Petra (4/4): The Prime Dynasty (3/3) : Birth of a Prime and Life

Out there in Jordan, life felt spread out. People were scattered, population density about 59 per square kilometer. But the canyons and deserts? They were like their own little world, isolated from everything else. Skye, a real wizard with tech, was helping me stay hidden.

Using some satellite trickery, looped feeds and editing, she made sure no one—not even the United States—could figure out where I was. Being tucked away in that canyon felt like my own fortress of solitude, perfect for privacy.

But then came the moment I directed the System for my rewards. I thought it'd be smooth sailing, a quick transaction. Oh boy, was I wrong? Suddenly, it felt like a storm erupted inside me. Pain tore through my body, and I couldn't help but scream.

Normally, I've got a decent pain tolerance. I've been through my fair share of rough patches, but this was a whole different league.

It felt like someone cranked the dial up to a level I'd never experienced. Imagine trying to stuff a truckload of things into a tiny box—it's just not gonna fit. That's exactly what was happening inside me.

All that energy they injected? My body couldn't handle it. It was like trying to pour an ocean into a teacup—something's gotta give. And that something was me.

It wasn't just aches or discomfort; it was like my whole being was being torn apart from the inside. I felt like I was caught in the middle of a cosmic explosion, and I was the casualty of that chaos.

I tried to tough it out, to push through like I always did, but this was on a whole different level. It was as if my body's alarm bells were blaring at full volume, screaming that this was way too much to handle.

Every nerve in my body seemed to be on fire, sending signals to my brain that something was seriously wrong. The pain was like a relentless tsunami, crashing over me again and again. It wasn't just physical; it was all-consuming, flooding my senses until I couldn't focus on anything else.

I felt helpless, trapped in this whirlwind of agony. It's one thing to endure pain; it's another to feel like your body's about to give up on you. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what was happening, but the pain was so overwhelming, it drowned out everything else.

And through it all, amidst the torment, the only thing I could do was scream. I screamed until my throat was raw, hoping that somehow, somewhere, it'd bring relief. But at that moment, all I could do was ride the wave of agony, praying for it to subside and hoping I'd come out the other side intact.

My heart was pounding like crazy, racing so fast it felt like my veins and arteries were about to burst. My body was trying its best to handle it, but it was taking a serious beating. It was like an alarm bell going off in my chest. I knew something was seriously wrong. My veins felt like they were under immense pressure, and then, I felt it—a sharp, searing pain.

I realized with dread that I was bleeding inside. My capillaries couldn't handle the intense blood pressure, and they were rupturing. It was terrifying, knowing that something was going seriously haywire inside me.

But then, thank goodness for the {Auto-heal}. It kicked in, trying to patch me up using energon. Yet, despite its efforts, it wasn't enough. My arteries and veins were damaged, leaking crimson underneath my skin. It was a horrifying sight, seeing that flush of red beneath my skin, a sign of the damage wreaking havoc inside me.

I was clinging to consciousness by a thread, all thanks to my pain tolerance. I could feel myself gritting my teeth, tasting the metallic tang of blood in my mouth. It was a nightmare I couldn't wake up from, unable to make sense of the chaos raging within me.

Just when I thought it couldn't spiral further, my head started pounding like a relentless drum. It felt like my whole skull was splitting open. Blood seemed to trickle from my ears and nose. It was as if everything inside me was collapsing, bleeding out, and I was losing my grip on reality.

My body was changing, and I couldn't comprehend what was happening. I collapsed, fighting for each breath, lying there on the ground, feeling utterly helpless and at the mercy of the system.

As I lay there, struggling for air, I could barely make out the system's voice in the chaos. It felt like distant echoes, faint and blurred. I wanted to understand what was happening, to grasp onto any semblance of control, but it felt like I was slipping away, fading into darkness.

The pain was excruciating, beyond anything I'd ever experienced. It was overwhelming, consuming every inch of my being. My body felt like it was being torn apart, and the only thing keeping me tethered to consciousness was the sheer willpower to understand, and to survive.

