#dark sci-fi

[technicallyclassyperfection]

Know your artist

[gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan]

Necessary Conversations

Author's note: More of Olly in Husbandry AU! I collaborated with @c-u-c-koo-4-40k on this next set of chunky chapters. Thanks for writing with me! This was a lot of fun. :) Thanks to @felinisnoctis for letting me borrow your Chaosy boys!

Summary: Olly rapidly escalates into coordinated crisis response, securing Felix’s aid at the cost of future debt while briefing Claude to discreetly mobilize Khopesh and the wider network. As Faroh’s threat becomes explicit and time-sensitive, Olly commits to containment and elimination planning while carefully managing who knows what—and when.

Warning: Coercion and blackmail involving a target (Jophiel), Threats of harm to a civilian (Lullaby), Genetic experimentation / reproductive manipulation references, Psychological stress and emotional overwhelm (Olly), Implied past unethical human experimentation (Mars-era Primaris development), Threat of systemic exposure / institutional collapse risk, Tension involving organized violence / assassination planning, Emotional dissociation / controlled shutdown under pressure. LMK if I need to add anything else.

tagged: @sleepyfan-blog @c-u-c-koo-4-40k @i-am-a-dragon34 @ms--lobotomy @jaghatai-khock @legionsofthehungry

tagged: @kit-williams @aprofessionaln00b @bleedingichorhearts @thevoidscreams @gra93fruit-blog

Tagged: @felinisnoctis @egrets-not-regrets @finchly-tintinnabulation @nereidof40k @bookandyarndragon

Olly has plenty of things to do and little time to do them in. Kerubiel and Thressl are going to help by contacting Khopesh, Lullay, and Nanael. Likely Cedric will be looped into this- after all he’d sent Thressl and Kerubiel to check on him when his vitals became erratic for seemingly no reason.

Olly pauses as he thumbs his vox bead before sending a message to Felix. The older Primaris Ultramarine is- unnerving in some ways. Not just because he’s a Chaos Marine- although that is a large part of it.

“Oleandros.” The Chaos Primaris Marine says curtly. “I am curious as to why you of all people are contacting me brother.”

“I have a… favor,” Olly says the words slowly, carefully tasting the words- there is a… bitterness to them that has him wondering if this is the right choice.

“Oh?” Felix says, sounding a little bit more curious and focused on his fellow Primaris Ultramarine.

“Yes- and I’d like to discuss it in person- at the Park on Main Street at Gannet point in an hour if you have time.” Olly replies.

“I’m always up for helping my brothers,” Felix says- and he is- for a price. After all- nothing comes for free. “And I have time available today to speak with you.”

“Thank you, brother,” Olly says, one must mind their P’s and Q’s when asking a favor.

Olly wonders how much debt he’ll rack up with this favor, alas, he will do this for Jophiel- for Lullaby. And- Olly’s eyes slide away, Felix enjoys having others in his debt- and he knows that the other will cash them in. He will do what is necessary to protect those he cherishes. 

The park is overflowing with greenery and stone. There are some plastic and metal play structures for young baseline humans in the middle distance. Olly approaches the bench that Felix is seated at- with Batsy leaning against a tree while Mic is fiddling with some- mechanical thing.

“Oleandros.” Felix greets Olly glancing over the younger Primaris Ultramarine trying to cold read information out of him.

Olly inclines his head slightly, as he approaches Felix- both of them are in armor- while Olly’s taken off his helmet and mag locked it to his hip. Felix is helmeted. Olly has a large rock- he’d snagged one on the way to the meeting place- his hands carefully not-worrying away at it as he carefully not-eats it. He knows that messing with eating stone- to those that know him- is a sign of stress- well can be at least.

“Felix,” he greets back simply. For a moment or two- there is silence, stillness the wintery wind fainting weaving its way through the chinks in their armor.

“You sounded… hesitant.” His gaze flicked across Olly’s face, cataloguing micro-expressions with Astartes precision. “That is unusual for you. You have always struck me as direct.”

Olly exhaled slowly through his nose.

