COI C112
The spokesman was the first to see them entered the city. Words spread across the day, hearing through Archivist’s situation, there is something they need to be careful about. Lilith already spreading the word among the Raker Mawn guild members, hid among them is Ironno. Setting up new rooms to shield them from the squandering threats, the outside of the city is getting livelier where he himself gets a collection there. Then words reach back to Stranding Island, as Haw is nowhere to be found but the news of going this island sickens with political activities.
Rusic plays around their Enders embassy. He thought this should be the first guess to visit the finish establishment. Patience grew stronger as rumors among people, Agathean people, here the dangers of influence going around. Rusic tells Ironno about it
“Those two, hmm, I never knew that there is also another citizen joined gulp*”
“Sanquin never told us about the new member, even Myrrkei himself gives her the card for conveniences. She has a culture mark under Circoston’s ritual”
“Hah! That guy just wants a sister, he probably did that because citizens had strange urges”
Back then, those women who travel to this place thought about it too. The secret relationship between multiple partners coming from the adult districts. They thought it is their shining fantasy, Ironno didn’t go there but Haw. Either way, Haw’s perspective was a bit different, and somehow, he can justify it. Sanquin however, is just his youth acting up. That rumor alone keeps them guessing, and that moment, Ironno said to Rusic
“It’s better we should ask them”
“Agreed, we are no gossiping people like those children”
“We have our own gossiping people”
“Yeah, but this one is private and new”
The start of their day, Archivist and Tabitha had never planned for themselves for this preparation. Tabitha gets in first about sleeping inside the city and Archivist recommends in Stranding Island doesn’t fit her experience being here. Magic link is not inside the island and a slow ride ferry gets her out of the immersion of going back to the city. Archivist never thought of her being like this, and it must be her old self acting up. This time, they head to the island as they need the equipment that is fully made from Horisn.
Morning, after they have their breakfast provided to the special guests who tribute the city. Tabitha kept her heads wondering about Myrrkei’s efforts. Emerald wasn’t here, but it was obvious that this place was meant for Horsin people with exceptional skills and talents. Most of them are from Mountaiwall, to her surprised of why those dwarves and goblins are here instead the most common Agatheans outside. Archivist was been observing around the city and saw references were runes and spirits are being used. After eating, they take their breaks and talk about it.
“I’ve seen most enough from the city’s development. Runes and pets everywhere we go. I admit, using magic is still convenience of you going anywhere. I was afraid it triggered your . . .”
“Oh, stop it, will you? Thanks for not letting go deep what is troubling about myself last night. Anyway, what can you see the difference? For you to just accompany me made you start to know about this place”
“Because it reminds me of Mountaiwall by design, but I couldn’t understand the language writing on it. Runes in your language and the spirits in a form of pets . . . others were less in serious forms”
Tabitha checks her device with pictures they were taken during the evening. It was a short travel and Archivist able to see it all, thanks to the skills he shared with her. She only looks at the people around them, worried of some suspicious individuals. Yesterday was pretty secured and the citizens moving/passing by continue their daily life after such horrifying event. Even though none of them died from the siege leaving her happy that the city didn’t have loses. The city had proven itself to be impenetrable now with its people, she thinks.
They quickly change the topic as they are in a need of wearing actual working clothes. Casual clothes weren’t enough and the city guild ruined their testing out of their wanting to know about them. As they are here now, many dwarves and goblins were talking about them recently
“The city guild is trying so hard to keep their organization alive”
“I get it what you mean, us goblins keep asking for old texts”
“Old texts? You mean your tribes old lineage”
“It’s fine, there is no taboo involved. They just want those domestic spirits rather than wild ones”
“But the wild ones have more rituals and curses than the domesticated ones”
“Trained beasties are what I am talking about. They know so much about us as we don’t know about them”
“Goblins still the same with your way of run and hide”
“Heh, you mean easy money. They paid us that way”
“Of course, their people are not all combatants”
“Tch, I get it why my elders called you Jigis”
“laugh* We were called like that, now that region fell. I can’t tell it is an insult or nonsense”
“Humiskis . . . hehe, what will my tribes say about these kinds of humans?”
The two left the table and pursue what are they doing. They left the dining hall and lose sight from Tabitha and Archivist’s sight.
Archivist and Tabitha resume their objective. They open the notes they prepared for themselves with empty hands and the clothes at their backs. Ignoring their money and other travelling necessities, both of them set their footings back to the station. The Enders who hid in the field computers. Archivist was kind of lucky to get inside without any mana and now Tabitha should know about it too. Tabitha said to him while they walk
“We have to walk in such a long distance?”
