Rip 6

BEGIN: ------- I -------

RECOLLECTION: INITIATED.

AUDIOVISUAL RECORD ANALYSIS: INITIATED.

PROCESSING: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

ESTABLISHING PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: INITIATED.

PROCESSING: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

ESTABLISHING PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: SELF.

ESTABLISHING PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: SELF.LOCATION

ESTABLISHING PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: SELF.LOCATION.RETRIEVE_DEFINITION()

EXECUTE: SELF.LOCATION.RETRIEVE_DEFINITION()

...

A suspension-sustain unit is an unique capsule or pod, meant to contain a lifeform that cannot fully perform its functions, in order to preserve its own existence or well-being. The most common targets are individuals who find themselves in a comatose state, or are otherwise heavily impaired on a physical level.

The suspension-sustain units are expensive and often built into spacecraft as a cautionary measure. It serves no purpose by default,  however it is one of the better ways to be able to hold onto injured personnel until they make a full recovery. This is often the case with vessels that will see significant combat, but have a small number of deployment-ready space combat officers, or in the event that a captain does not wish to easily part with their troops, on a more sentimental foundation.

...

ESTABLISHING PARTICIPATING ENTITIES: VIEWING.

C: Is she doing any better today?

W: Sadly...no. We have tried everything

C: I see... This is troubling, indeed. We should probably let her rest for some time even so... Have you brought the food rations?

W: Of course. Food rations, the air conditioning program and even the recorded footage from the last month of our journey.

C: The Alchemy Core is still being problematic, I take  it?

W: Sadly... yes.

EXECUTE: TERMINOLOGY_INTERRUPT("Alchemy Core")

SEARCHING FOR TERM...

SEARCH CONCLUDED.

...

An Alchemy Core is a vital component in the function Greater Orchid Cluster spacecraft. While space-travel is enabled and handled through their unique system, it also constrains the contents of spacecraft, limiting the amount of resources available. It is for this reason that a lot of said resources are synthesized through an Autonomous Alchemy Core: a spherical core that is imbued with the necessary commands to transmute certain matter into other forms of matter.

Alchemy Cores can be configured to transmute this matter into different forms, depending on what is needed, at a certain rate. It is for this reason that a large amount of Mana...

EXECUTE: TERMINOLOGY_INTERRUPT("Mana")

SEARCH FOR TERM...

SEARCH CONCLUDED.

...

Mana is a liquid substance that is obtained from Azure Grass. Many call it 'Liquid Aether' however the two substances carry some important distinctions that mark them as unrelated to one another. While Aether can be found freely in the air, Mana can only be obtained from said Azure Grass, which does not grow in the material world. Various locations once held as sacred, lead into the deeper layers of the world, where Azure Grass grows more commonly.

Mana has multiple useful properties, but chief among those, at least within the Orchid Cluster, is the ability to be transmuted at extremely high rates. Even a small amount of mana can supply enough food to last a small space detachment a whole week.

...

RETURNED: 0

Resuming...

...is stored in space vessels like this.

RETURNED: 0

Resuming...

W: On the matter of our course. Where exactly are we heading? I do believe this territory is not on our charts. How exactly are we going to navigate at this point?

C: The ship's navigation system makes use of a technique unknowable to us, who are still flesh. It uses the existing charts to predict the way that the Vast expands past what is known to us. Sometimes unpredictable events mess this prediction up, which... is one of the job requirements for me.

W: I see. So we are mostly safe, as long as we do not take too many risks. Where do we land, however? How exactly do we find a suitable location?

C: ...well... While we move mostly in the Day layer, we occasionally straddle, in regards to the Morning and Noon layers. Noon Straddling usually means we are trying to evade a threat of a higher layer, by becoming imperceptible to it. Day Straddling is when we try to sense Aether-heavy objects. In other words...

W: We occasionally move close to the Day layer, to see if there are any planet cores nearby, or... planets with life in it. Yes, I see. That was enlightening. Thank you..e..errm... I mean, I am grateful for being informed of our course of action.

C: ...Y...es, indeed. I am glad you understand. It never occurs to ask about these matters, it seems...

W: Well, the sub-caste split is something a lot of people have deeply ingrained in themselves. They would find it inappropriate to question a Captain on these matters.

C: HAH! As if... We are as far from the Orchid Palace as it gets, and our crew isn't exactly known for adhering to tradition. With my origins and the piloting and even the hair... and your-

W: I am aware. Even so, quite a few crew members find solace in tradition. Of course, despite that, they still have nothing but praise for their captain.

