The planet that Angakok and Khnum had taken unconscious Max to- was a desolate landscape of nothingness.
It was a lifeless planet with a barren terrain as harsh and cruel as the harshest winter.
The temperature on the planet was at an extremely cold -25°C and it was only because all three parties on the planet were god's that they were able to withstand the icy cold as if it were nothing.
In the middle of this barren nothing, Angakok had etched careful runic patterns of giant proportions on three giant plateaus that were fuelled by countless arrays of high grade mana crystals.
Between the three plateaus there was a triangular space where a lot of ancient equipment was placed in what seemed to be a giant circle.
At the heart of this circle, three pods stood in a triangular formation. The pod on the right was designed for Max and was connected to the one in the centre that was meant for Angakok.
Finally the one on the left was meant for Khnum which was also connected to the pod meant for Angakok.
All three pods were connected by what seemed to be a mixture of an umbilical cord and a high-speed internet cable, as it seemed to be technology that was ancient and near impossible to obtain.
"What needs to be done is simple," Angakok said as he explained the plan one last time to Khnum to make sure that he understood it perfectly and did not mess any process up.
Pointing towards the unconscious body of Max placed in the right pod, Angakok said "Once you begin the ritual, our mana will link through the ancient conduit that we've formed and after the entire runic formation I've created will light up all three plateaus we've formed, once that happens, you need to start pumping divine essence into the soul transfer stone placed here-
As my soul leaves my body, it will enter Max's, leaving mine vacant."
Khnum nodded sincerely, pretending to absorb his instructions.
"And once my soul has successfully merged with Max's body and I wake up, you can go lie down in your pod and take over my empty body" Angakok said as he emphasised on the part that Khnum was only to start his own transfer after Angakok had woken up from completing his.
" It will take only a few minutes for my transfer to be completed and there should not be any hiccups unless you don't double cross me.
To make sure that I win over the boy's body, I need you to pump divine essence into the soul stone continuously.
If you don't do it and decide you want to double-cross me, understand that I will still win over the boy's body albeit a bit slowly and wake up and kill you first " Angakok said as he threatened Kremeth to not cut him off short during the critical stages of the soul transfer process.
" I'd never even dream of betraying you, oh great shaman god " Khnum said, playing the part of the loyal dog perfectly as he reassured Angakok of his loyalty.
Angakok was still suspicious of Khnum but he had no other choice but to trust the sly old dog for now as he needed his help to make this process a success.
Waving his hands, Angakok removed the blockage that was preventing the mana crystals from powering the runic formation for now, and laid down in the centre pod as he prepared himself mentally for the soul transfer ceremony.
Little by little the plateaus started to light up with, as wherever the mana passed it left a trail of blue light through the runic patterns.
Khnum waited anxiously for the all plateaus to fully light up as he bit his lip in anticipation.
One by one all the ancient machines placed in the circle around them began to whir and start as the liquids inside the three pods began to bubble.
Once all the plateaus were lit up, Khnum poured his divine essence into the soul stone and it flowed through the special stone and went into Angakok's pod as a bright red liquid.
The clear liquid in Angakok's pod turned bright red once the divine essence came in contact with the fluid and it was at that moment that Angakok's body began convoluting uncontrollably as he seemed to have a seizure.
Khnum watched with bated breaths as the transfer cable between Max's and Angakok's pod began to heat up at a remarkable pace, as a few seconds later Max's body began convoluting as if it was having a seizure as well.
A full minute passed where both the body's seemed to struggle, but then suddenly Angakok's body stopped convoluting as the glow from Angakok's skin disappeared completely and his chest stopped heaving up and down.
Khnum watched as the Shaman god's body that was usually extremely vibrant and exuding unimaginable power went limp as he understood that the soul transfer process was complete!
While he was supposed to continue pumping his divine essence through the soul stone from now until Angakok woke up after taking full control over Max's body, Khnum did not intend to follow that order.
Angakok's body was decomposing fast without Angakok's soul inside and Khnum did not want his future vessel to be damaged even a bit, as he quickly pulled the lever that diverted the flow of divine essence from the soul stone to Angakok's pod to a new path from the soul stone to his pod.
Pouring the remainder of his divine essence into the stone all at once, Khnum rushed to be seated into his pod as he intended to take over Angakok's body before the shaman god ever woke up and then kill him while he was still unconscious.
Kremeth, who was watching all these events unfold, found himself stopping dead in his tracks as he could not understand if intervening at this point would help save his student or kill him?
He could only watch for now and hope that everything worked out as it should.