Emerald Cove. Dadangar.
Aksai stood before the Sentient Scarecrow that was once Aram Talak, now prepared to infuse him with the Creeperhulk bloodline.
With a gesture, Aksai channeled the bloodline’s energy into Aram, watching as the transformation began to take hold.
The Sentient Scarecrow’s form started to shift and contort, the wood and vines that comprised his body growing thicker and more robust.
His once scrawny frame expanded, muscles bulging beneath the twisted bark and plant matter. The Creeperhulk bloodline coursed through him, causing his skin to take on a dark green hue, almost like the bark of an ancient tree.
His eyes, previously hollow and empty, now glowed with a deep, menacing green light. Vines coiled around his limbs, intertwining with the sinew and muscle, giving him an imposing and monstrous appearance.
His hands, once human-like, transformed into massive, clawed appendages, each finger tipped with sharp, thorn-like protrusions.
Aram’s hair, previously ash white, turned into a wild tangle of dark, vine-like tendrils that seemed to move of their own accord. His entire body exuded an aura of raw, untamed power, the Creeperhulk bloodline enhancing his strength and resilience to monstrous levels.
As the transformation was completed, Aram stood taller, more imposing, his new form a grotesque fusion of man and plant. The Creeperhulk bloodline had turned him into a formidable entity, a living weapon bound to Aksai’s will.
“Aram,” Aksai said, observing the transformation with satisfaction and curiosity. “How do you feel?”
Aram’s voice, now deeper and more resonant, echoed through the chamber. “P-powerful… strong… b-but… still… trapped…” His speech was still broken, the remnants of his fragmented mind struggling to form coherent sentences.
‘Did I break him? Why is his speech so compromised?’ Aksai raised his eyebrows and questioned himself. He sighed before focusing on the task at hand.
“Aram, or what remains of you,” Aksai began. “Tell me, how did you end up in the Core Formation Lord’s cultivation cave?”
The Sentient Scarecrow’s head jerked as if struggling to focus. “I… I w-went… with N-Nuya… and others… we s-sought… treasures,” he stammered, his voice a disjointed whisper. “Th-there was… a trap… ancient ghost… took… me…”
Aksai leaned forward, intrigued by the fragmented account. ‘Aram Talak? How did…. Wait. It seems this guy has the memories of both– Aram and the old ghost who possessed him. I guess the Soul Fragment itself was the fusion of both souls before it was used to imbue consciousness into the puppet. This guy is a unique case among my puppets.’
Aksai was not sure exactly what had happened but he had noticed that there was a lot of trouble for him to perform Anahat Soul Splitting Technique on the possessed Aram. It was only thanks to the assistance provided by the neural link fabric and his prior experience in the procedure that he had succeeded in turning Aram into his puppet.
‘Never mind. Let’s see what this guy has to say first,’ Aksai thought to himself as he focused on what his puppet had to say.
“Y-yes… ghost… Foundation Building… expert… p-possession…” Aram’s speech was halting, each word a struggle. “R-raised… my cultivation… but… unstable… needed… sacrifice…”
Aksai’s eyes narrowed. “And you chose me as your target?”
The Sentient Scarecrow’s head twitched again. “M-memories… your heart… s-stabilize… my power…” His voice cracked, a mix of the ghost’s malevolence and Aram’s remnants. “Soul… techniques… dark… arts…”
“Tell me about these soul-related techniques,” Aksai commanded, his interest piqued.
Aram’s fragmented mind struggled to comply. “S-soul fragments… can be… m-manipulated… infused… with… essence… create… stronger… entities…” He paused, his body shuddering. “Possession… requires… w-weakening… of original… soul… rituals… bindings…”
Aksai listened intently, absorbing the information. “And what of the cultivation cave? What else did you find there?”
“Ancient… artifacts… traps… dangerous… but… knowledge… power…” Aram’s speech became more erratic, memories blurring. “Books… scrolls… hidden… secrets… soul arts…”
Aksai’s mind raced with possibilities. “Did you learn any specific techniques?”
Aram’s body convulsed slightly as he tried to recall. “F-fusion… of souls… merging… dark energy… c-corruption… of essence… b-binding techniques… control… over others…” His voice trailed off, the strain of speaking evident.
“Interesting,” Aksai murmured, contemplating the implications. He was interested in learning the old ghost’s possession technique.
“Aram,” Aksai began, his tone calm and commanding, “tell me about the possession technique the ghost used. Explain it in detail.”
The Sentient Scarecrow’s eyes flickered, the remnants of Aram’s and the old ghost’s memories struggling to surface. “P-possession… yes… I… remember…” he stammered, his voice deep and resonant, echoing through the chamber.
“The technique… is… complex,” Aram began, his words halting and broken. “Requires… intact soul… and vessel… of living being.”
Aksai nodded, encouraging him to continue. “Go on.”
Aram’s glowing eyes seemed to focus, as if drawing from the depths of his fragmented memories. “First… the spirit… cultivator… must weaken… the target. Physical strength… and mental will… must be… diminished.”
“Diminished how?” Aksai asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Methods… vary… battle… poison… or… soul attacks…” Aram explained, his speech becoming a bit smoother as he continued. “Once weakened… the target’s… soul… is… vulnerable.”
“Next… the spirit cultivator… uses… a soul-binding technique… to… latch onto… the target’s soul. This… involves… merging… spiritual energies… creating… a link… between… the two souls.”
Aksai leaned in, intrigued by the details. “And what happens after the link is established?”
“The… invader’s soul… must… dominate… the target’s soul… suppressing… and… taking control. This… requires… spiritual strength… and… precise control,” Aram said, his vine-like hair writhing as he spoke. “During… this process… the target’s memories… and… knowledge… are absorbed… by the invader.”
Aksai’s eyes narrowed. “What about the vessel? How does it accept the new soul?”
Aram paused as if recalling a particularly complex part of the technique. “The… vessel… must be… prepared. A special… ritual… strengthens the body… making it… compatible… with the new soul. This… involves… using… rare herbs… blood refinement and… spiritual formations… to… attune the vessel… to the invader’s soul.”
“So, it’s not just a matter of forcing the soul into the body,” Aksai mused, absorbing the information. “The vessel needs to be ready to accept the new soul without rejection.”
“Correct…” Aram confirmed, nodding slowly. “If… the process… is done… correctly… the invader… gains full control… over the body… with… access to… the target’s memories… and abilities. But… if… there is… any mistake… the process… can fail… resulting in… the destruction… of both souls.”