[center] [h2][b]The Demigod of Secrets[/b][/h2] [color=blue]Level: 2 Might: 0 [/color] [img]http://i.imgur.com/cOGLH0D.png[/img][/center] [hider=You know what they call plastic surgeons in South Korea?] Lazarus gets a bit antsy about his attachment issues. Thinking his body is too weak, he calls out to Minus and asks it to make him a new body. Toun doesn’t care, so Minus creates the body behind his back. Lazarus is gifted the new body to his exact specifications (steampunk bird/humanoid cyborg), with Minus filling design gaps. Turns out that a side-effect of filling the design gaps necessitated the new body being female because reasons. The mindswap is done and Minus steals away Laz’s old body. [i]Might Summary[/i] [i]Before:[/i] Toun - L6 - 13 MP - 2 FP - 6C/6D -1 FP to make Lazarus a new avian cyborg body to inhabit. [i]After:[/i] Toun - L6 - 13 MP - 1 FP - 6C/6D [i]Before:[/i] Lazarus - L1 - 4MP - 0W -4 MP to level up [i]After:[/i] Lazarus - L2 - 0MP - 0W [/hider] [center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nyI7GwQqv0]The Splendors of the Mind[/url][/center] The death of Vowzra did not come to shock Lazarus. Nowadays, nothing ever did. He didn’t really care about anything anymore, devoted to his work simply out of what could perhaps be madness. A lack of motivation to do something else? Or maybe just because he could. Only the god of knowledge knew what his reasons were. Loneliness. It wore on his already battered psyche. So many pawns, so many enemies. So many kings. So many temporary allies, political webs, and intrigue. He had always been under the sway of raw emotion, and now he was lonely. Ever so lonely. The divine measurement systems could wait. The Gap could wait. All the gods he had made deals with could wait. For now, at least. [i][color=gray]Am I the only one I know?[/color][/i] His soul could be split, possibly. He couldn’t trust the others, but he could trust himself. He could trust an extension of himself. The rest wanted to use him, saw him as a pawn. He saw the rest that way as well. The world was not kind, and he knew that full well. [i][color=gray]Waging my wars behind my face and above my throat?[/color][/i] The darkness of the cave was suffocating. He was alone with his workshop. The Rovaick tended to his fruit outside, but they were no friends. They simply lived nearby for his divine protection. That, and due to his intimidation. They screamed at him. THEY SCREAMED AT HIM. [h3]THEY SCREAMED AT HIM. [/h3][i][color=gray]Shadows will scream that I’m alone,[/color][/i] He found himself on the floor, clutching at his head. When had he fallen? He couldn’t remember. Had he passed out? His head throbbed excruciatingly, keeping him rolled up in a ball on the floor. His divine waves he used to sense throbbed as well, ebbing and flowing with the tide of his emotions. [i][color=gray]Please let me paint you a mental picture portrait.[/color][/i] Eventually the pain receded. Some kind of divine communication had hit him during the pain. He didn’t care. They were not friends, their intentions were not made in good. To him, good was unachievable. True good, a pipe dream. No matter how horrible a thing might be, it is possible that removing it would be the worst option. [i][color=gray]My mind’s shipwrecked, this is the only land my mind could find,[/color][/i] Such was the way of the world. Everybody had their secrets, everybody their virtues. No matter how obvious or how hidden. Some things could not be excised without the excision being the true evil. A dreary conclusion. [i][color=gray]I did not know it was such a violent island, full of tidal waves, suicidal crazed lions,[/color][/i] But that was of no matter to him. The shadows strangled him, and he needed to cleanse them. He needed to split his soul. What would come out of it he did not know, but he did know he would be able to trust it. He could trust it much more than everyone else. It would assuage his loneliness. [i][color=gray]They’re trying to eat me, blood running down their chin,[/color][/i] He slowly stood up. The world spun around him for a moment, the nauseating darkness pervading every corner of his senses. The idea had seized him like a vice, the idea of splitting his soul. However, his body and soul were too weak for that as it was. He’d need help, he’d need something hardier. To that end, he called out, [color=red]“You! The one who wanted me to find the Codex! Are you there?"[/color] [i][color=gray]And I know that I can fight or I can let the lion win,[/color][/i] [color=red]"I know you’re there! Come out! I need you now!"[/color] Calling out into the darkness, he balled up his fists. Irrational anger flooded him. What was taking him, her, or it so long to respond? [i][color=gray]I begin to assemble what weapons I can find, since sometimes to stay alive you gotta kill your mind.[/color][/i] [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"I’m always here,"[/color][/i] the familiar voice sounded out as if disinterested. Lazarus only had to turn his head to one side to face the androgynous white armoured shape of Minus leaning against a nearby wall. It had its arms crossed with its weighted chains swaying with the draft of the area. A less than sympathetic tone was chosen. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"Are you okay?"[/color][/i] [color=red]"That doesn’t matter,"[/color] Lazarus responded, [color=red]"what does matter is that this body is too weak. I need a new one. I know how to transfer myself over, that much is easy. But I need the body, and I need it to my specifications. Are you able to provide?"[/color] Lazarus remained in place, focusing his senses on Minus. Such senses processed Minus turn its head straight, and then slowly back. Pitching up in thought, presumably. [color=PaleGoldenrod]"That would depend on your specifications. Although…"[/color] Minus’ head rotated to Lazarus again. It left its sentence hanging in the air until it was forgotten. Only then, did Minus continue. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"What specifications do you have that you require my assistance?"[/color][/i] [color=red]“The new form has to be light. Minimum energy requirements. Partially organic to hold my soul easily, but also robotic to bear the stress I will put it under. Avians are light, remove the wings and their small amount of body matter and density means they will have low energy requirements. It is also to my understanding that there are metals that can be used for the robotic part,"[/color] Lazarus spoke rapidly, keeping his face flat. