Cassian walked through the hive's upper sectors, his pace steady, his mind already fixated on what lay ahead. The Mechanicus facility loomed in the distance, a monolithic structure of steel and circuitry, rising above the surrounding manufactorums like a fortress of knowledge.
The air was thick with pollution, the sky an unnatural, sickly shade of red, a sign of the planet's slow descent into Chaos. The signs were subtle but unmistakable. More enforcers prowling the streets. More disappearances. A tension in the air that hadn't been there before. The hive was beginning to rot from within.
Not that it mattered.
Cassian wasn't here for the hive. He was here for something else.
The memetic virus.
A dangerous procedure. A direct rewiring of the mind itself. Once injected, it would tear through his neurons, amplifying his cognition—but at a cost. Countless others had taken it before him, only to be reduced to raving, knowledge-starved husks, their minds shattered by the overwhelming thirst for more.
Cassian wouldn't end up like them.
He had his solution— the adaptive physiology. It would suppress the side effects ensuring He would take only the benefits.
A cold certainty settled in his chest.
He reached the Mechanicus facility's armored gates. A pair of red-robed tech-priests stood at the entrance, their augmetic eyes scanning him as he approached.
One of them stepped forward. His voice was flat, modulated, devoid of emotion.
"Designation?"
"Cassian Vail. Scheduled for cognitive augmentation."
A brief pause. Then a green light flashed on the priest's wrist-mounted cogitator.
"Proceed."
The gates hissed open, revealing the sterile halls of the Mechanicus.
---
The interior was cold, efficient, inhuman. The air smelled of machine oil and sterilized steel. Rows of cogitator banks lined the walls, their screens displaying endless streams of data. Servo-skulls drifted overhead, their mechanical eyes scanning the corridors.
Cassian barely paid attention. His thoughts were elsewhere.
They guided him deeper into the facility, past research chambers and laboratories, until they reached a door marked with the sigils of the Magos Biologis.
The door slid open.
And inside—stood a man unlike any Mechanicus priest he had seen before.
---
The Magos Biologis was different.
Where others of his kind had long abandoned their flesh for metal, this one had preserved his humanity—while enhancing it.
His form was tall, imposing, unnervingly symmetrical. His musculature was enhanced, his skin reinforced with vat-grown augmentations. Mechanized veins pulsed faintly beneath his flesh, laced with bio-grafted circuitry. His hands were still organic—but the fingertips shimmered with embedded neural interfaces.
This was not a man who had discarded flesh.
This was a man who had perfected it.
His head tilted slightly as he studied Cassian, the lumens of his augmetic visor pulsing faintly.
"Fascinating. You seek the memetic virus."
His voice was… different. Not the emotionless monotone of the Mechanicus. It was curious. Measured. There was intent behind it.
Cassian met his gaze without hesitation. "Yes."
The Magos's fingers twitched—a habit, or perhaps an unconscious calibration of his neural augments.
"A high-risk procedure."
"I know."
"Yet you do not hesitate."
Cassian remained silent. He didn't need to explain himself.
The Magos studied him for a long moment. Then, slowly, he turned to the cogitator terminal beside him, inputting a command.
---
Cassian stood silently as the Magos Biologis and his attendant adepts prepared the machine that would interface with his mind. The air was heavy with incense, its sharp, metallic tang curling through the chamber, mingling with the quiet hum of machinery. Servo-skulls floated above, their red lenses flickering as they observed the process.
One of the adepts—a robed figure with a mechanical eye that whirred softly with each blink—stepped forward, holding a censer in his augmetic hand. He swung it slowly, the smoke trailing in deliberate patterns across the cogitators and interfaces.
"Machine spirit, hear us," the adept intoned in a voice distorted by his vox-grill. The others echoed his words in mechanicus cant, their tones reverent, almost fearful.
The Magos Biologis raised a slender, mechadendrite-tipped staff and tapped it twice against the metal floor. Cassian tensed as the sound rang out, sharp and cold.
"Blessed be the Omnissiah," the Magos murmured. "May this offering appease the machine spirit."
Another adept placed a copper medallion—a worn cog symbol—onto the primary console. Cassian watched as the Magos pressed his hand against the rune-inscribed metal plate beside it. The machine hissed, gears clicking softly, and somewhere deep within its structure, a low vibration began to build.
The adepts chanted softly. "By the Motive Force, by the Will of the Omnissiah, guide this soul."
Cassian swallowed. The tension in the room pressed against his skin. Was this all for show, or did the rites truly matter? In this grim, ancient place, surrounded by machinery that felt more alive than dead, he wasn't sure anymore.
