The Mech Touch

Veronica represented a strange existence to Ves. The cyborg cat he created by adapting an occult alien ritual primarily served to empower him and better absorb the worship of other beings.

Ves had no idea how the orven race had come up with this idea. The theories and techniques sounded so outlandish that he suspected that the orvens may have stolen it from an external source, such as the primordial humans that must have roamed the Red Ocean in the distant past.

If that was the case, then Ves had stolen this method back.

Not only that, but he adapted it and put his own spin on it to create a living and moving avatar!

Veronica did more than unlock his potential for Spiritual Ascension.

The integration of phasewater also inadvertently allowed him to set foot on the path of a phase lord as well, which was what the orven ritual sacrifice altar was supposed to do from the start!

Yet for all of those useful functions, Ves actually prized one aspect about his living divine artifact above every other benefit.

Veronica enabled him to live another life on a concurrent basis!

Different from Blinky, Veronica was not bound too closely to Ves. She could travel as far away from him without getting subjected to any range limitations.

Different from Vulcan, Veronica was much more anchored to the material realm. The biomechanical body Ves constructed had undergone a lightning baptism as well that permitted his creation to live among other people without needing to expend extra energy!

As his second nucleus of power, Veronica had become an unprecedented existence.

She had become an avatar that was close to perfection!

It wasn\'t just Ves who thought that way. When the Oblivion Empress herself finally interrupted her obsessive examination of the skeleton of the primordial human, she finally took a deeper look at the cat that delivered her true salvation!

"Myaow!" The silvery cat with green highlights protested as the translucent woman grabbed a hold of his body!

Veronica shivered as Cynthia Larkinson\'s eyes seemed to peer straight through her mechanical exterior and past her biological core to gaze directly at her evolved fragment of her progenitor\'s Divine Core!

What she saw did not please her at first. "Ahem, \'Veronica\'?"

"Myaow...?"

"DO YOU KNOW HOW RECKLESS YOU HAVE BEEN!" She burst out as waves of uncontrolled energy leaked from her energy body! "YOU COULD HAVE KILLED YOURSELF! YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER SUBJECTED YOURSELF TO A DANGEROUS, SELF-MADE RITUAL THAT PERMANENTLY DAMAGED YOUR MOST INNER SELF! DON\'T YOU KNOW THAT THE DAMAGE TO MY OWN DIVINE CORE IS EXACTLY WHY I HAVE BEEN DYING ALL OF THIS TIME!?"

"Myaaaaaaooow!"

The mother brought the cat closer to her head. "Dispense with this charade. Speak like a human. I know you have made this form with a fully functional voice box."

Veronica sheepishly smiled. "Uhm, I knew what I was doing, mom. I obtained the original method from the Mech Designer System itself! Everything turned out alright in the end. I gained a powerful new physical avatar that I could send back to this galaxy and deliver the primordial human skeleton to you by making use of the System\'s storage capabilities. It\'s quite handy, actually."

Cynthia\'s energy manifestation began to frown. "How does that work, actually?"

"I can store stuff in a vault that is located in a different dimension and withdraw from it." Veronica answered. "What is important is that it doesn\'t matter which version of myself is doing the deposits and withdrawals. You don\'t know?"

"Shouldn\'t you be more familiar with the Mech Designer System than me, mother?"

"I have never used it in this manner, though I shouldn\'t be surprised that it is able to offer this service to you." The mother furrowed her brows. "How much did you have to sacrifice in order to deposit this skeleton so far away from the Red Ocean? How great is the burden that you have to bear in order to do this again?"

"Not much, actually. I only need to complete a few tasks from the System in order to pay its fee for a year."

Ves had realized this potential \'exploit\' fairly early on. Since he and Veronica were functionally the \'same\' person, either of them could withdraw anything they had stored in the Vault of Eternity!

In fact, he still had doubts whether the System would truly maintain this functionality when his cat avatar had traveled hundreds of light-years away from his human form.

The fact that the System was powerful enough to make this happen had massive implications for Ves and his family in the Nyxian Gap!

Ves could pass on many different objects to his father and mother in the Milky Way, while his parents could transfer gifts to him in return!

No longer would they be completely separated through uncontrollable circumstances!

His relatives were not stupid. They understood the implications as well. Shocked expressions appeared on his father\'s gruff face and his eldest sister\'s elegant visage.

A few hours went by as \'Veronica\' and his immediate family caught up on old times.

The mighty Dark Saint and the resplendent Lady of the Night momentarily dropped their acts and regained a touch of their simpler selves.

The four Larkinsons chatted with each other in the privacy of the throne room like they were just an ordinary family.

They even sat down at a table and pretended to have a normal dinner.

The only inconsistencies were that Veronica was a cyborg cat that ate from a large bowl while the two women could not eat any physical sustenance.

That did not stop the four Larkinsons from enjoying this precious moment!

