Capítulo 10: Meanwhile

Vitals displayed on a monitor in front of Ann, she scrolled through the various patients, a hand touched her shoulder causing a wave of anxiety to wash over her. "How fairs our star patient?" Doctor Carter stood over her shoulder, he leaned in, close, too close. The man made her nerves turn to water, he had an imposing presence, with a glance he could unwrap all of your insecurities. Ann had seen many people fold under his gaze, even after three years with the man she never really felt comfortable. Remaining professional Ann reported, "Patient 23 has maintained 100% synchronicity since entering Xternity, his vitals have improved since surgery, it would seem the upload has been a complete success. The patient has exhibited exceptional capacity to comprehend and navigate Xternity, more so then any of our previous candidates. We've yet to determine what qualities prove relevant to a successful upload, comparing brain waves of the patients show no correlation or determining factors."

"If you had to provide a hypothesis, what would it be?" Doctor Carter took his hand off her shoulder, he walked over to a monitor and started a video of a patient failing to upload.

"I'm not sure doctor, all data indicate it as a random formula for success with no one size fits all."

Smugly, "That's your problem Ann, you derive your conclusions using what they taught you in medical school, think outside the box, what were doing here will change the fate of humanity, we near the dawn of a new age... Allow me to enlighten you, success or failure depends entirely on one's very soul. The will to survive, to live on when the body fails, mortality is merely a barrier preventing our ascension. Those who refuse to be bound by the fate of their humanity are capable of adapting to the stimuli we introduce. The mystery remaining is determining capability without attempt. The Foundation expects us to provide a path to Xternity that eliminates failure. Colorado has reached out, they've requested my attendance, ill be flying out in the morning. I expect you to continue our work, report any deterioration in our stable patients immediately, I'll not tolerate failure Ann..." Ann understood the consequences of failure, she had witnessed what the doctor was truly capable of..

"Absolutely sir, we will be transferring 23 into his incubation chamber at 0700. As of now we have four functioning patients in stasis, 25 is maintaining at 83% and showing no signs of progression, should we terminate?"

"Your call, its time you feel the weight of our decisions." Turning, the Doctor left the room and Ann to her thoughts. Wither she agreed or not had long ceased to matter, the Foundation provided her family with generational wealth, providing her children with privilege's few could afford, it was worth it... That's what she told herself as she exited the monitoring room.

With each room she passed a memory, a life, mainly ones snuffed out, ones she once swore to save, how many lives had greed taken? Shoving the thought aside Ann focused on the successes, room 23 for example. Perhaps they'd have saved him on the operating table, he'd have been left crippled, they amputated his damaged leg, his organs so badly damaged he'd have remained tied to machinery regardless. At least in Xternity the man could live, his quality of like would depend on his own efforts yet it was a life. It remained a mystery as to ones lifespan inside Xternity, their bodies were being preserved, hypothetically they'd live as long as the machines sustaining them remained powered. Much was left to be learned and Ann strived to unravel the wonders. Reaching room 25 Ann turned the cold steel handle, laying on the table was a convicted killer, sentenced to death, willingly giving his life for science, his sync rate remained at 83%. Did this man deserve a second chance? Morality said no, while science only saw a guinea pig, as she prepared termination, the monitor suddenly flashed 84%.

Icicles flew towards their target, a foul smelling creature called a Bog Bull, knee high and as wide as a wagon these beasts have six legs with webbed feet. They hide in swamps, waiting for unexpecting passerby's to enter their range. Shooting their rope like tongues they wrap around their prey, dragging them towards their razor sharp teeth. Valeria Von Dane executed icicle spear to perfection, alongside the might Iceberg Ape Gruxe she felt invincible. Each moved in anticipation of the other, a spear caught the Bog Bull under its dreary purple eye, imbed in the scaly flesh, green ooze flowed from the wound. A deep pitched croak rumbled in this beast's throat, a sure sign it was about to lash out with its bulbous tongue. As the appendage extended Gruxe reached out, snatching both tongue and beast free from the swamp, it crashed into the thick mud splattering muck high into the air. Relentless, Gruxe reeled the beast in by its tongue, shrieks of pain did little to appease the angry ape. A loud snapping sound followed as the weight of the Bog Bull and the strength of Gruxe's grip reached a stalemate. Wailing with ooze pouring from its now rudderless mouth the bull charged, Vale wrapped the frenzied beast in a bubble which activated Gruxe's amulet of crystallization. Encased in an icy tomb the bog bull could only watch as Gruxe's fracture fist shattered both ice and beast, leaving only shards of foul frozen flesh. With another 500 experience in the bag the pair grew one step closer to level twelve. Two days of constant travel had passed since they left Cas cuddled next to his lion, both the boys were hard sleepers she had learned from their time together. There had been no need to sneak away without saying goodbye yet she feared the boy would chase after her. Boy, as if she didn't realize he was a grown man, another soul sent to Xternity courtesy of that whack job back in Boston. Vale concealed her identity from Cas, she wasn't ready to explain, nor to ask how he ended up here. That was a conversation that required time and wine, at the time she had neither and honestly feared what he might say. Her story was bad enough, she contented herself with thoughts that his arrival was uncoerced. Cas was a good guy, that she was sure of, having always had a keen sense for that sort of thing she wondered why she ever trusted the Doctor. Putting aside thoughts that haunted her Vale navigated the swamp, when the Soul Reapers sword dropped she had received a quest, accepting it before Cas ever had a chance to see the opportunity, not only was he not ready, his starting quest wasn't complete. Whatever was happening back in Adanano, she hoped he would succeed, it was nice having a real person around... Gauging the time that had passed since her arrival, it had been six months, that was only an estimate though. She couldn't be sure time functioned in the same way as it did on Earth. Gruxe pawed at a swarm of bloodflies, his annoyance written all over his face. "Hang in there, were almost out this cesspool big fella" Vale walked close to the ape, alert to the breathing terrain of Sworbur* swamp. Their destination was an elven city, Kytemel*, home to the closest Devine temple, her quest instructed to deliver the evidence to a priest called Fenian within three days. Were they going deeper into the swamp nearing its end, Vale couldn't tell. She just hoped Kytemel smelled better.

Cas woke to the sound of trumpets, Raeja rolled over attempting to cover his ears, neither enjoyed mornings. Stretching, Cas rose, today was bound to be an exciting one. A system message appeared in his mind menu.

"Defeat your opponent and advance in the Iron tournament to receive a reward and increase favor with Eleutiro. Optional Objective, seek out Turf accountant Petilus to place a wager, found near the fountain before the opening ceremony."

Hmm, Cas had never been a gambling man, then again he had never been a gladiatorially trained lion tamer either. What harm could come from making a bet on himself? Donning his equipment he realized Raeja still wore the training collar, ruffling the lion's mane he unclasped the device and tossed it in his inventory. There was some time to kill before his match, he was due to meet Felix outside the coliseum at high noon. "Lets see what this city has to offer, I bet we can find you a chicken or two while were at it!" Raeja perked up with that and the pair exited Cas' quarters.

*Sworbur Swamp- South of Adanano this vast wetland separates the human and elven kingdoms.

*Kytemel- Known for its Devine temple the elves here follow the tenets set by the Divine Entente, bloodshed within the city is considered sacrilegious any who break the Laws of Entente are subject to execution by drowning.