I, Eliot Bane started as a student of the Academy - majored in clinical research but eventually shifted to Alchemy due to the profound lecture of professor Vhen Briar about the course being a revolutionary instrument for human development. Intrigued, I continued to listen on his lecture.
"As we all know, science is an instrument that can be used in many aspects of life. By understanding its vast applications and nature, it has enabled humanity to reach advancements such as weaponry - and a simple example is the gunpowder. With its lethality, it i used as the propellant of a bullet, but it can also be used for art like fireworks. Another advancement is medicine and we continue to do so as we speak."
"But what if I told you that our current medicine was derived from alchemy of old? Today we've simplified intricate procedures, removed nonsensical rituals, and adjusted the aim to human centric. But those were the laws in alchemy in recorded history, which it aims to simply turn silver into gold. Now this can mean anything simple but it can also push far beyond its context. One example would be the records of David Solomon which contained a rather peculiar topic - De Dunamis Animalia or The Ability of Animals."
"He travelled the world in search for answers and came across various ideologies on the matter and encountered animals exhibiting abilities far beyond our understanding. On one of his notes he covered an animal called an Axolotl. They were native to an island - southeast of our continent where he called it the Land of Sheol. However, it is now a desolate island as it was ravished by the Political Expansion of our Kingdom in the early sixteen hundreds. It post a threat to such a delicate animal and thereby greatly reducing their numbers but we do so have specimens - alive and preserved here in the Academy. Research on its regenerative ability still stands today with few people including yours truly."
"Oh my word, it's almost time! To cut it short, an axolotl is a type of aquatic salamander that boast a perfect regenerative ability where bone nor muscle tissues are reconstructed in parallel to the original. They generate slowly by time but it was never their constraint; rather it was their vulnerability on that time frame. With discoveries and studies like these, it is evident that the idea presented itself as a dream, but not for long. With individuals such as yourselves, we might eventually achieve human evolution through alchemy."
"Astounding." was what came into mind throughout his lecture. And an irritable itching passion suddenly came to me. And so I, without question took alchemy in hopes to further the study on human evolution. I followed suit to the alchemist - David Solomon and worshipped his diaries like a bible. With guidance of professor Briar throughout my school years, I presented my thesis which focuses on human regeneration - it was imperfect but showed promise nonetheless. Professors and nobility alike took noticed and sponsored my very research.
Five years after graduating with high remarks, I hit a wall that hindered my progress. Every experiment, and research looped around like a circle. Sponsors began to drop and my research was forced to halt, until a new fellow alchemist was then introduced to my section. His name was Morgan Wright - a promising individual, rivaling my research. For days on end, we debated frequently while our ideas clashed on a daily basis. To my surprise, it was fruitful as it produced results that somehow pushed medicine forward by a few steps. Achieving such feets, with greed and thirst for recognition we proceeded in its development further.
Half a year have passed after advancing yet again, Morgan seemed to have changed. Our debates became one sided with him fully agreeing to my terms and followed my every order. It was not like him to do so and it filled me with worry. A day had passed and the result of another test came out the same - regeneration was possible but costed the subject's life as a reaction to the formula. I hypothesized that their mind and body could not withstand its unnatural recovery; thereby killing them with cardiogenic shock. Devastated, I took a step back on the project.
On a night with clouds masking the sky in darkness, Morgan presented me a promising lead - a substance that can enhance a subjects vitality by tenfolds. In my observation, it was clearly tainted blood and he never spoke as to where he acquired it. But in my desperation, I would gladly shake the hand of the devil if it makes my formula work as I intended. With haste, we proceeded to the testing facility and once more created it from scratch.