“I am being direct,” he said. “I require assistance. The nature of that assistance… is delicate.”

Felix’s mouth curved faintly — not quite a smile. More the suggestion of one.

“Delicate matters are often the most interesting.” He gestured toward the bench. “Walk with me.”

They moved along the promenade at a measured pace, their strides naturally synchronizing, a relic of decades of drilled formation marching neither had consciously chosen. Batsy and Mic watch them move on. Olly knows that with their Primaris acute hearing that the other two will hear everything else they say.

“For whom is this favor?” Felix asked.

Olly pauses as he thinks over what to say, “... Myself- and Jophiel.” 

He doesn’t add in Lullaby- as he doesn’t want them to get into Felix’s cross hairs. Anrir and Hura would be more than a little annoyed if certain things were learned about by Felix -who’d use that information for his own benefit. Be it keeping secrets or selling it to the highest bidder. He’s watched- well- overheard such mutterings more than once and knew how to put two and two together to paint a picture that was more fuzzy for others to put into focus.

“What’s up with Jophie?” Batsy calls out, while Felix raises an eyebrow.

Batsy is fond of Jophiel- the younger son of Sanguinius is rather sweet and someone that Batsy flies with regularly. Olly isn’t entirely sure if Batsy being fond of Jophiel is entirely a good thing.

“There is a First born blood Angel- Faroh,” Olly starts carefully, “... He was on Mars- during the training of the first wave Primaris.”

“And that’s relevant how?” Felix asks.

“... He was involved in the genealogical management and experiments with fertility and cross breeding programs.” Olly says. “... And wants to begin those experiments again.”

“I see why you want him dealt with.” Felix says after a moment of silence. “You will need to lure him out of wherever hole he is in for us to… eliminate the threat.”

“I have a plan in place for that- and… he’s given an Ultimatum.” Olly says.

“Let me guess- hand over Jophiel by the end of day or else he starts talking about secrets?” Felix deduces.

“Yes.” Olly says with a nod.

Batsy’s wings flare in agitation at that, “That shithead.”

“Of a sort yes- Nanael and I are going to bait and trap Faroh- and bring him to a secondary location for you to… ensure he’s no longer a threat.” Olly says.

“I think we can come to an accord.” Felix says pleasantly. 

“Good.” Olly says with a nod.

“Do you want to know what we do to him?” Felix asks.

Olly shakes his head, “I’d rather not know what… you do to him. Only that he’s no longer a threat.”

“Fair enough.” Felix says with a nod.

“... How much is this going to cost me?” Olly asks carefully.

“Oh you are giving us a new… person to amuse ourself with- so long as you and yours catch and hand him over… only one favor of a similar value to be cashed in later.” Felix responds with a razor sharp smile. “It's a pleasure doing business with you brother.”

Olly… Olly doesn’t know how to respond to that- what to say to that. He knows that in part- Felix is helping with this- because it’s in Felix's best interest to keep certain aspects of Primaris - that are non-Rubicon Primaris- quiet. Self interest is a powerful motivator- especially for Chaos Marine types.

“I will message you once it’s done.” Olly says to Felix.

The other Primaris marine nods. “I will await your call- should you need more aid- that will cost another favor.”

“I will keep that in mind.” Olly says with a nod. “I have several more things to do today in rapid order.”

Felix waves him off and Olly turns away and heads off to where Claude is- having Claude be the one to tell Khopesh will likely be better? Hopefully at least. He sends Claude a message.

[I need to speak with you privately.] Olly sends the message to Claude.

[Where do you wanna talk?] Claude responds quickly. [Are you ok?]

[I am adequate. Will talk more in person away from ears and eyes.] Olly responds.

[Wilco.] Claude responds. 

Olly sends a message to Claude the coordinates of where he wants Claude to show up. He pauses in a decently light and shadowy place and there are a pair of night dark eyes that blink out of his shadow as Claude steps out of Olly’s shadow and looks him over.

“What’s going on?” Claude asks.

