["Of course."]

["We will keep you safe so don't worry."]

["Worrying will not have a net positive effect on this experiment so please stop it."]

"I will try not to do that then, how is the connection holding up?"

["You know we can't tell you that."]

"Yeah sorry, it was a force of habit."

Inside a newly commissioned deep orbit test facility, Dax was speaking to Iris via a video call as he was about to commence a test that most would describe as outright foolish. This test had been in preparation for months, most of this time was spent to ensure Dax was entirely isolated in case the test failed. Located in deep s.p.a.ce outside the planet's gravitational influence, the brand new test facility had only a single link to the outside world and there was no means of transport present at the station either. Being basically trapped in a prison Dax showed no signs of worry as he activated the electromagnets in his boots and was glued to the station's floor, taking the few steps past several waring lines to the centre of the station was a single reinforced case was firmly secured.

"I am now disabling the primary isolation barrier, readings are still within predictions but I suspect that won't continue to be the case."

["Of course."]

["You did treat it really badly the last time"]

["We are pretty sure it didn't forget that."]

"... Well, here goes nothing. I'm establis.h.i.+ng direct contact with the sword now."

Opening the case mana flared out as Dax laid his eyes on a particular dark red sword, grasping its hilt before he changed his mind. 

"Oh? You're back?~✿ Now I get to pay you back for what you did to me, you should start begging for mercy about now, mortal~✿"

Immediately Dax's surrounding changed as a familiar and extremely annoying voice found the way into his head. The qiton suddenly found himself inside a dark cave, all around him he felt countless different presences that all held varying amounts of hostility towards him, by far the most refined bloodl.u.s.t came from a creature which sat atop a throne that was made out of some sort of black plasma which held its shape and flowed out endlessly at the same time. The creature which sat on top of the throne looked like a young girl with long black hair that entirely covered her face, 'she' wore a bright red dress which flowed freely like a sea of blood and spread a nauseating smell that spread out in the dark cave.

"Well, this sure is new."

Unfaced by his new environment, Dax put on a lax att.i.tude as he looked around.

(Seems like it has adapted more to my physiology… I can no longer trust my sense of sight, smell or hearing. Touch is most likely also compromised as I can no longer feel that I'm holding onto the sword.)

"Well ain't you an interesting creature~✿ I said bow down, start begging for mercy or you won't survive."

Suddenly an immense pressure overwhelmed Dax as he was forced onto his knees and was temporarily blinded and when he regained his vision Dax found himself on his knees looking down onto the cave floor.

"Now that's a far better posture for you to take before me~✿ Last time I offered you my everything and you harshly pushed me aside before locking me up out here in s.p.a.ce, why had you come back?"

Looking up towards the voice that was now centralized in front of him, Dax saw that he was kneeling in front of the black throne where the creature with the red dress sat. Meeting 'her' eyes that peeked out from behind 'her' hair, Dax felt a shudder down his back. The creature had no mouth, and what could only be described as its eyes were nothing more than dark empty holes into the creature's skull. 

"I've come here to establish a cooperative relations.h.i.+p that we both might benefit."

"... Aha! Hahahahahahaha~✿" 

As the creature laughed the structure of its face s.h.i.+fted around like a mirage, it was like the creature had tried to take a human form, but didn't fully understand what that entailed.

"Why should I ever trust you again!?"

With the creature's outrage, the pressure Dax had felt before returned, along with an immense sense of pain, like someone was actively flaying all his skin off at once.

"I've seen what you are, even if you claim to revel in bloodshed you despise it! I will not form a cooperative relations.h.i.+p with you, but I am glad you returned to me. Now let's continue the torment~✿ Would you like to be peeled or flayed alive first?~✿"

(I really did p.i.s.s it off huh?... Well, that's within expectations.)

"Before we do all that I would like to know what your objective is. Let me guess… You want to break me and take over my body so you can escape?"

"... Ha!~✿"

In response to Dax's question, the creature's lower face split open, forming what could only be described as a wide and happy looking 'smile' if one were willing to accept the loosest definition of that expression.

"That's right~✿ So you are at least somewhat intelligent. But if you knew that then why would you ever establish contact with me again? Are you a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.t?~✿ I would be happy if that is the case."

In glee, the creature got up from its throne and closed in on Dax, kneeling down next to him it caressed his cheek with its hand while it still continued to show its 'smile'.

"Yeah no, that's not the case. I don't enjoy receiving or dealing out pain sorry. Before you start trying to torturing me I want you to take a good hard look at what you're currently facing."

Standing up on his feet even despite the influence he was still under, Dax showed a slight smile.

"W-what's going on? Just by moving you should be in agony!"

This greatly unsettled the spirit which was inhabiting the cursed sword, 'her' from s.h.i.+fted as a result of 'her' internal state of mind as 'she' struck out at Dax with a blood red sword which had formed from 'her' dress. The creature's sword pa.s.sed right through Dax's chest, splitting it apart vertically as blood flowed out with impunity.

"So that's what you think my body looks like being bisected? It's slightly off, you didn't take the bones into account."

"H-how!?"

As Dax's body slowly reformed itself the creature tried to force Dax out of its realm, but Dax remained his grip on the sword as he continued talking.

"Did you think that you could break me with something as simple and trivial as pain? You might not have noticed, but I'm a qiton. Pain and suffering is part of our existence, something like getting flayed alive only amounts to a minor inconvenience, like getting a bug bite or having a part of you back that you can't quite scratch."

Getting up on his feet Dax gripped the creature by its hair as he peered deeply into his eyes and spoke in a cold, unfeeling voice.

"I am sorry for what I did to you last time, as such I will prepare countless people you can feast on, but first you must realize what kind of opportunity I am presenting you."

"a opportunity?"

"Yeah, an opportunity to help me slaughter my enemies. You must have looked into my mind by now, wouldn't it be a waste to miss all that carnage I have in store over a small slight?"

Peering into Dax's mind, the creature saw the full scope of Dax's plans and shuddered while it tried to imagine taking part in so much slaughter.

"I-in that case I will offer you my everything, mast-"

"Don't call me that."

"Eh?"

Being cut off in the middle of its declaration of loyalty, the creature looked confused back at Dax.

"Call me Dax. As I said at the start, this is a cooperative relations.h.i.+p. In exchange for offering me your power when I need it, I will give you some of my enemies. Do we have a deal?"

"Y-yeah we do, D-Dax."

"Perfect~ I look forward to working with you."