Chapter 20: Retail therapy

In the spirit shell time had passed differently, in the 3 minutes Adam had been hanging around, the equivalent of a whole day or 25 hours to be precise had passed in his spiritual sea. As they had decided to call it. All the AIs had been spending their time productively.

Libby was finding the Symbol language quite intriguing. Not because of its potential uses but for two other reasons. One because it was code that she had fun cracking. Two as it was helping her to understand spell theory and lots of concepts to do with spirit energy and its usage.

She had first found there were two types of symbol. Two different languages even or one a subset of the other. Anyway one had a low energy requirement and the other larger set had far higher requirements. The first set might well be of use to Adam at his current energy level. Libby passed these on to Huba to study.

She presumed that the symbols from the duller strand must be some kind of shadow energy manipulation. As it was the strand that passed the curse onto Adam. If all her hypothesis were correct. She used this newly learned symbol language to construct a script, out of energy, that condensed energy and delivered it externally. She was very proud of this, her first self-created ability. Assuming it worked, of course. She christened it ‘Shadow Bolt’.

However, it was a very slow and process in Libby’s consideration, at any rate. She had an ever increasing number of questions. Like could she make something in a faster less labour intensive way? And was there a way to interact instead of making all these moving strands? Something to talk to Meca about for sure.

Unbeknown to Libby, Meca has not been idle but in fact has been working on just the thing. He has been doing what he likes most: making robots. With nothing else to do but chat to the others he has been finding out what he can in this new universe. And is having a great time. He is onto prototype 7 of his bots. Nanobots to be more precise.

He first extended a strand out into the spirit shell. Then he created a working area. A bubble with a spirit shell to stop his Nanobots from potentially causing havoc elsewhere. Inside he has now started building with his Nanobots. Libby will be impressed he’s sure but how will Adam ever know. He wishes his contribution was in some way bigger. Well he’ll tell Libby anyway, maybe she’ll put in a good word for him.

Normally they have to communicate via Trey as he his positioned in-between them on the Hub. They can all talk via Adam but then he and everyone else can hear as well. All, a bit embarrassing and unfair, Mecca feels.

So Meca decides to install his own bus route around all of the AIs so they can all talk with each other. Only trouble is he doesn’t know how exactly it will work. Instead he tries sending one of his nanobots to open a line of direct communication. It is his latest prototype 11.

Prototype 1: Was a strand with a moving joint that could move until it ran out of energy. A success! After much effort, and with little or no help. Meca managed to figure out how to make a moving part without even knowing any of Libby’s symbol language.

Prototype 2: Had an energy absorption field, and an arm that could grab onto things. This was simply a miniature version of the field he already had access to.

Prototype 3: Was a fully functioning Nanobot in that it could move between two points within the spirit shell, indefinitely. It also could move a section of energy strand from one place to another.

Meca had tried to make the prototypes as small as possible but only after the energy density in the spirit shell was increased was he able to make things smaller still.

Prototype 4: Had an energy memory which it could use as a map to direct itself to a given location and back.

Prototype 5: Was a modified number 3, which not only had an energy memory but could transmit an energy message to a recipient. Part of the energy memory would be transferred. He did get help from Huba on this model. It was easy to get information from Huba, he was always keen to chat.

Prototype 6: Could use its energy memory to orient itself accurately in the 3D space of the spirit shell. This was a major breakthrough. Allowing Nanobots not only to be sent to specific regions rather than end up who knows where. But also more importantly be used to build structures in 3D space, accurately. Again Huba’s navigation expertise was invaluable, he would never have figured it all out himself.

Prototype 7: Was a further refinement of Type 6, with improved accuracy of movement and resultant increased accuracy in positioning. This was designated a Type A Nanobot.

“Hi Libby, it’s Mecca” transmitted the Nanobot. It was a type A that had been adapted specially for this mission and was as a result about 50 time bigger.

Libby was startled. How had Meca communicated with her directly? She had felt bad about how things had turned out. That Meca was the furthest away from her in their ring network. He was a clever one. But how to communicate without everyone else listening in.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

She investigated and found Mecca’s Nanobot. He had decided to not program it to return: being mysterious can be taken too far. She had analysed it. Then wrote to its memory and sent it back to its starting coordinates. She found it hard to contain herself. But soon enough another message arrived. It wasn’t the same one! Mecca had presumed she would reply.

For the next few virtual days they messaged each other. And when the time came that a bus network was created for messaging traffic between AIs. She was a bit deflated. Messages when they were expected but a bit of a surprise, were like birthday presents, she imagined.

After this Libby and Mecca were able to program Nanobots via a central hub to build whatever they wanted within the spirit shell. And what they wanted first was to create hardcoded skills for Adam to use.

