ARC1/C23 – Answers

Sam noted that his AI had been taken from him on entering the large meeting area. The vast room only emphasised that “The Resistance” if that in fact was what they were, had fallen far from grace. At most the room could be said to be a third full, and looking around he saw some of the figures he had seen on his way through the tunnels here. He hoped this did not mean this was their whole fighting force though it still would be better than just three of them against the multiverse, if they were allies.

Now he thought about it, it did make more sense for the resistance to be an underground shady operation as apposed to the people running the group who did anything but hide – with their heavy security detail on open display. He had just assumed that the city was a neutral zone free from government interference. But the Star Corps had shown that was not the case at all. So maybe these people were the real deal? Why exactly were they so happy to see him though? This did not sit well with Sam at all. He felt like a rabbit in a cage.

He could also see Maria at least shared his feelings and was looking particularly twitchy. She was practically vibrating with pent up energy. He was actually surprised she had kept her cool when they were frisked by security earlier.

Sam was brought out of his reverie when the woman, Velta to his side addressed him again.

“But at least we are alive and now we have you we feel we are galvanised again into renewed action” She said.

“I think it’s probably best to assume. I really have no idea what you mean or what is going on. Would you be able to start by telling me why I am of importance?” Said Sam feeling tired already by this conversation as he felt he wouldn’t like any of the answers.

Velta’s eyes widened and then surprisingly to Sam, she laughed, a little tinkling laugh.

“You from what we can tell are a Psivore. The result of years of experimentation on behalf of the Order of Seers. The culmination of the merging of universes for over five hundred years, layering upon layering of psionic pressure until finally a life form was created with a core that was so rooted in the very essence of the universe that it could sustain itself. Endlessly.” Velta intoned, pausing for Sam to respond but as he did not she continued.

“The Order of Seers, though now a weak shell of its former self. Though I can not judge upon them, as our own faction has been broken on the rocks of time splintering, as you have seen into “The Group” a corrupt inversion of its former self. Just so the Order has become such an antithesis of its original nature that they have not even been aware of your existence. Not aware, of their very reason for existence, their very purpose coming to fruition.”

“Five hundred years ago, we were freed from the tyrannical reign of a group that subjugated all other races below themselves and ruled supreme. And it was called the Vore Wars as they were Psivore like yourself. All powerful it seemed and neigh indestructible. It wasn’t really a war, it was more of a desperate escape mission that thankfully succeeded. As the Seers managed to separate our dimension from that of the Vore. The barrier that still till this day separates us is the Mirror Realm, a realm that must be renewed with greater and greater sources of psionic energy to keep it standing.” Velta said this as she looked off into the distance, collating her many memories.

“The victory really was obtained with a double edged sword.” She said trailing off.

Sam and the others tried to take all this in but all he could think to say was “So I am a weapon to fight the Vore but how can I fight them if I am just a vore myself?”

“No, Sam. The Seers hope that your core will give them, insights into how to defeat the vore. Further experimentation on you will allow them to better understand the vore and find a weakness that they can exploit. It was not their original intention but a distant hope all those years ago.” finished Velta.

“And what do you think?” said Sam, waiting to hear what was really going down.

“I believe you are a hope. We don’t know when the vore will come again. But when that day comes we hope to be prepared. You are not alone though. Once one Psivore has appeared there will be more. If not in this merger then in others in the near future. Your creation was not by chance.” Stated Velta.

“The problem is more a tactical one. Of how we keep you hidden and how we get to the others of your kind before they are taken or killed. As much as the Seers and Seracians would like you for themselves. There is also a powerful group called the Korinth Vanguard who would see you as an abomination wanting nothing more than your death. Also there is the Group would sell you to whoever pays the most.” Velta said, trying to read more than just Sam’s expression, being an eye, she could see far more than that.

“You say the Vore have endless power but at the moment I can only draw my full power when I am in the Mirror Realm.” Replied Sam, hoping for an answer to allay his biggest fear. If the Seers could detect his presences in the Mirror Realm, how could he train and get stronger?

At this Velta and the others close to her, all showed different expressions: some poker faced, others shocked.

“That is indeed a problem….We will talk more of this later. For now know that you are at least safe.” Finished Velta.

Maria felt like a fish in a bowl at a shooting party. She needed to fight, do something. Being safe was not a long term solution and her previous kidnap followed by incarceration was taking its toll.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Do you have a gym here? Somewhere I can train?” said Maria hoping to blow off some steam. She eyed Sam as she said this as she could also do with finally getting to talk in private or at least somewhere safe.

At this point Hiroma, took up the conversation as Velta had already fallen into whispered conversation with the person to her left, who was as yet unknown.

“Certainly, it would also be useful if Sam could show us his current level of skill”, said Hiroma getting up from the table.

“One other thing” said Sam, “There were comrades with us, Therulians. I assume they are dead as they were taken by the group to an underground competition. I would just like to know, one way or another.” Said Sam.

“That shouldn’t be too hard to find out. Was it a recent competition?” said Hiroma.

“Yes, it might even still be taking place for all I know” said Sam.

“In that case, I might even be able to find out the scores through normal channels. I mean via the Group. We still have some operatives working with them.” Replied Hiroma.

