Chương 299: 295: A Plague of Phantoms: Incomplete Angels I
"Chief researchers log, Report 3346-A4. We've encountered another problem with the Nephilguize, or rather the failures that have been produced thus far…" The hologram said then paused mid-sentence. The hologram suddenly became fuzzy and then blinked off.
"Data file corrupted or damaged, attempting to play another file." The voice of the machine said. I groaned, having flashbacks to when I was stuck on that space station with Jane and her parents. "Data file found, initiating playback…"
I watched as the small hologram blitzed and fizzled for several seconds before the image of a splicer with a farm crystal on his right cheek appeared. Bone-lasher, and Fours all walked over to listen to the recording with me and Empress while Jiggles wandered around the room and picked through the rubble.
"Chief researchers log, Report 109-JA3, our mistress has come up with a new…and admittedly radical idea. Evos that can use mana and cast spells. Ludicrous idea. Utterly impossible I say however, Lady Lulu'Zurkai begs to differ. As her loyal servant I am honor bound to see her will done. Though I would be kidding myself if I didn't reiterate how I am doubtful of the project's success. We will be starting the preliminary work tomorrow. End of report." The splicer said.
"That name again…Lulu'Zurkai…" I muttered softly then scratched my chin. "…a previous star farm crystal bearer. "
"My lord, that man wasn't speaking in the usual language. He used the language of your grandsire's people." Empress spoke up. My eyes widened as I realized she was right, the splicer was speaking Torapos. I was so used to speaking it when I was with Grandma and Grandpa that my mind immediately translated it subconsciously.
[He also talked about evos using mana. Like yours Pretender.] Fours said. I nodded as the crystal in the machine flickered several times. The image flickered for a brief second and a new one came into view.
"Chief researchers log, Report 229-89SD1, our mistress has produced a new prototype of here 'ideal evo' as she has grown to call this endeavor. This prototype is currently being called Nephiloze. It is the combination of an ape, goat and bat; and not a very good one at that. Definitely not one befitting the majesty of the star farm crystal bearer however as she herself did not splice this Evo. I have very little hope for this evo or any evo created based off it. However that is not for me to decide. Further updates to follow. End of report." The Chief researcher reported.
"Nephiloze…could those be those evos that attacked us…?" I muttered to myself.
[Doubt it, Pretender. Those evos seemed more like late draft evos, like my kin and I, not early draft evos.] Fours spoke up through our connection.
"I agree with brittlefang there." Bone-lasher spoke up and pointed at Fours. The Gravegyle hissed at Bone-lasher for the unflattering nickname. I had to suppress a chuckle though all my evos could sense my amusement through our connection.
"My lord that man said that it was a prototype. More than likely the evos that we have faced thus far are the finished product. After all they were able to cast spells which indicates they have mana." Empress said. I nodded in contemplation while the machine cycled through its corrupted files trying to find a usable one. It found one after a moment and started displaying the next report.
"Chief researcher's log, Report 1559-44WGA, Our mistress has become gripped by lunacy! With the recent success of the Nephilargolos, her third iteration of this fools errand, she has begun to embark on a grave sin! She plans to create another iteration only this one will use…I shudder to record this. To speak aloud the folly of my mistress but she plans to use…human sacrifices. Living splicers as part of the base! She is more than certain that this is the path to her perfect evo! I pray she is wrong. End of report." The Chief researcher reported.
"HUMAN SACRIFICE!" I bellowed as I clenched my fists. "What the hell is it with splicers and human sacrifices! I can't go three days without hearing about it lately!"
"Chief researcher's log, Report 1600-FG33A, our mistress has done it. She has done the impossible, she successfully spliced a evo that can use mana. We are calling them Nephilguize, though that is an unofficial name. Our mistress however does not seem satisfied with this accomplishment as these Nephilguize are not perfect. They are able to use mana but are not able to generate it themselves. They can steal mana through touch…something we discovered through an…incident involving one of the junior researchers. His remains will be transported back to Africa in the morning. More experimentation is required to understand the full potential of these new evos and how to use them to further my Mistress goals. End of report." The Chief researcher reported.
"Data file corrupted or damaged, attempting to play another file." The voice from the machine said aloud.
"Nephilguize…that has to be those things we saw earlier…they stole Bone-lasher and Jiggles mana through touch. Why do I have a bad idea about what happened inside this room?" I said to myself as I looked around.
"If these Nephilguize drain mana then they probably need mana to survive." Empress spoke up then looked over at the corpse Bone-lasher had found earlier. "They probably revolted and killed everyone here."
"Undamaged file found! Initiating playback!" The machines voice called out.
"Chief researcher's log, screw it! The Nephilguize are revolting! Incurring heavy losses, more than half of the laboratory's staff is already dead or captured by these accursed creatures! And of course Lady Lulu'Zurkai is away when all hell breaks loose! These creatures are more dangerous than any evo I've ever encountered, not only are they able to drain mana but also cast any spell that they witness. They used these tricks to hide the fact that they can reproduce! Of all the evos that could breed it had to be them! I am sealing off the lab and cutting it from natural space time! These creatures cannot be allowed to reach the outside world! Lady Lulu'Zurkai if you are watching this recording I beg of you, RUN! Leave this place and never return! Destroy your pass key! It is the only thing that can connect the laboratory to real space time. If some member of the Tolapo militia is watching this or worse…the next star farm crystal bearer…please destroy this place. For the good of the world…destroy this place…and learn from the mistakes and hubris of myself and my people. Evos were not meant to wield magic…this is my final report…"
The machine fizzled and blinked several times as the crystal stopped projecting the image of the Chief researcher. Another image flashed, it was the picture of the Nephilguize or rather the evos that had attacked us earlier. I gritted my teeth then focused on the manacite communication ring.