“Libby and Hubba, have come up with some skills you should be able to use. Want to try some of them out? Oh and Libby says this would have taken forever without Meca.” Bones said wondering why Libby was always singing Meca’s praises these days.

“Fine with me. Maybe you can work on the regen speed again though. Otherwise if I’m out for the count, they could just keep plugging me full of holes, till there’s nothing left of me. Actually, they’d probably use incendiaries.” Adam said. Bones was thinking this new “gung ho” Adam, was scary also practical too. So not all bad.

“No, we wouldn’t let that happen, Adam. Never fear your trusty AI team is here.” Bones said. He was sure the rest would be able to patch him up.

“Well, all of Libby and Huba’s data is theoretical at this moment. So there will need to be some live testing. But first some virtual training. So, no worries about exploding your hands or something. We’ll get you trained up with what we do know. And, no time like the present and all that. When there is a potential threat only metres away.” Bones says enthusiastically.

Adam was zipped to Huba’s virtual space. Now this is more like it thought Adam. An opponent appeared the other end of a large rectangular field. He remembered this one from one of the training missions on the ship. Back when the Sarbs still existed. A few boulders were strewn, about to allow participants to find cover. Apparently all the skills on offer at the moment are shadow based. The first skill I am offered is shadow bolt. I am asked by Libby how I would like to summon the bolts. I could imagine the size or feel the sensation in my hands. I ask if I can do both. She says yes but that might affect the execution speed, initially. But not once they build the skills into your spirit shell. They will then be fairly instantaneous, or so I’m told by Libby and Meca.

I imagine bolts appearing in my hands and sure enough they do. I hurl them quite ineffectually at my opponent. He just dodges, easily.

“Have you not got homing bolts or something? These are not exactly easy to aim.” I ask as I’m quite disappointed with the results. I might as well have thrown rocks although no exploding hands as Bones thought. Was he just making that up?

“We could do something like that. I could program them to seek out targets you sight visually and give the intent to harm. That would take some programming but I think I could do it, Adam.” says Libby, very happy that things are going so well. And that Adam is talking to her, that is.

“Ok. Have you got anything else, I can try?” I ask. Hoping this wasn’t a complete waste of time. Adam also wondered how else he would be able to see something apart from visually.

“The new shadow bolts are ready for you to try now, Adam. Umm if you have any more suggestions I’d be more than happy to fulfil your request.” Libby says a bit embarrassed. Did she go too far?

“Oh already. You don’t mess around. Yeah let’s do it.”, says Adam rather surprised and not a little impressed at Libby’s speed.

There is a shimmer around Adam and a thin sphere of shadow? Appears around him. It doesn’t obscure his view. Inside the sphere appears a single shadow bolt, in front of him. He spots his opponent slowly walking towards him. The shadow bolt disappears then there is a small explosion and his opponent his knocked back seemingly stunned.

“Ok. That was fast. How many and how far can I send these things?” I ask excitedly.

HP

45/45

MP

11950/12000

A mana bar appears in my vision, in my top right. I can make out I have 11,950 mana left. And I don’t need to squint as my vision seems to zoom in as I focus on something. Ok. 50 per bolt.

“Really what we need is some kind of way to sense your opponent’s power level. Throwing loads of shadow bolts at a weak opponent, will just be a waste. Throwing loads at a very high level opponent will just make you look weak.” says Huba, joining in the discussion.

“Is there any way of telling? I mean surely there are so many factors involved. Their defences for a start.” I say getting interested in the conversation. Only having myself to talk to mostly makes me happy to chat. Especially about combat.

“Well. Libby with my help, is working on this as we speak. That shadow sphere you noticed is her first prototype. It allows for easy creation and movement of shadow energy, also anything within the sphere can be detected. We have lots of ideas but we need more live testing and will need to make a few enhancements to your body.” Huba confides.

“What kind of enhancements?” I can’t help but ask.

“At the moment your senses are only attuned to a certain spectrum, shall we say. We hope to greatly widen that perception. Your mind will not be able to directly perceive the new information but we will be able to filter it back to you or use it for making things like homing missiles, potentially. Something for the future.” Huba says clearly pondering every word he says. He seems to be taking on the role of quartermaster.

“We can give you some form of shadow energy as a barrier or armour but again we need you to test it. Unfortunately, this is all just theory at the moment. Sorry Adam.” says Libby dejectedly.

“Not a problem. I will get off my ass, and find some mobs or ‘baddies’ to test things out on. Give me the best armour you can come up with and if you can come up with tracking for those bolts, that would be perfect. You can accelerate my regen. If I get in real trouble. Time to go say hello to my assailants.” says Adam. Hopeful that this reassures them that he won't just run in blindly.

Then Adds. “And thanks for all your support Libby and Huba. You are life savers that’s for sure. So thanks guys.” Adam says truthfully.