[b]KYL-9XX[/b]

The cyborg made his way to the citadel next to Souta. Even after everything that had happened in the last few hours, Kyle still had trouble getting used to this alien place. Other agents had already entered the imposing building, probably discovering everything there was to see. They had a clear advantage over him: Most of them had studied the supernatural, knew about things like the Charred Council and the Tree before the audience took place. Kyle had been briefed on the basics, angels and demons were real, the apocalypse could happen, the seals had to be protected; but that was nothing compared to what he had experienced as of late. Once they arrived at the hefty gates made of stone, the cyborg and the kid split up. Souta wanted to find a forge or something like that, Kyle just wanted to walk around their new residence and take in everything he could. The more he could learn from this place, the better he would be prepared for things to come.

It didn't take long until Kyle was completely lost. The halls and corridors resembled a labyrinth more than anything else, changing directions constantly and full of intersections. Tired of walking in circles, he decided to try something out. [color=ec008c]"Watcher...I need your help"[/color] he stated, hoping the sarcastic entity would show its face. The cyborg would not be disappointed, as briefly after he could hear a chuckle behind him. [color=00aeef]"What is it tinman? Not even 10 minutes into your service for the Council and you already need my help?...I weep for the fate of humanity..."[/color] If the entity had a mouth, Kyle thought, it would be sporting an arrogant grin. [color=ec008c]"I want to see the Tree. Can you guide me too it?"[/color] He asked, having decided that the best way to handle the watcher's jokes was to simply ignore them. Its eyes gawked at Kyle for a moment, until it sighed and swirled around in midair. [color=00aeef]"Follow me..."[/color] the entity simply stated, and hovered away around a corner.

When they arrived, the cyborg felt...disappointed? Kyle had expected a lush, green environment, with a majestic old tree ruling over it all. But the tree looked dead, no foliage and no flora surrounded it. He could feel [i]something[/i] emanating from it, which meant it was more than just a dead sad tree at least. [color=00aeef]"The Tree has not been used in quite some time"[/color] his watcher explained, as if it could read Kyle's every thought. [color=00aeef]"Someone will have to jumpstart the old thing back up...here, follow me"[/color] and his guide floated off back where they had come from. A few corridors and sharp turns later, they arrived in a massive square hall, this sight a lot more interesting than the Tree they had just visited. Two things immediately caught Kyle's attention: First of all, there was a gigantic heart thingy hanging from the ceiling. And if that was not enough, what appeared to be a creature made of fire and stone was...[i]massaging[/i] the heart? [color=ec008c]"What the hell is this...?"[/color] was all Kyle could manage to stutter. His watcher let out another sarcastic chuckle [color=00aeef]"Seems our little Nephilim has beaten us to it...and he is already using his new form. He seems to be managing a lot better than you Robocop"[/color] it was trying to provoke the cyborg, great. [color=00aeef]"How about you give it a try yourself, tinman? Or are you scared?"[/color] the entity teased, its eyes full of mischief.

[i]That is our new form?[/i] he was still trying to process what was happening before his eyes. He was scared, yes, but he didn't want to give his watcher the pleasure of being right. Kyle concentrated, trying to blend out everything around him, looking for that flame that he felt kindling inside him after he received his branding. He found [i]something[/i] in there, a feeling of fire and power...and the cyborg tapped into it. Kyle believed these sorts of transformations would surely hurt, but once again, he was proven wrong. He could feel warmth radiating from his body, and decided to open his eyes. As he looked down upon himself, Kyle recognized he had become an amalgamation of steel, fire and stone. Looking at his watcher, it was the cyborg who had the luxury of being arrogant for once. [color=ec008c]"Doesn't look like tinman fits anymore...you need to come up with a new nickname"[/color]