COI C53
The silhouette entity sees what happened, four people wearing clothes that it isn’t familiar to its eyes. When they are gone, it shows itself, a woman with her white hair and dark dress. Waiting for the world to vanish as before, she decides to stop it by her will to control. The sphere’s influence was ceased, and she can re-alter it again if she has too, but she remembers that last moment of them with the elder. Reenactment of the same people before them, the difference was they fought to the point of their near defeat. Either one wants to test their might or achieve control to its security and protection, all together, they do both.
She summons the elder, regained back his memory to explain to her what happened.
“Ah Quill, you must be here for the new younglings. Weird looking bunch, and they seem almost rebellious after reaching the top. It must be my kins had made them do it, more rascals laugh*”
“It is a great wonder since the first day they came, didn’t you know? that they appeared multiple times before reaching here. I think it is time to contact with them, after they found the other domains”
“Likewise, to see them, unless you brought tales to everyone, sigh*, Just don’t bring that elf for another visit. I’m artificial, I couldn’t pass my days the day she came”
The spirits come to her through its shamanistic roaming. Quill listens to them where a specific man they wanted to interact before she starts to disassemble the current state of time. Freely moving in the breeze where the air turns cold, without her saying anything, they already frowned through it. Quill has no idea when they came back and what’s their purpose. They did what they can to take control to the sphere’s security and plays along the trials that Durjn Kings portrayed. The downside of it, it’s when the elder had enough. This current of time is meaningless as all created wouldn’t move on.
In order for her to stop this from happening, to her full control of the remaining four, she begins to press backward where they are fresh to continue to relive the world back then. Because of this, they will know where the next control they need to go to. Or it will be randomized through time. Tricking them to see that the sphere remained as unpredictable as possible. The sphere starts changing internally, where the teachers saw the inside of the realm changes. First had to stop the argument about the sphere’s activities, he turns and see what is happening.
Without the controls to hide the interaction inside, they see the changes as it reverts back in time. It is unimaginable to see the content it had change to the previous states it once was. First had decided
“We need to go to Fictitious Dreams, to stop changing its world”
“Dreams?”
Reya and the others didn’t understand what he meant as they watch closely as the world inside starts to change feverously. An unhealthy sight as the world changes back and forth. Like a dream it tries to make a world to itself, slowly changing and in range of bizarre concepts.
“What’s going on inside the sphere?”
“Is this really what happened when we interfered the settings?”
“I don’t know, Secius. It looks like some nightmarish landscapes moving itself alive”
“Can they really pull it off?”
Thean remembers from the papers, the sphere always remained active once in use. The stabilization of itself is prior from its action, to protect itself, including the rest of the five landmarks. Nonetheless, they need only four and the fifth should not be interfered. Through the last warnings given by the previous creators, it is impossible to go back when no correct relation to the mind to put you there.
Those past warnings are right, but Thean still can’t believe a society of goblins. If the fifth one intervenes, what will happen to the ancient information that is impossible to modernize? It already been set. The teachers who read the papers were excited of its mishaps. Alche thought he could understand, but hardly for him to treat it logically. The controls rely on the mind for the sphere to use, and thanks to the teachers to reengineered it. The laptop or any computer to open it needed a certain program. They could do it now as to watch them.
Siren couldn’t see the sphere as normal or even it's real the way she saw it. It is more like in anime logic than actual fantasy. The critiques she gives, even though Andui is there couldn’t understand it either, as the others thought was odd from the beginning was about a dare and turns into a fight, then at the end becomes easily won by talking.
“I get it what you mean, Siren. It’s like we are skipping a lot of the details”
“Details? That tower is enough to see what it can do, but it didn’t exist today”
“You too Reya?”
“Can’t argue with someone we invite to see . . . Wait a minute, say . . . First?”
First trying to relieve himself after experiencing the rune Jigeram,
“What is it?”
“Can we enter the sphere now?”
“Dare try to get in, the entrance is freely open to anyone now. I have read the controls inside, I somehow let anyone in through the computer. It still going to open through our minds except you guys”
“It’s fine, hey! Is the computer can open the gate?”
“We are updating the system; you can now enter freely, and we can freely place the portal anywhere of the world after travelled there once”
“Great, so I think it is not a total lost, right Siren?”
Siren is staring at the sphere, the blacken looking sphere as it connected by wiring and cables. It is strange to look of some weird horror flicks, and it still show off its ominous as before.
