Factory Reset: Divine Corruption

Chapter One Hundred and Four

Chapter One Hundred and Four: Water and Metal

Coldness. A deep, cascading coldness, surrounding and ever consuming. Flashes of heat and warmth above unreachable to those below it. All those souls around, hearts set on destroying a deity of certain creation. All dead set on saving the universe.

"Are you okay, captain?" Bathysphere asked, the coldness sinking its teeth deep into his soul. Mason looked out of it, eyes wide and scared. Bathysphere's visor split open into a deep grimace, gripping his captain by the arm. Of course something had to happen.

There was little water around them, but the little there was, Bathysphere could control. The protogen pressed his claws deep against the glitching soul, feeling around for every scrap of rusting water. His claws tightened as the water burst from the ground around him, mere sprinklers.

"Get a hold of yourself captain! This isn't the time to reminisce and be in distress!" Bathysphere called, eyes burning with Boson Energy as the little Overclock serum he was given was starting to slowly replicate in his bloodstream.

Bathysphere drummed his fists against the soil, sucking every little molecule of water he could. The glacier he had used to move Mason out of the way instantly evaporated, reduced to liquid and arched to form a flowing barrier around them. The aquatic protogen turned to his dazed captain, and he felt himself think for a moment.

Acting on impulse, Bathysphere approached Mason, and raised his hand. Some water congealed around the palm, and with a harsh watery pulse, Bathysphere smacked his captain against the cheek, immediately knocking the rabbit out of his stupor.

"Apologies, captain, but I can't have you be useless this entire fight. You did whatever you did for a reason, and you need to help." The protogen told his captain, helping the rabbit back onto his paws. Mason gently slid his fingers against the stinging cheek, feeling reality come back to him.

"Thank you, Bathy..." Mason commented, shaking himself off in a quiet, sorta trembling fashion. Bathysphere nodded, throwing his hand out to disperse the barrier around them, before quickly forming it into a ball of perpetually flowing water behind them. He grabbed Mason's hand and tugged him along, towards the bright lights of the battle commencing ahead of them.

Bathysphere called upon the water, and ice formed beneath their paws, Bathysphere controlling the water to make it solidify and carry them towards the deity they were facing at high speeds, "Of course captain, not get ready to fight like hell!" The protogen yelled, claws burning bright.

"Of course... Of course." Mason responded, steeling his nerves as his mind finally refocused on what was important. The God before them. Even so, he could feel that metal he brought rest above his heart, paining him.

"Of course!" Mason yelled, releasing his scythe. This was no time to be still and cry, that was for after the battle had ended. No, this was the time to strike and to destroy. The explosions were getting heavier. The Boson-Energy around them was at an all-time high. And Mason took all that in.

He bathed in the energy, and his scythe would reap that god's corrupted soul.

******

"Here we are!" Rallycry voided, his paws slamming down hard against the glitching soil and broke apart rocks. There were scorch marks behind them, as the Overclock serum within Rallycry's blood was already taking hold. The protogen laid the Mosomarian onto the ground, and looked at him with a determined face.

"I believe in you. Good luck, Ja'Kle. We're relying on you, be safe." And in a flash of violet lightning, the protogen was off, leaving a scorching trail in the air as he ran to go and assist his fellow protogen in fighting the deity. Ja'Kle gulped, but scrambled towards the machine.

He could feel the thing breathing around him. Maybe it was the godly blessing he was gifted, but he could sense the divine creature around him. Not constructed out of Boson-Energy, no, this was a truly divine thing. He wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did.

Ja'Kle clenched his fists as he took flight. There was an opening within the mechanical creature, meters high and meters in length. The Mosomarian's wings flapped hard against the air as he zoomed into the creature, bright lights passing through all of his eyes. The absent matter he controls felt more powerful within him, the Mosomarian found.

He could feel the layout of the creature. It was a labyrinth of winding and turning roads leading into more and more roads and turns. Within the heart was Juda, he Ja'Kle could sense her there. The machine was nearly ready.

Absent matter took over Ja'Kles body even more than the armor did. It enhanced his power and strength, his wings striking through the air with such force that Ja'Kle bumped into the ceiling, his antenne wiring and pushed back by the force of the air resistance.

Ja'Kle's wings brushed against each side of the corridors, making sharp turns following the correct route to Juda (Which Ja'Kle wasn't sure how he even knew). The air was weird in there, but so was it weird outside. Ja'Kles mind had a hard time comprehending the organic metallic "skin" of the divine creature he was within.

A growl found its way lodged in Ja'Kles throat as he flew through the hallways and landings. He wasn't sure how on earth he could feel the right path towards Juda, he just could. And it was before him, stretching and twisting and conforming to the ever gentle hum of the creature.

Ja'Kle felt the absent matter that clung onto his body hum in the same rhythm. Whatever it meant, whatever was to come, Ja'Kle was ready for it. He would do what needed to be done, whatever it was. Whatever he needed to do, as he wasn't entirely sure himself.

For Mason, he told himself. For the universe, he thought again, an afterthought. His mind prioritized Mason above all else, even himself, at this point. Whatever that meant for his safety, Ja'Kle couldn't care less. Not for his sake, or Mason's, or the universe's.

He was going to do this. He could feel himself getting closer to Juda. Maybe they could win after all, he thought, hopefully.

Maybe they could win after all.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Howdy! Another chapter after... I don't even know how many days!

Sorry, heh. I should be better about this, but oh well. Thank y'all for reading that are still reading, that really does mean a lot to me. I mean it, just... thank you.

I'll update soon! Hopefully, at least, heh!

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed. See you soon!

~ Candle

4/10/2022