“I speak to him for a short time, but he provides information we need. The Stranding Island has internal struggles and the citizens didn’t know about it”
They venture walking on the road, and see some adventurers walking along to it too. Tabitha leans to him and said,
“Did they know about it?”
“If they don’t, that would lead to suspicion. Besides, the answers will be the same place. Moreover, than that, you will probably recognize him especially his so and so”
“So and so . . .”
Tabitha starts thinking about that person. Not friends but acquaintances, this is her majority of her time thinking while walking on the road. The morning is great with the outside being covered by cloud and mist, thankfully it is still light blue. In months’ time, it will go back to brown red.
Meanwhile for Archivist, he sees more city guild adventurers more than any other adventurers walking through here. He sees people going into the city are his kinds, but only see the citizens going to the station. The facility had drawn them notice, or were they going into a middle of some sort of mission. He can tell less from what he sees, and what else are the objectives near the station. Such a busy street, only people walking and no vehicles going there except transports.
In Taiyou Industries, the adventurers and the Dexters are in the preparation since the days after the siege. The time they wasted just to see the field computers and to see the user operating it. It was a different guild member from another guild. A respectful man and a gentleman, some regret to see him but others seem to treat him like their kind uncle, a man with a crazy wife. Lilith wasn’t too kind to see people trying to get close to him. She has patience of course, in the beginning, and now unstable. It is not because of jealousy but she sees the truth in every one of them.
Dexters are with the low ranks, more entirely so and no high ranks in sight. The mission here for the day is simple, there is something to scavenge that is powerful to loot, in other words, they’re just cleaning crews. No threatening monsters, those monsters however causing trouble for the structure to crumble. Insects like size monsters, better called them pests instead any other. The codices talk to them in most directive approach.
“There’s no need for you to explain to us in a different reason. As long as you make business and research sold or schematics made, we can get along just fine”
Archivist and Tabitha look around the station as the train is already gone. Many people gathered near the barrier with only adventurers and Dexters together. Tabitha sees the spokesman busily doing his work on the computer. She goes to him and passed by Lilith’s way. Lilith takes a glimpse on her then quickly switches to Archivist. The two are actually not equipped for some reason, obviously, the city won’t let them in if they brought the stuff. Lilith said to him
“Play along you two, or things will get scary”
Archivist’s mask lights up, a curious cat emoji “We have our own path, but may I ask?”
“Is it about the island?”
It took them some time to understand both objectives in hand. Spokesman has the least information gathered with her personal motives. She gives it short, while he gives such complicated ideas. Tabitha reacts
“Upcoming circumstances? You mean to tell me after restoring the city, there will be another future unrest”
“Back when I heard about it, it was just understatements. Then again, it was speculated because your city lord . . . or ‘mayor’ went missing after the city states leaders’ visits. Old cases during the time start to resurfaces”
Tabitha can think of an example, the Fuku City district. This is not for her to be concern about, but the details about him getting that information is already made through here. The spokesman continues
“This only regards by the Dexters perspectives. Their forensic utilities already tracing it back to that place, but about those crimes reported, it didn’t originate there. I am sure that this won’t be that easy to get another clue with this coordination quest they are upholding”
“Yeah, about that, what are they up to again?”
It won’t take long as the discovery of lost artifacts, corrupted items made or taken by the demons. Unidentifiable loot and scratch secretly for its potential. It was already started during the siege, two power armored duo fighting at the tree that is infesting close to Taiyou Industries. The loot is familiarized to be originated in an old version model relating to a specific sci fi fantasy novel and games in general. The differences are the magic it had. The impressive set gives them the idea that there are rare monsters out there surely have one. Then the abduction case occurred and the secret realm revealed to be cleaned off of its secrets, furthering to their belief that those are the demons’ powers materializing.
The results, the spokesman explains to her “Treasure hunting, like finding special spec of gems to be forge it all as a whole. The bomb breaks it apart, and everyone is trying to piece it all back together or time will come to rematerialize in all the same. The early month will be them getting their chances, the midmonth is for the higher ranks for anticipating danger, and then finally the late month is the extermination. The Dexter Guild’s final act of cleansing this city. All in all, it is a safe trade”
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
The Spokesman laughs calmly with his fingers hid his edge of his lips and moves his head to the side.
Tabitha had no idea how he expressed like that, and it must be something she didn’t know. Alluring by his face like a criminal in her eyes, but dazed by his mature face. She taps on the simulated table and begins to check the detail of their quest.