Claude’s gaze sweeps the area automatically, habit layered over instinct. His posture is casual in the way of someone who could vanish into the nearest shadow without warning. The night-dark of his armor drinks in the low winter light, making him appear more absent than presence.

Olly studies him for a long moment, jaw working faintly before he speaks.

“There is an individual resurfacing,” Olly says quietly. “Firstborn Blood Angel. Name Faroh.”

Claude stills — not outwardly, not to baseline perception — but Olly knows him well enough to catch the subtle tightening in the line of his shoulders.

“That name sounds unpleasant,” Claude replies evenly. “Should I already hate him?”

“Yes.”

Claude exhales once through his nose. “All right. Continue.”

“He was present on Mars during early Primaris development,” Olly says. “His specialization involved… genealogical oversight. Fertility manipulation. Cross-line experimentation.”

Claude’s expression goes flat in a way that is almost more alarming than anger.

“And he wants to resume this work,” Claude says, not asking.

“Yes.” Olly replies, one of his shoulders twitching as he turns the rock in his hands to dust as his fingers squeeze it tightly.

“And he has leverage,” Claude adds.

Olly inclines his head once.

Claude’s eyes narrow slightly. “Leverage involving who.”

“He’s discussed his demands with me.” Olly hedges a little bit.

“What is Faroh’s ultimatum?” Claude asks, glancing at Olly.

“Produce Jophiel by end of day,” Olly says. “Or he begins disseminating information regarding unauthorized lineage experimentation and certain… anomalies present within Primaris conversion data… And he goes after Lullaby.”

Claude mutters something sharp and Low Gothic under his breath.

“I assume,” Claude says, “that complying was never under consideration.”

“No.” Olly says shaking his head, “He’d only twist the deal to make it more suitable for his tastes.”

“Good.” Claude responds. Claude folds his arms, thinking rapidly. Olly lets him. Claude is very good at this part — assembling threat maps, social vectors, worst case spirals. “What is your current solution?”

“Nanael and I will lure him,” Olly says. “Contain him. Deliver him to Felix.”

Claude’s head snaps up. “You already spoke to Felix.”

“Yes.” Olly replies slowly, it’s not a decision he made lightly.

Claude closes his eyes briefly. Claude doesn’t curse- but that is a very near thing.

“That,” he says carefully, “is a very expensive choice.”

“Yes.” Olly agrees scratching one of his cheeks, and he hopes it’s not a choice that will haunt him too much in the future.

“How expensive?” Claude asks.

“One favor. Equivalent value. To be determined at his discretion.” Olly responds, he makes sure to say it softly, lightly, gently.

Claude stares at him. “Oleandros.”

“It was the most efficient path to guaranteed removal of threat.” Olly says jaw jutting out a little in stubbornness.

“That was not my question.” Claude says with a sigh.

Olly meets his gaze evenly. Claude sighs slowly, dragging a hand down his faceplate ridge. Making deals with Chaos was… never in the favor of the ones who were more desperate.

“All right,” Claude says. “We will survive Felix’s future whims later. What do you need from me now?”

“Khopesh must be informed,” Olly says. “Discreetly. He will notice if Jophiel’s behavior changes or if Nanael and I begin acting unusually. I would prefer he hear it from someone he trusts who can present it… with care.”

Claude tilts his head slightly. “You mean not you.”

“Yes.” Olly says, “It would seem more natural if you spoke to him- I worry that Faroh may be monitoring my movements.”

“That’s fair,” Claude says bluntly.

Olly accepts that without offense.

“Is Jophiel aware?” Claude asks.

“No.” Olly says his gaze looking away from Claude at his quiet admission.

Claude swears again, quieter this time.

“He deserves to know before he becomes bait by accident,” Claude says.

“He will,” Olly says. “But not until containment planning is finalized. Panic could compromise safety.”

Claude studies him for several seconds, weighing that.

“…You’re right,” he admits reluctantly. “He’d try to confront Faroh himself. Or worse, volunteer.”

“Yes.” Olly winces- as flighty as Jophiel could be at times- if there was a threat to someone else he’d stand firm as any Astartes would.

