The man pulled out a steel canister and was about to open it when a soft, celestial-like voice echoed in his mind.
"I can turn you into an Immortal," Eiran said. "Kneel, and you will be!"
The man flinched, his eyes fixed on the baby whose face was covered with a full mask. His heart pounded with fear and anxiety, but not once did he consider the baby's proposal. The man he served is a demon, he take no mistakes.
His body moved fast, opening the canister, hand trembling. A corruptive purple venom steamed out as a force field surrounded the man and he approached the glass tube Eiran was in.
With something akin to a metal brush, he dipped inside the canister and smeared it on the glass in specific patterns. He repeated this three times as Eiran watched without intervening.
He couldn't do anything—the man was in Phase 2. Eiran could control his blood, but the man could resist it due to their difference in Phase.
When the canister was almost empty, the soft voice returned, and the man panicked.
"Good. Now that you have kneeled, say my name…"
Eiran hadn't finished speaking when the man's body became red, veins bulging. He wanted to speak but couldn't—something inside him was expanding. His gaze grew watery, filled with self-pity as he stared at the baby in utter horror before exploding in gore.
The force would have shattered Eiran's tube, but the power behind the blood was pushed back, spraying around instead. The canister, controlled by a swirling blood, closed.
From the beginning Eiran wasn't speaking to the man, from what he feel in the man, the man can't disobey his master. His conversation was directly at the blood of the vile man which reacted, killing the man for his attempt to disobedience.
Eiran's eyes then settled on the design the man had created with the purple venom. He recognized it—he had seen it wisping in when he was in his mother's womb, the very substance that had made her act as the vile man's attention was drawn.
He also recognized that it came from the entity the vile man had been fighting at that time.
'A venom that can taint Celestial Blood!' Eiran thought. His gaze remained fixed on the design, noting how its properties allowed the venom to seep inside the tube without damaging it.
'If I'm incapacitated, he will take the whole pod with them.'
Eiran allowed it. He understood he was a healer and could heal himself from the venom given time. The benefit would be developing immunity.
Eiran glanced at the blood smeared around the room, coating every pod including the ceiling. Only his pod remained relatively clean.
He called to the blood, and it moved as if with a mind of its own, smearing random places without touching the seeping venom. It entered the liquid of his pod, becoming tendril-like as it swam toward him.
Eiran braced himself, pushing his left leg forward while channeling his Celestial Blood Essence toward the limb. It turned pink, glowing with a halo as the venom touched it.
To his surprise, there was no pain—just a numbing feeling spreading from the leg, which his essence fought against. His entire stump limb became purple, strange markings adorning it. Eiran noted the patterns but lacked a frame of reference to understand their meaning, filing the observation away for later.
The markings spread throughout his body, immediately consuming one of his two drops of Celestial Blood Essence before vanishing. His body would now produce blood slightly immune to this venom, which would be refined until complete immunity was achieved.
Eiran felt drowsy. He yawned and then fell asleep.
***
The entire facility was in uproar. Head Doctor Gerard was going ballistic because the new doctor hired two months ago had died and was found in possession of a highly venomous substance.
This immediately marked him as an agent sent to destroy the facility's precious subjects.
After in-depth investigation, they discovered the real doctor they thought they had hired—someone from an influential family—had gone missing, and the one who had come to them was an impostor.
Because no patients inside the pods were injured, everything eventually calmed down, but heavier security measures were implemented.
Now, only two doctors were allowed direct access: Dr. Kael and Dr. Miranda as those with main duty. Others could enter, but only under strict supervision.
Eiran slept for two more months, jolting awake each time an essence formed. When he gained his fourth essence, Eiran was finally free from the venom's influence and could stay awake for longer periods.
He began planning ahead, knowing he might be temporarily safe here, but that vile man wouldn't stop coming after him.
'Should I regenerate my limbs?' Eiran faced a dilemma. Celestial Blood Essence was a confusing power within him.