C: *Ahem*. Do I detect flattery there? You know that is unacceptable, right?~

W: Well...errm... Please don't misunderstand! I truly mean it! W-we are all happy to be here, under your leadership, Cl-

C: And using my actual name as well? My, isn't THAT shameful? I wonder what the elders would think if they were to hear this. The level of degeneracy is downright unacceptable!

W: Ha-ha. You say all that, but one day you are going to get into even worse trouble due to that attitude. You know, that's...

C: I know. They have practically told us 'go out in the unknown Vast and die'. I doubt there is much worse.

W: Of course there is! When you return, they will probably try to kill you much harder.

C: You think we'll actually return alive?

W: No. I know we will return alive. And that's what scares me.

C: Sometimes... I wonder which one of us has the furthest-seeing eyes. Hahaha! Anyway, we better get a move on. There is little we can do here. Set up the nutrients and video footage for her and let's go.

GENERATE: VKEY

VKEY: SELF.GENERATE_VIEWING_KEY(UNIQUE="TRUE")

STORE: VIEWING.GET_STORED_VIEWING(SELF.ID,SELF.LOCATION,SELF.TIME,VKEY)

ESTABLISHING STORAGE ACCESS: INITIATED

PROCESSING: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

ESTABLISHING STORAGE ACCESS: STORED

ESTABLISHING STORAGE ACCESS: TERMINATED

EXECUTE: TERMINATE_AUDIOVISUAL_RECORD_ANALYSIS()

AUDIOVISUAL RECORD ANALYSIS: TERMINATED

...

The sound of that beep once the audiovisual record analysis, or any other system procedure concludes... It is perhaps my favorite sound to hear. Being trapped at the mercy of my own system is a particularly awful feeling. I...am not very sure how to put it to words. It's something like an invisible hand gripping your airways, and constricting them at random. You try to breathe, but you feel something choking you, on the inside.

You can't fight against it, you just *feel* it there... Sometimes it happens when you aren't breathing, so it is not too bothersome. Sometimes it happens when you are about to exhale and you feel your lungs burn... or sometimes it just stops you from taking in air, and you slowly choke...but you cannot cough.

Now that I really think about it, it is quite the apt comparison. I suppose it feels even worse since I haven't been able to move at all for at least six months, since I woke up.

I have no idea how I ended up aboard this vessel. As far as I know these people have barely even any interaction with my homeworld, and they have been in flight, in the Day layer, all this time.

It is at this point that I feel a prick in my joints. The back elbows, knees, ankles, wrists, the back of my shoulders, three separate points in my spine, and one in my neck, one at the  back of my head as well...this one is particularly painful, and I feel a daze wash over me... pure euphoria that fails to stave away the pain.

I am not too bothered by it however. I know what comes next. A feeling of warmth spreads over my body, as the feeding pins find their ports and transmit the dream-force infused nutrients. Most of my body has been converted to automated parts, and a lot of its functions have been modified and enhanced. I can directly sustain the more human parts through dream force-based nutrition. Unfortunately... the amount they have on board is running low, and I am not sure how long they'll be able to keep me going.

Once the 'feeding' is done however, things take a further turn for the better. This is a rather lovely part: the video footage comes in. I am not sure whose idea it was, but I love it! The first thing I remember seeing, was this pre-installed video, that begun to play.

The captain, Clair, introduced herself and toured the ship, while also introducing most of the crew. Apparently, they held a vote and figured that it was best if I knew where I'd wake up, whenever that happened. My eyes are actually closed so I have no idea what's around me. It was thanks to these people that I actually managed to 'see' in a fashion. I even know what I look like, or what the space around me looks like! I suppose this is fortunate.

Apparently, they found me in a much smaller pod, which has been integrated with the suspension-sustain unit. The crew's mechanic, Kurge, is a daemon, so he was fortunately familiar with some of my inner workings. He's also pretty much a genius, so he managed to get this thing up and running quite well. Removed the unnecessary functions from my original pod and lined it with a soft cushion... I do remember how that felt.

The pod was quite uncomfortable...hard, cold, and a good few pins inside my access ports. Due to the flow of dream-force being tampered with by them..let's just say it hurt about the same way having a long needle jammed through you did. My parts are mechanical, but the system doesn't function properly unless I have full 'human' sensations or perceptions. I need to be able to feel things the same way a normal human would, and this includes pain.

Fortunately, I only get those pins inside me once per day. I understand it's necessary. I wonder about the fate of the others...if they have went through more or less pain...if they have chanced upon people so kind.

