Day 2

“The Fleshcrafters of Sillix represent the most powerful shapeshifters in the world. We would do best to not forget their mastery of mutation and assasination, there is a reason they are outside control of The Multitudes”

-Utapal the Indomitable minutes before an assasination attempt by the Fleshcrafters

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A man with control of flames, a heart of light, rolled around on the floor as a man of magic stood watch. Mogis. The guardian of the safe zone watched from his connected interface. At least, he had been a man in life. After surviving to the ninth wave, he had surrendered his body to the golems. They tore his mind from his body, and gave him...quasi immortality.

The mana in the air swirled around the human. Natural mana, mixing into his second heart. These foolish humans had no idea what these purchased powers were doing to their bodies. They used them crudely, like trying to hit a gnat with a hammer. The body took too long to grow, and absorb mana efficiently. As a golem all it took was a few changes to infinitesimally small runic script. Granted it took hundreds of thousands of tries before anything worked, but he was nearly immortal now.

Being immortal was a strange thing. At first he hated the golems for destroying his body, for taking away everything he held dear. Over thousands of years that mindset changed, now free to experience the universe after his service was complete. All he could think about was getting off this hunk of rock.

True, some expert mutants were more than a match for the strongest golems. However it was much harder to kill beings that were not limited to one body, to one form. Mogis for example had four bodies that he could inhabit and control at any time. He had adapted to his circumstances. That was what defined a survivor. Looking down at the young man, kissing the ground of the safe zone. A memory of a time long before his cage of metal flesh sparked back into his present.

The smell of acid hung in the air. Drifting over the hills in a putrid scent. The promise of death hung in the air. Mogis, Dawnbreaker they called him. His mastery of solar attuned mana was unmatched on his planet. Stood in front of the Mega Boss of the ninth wave. It’s body was shaped like a pufferfish round with hundreds of spikes protruding from its body dripping with a green slime like substance, on four massive legs each the size of a small house. Sharp talons extended from its legs, and even one on the backs of its legs. A large beak set underneath two glowing green eyes that swiveled like a chameleons to look at Mogis.

“Caw!” It roared and a sonic blast shot out of its mouth and barreled towards him. The damned beast had been fighting for hours and he had barely scratched it. Drawing on the solar mana within his second heart Mogis created a burst on energy throwing his body to the side just in time.

The sonic blast destroyed the ground he had been standing on. Pulverizing it for several feet, the dust created from the attack drifting into the air. Obscuring his vision but not his words. Strings of curses flowed from his mouth like a waterfall. Mogis flew out of the cloud of dust just in time. Another sonic attack lanced through the air that he occupied only a moment before.

Mogis growled in annoyance. He knew that he would not be walking away from this. The only attack that could possibly damage this beast had severe repercussions. His heart would burst. He had to try. Mogis couldn’t spare a glance at his falled friends but he knew they were there. Val, Jakaru, Larith. They laid on the ground, pale with glassy eyes staring into the empty void from which all beings come and all beings must enter once again.

The beast's spines exploded forwards, shooting out of its body with tremendous speed. This last attack was what killed the rest of his team. Mogis grit his teeth and shot up into the air. Flight was difficult, solar mana was unruly by nature. Focusing it into his legs for flight was incredibly difficult and a headache started to form behind his eyes. Groaning in pain he managed to avoid the spines at the last second, having gotten enough distance to squeeze his body between them.

Glaring at the beast Mogis began to gather the rest of his solar mana in his hand. Everything he could muster, drawing everything from his second heart. A ball of solar mana began to form in his hand. Trying to explode, to fill the world with its raging heat. He would not let it. Compressing it down as it shined. Filling the area with a dense heat. Warming the cold bodies, and shining through the darkness.

This was his purpose. He was the flame and the flame was him. The blood pumping faster and faster, drawing in ambient mana to fuel his attack. His second heart changing it into solar attuned mana slowly replenishing him. It would be too late. The beast charged, seeing for the first time the danger that Mogis held in his hand.

When it got within twenty feet he began to fall out of the sky. Using the solar mana from his legs and pouring it into his attack. Falling from the sky like an angry god Mogis roared and unleashed his mana. The ball of solar energy exploded towards the beast.

It was as if the sun existed on the surface of the planet. The ground lit up with a roaring fire. The air itself shimmered and shone bright with heat. A lance of solar mana aimed directly at the head of the beast. His attack burned the beast. It’s roar of pain echoed in Mogis’ ears as it was stopped in its tracks.

The scent of burning flesh filled the air, his attack was working! Mogis pressed harder. Drawing on more mana, pushing himself to his limits. His attack burned brighter as the air itself began to light up in flames, the beast crying out in real pain. This was it, he could win!

Suddenly his beam of solar mana faltered. He was out of mana! No! No! He had to win. For his planet. For his people. But the beam failed anyways. No matter his strength of will, his hatred, or sadness. He was spent. Mogis’ body, empty of mana dropped like a rock.

The beast looked more wary this time. Half its body was covered in horrific burns that stretched from its face down half of its body. The exposed flesh burned and reeked of vaporized acid that dripped into its wounds only causing it more pain. Mogis laid on the ground, fighting to even stand in the face of this monster. Was this the end? He looked up at the monster, now kneeling as it loomed over him. Looking at him with its terrible red eyes.

Its mouth opened and revealed row upon row of teeth. Each one shaped like a drill bit and spinning at a high speed. Mogis simply closed his eyes and waited for the death that he knew would take him soon. Perhaps he would see his friends again, or see his planet restored long years after the Trials were over. He hoped for happiness even his his dying moments.

The sound of tearing metal filled his ears, the crash of metal of stone, the screech or death as hot breath washed over him. Then heat. Unlike anything he had ever felt, more than solar mana, more than the flames he created when he razed a city. Melted solid rock in seconds, broke though his limits. Opening his eyes Mogis was astounded. Before him stood a construct of metal. Glowing runes and pulsing red energy surrounded its body. Enveloping the area and burning away the flesh of the beast that had been about to end his life.

Tears began to fall from his face as he beheld his...savior? The mechanical being seemed to turn towards him. Its words made his blood run cold even under the effects of the heat he was feeling.

“So. You survived to the ninth wave. The first trial. You will make an excellent test subject. Mogis Dawnbreaker.”

The memory echoed within his mind, unconstrained by human concepts such as imperfection. Every feeling, every emotion. Was as real and as vivid as the day he had experienced it so long ago. Looking at the human who was still kissing the ground. Mogis smiled. He had work to do.