As I have discovered, there are but three ways to create life through Agony. One such method is to apply it to the corpse of an already deceased lifeform; The result is resurrection, though more often than not the lifeform will be reborn without their soul. Furthermore, a resurrected plant or animal may come back to life as more intelligent, as well as sapient. The second method is to use it on an inanimate object. This will cause the object to form into a living construct based on the object itself. A machine could even become truly alive through this very method.

The third method is to use this power on a subject who is very much alive. This will create a creature derived from their darkest thoughts; Unlike other lifeforms, however, the creature will constantly drain the life essence from the very being they were created from. With enough life essence drained, the person from which the creature is created from will die, and the creature will become stronger as a result. Opposingly, however, the subject will become completely revitalized should the creature be killed prior.

The resulting lifeform, however, will be driven by a need to spread this feeling to others. After all, Agony is a very negative force. One could even compare it to a parasite, feeding off of its host to satiate its own desires to the point where it can assume full control to those who are weak-willed. And should the creature it creates be disposed of, the Agony will simply exit the creature in search for a new vessel. There is a way to destroy Agony outright, but it is outside of the scope of my research.

However, where there is a negative force, there is always a positive. Such a power is known as Remnant, which can be viewed as the "blood" of a soul, constantly seeping out from souls that have gone through the same traumatic experiences that leads to the creation of Agony. Remnant can be used for identical, if not equal purposes as Agony, except without the desire to spread feelings of Agony. It also cannot seem to be used to create a creature from a living being's mind, unlike Agony.

Once again, Remnant seems to seep out more from the souls of children than they would adults. However, unlike with Agony, this appears to be due to the clean nature of their souls; A clean soul, such as a children's, is more willing to let go of the lingering pain; This results in the spread of Remnant. But when it comes to the darker, more stained souls of adults, they seem less capable of doing such.

Both Agony and Remnant have both been key parts to my research. Discovering the secrets of these energies have led to something truly wonderful. Perhaps it would lead to something greater- something to abolish death once and for all-, if it weren't for one small problem: Regardless of my greater efforts, the two forces always seem to repel each other. Ironically speaking, it is like two magnets of the same charge. As such, my search for a way to abolish death will require an alternate path; Perhaps it is one that will require one force or the other, or perhaps not.

Either way, my research continues as normal.

THE JOY OF CREATION, VOL III

CHAPTER 13: Agony

Agony, as I have found in my research, is also a powerful emotion that persists strongly after a person's death, much like Regret. However, unlike Regret, Agony is not a stain on a person's soul. In the previous chapter, I have gone over the Emotional Spectrum and the power held within them***. However, I have only briefly discussed such emotions since they hold no true value to my research. However, Agony, as I have mentioned in said chapter, is much, much more than that, which is why I have dedicated this chapter to my findings on the subject.

Agony, as previously stated, is not a stain on the subject's soul; Rather, it is a feeling that lingers should a person die in a brutal, or otherwise tragic manner. A person such as myself who is smart enough to do so can then extract Agony from the deceased body's blood. From there, it may act as a rather potent power source that can be used for a variety of purposes. Strong enough Agony may even be enough to create life.

Curiously, despite their otherwise clean souls, I have always found Agony to be more present in deceased children than in deceased adults. Perhaps this is due more to instinctual emotion than mental. The mind tells you to feel joy, anger, and sadness... but it is the body that tells you to feel hunger, fear, and pain.