Chapter 4

On the cold hard floor of the cave one could see a boy, about ten years in age, sitting with a pained expression while messaging his temples.

After the pain had somewhat subsided "My name is Chiron, my Subject ID is WDP-001. From what I am able to recall, I was being transported to a new facility after my 'Soul Absorption' was discovered and then...", he tried again but was unable to remember what came next.

He felt the anxiety and fear from his current slowly rising, when right at that moment a calming sensation enveloped his mind.

He took a deep breath in and tried again,"Right then there was a boom, before everything went dark", he turned his head up to, just to see transparent screen reading:

[Host mental state stabilized]

[Current subject status:

Subject ID:WDP-001

Subject Species: N/A

Subject Age: 29 Days]

It had appeared during his rising anxiety,

"What's that? An AI? I don't recall getting one implanted by any of the researchers", he was about to ask it where he was, before the past couple of weeks came back to him.

"That's right, the AI said that we weren't anywhere on the galactic map, but what's this about an 'Infant Soul' ", he thought, as he looked at his surroundings. He immediately found the hard red exoskeleton of the 'Saber-Toothed Centipede' he had absorbed before few feet away.

"I recall putting my hand atop its head, then sensing a strong presence inside it, could that have been the 'Infant Soul'. It was after this that a part of my memory returned to me. Maybe if I absorbed more of these 'Infant Souls' I can fill in the blanks of my memory!", he began to think enthusiastically.

But then he began to think of the mysteriousness of the situation, 'First, a mysterious AI and now this talk about souls. Just what happend after after my memory cut off and what was that massive Skeleton floating in the sky'.So, with

a goal in mind, Chiron set forth to find the mysteries about his memory.

******

It had been three days since Chiron's memory had partially returned, during this time he'd come to experience the hunger that he had battling against before he had awakened his memory.

'That's new, I don't recall having this hunger during my time at the the research facility, but then again, I'm having a hard time recalling anything right now', he thought with a chuckle.

During these three days, he'd also come to notice a vague red light emanating from the end of the tunnel (Cave has been changed to tunnel). Hoping this was a chance to find another creature with an 'Infant Soul', he gradually broke into a sprint, rushing towards it, when a thought hit him.

'Come to think of it, how did the AI know about souls?', with this though in mind he asked the AI "AI how did you know about 'Infant Souls?'

[It is standard knowledge for all AI to know after the year 7,500 Exatled Order Era]

This shocked Chiron, because as far as he could tell from his memories, he was transported to the new facility in the year 11,970, during the Great God Era!

"AI what happened to the 'Great God Era'?"

[There are no records of the 'Great God Era' in system database]

[Please submit all possible findings to the nearest government outpost for a reward (If data is valid)]

Chiron was truly stumped at this point, ' How could there be no records of the 'Great God Era'? How can a civilization that could create black holes, and use suns as energy sources,just disappear?', however he put those thoughts at the back of his mind.

'Whatever the case, the only available answer to most of these questions will be found by regaining my memory', he thought.

"AI give me all your information on souls", he said slightly impatient.

[Souls are a collection of information, that holds everything that makes you, you. It holds your memories, thoughts, ideas and personality. It's also the power source to most abilities in the unverse.

Souls can be split into 5 universally accepted levels:

Infant Soul Level

Adolescent Soul Level

Adult Soul Level

Superior Soul Level

Evolved Soul Level

All levels are split up into 4 stages:

Initial Stage

Intermediate Stage

High Stage

Peak Stage]

[I am capable of detecting the soul levels of others through physical contact as well]

'Hmm, this is very helpful to know. So the soul is what contains my memories huh. Could it be that my soul is damaged? That would explain why I regained my memory after absorbing the 'Saber-Toothed Centipedes' 'Infant Soul', but that doesn't explain how though', Chiron slowly raised his hand to his forehead and had sunk into deep thought.

(Flashback)

In his memories he recalled asking a researcher what he was. He had answered with "We don't know, but your the key to our future"

"AI is it possible for you to scan my soul?", he thought, since the AI is probably somewhere inside him, it should be able to tell him any abnormalities in his soul.

[Scanning subject soul...]

[Subject Soul: Infant Level (Initial Stage, Damaged)

Quickly seek emergency assistance for damaged soul]

He had never stopped his journey towards the red light at the end of the tunnel this entire time. By the time the system had scanned his soul he'd already arrived towards the light.He was somewhat blinded by the brilliance, as his only source of light during his journey was the AI.

Slowly opening his eyes back up, he was shocked to see the source of the red light.