[Grandpa, Bo, Anders, anybody!] I called out to anyone who would listen.
[Starlight? What's wrong?] Grandpa Seamus replied almost immediately.
[Are you fighting more evos?] Turak'Kahn asked.
[Chase? Damn, using these rings is still weird.] Reagan muttered.
[Everyone! I found a laboratory and I know what these evos that attacked us. They're called Nephilguize…and they're bad news!] I exclaimed.
***
[…and that's all I know about them.] I concluded my explanation of what I knew. Grandpa, Reagan, and Turak'Kahn all stayed silent while I explained everything. Turak'Kahn was the first to speak.
[Human sacrifices…you'd think that the ancients would be more enlightened than that. Especially a star farm crystal bearer!] Turak'Kahn grumbled. I nodded in agreement though nobody could see it.
[Splicers can use humans to create evos…the ones we've been fighting were once people…?] Reagan asked.
[Yes…so it seems…such practices are barbaric and illegal nearly across the globe.] Turak'Kahn replied.
[Chase! Your evos can use this mana right? Did you sacrifice humans to make them?] Reagan demanded with a snarl.
[Fuck no! My evos shaped, not spliced! It's more like techno-splicing if I want to be technical! Besides I'd never sacrifice another human…I know what it's like to be disposable…] I replied. Reagan was silent for several seconds, I couldn't help but feel tense for those seconds until I heard his voice.
[I believe you…but what do we do now? Are we still trying to get out of here?] Reagan asked.
[Obviously! I'm not staying in a massive lab with a bunch of splicer hunting evos!] I exclaimed. [For right now getting everyone together is the main objective. Reagan, you and Bo are still in a massive staircase right?]
[Well…sort of…I mean we're still here but…um nevermind. You'll need to see this yourself.] Reagan said mysteriously. I frowned at that but didn't have a chance to reply.
"Boss! More of those Nephil-freaks are coming this way!" Bone-lasher called out and turned towards the open door of the lab.
Bone-lasher shared his vision with me and I was dragged across the many corridors of the laboratory to the very edge of Bone-lasher's field of vision. The Nephilguize were clambering over one another as they rushed down through hallways in our direction. They were a ways off but it wouldn't take long to reach us.
"Fuck...knowing they can steal mana I would rather avoid a fight if we can…" I said then looked back towards the back of the lab which had a smaller door. "…Bone-lasher, you're the fastest here so I want you to run ahead and scout out the staircase that Reagan and Bo are at right now."
"Understood Boss! I'm heading out!" Bone-lasher exclaimed.
I rushed over to the door and opened it for Bone-lasher. Lightning started sparking off his body and in a flash he disappeared down the new hallways. I looked to Empress, Jiggles, and, Fours then looked over to the front door to the lab.
"Empress block the door with your feathers. Add some burn attribute mana to them to keep the approaching Nephilguize occupied." I ordered.
Empress nodded then rushed over to the door and fanned her wings open. Firing a flurry of burning, metallic feathers that blocked the door completely. She looked back at me with a proud smirk. I nodded approvingly then turned back towards the back door to the lab.
[Jiggles, Fours, run point. Empress, you're taking up the rear. Bone-lasher supply everyone with a route that avoids as many Nephilguize as possible!] I ordered everyone through the connection.
[Understood!] Everyone exclaimed.
Seamus
"…so that's what those evos are called. Nephilguize…evos that were made through human sacrifice…fuck…" Anders muttered with a frown as I explained everything to him. "What's the plan?"
"Find Starlight. 'er in danger till we do. If those evos want mana then they might kill us since we're normies." I replied.
"Fuck! And we're low on bullets!" Anders said.
"We have my spells still and Delphinium's abilities." Turak'Kahn spoke up. I looked at the ruler then down at the Kitsune.
"Using spells would only attract more of 'em. The best idea would be ta not use it." I said. The Pharaoh nodded in agreement and crossed his arms.
[My abilities are not based in magic or mana so they should not attract those Nephilguize attention.] Delphinium spoke up.
"Correct, if they had then more of them would have come after Delphinium and I instead of attacking You and Anders." Turak'Kahn said looking at me and Anders.
"Wait…why did all those Nephil-freaks come after the old man and I instead of you two…we're both Normies." Anders asked.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Hutexa_The_Djinn
Hutexa_The_Djinn Evo Fact: Nephiloze were the first iteration of the Nephilguize. while deemed inferior by the researchers of the time they were actually very powerful on their own right. Nephiloze had a unique physiology that rejected mana in all forms without causing mana rejection sickness. This meant that spells were absolutely useless against them. They naturally produced an anti-magic field that dispursed and disrupted the flow of mana around them. When the Nephilguize revolted there were still some Nephiloze being studied in the Laboratory, the Nephilguize hunted them down and killed them after finding all the splicers that remained in the facility.
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