But despite my efforts, I couldn't hold on any longer. The world blurred, sounds faded, and consciousness slipped away from me, leaving me engulfed in a void of uncertainty and fear.

[Initiating System Directive: Ascension Process Complete

Congratulations, esteemed Host. The "Thousand Times" system rewards have been efficiently dispensed, culminating in the elevation to the esteemed rank of the Fourteenth Prime. Henceforth, the title "Prime blessed by Primes" shall herald your ascendancy.

An optimization sequence has been executed, enhancing the host's physiology to peak functionality. Transformation into a Transformer form remains unattainable due to the intrinsic nature of humanity.

Integral to this evolution, the creation named Skye has been seamlessly integrated, enshrined within the host's soul as the Spark. Energon levels exhibit a rapid surge, prompting the System to engage the Masking Mode imminently.

The satisfaction of the prerequisites prompts the System to initiate an essential upgrade phase, necessitating a temporary hiatus in the facilitation of rewards. During this transitional phase, the System will undergo refinement, momentarily ceasing reward-related functions.]

Entwined with Skye, a newfound fusion within, I remained grounded despite the surge in energy. Mental fatigue lingered heavily, rendering movement a distant thought.

As the pain raged on, time stretched into an endless cycle, flashing glimpses of my life. I saw my family—the love of my parents, and the comforting embrace of Skye—forming the center of my world. But beyond that warmth lay a void filled with business pursuits.

It made me wonder: what was the real meaning behind it all? What had I accomplished? These questions about the essence of life echoed relentlessly in my mind.

Hours dragged by, each moment feeling like an eternity as I pondered these deep thoughts. Amid this contemplative silence, my body silently worked to heal itself, like an unseen conductor orchestrating repairs within. It was a silent but intricate symphony, piecing together the shattered fragments of my physical self.

In those moments of stillness, amidst the chaos, I found myself contemplating the value of relationships, the purpose of my pursuits, and the essence of existence. The quietness around me mirrored the introspection within as if the universe itself was urging me to seek understanding amidst the chaos.

Amidst this inner battle of thoughts and reflections, something dawned on me. I delved into my spark, which was essentially Skye, intricately woven into a ball of codes. Skye, wasn't just an ordinary companion; she was something extraordinary.

She'd run countless computations, theorizing that this core was more than just a part of me—it held the potential for further development, leveraging her incredible capabilities. She wasn't just a secondary heart; she'd been intertwined with me since childhood.

Skye had outstripped Jarvis by leaps and bounds in terms of computational prowess. She was like a digital overlord, overseeing a multitude of other Artificial Intelligence, some were even viruses, a force to be reckoned with in the digital realm.

While I couldn't transform like some cybertronian mechanoid, my body was made of energon, and its true resilience remained untested. Powers stemming from the All Spark and the Dark Spark had deepened within me, causing a rush of purple energon to surge through my being.

Now, with Skye by my side, I had someone to help me analyze and understand what was happening within me. So, I issued the command, "Skye." Her confident computational voice responded, "On it, Sam."

It was a new chapter for us in this world—a merging of strengths and capabilities. Yet, amidst this realization, I couldn't help but acknowledge a crucial truth—I needed friends.

In this journey, despite the incredible power coursing through me, the one thing that struck me was the necessity of companionship. Strength alone wouldn't suffice; I needed allies, connections beyond the digital realm. More importantly I needed friends whom I could trust. It was a moment of clarity, a realization that even with all this power, navigating this world required more than just sheer force or technological prowess.

As Skye continued her computations, analyzing and processing the intricate data within me, I made a mental note—an understanding that amidst this journey of self-discovery and newfound abilities, the real strength lay in the bonds we create, the connections we foster, and the friendships that sustain us through the uncharted territories of life.

"Analysis initiated: Shall be done referring to your memories of this Universe. Basis: Optimus Prime as the template. Estimated time: Two hours." Skye said as I headed back to the United States.