Chapter 14) Inside the Lab.

Let it be known that Xavier Xerxes had experienced very few frightening situations in his life before the morning of his fifteenth birthday. That didn't include his ability to constantly attract bullies like Bruiser. Since the invitation to be insulted and punched was written all over his body, those situations didn't count. They were minor...nothing compared to what he was facing now as a Mystic. To think he was not even ranked or registered yet!

In that moment when the weird something wrapped around his neck, he felt true terror. He lost control of his body entirely. The something hardened and dragged him forward, through the opening Master Kim Sao had magically created. He had the feeling of falling through ice cold darkness. An empty space of blackness that chilled his bone and picked his skin like needles.

He couldn't even scream. He was rendered numb from shock and fear. What was going on? This was Ferling City hospital for crying out loud! How could it be that he was falling through empty space, with a heavy something wrapped around his neck...just a few squeezes away from choking the life out of him?

The sparking holographic screen he was now familiar with blossomed in his vision. There was a feint crackle before the monotone voice of the system filtered through his panicking mind.

[System Initializing...100%: Full Celestial System functions now active.]

[Current stats on host Mystic:]

[Level: Novice 2/10]

[Rank:____________]

[Affinity: Unknown> Mystic is Unregistered.]

[Soul Creature: Unknown> Mystic is Unbound.]

[Mana Points: 50/100> Mystic has had enough time to rest and replenish lost Spark energy.]

[Health Points: 7/10> Mystic is currently under harmful situation. Health Points will reduce according to time spent under such condition.]

[Stamina: 7/10]

[Agility: 5/10]

[Strength: 8/10]

[Perception: 2/10]

[Offensive Skill: No new skill has been learnt or perfected.]

[Defensive Skill: No new skill has been learnt or perfected.]

[System Remark: Mystic under duress. System is processing current environmental conditions and prospective enemies. Information would be released once Mystic is well situated.]

Light exploded through his eyes as he tumbled into...the actual Research lab of the hospital. He knew this because of the chemical smell that invaded his nose. The something around his neck slid him along the tiled floor till he collided with a cabinet. Stars sparked in his vision, but as soon as the choking hold loosened, he took in a heavy inhale of air. Putrid air that smelled of drugs and something else. Something bad.

Before he could regain his composure, a strong hand seized his left shoulder and pulled him up forcefully.

"Who are you?" A deep voice bellowed into his face.

Xavier opened his eyes to see a masked face. The man in front of him was big and suited much like the ones Master Kim had imprisoned outside. Why did they all had to wear tags? It somehow didn't portray them as sinister as they wanted to appear. This one's tag named him as Droid.

Xavier's voice caught in his throat. "I'm...I'm..."

The man shook him roughly. "Start talking or else you would loose the use of your arms this second. Forever."

"What is going on there?" A voice called from somewhere.

"There is a kid here." Droid spat, as if children disgusted him.

"A kid? Well that's a welcomed surprise." The strange voice chuckled. "Come on, bring him here so he can introduce himself properly. The more help we have the better."

Droid grunted, as if obeying orders was his own personal hell. He pulled Xavier along, finally giving him space to look around properly.

They were indeed inside the main research lab of the hospital. There were strange looking medical equipments and contraptions all over the place, with a few beds amongst them. There were secluded testing stations and sections too. It wasn't a large room, though.

Apart from big Droid, there were two other people standing in the room: Another goon in black, a man in a silver suit and someone else that Xavier couldn't describe because of the crimson hooded coat they had on.

About two doctors and a nurse in lab coats lay on the ground, their eyes closed as if in a deep sleep. Three of the beds were occupied as well. Xavier couldn't tell who the people on them were but he was sure one of them was his mother. His heart twisted at the sight of the helpless people, caught in between life and death, totally unaware of the terrible situation they were in. His mother....

Droid pulled Xavier to stand in front of the man. An unnerving smile spread over the man's face, showing off little of his teeth. His shoulder length blonde hair was sleek like his small goatee.