For the factories, it is mostly guard duty. The pay is high though and painful time waiting to watch out for enemies. The rest however is only loots for rewards, this quest is made for people are allowed to get it by their own rights of ownership. Letting unknown people to take it will cause suspicion to be those threats outside of the city. It made it better for rewards where Dexters can remade the loots or restore its original form. No matter what the demands are, the real deal is the designer to carefully makes it without ruin it. The best examples show the input and output of such item are to make it balance.
Tabitha continues on the details. “Dexters can make anything, right?”
The Spokesman knows what is she thinking “You think about Oue’jhnr’s works. I see you in small chances of time with her and her brilliance”
“Ou’yi hwha? Can you just call her Yui instead? I’m getting used to her saying that fair easily”
She lays down an example, a special board game made from Yui herself. Cards set in base on a specific role, character roles, where Tabitha shows the card to him, and he was very surprised. That character is the Spokesman himself.
The Spokesman says to her “So, you’re going to use the old classical game of cards. I thought you are using Oue’s boardgame adaptation”
“For you, Spokesman, you know how to make it and the Dexters will be the one making it through your direction”
“True, but we need proper use of magic with it. We need to balance its strength as anyone can able to use your cards”
“That won’t be the problem, Yui knows how to deal with it. She said it was you who she is inspired in making”
“???”
Leaving it as a secret, Tabitha goes on her merry way and brought some borrowed equipment from Spokesman. Clearly given from the factory workers, but they had proven to be useful during their defense. Archivist is waiting for her and the quest she is holding on her hand. She said
“We are doing some guard duty. I want to see how far the exposure gets to me in my condition”
“That would be easy for us. We can able to resist quite a while. How much the pay?”
“Pretty big, and I can have my own credit card If I am getting the action”
Tabitha sees the payment in the total of 1,500 Y each or 15 cuu. Small and not profitable when only standing guard, then when it comes to protecting them, the pay increases base on the threat, and the pay will become near as 15,000 Y each or 1 sylv and 50 cuu. Tabitha didn’t see it as a value of working with them, but it looks rather pleasing for the Dexters and she is sure for that. Luckily for her, the materials needed for her cards are lessen thanks to Yui’s instructions. Killing two birds in one stone kick on her head as the two wanders to the adventurers.
The adventurers speak businesses with the Dexters. “So, let’s all agree then, we design our own product and you will be the one manufactured base on our design. Based on our own schematics or materials to make it, and it will be our own best knowledge as you people will going to follow the instructions 100%”
“Or you want us to make it first, nearly to your standards called B grade. Whatever, make sure those materials don’t break easily. You could sacrifice some materials you have now as proof”
Codices and Mechanics are in the heat with the citizens, commissions to make goods base on the instruction they are given. The best thing the citizen show in comparison is using AI. The Enders weren’t expecting them given a broken android, from their view a robot with almost realistic human body. The head is the unique feature, the adventurers all mix to the idea making it to the finest model that the Enders would come up with. Nonetheless, an example must be proven the best. In the midst of business, the archscientist confronts their business.
“Trying to become a pawnshop now”
The Dexters calmly respond as they study the project. “No Ma’am, taken business in trade for their ideas and we will manufacture their ideas. You can read the description, the books being traded and translated to your interest”
The archscientist reads the book and gives it back, she just flips the pages and already done with it. No responds after that as she continues to move on. Some of the adventurers were nervous as they brought an android robot. They already accept it like the business is matter to them.
The mechanics brought the makeshift workshop. They place it at the middle of their circle and brought the android to the table. The table turns into a surgical bed as it slowly tries to raised it up. The Mechanics check the weighing scale
“You people carried this . . . stature of your creation with ease”
“What else this . . . person made off? Care we examined it first?”
The owner blushes and said “No, no, you can redesign it if you like. It has some dysfunctional features”
The Codices read the functions of his android. Quietly hid their expression as their oval glasses scan any probable importance of its usage. It was worse, but daring for the owner.
No wonder the adventurers were mix, but an example is an example of. They set up the energy capacitors, bringing the tools, and lastly the turn on the workshop. Their work begins. The adventurers watch carefully, but the mechanics covered it up as if they were doctors (the rightly term for not seeing clear features of the android’s body). Body parts replaced, components upgraded, and added of special materials provided by the owner. To their surprise, adding their own rituals and runewords put them in slightest delays.
During the process of rebuilding the android, loud gears are reacting the building procedure. They bring out the heavy machinery tools as they found something difficult. The adventurers heard among the codices.