In reference to Solomon's alchemy, we used an Axolotl's tail as the materia prima and extracted its essence through compression, followed by an admixture of salt and iron that enabled its dna to accelerate its intricate regenerative process. The role of Morgan was to prepare another mixture which formed an alkaline jelly with the use of yeast - resulting into a psuedo liquid-like tissue dyed in blue that equally spread molecular processes through conduction. Lastly, I purified the blood that Morgan provided by performing a flocculation process before removing its black residuals - an oozing black substance like oil. I had doubts and worries with this experiment going awry but if Morgan is correct, it will be the key component which will act as an energizer to the subject. After mixing the intricate formula, its colour turned into midnight purple and to my surprise, the solution moves on its own - much like a living tissue than a murky solution (Sourdough starter).
We administered it on a mice and within expectation, it reacted in withdrawal. After the drug took effect, the mice calmed down and was forced to hibernate. The waiting game then began which plagued me with sleepless nights - hoping that the solution would work. While observing day by day, Morgan reported that signs of regeneration on its lost limb became noticeable. By the thirteenth day of testing, the mice woke from its slumber. We saw that the mice rejuvenated one third of its lost limb with veins popped up due to the demand of high blood pressure to support the continuous cycle of building muscle and bone substance. It also showed visible rashes on its torso where the limb is regenerating - an allergic reaction of some sort but nonetheless the subject is normal and is healing as we speak.
I conclude that the formula was working as intended and is therefore to proceed for human testing. With excitement for this development, I advertised the formula to the Academy and named it "The Eion Formula". I expected for a promising student with aptitude to alchemy and medicine, much like myself to attend my demonstration - Layne Sinclair. However, he did not attend due to his circumstance within the Sinclair household. Disappointed, I presented nonetheless and discussed the formula's capabilityand how it can affect human evolution through bio-reformation. Many mocked its authenticity due to the tainted blood with its unclear background. Some notable people however, showed interest still.
Months have passed and we were invited to demonstrate its effectivity. Many nobles attented including the Pope himself which gave this day a monumental step for alchemy. They provided slaves with broken to missing limbs and as we administered the formula, I took on the stage as to how professor Vhen Briar presented his lecture.
"The quest for human evolution draws near as we have developed a formula that will one day evolve humanity beyond as the apex of the animal kingdom. I am obliged to present, the Eion Formula." To the audience's shock, they saw a grotesque substance, seemingly alive.
"It is a solution with the use of an Axolotl's genetic makeup that adapts such an ability to the human body; thereby growing lost limbs, heals aging, and enhances the human genome - reaching new thresholds that humanity has yet to achieve. The effects are without a doubt extraordinary but its healing takes time and so I humbly ask for our esteemed guests for another demonstration. This time, with the substance in action and in real time will you witness this glorious evolution."
With excitement yet again overwhelmed my very being, it made the scheduled reveal excruciatingly long. Morgan however, gave words of encouragement. "They'll be surprised by its effectiveness; and so will you on the end results." He spoke with a soft smile.
I agreed but my guts says otherwise. In my mind, it may have just been my dilemma of feeling both fear and courage at the same time. In my whole life, I was wrong to not trust my gut.Then the schedules night came and it was the third of March. Again, I presented with poise.
"Good evening to everyone present in this monumental reveal. I'm Eliot Bane and this is my partner Morgan Wright. To now witness human evolution, we are to observe how it transforms humanity. Please do reveal the subjects!" As commanded, my helpers escorted the slaves seemingly out of shape - revealing the truth of its effects to the human body.
Their complexion were not ideal as their skin became pale, veins popped out, eyes became bloodshot, rashes began to spread at the base of their lost limb, and they were somewhat unresponsive. However, some regenerated perfectly and the rest were still in development. One of the slaves had their left arm grown into a fourth of a meter - with bones and tissues evidently growing. A sudden instance however, made the slaves writhe in pain simultaneously. By then, their growing limbs started to bloom like a flower under the moonlight - where bones reconstructed first, followed by the muscles with veins attached to its skeleton, and finally, the skin covering every inch of the newly regenerated limb. Everyone was in awe despite the visual gore and unsatisfactory side effects but the Pope however, stayed silent throughout the session.
