Each rung of the ladder proved to be a challenge to Carol as they were so hot that she winced from touching them. Still she pushed her pain down as her fear for Mianda's safety was greater. Horrific visions of what Michelle could possibly be doing to Mianda continuously ran through her head as she climbed down as fast as she could. When she reached the bottom of the ladder she was sweating both from the heat and the exertion of the ladder.

While Falaen and Veronica were climbing down as well Carol took a look down the tunnel. The tunnel was lit up with a pulsing red light and through the stone bricks she could see fleshy growths coming out. Veronica cursed when she reached the bottom and Carol could see the sweat pouring off the paladin's face. Falaen on the other hand when she got down looked alright.

When Falaen saw them looking at her she shrugged and said "JP put in a cooling system in my battle uniform so I don't sweat. Something about keeping cool under pressure."

Shaking her head Carol began to walk down the tunnel. The wet heat only seemed to grow as they made their way deeper into the tunnel. As they passed one of the larger growths, Carol could feel that the heat was actually coming from these horrific pieces of flesh that throbbed with the pulsing of the red light.

Taking a closer look at the piece of flesh, Carol reached out with her mind to feel it. When her mind brushed against it, she strangely felt like she had brushed against a dozen minds at once. Then it recoiled from her touch and shut her out. But not before she felt a strange hunger within it. For what she could not tell exactly, other than an offsetting feeling as it looked at her.

Continuing on they found as they went the flesh began to grow further from the walls making the passage a tight squeeze. Carol frowned in disgust as she squeezed past a growth and it throbbed under her touch. When they finally reached the intersection that led to the base door, they found that the path was overgrown with the fleshy growths. In the center was a small hole that they could crawl through.

Getting on her knees she crawled through the damp hot hole feeling even more disgusted as the throbbing mess around her seemed to squeeze against her. Eventually they managed to reach the end of the flesh hole where they exited right in front of the door to the base. Like the flesh that had red light running through it so did the door.

Going up to the door Carol pushed hard on it and frowned as she struggled to open it. Veronica came up next to her and pushed on the door causing it to slowly creak open. Beyond the door was a small room with a door on the other end. It was covered in tiles that were lit up by a red glow underneath them making the room seem rather ominous to her.

Stepping forward into the room, Carol found the temperature dropped the second she stepped through the door. When Falaen and Veronica entered, the door slammed shut behind them and several nozzles in the side of the walls began to let out a mist into the room. Alarmed Carol held her breath, but Falaen went over to one of the nozzles and took a smell.

"Wait what if it's poison?" Veronica said.

"It's not. I've seen this before in some of the ruins I've been in. It's a sanitizing spray. Perfectly safe." Falaen replied.

Taking a breath, Carol found the air faintly smelled like alcohol. After a bit the mist stopped and the door ahead of them slid slowly open. Passing through the door,  they found themselves inside a room that had massive pipes running throughout it. There was a loud sound of liquid being pushed through the metal pipes. 

One of the pipes was leaking a reddish liquid onto the floor that had a faintly sweet smell to it. Passing it, a weird thirst nearly overcame Carol to lap it off the floor. Shaking her head she fought off the urge and continued on. As they were moving forward they had to be careful not to touch the pipes as they radiated intense heat from the liquid they contained.

Falaen said "Make sure you keep near me. I have some skills that can mitigate some of the spatial weirdness if it ever happens."

Carol nodded and made sure to stay within arm's length of Falaen. As they moved through the maze of pipes searching for an exit from the room, Carol expanded her mind throughout the room. When she did so, she could feel the gaze of several minds on her and the others. She had trouble locating where they were watching her, as it felt like they were watching all around.

Focusing on these minds she noticed that one of the minds seemed to push the other's away briefly and behind them they heard a loud creaking noise. Turning around they saw a door in the middle of the path they had just come from. Veronica looked at it and said "Well I guess someone wants us to go through that door."

Frowning Falaen shook her head "I don't like it. It smells like a trap."

"I'm not so sure. I briefly felt a mind that didn't seem so hostile nearby. I think this door is from them. We should at least take a look through it." Carol said walking up to the door.

