Chapter 0073- Welcoming Party
Wu Hai was channeling his ability.
Coursing violet liquefied lightning flowed into the darkness ring. When Wu Hai touched it with his fingernail, the magic encirclement collapsed, taking him along with it.
Space collapsed around him and only a slight swirl of dust remained in his previous position.
For a Moment, all light vanished from sight.
While this was happening, Wu Hai had been thinking about the dreams that haunted his every night. Distant thoughts that didn't like feel his own, 'memories of his past life' were the words his Master had described used to describe them. He felt like he was being drawn somewhere and only one name, one thought was currently on his mind... 'Xuan Kim Li'
Wu Hai tried to imagine the boy's face. A young man no older than thirty, sitting in a strange and thin black chair. He thought about the place where he had seen Kim Li often working.
Wu Hai thought about the white room and the strange lights that lit up flat surfaces like Paper around the man in the chair. Strange characters were rushing across the surfaces at such a pace that Wu Hai found it surprising that anyone could follow them exactly.
His most common dreams were of himself, talking to several others about something.. he felt like he was teaching the groups of people but the content was unknowable and gargled.
Reaching out with his mind, Zao Wu Hai floated in the darkness for only a moment and then the moment was over.
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Inside of a room, a few Microchip developers and research assistants were dismantling some equipment, dissecting it and trying to understand it's design.
No one was aware that a violent looking black dot had appeared near the back of the room.
The strange black dot hovered mid-air in the lab, at that very instant, it hummed.
As it accumulated energy, strikes of vivid purple electricity snaked around and started popping out from the black sphere. The electric arcs were setting off the fire alarms and sprinklers. The jumps of electricity shorted out all the equipment nearby that was operating, all circuits within fifty meters, Cameras, Phones, computers, even the Doors.
There was a small thud when Wu Hai appeared.
The collapsing space seemed to cause a distortion, damaging the immediate area. Wall panels and surfaces warped, some of the equipment nearby exploded. The explosion of energy was followed by a crashing boom inside of the small lab.
A large table that once stood in the middle had been partially vaporized and the five people standing near some of the remaining research materials made shocked expressions.
A man made of smoke and lightning appeared in front of them, his arrival destroyed the very equipment they were just looking over. It was impossible to have prepared for such a chain of events and each of them felt like they were witnessing the impossible.
Two of the people standing nearby fainted immediately and collapsed to the floor.
"Where am I?" Wu Hai spoke to the remaining three, which made things even more complicated for the researchers who were present.
Wu Hai was dizzy, tired and had overtaxed his energy sources. He had gone into a minor backlash and he started to lose consciousness where he stood. He was dazed and he started to fall down, if he survived the backlash and consequences of his experiment, he knew he would likely undergo a period of weakness.
If he was still a human, he would have been in real trouble. Wu Hai was lucky, at least he was in an Elemental body for the moment.
Collapsing to the ground, Wu Hai had no idea where he was in his final moments of consciousness, he only knew that he wasn't safe.
The scientists that had not passed out were all confused until the supervisor hit the alarm on the wall. While they waited for security to show up, huddled against the wall, they wanted to take pictures but their phones were completely destroyed, all of them were terrified.
'A being made from Electricity and Smoke? What is it? An Alien?' Confused expressions were on all the people present within the room.
When Soldiers arrived, none of them quite knew how to handle what they saw. The Leader of the team chose to radio the Main Office for help.
"Mam, We have a problem in Lab 33. Over." He was having trouble thinking of how to explain as he continued but there was a serious breach of security.
"I'm going to need assistance on a highly electrical disturbance. I advise we get some people down here with rubber suits immediately and 'Armed' backup. You're not going to believe the report. Over." The Soldier's voice was shaky, he had only just received his position.
"Copy that. What did you find? Over." Director Sheril responded.
Pressing the radio to speak, the Soldier cried out. "Well mam, its hard to say. It looks like a Man, But its made of electricity. Over."
'Did he say Electricity?' Sheril wasn't sure she heard that right. "Please Repeat. Did you say Electricity? Are you completely out of your mind? Don't bullshit me, whatever the reason for calling me, you're going to regret it.. Over." Sheril scolded the Officer over the radio, She didn't care about the opinions of her employees, only their work and progress.
"Roger. No Mam, it sort of looks like a Child. It's body looks like it is covered with Electricity and Smoke. I shit you not, all other descriptions would be close or exactly what I've told you. Please Advise. Over." Trying to maintain his calm prospective, the Soldier waited for a response.