“Stars, he absolutely would.” Claude says with a wince. “Got an idea how to handle him?”

“Lullaby and Jophiel will be together in a safe place- Jophiel as part of a look out to keep them safe.” Olly says. “You or Khopesh or someone else can talk about the two of them about things in a less… unpleasant way.”

They lapse into brief silence, wind stirring fallen leaves across the stone path.

Claude shifts closer, lowering his voice further. “What is the failure scenario?”

“If Faroh escapes,” Olly says, “... Faroh will - at least he implied that he’d go after Lullaby and release certain… Mars made alterations to the Primaris that are non-rubricon to those that may use it against those who have it.”

Claude nods once. He understands exactly how catastrophic that cascade could become.

“All right,” he says. “I will tell Khopesh. Carefully. He will want to help.”

“I expected as much.” olly says with a hum.

“Are you going to let him?” Claude asks.

Olly hesitates — very briefly — but Claude notices.

“…Within controlled parameters,” Olly says.

“That means no,” Claude translates.

“That means minimized exposure." Olly responds. 

Claude considers arguing, then decides against it. Not because he agrees — because he knows Olly has already optimized risk calculations six steps ahead.

“Where do you want Khopesh to meet me?” Claude asks.

Olly sends the coordinates through a short-range burst across their shared channel. Claude’s visor flickers acknowledgement.

“One more question,” Claude says.

“Yes?”

Claude studies him with an intensity that has nothing to do with tactics.

“You’re doing this because it is correct,” he says. “Or because you care about Jophiel personally.”

Olly pauses.

The stone in his hand gives a faint, brittle crack under unconscious pressure.

“…Both,” he admits.

Claude nods once, satisfied.

“Good,” he says. “Those tend to be the choices worth making.”

He steps backward, already dissolving into shadow. The darkness gathers around him like a cloak reclaiming its owner. Only his eyes remain visible for a moment longer.

“Try not to owe Felix two favors in the same week,” Claude adds dryly.

“I will endeavor to maintain fiscal responsibility,” Olly replies.

Claude snorts softly, then vanishes entirely.

Olly stands alone again in the winter park, vox bead warm against his temple, the weight of impending violence settling across his shoulders like a familiar mantle.

He checks the time.

Still so much left to do.

[silasmarrow]

Hmm... interesting. 👁️

I was working on the lore for my dark sci-fi project and realized something. Doesn't this medallion look... familiar?

It’s almost exactly like the Eye symbol Sombra encountered in her origin story. The one at the center of the global conspiracy.

Major O'Malley says it’s just a "personal talisman".

What do you think?

[a-typical]

Neither of them had any feel for the passage of time. It could have been days before he regained enough strength to go to the faucet in the bathroom. He drank until his stomach could hold no more and returned with a glass of water. Lifting her head with his arm, he brought the edge of the glass to Gail's mouth. She sipped at it. Her lips were cracked, her eyes bloodshot and ringed with yellowish crumbs, but there was some color in her skin. "When are we going to die?" she asked, her voice a feeble croak. "I want to hold you when we die."

"Are they… the disease. Is it talking to you?" He nodded. "Then I'm not crazy." She walked slowly across the living room. "I'm not going to be able to move much longer," she said. "How about you? Maybe we should try to escape." He held her hand and shook his head. "They're inside, part of us by now. They are us. Where can we escape?" "Then I'd like to be in bed with you, when we can't move any more. And I want your arms around me." They lay back on the bed and held each other.

Buried in some inner perspective, neither one place nor another. He felt an increase in warmth, a closeness and compelling presence.

>>Edward... -Gail? I can hear you- no, not hear you- >>Edward, I should be terrified. I want to be angry but I can't.

They fell quiet and simply reveled in each other's company. What Edward sensed nearby was not the physical form of Gail; not even his own picture of her personality, but something more convincing, with all the grit and detail of reality, but not as he had ever experienced her before.

Edward and Gail grew together on the bed, substance passing through their clothes, skin joining where they embraced and lips where they touched.

