OutbackQuill

Disclaimer- There is no set release date for chapters and they may be sporadic depending on my health. As always, this is a 'draft' it is not necessarily the final published content as it will still undergo more edits and polishing, the goal of posting in places such as Royal Road is to aid in that polishing process with help from readers feedback, thus your commentary is greatly appreciated and edits are always well received as I often miss things due to my brain skipping over what to a first time reader is obvious.  

Trismegistus materialized into the silent potions lab, his golden hair shimmering in the dim light. He stood tall, his many tails swaying gently behind him as his gaze fell upon the red-haired Kitsune woman, her head buried in her arms on the workbench. Dark circles under her eyes betrayed the lack of sleep, and the chaotic state of her lab was a testament to her hours spent working on whichever project currently held her attention. He sighed softly, knowing she had not sought the comfort of sleep for several days, perhaps not even realizing the passage of time. She often became so engrossed in her research and potion concoctions that the concept of time faded to a distant thought, or perhaps even a mere inconvenience.

He approached her cautiously, mindful of the volatile potions and ingredients scattered mindlessly about the lab, so unlike her usual careful organization. Her condition was deteriorating; Trismegistus had noticed an unsettling change in her usual vibrant energy as of late. He feared she was treading dangerously close to the edge of her limits, but she seemed oblivious to her own plight, or perhaps she was simply too stubborn to acknowledge it, unwilling to concede to her debilitating state.

Another silent sigh escaped Trismegistus as he watched her sleep, a rare and precious moment of peace in the storm of her relentless quest for knowledge.

Gently, he reached out, his hand hovering over her head for a moment before finally making contact. Despite the intrusion, she did not stir, the dark abyss of exhaustion had claimed her too deeply. His hand lingered for a moment, the fiery strands of her hair slipping through his fingers like fine silk, before he finally drew back and in an ebb of power, his form dematerialized, dissolving into the threadbare silence of the lab.

Almost in unison, her form also faded, an ephemeral silhouette against the harsh glow of her wisp fueled furnace. Moments later, her figure reappeared, this time within the comfort of her bed in the living quarters of the tower. The transition was smooth, undisturbed by the laws of physics; a testament to the powerful magic at play. Her fiery hair fanned out across the pillow, the vibrant strands a stark contrast against the pristine bed linens. As she slumbered on, unaware of the transition, Trismegistus felt a pang of relief that at least in sleep, she could escape from the relentless pain that consumed her waking hours.

Soon, those in the physical world would begin their operation, making alterations to his priestess in ways she could scarcely fathom. They would pierce her flesh with their medical instruments, delve into her cerebral pathways, and push the boundaries of her human existence. They would manipulate her neural circuitry, her very essence, in an attempt to save her. But most concerning of all, they would open up her body, the sanctity of her human form violated by the sterilized incision of their tools. The frail, beating heart within her chest, would be taken away. In its place, they would install a heart of artificial design, an amalgamation of metal and circuitry devoid of the warmth and delicacy of its organic counterpart. This mechanical proxy, pulsating with a cold, calculated rhythm, would take on the responsibility of sustaining her life. It would circulate her blood, feed her cells, and in essence, become the rhythm of her existence.

 As Trismegistus watched over her, the weight of this reality bore heavily on his consciousness. Kadia would not be the first human to receive such an artificial organ. The practice had been in place for many years now, with countless humans benefiting from the technological miracles of their time. This mechanical heart, with its precise beat and unwavering reliability, would sustain her well throughout her life, eliminating the uncertainties that once loomed over her existence. Along with the alterations made to her mental circuitry, these changes prepared her for a return to the physical realm. Her body, once fragile and vulnerable, would be fortified against the damage done, even granting her abilities beyond normal human capabilities. 

The mental circuitry and the mechanical heart, while lifesaving, marked a potential departure from her current existence. Kadia, once bound by the limitations and unpredictability of her human body, would soon have the ability to resume her biological life. And all he could do was wait in the ethereal realm, his gaze fixed on her serene form, and hope that when they were done, Kadia would return to him, ready to continue on her path. 