Pushing on the door, she revealed a small white room that was empty. On the opposite side was a door that had the word Laboratory four labelled above it in faded black Ink. While she was looking in, Carol reached her mind into the room and could finally feel the faint presence of Mianda far behind the walls.

Other than that she could not feel anything else. Looking back at the other's she said "I can feel the presence of Mianda beyond the walls of that room. We should go in as it takes us closer to Mianda."

Veronica nodded and said "Alright, we just need to be careful." As she got close she pulled up her shield and Falaen readied her weapon and they walked through the open door into the room.

The moment they stepped into the room, the white walls disappeared and were replaced with a vast field of grass. Carol found she could actually feel the grass. "Did we get teleported?" Carol asked, confused.

Falaen shook her head and said "No this is all an illusion. It's made out of light like those creatures you fought Veronica."

Carol stepping forward was startled when she saw a nude woman appear before her. Alarmed she activated her psionic blades and got into a stance ready to fight especially when she got a better look at the thing in front of them. Maybe at one point the thing had been human, but now it was made from pure nightmares.

In the bulging stomach of the woman was a huge gash where several tentacles reached out covered in eyes. One of the arms was grossly malformed into what looked like some sort of claw. Her hair looked made from entrails and half of the face was smoothed out. The other half was a giant eye that stared at them unblinking. A gash in the woman's throat opened revealing crooked and sharp teeth and a gurgling emerged from this horrific mouth forming the word "Hello."

Not sensing immediate hostility Carol reached forward carefully with her mind to this thing, and found that she did not feel anything in front of them. Confused she said "I think this thing is made out of light as well."

The thing nodded and croaked out "You are correct oh follower of the Sleeping One. I created this form in order to speak with you, sadly I cannot recall my original form and could only create this monstrosity."

Being careful Carol glared at it and demanded "Where is Mianda?"

It's giant eye blinked and said "Ah yes you are looking for the Child. She has been taken to the inner chamber for the final phase of Project Osiris by the Supplicant."

"Supplicant? Are you talking about Michelle?" Carol asked.

"She has multiple names, none of which matters for she is now just a slave to the Base Minds. She has drank of the pure amniotic life fluid. It has driven her mad and allowed her to be shaped to the Base Minds will."

"What is the Base Mind?" Veronica asked.

It let out a great gurgling sigh and said "This base was formed with the singular purpose of replacing the Great One. The Awakened who ran this base were of two opinions, one it was entirely possible that the Great One had passed, or that the Great One had abandoned this world. The dangers of the world were ever increasing and so they decided the world needed a new Great One."

"Was this Base Mind supposed to replace the Great One?" Falaen asked.

"No. Thanks to the dreams of the Sleeping One the Awakened developed a plan to create a being that could rival the Great One's power. The only issue was that the calculations and procedures were so complex that no singular mind could even attempt it. Thus they created the Base Mind Project. They took the twelve smartest women and extracted their brains and joined them together into the Base Mind. I was the Ninth woman."

"You are part of the Base Mind?" Carol asked.

"Yes." The gurgling sound was sad and it continued "It has been far too long, I've lost most of who I was originally. My appearance, my dreams, even my name is gone. All that I have left is the designation that they gave me BM9 and thankfully some of my sanity remains intact unlike the other Base Minds."

"So this is an Awakened Base." Veronica nodded. "I thought so when I came here last."

"Yes, I saw you when you came last Half-Awakened. I must warn you, the others have grown to despise the Awakened for what they have done for us. They will try to kill you for that reason alone. While I dislike the awakened who forced me into this form, I can sense you are not like the Awakened we once knew. Especially since I can sense the presence of the Sleeping one on you. It appears that he has awoken finally."

Stepping to the side BM9 waved her hand and a large stone plate rose out of the ground. On it were various pictures, there was a group of seven, a hand with an eye in it, a horrific pit of something crawling out of it. "The Awakened split into multiple groups after the Archmages arose and attacked them. While I hate the Awakened who did this to me, I understand where they came from. There are too many dangers this world faces, and it pleases me that the Sleeping One has awoken. Perhaps he will be able to save this world."

