Lycus slowly opened his eyes, his golden irises flickering as they adjusted to the dim light of the laboratory. His head throbbed with a pulsing pain, each beat of his heart sending shockwaves through his skull. The serum's effects tore at the edges of his consciousness, burning through his thoughts like fire through dry paper. His temples were tight, his breath shallow as he fought to suppress the rising panic. He knew better than to let the agony consume him. He had been through worse before, but this was different. This felt like an invasion of his mind itself, something far more insidious than the physical pain he had endured.
His hands were still restrained to the examination chair, the metallic chains unyielding against his strength. Despite the growing pressure in his skull, Lycus