They headed directly toward the facilities combat area, Sam’s head a mass of jumbled thoughts.

Should he just get the hell out of there? He was the one with a target the size of a building painted on his back, after all.

His sister no doubt read his thoughts without the use of psionics. Sarah moved over to him and put her arm around his shoulder.

“I know that look but your not in this alone. And do you really think we’d be in less danger without you? We’ve already been kidnapped and would surely have shared the same fate as…the others.” Said Sarah, trying to plaster on a smile and catch Sam’s eye.

Maria, grabbed him from the other side, adding “Yeah, it’s not like we can get any deeper than we seem to be the most popular people in town. And not for no good reason.” She said winking.

“So your not Public enemy number one, think of us as public enemy one, two and three ok?”

Sam just nodded knowing he was cornered in this particular argument. It was also true. They were all living on borrowed time.

But what to do next? Try to get back to Earth and find other Vores? If that’s what he was. Though he had seen Velta’s expression, the look of fear and even disappointment that crossed her face, when he said he was only truly powerful in the Mirror Realm. There was something they weren’t telling him.

Arriving in a large structure, Sam decided to take out his furry on anybody who would spar with him. Maria and Sarah, likewise. Though no opponents could last that long except for Hiroma who had been watching on the sidelines up until then.

Two constructed dark grey blades appeared in Hiroma’s hands, one held high, one low, as he walked into the fighting circle Sam was in. His stance and movement’s were cat like and precise.

Sam felt the weight of Hiroma’s gaze on him like something tangible – he felt hunted. Cold sweat prickled on Sam’s neck. Weird. Sam had never had to take anyone seriously so far, relying on at lasting or outmanoeuvring every last one.

He stealthed using [Telepathic Illusions] and tried using another element of [Opinokinesis] – the ability to not only mask the senses, but to lull the person into a false sense of security.

While this didn’t stop his senses prickling it seemed to dull Hiroma’s heighten senses, leaving his eyes looking glazed for a moment. Allowing Sam to move in, quickly and try knocking Hiroma’s legs out from under him.

After what happened next Sam wasn’t sure whether the whole thing had been a faint on Hiroma’s part. As his eye’s snapped wide as Hiroma took in the scene seeming to be able to see Sam despite all his abilities. He then accelerated at a speed Sam could not dodge in his befuddled state. Knocking the wind out of Sam and landing on top of him, blade pressed to his throat.

Maybe it was the tension, maybe the sense that Sam was indeed in a hopeless situation but for whatever reason Sam just started to crack up. Soon being joined by Maria and then Sarah as Hiroma looked around bewildered.

“An Earth joke?” Hiroma said falteringly.

“That’s me” Sam just about managed to wheeze out between bouts of laughter.

Maria then came over and knelt before Hiroma, “You are my Sensi” she said in a devout voice.

Hiroma then narrowed his eyes, “We are not done yet.” He said to Sam, “Come show me all your abilities.”

And so Sam spent a few minutes demonstrating all his abilities, cutting up rocks and suspending things in the air, burning things then freezing them, making them appear and disappear and of course flying around the small space. Until Hiroma, considered him at length.

“You said you could not use your full power. The abilities may be common place here but not being used all by one practioner. And more importantly, I have seen you now expending more psi energy than a senior practioner could in a day or more, in the space of ten minutes. Just what can you do with more power?” queried Hiroma, looking doubtful.

“Same really, just bigger rocks and much much faster. I’ve never really tried to measure my speed…” Sam pondered for a moment. “But I must be at least twenty times faster, easily.”

“But even in the Mirror Realm I found I had a limit, the energies became unstable and the constructs there became unstable. Building would start to disintegrate, leaving me with no energy to use.” Sam said remembering back to his many experiments in the Mirror Realm. It seemed so long ago now, when it had been less than a week ago.

“I must talk with the other council members of this, thank you Sam and do continue fighting by all means. If you get tired just ask someone to show you to your new quarters.” Hiroma said, moving hurriedly for the exit.

“Ok. let’s hope word does get out to fast about what you can do, or I can imagine they’ll probably drop a bomb on this place.” Said Maria.

Then in all seriousness they all looked at each other, thinking the same thing.

“We need to get the Hell back to Earth!” they said in unison.

“Before the Seracian’s decide to blow it up”, said Maria fervently.

“Or enslave everyone. I mean we knew they were going to do that anyway. We just didn’t think it might be happening tomorrow!” said Sarah, slumping down to the ground.

They all then fell into a huddle discussing what to do and what they would say to the resistance.

----

Meanwhile, Traksis has her own dilemma’s. Bartholomew was fading away before their eyes and rapidly. She thought if anyone could do anything it was Sam and though she only had the vaguest of senses of his general direction. She still had some idea thanks to her [Pursuit] ability and the fact that everything ability wise seemed to have been boosted for her.

[Pursuit] was an ability that usually had a finite range but it was pointing in only one direction – straight towards the Mirror Realm they came in by and no tracking skill she had every heard of could trace some through into another dimension. At least not a basic trait of insectoid race like hers. Again something outside her understanding was going on. Hopefully her benefactor Sam would have some answers but in the mean time she was just thankful, she was not dead.

She had a plan for the Mirror Realm. Why not she thought? What would be one more miracle in the course of a day?