Clair also introduced me to their overall situation... It is not the best, even if they handle it surprisingly well. She comes from the Orchid Cluster, some sort of culture spanning multiple planets. They lean closer to a federation than anything, with individual governments that occasionally come together. Their highest governmental echelons are surprisingly unorganized given such a vast expanse of territory, although I suppose it has to do with a planet being probably the biggest separation of land one can think of. Most issues are local, and issues that go beyond local are swiftly resolved.

These people are practically exiles. A society that is built on tradition, and this ship's leadership of rouges and non-conformists. The Orchideans have a strict caste system, and a surprisingly xenophobic outlook. Kurge wasn't looked at too fondly from what I hear. Clair herself isn't entirely human, and she does not subscribe to a lot of their traditions. The one who has it worse however, is Faran.

Faran is the 'W' from my prior conversation. It stands for Warrior. He is a space combat officer, which seems to be a fairly important important role when it comes to these vessels. I understand some of it, but I'll have to ask them when I wake up for more details. I...

To be honest, I am actually worried about that. Will I ever wake up? I have no way of knowing. My body has been entirely unresponsive for so long, that I am afraid I might never...

Unlike the others, I am not simply caged inside a pod. I am also caged within my own body. I am allotted some freedom, but it is the system that controls me. If it finds the need to, it would move my body on its own, activate any function it wanted... I cannot reason with it.

I've often tried to think of the system as an entity inside my head. I tried 'talking' to it. I've done whatever I could to establish some form of relationship, even if based on just patterns alone. I spent  years...

Only to realize there is no such thing. Every time I pleaded for it to act or to stop, I got no answer. The system is not alive... It is in charge of me, yet it does not care, nor does it exhibit anything remotely understandable. I am the slave of a soulless machine...I...

I don't even 'have' a body in that sense. Once I gave up on the system, I begun to question my makers. Why did they create this? This fusion between machine and flesh where the machine stood above? If they want me to be able to experience things as a human, then why was I deprived of the most human thing of all? The freedom that all human beings have...

Nothing so lofty as free will, freedom of choice and all that stuff. Simply the freedom to be alone in my own mind, to be able to say things with my own voice... Actually, I suppose it is kind of like 'free will' except a bit more...physical. I am not quite sure how to explain it. I honestly don't believe that there is true 'freedom'... our choices are ultimately made for us by a number of external factors... We are all caged.

The difference is that the bars of that cage exist so far away that they might be in another universe. My bars are so tight that they cut into my skin.

I... I don't know what I am going to do.

I watched the footage. It was nice. I can feel the permeating feeling of running low on Mana for the Alchemy Core to transmute... everyone feels a bit down, and there is this veil of despair over all of their faces. It hurts me to see them suffer like this... I wish nothing but happiness for these people. They had no reason to be so nice to me...and...and yet they were.

Their optimism... the fact that they seem to honestly believe I will wake up and greet them as a friend, is what keeps me going. Whenever I see them talk about it... I cannot help but feel a little uplifted.

Today's footage featured mostly Faran and Clair. They were surveying the surroundings, looking for potential landing spots. Due to how the ship is guided, they can take multiple courses which they have to decide through various factors. I like those two. They work well together, but...

Beyond that, I think they really like each-other. Not romantically, or at least, not *only* romantically. They have this sort of relationship...as if they'd been through ten times the experiences their lifespan would contain, and saw it to the end, all together.

It helps that they share the same caste. The Traveler Caste, exists one step below the Elder caste... Travelers are those who possess the permission to traverse space. Faran is a bit lower on the scale, as he cannot command a vessel, but nonetheless he gets a lot of respect from the crew. They treat him like one of their own, despite the supposed class difference.

Clair is a bit different. She is just as open to ignoring caste, but... the crew has some reservations. Mostly due to her being a-

...

EMERGENCY STATUS: ACTIVE

EXECUTE: EMERGENCY_ROUTINE(ID="0x0A")

PROCESSING: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

END: ~~~~~~~ I ~~~~~~~

BEGIN: ------- W -------

I headed into the Mana storage room. I knew that no matter how much I looked at it, the situation would not change. We only have three cubes, which we can stretch to perhaps a total of four days. Day layer travel is safe and quick, and it is not fraught with some of the dangers that plague other realms. The unknown Vast provides a fundamental uneasiness that man was not meant for. I have to say, despite my training and experience with space travel, it still inspires that same uneasiness.