"What happened to the Awakened who were at this base?" Veronica asked

"The Base Mind worked on the project as directed. Unfortunately they did not foresee that the Base Mind was already growing insane. We failed to mention to the Awakened the dangers of the project. When Phase one of Project Osiris was activated all life within the area was killed except for the Base mind who was connected to the Life Source. This also sealed us within the base leaving us little to do except go more insane with the passing of time."

"So that's why the area was abandoned when Keston found it. What is the spring he found?"

"You are referring to that silly little kingdom above us? The others came up with an idea to draw in testing subjects by filtering the pure amniotic life water up into a spring. The resulting liquid while able to heal a great deal of injuries no longer immediately drives the person insane. Continued exposure still causes mental degradation unfortunately. The Supplicant was seeking it's source when she came into the base and was forced to drink of the Pure liquid."

"Why do they need Mianda?" Carol asked.

"Our calculations revealed that no ordinary child could handle the amount of life energy. The Child we took note of was Mianda as you call her. We first spotted her when she was brought to the Temple to get that seal on her back. Due to her curse within her blood she is able to handle the energy load required for the project."

"What is the Base mind planning to do?" Veronica asked.

"Right now we are preparing the final phase. When it's finished we will send out a pulse killing all life within the city and drawing it into the Life crystal which will then be channeled into the Child. The Awakened goal at this point would have been to raise the child as the new great one. The Base mind has changed this plan, and is planning to actually take over the child's body for its own use."

"I will not allow that to happen." Carol growled out.

"That is good. I had hoped you would be able to help me stop them from completing this project of theirs. I may have lost so much of myself, but I still retain some of my humanity. Unfortunately I am just one against eleven, so I cannot control the entire facility. I was able to help you previously escape from this base, so I can help you get closer to the Child."

BM9 waved and a door appeared. "Be forewarned, they will attempt to stop you. Thankfully since I am not helping them with the calculations, most of the Base Minds focus is on completing the project. They have however blocked me from directly accessing the inner chamber."

"Thank you BM9" Veronica said.

BM9 nodded and said "I only ask that should you get to the chamber, please kill the Base Mind. I am losing myself slowly, and I would rather die retaining a semblance of my humanity then become a monster."

"We will do so." Carol said and opened up the door revealing a long corridor behind it. With the other two following they entered the hallway. Carol began to run as she could feel Mianda was getting closer. All of a sudden several canine looking monsters appeared out of nowhere and jumped at them.

Dodging their biting attacks, Carol sliced one apart causing it to burst into light particles. A dozen more of the canines however appeared to replace it. Falaen yelled "Stand aside, I have something for this."

Striding forward confidently Falaen raised her wand up and channeled power into it. A brief flash of intense blue light filled the corridor blinding Carol for a few seconds. Blinking, she found her eyesight slowly returning revealing a completely changed corridor. 

Gone was the once pristine looking corridor, in its place was a red glow filled decrepit corridor. The walls had rust stains and beneath the cracks in the walls, Carol could see more of the disgusting red flesh that throbbed with red light. The monsters were at least gone for the moment and Falaen said "Looks like the light system was doing more than just creating monsters. It was hiding the true appearance of the base."

Nodding, they continued on towards where Carol could feel Mianda was. They had just turned a corner where a large door was at the end behind which she was certain Mianda was when several red fleshy tentacles swarmed out of the walls and grabbed onto the three of them. Carol had managed to dodge most of the tentacles only for one of the smaller tentacles to manage to grab onto her leg and pull her into a side room that appeared suddenly.

As she was pulled through the air, she sliced off the tentacle and rolled into the room slamming into what looked like a desk with red flesh growing all over it. Quickly getting to her feet she managed to fend of the incoming tentacles that attempted to slam into her. Reaching out with her mind she grabbed onto one of the tentacles and yanked and it was ripped off the stack. 

When she did so the other tentacles in the room let out a horrific screaming noise and pulled back into the crevices in the wall. The tentacle she had ripped off was twitching on the floor spraying out red goop that smelled awful. With them gone she managed to take a look at the room she was now in. 