Cynthia and Ryncol hadn\'t experienced such a precious dining experience for over three decades!

Helena grinned and giggled as this was the first time she could live through such a characteristically human moment.

"I always dreamt of this." She said as she swallowed a spoon of soup.

Naturally, her entire meal was nothing but a spiritual facade. As a pure energy-based life form, her true sustenance consisted of the spiritual feedback provided by a huge amount of worshippers from both the Oblivition Empire and the Hex Federation.

No matter.

"This moment could have become even more perfect for us if you could have brought over my lovely little grandchildren as well." Ryncol Larkinson spoke as he gnawed on a spiced rib.

Veronica\'s feline face looked conflicted. "Myaow... I would have wanted to introduce you to my kids as well, but... I don\'t think that they are ready for this reunion. I am not sure if I want to tell them the truth about all of this. They already enjoy good lives in the Red Ocean. There is no need for us to drag them into this awful mess. I kind of understand why you originally tried your best to keep me out of your affairs, mother. It is not easy being a parent."

Cynthia Larkinson sighed as she leaned her head on her slender palm. "I tried to protect you from my enemies, but... I have come to realize that my desire to keep you safe has also led me to stifle your potential out of fear. The gift you received from your father has allowed you to grow far beyond my initial expectations. You have realized the best of both of our heritages. I am so proud of you, my child. Having you was the best decision of my life. It is only through your persistent efforts that I have stepped away from nihility and regained my life."

"From what I have heard and managed to observe from Zeigra, your children are much smarter and stronger than you give them credit for." Ryncol spoke up. "Once they grow up, I think it may do them good if they learn the truth, if they haven\'t already figured it out by that time. They may not escape the consequences of being our grandchildren. We all share a common enemy."

The mention of that enemy caused the mood around the dinner table to drop. Each of them had become involved in a dangerous game centered around a fragment of the Metal Scroll.

Though that very same fragment had enabled Ves to rise and his mother to gain a huge amount of power, the Five Scrolls Compact would eventually come knocking and demand the return of their precious relic.

Once the family completed their intimate dinner, Cynthia carried thecyborg cat away so that the mother and \'son\' could talk to each other in private.

They entered a large bedroom that only Ryncol ever really used due to being the only individual to possess a corporeal body.

Cynthia \'sat\' down onto the bed and put Veronica on her lap before stroking the cyborg cat in a loving and delicate manner.

"Myaow- that feels so good-" Veronica squinted her eyes in pleasure.

The mother chuckled for a bit. "What possessed you to turn your avatar into a female, Ves? Did you feel you were born the wrong way?"

"No! I like being a man!" The cat\'s feminine voice claimed! "I just wanted to add a little variety in my life, that is all. I still consider myself male. This is not much different from playing a game and choosing to experience it with a female character. There is nothing else going on. I swear, mother!"

"Mhmm." Cynthia responded in an ambiguous tone. "You are already an adult, so I will not interfere with your inclinations. I would rather discuss matters of greater importance."

"Such as...?"

"Now that you have delivered the precious skeleton, what do you intend to do with your cat avatar? Do you intend to stay with us here in the Nyxian Gap, or did you intend to bring your cat form back to the Red Ocean?"

"Will you allow me to stay with you guys...?" Veronica hesitantly asked.

Cynthia embraced the cat in a hug. "You are my son, Ves. I love you with all of my heart. Leaving you when you were still so young has been one of the greatest regrets of my life. It is a delight to have you back with me. I may have concerns if you were only here in your human self, but since you only arrived in the form of an avatar, it is much less dangerous to keep you around."

Her words reminded Ves that his mother was still caught up in an enormous vortex that was fraught with danger!

"What is the deal with the Oblivion Empire, anyway?" Veronica asked. "Also, has the Nyxian Gap changed since the last time I visited? I don\'t recall it being so... active."

"I know you would ask that, my son. Let me show you something that will answer many of your questions."

The powerful Lady Nyx picked up the cat and left the bedroom. She moved back to the throne room and sat down onto the throne that turned out to be made out of Unending alloy!

"What?!" Veronica gasped! "How much of this stuff do you have?"

"Oh, this? More than you realize." Cynthia smirked. "What I actually want to show you lies underneath this throne. You can phase through solid matter, correct?"

The cat nodded. "I do, though I can\'t pass through strong energy shields."

"You don\'t have to worry about that. Follow me downstairs."

Cynthia and Veronica sank through the Unending alloy throne and continued to go down until they entered a secret chamber.

Many different security features kept this compartment as secure as the Oblivion Empire could manage.

The reason why his mother had this chamber built quickly became apparent when Veronica laid her electronic eyes onto a golden crown!

"What.... Is that?"

"That, my son, is the Golden Laurel Wreath Crown." Cynthia triumphantly revealed. "I took it as my spoils of war after defeating a naughty girl who arrogantly thought she could defeat me on my home ground."