“Their version is not compatible, the language barrier can easily hard to identify in mid installment. We have no choice to put our own precise AI to carefully ruin the writings. Even though it is hand written. Tell to the owner that just properly carved it. It misaligns the right order, now it looks kind of off”
“Sir! We got it to fit it. The weird alignment seems vanished though”
After more time to finish. They have finally done it. The adventurers’ UI checks the details of the android, covered from view and it summarized what they have expecting. The owner sees a list of amazing improvement as he slowly regrets what he had accept. It wasn’t about the android’s condition, but the quality they have put it through. The android appeared before them as they removed the covers. The looks of their expressions of awkward effort they have pulled through. It is now the symbols of many adventurers’ trust on them. They grew envy of their skills.
The owner looks at his new improved android. Its grade was D, it was a prototype to begin with, and the new era of technology is born, however, that said technology lacks proper resources. Now the android is B grade, she looks realistically from her complexion, her skin smooth, her diaphragm moves as she inhales expanding her chest, and her face shows an expression of a real person. The Dexters had created what the owner wanted. One of them swiftly sighs in relief as they didn’t add the memory data on it. One of them said to each other
“Follow the instructions, that’s all we can do to limit our madness”
The owner holds his android hands and said “Sumi?”
“Yes!? I can feel your hand trembling. Is something wrong?”
Dexters had found out something the owner puts those runes and rituals. Their assumption would have guessed that the markings are definitely the sensory for the android’s sense of touch. As the android shines the drawn marks from her hands, misaligned, as the owner didn’t think properly when they wrapped around its beautiful skin. He is happy to no end and said to them
“What if you make it to the best of your abilities? Can you make her even more beautiful?”
They see him drops a tear on his eyes. The archscientist comes up to him in all a sudden and said “Beautiful is subjective, and regards for her being better. We need source of origin. In other words, it’s up to you how you can make it. It is impossible to perfect your wishes, but be more realistic. Creating a perfect being is the last thing we could do, because not even archscience itself can make something out of nothing. It’s still magic, and magic comes from mana. Mana has no life”
Tabitha had witness something both wonderous and weird. The owner thought it would be embarrassing but he was given the ultimate creation that their people will accomplish. Everyone takes the picture of the new improved android robot. Still worn in a maid outfit and thanks to the mechanics readjust its clothing after the transformation. The owner gives them the reward with added bonus. They decline and said,
“It’s fine, you are such a daring man to bring that woman into new life. How about giving us reports and conditions about her after a long while? We don’t know how it will age well to your materials”
“Oh, thank you, but to whom I send my reports to. I know you guys don’t have phones . . .”
The android robot watches them interacting as it feels something off to itself. The runes and rituals on her body start to lit up a bit, a glow hidden on her skin. She clearly feels it and tries to hide it from everyone. The owner is the only one who can sense it due to his special addition on the runewords and rituals. Shared together in one body, the man links his warmth to her. As the android feels his mana, his mana though it was influenced by something. Strange power coming not from him, but something else. She has no sense of danger and reaction from what is happening inside of him.
Outside of the barrier, the workers are clearing the facilities. Inside of the factory is already wipe clean any equipment they have. All they have to do now is to properly cleanse off the fragments of the demonic presence. Following the accordance to the city barrier, the section of their facilities will be stretch first in the refining zone. The production facilities are close to the dead tree, and should’ve been their top priority. The Dexters are stretching the work force close to the main city. Thinning further close to the outskirt will be hard since the city barrier is closing into the surviving tree, siphoning its mana to it.
Even how tall are the factories are, the tree is far higher than anyone could see. It already seen the wide of it getting the city barrier’s mana. Protecting all threats through their own resources. Cannibalizing their own efforts to deal the indestructible tree feed on electricity. Archivist stood with Tabitha as she meditating through the dusts. The citizens exposed in moment time weakening their effort to work. Cycle through one another in a far distance or wearing protective gear still strained them on their work. Pure manual labor and no signs of heavy machineries for the rest of the unfinished factories.
Tabitha feels the exposure scourging through her. She didn’t use her mana. Except she breathes the dust through her nose. It is clear that this is the moon to cleanse away the overpopulation of thousands of monsters and the magic that brings them prosperity throughout the region. Only otherworlders are the one be able to survive until starvation, because of the origin of their bodies are not fully formed by mana. Clinging through her thoughts as the pain rages on inside of her.