Besides the overgrown desk she had slammed into, there were a series of broken tanks along the wall. There were also a few unbroken tanks with horrific creatures floating and a reddish liquid. Walking up to them she noted that there were a few red crystals beneath the tanks that seemed to be pumping energy into the tanks. Grabbing them with her mind she yanked them out and tossed them into her inventory for Jack to take a look at later. The creatures in the tanks jerked and died quickly without the crystals supporting them.

Sending out her senses for Mianda, she found that her charge was now located somewhere below her. Feeling like she was running out of time, she poured power into her psionic blades and sliced through the floor cutting the thick metal plates with ease. When she cut a hole she jumped in only for space to suddenly shift once more around her.

Carol now found herself continuously falling inside an empty void. Not giving up because Mianda still needed her, she focused her entire mind on Mianda. Her energy builded up and she found herself straining harder against this spatial prison that captured her. Eventually it gave way and she tumbled out into a massive chamber.

Getting to her feet she took a look around and saw a horrific thing growing against one side of the wall. It looked as if it was a giant brain, with multiple eyes beneath it was a see through flesh sack in which Mianda was currently floating within. A tentacle was stuffed in the girl's mouth, and Mianda seemed to be unconscious.

Intense fury filled Carol seeing her like this and she rushed forward to get her out. Only for her to have to jump away at the last moment when a spatial blade came slicing towards her. Dodging backwards she saw Michelle come out of nowhere with a crazy look on her face.

"Let her go Michelle, it's over." Carol said.

Michelle giggled and brought her metal gloved hand to her face "That's not my name. What was my name? Was it Amanda? Was it Susan? No I was Jane. That's right Jane, Jane the Ripper the best spy in the empire." She let out a mad laugh and waved  her hand sending out another spatial blade at Carol.

Dodging the blade, she sent out a Mind Bullet at the mad woman. Michelle dodged the bullet and closed with Carol and attacked with a nasty looking blade. Carol fought back with her psionic blades, only for Michelle to change the shape of space and slip away behind Carol.

Michelle grasped onto Carol, and to her disgust ran her tongue along Carol's neck. "I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart." Michelle giggled and attempted to drive her blade into Carol.

Using the fury that filled her, Carol blasted Michelle away from her sending flames scattering around her. Michelle flipped away and reached out and space once again changed. Carol found herself falling to the ceiling. Righting herself, she landed hard on the ceiling, only to have to dodge an attack from Michelle.

"I was supposed to be her maid." Michelle gleefully joked as she swung her blade at her. "When they saved her from those hired guards she was going to be taken to the capital where I would take over as her maid. Except you got in the way."

"So you were behind the attack on Mianda by those guards?" Carols said fighting back.

"The Empire had so many plans for Mianda. Too bad they conflict with my plans." Michelle said grinning and twisted space once again, and Carol found herself falling to the floor, only Michelle was now in several places at once attacking her.

Dodging the wild spatial blades, Carol noticed as one of the stray blades approached the giant brain only for it to disperse. Landing on the floor, she took note that several of the floor plates were loose. Grabbing the heavy plates with her mind she flung them at the multiple Michelles.

Michelle grunted and returned to just one form and attempted to dodge the flung metal plates. Carol, not having let go of the plates, began to strain her mind as she attempted to keep them twirling around Michelle, each one keeping trying to slam onto them. 

Dodging the plates barely, she reached out and several holes were torn in space through which the plates fell through. Then with a flick of Michelle's wrist the holes disappeared only for one to appear behind Carol and the plates came at her and she had to dodge out of the way of her own attack.

At that second she got a feeling that she was in danger. Blasting herself up with her telekinesis she just barely avoided a spatial twist and a sucking pull nearly split Carol into two. Michelle popped up in front of her and attacked furiously. Carol was starting to run out of mental strength. Her head felt like it was being split into two.

Despite that, she decided to pour as much strength into her mind as she could and took the essence of the mind bullet attack and spread it into a psychic storm about her. Unleashing it, she caught Michelle in it's blast radius causing the mad woman to scream out in agony and clutch at her head.