Ves tied in a lot of different clues together. His cat avatar\'s eyes grew brighter in alarm!

"You... you\'re the cause of the Crown Uprising!" Veronica gasped! "You are the reason why all of those crazy brainwashed fanatics kept shouting about returning their supposed crown!"

"You are correct." Cynthia said. "I am pleased that you have managed to avoid the storm by moving to the Red Ocean. The cult\'s influence is not as entrenched over there. I hope you will keep your human side away from this galaxy. Our enemies are too powerful and their hold over the Milky Way remains extensive despite the Big Two\'s suppression."

Veronica kept staring at the strange crown that radiated with so much power.

"Is this crown... a fragment of a Sacred Scroll?"

The mother laughed. "Hahaha! I can understand your misconception, but no. It is more than that. It is the Water Scroll\'s symbol of authority. This crown is made out of one of the sources that the Scroll derives its power from. It is made out of a particularly potent kind of blood."

"What?!"

Ves could not see a trace of blood or organic matter from the metal crown!

Yet he did not doubt his mother\'s words either, because he sensed the enormous power contained within this artifact!

He began to study what the crown was currently doing. He noticed that it had actually been trying to escape non-stop. An elaborate brace made out of Unending alloy and other spiritually-reactive materials kept it in place while also siphoning away a considerable amount of water-attributed spiritual energy!

The engineering was fascinating. Ves wondered what his mother was doing with all of the spiritual energy collected from the stolen crown.

"So what did you want to tell me about this crown?" Ves asked.

"The Golden Laurel Wreath Crown is one of the essential symbols of authority to the Holy Son or Daughter anointed by the Water Scroll." Cynthia straightforwardly explained. "The Compact may elect a new one amongst themselves, but without regaining possession of this crown, the new inheritor will never be able to gain full access to the Water Scroll. This is why the Compact is constantly attacking us under the guise of the Abyss Empire. In order to defend against their escalating assaults, it was no longer enough for me to fight my opponents by myself. I took the lead of your father\'s organization and elevated it into an empire that is able to dominate the Nyxian Gap."

Ves knew that it was not so simple to build up an empire out of nothing. The Nyxian Gap was perhaps the worst kind of environment to do this, yet from what he had seen so far, his parents were doing better than ever!

He felt strangely inadequate when he compared the size of the Oblivion Empire to the size of his Larkinson Clan.

It turned out that his mother was a lot better at empire building!

"How... are you able to gather so many people?" Veronica asked in confusion. "How are you able to keep the Five Scrolls Compact at bay?"

"There are many answers to those questions, my son. You will slowly be able to gain a complete understanding as long as you spend enough time with us. For now, I can say that it is not difficult to attract so many willing subjects if I am able to give them what they want. If you have taken a look at our mech pilots, you will find that many of them are unusually powerful."

Ves did take note how an unusually high proportion of the soldiers in the fleet turned out to be expert candidates and expert pilots!

There was something odd about them as well, but he hadn\'t been able to examine them closely enough to figure out their weirdness.

He had a feeling that all of the mech pilots who were eager to break past their limits had paid an unimaginably high price to attain their power!

"As for the Nyxian Gap..." Cynthia raised her arm and caused the space around her to change and warp! "I have taken over a part of this broken space. I am the closest thing to her sovereign."

"That...!"

Ves could not imagine how her mother could even do that! The way that she was able to command the space around them with such ease showed that she could easily grant the Oblivion Empire massive terrain advantages in the Nyxian Gap!

No wonder she managed to keep the Five Scrolls Compact at bay for so long!

"So... what next, mother?"

Cynthia smirked. "Now, we shall commence the restoration of my body and complete my resurrection in full. I have been preparing for this for years. My injury is deeper than you realize, and can only be healed through exceptional means. You have just delivered the bones. Now, I only need to retrieve the blood that can bring my body to life, and what better ingredient to draw from than the blood of an immortal god? There is a reason why I have kept this crown in my possession despite the associated dangers."

She reached out her arm and placed it around one of the pointed spikes on top of the base.

The Oblivion Empress began to apply pressure. The Golden Laurel Wreath Crown did not take kindly to this, and began to shake even harder in order to resist the force exerted by the woman!

Cynthia began to exert even more of her strength in response! She even leveraged her authority over the Nyxian Gap to bend the space occupied by the crown!

Soon enough, the pressure grew too great for the crown to bear!

SNAP!

A golden metal piece snapped loose from the base, and with it, the crown began wail in pain!

A powerful energy shockwave blasted from the crown and quickly spread through the surrounding space, frightening everyone by the suffering released by the relic!

"Uhmm... I don\'t think the Five Scrolls Compact will like what you have done to their crown." Veronica remarked.

"The Compact cannot stop us any longer. Come with me, Ves. We shall commence the ritual right away. The time of my resurrection is at hand!"