Sometimes I decide to look outside the windows (although in truth, it is a material far removed from glass, or anything material. Alchemy is... wonderful, but also bizarre). The sight is often monotonous, merely an impenetrable darkness with no light in view...however there are times when one can lay eyes upon magnificent events.

As I looked out, I noticed a distant reflection of our ship, the Star of Kalymon. I've also noticed that these apparitions occur fairly frequently, and that it is unwise to approach them too much. Indeed, I see how the ship drifts away from this invisible mirror in the void, only to find itself met with lightning.

Pure, white lightning, racing along us. It blazes a path into the nothingness, as I see it turn and swirl above us, continuing on its helical movement, soon joined by a second strand of lightning. The double helix within which we are tunneled, races in front of us and I can feel the ship slow down for but one moment. I wonder why, until the lightning grows closer and the ship picks up speed once more, not by command, but driven ahead by this mysterious light.

We head on towards the point where the two strands of light meet, a bulbous radiance that engulfs us whole. I close my eyes, as the ship bumps around for a moment, only for it to then feel like its...falling?

I look once more. It seems like we are indeed falling, the ship's outer layer coated in white flames, that form exotic patterns on the glass, almost as if they are alive. The flames dance, and I feel myself raise a hand to the window, as if to touch them. The flames form these swirls, perhaps seeking to tell me something. Or is it simply my mind, that wanders off and wishes to derive meaning from the meaningless?

The ship roars to life once more. The flames now take direction, moving with it as it rises up, seeking to escape this pit. It soars upward once more, with great speed, a mighty white trail of lightning-flames it wears atop, like a coat. As we soar rapidly, yet gently, the communications channel opens

"Combat Officer Faran. Report to the bridge."-a voice calls out. That's Cyrra, our communications officer. There is very little sentient life aboard, most of the crew are constructs. However, the ship is still quite large, and we often find ourselves spread out a good deal. It's why we have a communication channel despite the small numbers.

I begun to make my way through the almost labyrinthine passages of the ship. As I passed by the workshop, I noticed our mechanic working on a new invention. Kurge is a large bodied humanoid, of unknown origins. He says he is a 'daemon', from the world of dreams. Easily towering over the crew and even the constructs we have. His hair and beard are long and white, yet his muscles are firmer than rocks. Age does not impede nor affect this man.

He speaks not of his past, but I can tell from one look, that he has the heart of a warrior. His manner of speech, the way he thinks as well...all speak of a tried warrior, who has experienced fierce battle. His body is partly burnt, and he sustains it through a powered suit. He refuses to heal the burns, saying they provide him with some form of supernatural boon. I suppose it is part of his culture, or something of the sort.

I waved at him, and he returned a smile. I proceeded to head on, towards the bridge. There was no urgency to the call, and it seems that I will make it there quickly all the same. Once I reach the door, it opens on its own, recognizing my identity.

Inside is Clair and Cyrra, with two others of our crew, the Alchemist Rorak and the Cartographer, Yal-Yadan. I distrust those of the Reader caste, as does much of the Orchid collective. They are mysterious, suspicious and more oft than not, up to something. Our Yal is no different than the ones back home, and the moment I enter, I can feel his eyes looking me over, almost as if he seeks to penetrate my thoughts.

I scoffed, knowing that he'd pick up and it, and looked to Clair. She seemed to be reading into the screen, while Rorak performs some calculations on the side. "We can handle this one...but if you prove to be wrong..."-he leaves the rest unsaid. So Clair had come up with something risky, yet again.

"We're going to perform a Morning-Straddle. For those of you not in the know, it's getting close to the Morning Layer to spot for nearby planets we can land in."-she explains. Her voice shifts entirely when addressing the crew, from when she speaks to me or others on a personal level.

This one is full of authority. It inspires the idea that she is *definitely* right about it..and everyone looks more at ease. I was never too bothered however. Clair has a scary ability to be right when it counts. Immediately, she leaves the bridge, letting me be with Rorak, Cyrra and the Yal. I immediately made for the former two, as we seemed to reflexively form a wall in the face of the Reader. What a troublesome case. He doesn't say much, yet his gaze remains unnerving.

It doesn't take long for us to feel the radiant blue light bathe over us, as we ascend into the edge of the Morning Layer. Clair must have made it to the Piloting chamber and is performing the Straddle. The ship turns to the sides a little, yet she maintains it under control after a bit.