He kept his weapon trained on the monstrous looking being in front of him. The seething smoke that arose from Wu Hai's body gave the Soldier the creeps.
"Hold your position, Repeat, Hold your position. I have a team on the way with Hazmat and rubber suits. Do not, I repeat, do not approach or handle it. If its made of electricity, your weapons could fire from stray charge. You are ordered to secure the area and observe.. over." Sheril was not interested in screwing around, there were a lot of things going on, including a review of the facilities by the shareholders.
She quickly made her way along with one of the Teams to investigate. Upon her arrival, Sheril saw the young boy or what was being called a boy, with her own eyes.
"This is impossible." Sheril nearly tripped over some debris, overcome with curiosity she had neglected her footing a bit.
"You Five, don't speak of this to anyone. All matters concerning what happened are to be considered Classified Information; Discussing it will be considered an Act of Mutiny and I'll have you shot. Do you understand?" Sheril was enforcing strict protocol over the situation.
"YES MAM!" The Men quickly nodded in unison.
No one would believe them either way, it was better to keep their mouths shut.
FROHK was an offshore facility, it was not maintained or affiliated with any government in particular. The company was known for its privacy and discrete work. The matter of the lightning man was entirely out of the realm of reasonable explanation, mishandling the information would mean dismissal and judgment from those who had been involved in oversight.
Sheril used the radio to contact one of her Assistants.
"Go Down to Lab 924, get Roger's new vacuum chamber, the one designed as prototype reactor containment shell and take it to the guard stationed near lab 233. Then, go back to my office and wait for me. I will sign the paperwork and requisitions myself. This is a priority, drop what you're doing and immediately acquire the Prototype. Over." Sheril gave the order and did her best to keep her composure, there were other eyes watching her movements now that the facility was on alert.
A weak sigh came out over the radio, "Understood. Over."
Walking over to the Lieutenant that was in charge, Sheril started barking orders to keep her authority in tact during the emergency. "Block off this entire area, when the Reactor Chamber comes, we'll use the reinforced netting from Project 84 and drag him into the Reactor Pod. That should contain his electrical field. After that, I can only hope it's safe to move. We'll have to set up an area that's shielded from electricity and protected from overloads, we can't allow our research and vital components to be damaged in the process."
Sheril wasn't an idiot, to her this was a career making opportunity. She had been looking for a way to stand out and this new emergency and the fantastic nature of the event were sure to skyrocket her notoriety. Clicking the radio again, Sheril called another assistant. "Harry, you there? Over."
"Yes, Director.. What can I do for you? Over." Harry was not sure what she wanted but he was always happy to help.
"I want you to prepare a lab, immediately. Drop whatever your doing and assist. I need the room completely shielded from violent electrical current. I'll grant you red clearance to complete this job but I need it done within two hours. Confirm? Over." Having come up with a solution for where to go Sheril still had a few more things to attend to concerning the containment.
"On my way.. Over." A deeper sigh than before came from the Radio.
Sheril looked up again and saw the confused looks of the Security Team. "I have to call to the Chairman. This won't remain secret for long, especially if anyone talks. Remember what I said, I'm not going to be the one they hang for a breach of procedure, this matter is classified. Inform me when the Reactor Chamber is in place." Sheril made her way back to her office.
The hallways were filled with alarms. Sparks flew in random directions from time to time. Sheril was already apprised of the situation, she radioed the control room to stop the fire alarms and sprinkler system.
If water had made it to the Researchers or Soldiers, they could have been electrocuted to death.
Shaking her head, Sheril turned the corner.
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"Yes, Chairman, I can repeat what I've just stated." Sheril took a deep breath as she leaned against the wall in her office.
"We have in our possession, a Man, comprised of electrical force and some sort of gas with a dark color. He is currently being transported to an isolated lab onsite while we sort out the details. We did not have any major casualties but we lost a great deal of equipment." Sheril gave a detailed report of the damages to the facility before she finished her briefing and ending the communication.
She made sure to note how much equipment was destroyed, otherwise departments would see a nasty audit. "Communists.. Pfft." Sheril was a hardcore Corporatist, the Company was everything and people were just numbers on her bottom line.
Sheril preferred results from hard work and determination over social balancing, there was no advancement for any field of study if all resources were distributed evenly. "They better take this seriously. I wonder what the Americans are going to do if they ever find out."
Sheril opened her desk drawer and pulled out a cigarette pack, it looked dusty like she had kept them for a while and in case of emergency. Pulling a cigarette out and lighting it, she blew the smoke out into the room. "Just what are you.."
