The Story of Cyntax (Part Three) 1#

Instructions

If you have read Part One and Part Two, CONGRATULATIONS! Welcome to Part Three of The Story of Cyntax! We last left off where Echo, had just fallen ill with an unnaturally fast-acting cancer, and while everyone was in shock, E-404 had begun to develop a plan that would not necessarily save Echo’s life...but give her a new one. E-404 had an ability that made her unique...the ability to tear the soul from one's body and put it in another. Often she’d used this for her victims to keep them alive in a permanent state of agony. But there was a way–a theory–that E-404 had never tried testing...how to transfer the soul comfortably to a new body. Rending a soul from one's body–you can imagine it was very painful–but in order to do it painlessly the person needed to die first. E-404 tested this on a few rats since their souls were similar to humans, and discovered it was indeed painless, and was confronted with a horrible ideal. One she could barely consider but must do if she wished to keep her daughter Echo forevermore. Echo needed to die a natural death, like the rats. E-404 did not want to see Echo die, but knew it was necessary meanwhile Freak kept Echo company. Freak, having been Echo’s first and only best friend, deeply loved her and cared for her, sometimes more than just as a friend or even sibling. Because here's a shocker for you, Freak was in love with Echo, but never gained the nerve to tell her, even now when she was sick. So he did as he could to ease her discomfort, staying by her side as days went by, and then weeks and then months...Freak stayed there, a silent sentry as Echo slowly deteriorated to the disease. Meanwhile, while the Factory became more dreary and depressing someone was out celebrating. Pretender. He was delighted to know that his genetically modified virus was working PERFECTLY! Soon this human would kick the bucket and no longer pose a threat to his plans! This was his factory his home his KINGDOM. And he REFUSED to have a meddling HUMAN in it. However, despite all Pretender’s calculations and algorithms telling him the possible outcomes of each AIs reaction and how’d they handle this, he was uneasy about E-404. E-404 had ALWAYS been an unpredictable for-his arch nemesis, his equal, his counterpart. Like her, he also had reality altering powers...but it was a shared power, between him and E-404. If E-404 ever lost her powers, he had no idea what would happen to him. Maybe he’d keep them, or lose them...either way, he was afraid she might pull something unexpected. And since almost no one except a select few AIs knew of his existence, Hush, Legs, Freak, Thing, Object, and the rest of the “24 Horrors” project were forced into his service. Except Freak, he volunteered so Echo could have the protection of TWO POWERFUL AIs, and not one. Pretender could only cross his fingers and hope as he celebrated with a few drinks, cackling madly away. Meanwhile, E-404 worked in her private lab, assembling a body of sorts into a 5’10’ frame. E-404 had just finished the arms and legs and was working on the chest and head biomechanics. She knew someone was trying to kill Echo...and it scared her that she didn’t know who. Not even Carnage, the great and mighty killer who wanted nothing more than to rend the worlds apart, wanted to lay a finger on the girl unless it was to give her a hug or something like that. Someone-or something-was eluding her. She’d known this for a while, ever since the time she first came into existence, that a presence watching her. No one else seemed to notice, or care. Not even Freak, who was quite literally all eyes and ears. While E-404 contemplated her gruesome plans for Echo’s future killer, Echo was now dealing with more of her body failing. It’d been two years, and Echo was not as fit, nor lean, as she was before. She was much more translucent frail and much less talkative. Everyone was now not worried just for Echo but for Freak as well. He had not moved from his seat within Echo’s room for two years straight, and dust was slowly collecting over him. There were rumors that Freak would most likely die from a broken heart if Echo died, as she was his only true friend in this cruel, dark underworld. Echo had always been there and eventually taught the stubborn, wary and overly cautious AI the meaning of trust, love, and a beneficial relationship, and each lesson, Freak took to heart. He admired her, he respected her, he cared for her, but most of all, he loved her. “Freak. You can’t watch over me forever. Everyone is concerned about you maybe go talk to someone? Surely I’m not your only friend?” Freak perked up and an idea popped into his head. He knew who to talk to. Pretender.