The Magos turned to him. "The machine spirit is appeased." His mechadendrite pointed to the chair in the center of the room—a cold, metallic thing with cables and wires snaking from its base. "Sit."
Cassian moved toward the chair, every step feeling heavier than the last. As he lowered himself into place, he heard the Magos whisper one final prayer.
"May your flesh endure, and may your mind emerge whole."
The machine hissed again, and the room fell silent.
---
The surgical chair whirred to life. Restraints clicked into place as Cassian sat, securing his arms and legs with precise, mechanical efficiency.
Above him, a series of injectors and neural probes adjusted their alignment, shifting like the limbs of a predatory machine.
The Magos moved with practiced ease, calibrating the instruments with a level of familiarity that spoke of experience.
He spoke as he worked.
"I have overseen this augmentation numerous times. Most subjects do not survive intact."
A flicker of amusement crossed Cassian's mind.
"I will."
The Magos paused. A soft, static hum escaped his vocal processors. Something close to a laugh.
"We shall see."
The injectors locked into place.
And the first needle struck.
---
A flood of knowledge.
Cassian's vision blurred. His thoughts shattered and reassembled all at once.
The second injection hit.
His perception accelerated. Information flooded his mind in impossible detail. His memories—once distant, now clear as if he were reliving them.
The third injection.
And with it—the hunger.
A creeping, insatiable thirst clawed at his thoughts. Not for food. Not for pleasure.
For knowledge.
For understanding.
Cassian felt it. The same hunger that had consumed the others before him. It whispered at the edges of his mind, urging him to seek, to learn, to unravel—to never stop.
His fingers tightened against the restraints.
No.
Not him.
His perk adaptive physiology reacted to the stimuli.
A wave of clarity surged through him.
The hunger—the maddening, all-consuming need—vanished in an instant.
The memetic virus had taken hold.
But Cassian Vail remained Cassian Vail.
---
Cassian's head throbbed, a dull, pulsing ache behind his eyes. The Cognition Trial had left him raw, his mind feeling stretched thin — sharper, but fragile, like glass under pressure. He leaned against the cold metal table, steadying his breathing. His vision blurred for a moment before snapping into razor focus.
Then, the familiar tug. His status shifted.
[INTELLIGENCE UPGRADED: F → E (17/20)]
[WISDOM UPGRADED: F→E 5/20]
[Perk Selection Available]
Cassian swallowed, pushing through the haze clouding his thoughts. The options unfolded in his mind, each one weighty in its own right.
Intelligence Perk Selection:
Danger sense (Unease gnawing at mind. If threats to host is nearby)
Cognitor's Precision (Dulled emotions, allows for logical approach)
Calculative Synapse (Instinctive decisions honed to perfection even in heat of battle)
His fingers curled into a fist, nails biting into his palm. Danger sense.
Another pulse. A second prompt.
Wisdom Perk Selection:
Insightful Awareness (Enhanced EQ, Makes one socially gifted)
Tactical acumen ( Patterns emerge in battle in your eyes. You predict enemy attacks, weakness faster)
Resilience (Your mind shapens under pressure and you adapt faster)
Cassian took a slow breath, eyes narrowing. Insightful Awareness.
This time, it was different. Subtle. No grand shift, no sudden understanding — just a quiet widening of perception. The hum of cogitators felt louder. The way Magos Biologis shifted on his mechadendrites seemed more telling. The world hadn't changed. He had.
Cassian exhaled, steadying himself.
---
When the procedure ended, the Magos did not move for a long time.
Cassian opened his eyes, adjusting to the sheer sharpness of his own perception. His thoughts were quicker, clearer, deeper.
But he was in control.
The Magos leaned in slightly, studying him.
"…Interesting."
Cassian sat up, the restraints unlocking automatically. He could feel the intensity of the Magos's gaze.
"The virus did not take hold as expected." The priest's voice carried something unusual. Not confusion—fascination.
Cassian met his gaze with quiet certainty. "I adapted."
A brief pause. Then—a smile.
A small, almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of the Magos's mouth.
"Intriguing."
His organic hand flexed, the embedded circuitry pulsing faintly.
"I will be watching your progress, Cassian Vail."
Cassian stood. His mind hummed with newfound power.
The Magos continued to watch him. Somewhere, data was being logged, observations recorded.
Cassian had become a subject of interest.
But he had gained what he came for.
And soon—he would use it.