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Wu Hai's appearance was sure to shock the entire globe. Keeping his existence a secret was impossible. A reporter from America was the first to report the news and images of the Event from their Security Footage.
'In just an hour!' Sheril crushed the remote for her view screen and screamed over the radio.
"BASTARDS!... I will find out who leaked this." Sheril's voice squelched every radio within the facility. Silence followed, a mole within had leaked the information so fast that she was bound to face consequences.
After only one hour, the Internet was buzzing about a Superhero or Villain.. or an Alien or something else that was just as wild. It was just a rumor, no one had anything concrete and then the security footage hit.
Forums across the world, were spreading the video and analyzing it.
-FROHK Soldiers were using the netting from something called Project 84, a deep-sea biodegradable electrically resistant fiber created for recovering delicate equipment. It was used to drag the unconscious being into a large glass vacuum chamber.
-There is no vacuum attached to that pod Jim, the schematics show that it would stop the expansion of electrical fields and interference but I can't understand it's design.
-Some people are calling this the genuine leaked footage from the Scene. However my subscribers are very skeptical. Maybe its just visualizations for the upcoming Esports competition in Japan.
-Damian, I'm certain of it. If it was an Alien, China would be demanding that an offshore company basing so close to its borders, surrender the being obediently. Its gotta be a hoax..
-I can't argue with you there, even tho its a fake.. Wow, the Graphics sure are intense. This is exactly the sort of thing you'd see from a long standing tech giant like FROHK!
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Transporting the lightning man to the lab that was finally prepared, soldiers covered the pod to keep onlookers from gawking but the damage from the leak of information was done. When they finally settled the pod in the center of the room, they uncovered the pod and saw the being still unconscious and leaning against the glass in a slumped position.
Wu Hai had been successfully moved to the secured room.
"Everyone out! Director's Orders!" the Lieutenant was firm in his command.
Soon all the personnel left the room and a different set of scientists were sent in. The matter had spread internationally and pressure from agencies around the world had forced the company to release its security footage. None of them could be bothered to talk frivolously, all of them carefully observed the electrical force being emitted from his body. Cameras were rolling, every government had been pressuring them during the information outbreak.
The arcs of electricity that flowed off of the lightning man were measured with every instrument in the facility. It wasn't lightning but pure, unfiltered and raw electricity.
"Director, we have some initial readings and have managed to retrieve some biological samples. The amount of Electricity it produced so far could power this facility for 3 years, and this is while its unconscious."
"I don't believe containment will hold if we don't have a way to drain the excess electrical energy away, I suggest we use a grounding wire." Nodding extensively, the other scientists were in agreement and located for a large ground wire to be re-routed to the chamber.
"Its better to be safe than dead. Ever microwave a Hot Dog?" Gulping while they connected the ground to the pod, the engineer was afraid for his life when he saw what was in the Reactor Pod. He was so afraid that he nearly dropped the grounding wire onto the wrong posts.
When the Ground connected to the pod, the electrical field in the room was swiftly drawn away.
"We were successful in diverting the creature's ambient electricity, proceeding to step 2." Using a long rubber-coated plastic pole, the lead Scientist Clint Beader poked the pod to wake up the creature. They had to know if containment would be successful after its awakening.
'Tap' 'Tap' 'Tap'
The stick was gently tapped against the glass.
Nothing happened.
Finally, someone grabbed radio and squelched it over the intercom.
"PUUUUU" The noise started everyone, including Wu Hai's senses.
Sheril was fed up with the pretense, she lowered the radio and watched.
Attempting to stand up straight, Wu Hai opened his eyes and noticed that he was stuck inside of something. The surface was clear and it felt like a rounded tube. He wasn't panicing, there were people surrounding him on all sides from a distance and several layers of something were placed in between them.
"Ugh" Wu Hai moaned for a moment, his body ached. He opened his eyes completely and did his best to shift his position within the tube.
Then, He spoke. "Where is this, and what is going on? Why have I been put in this thing?" Wu Hai kept calm but wasn't pleased with the situation.
He did his best to look around the room, his eyes darted from one place and then to another. He started listening as hard as he was able but the sound was muffled. Wu Hai started trying harder, and then he heard a voice.
"It can speak?" Beader was shocked until someone reminded him that creature spoke when it arrived in the Lab.
"IT?" Wu Hai was losing his patience quickly after being called an 'It.'
Deciding to see what all this was about, he didn't try to resist, he started asking questions.
"Where is this?" Wu Hai started asking relentlessly.
After asking a few dozen times in a row, there was an answer.