“I guess, please let’s get going before lunch”
“Lunch? We are being here almost an hour morning”
“You believe we could stay inside the sphere that long”
“Those guys did it inside the sphere in an hour”
Iggy explains what happened to those guys doing their run, Siren and Reya know about it, but that’s what the interface show. In actuality in real time is more than a minute, thanks to the settings made by the teachers. They extend it further for enjoyable means.
Coral checks on the video recorded, where it cut to fits the rest of the day.
“That’s odd it says the entire day video, but the sphere moves faster in an hour per day”
“That’s because they control the probe, the last testing we did, it lost connection and delayed heavily. We discovered the sphere manipulate the connectivity that is too difficult for us to understand”
“What we had seen before, that those guys already finish it and probably finding the other landmarks. I assume that First mention it before is probably the only place they found during that strange landscape”
Thean and the others went back to the library as they review again to the next plan for tomorrow. Cheated their way to use the medicine made from Isekai City, it is best for them to rest and wait that something went wrong if they mishandle it. The price of medicine they bought are expensive.
“It is quite convenient for that landmark to show up”
“I agreed with Thean for once”
“Oh, you are agreeing with me, then treat that wand of yours . . .”
“Anyway, besides using Isekai City’s “Merchandise?” We are still being haunted by those demons after we left”
“You think they could get in the sphere anytime”
Second wonders about them, after saying to the other teachers who are operating the computer. The sphere is harmless except everything else happened before, and it is still a mystery what inside lies the other forms of life that could fight them. Haw checks the utilities as he need to replenish it for tomorrow, he gladly sighs with a chuckle where the three heard him.
“Sounds devilish when we hear you smile, what’s on your mind, Haw?”
“That weird potion that helps us rise up to the upper floors”
“Yeah, that’s weird stuff made helps us go up. That’s close to unbelievable trait of craftsmanship”
Second didn’t believe it either, even for Haw who made it. All around they thought it was meant to take out that giant of a runic dwarf, but instead lift them up. Haw was giving this unimaginable idea from the shop keeper’s connections. That man found something that he couldn’t believe, but it was long ago as their potentials grew more as they had made countless ideas for Haw to witness.
“The citizens had made something useful within their potions”
“Will see Haw, because you know how to make it”
“Perhaps you are right”
Inside the simulation room, Quail operates the sphere for the first time. The new system update made it possible to get in. The teachers would like to see it instead of getting inside. The ones who want to get in is Alche and the rest of the former adventurers. Siren joins as she was invited in the first place, they told her about it as she peaks up her interest. The girls know that, except for the others as she looks like an adventurer, or they thought she is cosplaying.
The sphere had opened the portal where they will send to a shrine, a place where Second interested in to go there. On the other places, Haw preferred place is the undercity of the goblins, First somewhere in the oases from the west part of the region called Coston, and Thean headed to a demon city called Norvait. They got curious why he wanted to go a demon city, a glimpse of the area where it looks like Middle Eastern civilization. Mainly look like that because it is close to the desert. They started wanting to go there as the scenery become beautiful after places appeared and attract their interest.
“It is decided, let’s see this demon city”
Declared by Iggy out of her own excitement of sight-seeing. Siren joins them as she sees some nice appearance by those demons are wearing exotic clothing. Alche starts to doubt wanting to go there but it is just a simulation. One by one as they entered the portal, the entity had sense something powerful and unrecognizable. The overturning of this realm made it too complicated to react. Novait is the city of unchanged, protected by the outside world of the effects of those moons and newly formed creatures migrating from the east.
They step in and saw the view outside of the city, being turned and change by the strange corruption of the sphere. Any of the demons where not corrupted all figment of the illusion, their interaction with them made them realize how buggy this place is. Siren heard them they once interact with them, and it is hard for her to believe it as the world won’t consider them existed.
“I hope you guys said is true, I don’t think the sphere is working right”
“Don’t worry, you can see it again when school started”
“Yeah, that’s when they will bring it to update the sphere into an apocalyptic world”
“Ouch”
Iggy sarcastically replied after what Siren said, Coral did reply to her that they going to make it work. Coral continues
“The teachers had made the adjustment using the computer, like I said before, don’t worry we have an Ender who will finish it”
“I hope so, he always visits the guild here”
“See now, you . . . WHAT!”
They hear someone else joining the conversation. A demon appeared waiting for different people who are trying to get inside the sphere. It shows its patience among them as they continue to wonder around the empty city.
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All of them surprised and they couldn’t respond, Andui and Reya recognized this feeling. The experience she had to face the sphere back then, their bodies still move but not the sounds of their voice. Calmly soothing to the demon’s presence as its voice is deep and professional. Sensing everyone who had met the sphere before as it founds them.