He understood it enhanced his abilities and physique, but there was more to it than that.
He had also noticed that the more essence accumulated in his body, the faster new essence formed.
Each essence would aid him in regenerating his limbs, though he feared they wouldn't fully attune with his body until after some time. However, with more essence, he could accelerate that process.
'No. Not now. I have no need for limbs right now!'
***
Doctors were servicing the pods, checking for faults and investigating the patients inside for any problems.
Head Doctor Gerard was supervising everything when he suddenly paused, his gaze snapping toward the distant baby.
"Greetings, Doctor Gerard!" The soft, celestial-like voice sounded soothing, commanding awe and wonder from anyone who heard it.
"Doctor, is something wrong?" Doctor Kael asked, following Gerard's gaze toward the baby.
"Have you checked him?" the Head Doctor asked.
"Yes. He was the first. He is normal."
"Good. Let's wrap everything up. I will be taking your duty for today," Head Doctor commanded. No one questioned him, knowing he had full authority over everything.
***
Once everyone had left, the place was sealed, and Doctor Gerard stood before Eiran's glass tube.
He waited for about a minute before frowning. 'Did I mishear? Was it not him?'
The soft voice echoed in his ears again: "I can't hear your thoughts, Doctor Gerard, but I can send mine!"
"Ah. How are you, then, Eiran Thorne?" Doctor Gerard spoke. His voice was deep and unpleasant, like stone grinding against stone.
"I feel fine. No pain, just numbness."
"Good. You're supposed to be asleep. How do you resist the sedation?"
Eiran's eyes studied the man. He was tall and muscular beneath his white doctor's outfit. His face was hardened; he smiled often, but it seemed practiced rather than genuine.
The doctor spoke again, understanding the boy wouldn't answer his question: "How can you speak to me? I mean, are you older than we think?"
"Is it wrong for a child to speak?"
"Nothing wrong with it. Just strange, unless you're not actually a baby."
"I'm nine months old, I think. I can feel it, but I don't know for certain."
"Hmm. Strange, but all right. Nice to meet you. Is there anything you want?"
"How is Mama Thorne? Is she well?"
"Definitely. She's a strong woman. One of the founders of that stronghold. Would you like me to invite her? Do you miss her?"
"No. Well, I once heard her saying she would go see the stars. I… just want to see them too!"
Eiran's voice grew fainter. Conversing with the man wasn't easy. His ability wasn't telepathy but rather reaching for the blood inside a person and resonating it with his thoughts, molding words into their mind.
Doctor Gerard was Phase 3 at least, making his blood difficult to control—especially if Eiran wanted to keep his method secret.
"You want to see the stars? You'd need to go to the surface." The doctor commented.
Eiran had drifted to sleep, and the doctor recognized this from the baby's breathing and calming mind.
"A nine-month-old talking baby. Interesting." He grinned, and his face—sculpted by hardship—appeared menacing, as if plotting something sinister.
***
Eiran slept peacefully until he was well-rested. When he opened his eyes, he realized he was no longer in the tube.
A soft bed cradled him with the gentle sway of a baby's crib. He was dressed in soft fabric, the temperature mildly cool, with toys hanging above him.
Then a huge face crept into view from the side, a smile etched across it. The man waited, hoping the baby would speak to him.
'His eyes are cold. That smile is born from cruelty. The way he looks at me is like someone examining a specimen,' Eiran thought, already having second thoughts about talking to the man.
"You want to see stars? I can make that happen."
"Really?" Eiran forgot his misgivings at the mention of stars.
"Yes." The man smiled widely. "I swear on my position as a doctor who saves lives!"
Eiran said nothing, waiting for the man to make his offer.
"The healing power we've extracted from you is passive. And it's strong enough to be S-rank. I want you to use your true healing ability to help me heal someone—just one person. The moment they recover, I'll send you to the surface with a family who will care for you and keep you safe."