The audience cheered and praised our work but it ended abruptly because a sudden storm rapidly surrounded the venue and was followed by an earthquake that shook the entire venue into chaos. By then, power was briefly lost but I feel as though something has changed. As light flickered before gaining substantial power, the blending of roars from the masses began to sound eerie. Those screams petrified the most of us, but those of nobility rushed towards the exit - leaving everyone on the theatre ground, stranded. As we were confused and overwhelmed by the earthquake, the slaves began to convulse erratically, their mouths foaming, and regurgitate with blood. It gave me shivers when one of them locked eyes with mine - his eyes looked more like a predator, a monster than that of a human. It became chaotic, the moment a slave attacked his handler. Blood spewed like a fountain from the neck he bit. The blood stained our lab coats and some reached the slaves and triggered them. They became rabid and attacked indiscriminately. As they consumed the flesh of those around me, mutations began to appear with teeths, spikes, eyes, bones and muscle fibers which made every slave unique in their own sense. Some developed super hearing, another developed strong feet in which it pulverised the back of a handler in his lunge, and those that were special developed bones as strong as steel and as sharp as a blade. Madness befall on my moment of discovery, and it was the the dawn of monstrosity.
Frozen in disbelief, an apprentice of mine pulled me away from the chaos that enfolded. The exit was blocked by bodies being gnawed upon by monsters in human skin and so Morgan, who was cool headed had the idea to exit via the sewer line instead. We followed him and with the needed equipment to access the sewers, a few of us were killed in the process. These.. things, are relentless like they know our every move and is playing with their prey; but I know to myself that they're mindless monsters. Something must have mutated and developed intelligence to have this coordinated attacks.
A few of us were left, four in fact. The gate was opened by Morgan and assured for the three of us move out first. My mind was plagued by how calm he is despite experiencing such madness first-hand. My apprentice, a lady in her twenties cried in relief when she saw light at the end of the tunnel. The other, a handler with his hand mutilated came rushing to the light with a face brimming with hope. My apprentice followed but as they approached the end of the tunnel, a mutated rat king appeared below the feet of the handler. He wailed like an animal and it petrified my apprentice as she stumbled on her feet. The horror of seeing a man ripped into pieces and hope - clouded by the dred infront, finally broke her.
Somewhere in between, I saw a mice with a mark - number sixty-two on its side and it shocked me as it was the mice I first tested the new formula. It could not have mutated as I saw that it became normal after the dosage; unless... It was then replaced by a mice with the same number. With that realization, it came rushing to me how it was all planned by none other than the person, locking the metal gate - Morgan Wright.
I couldn't dare look behind me, as man was always the predator of man - the apex of predators, predates itself. I hyperventilated as he draws near and fear clouded my judgement - I too was petrified. Morgan held my head with force I couldn't escape.
"Witness the beauty of your creation professor Eliot Bane. It is an evolution indeed - an evolution for human destruction."
My apprentice with my eyes locked up front, was spared no mercy by the same mice I've tested upon. She wriggled in pain and her screams were deafening as it tore my eardrums, but much more to my very being. Defeated, I blamed myself repeatedly for the deaths of my colleagues and apprentice. I twisted into despair but Morgan seemed to be delighted.
"H-hehe... ha-HAHA.. HAHAHA~A!" Morgan laughed in ecstasy.
"Y-you! MORGAN! What have you done to the formula?!"
"Why, I gave you the material you needed - the missing piece." As if mocking, Morgan smiled in pleasure.
With anger raging from within, I screamed. "I-IT WAS YOU!!! MORGAN!! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"No, Eliot. It was all... YOU~."
As I succumbed to the errors of my work, Morgan struck my spine with the very formula we created. A loud snap! then echoed inside the tunnel and my head dangled, as if my neck was broken. There I saw on the water our reflection. Mine was a corpse to be disposed and his was not him that I saw but a demon - a demon took over Morgan.