“Well met, I never would have guessed you two had facing the sphere’s influence”
It broke the influence as they are free to speak.
“Who are you!?” Siren stares at the demon with her deadly provoking eyes.
The demon shows himself in a robe with a hood. No complexion of its skin and nothing much to see to its invisible flesh, everyone looks at it as it already taken the probe to itself.
“If you wish to experience this demon city, let’s have a deal?”
“A deal?”
“A demon? You don’t like one of the demons we know”
Alche couldn’t lays his eyes away from the floating robe and calling it a demon. By its aura, it shows them the city all hidden of its race into normal humans.
“Then there is no deal, I have come here that my tribute of the sphere’s influence is gone. I even told to face my future”
“Future?”
All of them question about it, the demon who hides its identity, had reappeared the city’s livelihood. Where the city starts to look as natural as they could expect, many things they want to ask and many ignored words for it to muster off. The demon is not here to have a chat. It wants to know.
“I don’t bother something I could not expect myself in the future, I have hide myself so that my future self won’t be interfering your business . . .”
“Enough, why are you here exactly? Are you the one who made it?”
“Optionally, no and not fully, I am here to the four people who change the security. You must be the people who wanted the sphere, as of now, I’m here before I’m going to revert it back”
Alche starts to understand what the demon is trying to say to them.
“You mean you are trying to say you are its guardian”
“Designed to, but yes, I am, the actual guardian wants me the next phase of the operation. I don’t want to get order around with my replication of my identity. I want something different as you want to know this demon city too”
“Well of course . . .”
“You are freely to use it and change after you fully control it and persuaded that you do”
“Then what do you want?”
“Nothing, but had a different option”
“Options?”
The sphere held different meaning why this demon acted so freely. Siren is the only one not knowing of its unique system it had. Reya starts to realize that they found an AI who is a security. It is direct and won’t hold back. A very ignorant protocol at its best to never let it to set in a least effective to its fundamental principles.
“I get it, you mean to tell us not to lower the difficulty”
“Difficulty? No, it is absolute, I’m warning to you people that you will be facing demons. That’s why those four won’t be the correct specimen”
“What do you mean by that?”
The demon sighs as it must to explain it clearly. For it has the independent mindset of an AI but compelled to do what it must be done. It removes everything around them and returned to their familiar scene, the dark void of smoke as neither of them knew. The feeling of their bodies deteriorating as the reason why it exists.
“You don’t get it, do you? This sphere is meant to against the weaker mind because there is something that they will keep it as a reminder. And me, I don’t care if it helps your cause or even increase your chances to survive in a certain event in your life”
Later it stops and return back as it used to. They keep themselves quiet as the demon continues.
“Sigh* My offer still stand”
“What was your offer again?”
“I want people who is going to use it. The same people will face my kind”
“What if we decide to let those four again?”
“I may have not explained myself clearly, this artificial world held secrets you don’t know. I’m here as the same as always since the previous who comes in, the mind had so many conditions to enter. I’ve wish for not to be altered or the trauma will improve without you knowing, and you know what demons do when they found the weak”
“Tempted them to do evil things?”
The demon heard one of them in disbelief, it never heard such pawns expecting to think of it so weakly.
“Impressive how your own doings that we demons imitating of your actions. No, there is more to it than just doing evil. More like there’s no such thing”
Coral heard him by the same tricks and lines once said throughout her experience as a police officer. Many suspects think like that and show no remorse, and the way she understands made the demon focuses on her.
“Looks like I got someone to understand, I say again, if you really want to change it. Then be my guess to see another example who will break”
It disappears leaving them alone, the world returned but not the reality of it, and the city remained empty and disoriented. Coral gathered around as she is the only one understand what the demon had said to them.
“I didn’t expect for me to agree, but I think we shouldn’t lower the standards of the conditions. Even if the students’ minds are lower”
“I hope you’re right Coral, I have my spare time knowing about demons and this one is a little too honest about”
Alche didn’t appreciate a demon to recommend it, neither would the Horsins know about their conditions as well. Siren slowly getting to believe about the sphere’s interaction.
The scenery is the only thing they could do as of now. The strange thing happened inside the sphere thanks to the aftermath as they put control the sphere’s influence also called as security. They go around and admire the view inside out, where soon after the city starts to appear many people, but the images of demons are disguised in human forms. It is hard to believe how they get into control and separates itself in such a weird manner. Alche can’t help how the sphere remained defensive from any trespassers who entered it.
“It is nice to see a place beside our own city”
“Yeah, I was hoping we were transferred a little bit early. Imagine exploring a different world and be this peaceful”
“That’s hard to believe, we never . . .”
