Changed: Outbreak

Chapter 28: Call of the infernal catharsis

[Lui's pov]

"You fell. You damaged yourself again, but don't worry; I saved you again, but this time at a cost."

In reaction, I opened my eyes before rapidly standing up and sitting up straight. In my distress, I looked about and saw the darkness of the surroundings. The same emptiness from the beginning. I'm back in my dream state, but how did I get here? I ruminated to myself, my head low, until eventually piecing it all together. The parachute bag I was wearing was defective and wouldn't open, and I must have plummeted to my death, or something similar should have happened.

I gingerly rose from the freezing tiled floor and looked around. I trembled when a cold air brushed past my shoulders. Something isn't quite right. Most importantly, somebody must have contacted me, causing me to enter the dream state. Is it the Malware or someone else? A figure suddenly emerged from the emptiness and took a hesitant step towards me. As the figure approaches, a golden light glows dimly inside the darkness, and the distance between us is close enough for me to discern the figure.

It revealed to be a green Protogen. I've never seen a green Protogen like this before. Is this the Protogen that Doctor K referred to? The green Protogen's LED visor is gold, and it looks to have its LED eyes closed. The green Protogen appears to be smaller than the standard Protogen and to be the same height as I am. Who would have guessed that there is someone who is as short as I am? I believed I was the only one. The green Protogen suddenly came to a halt in front of me, his visor oriented in my direction.

"So this is how it feels like to access the dream state, and I can magically speak here despite my voice box being fried from my accidental birth. You must be Lui, the third failed host of the Malware that I seek to free. I have learned  from the artifact stored within the deep laboratories regarding the others who have been possessed by the Malware. The Doctor claims that the Malware called Scott, Prima, and you a failed host. Have you given it a thought that you could've been the one true successful host of the legendary Malware that plagued the minds of all?"

Thoughts and questions run through my mind, overwhelming me with rage and total perplexity. "How do you know me? I am not a failed host of this foolish Malware! I am cursed, and I want to be freed from the Malware's clutches; I want to have a normal life!" I said angrily, my paws curled into fists. My emotions are boiling within me. I can feel it all pent up inside of me, and it longs to be released. I want to be liberated. I'm exhausted and sick of it all. My visor must be showing a tired and helpless expression right now as I stand in front of the Saint.

"Emotions, I can feel them well up inside you. Don't worry child. Your struggles will soon be over after I ascend the Malware inside of you. You have to wait for a little longer now before you are finally free. You must reach the deeper laboratories to obtain the black mechanical artifact. I shall wait for you there--" His speech was cut short by a figure appearing out of nowhere and leaping in front of him, tackling the Saint to the ground. The figure appears to be another Protogen, but larger and taller. No, this isn't a Protogen. Is this a Primagen? The same Primagen Puro spoke to me about? The Primagen has red horns protruding from their head, and their visor's LED is purple.

As I recognized the familiar Primagen, a realization struck me. It's the same Primagen I saw in one of my visions. Scott and Prima faced the same Primagen on top of the tower. It is Malware! "Who dares to break through the first lock of the fail safe and barge in, just to speak rubbish of the mighty Malware?" shouted the Malware at the fallen Saint on the floor. The Saint appeared to be unfazed by the incident, without flinching a single muscle.

"My intuition tells me that you are the one and only Malware that I must save, and your comment confirms my suspicion; we have finally met, Malware." The Saint stated, and the Malware tilted his head in uncertainty before rising from the Saint, releasing the Saint. The Saint rose to his feet and turned to face Malware. "I am the Saint. I was summoned on the mortal plane to ascend you to a higher form. A being like you deserves to live with the Gods. However, I am unable to ascend you yet because you are trapped within Lui's mind and body. You must first be freed from the boy's body and manifest yourself into another host with full control." the Saint explained to the Malware. The Malware then casts a look at me before turning to face the Saint.

"You claim to be a godlike creature capable of ascending beings; what else can you do, Saint?" the Malware said. The Saint then raised his left paw and pointed it upwards. Above him, an image of the black mechanical artifact materialized. "I was given an ability to decipher the contents of any artifact and an ability to cast the spells of the Gods. I was born from the ciphered texts of an artifact accidentally fused into a mortal being. The black mechanical artifact found in this planet has given me knowledge that the Cosmic beings only know of. It has given me spells, and with my ability I can cast the spells to my disposal. Using the spells, I shall transcend you from the mortal plane and into the higher plane of the Cosmic beings where you deserve to belong." The Saint spoke clearly to the Malware before giving out a nasty sneer on his visor.

This cannot be. Is the Malware intending to join forces with the Saint in order to ascend? This is a disaster. If I don't act, the Malware will be able to ascend to the immortal plane and wreak chaos! "It sounds like a good offer, but I unfortunately must decline it; however, I would like to present my counter offer, which requires me manifesting into your body for me to take control of, battling possibly Lui as my third failed host, and battling the Cosmic worm itself to banish me from the mortal plane and ascend me into the higher planes of existence. I would love to have the title of Devourer of Gods bestowed upon me; how lovely and nostalgic that sounds spoken aloud," the Malware said before turning to stare at me.

The Saint's grin had changed into a scowl, despite the fact that his eyes were still closed. "Don't you trust the Saint's abilities to ascend you?" The Saint asked and the Malware turned to look at him before shaking his head. "Not that I don't believe in your abilities. In fact, I'd want to get my paws on them. Saint, you're just a tool to me. As heavenly as you speak, I don't need a peasant's assistance to ascend. This act of ascending me must have been rejected by the Cosmic Gods. Are you even on the side of the cosmic worm? No, I'm afraid. Regardless of the outcome, I continue to desire the Cosmic worm itself to transcend me. You may leave now, Saint." The Malware then motions with his left paw. With a rapid swiping gesture, the Saint suddenly vanished from the dream state.

The Malware then turns to face me before lifting his right paw and reaching it forward. "Let's reach an agreement on you. Once I surrender myself to the Saint, you will be released from my possession. Consequently, don't even consider of removing me from your physical body. After Scott momentarily disabled me, I've found a means to overcome the limits of being in hardware and chose to fully integrate inside you. It is no longer necessary to make contact with the artifact. I have the ability to take control of you at any time, but we shall restrict that with a truce. The terms will be simple. You are granted permission when to let me control you until I successfully transfer to the Saint. We'll both meet our objectives. Deal?" The Malware proposed, and without hesitation I raised my left paw and shook his paw.

Fine, simply to gain me my freedom, but first, do you know how the dream state works? Can we contact the others? " I inquired, and the Malware laughed. You're quite fortunate. I have the capacity to reach out to to others in any condition and compel them into a dream state. Given that the truce is currently in place, this should be my first interaction with you. However, we are unable to contact anyone who is not a Protogen. Who are we attempting to reach out to? The Malware inquired, and I couldn't help but grin in my mind.

"Bring in Scott and John. I need to talk to them regarding our truce and the state of the chaos."

"Add in the fact that the Saint is scheming something bad to Puro, Colin, and my ex-assistant."

My eyes immediately widened. "What?! How?! Wait, ex-assistant? Who's that?"

"I'll explain after we finish talking with the others. It's a long backstory that goes back to your brother, or father, or predecessor, or whatever you want to call him."