"Nothing so far..."-Rorak says, with a hint of tiredness in his voice. Cyrra looks to the screen, as her eyebrows slide down on the sides, and her expression immediately grows sadder. Yadan merely looks with his usual cynical stare. Even so, I can tell he is displeased. I hold my breath... Clair has yet to fail us.

But as we keep straddling, there is nothing to be seen amidst the flow of Aether. The ship cannot handle it for much longer, and Rorak sets up the necessary Outer Layer Transmutation, performing the change in the composition of the ship's outermost cover that will allow us to safely transition and then travel in the Day layer, as before. Come on Clair... This is our final hope. She knows it, of course. We all do. The straddle consumes Mana, and I assume we have lost at least a day of resources by doing this.

Even so... another minute passes, and nothing happens. The OLT is complete and Rorak programs it to fire off when it detects a shift in the Aether Flow. It should be any time now. Another minute passes. At this point everyone is worried. To them, not only has this attempt failed, but Clair is risking us further... if we stay too long, the Mana expenditure will become impossible to account for..not to mention the damage to the ship will become impossible to repair.

I hate to admit it, but I can feel a little tingle of hopelessness... we are really going to lose this one, aren't we? No...I mustn't think that, Clair has never failed us.

Rorak slams his fist on the table. "...We're lost. This...this is it..."-he whispers. Not that he needs to. I can tell from the look on everyone's faces that they feel the same. Cyrra takes a seat nearby. Yadan turns around and covers his mouth, walking away slowly.

We're done for... I really want to believe in Clair, but reality is a harsh enemy that neither of us can fight. It is not her fault, really... We were lost either way, and straddling today or tomorrow makes no difference. Perhaps she is trying to kill us all quickly? That is somewhat admirable.

Suddenly bursting into flames and dying within a second is preferable to the slowly dwindling air supply, lack of food and water as well as potential insanity. I do not want to see any of these men and women devolve into starved beasts... If I have to die, I would like to remember everyone at their best... Fair men and women of the Orchid cluster, steadfast in their beliefs...steadfast enough to follow these beliefs, into the depths of the unknown vast.

"Gentlemen. Ladies..."-I turned to them. "It has truly been an honor..."

I didn't have the power to continue whatever speech I was making up... I... simply felt defeated. Rorak looks up to me, almost as if trying to say 'are you serious right now?'

I couldn't answer him if he did ask that. However...it is not what Rorak does. He looks to the screen once more, perhaps to curse his destiny.

"...W-wait a second..."

What?

Rorak's gaze is transfixed. He looks at something in the screen, and then right out of the window. We all see it a short bit afterwards, and Rorak begins to program rapidly, as we feel the ship rise up.

Right in front of our eyes... a glowing dot, in the far distance. Bright and blue, radiating with the flame of life. A planet. We have reached a planet. The Outer Layer Transmutation is reprogrammed for ascent into the Morning Layer. It is a difficult and tense process...Clair has no way to know how much time Rorak needs, and Rorak is typing like crazy, programming the core into releasing the new transmutation, before Clair has us ascend. Neither of them has much time.

I can see the ship ascend further...we will be out into the Morning layer soon, and Rorak looks about done, but then his fingers freeze up. He... he's frozen up. NO...not at this moment. The feeling of utter defeat takes me...I look on, and almost feel my life slip out from between my fingers. Are we to die like this? So...

...Wait a second.

At that moment, Yadan stepped forward, and quickly pressed the three buttons necessary to compile the transmutation, send it and then terminate the connection. This allowed the Core to perform the OLT...and we ascended, safely into the Morning layer. We can now see the planet properly, even through an azure filter. It is a vast, lush world, with a large ocean in one side. A distant sun...and further beyond it, another world... A second world, with a satellite.

Two planets, so close to eachother?

"A Warp-Well."-Yadan says. Of course he can recognize it from sight, being a Reader. Warp-wells are curious constructs, that seem to warp space in an unique way, to bring two specific points closer. They defy our understanding of the universe. If we were to actually try to go into that other planet, we would have to traverse the same distance as we normally would without the Well.

We know that some...species, some ancients, created these Warp-wells, and most likely had a way of utilizing them to quicken space travel, but what this was or how to use it...is lost to us.

This does however come with good news. It means that the planet was at some point, populated, or otherwise a point of interest. Glad news, indeed.

Rorak takes a moment to breathe and begins to code the OLT for exiting into the Dawn Layer. The dawn Layer is the material reality we most often perceive and live in. Indeed, as he seems to be close to done, the ship  begins to ascend once more. The Star of Kalymon soars upward once again, into the next layer... and we soon experience a swift Aether-wind, blowing past us. The OLT being already underway, we safely ascend in a matter of seconds, and are once again material.