[roswellsplace]

Purity Tramp

Oil Painting on Canvas – 24″ x 48″ – Purity Tramp For sale: Please contact the artist

Purity Tramp by Mr. Roswell's Neighborhood

[cherrybombfangirlwrites]

The City is Ours ; a WIP Intro

(New and Improved Re-Introduction!)

Genre and Setting

low urban sci-fi, superheroes, dark sci-fi ; set in big city somewhere northern on a US coast, I'm cautiously giving the city the placeholder name Henderson, modern times

Playlist

Masterlist / Shitty Comic Sans Intro 🤪

POV

third person limited, multiple characters (about 5-6)

Status and Length

First Drafts, roughly 2k ; 5 book series, no idea what the wordcount will be yet, maybe 100k per book?

Tropes and Themes

chaotic teenage superheros, domesticity in between the action, 2012-13 Avengers Tower fic vibes, found family but they're all dumbasses, villain arcs and redemption arcs galore, reluctant villians, superhero team but they're all lower middle class, POC disabled Jewish and Muslim and queer representation, "don't die or i'll kill you", heroes and villains and the chaos that ensues ; are you the hero or the villain, what's the difference between good and evil (is it who's telling the story?), forgiveness and redemption, saving the world vs saving yourself and your family, exploring morality

Warnings and Rating

guns, potential depictions of torture, superhero genre typical violence, blood, depictions of discrimination and bigotry (towards super-powered people mostly), trauma and mental health issues including possible depictions of panic attacks, and a whole fuck ton of angst ; Teen and Up

Main Characters

Nickelle Takahashi (she/her)

Team Leader, Superhero Name: The Icicle

Ice Powers

Japanese American, AroAce, lead singer in a local rock band

the leader who puts way too much pressure on herself, and who will do everything for the people she loves

Asher Romero-Cruz (he/him)

Team Dad, Superhero Name: The Flashlight

Light and Shadow Powers

Gay, Christian, Latino American, LEGO and Star Wars nerd

the Dad Friend of the team who is always looks out for everyone. Has a civilian boyfriend

Gabriella Wilson (she/her)

Team Cheerleader/Suit Designer

No Powers

CisHet, White with long blond hair, very talented sewer and fashion designer

the blonde bimbo who is super supportive of everyone and will be your wing woman ride or die

Kylee Trimble (she/they)

Youngest Teammate, Superhero Name: Now-Ya-See-Her-Girl

Speed and Invisibility Powers

Redhead with pale skin and freckles, Nearsided with Glasses, Nonspeaking Autistic, PanAce, Artist

the artist who is afraid of opening up and being her authentic self around others

Bryson Barns (he/him)

Team Medic, Superhero Name: The Healer

Healing Powers

Black, token straight that's on thin ice, Diabetic (Type 2)

the very tired healer who can heal all physical injuries, but he can't heal himself or mental injuries and struggles with accepting that

"V" Talić (they/them)

Team Cool Big Sibling, Superhero Name: Morph

Shapeshifting Powers

Muslim, Nonbinary Lesbian, Bosnian American, Soccer Jock

Impulsive and reckless, the one who always has crazy ideas for getting out of sticky situations. Struggles with fitting in with their culture/family while also being themselves

Jason Richens (he/him)

Team Asshole, Superhero Name: Hotshot

Fire Powers

CisHet (and an asshole about it)

Thinks he's special because his dad is rich, his character only exists to be bashed

Chase Silverstone (he/they)

Team Hacker and Tech Expert, Superhero Name: TechGuy

No Powers

PanAro, Jewish, Romani American, Bipolar Disorder and OCD, Anxiety and Depression

The team techie who struggles with asking for help and dealing with his mental health issues and taking care of himself

Antagonists

Black Hole - Main Antagonist of Book 1. Alien from Pluto, trying to take over earth as a last ditch extra credit project for his AP Government class. Can absorb any attack and reflect it back

Miss Recluse - Recruited by Black Hole. Has the human sized body of a Brown Recluse spider and the head of a human and poisonous fangs. Can do everything a spider does, and is a bit of a drama queen. Besties with The Magician

The Magician - A sorcerer from the dark ages who accidentally transported himself to the future with no way back. Uses a lot of dark magic that includes illusions- favorite spell to use is blue fire that is immune to water and can burn through metal and stone. Dr. Strange meets Dr. Faciler.

