Biohuman

Coming from a petrified state into a not petrified state was an odd feeling for Lee Seng. One moment he was trying to break out like a bird in an egg and the next he was moving around again. He shook off the dust, wondering where it even came.

'I can't believe they did all of that while I was petrified…' Lee Seng thought. 'They spoke so freely, too… Number 7 is a Deimon and they're doing something to my blood. How do I figure out what they're doing…?'  The door opened, drawing Lee Seng's attention.

"How're you feelin'?" Dr. Hayes asked as the door closed. She grabbed the rolling chair from the completely wrong place and pulled it over to the computer.

"Odd." Lee Seng answered. "Very odd. W-what happened anyways?"

"You went through a phase all the Numbers went through."

"They all petrified?"

"Yup." Dr. Hayes nodded. "Just like the ten before you, you petrified and basically grew the Protocol's power within you."

"So, what happens now? Do I just get to go… home?" Lee Seng pointed at the door.

"We should obviously run some tests on your new profound… Evolution." Dr. Hayes smiled. "You've just transformed from a worm to a butterfly. Spread your wings and try 'em out, yeah?"

"And we're going, where?" Lee Seng asked as Dr. Hayes stood up. She pushed the chair into the desk and motioned for him to walk with her. They exited the chamber as Dr. Hayes didn't even think about the bracelet. Lee Seng turned to look at the room number.

'We weren't in that room before… And she forgot the bracelet. What if I just…?' Lee Seng stopped as Dr. Hayes continued to walk for a bit. When she eventually realized he wasn't with her, she turned to look for him.

"What're you doing? C'mon!" Dr. Hayes motioned.

'Escape, or no?' Lee Seng thought. Dr. Hayes looked at him oddly. 'If I escape, it'll probably be hell to get out of the facility… Should I figure out what they're doing with my blood?'

"Everything alright, Lee Seng?" Dr. Hayes asked. She gave him a quizzical look. Her hand slipped into her pocket like she was getting ready to do something. Lee Seng wiggled his feet and smiled at her.

"My legs feel stiff." Lee Seng lied. He quickly made his way over to her and watched Dr. Hayes followed him until he reached her side. "Does petrification do that?"

"Mmm, s-sometimes." Dr. Hayes nodded. She didn't release her hold onto the device in her left pocket. "If you need to stretch, we can do that before we begin the testing process."

"Sounds good. I think I need to crack my back, too." Lee Seng chuckled. Dr. Hayes let out a chuckle as she took him over to one of the smaller testing rooms. Lee Seng took a moment to stretch as Dr. Hayes excused herself to warm the 'engines' up.

'Was I just seeing things?' Dr. Hayes thought. She watched Lee Seng through one of the holographic screens. He stretched, completely ignoring the room. He had been in these rooms since he was a kid, after all. 'I swore he had that look in his eyes like he knew something was up… AB said petrification nulls all senses, so he couldn't have heard anything, right?'

'She seemed a bit tense for a minute.' Lee Seng thought. He had stretched his arms enough and decided to stretch his legs. 'I wonder if she caught on. She seemed pretty tense earlier.' Dr. Hayes was a bit stiff when Lee Seng didn't join her right away. 'I guess even she knows I will run if I'm given the chance.'

"Ready?" Dr. Hayes's voice came over the speakers.  Lee Seng lifted his thumb up signaling he was good to go. "The first test is just to test your capabilities. You'll be running a course." The room shook as a small course appeared. Lee Seng watched it continue to rise into the air. "Get the flag by any means possible."

"How does this showcase my new abilities? I could just yank it like this." Lee Seng lifted his hand up to the flag and pulled. The flag didn't budge. Lee Seng tilted his head and tried again.

"No use in trying that. It's been modified with your abilities in mind." Dr. Hayes told him. "Get to it." Lee Seng jumped off the ground, wrapping gravity around him. He quickly soared through the air, zipping through the strange floating course, towards the flag. He stuck his hand out and reached for the flag, only to see shadows appear in front of him.