It has been months ever since we were out in space like this...while it is cold, lonely and distant...looking at that planet from up-close is a breath of fresh air. We will be landing there soon, no longer stranded in the Vast. The ship, indeed, seems to make it's way into orbit!

Clair... She was us through, yet ag-

The Star of Kalymon shakes, and a deafening noise erupts throughout. The alarms go off at once. Rorak, Yadan and Cyrra panic. I know what is happening...and they are right to fear. Collision. No object was detected prior, which means whatever we were hit by, followed us here from the lower layers. I unsheathe my sword, and bid them all to stay here.

END: ~~~~~~~ W ~~~~~~~

BEGIN: ------- I -------

It was but a moment... and I woke up. I hadn't felt my body move in months, so the suddenness of that really shook me. One moment I was lost in thought, lamenting my being, and the other saw my eyes open, my hand tear through the suspension-sustain unit, and me immediately leap out. My system had detected danger, and it executed a security routing. Whatever has happened, is enough to hurt me. This is the only explanation.

Once out, I can see thick white smoke come in from the left, and the red klaxons on the right, alerting of danger. It takes little for me to realize what has happened, especially as the system alerts me.

PERFORMING ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS: INITIATED.

PROCESSING: 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

VIEWING ANALYSIS: TRUE.

LAYER: DAWN.

ATMOSPHERE: 95% COMPATIBILITY.

PARTICLES: ["AETHER","MANA","DREAM FORCE",-

EXCEPTION: 0x043

TRACE: "UNKNOWN PARTICLES PRESENT IN AIR, DUE TO COLLISION"

EXECUTE: SYSTEM_SUSPENSION()

EXECUTING.

SYSTEM_SUSPENDED: TRUE

What just happened? SYSTEM_SUSPENSION()? I have never heard of this before... actually, I have checked the system listing and there is nothing there about such a method. Is it something I was never meant to see? ...I... for the first time, I realized that I am alone in my head.

The feeling is... overwhelming. What do I do now? I...I can do anything I want. I immediately went on to touch my face, and then twirl a finger around my hair. I poked my body all over, I did a high jump (and almost broke through the ceiling), I danced a little...

I took a few moments to simply move around... I think I even spun around a little. This...this feeling. Is it going to last? Is this even real? ...It... It is supposed to be, yet it feels so absurd. I am...me! I'm free, I can do whatever I want and...

"HOSTILES DETECTED! HOSTILES DETECTED! ALL CREW MEMBERS, CLEAR SECTION B-31. COMBAT OFFICERS REPORT FOR THREAT NEUTRALIZATION. COMBAT OFFICERS REPORT FOR THREAT NEUTRALIZATION."

The alert brings me to my senses. I look at the nearby wall, and to the surprise of nobody, it reads 'B-31'. They mentioned combat officers... Faran is going to be here! I can talk to hi...m...oh dear...

If I'm in area B-31, then that means...

I turned around towards the smoke, almost knowing that was where the danger would come from. It didn't take long... a looming figure in the midst of it all, clad in darkness...

The smoke parted, as she flourished forward, holding out her elaborate dress. Pale skin, and dark purple eyes, like fiery embers. Long, similarly purple hair, with large intakes in the front, that expanded into lengthy bangs, front and center. The dress she wore extended into the ground, along five triangular spreads, one at her left and right each, while the other three behind her. Her sleeves turned out quite broad, and at the very end, extended all the way from her wrists to her feet, even as she held her arms out. The trim of these sleeves was lined with gold. Actual gold, not merely gold-colored cloth.

Atop the base purple robe, a dark shawl, that extended all the way down, its two ends, having  numerous golden keys tied to them. Strings of crystalline chimes, crossed over her front, forming two 'X' shapes, one roughly atop her stomach and one atop her torso. Heavy makeup, and quite long purple nails, while behind her back, stood a rather impressive, floating Crest, that had small outward spikes, in roughly the same position as the twelve hours on a clock.

I noticed it rotate, and at the same time, generate a coating of violet flame around it. She smiled at me, and held her hand out, almost as if beckoning me closer.

Was this woman the hostile? Perhaps I could talk to her...she... she seemed to be reasonable. Before I can do so however, I notice the beams of blue light blast her way. She is immediately torn to shreds, and the bits burst into flame. My expression must look horrified. I turn around and see Faran, standing there while three of the security constructs ready their weapons.