---
Cassian sat on the edge of the cot, pressing his fingers against his temple as his thoughts swirled in sharp, distinct layers. It was as if the world had been a smudged painting, and now, suddenly, every brushstroke, every color, every hidden detail had snapped into focus. He could remember everything with clarity—every word he had ever read, every face he had seen. Patterns and connections that had once eluded him now stood out in stark relief.
It was intoxicating.
And overwhelming.
The thirst for knowledge clawed at his mind like a hunger he had never known before. It wasn't a mere curiosity—it was a gnawing, burning need. The memetic virus had done its work, sharpening his cognition beyond human limits. But he had prepared for this. The adaptive physiology perk from his system had nullified the most dangerous side effects, keeping his mind intact.
A hiss of hydraulics broke his thoughts as the door to his chamber slid open.
Magos Darius stepped inside, his crimson robes flowing as he moved with eerie precision. Unlike the other Mechanicus adepts Cassian had encountered, Darius had not abandoned flesh entirely. His augments were subtle, enhancing rather than replacing. His mechanical fingers flexed naturally, and his eyes, while clearly augmented, retained the depth of human thought.
Darius regarded him for a moment before speaking. "You are adjusting well."
Cassian exhaled, lowering his hand. "If by 'adjusting' you mean trying not to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information my brain is processing, then yes."
A faint smile ghosted across Darius' lips. "Such is the price of enlightenment. Most cannot handle it."
Cassian met his gaze. "I had precautions."
Darius gave an intrigued hum but did not pry further. Instead, he stepped closer. "I have observed your records. A former scribe, yet one who shows remarkable adaptability. You sought this enhancement not out of desperation, but ambition."
Cassian said nothing.
Darius clasped his hands behind his back. "That is why I am extending an offer. Join the Magos Biologis. Your mind is now beyond that of a mere scribe. With study and guidance, you could ascend beyond the limitations of common men."
Cassian leaned back slightly, considering the offer. He had expected something like this, but he needed to be sure of what he was stepping into.
"If I join…" he started, "…is it mandatory for me to replace my body with machinery?"
Darius tilted his head slightly, as if amused by the question. "No. The Biologis does not shun flesh as others in the Mechanicus do. We do not discard the biological—we improve it."
Cassian nodded slowly. That was a relief. He didn't reject augmentation outright, but he wasn't about to strip himself of flesh for the sake of dogma.
"And what exactly would I be expected to do?"
Darius gestured to the room around them. "Study. Learn. Advance. The Biologis branch is dedicated to understanding and perfecting both machine and flesh. You have already taken the first step. With your enhanced cognition, you could quickly rise within our ranks."
Cassian rubbed his chin. He had been willing to risk the memetic virus for knowledge—but now, this was an opportunity to gain even more. Connections, resources, training. If he played this right, he could wield the Mechanicus as a tool to further his own goals.
He gave a slow nod. "I'll join. Tentatively."
Darius inclined his head in approval. "A wise decision."
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a small drone, which hovered into the room carrying a bundle of data-slates. "Since our time is limited, you will begin with self-study. Biology, chemistry, fundamental principles of the Omnissiah's wisdom. Study them well."
Cassian took the slates, weighing them in his hands. "That's it? No structured lessons?"
Darius gave a dry chuckle. "In times of peace, yes. But the world outside this facility is crumbling. War is at our doorstep. I will monitor your progress while we make preparations."
Cassian's fingers tightened around the slates. He knew it already—Chaos was advancing. The planet was nearing its end.
Darius reached into his robes and withdrew a small metallic emblem, holding it out for Cassian to see. It was a symbol of the Magos Biologis—a cogwheel entwined with a strand of DNA.
"This marks you as an Aspirant," Darius said. "Not yet a full Magos, but recognized within the Mechanicus. With this, doors will open to you—should you prove yourself worthy."
Cassian took the emblem, feeling the cool weight of the metal in his palm. It was more than just a token. It was a key to something greater.
Darius studied him for a moment before continuing. "You will remain under observation for a few days to ensure no complications arise from the procedure. After that…"
Cassian looked up. "After that, what?"
Darius' expression darkened. "You will be deployed."
Cassian stiffened. "Deployed where?"
Darius turned away, motioning for Cassian to follow. They walked through the facility, past corridors lined with servitors preparing equipment, priests chanting binary hymns, and adepts fine-tuning war machines. The air was thick with the scent of sacred oils and burning incense.
"The frontlines," Darius finally answered. "Chaos is not a distant threat anymore. The war is here. Every capable individual will be needed."
Cassian's grip tightened around the emblem. He had sought power—and now, that power was about to be tested.
The war for survival had begun.
—-
Word count: 2439
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