muttered. “Why?”

“Why else?” he laughed, buttoning his shirt back up with a satisfied smile. “I wish to take humanity beyond that which confines us … to transcend the limits we’ve been placed under and be the catalyst to bring us to a golden era. Are my methods cruel? Yes. Yet, it is the only way I could make this happen given my limited time frame and the resistance you no doubt know I would get. When the product is finished and passed on, there will be no putting it back.”

Standing before the woman, he paused to let the information sink in; all of the others heard his declaration, yet none of them could understand the weight he felt or the truth therein like Maria. “So … Will you help me, Maria? You know the depth of my conviction and what lengths I am willing to go to. I don’t want to hurt a single soul that is not required.”

He could feel the hot puff of air that shot through her teeth; she couldn’t look at him. “Will … this hurt any of them? How many have to suffer?”

An intelligent and compassionate woman. She knew where this led next and chose to sacrifice her own morals to keep them safe. It’s time.

“So long as you corporate … I only expect the boy to suffer a spiritual collapse.”

Maria’s dead eyes slid from him to the sleeping child on the table next to him. “One child, to save dozens of lives … Why do I have to make that decision?”

“Thus is life,” Wolfgang lamented. “Reality is cruel, and progress has never been achieved without sacrifice of one form or another. It is the holier-than-thou morals of those who were never placed in that position that will set their scornful eyes upon you—the life of the revolutionary is a hard one.”

“I take no pleasure in this,” Wolfgang muttered, gesturing to the demons behind him.

The dozens of twins suspended in the air wiggled and squirmed in terror as the fiends closed in around several. “How many need to die before none are left, and it is their lives you have sacrificed for your morals?”

Defeated, Maria slumped against her restraints. “What do you need me to do?”

Happy he’d guided the conflict down the proper path to avoid further bloodshed, Wolfgang’s knees felt weak, causing him to return to his seat with a low sigh. A tear slid down his cheek as chemicals flooded his veins. “Finally, everything I’ve worked for has begun flourishing.”

Running his fingers through his hair, he felt a weight lift off his breast upon looking at the heartbroken woman in front of him; stripped of all the layers she used to protect herself, vulnerable, Maria was ready to accept the part of herself she feared the most.

Steepling his fingers, he leaned forward, and every harmful act he’d done flashed through his mind as he prepared himself for this last experiment—he was betting everything on it being a success, and it was all because of Maria.

Voice clear and distinct in the ensuing silence as the throng waited with bated breath to hear what would come, Wolfgang said, “Maria, I need you to kill me.”

Maria’s downcast eyes slowly lifted, confusion swimming within while her forehead creased. “Kill you?”

Slowly nodding, he chuckled. “There is a part in you that you resist even now … Even with so many people’s lives on the line—the things I’ve done—you refuse to take a life. The moment you saw your father shoot a man—it scarred you to the very Core, and you’ve put on all of these masks and walls to help your brother survive—to make it through your cruel world in one piece that chews up little girls and spits them out.”

He could practically see the chills running down her spine as he brought back the buried memory in the depths of her soul. “The one lie you told in your life was to your brother … You don’t love your dad—you fear him, and you resent yourself for being unable to do what Rachel can, and that is the reason you cannot accept this offensive side of your Mythickin transformation which is injecting itself into your Oltera Nexus—you resist with all your might.”

Walking to the side of the room, he extracted a PM semi-automatic pistol, positioning it to show her the gun. Taking out the clip and removing all but the bullet in the chamber, he’d already concluded what needed to happen and sent further instructions to the appropriate clone—nothing trumped this experiment.

Wolfgang returned to her side; her silver eyes were wide in shock, still stuck on his order while her mind relived the past trauma. “Shoot me square in the head … If you don’t, these demons will kill every one of these people.”

His vision wandered to the boy beside them. “Oh, and while I know you wouldn’t dare, I have a replacement for the boy in case you decide to turn the weapon on him instead.”

“Do … I have to?” she mumbled in disbelief, fixating on the steel in his hand as he fiddled with her restraints and made sure she could still stand. “I don’t think … I can’t…”

Wolfgang silently extended the weapon to her; she was too stunned to cry. “This is your only option, Maria. Kill one man—one evil man, and save fifty-six. It shouldn’t even be a question in your mind.”

She flinched, recognizing his calculated lie. “I am an evil man that has committed atrocious crimes against humanity. Correct? Shoot me down, Maria … End this nightmare for these people.”

“It’s too much…” she coughed, clutching her breast.

He released the gag on the other prisoners, but not one person had a wet enough throat to voice their opinion on the matter while watching Maria.

The demons took another few paces toward the men and women, causing them to cry out, and the children soon broke into quiet sobs, driving Maria on—she hesitantly reached forward and grapes the butt of the gun.

It shook in her arm as she slowly raised it to his head, shaky vision darting to the demons and people for a split second.

A smile touched his lips. “Know you will be sending me straight to Hades … No guessing required. The demons won’t attack you or anyone else for killing me, Maria. Be the hero they need.”

“I … I can’t…”

The cold barrel of the weapon pressed against his forehead; he could feel her quaking muscles as it bit into his skin. “Kill a ch—”

His vision went black as the sharp sound of the gunpowder blew out his ears; his fading mind fell with his body as the last vestiges of his consciousness began to fade and heat rose in his chest—relief filled his soul, and in the next, lance-like barbs that penetrated his entire being as black flames injected into his veins, pulling him to Hades.

It was worth it…

* * *

A grin lifted Wolfgang’s lips as he opened the door to see his own brain matter explode across the nearby chair, floor, and Maria’s front; Maria collapsed to her butt in disbelief, the gun falling from her quaking fingers as it spread throughout her entire body.

Hands clasped behind his back, Wolfgang examined his original body; the importance of this discovery had drawn his entire notice the moment the original brought it to his attention.

He had his own plans, yet this could alter their entire vision of the future, pulling him away from his work at the prison in an instant when it was concluded what it would require.

It was simple enough to push Maria into the position that would allow the seed to sink the rest of the way into her Core, and among all the clones, only he was skilled enough in Core Detection and manipulation to accomplish what was required.

Taking one of the seats a demon offered him since their binding had transferred to him as to the contract hierarchy, Wolfgang sat to observe the Unicorn’s transformation, looking beyond her physical alterations.

Maria’s elf-like ears receded instantly, her hair covering the area, and as was initially intended, given her Myth, pure white horse ears took their place with a thick tail that extended across the floor.

Her body did change, but more importantly, her spirit and Intelligence went through similar transformations as the seed burrowed within her Oltera Nexus, allowing Wolfgang to follow its incredibly long path to its settling point.

He licked his lips, keeping track of the tendrils that wove through the seemingly infinite expanse that comprised the complex inner-workings of a living being—he found it.

It won’t be in the same place, but this is the starting location…

In the next instant, it was gone, dispersed in ways he couldn’t even begin to comprehend, yet that was fine—he just needed to know where it was, and now, he could extract the boy’s and test his theory.

The most critical part of the experiment was about to unfold. Can I feed my own desire into the seed before it latches onto a new host … Can I make it replicate as a condition of activation for the new user, allowing it to spread across the planet?