"This is F.R.O.H.K., You're off the coast of China in our facility. Who and more importantly, What are you?" Beader asked menacingly.
'China? FROHK? I don't understand these words.' Wu Hai was having trouble understanding the words.
"Is FROHK one of the other Continents?" Wu Hai still didn't know where he was but he didn't like the idea of being captured.
He planned to escape as soon as he had some answers.
"FROHK isn't a continent, there are only 7 continents. FROHK is a building off the coast of the nation of China." Beader tried answering one of his questions but the answer had already raised more questions than he had before.
"I've answered one of yours, now answer me." Beader looked aggravated. He had been the one answering questions so far. As a scientist he felt annoyed answering questions from a specimen.
"Where did you come from? What are you?" Beader didn't know how to cause pain to the creature to interrogate it but he knew that 'it' had electrical charges that were under containment and felt like he had control.
"Answer me... or else!" Beader tried threatening Wu Hai.
"Foolish Human." Wu Hai looked at Beader and his eyes flickered with a multitude of lights. "You cannot contain me."
Focusing his power on the spacial magic, the type he had just created before his arrival, Wu Hai felt a serious drain on his energy levels but still produced the silver glow on his index finger's nail.
Tracing a line from top to bottom of the chamber, a crack emerged with relative ease across its surface. The compound used to create the capsule was ultimately not up for the challenge of containing 'magic' and disappeared in broad strokes. When the transparent cover disintegrated and portions of it fell to the ground, Beader ran to hide and the guards to opened fire.
A hail of bullets flew toward the Prince but they did nothing to harm him. His elemental body was unharmed by a few bits of metal. "Interesting.." A smirk appeared on Wu Hai's face.
"Those look like crossbows without bolts and bowstrings." Wu Hai grabbed a rifle from one of the guards cowering in a corner.
'Maybe the bits of metal are just inferior somehow?' Wu Hai ignored the guard on the floor, grabbed the barrel and probed the device. When he grabbed the barrel it started to fire uncontrollably. It wasn't until he released the device that he noticed the situation, the rifle was magnetized as well as the room.
The weapon flew against the wall and stuck to it like glue. The small black metal object was nothing like the ones in his dreams and memories. They always seemed easier to handle.
"Dubious.." Wu Hai felt like he found a whole new avenue of magic. He pulled at the device and noticed that it moved but stuck and slid across the metal wall.
The attractive force of Magnetism and Gravity he had experienced before his arrival were still weighing on his mind. During his channeling, he had felt a sort of weightlessness and now the strange side effect of his lightning on metals. There were many things Wu Hai wanted to figure out. However, He was still stuck in what felt like enemy territory.
Another Grin appeared on his face and then a gushing force of liquefied lightning appeared in his palm. Zao Wu Hai wasn't afraid of much but the experiences he gained from fighting against Mu and Yu had already left him with an understanding of how to deal with metal mages.
He dropped the condensate, the liquefied lightning fell onto the floor. Wu Hai watched closely as the the current snaked away.
"Indeed, this is going to be interesting.." Wu Hai spoke to himself while he channeled his darkness ability and slipped into the shadows. He made his way through corridors rapidly and vanished from the observers that were still reeling in shock over the disaster in the lab.
Taking the route up usually meant finding the exit of a cave or underground. Either way, if it led out, escape was possible.
Rushing through stairwells didn't get the Prince very far, very quickly. He was lost and occasionally a guard along the way would interrupt his focus. None of them could keep up with his speed when he was traveling through the shadows and following him was impossible, it would have been impressive if they had managed to track him after entering a shadow gate.
'They said this was a Facility? Does that mean this is a building? It's awfully large, even the Pagoda isn't built like this.' Wu Hai was wandering, there were no windows and he was getting turned around. He felt like it was a maze and got tired of the labyrinth of corridors very quickly. There was a lot on his mind but he needed a safer place to collect his thoughts properly.
The Prince jumped from stairwell to stairwell and eventually came to a steel dropdoor that seemed more secure than the others. With a quick kick, the once bolted door looked like it would sail off into the distance if it hadn't been partially wrapped around the doorframe. Wu Hai kicked with his foot again and shook the door loose.
It was only a few hours that he had been away from home but Wu Hai found himself on the roof looking at a large singular Sun above in confusion and disbelief.
Checking his person, he noticed he still had his storage rings.
"At least they didn't rob me.." Wu Hai laughed, spread his wings and flew into the West. He could see land. It was evening, the Sunshine was a splendid orange and purple. The landscape was different than anything he had ever seen and the sun was hiding it's figure behind the crest of distant mountains.
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