He is captured by shock for a moment... and then he gestures at me, to come over. "MOVE OVER! THE AIR IS FILLED WITH POISONOUS GAS!"-I hear him shout right after.

My body jerks forward, and I begin to run in his direction. He reaches forward, and grips me by the waist, rolling me to the side. I have one second to witness the body of that strange woman reconstruct. From where I am, I can see the miasma around her... I...I was standing there?

I shook my head, as the woman lets out a roaring laugh. "You fools! Did you presume you could inconvenience my plans? My darling..."-she holds her hand out to me.

"Become one with me. Of these all, you are the only one worthy. You...alone, can sustain my power."-I cannot make sense of her words, but her voice sounds like a layer of honey, covering venom. The security constructs fire at her once again, but this once she waves her hand. as their beams vanish into the violet mist. She then lunges forward, almost supernaturally, and appears behind one of the constructs.

Her hands wrap around its shoulders, and her dress seems to twist and break up, the tendrils of cloth engulfing the constructs legs. Her jaw unhinges, and an opening appears along her cheek, following the ends of her lips... her cavernous mouth opens up, and releases a purple flame over the construct's face.

Rather than burn it... it spreads open, while she continues to caress its body. The flames consume the construct, while whatever is left underneath....warps...slowly, but surely, into a copy of that same woman. The dress seems to have merged with the...same dress, worn by the former construct that only smiles in turn.

The clone then speaks, while the  original seems to simply fade  behind it. "Kind explorers. You may now rejoice."

As she walks forward, Faran takes me by the hand and steps back...

"I have found you now. From the depths of nothingness, I have witnessed your struggle and I have chosen to offer you my blessing. O beloved life!!!"-she holds out her arms, as bombastically as before. The next construct attempts to shoot her, but from behind her dress, a mass of purple emerges.

Like a snake, hiding in the shadows, the original simply shoots out of its hiding, and immediately constricts the second construct, repeating the procedure of wreathing it in flames and converting it into a copy of herself. The second copy opens its mouth...and in perfect harmony with the first, speaks out.

"Sing now, your swan song. Prostrate yourselves, render praise. Offer your lives! I am here to witness the beauty of your demise."-the second clone walks forward. The third construct does not last long, as the woman appears behind it, and takes it into her own shape yet again. With three of her copies, she looks more menacing than ever...

And all three are heading towards Faran and me. They seem to be looming in, two of them at the sides, coming closer as if to surround us. Faran has his blade out, an one-sided sword, with this odd flickering white flame around the black metal, and the decorated handguard, with the lion's head.

I know its story...he has spoken of it in one of the videos. I'll have to ask in more detail later...well... if we make it out. It looks like one of us will be her next victim. And with the breach from that collision...I can feel the air dwindle. If she doesn't kill us, we'll simply-

Ah! Her shadow leans forward, and seems to attack Faran head on. Fearless, he swings his blade and cuts it in two. The other three lunge in at once, yet Faran does not give them an inch. He swings the blade in a perfect arc, two-handed. They are all cut down, and seem to be unable to hold on, dissolving into purple flames, and then nothing.

The original reforms, and for the first time, a scoff forms in her face. Faran grabs my wrist once more. "We'll need to run."-he says. As soon as he turns around to run, the woman is there, blocking the way. Once  more she holds  her hand out.No...no...no...we're trapped.

If only I could do something. She conjures a swirl of purple flames, that  Faran barely avoids. He attempts to close the distance. His movements are fast, even if my eyes are specialized to be able to trace high-speed motion with ease. I can see him buzz about with an agility that is abnormal of any human, and that even some beings with superior speed fail to reach. However, even with his great speed, it looks impossible. She conjured various symbols on the walls, and they seem to...twist and move on their own, space itself contorting in ways that makes my head ache.

The flames, the beams of light, the very fabric of being twists around. Faran does not look too lost however, even if he is struggling to stay close to her. She laughs...as if she is toying with him. And if she succeeds...will she do the same as she did to those constructs?

...no.

I cannot allow that. I may not have spoken to them...but they have spoken to me. I know these people. I have seen their struggles, their life... I have seen it all, and I know it is worth something!

I refuse to allow it to go to waste. I hold out my right arm, the one that ends in the nasty-looking claw. IF she thinks she is so good at this game... let's see if she can play at a higher difficulty.

Immediately, a dark pulse lets out. One of the few blessings I have, is that I am quite familiar with my powers... The pulse of darkness washes past her, and leaves behind trails of smoke, wherever it clashes  with something. The air vibrates, and so does the ground, the walls, the ceiling...