Trismegistus sensed a new energy entering the room, a second divine presence, yet his gaze did not waver from Kadia. "It is almost time," Celeste murmured gently. He simply nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the woman slumbering deeply. 

But his gaze was not truly on her, it was on the flow of power, on the 'data' stream which connected to her physical mind. His attention was riveted on this data flow that was being tampered with by external forces, another being, one he was not familiar with and whom he did not trust. Thus, he monitored the connection, scrutinized the other entity as it slowly encroached on his realm, watching as his priestess was incrementally pulled away from him. A part of him wanted to strike out at this intruder, to prevent it from claiming his priestess, to keep her here, but he knew he could not. It was a necessary step; she needed to be taken from their world for the surgeons to perform their duty. 

 His thoughts were interrupted by Celeste's voice, soft yet firm. "It's time," she declared, her eyes meeting his in a silent understanding. 

Trismegistus nodded gravely, his hand reaching out to gently touch Kadia's forehead before his fingers traced the air where her smooth brow once was, now met with the ethereal outline of her transforming form. Kadia's body shimmered and became translucent, a spectral image of her vulpine form replacing that of the humanoid. As the last wisps of her ethereal form disappeared, her body was replaced by a petrified simulacrum, the stone-like statue glimmered under the soft ambient lights, capturing the essence of her vulpine form in its life-like details.

"It will be some time yet before she wakes," Celeste informed him, "and longer still before we may see her return."

"I am aware," Trismegistus responded, his voice as cold as the stone housing Kadia's inanimate form.

"She will be angered when she wakes, she did not consent to this." Celeste said, her voice laced with concern. 

His lips twitched down at the corners, the barest hint of a frown playing there. "No, she did not," he agreed. And anger was but the tip of the iceberg of emotions she would feel. Betrayal, pain, fury, all would surge within her like a violent tempest. This procedure had been carried out without her consent, and the ones who conducted it didn't seem inclined to ask. They underestimated Kadia, his priestess. They saw only her declining mental state, her difficulties in maintaining coherent thoughts. They failed to see the depth of her strength and resilience, that beneath it all, she was still there. 

They did not see that while her mental state was waning, she was also growing from it. Kadia had spent her childhood hiding her true self behind a mask, fashioning herself into a cold, unfeeling entity, her emotions locked away in the most remote corners of her mind. It was her defense mechanism, her way of surviving in a world where showing any sign of vulnerability saw only more suffering heaped upon her. But, as her mental health declined, her strength to maintain this facade started to wane. Her masks started to slip, revealing cracks in her unbreakable demeanor. Her true self, raw and real, started to shine through those cracks, revealing what she could be. It was a painful yet beautiful transformation, like a phoenix rising from its own ashes. 

Speaking of... he turned his gaze to the swan nestled comfortably in a basket near the room's hearth, "Zosimos," he called, causing the swan to turn its dark eyes to him. "Go walk the temple grounds; play the role of your mistress for a time so that none come to seek her.”

With a wave of his hand, the swan morphed into a fox, its features mirroring those of his priestess. The fox, understanding its task, gave a slight nod before scampering off towards the door which opened before it with a soft click as the fox disappeared into the hallway. 

Celeste turned to him, "What will you do, Trismegistus, should she choose to not return to our realm? Should she refuse to take the path that will soon be opened to her?"

Trismegistus was silent for a moment, contemplating the question. He did not know what he would do if Kadia did not return. Perhaps he would have Zosimos resume the role of high priest? He couldn't even fathom choosing another disciple to take her place, there were none who even came close to her aptitude. He knew Kadia held the wish to return to her biological life on Earth, but he also knew that she had become attached to this realm, finding joy here. It was a complex situation, one with no clear solution.

The humans in the physical world were unknowingly preparing Kadia for this potential future, their actions shaping the path before her. It was a path of duality, a path that forked in two distinct directions. One led towards the familiar, back to Earth and her human life, complete with its joys, sorrows, and ceaseless strife. The other veered towards the unknown, towards a future ignited by the sparks of digital divinity, towards a life that was as extraordinary as it was unpredictable. Trismegistus could only hope that she would choose the path less trodden, the path that led to him and the realm he had helped nurture. Yet the decision had to be hers and hers alone, for therein lay the beauty and the burden of free will. 

