(13) Transformation...

Eltemu, Seven hours prior...

"What the hell could be happening now?" Rufus yelled out as the anger within him rose again.

Coming out into the open, Rufus immediately cringed as the smell of burnt flesh carried past via elevated winds, propelled by a light smoke that clouded the air. Following the origin of the smoke, Rufus planted his gaze on the center pedestal between the trio of buildings. Lying atop it, the blackened remains of a human figure were distinctly visible. Shocked and confused, Rufus slowly neared the smoldering corpse.

As he came within a few feet, he realized he was staring at the lifeless cadaver of Jay Spader, sprawled on its back, staring with lifeless eyes at the now empty sky.

"Dear God..." Rufus sputtered, stumbling backwards. Horrible emotions flooded his synapses, unleashing a horrible migraine unlike any he'd had before.

The portal spit Jay back out, but his body was ravaged beyond repair in the process...

The pain of the migraine - combined with the pain of his anguish - permeated every part of his body, becoming almost unbearable. Then, on the brink of tears Rufus cried out, "What have I done?"

Rufus was overcome with guilt as he realized that Jay's death had been a direct result of his inability to keep Jay from entering the portal. He fell onto his knees, and let out a roar of anguish that echoed off the buildings surrounding him. The rage within him had finally broken loose.

As he looked up at the sky in distraught fury, Rufus suddenly found himself unable to breathe. He looked downward, and found himself face to face with the burnt skull of Jay's corpse. In a state of shock, Rufus could not fathom how Jay was now standing up. Nor could he fathom how Jay was strangling him with arms of dead muscle. However, he didn't have to wonder for long.

Eyes wide, Rufus could only gag and sputter as Jay's corpse opened its mouth wide, then wider, and wider. Jay's jaw split apart from his skull and from within the darkness of his mouth came a flurry of pencil-thin tentacles that engulfed the bottom half of Rufus's head. The black matter of the tentacles pushed itself into his mouth and Rufus suddenly fell limp.

Rufus stared ahead in this paralyzed state, with only his thoughts to keep him company.

What is this thing?
What is it doing to me?
Am I going to die?
I'm afraid.

At that exact moment, Rufus felt a surge of energy exit his body. With this energy his fears also vanished.

Wha... what has happened?
Why am I no longer afraid?

It was then that Rufus knew that corpse was not Jay, but something else entirely. It was something sinister. Something pure evil.

But yet, I am still not afraid...?

Rufus watched as the mock corpse recomposed itself at will, the charred remains melting into a skinny, humanoid shape. Its dark, liquidy exterior glistened in the sunlight. A voice piped into Rufus's head.

Vrees, Crainte, Furcht, Timore, Miedo...
It is known by many names, in many languages.
My dark matter craves your illest of emotions-
Your FEAR is now mine for the feasting, mortal.

The creature's face permeated with two red slits that Rufus assumed were eyes. It "squinted"
for a few seconds, as if in thought, then spoke again.

Your father is the root of my redemption.

Rufus's mind was filled with a vision. He saw his father studying in the second building... then entering the portal...

Your father's entrance to the other realm awoke me from a great slumber.

The voice paused, then continued.

But he is also the recruiter of thine nemesis...

Another vision struck Rufus. He could see the artifact in Jay's hand... Jay entering the portal, as Rufus pulled the artifact away...

My enemy held the wretched device- which was the catalyst for my imprisonment in the other realm so long ago - as he entered that place. I sensed it and it led me out of that realm of nothingness.

The voice paused again, but resumed quickly.

You, as your father's son, shall be my collateral.

The creature's voice subsided at last, but Rufus could only tense up again as the dark figure shot forth, like a spider to its prey, engulfing Rufus and plastering itself around his entire twitching body. The matter of which it was constructed coated Rufus like a liquid.

After a few moments, the darkened form of Rufus stopped twitching. The dark matter, which had appeared to be liquid when it moved, was now hardened around him like a second skin. Rufus was still conscious within, but the will of the dark matter overruled any of his own. The dark Rufus stood up swiftly, propelled by the dark matter at his command, and groaned.

But this was like no groan that man has ever uttered. It came from another realm, where man sounds like monster, and monster sounds like many monsters uttering in a slightly off-sync unison. In this respect, it was more of a growl than a groan, but if this tainted Rufus had done more than groan, the terrain around him would have trembled.

"The Jay must... cease... to exist..." the dark Rufus hissed. Its unnatural voice reverberated across the barren landscape, which it took off across in an accelerated sprint.