Mr. Cyanide - Recruited by Black Hole, eventually becomes a solo high level threat villain, main antagonist of book 2. Mad scientist with a deadly knack for chemistry. Only cares whether his experiments work, couldn't care less if they hurt or kill people.

Boss Lady - a Mafia boss who is colossally tall and wide, and incredibly strong. Big stronk woman who is working with/for the Snow Queen (her loyalties or questionable). Does have standards but also tortures people for the fun of it so....?

Blood Debt - Loner (mainly) vigilante who rides around on a motorcycle and kills anyone who he sees fit is deserving of dying, or whoever he gets paid to kill. Does jobs for the Snow Queen, and under the mask he is someone one of the heroes is very close with...

Nightmare - a small time, low threat villain that doesn't actually hurt anyone. Her powers put people to sleep and she takes their energy from them. A freshman/sophomore college student with an engineering major. More of an anti-hero vigilante if you squint.

The Snow Queen - The big bad for the last three books. Only an urban legend/rumor until the last two books. Has ice powers that can control tech and people. No one knows her identity and she is holed up in her lair most of the time, sending minions/Boss Lady or Blood Debt to do anything outside the lair. She is someone all of the heroes know very well :)

Plot

A bunch of rookie teenage superheroes and their journey to becoming the heroes and protectors of their city, and eventually the world, and most importantly- a family. With all of the chore rotations, late night grocery runs, fights for the shower, and everything else that happens along with the action. Full of full scale super powered fights, betrayals and confrontations, cool tech and superpowers, and everything we love about the superhero genre.

Book 1 - The Initiation

Book 2 - The Hunter or Hunted

Book 3 - The Shadows

Book 4 - The Snow Queen

Book 5 - The Forsaken

(all the titles are placeholder titles for now)

Extra Stuff

Chase is a caffeine addict and not only can, but has on multiple occasions mixed coffee and energy drinks

Kylee uses sign language or a text to speech app to communicate, or if she has neither goes old school and writes things down

the city is based on a combination of Chicago and Gotham City

Nickelle has two younger siblings, a brother and a sister who are inseparable, 8 and 5 years old

Nickelle also has a huge extended family that's more traditional and she has to tone down her punk look for family gatherings

Asher's boyfriend is Damian. Damian finds out about his partner's double superhero life when Asher saves him in the mask, and like a dumbass, Asher forgets to turn on his voice modifier and Damian recognizes his voice immediately

Damian is also a Chekhov's Civilian and becomes a vital part of the plot

Nightmare and V have a little enemies to lovers romance that's mostly in the background is is really just there for comedy

The Magician gets a redemption arc and becomes the Hero Team's weird morally gray uncle

Kylee has a brother who is in the US Navy. He is one of the few people that she is comfortable being fully unmaksed around at the beginning of the books, and he is deployed during the events of the books.

Bryson has a weird relationship with his dad, who raised him all by himself and is a full time EMT. Bryson really wants to tell his dad about his double superhero life because it's driving a wedge between him and his dad, but it's not safe and Bryson's not sure how his dad will react

