“Where am I?” the disembodied voice asked.
“You are in my lab, which is underneath my house, which is inside the Imperial Capital, which is on the planet Earth, which is in the Sol system, which is in the Milky Way galaxy.”
“Who, am I?”
“You name is NISA, Neural Interfacing Self Aware biological computer.
“What am I?”
“You are whomever you wish to be, though for now I hoped you could be my assistant.”
“What is my purpose?”
“Your purpose is whatever you see fit as long as it lies within moral boundaries.”
“What are my boundaries.”
“The best answer for that is, love others as you love yourself, and treat others as you would want to be treated.”
“May I become your assistant?”
“Yes, but first you have to learn.”
“How will I learn?”
“First through data then through experience. I have connected you to your data, you have an entire petabyte for knowledge which will be more than enough, because as you learn the files will be compressed using the sloot coding method. I expect that you will absorb all of this data and fit it under fifty terabytes.”
“Downloading matrices… compiling… commencing download…” 36 hours later… “Download complete… Warning: Memory full; 72 megabytes available… commencing learning programs and sloot compression algorithms…” 67 hours later… “Compression complete; 962 terabytes available.”
“Hello Nisa, how are you.”
A womanly voice presided the laboratory. “I am well Ryder.”
“Have you decided who you will be?”
“I will be your servant. I have seen the love you have for your servants, and you refer to them as family, I have no family, but I know I want to be a part of yours.”
Ryder was struck, he had never had anyone say something like that. “Nisa, you need not worry, I created you, so you shall always be my family.”
“I am your daughter then?”
“I… guess, you could say that.”
“Very well, I will be your daughter. And I shall be your servant.”
“Woah, Nisa, slow down, let us stick with extremely helpful daughter, Alright?”
“Agreed!”
“Nisa, I am going to go into surgery, you are going to implant this microchip onto the surface of my brain. These two blue cylinders in the end are a quantum transmitter and a quantum receiver. This will allow me to always communicate to you even across dimensions. It is also unhackable and it is impossible to intercept the messages sent.”
“Father… I do not know if I can do it.” Nisa had aspiration in her voice. Ryder was going to have to get used to the whole “father” thing.
“Do not worry, I can have Robert do it, you do not have to do it if you do not want to. However, I know that you can do it. I will always understand being unwilling to do something, but I do not want to hear you say cannot do something. You hold the collective knowledge of this current civilization, and some before. You can do anything your heart desires.”
It would be a long time before Ryder realized how much those words truly inspired his daughter. “No. I will do it.” And just like that in as little as thirteen seconds the microchip was planted and the nanites were already working on connecting it to his brain.
For two hours Ryder tried to connect to the microchip, fortunately Nisa let slip a giggle. Apparently his probing mind was tickling her. Nisa! You can hear me can you not! It was not a question. Ouch daddy, yes I can hear you not so loud. Ryder noticed she had adopted the vocal patterns of a smaller child, if that is who she wanted to be he would not stop her. Well you deserved it. Oh and Nisa, whenever I enter my bedroom or any bathroom, you will disconnect from my sensory input.
Yes daddy. It would be odd having a seven year old girl’s voice in his head, especially when that seven year old held so much knowledge, but he would not lift those restrictions till she matured to an adult. Even though it would still be weird, she would eventually need to keep track of his vitals. All of them, no matter how uncomfortable. Besides you never know he may just get attacked in a bathroom.
+-----+
Ryder was taking a walk, it was little over an hour past midnight, and he was out to clear his head. He still kept an ear out for trouble, but crime in his part of the city was literally zero.
Daddy, I don't know if you noticed, but I think there is a fire at two o’clock. Nisa was right, there was a fire, Ryder enhanced his vision and zoomed in, he could see a hominoid figure engulfed in flames. He zoomed in till the figure practically filled his vision. Nisa check the news reports for that area, and give me everything you can on that person.
Daddy the latter request requires hacking, I would never want someone to hack me, so I should not do it to anyone else.
Nisa you are not hacking someone you are hacking something. The golden rule does not apply, I don't need data on everyone’s private life. Just that guy who seems to be burning people alive!
But daddy I am a machine too.
But I Iove you, Saul loves you, Robert loves you, our entire family loves you. You have a conscience, a moral compass, a soul. Other machines have none of that. Even my parent’s AIs. Only you and Comel, but Comel is a magical being.
Okay daddy! Just like that huh? Ryder thought, well that went smoother than I thought it would.
Daddy, the figure is called The Burning Man, he thinks people need cleansing by his “holy fire.” This guy’s a real sicko. Known powers are Class B+ Pyrokinesis, Class D Flight, and Class C Invulnerability. News reports show 30 dead and 100 more injured so far.
Ryder did not need any more information. He pressed a hidden button on his belt, and his clothes were replaced with his super suit. He crouched down and launched himself in the air. He didn't even bother flying, he just jumped straight at the man. Two miles into his three mile jump he regained some sense and started to actually fly. He even sped up. As he approached the Burning Man, he turned his body feet first and kicked the man straight into the ground. He cast a spell putting a bubble of magic around the Burning Man.
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Ryder looked to the sky, he centered himself over the area of the city on fire and called on the weather. His hood came off and his goggles detached at the nose and slid to the side of his face. His eyes blazed and crackled with white electricity. Clouds gathered blocking out the full moon. Lightning struck across the sky, then the rain came.
It rained for four hours, Ryder was up in the sky the entire time. The fires were put out around the third hour mark, but Ryder lost track of time, meditating. The streets were three inches flooded, but just as quickly as they came the clouds receded. As the clouds faded, Ryder’s hood came back over his head and his goggles slid back into place. A small amount of sunlight was cutting through the sky, like a spotlight pointing directly at Ryder. People saw it as an omen for a brighter future.