"Look what we have here." He announced in mock surprise, before frowning as he studied Xavier more closely. "I remember you. You are him. The boy...what do they call you again...Ghost Boy! That's it. You are Ghost Boy." He chuckled. "Dear me, you are much more strange looking in real life. Your skin is practically transparent!"

The man's words stung but Xavier was more concerned about the calculative way the man was looking at him. Like Xavier was something he could use. An instrument.

Where is Master Kim Sao? Xavier wondered silently. He should be in here already, mesmerizing this people with his presence. He should be handing them their sorry backsides without much stress to it. But the Astral Mystic was nowhere to be found.

On looking at the door, Xavier discovered that the hole he had come through was still there. But there was an ethereal golden net covering it now. The net glowed with power and magic. The net spread out over the walls of the lab like webs. This struck Xavier as odd. The net looked like a magical spell, and only Mystics could harness the powers of the universe to make magic possible. That meant two thing. Master Kim was not coming in unless he found a way to break the spell. And there was another well advanced Mystic in here.

Smiling man began to speak again, pulling back Xavier's attention.

"Whatever made you come up here?" He asked. "I'm guessing you are with the Mystic outside? Don't worry, he is ok. For now. The Forcefield Mesh would keep him out until we are ready to take care of him."

"You have my mother." Xavier didn't know where the boldness was coming from. "What do you want with my mother? She is already suffering as it is."

The man scoffed. "Your mother? Oh, she is one of our test subjects. In her unconscious state, she is of no use to anyone. Well, except me. I have already been to other hospitals in the city to collect the other unfortunate people in her condition. You don't have to worry. I'm actually doing all of them a favor, puting them out of their misery."

Xavier shook in horror and anger. "You are killing them?"

"Don't say it like that. I'm not a murderer." The man said defensively. "You see, your mother's illness is unique. She is not actually sick, which is why science has been unable to find the cure for her condition. She simply developed a Crystal core in her brain that is incompatible with her body. She is not a Celestial Kissed soul, hence she has no access to the system which would guide her to level up. She is an anomaly of nature. While she sleeps, the power in the core is increasing, gathering mana. It would soon destroy her physical body, no doubt. But it will also transform her into another nature of being. Something beyond human."

Xavier understood nothing about what than was talking about, but it made sense. The man truly knew his stuff, even about cores and mana. That made him more dangerous than Xavier had assumed.

The man smiled jovially and went on. "You see, I need that crystal core before it fully manifests. It is a paramount ingredient in an important task I have to complete. An important task I and my lovely partner over there has to complete."

That was when the person in the hooded crimson coat turned around, and pulled down the hood. It was a woman. A strikingly attractive woman with bright blue eyes that accented the smooth curves of her face. Black hair as night hung down almost to her slim waist.

Her long heeled boots clanked on the tiles as she slowly flounced over, her piercing eyes fixed on Xavier.

She soon stood tall and glamorous before him, an interested glint in her eyes. Without even thinking about it, Xavier knew that this was the Mystic who had conjured the Forcefield Mesh.

The woman licked her lips. "Julian, dear."

"Yes, my love." The man purred.

"Do you know what we have here?"

Julian nodded, still smiling in satisfaction. "Who wouldn't? Look at his skin. It's Ghost boy , of course."

"He is the Ghost Boy. He is also a Novice Mystic soon to be registered at Celestial Academy."

Julian gasped. "A Mystic? I wouldn't have guessed. He came in here looking for his mother. This is really interesting. He is just what we needed to complete the Domination Core Ritual."

"Domination what?" Xavier wondered aloud. He didn't like the sound of that.

The woman placed a long finger on his cheek. "Do not worry about that, young Mystic. You and your mother will give us the glory and power we deserve." She turned to Droid. "Harvest the Crystal Cores from the other patients. We must begin the Soul Cultivation immediately."

Golden runes of the Dragon Lotus flourished around her in star shaped patterns. Mana flowed from her body as she drew spell runes in the air with her words. Afterwards, she smiled triumphantly before turning to follow behind Droid.

Xavier would have launched himself at her if he could move. He couldn't. That was when he realized that the woman had used Stronghold Charm on him. No matter how much he struggled, all he could do was breath.

He was helpless to do anything to save his mother.