Bloodlines of the Ancient Pantheons

Chapter 584: DLXXXIV. The Hybrid

"I am perfectly aware of it this power you're talking about has unleashed inside me without me being able to control it and grows more and more every day. My body initially rejected it, but my soul is imbued with it" Dag replied, limiting himself to giving little information to his interlocutor, hoping that as soon as possible he would leave him alone, avoiding a direct fight against him, that would clearly lose.

"Your soul. Soul... we studied this phenomenon a long time ago when we first approached human subjects who had a high degree of a parameter called 'emotional sensitivity'. I'm sorry to disappoint you, 813666, but the soul you're referring to is an absolutely abstract concept, it's not measurable, nor real, it's just the result of your limited view of the world around you. Our calculations are perfect and our science is correct. You have no 'soul', no one has one" the white man continued, standing about 10 meters away from Dag.

Feeling that at that moment he could respond to that statement and failing to hold back all the hatred he had inside, Dag dared to utter stronger words, albeit pronouncing them in a submissive tone.

"If your science is really accurate and your calculations are perfect, with no margin of error... why is there an unknown percentage in my genetic code? When the Temporum showed my results, the members of your commission couldn't figure out that strange value, that 2%. It follows that even a machine created by you can go wrong, right?" Dag asked, sweating cold, knowing that that question could have been a death sentence.

Strangely, the Xis did not lose patience after Dag's risky response, which could no longer look him in the eye for fear of his reaction, but the alien slightly rotated his head, as if he was processing that concept, not expecting such an acute observation from the individual of a lower race.

"I don't owe you any kind of explanation, 813666, but I recognize that my colleagues' curiosity for you is justified. You are a really interesting subject, your 'courage' parameter is very high precisely because you are not afraid to answer those who are superior to you. So I'm going to answer your question before the extraction process." 

"Extraction process?!" Dag thought, frightened by that word that presupposed nothing pleasant.

...

"Extraction? Extraction of what?! What is he going to do to the Captain?!" Reidar thought aloud, who was still trying to make Freydis regain her senses, after finding blankets with which to keep her body warm.

"I don't know, but I don't think we're going to like it... that strange-looking man... he wears clothes that I have never seen and, apart from his eyes, does not look very threatening. His body muscle is average and he doesn't have any kind of weapon with him. How did these beings manage to defeat the Gods, including Ymir, the father of the world itself and supreme leader of the Ice Giants?!" Kranus replied, who couldn't help but think about that detail, failing to understand it.

"It is impossible that men with pale faces managed to capture and drive out the great wolf Fenrir. His greatness and ferocity are incomparable to those of every other living being. Only the chains created by Odin could trap him in the mountains, only the Alfather has the power to chain the great wolf, the embodiment of fury!" Bloodfang interrupted, who although he seemed intent on watching Dag, was actually listening intently to the words of the ice mage.

"That's not a human being. The captain once told me something about the Frostsinners... their real name is 'Xis' and they voluntarily chose to take our shape, in order to interact more easily with us human beings. They created all the planets, including Skjold, and distributed all earthlings like Dag on them... if you think about it, they are the Gods right now" Reidar replied, who was astonished at his own words, not believing that fear would ever lead him to say such absurd and blasphemous things.

...

"The genetic analysis of Temporum is timely. This means that it measures the values within the blood specific to the moment the subject enters the capsule. At the age of 8, you, 813666, like all subjects of your age, performed the analysis and the machine returned certain values. The difference is that, from then on, your unknown genes, those belonging to that 2%, have certainly increased, neutralizing a part of your predominant genes, namely the Norse ones" the Xis explained, allowing Dag to intervene. 

"So that 2% is now a bigger number?" Dag asked, in a calm and resigned voice, looking up at his interlocutor, not to show his fear.

"That's correct, 813666. Your genetics are really basic, and they can't change over time, unlike ours. However, you are different in this too. Genes belonging to the domain of dark matter expand in your body and the practical consequence is the increase in your 'abilities'. Although these genes are practically identical to those of my species, genetically more advanced than yours, they coexist with human genes, which are slowly regressing, failing to block the advance of the more advanced ones. What's the conclusion, 813666?" the Xis continued, curious to hear the answer from Dag's mouth as if that was a game.

"My human genes coexist with those of the Xis... this means that biologically speaking I am... I am... a hybrid" Dag said, lowering his gaze and feeling a sense of deep anguish by uttering that word, which rang out in his head soon after coming out of his mouth.

"Mh." 

The Xis made a confirmation-like sound and continued to look at Dag with his grainy eyes, never looking away, satisfied that their creation had developed such acute intelligence as well as managing that big amount of dark power.

"My human genes are regressing... Xis genes are much stronger and more advanced... with age, my powers will grow, and the more I use them, the more human genes will decrease, until I'll completely lose my humanity, becoming a Xis. Is that really what's going to happen to me? Or is this bastard saying this just to frighten me and force me to obey them?" Dag thought, continuing to look at the destroyed floor beneath his feet.