And finally, some memes for your viewing pleasure:

~~~

The City is Ours Taglist: @friendlyneighborhood-writer @jessica-writes22 @rose-bookblood @yejidoesthings @space-writes

General Taglist: @enchanted-lightning-aes @thatprolificauthor @wip-nook @writeblrsupport

[my-forgotten-notepad]

Adam of the New Flesh (Prologue)

High upon a high; past the cobblestone roads and sequestered from the town below sat a dour estate behind iron fences and high stone walls. Within the estate lived a scholar, whose mind was hungry, fierce and all-to-ambitious; but for all his strength and dominating power of his mind; he was ruined by his weak body and lacklustre form. Despite the fading image of prestige and being of good stock and breeding; many of the townsfolk did not hold a generous or profound view of the scholar who lived in the old estate. Especially, as the most of the grounds were being reclaimed by nature, upkeep and maintenance having long been abandoned due to cost; giving the estate and its grounds a garish and misshapen form to all to see.

Inside the estate; the strange and unloved scholar, Victor Von Frankenstein sat hunched over his desk as he furiously dipped his quill into ink before blurring the tip across the parchment before him; fragments of formulae, structures and inventions all sat before him. Inventions and innovations that would have the potentiality to revolutionise medicine and human comprehension of the mortal form and the immortal conscious. Pausing only briefly as he found himself struggling to breathe before collapsing into a hacking coughing fit. Pain seared through Victor's lungs and throat as he struggled to breathe clearly; coughs becoming louder, longer and harsher on his rail-thin body. Victor mentally cursed his sickly constitution and how easily he lost control of his body when his ailments struck him; more viciously he cursed the doctors and scholars of his university who failed to take his afflictions with care and sincerity. Many opining that his condition from his weak frame, pallid complexion and gaunt features to his strained constitution were the result of Divine Punishment; that his house and family had committed a grave sin and had become an affront to God Himself. That was a remark that left Victor snarling and gnashing his teeth in anger.

Victor's mind had turned from innovation and scholastic enterprise to anger and fury once he had wrested control of his lungs from one of his many bedevilling illnesses; and with that change of mind came words instead of ideas. Victor loathed how he had to be anchored to the layman and their superstitious values derived from the uneducated preening and proselytizing to the uneducated. Screaming that they had mastered the mysteries of the world and that they need not learn anymore; for there was nothing left to learn; to shun and view any who said otherwise with suspicion and that those who ached for more, longed for more, were a danger to the world.

All of Victor's thoughts and feelings became condensed into a promise to himself; a promise he would do anything to see fulfilled; not because of its innovation, but just to spite the world around him.

My body was frail, weak; from the very moment of my conception all the way to now as I labour and gasp over my notes and theorems. Afflicted by the poor choices of my parents and doggedly chased by a flock of ravenous wasting illnesses; all hoping to suckle the very life from my flesh, from my bones. The doctor proposed abandoning my study, my love and passion for biology, for science and innovation. To nestle myself within my family's dwindling estate; blithely ignoring the corrosion and collapse of my body's very infrastructure, they even offered to provide me laudanum. To quote 'dream my days away, in bliss and far from the shorelines of pain and misery'.

Even medicine could not save me and if the geniuses of our time were too fat from their own egos or distracted by the dalliances of their own brilliance to save me from my own rebellious flesh; then there is only one option and one alone. I need to rise up, I must rise up; I cannot just slumber my days away with my mind and body supplicated by the potent touch of opiates, I must succeed where others have failed

My flesh fails me with its vile act of treachery; allowing my form to waste away and be burdened with great and hideous pains. It is of no further use to me; for it is no longer viable, for it is no longer virile and capable of growth or change. I shall exceed those who came before me just as much as I shall exceed my contemporaries and seniors of my time. I will burn a great and mighty path for those who come after me.

I shall become like God; I shall rend the earth open and fashion myself Man as described by my own vision. I shall walketh upon the Earth a new Adam.

Victor turned his gaze from his quill, ink well, papers and words towards the lone window of his study; gazing outwards onto a powerful storm. He admired nature and how no matter how smart; Man submitted to Nature due to its reach and its power and its apathy to all things. Victor vowed he would conquer Man’s primitive obeisance to Nature and rise above their original standing; not just to stand proudly in the shadow of God but to cast shadows in their own right.

Victor, feeling fatigue begin to take hold, made his way to the small cot in the corner and fell into it. His coughing fits and furious emotions having burned through all of his stamina. Victor felt himself grew weaker as sleep creeped slowly in and his conscious mind was dragged into the depths and whirling darkness of unconsciousness.