They stop and see Alche looking at the figment of the character, he is staring at an elf with his group of humans beside him. He whispered the name
“Elyrion”
“Who’s he?” Iggy asks him and she reaches to him and heard their voices.
She stops a bit and calls out the others by waving her hand to come over here. The conversation is still vague, but their devices managed to translate it.
“The man that was blessed by the elven goddess is here”
“Yet, he is not here. He must be a ghost man”
“Warrelf, there is no human like that”
“Says to the others who were teleported here. Many other humans travel here and seek their ancestry”
“A man of soulfate, I have still doubt of your transformation as elf . . . It doesn’t matter anymore, that man been separated between us and the entity”
Then they disappeared as they are moving elsewhere, and Alche had heard more of their conversation than before. He approached to them as he found out something.
Really thinking long and hard, but he is quick through his magic. He shows them what he learned. Complicated and segregated in order to manage all the secrets lie within, Alche never would have thought to keep his mind a proper observation form all this.
“This sphere is clearly too advance for us to handle”
“We know . . .”
“Please, let me explain. This place it still ongoing, but we were interfered by something. It is because of this entity they talk about. I learn that this entity like that demon before is one of them, the AI of security is with us all along and probably more”
“You mean the papers we read before. Siren, we will explain to you after this, and Alche, keep it to yourself when we leave the sphere. We should talk more when we get back”
“Andui’s right, we shouldn’t be discussing in here. And I still want to see this place”
They continue on looking around where this middle eastern looking city is beyond different from their actual appearance back in their world. Excluding what demons portray by them, it is an actual religious structure. There is nothing to look like residential, leaving them wondering where they supposed to rest.
By only seeing the outlook of the city they got rather lonely wandering around as it gets creepy where Elyrion managed to follow where Alche is, it was too much for them as they finally decide to leave. Once Alche almost left, Siren was pulled to him and spoke
“Are you thinking wanting to face that demon?”
“Not for now, I have seen those four wasting their resources under a day. I don’t think I could manage if we fail”
“Good, you’ve seen their equipment in runes were torn”
“I get that”
Holding on her own clothes make her wish not to sacrifice over a simulation.
Coral sees her feeling at lost, the way she dressed she thought it would cost a lot if she started now. Smiling to her face
“I don’t know how many times I said before, we still not to worry”
After everything is done, they begin to leave the sphere and Alche hears one last time to the past Elyrion. Hearing the name of a demon,
“Acurse, I sense you have seen someone”
“They are soon leaving; you will have the chance to see him in the future”
“That’s what I’m worrying about. They won’t even listen to you when you don’t have a body”
Alche left and put himself in confusion, Elyrion from today warned about the demons during their talk. Back then was different, but he is talking to an AI, there must be changes happened there. The teachers feel a bit sad about their probe being taken away, realizing that the demon destroys it. They never realize it and thought it will comeback. O2 frowns on the effort they had before. The entire time in the simulation room last in more than an hour. There is something they want to improve as they continue on planning for the other settings in under control.
Siren thanks them as she is about to leave and wanting to go back tomorrow. They all been expecting something will happen and thought to themselves about going in with the demon’s offer.
“I’m not going to listen some speculations, you guys should tell them, I’m glad to be able to watch something new for a change”
“You know the entire scene is about doing dungeons”
“I assume that demon will do the same?”
“. . . I guess not”
Siren waves them goodbye as she had pictures of such scenic view. A grin to her face with new content can be investment through this found ideas.
First can’t believe it, the clothes are fine, but the runes are dead sent gone.
“Runes that will protect us, and now it’s gone . . .”
“First, there is nothing we could do”
“. . . Yet this equipment won’t break after the runes disappeared. Is it more powerful than we ever believe”
First ignores everyone around him, blanking everything he hears and blames the items he wore and the weapons he used . . . He kept arguing in the most logical sense and the illogical things he had to do. Thean is still studying the papers and treating First’s complaining as his background music. Humming away from his serious face to search the information they need.
Haw sees the other descriptions of the landmarks, thought of doing the other landmark from what First said ‘Fictitious Dreams’ but in his own research. He said to Second, while busy trying to quiet First from his frustration from Thean’s choice of equipment and Haw’s tight schedule to resupply.
“I think we should go to the other places instead; the AI seems want us to follow its own way”
“I agreed, I was hasty back then. That phenomenon keeps changing the environment, without me realizing that because the landmarks we are trying to find is hidden”
First replied to him while he was complaining. Second sees his quick talking made him unrealistic. His personality gives away such a strange character, his pride getting mix up to his dignity and his professionalism. Or so Second thought.