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"Many and more,"[/color][/i] Minus responded. Apparently Lazarus’ frantic way of speaking was something it was used to. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"You will want arms and hands. The body will be painful at times. Metal and flesh are always such when in intimate contact as you describe."[/color][/i] [color=red]"I hardly care about pain. I’m a divine being now."[/color] Lazarus walked over to one of his tables, leaning on it while Minus tracked him with its head. [color=red]"Arms and hands were to be assumed. How else would I do my work?[/color] Minus let out what sounded like an amused breath out, though it could have easily been the wind. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"Indeed."[/color][/i] Minus unfolded its arms and stood to its feet. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"My master is not in the mood to talk right now, though I am sure that anything to assist you would not be against his wishes. I will make you this vessel as long as you are sure that I will make you what you want."[/color][/i] Minus’ chains rang out as the weights retracted up to Minus’ palms. As if made from clay shaped by an unseen force, the weights were squashed and spread over Minus’ hands until they reached the end of the fingers. Its fingers were longer now, and ended in sharp points. Though they looked vicious, their only further movements were to turn upwards. This signalled a viscous white substance to start leaking upwards from the ground. The substance pooled at first, then built upon itself. Onward and upward it climbed until it took the shape of a round, waist-high table in front of Minus. The top of the table began to spin. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"Let us start with the basic shape."[/color][/i] Minus extended its clawed hands and a lump of white clay emerged from the top of the spinning tabletop. Countless little flecks of Minus’ fingers put intricate shapes into the clay until it took the shape of an avian creature with arms in place of wings. It was not unlike a tall and feathered hain, if more stooped, gaunt, endoskeletal, and with less humanoid proportions. Lazarus began to describe details over the rest of the day, adding in podotheca on the arms and legs for Minus to prick into the figure. This brought the scaly skin all the way to the top of the ankle on the digitigrade form, the knees left feathery. The podotheca on the arms went up about halfway between the elbows and the wrist. The feathers themselves were a dull white. The head was formed next, a particularly large beak dominating the visage. Tailfeathers and just feathers in general were also added. Once that had been completed, then came the directions for the robotic side. One of the legs was made into a jointed bronze version, the bronze snaking up all the way as far as the chest in almost a vest shape. A glass porthole gave viewing access to the inner gears of the machinery, a mechanical heart amidst the many cogs. The face was also made mechanical, the beak turned into bronze. The head almost looked as though it were masked, beady black eyes poking out of it. Feathers poked out from under the machinery, softening the appearance of transition between organic and machine. One of the hands, too, was replaced, an independent actor in the overall machine side of the figure. Finally, it was complete. The time it took to make the body prompted Minus to confirm the details over and again before they both agreed upon its completeness. The lanky mechanical bird creature on the table was more humanoid in proportion now, though it was unlike anything that currently walked Galbar. Minus stepped back and lowered its clawed hands to its sides again. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"Give it space,"[/color][/i] it said. Without another move from Minus, the figure on the table began to grow and the table began to shrink. The process took half a minute, sucking up the mass of the table into the body itself. The body’s head gently listed to one side as it was lowered onto the floor by the shrinking table. It was now complete and to size, ready for a host. Its corpselike stillness did not suggest its intended fate. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"Everything you described is in this creation,"[/color][/i] Minus explained, staring down at the fresh corpse. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"I filled in some flaws for you. To explain them is to be a god of creation yourself. The most apparent change you will feel in the flesh is the hormones. It is a biological female."[/color][/i] Lazarus simply shrugged. [color=red]"Is it ready for me, then?"[/color] He stepped over to the body, looking down at it. The claws covering Minus’ hands retracted and took the shape of the weights and chains again. It nodded. Lazarus held his hand over the body, whispering arcane words as he funneled divine energies into the form before him. Everything flickered in his head a moment as his former body crumpled into a heap. The avian body began to flail. The beady eyes snapped open as Lazarus scrambled to figure out her surroundings. First, her taloned hands grasped the floor. The metal beak opened and closed experimentally. Then slowly, the bronze-clad avian form made its way to a standing position. She held her hand in front of her face, testing her vision, before nodding. [color=red]"It’s good. Thank you. I should get back to my experiments now."[/color] Lazarus then waved away Minus, taking experimental steps to the workshop table. The new body’s voice was higher pitched, almost like a songbird’s, though undertoned with a metallic tinge. Minus did not disappear just yet. [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"What of your previous body?"[/color][/i] [color=red]"If you do not use it, I will dispose of it. Feel free to take it. If it’s still here later, then I’ll bury it."[/color] [i][color=PaleGoldenrod]"When the pain comes, I can help you."[/color][/i] Seconds passed in silence with Lazarus’ attention elsewhere. The next time she noticed, Minus was gone, along with the previous armoured body Lazarus left on the floor.