The trio ventured through narrow corridors, following the map toward the Memory Forge. As they drew closer, the air thickened with a strange, electrifying tension, almost as if they were stepping into a space where memories themselves had left an imprint on reality. Flickering lights and faint echoes of voices made the hair on the back of their necks stand on end.
The entrance to the Memory Forge appeared before them—a heavy, reinforced door marked with swirling symbols, each faintly pulsing with red light. Elara pressed her hand to a panel beside the door, and the AI’s voice echoed through the chamber.
"Warning: Containment protocols will activate upon entry. Unauthorized access will trigger memory destabilization and psychic backlash."
"Psychic backlash?" Kaelan raised an eyebrow. "Is that just a fancy way of saying our minds might get scrambled?"
Elara nodded. “The Memory Forge was designed to house fractured soul energy and fragmented memories. If we’re not careful, we might experience… flashes of what happened here. The AI might be able to help manage it, but only if we go in prepared.”
Lira adjusted her grip on her weapon. "Well, if this place holds the truth about Void Essence, then it’s worth the risk. Let’s not waste any more time."
Elara activated the entrance panel, and the heavy door slid open with a deep rumble. As they entered, a strange fog enveloped them, heavy with the weight of lingering memories. The forge itself was a massive room with towering columns of shimmering, translucent material, each containing a faintly glowing orb that pulsed in sync with the symbols etched along the walls.
As they stepped forward, the orbs began to react, pulsing faster and emitting low hums. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, one of the orbs shattered, and an intense, blinding light filled the room, followed by an overwhelming rush of memories not their own.
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Vision 1: The Scientist
Kaelan stumbled, gripping his head as a flood of images filled his mind. He was standing in a lab, overlooking a group of scientists working on a contained sphere of dark energy—Void Essence. The scientist’s thoughts felt sharp and urgent. This was his last chance to stabilize the Void Essence and prove his theory.
His hands trembled as he recalibrated a device attached to the containment sphere. Then, an alarm blared. The Void Essence started to unravel, dark tendrils seeping through containment as the scientist screamed for everyone to evacuate. But before they could act, the essence lashed out, consuming them. Kaelan gasped as he felt the scientist’s terror and regret—then, just as suddenly, the vision ended.
He was back in the Memory Forge, breathing heavily. “That… that wasn’t me. But it felt so real.”
Elara, watching him with a concerned look, nodded. "It’s the Memory Forge. It’s feeding us memories from the ship’s past. They’re too fragmented to make sense of yet, but… maybe if we can find a pattern, we’ll understand what they were doing here."
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Vision 2: The Experiment
Before they could gather themselves, another orb cracked open, and Lira found herself transported. She was strapped to an examination table, surrounded by scientists talking in low, dispassionate tones. They were conducting an experiment on Void Essence’s effects on the soul. She felt a cold, metallic device press against her skin, and then an excruciating pain tore through her as they injected a dark, writhing liquid directly into her body.
The sensation of the liquid twisting within her, gnawing at her very essence, was overwhelming. She wanted to scream, but she had no control over her body. In that moment, she understood the scientist’s horror as they realized the Void Essence wasn’t just a form of energy; it was alive, malevolent, and utterly uncontrollable.
When Lira snapped back, she fell to her knees, gripping her chest as if to make sure she was still whole. "They… they used it on themselves. They didn’t just lose control—they became… part of it."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Elara and Kaelan helped her stand, their faces grim as they processed her words.
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Vision 3: The Last Stand
Finally, the last orb in the room exploded in a burst of energy. Elara felt her mind slip away, transported to the bridge of the ship. Alarms were blaring, and the captain stood there, issuing commands. Void Essence had reached a critical point, and containment was failing everywhere.
“Seal the doors to the containment zones! Cut off life support to all areas except the bridge!”
The captain’s voice was strained, but determined. Elara felt his desperation as he ordered the AI to implement the Veil Protocol—an emergency lockdown designed to trap every last fragment of Void Essence within the ship, sealing it off from the universe. He knew it was a death sentence for him and his crew, but he was resolute. It was better to die than to unleash this abomination onto the rest of existence.
In his final moments, he made one last plea: “If anyone finds this ship, learn from our mistakes. Void Essence is not power. It’s a curse.”
Elara blinked, finding herself back in the Memory Forge with her friends. A heavy silence settled between them as they absorbed what they had just experienced. This was no mere accident—the scientists had gambled everything on a force they couldn’t control and paid the ultimate price.
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The three stood in silence, letting the weight of the memories settle on them. They now understood the horror that had taken place on this ship, and why it had been left abandoned in the depths of space. Void Essence was not only uncontrollable; it had a will of its own, and it consumed everything in its path.
Elara looked up at the containment chambers, a new resolve in her eyes. “We have to finish what they started. If we leave this ship, the Void Essence could escape. We need to find a way to neutralize it… or at least seal it for good.”
Kaelan nodded. “Then we’d better prepare ourselves. We’ve seen what it can do, and I don’t think it’s going to let us walk away without a fight.”
The Memory Forge seemed to pulse in agreement, as if the ship itself was aware of their intentions. And as they left the forge, a new sense of urgency filled them. They weren’t just trying to uncover the past anymore; they were fighting for the future, a future free from the dark legacy of Void Essence.
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Character Status Update:
Kaelan’s Status:
Name: Kaelan Race: Human Level: 18 Constitution: 155 Strength: 165 Agility: 175 Mana: 380 Intelligence: 140 Vitality: 145 Soul: 140 Comprehension: 135 Skills:
Memory Resilience (Level 1 - New), Mana Manipulation (Level 10), Enhanced Agility (Level 9), Combat Awareness (Level 8), Dagger Mastery (Level 12)
Unassigned Stats: 5
Lira’s Status:
Name: Lira Race: Wolf Kin Level: 18 Constitution: 130 Strength: 140 Agility: 165 Mana: 360 Intelligence: 155 Vitality: 135 Soul: 125 Comprehension: 130 Skills:
Void Resistance (Level 1 - New), Nature’s Affinity (Level 9), Enhanced Agility (Level 11), Healing Touch (Level 8), Energy Channeling (Level 8), Weapon Mastery (Dagger) (Level 12)
Unassigned Stats: 4
Elara’s Status:
Name: Elara Race: High Elf Level: 19 Constitution: 130 Strength: 110 Agility: 130 Mana: 480 Intelligence: 250 Vitality: 135 Soul: 120 Comprehension: 175 Skills:
Psychic Barrier (Level 1 - New), Hacking Expertise (Level 13), Energy Manipulation (Level 12), Guardian Control (Level 10), Temporal Awareness (Level 7)
Unassigned Stats: 3
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The ship seemed darker, the energy more volatile, as if the Void Essence knew they were coming for it. But the trio was ready. They had survived the Memory Forge, bearing the weight of the crew’s final moments, and now they understood the price of failure. With their resolve strengthened, they prepared for the final showdown—against the very essence that had doomed the S.S. Novarion and its crew.