Lee Seng threw his arms up, feeling a strong strike come downwards onto him. He flew backwards, slamming into a floating wall, turning it as the shadowy figure flew at him. Lee Seng released himself onto the ground as the wall exploded into bits.

'The energy is familiar.' Lee Seng thought. The shadowy figure stood amongst the floating wall bits. A billow black sword was in its right hand. Lee Seng blinked and noticed it was gone. 'Where'd it go?' He whipped his head backwards, only to feel a slash across his back. The shadowy figure punched his injury, sending him rolling away. Lee Seng hopped to his feet, turning in time to see the shadowy figure bring the black blade down.

'Vorpal Blade.' Lee Seng thought. He raised his arm to block and watched as the blade connected with his arm. In an instant gravity wrapped around his arm, holding the blade. 'It's him. He's not playing around.' Lee Seng swung his left arm out, blasting the shadow backwards. The shadow figure slid twenty feet away, swinging its sword before disappearing into thin air, again.

Lee Seng ran forward. He didn't even hesitate as the shadow figure appeared, swinging straight for his neck. It wasn't going to go easy on him. Lee Seng wouldn't have wanted that. Lee Seng abruptly blasted himself to the right, straight into the shadow, slamming into it. The two went tumbling as the sword clanked against the ground.

'It is it.' Lee Seng thought as the shadow blasted Lee Seng away from him. Lee Seng flew straight into the air, stopping himself as the shadow figure disappeared. 'It's Akio.' Lee Seng went for the flag. He just needed to get the flag. Stopping Akio before he got there would be a waste of time.

Lee Seng reached for the flag. He was fifteen feet away from it as shadowy energy shot out from the flag. The shadowy energy slammed not Lee Seng, knocking him out of the air as Akio appeared above him, bringing the Vorpal Blade down.

"Voidless End." Akio's distorted voice whispered. The sword connected with Lee Seng, releasing the built-up energy within it and sending him straight into the ground. Smoke exploded, clouding Akio from seeing Lee Seng. A large vertical strike went from Lee Seng's chest down to his abdomen. He bled profusely as he coughed.

Lee Seng's body started to stitch the wound back together as a whistling noise caught Lee Seng's attention.

'Not that move!' Lee Seng thought. He tried his best to move out of the way. Voidless End had sapped him of a lot of energy and now his own brother was trying to end him with the scariest move in his whole entire arsenal. 'I don't want to die!' In that moment of plea, he felt like everything slowed down. All the memories he made. All the good, all the bad, flashed before him.

'Is this it?' Lee Seng thought. 'Is this what it's like to really die? Am I really going to die now…? Maybe it would be better if—'

Lee Seng's friends popped up in his mind. Olivia, the first person who spoke to him out of curiosity. She was interested in him because he was practically a celebrity with a Fox tail and a set of Fox ears. Ritsuka, the one who quickly friended Lee Seng not because of his status and background, but because they had things in common. They liked working out and training together. He was the friend Lee Seng always longed for. Evan, who had a great sense of wrong and right, despite always following the rules. When Lee Seng learned, Evan had stuck to the rules when he fell deep underground, he was a bit heartbroken, but Evan still came for him despite what was right. Liz, the girl who kept Manny in check, but also kept the group's energy happy and light. She was the one who acted like their mom friend. Always making sure each member was alright, even Lee Seng. His mind flashed to Akio, Akali and some of the Numbers. Alice the boba shop owner, the grandma across the hall.

'Is this what it's really like before I die?' Lee Seng thought. Keng appeared in his head. He smiled at Lee Seng, walked with Lee Seng and was there through every situation since last August. Lee Seng's heart panged. He remembered how lonely he was. He remembered Keng was the very first person, the very first being who, despite knowing everything about Lee Seng and his history, still pushed him to be better. To be stronger.

Something clicked in Lee Seng at that moment. It felt like the day Lee Seng made the pact with Keng. A power was sweltering inside of him, and it wanted out.