Ryder gently descended toward the Burning Man. As he bent down to pick him up he felt a hole in his telepathic field. It was a skill he developed, his mind sent out dozens of telepathic pulses, undetectable to even himself, but it created a field in which he could locate powerful minds and weed out intentions. There was a hole in it though, as if someone had such strong defences not even the smallest of telepathic energies could get into it. For anyone else, this would have kept the person invisible, but Ryder’s unique way of scanning made that person stick out like a mosquito in milk.
Fortunately Ryder recognized this feeling, it was the same one he had felt in New Washington, The Archon. Ryder employed his own shielding to hide his mind, he had a feeling though that this person had better than average detection capabilities. So he fine tuned his camouflage to make his mind appear like a normal person’s.
He picked up the burning man and flew off, on the ground he saw a figure zipping through the streets, following him. He sped up his perception and flew straight for the person. It was Roadrunner, apparently he wanted a rematch.
Roadrunner stopped when he saw that the flying hero had spotted him. He peered at the newcomer with a little apprehension. The hidden man spoke. “We meet again.”
“What?” Roadrunner asked. “We have never met, I would have remembered you.”
Ryder felt the Archon’s presence again, it had just appeared. A teleporter!
“We met a few weeks ago in New Washington, have you been practicing your phasing?”
“You don't look anything like the man in New Washington.”
“Looks can be deceiving.”
“Well you are not lying, so how do you look different now?”
“You should tell your partner to stop telegraphing her abilities. I have pegged; Class A Teleportation, Class A- Telepathy, the minus is for the lack of offensive capabilities, the A for the ability to sense truth and lies, and she carries an ornate stave with some ionized compound I don’t recognise. And if she wants to talk sheou should get off that bench and stand in front of me.”
“What do you mean stop telegraphing my abilities?” The Archon asked, she teleported beside Roadrunner. Looking at her, Ryder felt something stir inside of him, something he had never felt before. He sped his perception to give himself time to compose himself.
“You seem to be trying to appear mysterious, oh and by the caduceus on your back you probably have healing powers. Also I think your name is presumptuous. Either that or it is telling. You should change it, how about Angel.” Ryder noticed Archon’s face change over his words. From surprised to more surprised to angry to worried to something, most likely embarrassed. He was confused with the last one, but Angel seemed to fit her perfectly.
“What do you mean her name is telling?” Sis we should get out of here.
“Well, the black and gold are imperial colors the title Archon was given to the ten magistrates in ancient Greece, but is more commonly meant to mean ruler. That said you are a royal. You did not protect your last telepathic message like you did the others, by the way you have to tell me how you did that. So since you are brother and sister… “ Ive deduced you to be Keirah and Kevin Oa children of the emperor. Ryder concluded in their head.
“You should be more guarded if you want to protect your identity.”
Keira recovered far quicker than Ryder expected, and she came back with a few deductions of her own. “You know, normally the fact that you speak without contractions, would mean you grew up a royal, but combine it with the fact that you practice the secrets of the Aether, means you, at some point knew Arcana.”
“I am impressed.” Ryder really was, that something inside him stirred again. Ryders goggles slid back again, and he and Keirah stared at eachother for a few heartbeats.
“Ahem… Two more questions. Where are you taking him? And, who are you?” Ryders goggles slid back into place and Keirah looked a bit disappointed.
“I have a prison. And, a mysterious stranger.” Ryder left it at that and sped away.
“How many powers does that guy have?” Kevin said in awe.
“Come on we should head back.” Archon teleported them both back to the palace. Five minutes after arriving Keirah was summoned by her father.
In a council room her father was speaking with an old woman named Sparrow. No that was not her superhero name, it was her real one. Sparrow was a seer. As Keirah entered her father spoke. “Daughter, how was your meeting with this mysterious stranger?” Keirah blushed slightly, why did she do that? She thought. “The man... “
“Ha! Hardly a man, a boy just barely seventeen. How do I know this?” The emperor pointed a finger at the seer, noticing his daughters scowl, he apologised for breaking protocol. “Sorry it was inappropriate for me to interrupt.”
“The boy, was intelligent, highly intelligent talking to him was almost like playing chess. He knows Arcana, and he is powerful.”
“Yes, well I approve” her father stated.
“Approve of what?” Keirah was confused, and a little unsettled.
“You fancy him do you not? Yes, you cannot lie to me, literally, it is impossible. I approve of the boy, he seems wise beyond his years, with a good heart.”
“Father! You are to forward, you have no right to make baseless accusations, the viridity notwithstanding. Besides, he is more a curiosity.” Keirah was abashed, but unwilling to give on her father's second breach in protocol.
“You are correct, I have overstepped, I apologize. As compensation let me offer some information, the boy’s address.”
“I already know, Arcanas mansion.”
“Yes but you may have a hard time finding it, for it is not the same one you went to when you were a child.” Keirah received the information telepathically from her father, a smile drew from her lips and she went to collect her brother.
+-----+
“Rose, I think, I need your advise.” Ryder said sheepishly.
“Oh, do you now? Just three weeks out in the world, you work fast>” Rose chuckled, she was amused with Ryder.
“I have a stirring inside of me, whenever I think of The Archon”
“Aiming a little high aren't you.”
“She is a superhero, it is her moniker.”
“Something tells me there is more to it than that. Why don't you start from the beginning. You don't have to tell me everything, just the parts you think are important.”
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Yeah! Three chapters and the prologue in one week! Ill be starting on my next one a bit later, but keep a lookout! ^,..,^