Taking the opening, Carol dashed forward and sliced off the hand that had the spatial glove on it. Before the cut off hand even hit the floor, Carol grabbed it and tossed it into her inventory so that Michelle no longer could mess with the space around her.

The woman recovered and let out a mad laugh and said "You're too late, I have been chosen as her apostle." As Michelle rambled madly, the chamber began to hum and symbols began to glow throughout the room.

Carol grabbed Michelle and tossed her aside into a wall with an audible thud. She rushed towards Mianda only to run into some kind of spatial shield in front of the sack containing Mianda. Hitting she watched in horror as a sick red glow began to enter the sack. 

Taking a deep breath she activated the Mind body soul feat to it's max potential and reached deep within her. Deep within her pouring out of her soul was energy that she tore free and used it to slam it into the shield making it shudder under her assault.

The energy coursing through Carol's body began to tear her body apart, and blood began to pour from her nose and ears. Still Carol pushed on and the shield began to falter. Several massive tentacles emerged from the giant brain and attempted to swat Carol away.

She let out a roar of pain and rage and the power caused the tentacles to explode and she finally managed to shatter the spatial field keeping her away from Mianda. When it fell she dashed forward and using her psionic blades sliced the sack open, spilling out the red liquid. She reached in and gently got the tentacle out from Mianda's throat, and pulled her out.

The moment she pulled Mianda out, the humming stopped and the symbols stopped glowing. The Brain glared at her, but she used the last of her power to send out a massive mind bullet into the brain and it shuddered and went still. Carol out of energy collapsed onto the floor.

While she lay on the floor, Mianda opened her eyes and said groggily "Mom?" 

"It's alright. You're safe." Carol said. 

Mianda nodded and wrapped her arms around her hugging her tight. At that moment a door on the far side busted open and Veronica came rushing in covered in gore. She looked around and spotted Carol lying on the floor and rushed over. "Are you alright?"

Carol groaned and nodded. "Yeah, I'm out of energy, but I should be fine."

Veronica helped her to stand, while she held onto Mianda. A tentacle emerged from the brain and grabbed the still form of Michelle and jammed it's way into her back. Alarmed Carol stepped back, she tried to pull more power out but her mind simply refused, she was at it's breaking point.

A voice emerged from Michelle that sounded off "Connection established." Michelle' rose her arms and her face twitched and she looked at them. "Why that was impressive. I was hoping you would be able to stop them, but I never thought you would be able to weaken them to such an extent that I would be able to completely take over."

Alarm went through Carol, and she said "BM9?"

"Correct. Oh don't worry, I have no use for the child. The others were fools, never wanting to listen to my plans and ideas. Do you know how aggravating it was to be forced to be with them?"

"I thought you wanted to die?" Veronica said.

"What fool would want to die? It's true that I have been losing my humanity, but I have only been becoming greater. It's those fools who wanted me to die, along with them in order for them to complete that damn Project Osiris. No, I merely said that so you would harm the others so I could take control."

"What do you want?" Carol said.

"I already have everything I want. The supplicant provided me with the wombs I needed to complete my plan. They did not understand the true power of what they made. This world needs a new leader, and that leader shall be me. I thank you, without your help Project Kore could never happen."

With that the walls began to shake and several tentacles ripped at the giant brain revealing a giant red crystal inside of it. A tentacle pulled it out and brought it to Michelle's body. As it got closer Michelle's body began to change as her stomach expanded as if she was pregnant. Only her stomach kept expanding to impossible sizes, and then the tentacle pushed the Giant crystal up inside of Michelle making the poor woman's pelvis shatter audibly.

The ground began to shake and the roof above them collapsed as a massive pulse of energy ran through the room. Veronica set up a shield around them and said "We need to get out of here before this places collapses on us"

ElKriJa

Thank you for reading my chapter. I hope you enjoy this one. I am almost done revising the prologue. I should be putting it out this week sometime. Any chapter I revise will now have Revised in the title. If you have any questions please leave them in the comments and I will answer them if I can.