Chapter 42: GTA

Adam’s trench had now become so long and wide that he’d already had a few visitors. An unlucky or ungainly boar and two golem’s that didn’t seem to care about the drop too much and had sensed Adam’s presence. They came lumbering after him, nap time over thought Adam.

Adam disposed of the intruders using a few well placed, shadow bolts.

The idea had been a bit rubbish basically, the sides of the trench were not hard enough to stop the beasts from climbing out and the depth of the trench would only allow for a few beasts before they could just climb over each other to get out. The trench needed a little something extra and the tusk boars had given him an idea. Spikes.

He ran along the length of the trench with mana field active, creating sharp protrusions of rock. By searching for bedrock further down and bringing it up as spikes. It was a very wasteful use of mana but after all the effort of making the trench, Adam just thought to hell with it.

The trench now made a loop with an island about 40 feet across in the middle. Adam sat on his island and waited like a patient fisherman for a bite. Though he strained his eyes and his not inconsiderable senses, he couldn’t see anything much this part of the forest, except for plumes of smoke from a nearby fire.

So Adam took to firing normal shadow bolts in a circular pattern over the trench and as far as he could into the forest. Then sat back and waited, some more.

It was still Def Con One inside the spirit sea, Libby and the others were trying desperately to find some kind of solution to Adam’s genetic instability. And looking at Bones memories only made them concede that the genetic changes that had taken place were irreversible without the proper medical facilities. To be more exact without the medical facilities they had on the ship, change for the better was impossible.

Libby thought about the possibility of in some way utilising the space magic to halt any further changes but this would be a last resort due to the energy required. They were at an impasse.

The GTAs on the other hand were pursuing other avenues. They did not as yet know the meaning of impossible. The hundreds that had entered the construct that was Bones memories, were joined by thousands and thousands more until it was a whirling glitter ball of action.

After many failed experiments, they had learnt they could absorb the knowledge. They had learnt this technique while trying to communicate with Adam. They had found that individually they could not understand or achieve much but by communicating together and pooling their energy and knowledge they could achieve something more. They had become a hive mind and communicated as a whole to allow them to fulfil their prime directive.

They did the same with the symbols they found on energy strands and constructs within the spirit sea. Namely, the constructs they found inside Adam’s spirit shell that were not of him. The abilities placed there by the system. They copied them and were able to take on their function.

Inside the PD the kids were getting a bit antsy, for two reasons. One no new fights to watch. Two which was more of a problem, supplies were running low. So the children were finding it hard to focus on their studies. This was not however the full story. They had lots of food. Trey was able to provide for them all sort of nutrition packed foods. Trouble was they were all from boar meat as the Petrie meat had run out long ago. And the kids for some reason hated it.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Again Libby was sceptical on Trey’s take on the situation and investigated further. Feeding void beasts to the children might not be the best of things to do. But her senses were limited to those of Adam’s, outside the spirit sea and she could not discern anything. And she had bigger problems to deal with now. The kid’s wellbeing may contribute to Adam’s mental health but it was way down their list of priorities were compared with his imminent demise.

Then all the AI felt a disturbance in the spirit sea but they could not find out its source. Though they knew with an unerring dread that it was the GTAs. They were stealing the once abundant energies.

Grand Theft Androids. Libby thought to herself, disturbed by her dark humour.

First Bones had left, then Meca and Trey’s confession. And now Adam’s near death. Libby felt completely out of her depth. So she spoke to the only person who might have an angle on matters, Echo.

“Echo, is there anything we can do to stop the GTAs consuming the SP.” Said Libby.

“I think it’s more of a problem than that they have now also destroyed the construct holding Bones memories”, stated Echo, himself more than concerned about the escalating society.

Libby was stunned. She had been prepared to warn Adam from doing anything until they had found a solution or got his condition under some semblance of control. But now she would have to tell him that not only had they fucked up, monumentally but things might be a lot worse.

Adam was oblivious to this and just happy as a pig in shit, his bait had worked. He had already had numerous beasts fall into his trench. Though the spikes didn’t seem to have killed any as yet and Libby for some reason wasn’t allowing him more power for his shadow bolts. This meant Adam had to get down and dirty, reaching over the edge of the trench to impale any beasts that got in reach.

“Adam we have a problem”, came Libby’s voice.

What’s knew thought Adam. They always had problems but soon enough they found solutions. It had become an almost daily occurrence.

“Adam I have to tell you we won’t be able to use acclimatise to save you if you get injured seriously. At least not for the time being.” Said Libby, hedging.

Adam stopped perplexed and said “Why not?”

“If we use it anymore, your genetics will become too compromised. In short it won’t be you anymore” Libby related.

“Ok.” said Adam, stunned.

Libby phased Adam into the shadow realm, she had too much to deal with right now.

“Libby?” Adam looked around, realising he had been put there for safety reasons but at the same time thinking maybe he was to dependent on his AI counterparts. Thinking about the fact that he had no way of getting back to the physical realm on his own.

Libby had been prompted into this action. Prompted by the fact that she had been talking to Echo when his transmission was delayed. Then cut off completely. Ok that was a bit worrying.

“Libby! Libby! The Nanobytes have got mad they are absorbing everything in the spirit sea, just so they can multiply, we need to try and teleport out of here. Ask Echo now!” Came Trey’s voice.

She noticed absentmindedly that he was communicating directly as now the ring network line was dead as proverbial dodo. Meaning now he was the only one she could talk too.

“My connection with Echo has gone Trey. Not my ring line but my energy connection.” Libby stated

“What shall we do?” said Trey nonplussed, then added “Also, Huba has lost connection too.”

The GTAs had gone into overdrive, absorbing all the SP they could to multiply into millions. They had reached fruition. They had completely covered the construct of Bones and with one pulse of action, devoured it.

Holding the information now between them, each with the most infinitesimal part. The gestalt happened and they were Bones, or part of him and understanding bloomed.

They knew how to save Adam. But they needed to get to his actual physical body.

Knowledge had come to them by devouring one construct. There must be more knowledge. They needed more knowledge. So they stole the energy from the spirit sea to feed their ever growing horde. Feed and expand. Feed and expand.