Archivist watches the workers clean the feint magic surround the factory. Top to bottom, the reek gets lighter and lighter that no citizen able to smell it. Their resistance . . . is holding off the secrets lied hidden from the ampstalk hybrid’s special seedlings. The Dexters were already took care of that days ago. Then again, he smells it through his mask. The dusts are stings as he coughs quietly, his mask leaks off the dust that no citizens ever had it. This is a special breathing he intakes. Hide behind his mask where he opens a gap for him to quietly breathes in with powerful weep. Consume the dusts only through like smoking. He turns around away from them, then blows it out.
The light blue mist appeared from his mouth to the side of his open gap mask. The mask lit up unintentionally as it shows the face tired and patting itself out of breath. Archivist begins to move along the air as he blows. Tabitha senses his presence follow along the air, and the dust hinders her to try to reach him with telepathy. She stops meditating as something threatening appeared near them. She opens her eyes and sees the mist is gradually thicker than before. Worried for him as his presence continue to feint to nothing.
Tabitha tries to find him, under only 10 meters apart, she found him circling around the area. Archivist is blowing his breath to the ground as the dusts formed like cloud to the side of his face. Low presence of demonic energy flowing along with him, struggling to take his breathing and alternating the air with dusts and the brown red air. Tabitha reaches out to him
“What are you doing?”
“A phenomenon strangely interacting my magic or martial arts. Tabitha, I think I found something”
“What do you mean? I know a Circoston man like you be able to do it and . . .”
Tabitha stops and forgot about it. Archivist continue his performance in circling the area, he slowly moving his gestures and feet into concentrating the flow of the air at the center. The flow of mana carefully leaking through the dusts, crystallized dusts, Archivist feels something out of place. The nostalgic smell of bronze, ancient smell as if his ki remembers it through its tainted owner. He compressed the area, squeezing what mana is able through its demonic presence.
Forcing itself to exists leaving the master of the brown red cloud unnoticed, and setting his technique in place. He steadily set in his arm back and ready to grab something. Tabitha watches how he orchestrates, the dome formed through bending the air. She walks back in fear to see the brown red cloud appears. The detector sounds the alarm. The sounds reached to Archivist’s ears and hastily perform his move. A wraith’s body appeared closely reaching to him but stop once he did it. The dome air disperses as the presence of the light blue mist covered it back.
Archivist holds something on his hand, a coin . . . a coin that fits his palm with drawings that can be seen through the light. All full colored bronze and nothing else, he slightly turns and see the writings and the drawings. The workers run toward them
“What happened? We detect brown red signatures here”
Tabitha tries to explain to them, it is kind of convoluted. Archivist answers “I have taken out the threat”
The workers didn’t believe him “Yeah, then show us the item”
Archivist shows it to them as they use their UI to identify it. They look convinced and give it back to them. “Alright, sorry for being paranoid. This mist is getting all of our nerves”
They left and leaving the two for themselves. Archivist takes her first dumbfounded look “I don’t know what’s going on. How did you managed to get it?”
“There are so much for you to learn about Circoston culture or what it was originally called as Sects. When it comes to artifacts, it won’t be easily be found except for the people who knows how to find it”
Archivist gives it to her, a coin that fits her hand and see the ominous presence. Her UI pops up and only gives a different language. She tries to use her device for any sources. The detail remained unknown.
Tabitha said to him “Could you read my UI? Our bind together might be useful that you read it too”
Archivist looks at the screen popping up before him, the dusts already crystallizing it. He shatters it and carefully slammed his hand on the screen and formed mold. Her UI falls apart with only the mold in front of them. He reads it
“Skill item, gibberish* . . . able to use other people’s magic as terrains . . . gibberish* . . . and also controls your momentum. Item name: Dragonfly Coin Steps”
Tabitha responded “A magic item that gives you skills. It describes differently from the other magic items”
Archivist takes the coin and used it immediately. Through the spread of mana and dusts like water, Archivist begins swimming in the air. Tabitha laughs
“What are you doing? You look like a . . . ah . . . wow”
Archivist treats the feint demonic magic like water, even surrounded by dusts. It ignores the exposure completely. Archivist continues to swim majestically like fish torpedo his way around her. He stops, then gives it to her
“Now you try it”
Tabitha uses the coin and nothing happened. As she about to turns her head, her body felt something hard pressing against her. As if the air turns to mud forcing her very own strength to lift it. Archivist guides her
“Use the coin, change the terrain of the mana what you really wanted it to be”
Tabitha is getting furious as she begins to sweat. She misused the coin as the surroundings turns to fire. The demonic magic starts to heat, then she used it again to turn cold. Tabitha realized the effects of the coin. It definitely changes the terrain even the environment. The mass mana surrounding them, it is how the coin made it to be. They discovered the secrets what lies the loot inside the brown red cloud.