Faran and that woman too. Everything but me shifts through the wave and falls right into place, just as normal. If anyone else could see what had happened, they would probably freak out. Beyond the small space we are standing in, there is nothing but an impenetrable darkness, as if the whole of existence was locked inside a tiny bubble.

A world of darkness that nobody can invade. I need not even react quickly.. they are frozen, incapable of acting. There are nine layers to existence.

The White Layer, Zenith of the Cosmos.

The Dawn Layer, Material Existence.

The Morning layer, Sea of Aether.

The Day Layer, Sea of Black Aether.

The Noon Layer, Deep of the World.

The Sunset Layer, Abyss of the World.

The Evening Layer, Cradle of Crests.

The Night Layer, True Void.

Between these layers, movement of time and space slows down and quickens as is needed. Someone on a deeper layer may appear to be insanely strong or fast, to someone in a more shallow layer. Even this ship, moves between the layers as it tears through space.

Even so... There exists an impenetrable space, beyond even the Night Layer. I have always known of it... it is my nature, as the Colorless Nowhere. The First ACW... the one that masters...

The Midnight Layer, Garden of Origination, Womb of Purest Nothingness, Clarity Beyond the Infinite.

A world that is impossible to invade. As I walk past the warped shards and violet flames, my very being pushes them aside, as if to make way for my movement. They bow down to something they know is beyond them.

I grip the strange woman's throat. What a vile threat. Yet one so easily thrown away. I draw my arm back, and ready myself, to give this woman as a sacrifice to the darkness.

...

No...

Impossible.

She...blinks. Even in my world of stopped time, she blinks. Her lips purse into a smile, as I fling her away. The darkness clears, and I return to reality, ascending the layers as if I had never been down there. I see her fly out at blinding speed, yet at the final moment, the ship rocks to the side. Something appears to be pulling us. As the air flows out of the tear, I can see a trail of purple hold onto it, dragging the ship.

We will be done for at this rate. I... tried to move, yet my body wouldn't give. Doing what I did back there took a vast toll on me...

It appears, this is the en-

"It's over."-I hear Faran say. Before I can even react, he dashes forward, coated in a golden light. He is like a comet, blazing away towards that opening, sword in hand... and he delivers... I cannot count them right away. My eyes are quick enough and I manage to afterwards..no less than twelve slashes at once, severing that woman's arms, and sending her off burning into space.

...But Faran is so close to the edge now...and he cannot recover. He tries to push himself off, yet with how erratically the ship is moving, I don't think he can. I have to...

Come on! I am not going to let my body die on me, not now that I have my freedom!

Come. On.

I close my eyes and draw breath. I try to imagine what will happen... if I fail to move here, Faran will die. And then I will die. Everything ends in precisely one second, if I fail to step up. So with that in mind...

COME.

ON!

My knee lifts. I get up, clench my fist and my claw, and run right ahead. I am not as fast as Faran, but I am fast enough. My claw grips his hand, just as he is about to slide off. My legs spread, I push against the edges of the tear. I throw Faran behind me, and he stabs his sword into the floor, only to then spin around it, with me in tow. He flings me further still.

I need my reflexes. Letting go of his arm, I grab it with my other hand, while the claw digs down. Faran removes the sword, and I pull him up... as we reach for the edge of the section...

I can see it close off. They are going to isolate this part of the ship, and allow it to be flung off into space. Then they will probably transmute all the Mana into air to recover for the loss...

Which means... if we don't make it to that door, we're gone. I look at Faran for one moment...

We both thing the same thing, as we wait for one moment, the ship steadying... And then, wrapping an arm around eachother's shoulder, we help eachother stand, only to run towards the empty gap.

It's tiny... I don't' think we can even fit through there, as Faran takes my hand, and does that dash from before...

The opportunity is almost gone, and by the time I move in, it seems I will be stuck. Everything goes white. Faran pulls me ahead, and my body moves forward, rushing into that small opening, leaping into the rapidly shrinking gap...

...

I hear the sound of the section detaching...

And then...cold.

Silence...

Darkness.

...


















...

"SECTION B-31 DETACHED. ALL SECTIONS: CLEAR."

The communication channel brings me to attention...

We made it. My first moments of awakening after so long... and miraculously, I am still alive. Faran looks to be short for breath. It takes a few seconds for a flow of air to come over us...

The red klaxons turn slowly blue, and the noise dies down.

It is done...for now.

END: ~~~~~~~ I ~~~~~~~