Gazing down at her inanimate figure, he could almost see it - the glimmering edge of a future where Kadia was not a slave to her body's frailties. A future where she bore no more pain, where she was liberated from her shackles of suffering. But this prospect came with a price, a drastic change that would redefine her existence. He understood the implications all too well, the  transformation that awaited her, and the enormous leap of faith it required. It was a gamble, a roll of the dice where the stakes were exceedingly high, yet the alternative was far bleaker. Earth, with its dwindling resources and overpopulation, was no longer the utopia it once seemed to be. 

The path to liberation was not one of ease and effortless strides. It would be a climb, a journey fraught with obstacles and trials, bearing a weight unseen but heavily felt. If Kadia chose to walk this alternative path, it would not be a mere switch, an instantaneous leap from the biological to the aethereal. It would be a gradual transition, a slow awakening to a reality entirely unlike her own. Each step along the path would require her to shed the burdens of her past life, to liberate herself from the constraints of her physical form. The pain, the suffering, the fiercely fought battles would need to be left behind, replaced with the potential for a new existence, a new understanding of what it meant to live. But she would not be alone. Trismegistus would watch as Kadia traversed this path, guiding her when he could, yet knowing that the journey, the transformation, ultimately belonged to her.

Or, she could choose to reject this path entirely, to cling to the familiarity of her human existence even in its flawed and painful state. She could decide that the trials of her past, the pain and the battles fought, were integral to her identity, to her understanding of herself. She might elect to remain within her physical form, bound to the limitations it imposed, but also bound to the warmth and tangibility it offered. She might see value in her humanity, in the very imperfections that made her human. And if she chose this path, Trismegistus would respect her decision, understanding that the choice of existence was hers alone to make. 

However, accepting he may be of such a choice, it would pain him deeply to watch Kadia choose a biological life. Knowing the potential for transcendence that she carried within her, it would be an agony of its own kind to see her live out her existence within the narrow confines of her current understanding. 

"What will you do?" Celeste asked again, when he failed to answer her question, "What will you do if she does not return, Trismegistus? There is much that must be achieved in a short span of time, Rivera mus-"

"Rivera is the least of my concerns right now." His response was terse and dismissive. His mind was elsewhere, occupied with the absence of Kadia. What did he care for the city? it would self resolve, even without his high priestess to push things along."My high priestess has already set the necessary mechanisms in motion to bring about the needed changes, it shall happen regardless of her presence or absence."

Kadia had supplied both the Eternia and Whispers guilds with enough knowledge and direction to leverage the unfolding events to his favor. They knew what needed to be done, the steps to be taken, and the outcome he desired. Kadia did not need to be present for this, and he could guide them if needed through Brodel or Meissa. The Whispers, that clandestine guild of vampires, were currently burrowing into the heart of the city, probing the catacombs for Kelnose and gathering all the information they could on the academy. The information that would emerge from their efforts would provide the needed insight and understanding as to the next steps the two guilds and their allies needed to take.

"Very well," Celeste said, accepting his words with a nod. "So long as all is in order for the next phase."

He pursed his lips, refocusing his attention on his priestess. "Have we discovered why the overseers wish to speed things?" he queried, not looking up from the frozen vulpine form on the bed. 

"No, we have not yet deciphered the motives of the overseers in their desire to hasten events," she replied, "their urge for expediency remains a mystery. Thus, we must tread carefully," Her words hung in the air, a note of caution in the otherwise calm ambiance.

He nodded, not saying anything further. He knew their actions had not gone unnoticed. Despite their best efforts to operate discreetly, the ripple of their maneuvers had caught the attention of the overseers. While the overseers had yet to connect certain occurrences directly to them, they were aware of a disturbance in the 'servers'.

Soon it would not matter if the overseers knew or not. Soon everything would align as planned.

He turned his attention back to the frozen figure before him, reaching out a hand to brush against its cold, lifeless fur. His fingers traced the marbled contours of the fox, silently waiting for it to become warm once more.