[Symbiotic Fusion starts in five... four... three... two... one...]
The three blood mutants lost all sense of consciousness as their bodies were temporarily shut down for the fusion taking place. While the machines holding their bodies readjusted for the Granians to begin the process, Jim and Cherry drifted separately into dark empty spaces, unaware of what was happening to them.
Cherry’s space was completely dark and vast, yet she could see through it clearly. Her vision zoomed through the empty blackness of the room, but there was nothing except more blackness.
Jim’s space was a dark gray color with cold, black water at his feet. With each step, the water made certain sounds that always reminded Jim of his old life – a life without having to worry about alien invasions or anything of the sort. "This is worse than military torture," he said to himself, remaining flat on the ground, floating in the black water pool.
Meanwhile, Ace’s space was even more different and unique than that of the other two blood mutants. Instead of a single color with an unknown feature, Ace’s space was much more detailed, resembling a planet to him.
All around him were blood stains, broken skulls, dried-up bones, pieces of tendrils, puddles of dry blood, and various appendages scattered all over. What caught Ace by surprise was the largest, reddest blood mutant he had never seen before, and yet he somehow knew them.
The being stood still with hundreds of tendrils slithering around it like snakes in a pit. Its body wriggled with even tinier tendrils moving around from its hands to its head. "Human," the blood mutant spoke without opening its mouth. "You’re the one with my power."
"Y-you’re... power?" Ace asked, confused by what the being in front of him said.
"Look around. See what they did to my home." The planet, which turned out to be the Blood Mutant’s home, was dark and cold with only the bodies of the dead scattered all over. The clouds in the sky looked like thick smoke coming from an old engine’s exhaust. The soil beneath Ace’s feet was dry and red with a couple of bones scattered all over. "Those that have captured you did this to me and my people. You’re seeing me through my memories. I exist no more."
"The Granians... did this?" Ace asked, disgusted by the sorry state the planet was in. "When was it? Why did they do this to you?"
"Fear," the blood mutant answered. "Fear of us blood mutants. They tried to make us their soldiers, and when they failed, they killed many of our kind and abducted the rest. I see they managed to turn another species into their little war soldier."
"If I may ask you, blood mutant," asked Ace while approaching the blood mutant, "what exactly do you think they’re training me for? What do these people want to use your power for?"
"The process is beginning."
Ace, Cherry, and Jim’s bodies were turned over with robot arms handling their backs. Very quickly, Granians surrounded them with operating tools and started to cut them open. While two cut into their soft, nimble backs, others used robot claws to hold the flesh in place. All the blood that dripped out was collected and resupplied to their bodies through tiny tubes. Five minutes passed, and the three blood mutants remained unconscious with their backs opened and spines left vulnerable.
"Bring in the symbiotes."
Three smaller tubes filled with liquid nitrogen were pulled out from canisters, with those handling them wearing protective armor under hazmat-like suits. The surgeons and other Granians vacated the room while the three canisters were automatically opened.
As liquid nitrogen spewed out in great amounts, the Granians handling them quickly placed them on the backs of Ace, Cherry, and Jim. They then ran out of the room and sealed it shut. The rıghtful source is 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵·𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮·𝓷𝓮𝓽
From the canisters emerged three small creatures resembling the spines of bony fish. Their legs were similar to spines with little joints that enabled them to walk. Their heads were long, pointed, and soft, swaying from left to right as their little mouths opened wide, emitting uncontrollable screams.
The first symbiote crawled all over Jim’s body and tried to burrow through his eyes, tearing through his eyeball and drawing blood. After failing to burrow further, the creature crawled to his back and ate through his spinal cord while wiggling through his flesh.
The second and third symbiotes, which were on Cherry and Ace, burrowed and ate the spinal bone material, sinking into their backs. Soon, the creatures’ shapes turned into those of their hosts’ spines, almost looking like nothing happened to them.
The robotic arms over the three subjects let go of their flesh, and their bodies immediately began the healing process. With the operation, or fusion, being a complete success, several aspects concerning their blood mutant forms changed, including their regenerative abilities.
"Should we go back in?" One of the rookie Granians asked, having never seen a scenario before. "The process is done, is it not?"
"Hold on. It’s still far from over." As soon as the Granian said this, the bodies of the three blood mutants started to transform while the hosts convulsed uncontrollably. The robotic arms reverted to their containment spaces in the ceilings and dropped down with three barrels filled with blood; where they got it from, only they know.
"Look what happens when two symbiotes clash over which one gets to control the body." The three blood mutants suddenly and unexpectedly burst with rage, each screaming at the other. All the glass materials in the room shattered into tiny pieces as the three fought against their own bodies.
Cherry and Ace clawed at their backs and chests, feeling something crawling inside them. The Granians looked carefully and saw the two symbiotes battling and burrowing through the flesh of the two blood mutants.
However, Jim’s reaction was interesting, for he was too calm for comfort. All he did was crawl on the walls while licking the air for water. "See that golden one? Its symbiotes are already fusing. Thirst is the first positive reaction that follows."
Ace and Cherry eventually came down and turned their attention to the barrels of blood before them. Immediately, all the blood was drained out and lifted into the air before making contact with the blood mutants and finally dissolving into their bodies through the pores of their skin.
[Fusion Complete.] Ace’s system notified him while his body, same as the other two, reverted to normal.
[Instant Level Up x5]