The dark room, filled with a mixture of metals and electrical sparks, had its atmosphere completely turned upside down. The attention and every movement of everyone present were swallowed by the presence that had settled there.
The seal pierced Killbit's flesh, causing him to writhe, his veins exposed, and from within him, a black, amorphous mass was expelled. A long writhing followed, the mass struggling and taking shape, with red eyes being the first glimpse of it.
Beatriz quickly attacked with her sword; the red blade was now just a small spark, but it contained the wrath that made her cut the most precise of all. With a single shot, the sword was expelled, and
Vasily kicked Beatriz, throwing her away.
Candela advanced against the lone Homunculus; her illusions appeared around him. With a quick exchange of steps, Vasily dodged the blows, shooting at the prism that created the illusions. It was distorted, taking a spiral shape.
Fearless, Candela advanced, now with her weapon unusable. Her punch soon reached Vasily, but he didn't move. Confused by what was happening in front of her and terrified, Candela launched a flurry of punches that had no effect. At that same instant, Vasily's pistol became brighter.
The mass took on a humanoid silhouette, and gradually the darkness gave way to a face and a body, thus taking the form of
Bernard. The form then grabbed Vasily's pistol, and a loud bang rang out. Bernard grabbed the barrel of the gun, and as he felt the heat in his hand, he smiled. He took the bullet's energy for himself while Vasily was thrown away.
"I didn't give you an order, just a tip on how to be a good host in your home. Is this how you respond to me? But at least it was delicious!" Bernard approached Candela, who, motionless, received a kiss on the hand. "What strong, beautiful hands. You don't remember me; I'm Bernard, the slave trader."
Candela grabbed Bernard by the neck, emanating an aura of Light. "Don't look at me like that. You've always been with
Gustav, haven't you? I'm tired; I want my memories back. Vasily can't hurt you, but I imagine I can!".
"How about we arrange a meeting? I'll start". Bernard was thrown to the ground. "You're right. Killbit was created to be used in the rebellion, but there's something bigger than that involved ." He laughed, his tone becoming serious. "The beasts are not what you think. The rebellion is something of utmost importance to you as well."
He got up from the ground and looked at Killbit. "Rest, Bernard. I apologize for the way I acted. I'm not good with people". He looked at Beatriz. "Calm down, Candela. Killbit isn't being possessed or controlled, but Bernard's presence shows that you have a powerful weapon in your hands".
"I think it's my turn to tell you what I know, isn't it?" Beatriz smiled, looking at the distraught Candela. "The beasts are a remnant of what were once the current inhabitants of the earth. They are like ghosts from the past, you know, memories you don't want to have. Only Bernard and
Dante are the only ones left of what were once the current inhabitants of the earth".
Vasily got up from the ground, undid the seal on Killbit's forehead, sighed, and holstered his pistol. "Killbit, being made from the gluttons' teeth, absorbs part of the beasts' energy when the gluttons eat them. He was designed with an ancient magic, the workings of which even I don't know".
Before, Candela felt like a speck in a vast desert. Now, she felt like a small fish in a vast ocean with predators bigger than other predators , and in the depths, Gustav and Bernard were found. It was all their plan.
Bernard quickly explained that Gustav, like August, couldn't give any information about Candela's past, as his sins had consumed his mind along with his memories. The slave trader looked at Candela intensely, always smiling, unlike the sneer of contempt from Beatriz that was directed at him.
Vasily soon said that Killbit would take a while to wake up, emphasizing this and realizing it was the right time to explain Killbit's creation. Unlike any other homunculus, the one of gluttony was born from its own creators, thus having a unique bond with them.
Because it was made from the gluttons' teeth, it also ate the flesh of the beasts, and because of that, it absorbed the energy present in them. Bernard interrupted Vasily to explain the situation better, but he explained it in a very undidactic way.
For Bernard and Dante, the scientists were like animals to be fattened, fed on the beasts' flesh, and employed with their scents, as if someone were wrestling with them, or had some physical contact. The effect of the beasts was only to give humans more courage to fulfill their darkest, most latent desires.
They fomented the rebellion for years, decades, and centuries, for a greater good: the downfall of the leader of the Babel Tower project. He was much more dangerous than any sinful human being ; he was a man who saw himself as the only pure being, which is why he was hatching a grand plan.
"The project leader has been planning for a long time to make everything around Leviathan his own". He stood in front of Candela. "That's why my boss and I were sent here. With the help of the scientists themselves, we will put an end to these plans. Due to the unknown real reason for the homunculi's creation, we've decided to use them as our weapons".
Candela approached Bernard, looking deep into his soul. "Because I feel I should trust you; something inside me says so. I certainly didn't fall for your charms; they're so tacky". She placed her lips against Bernard's ear. "You forgot to say something, didn't you? This is all too pure".
"You scare me; I love it". She smiled. "Did you know that Killbit's eyes are red because of the power stored within him, so be careful the next time you hug him? I might take care of him and steal a kiss from you". Candela laughed. "That didn't affect you, did it? We're also here to free you, Candela, and your kind, the servants of the sector scientists. Your father wants them back".
Vasily pushed Bernard away before Candela could punch him. "Now it's my turn to explain. I'm helping because of this. I was designed by the scientists as a fusion of their consciousnesses, but the one who was always with me was
Sophie, my master who taught me everything". He looked at the pistol. "She disappeared decades ago, and I know it has to do with the grand plan of the project's leader. She was just like you, with no memory of who she was, but always standing up for herself. You remind me of her".
"Thanks, I guess. So she was never alone; she always had you. Killbit came along after a long time of solitude; how envious". She held out her hand to help Bernard up. "We shouldn't ask any more questions; we need to focus now. My head is already heavy enough. So, is our mission over?".
He shook his head in denial. "No. You need to hand me the communication device. I'm just a hologram; without my real body, I can't use it. You'll reach me through a shortcut I already told Vasily about". Bernard placed his hand on his chin. "Do you remember the promise to Gustav? Halfway there will be Gustav's banquet,
Ascaris Lick. I need something he has".
Before Candela could finish processing the information given to her, the black form returned to Killbit's interior , and he stood up, not knowing why everyone was looking at him, while Beatriz was laughing non-stop.