Project Rebirth: Part 2 [One-shot]

[Celia Darkson]

Basement. Deep below the ground, underneath the castle, protected from all forms of eyes and ears, the mage sat. Dark, cold, with only a few lights from the test tubes, that surrounded the entirety of the circular room. Her hands folded beneath her chin and the elbows rested on the singular desk below her. Golden orbs shined through towards the tubes that were filled, while others were empty. A book rested upon the table, opened with its contents exposed to the young girl's eyes. Next to her lay the staff... Her Cane of Lilith. Along with the Grimoire of the Elder Gods, Celia was equipped to continue onward with her plan. Her project.

"Rebirth..." The thought echoed throughout her mind and seemed to reverberate into the physical world. Her magical prowess had increased once more and she was continuously growing stronger and stronger. By this point, while in the new universe, she had more than likely caught up with her strength in magical knowledge back home. A grin appeared on her lips, for that was excellent progress indeed. That granted her the ability to move on with the rest of her plan. One that transcended the confines of the normal "cycle." "We all die. At one point or another, we die. Where do we go in this universe? Do I have a good idea of where? Yes I do... Do I want to go there? Yes I do. But first, I have to see if I can break the cycle...." That's what she loved to do. To break apart things. Tear it open, cut into, analyze and assimilate. Cycles were no exception. After her visitation with the Great One, she had learn that the basic laws of each and every universe, could be broken if one had the right knowledge and know how of that universe to do so. This was a test.

"Test... Test... Test..." She repeated to herself over and over, before she finally snapped her fingers and turned on the lights. Revealed to her, were the RE:plicants. Vessels without souls, modeled in the images of those she cared for the most. They floated in the tubes and remained lifeless for the most part. Husks that she managed to "perfect" over the course of time. The more her knowledge increased, the faster the process came to a definite conclusion. Celia picked herself up and went over to the test tubes. "Replicants..."

Her cheek pressed against the glass and she heard the liquid that sustained the vessels. One looked very much, if not completely identical to Marigold, another like Gwain, and two like her and her twin sister. There were others as well, but they were out of her sight. She cared for people, deep down. Despite how much she loathed other people and merely saw them as tools for her own science, she cared for those who made a lasting impression on her. They would go on her ark. The ark that could carry nearly anyone, as long as they were willing.

A wide grin came to her lips and she hugged the test tube closely. Truly, there was going to be oodles of experiments to be had. There was one person who she had to request help from, however. A man that she met some time ago and knew of his mechanical prowess. This man was going to be very beneficial and as such, she'd make sure to award him with other... "Things." Things that she knew would strike his fancy quite easily... Soon... Her fruits of labor would come to end...