“You can reconsider myself as insane, but you have hobbies to keep yourself calm. As for me . . .”
First gets back to reading like it was normal.
“. . . I have to shout every complains inside my head. You have no idea how much frustration I have being filled within me”
While as much of First acting erratically when one of his feet keeps moving.
Alche comes in with the other girls, bringing out details about meeting with the AI. First thoughts were exactly it, the idea on his head why he had to go to that landmark first.
“That’s reassuring for me, I’ll bet you guys should be involved”
“Wait!? You already know about it”
“We stop the recording because of that strange entity followed us, now you probably took pictures of it realizing that it didn’t know your devices yet. I recommend don’t bring it or . . .”
They showed their expression that something did happen. Not showing time to spare a few words from it, and First continues on.
First turns to Haw as he will be the one be the next one to do the work instead.
“We are planning to do the other landmark instead. Seems like you will be interested meeting that demon, yes?”
They nodded as he sent out the list of things and information they have to do. Everyone looks disappointed as they have to stop bringing their personal devices.
“Why?”
“What?”
“I mean why won’t you let us bring our devices to the sphere”
“It’s a recommendation, if you want to bring it, then it’s your choice. People really do need to face the consequence”
They read the notes that Haw handed it over to them. The additional note where it’s about their device. They could waste a bit of time to do it on their own and ask them about that AI.
“That AI, did it really send the message for us?”
“We thought it was spreading the word, but the lines it said ‘I want people who is going to use it. The same people will face my kind’ meant it has to be you people”
Heard from the recordings, First had already understood what it meant before and continue his explanation.
“Ours was ‘The idea of changing the old security for a specific kind of race . . . you peasant wearing adventurers in runes are lucky once the clothes finally tear apart, you materialistic men’”
Thean just gushes out from his breathe of how funny it was. Ignoring the burst of laughter from his tempting to be punched face, he got distracted and Second continues.
“Demons and you people have the same use of neutral mana, then there is no setback when facing that landmark that is heavily overdose with one mana. You’ve already seen us having trouble facing the Jigeram”
“That’s great, about the other landmarks. Where are you going?”
“Here!”
The ridge looking environment, covered from the top and sheltered with the Jigeram’s light.
Calling the name as Canyon Tribe Cliffs, where it’s carved like a canyon in miniature look. It’s obvious it’s a ridge being stacked and built like a canyon. Haw is asking the women about his offer.
“I request for help from my guild and more if you have recommendation to be . . . sacrifice”
“Haw, don’t act like it is going to be hard . . .?”
Coral don’t want Haw to be act out like those Agatheans, and she sees him seeing to have difficulty, and he tries to explain to her.
“The very beginning, it costs so much of our resources and didn’t manage to complete in most realistic approached . . .”
“. . . We confess that we rely previous people who interact with them with their knowledge and past successes. The elder back in the tower is one of the remembering characters, and we were pitied by our abilities”
Haw shows his hardship went to waste that all of his potions are gone, and his money starts to use up his budget. He still has much more hidden tricks from Enders Bridge but wasting a good coin over a simulation is not rewarding to its loots are artificial. Yet, he still continues on while the rest are stagnated and still have the advantages with the pebblechips. They don’t know how hard it is to get that sphere into control.
Only way for them to have more chances to succeed without the help of past successors are gather more people who can do the production to make inside the sphere. Haw is guessing those two will be joining with them, and Alche already spreading the news within the private chat. A student of theirs show her older sister about their new facility.
“Silfa look!? Our school is making a simulation room”
“Yeah, that’s nice let’s first take care of our new spirit pets”
The two are trying to train the spirits, under control to their stuff animals as it tried to get used to their new bodies. One small doll trying to help the spirits to move as they have no knees or elbows. Made it impossible for them to flex their movement. The doll speaks to them
“Puma, puma puma puma. Puma!”
The pets get ready themselves to stand up, engrossing themselves with the rituals that are poorly made by the two sisters. Silfa can’t stop holding her grip at her younger sister as she jokingly said.
“The puma is here”
The doll jump to them as Silfa grabs her younger sister to a playful argument. The spirits followed the doll towards them just because that’s the only way for those stuff toys to actually move.
“Where’s puma?”
“Joanne, please stop calling it. You know it’s our first-time having spirits. Right?”
“Yeah, but you have horde chief as a doll and it’s not fair”
“Why you little!”
“Aah! Haha laugh*”
They enjoyed their morning as they relax under their free time. Silfa thinks and curious what they are doing, the people who delivered their sphere . . . Haw and Thean.