An alternate simulated reality chamber (ASRC) is a fusion of magic and technology that transcends physical boundaries, immersing our minds in an endless simulation of past, present, and future scenarios. The significance of the ASRC is immense, offering applications such as awakened combat training, advancement theory exploration, historical reenactments, therapy, war games, strategic planning, and threat simulation, amongst many others.
Darius Faelar.
Renowned scientists and technology awakened.
Sector 8, Ragnarok
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Professor Alaric led them up to the second floor and into a large chamber filled with ASR pods. The circular chamber was lined with dark, matte panels that absorbed light, giving the room a mysterious, almost otherworldly atmosphere.
The air was unnaturally cool and carried the faint hum of machinery. ASR pods filled both sides of the hall, leaving the center empty, save for a monolithic structure adorned with a lattice of runic cables that snaked outwards, connecting to the various pods arranged in a circular formation around it.
The monolith’s surface was covered with holographic screens, continuously updating with streams of data and animated schematics that showed the real-time status of an ongoing simulation.
The ASR pods themselves were oval-shaped capsules crafted from a smooth, seamless alloy that gleamed subtly under the chamber’s lighting. Each pod was large enough to comfortably accommodate a person lying down and was outfitted with a transparent canopy that allowed a glimpse inside.
Aodhán turned around, taking in the room with an expression of awe and barely contained excitement.
Professor Alaric moved to stand beside the monolith and smiled. “This is a group simulation chamber, which means each pod is connected to a single simulation that is controlled by the nexus.” He pointed towards the monolith and continued. “For today’s exercise, I’ve decided to start with something fun, a simple game of claim the fort.”
“You’ll be divided into two groups, which will last for the entire year.” Prof. Alaric said, resolutely ignoring their murmurs of disappointment as he continued. “Please note that points will be allocated to the winning team, so it’ll be in your best interest to cooperate with the group that you find yourself in.
Each group must select a leader and a flag bearer, who must be protected at all costs. To win this exercise, all you have to do is eliminate the flag bearer of the opposing group while simultaneously protecting your own.”
Professor Alaric glared at both groups and sighed wearily. “I can’t believe I have to say this, but you cannot die within the simulation, although pain will be perfectly simulated. You’ll also be logged out of the simulation the moment you ‘die’ or suffer a fatal strike that essentially puts you out of commission.”
He took out his tablet and continued. “That being said, the following names are assigned to the first group and should gather by my left.” He cleared his throat and began. “Cyrus Valerion, Grendar Bladewynn, Marcellus Edgarin...
While Professor Alaric called out the names of those assigned to the first group, Andrew muttered. “Lady luck, please let your grace shine on me.”
“I doubt Lady Luck is concerned with the outcome of this exercise.” Aodhán replied with a smile, and Daruk chuckled. “I saw an illustration of her once; she doesn’t seem much like the gracious type.”
Andrew glared at them. “My luck has been terrible for the past few weeks; I’m long overdue for mercy.”
“I could definitely use the luck.” Lupin agreed. “My forge points are painfully below average.”
Daruk shrugged. “All that matters is that it exceeds the cutoff amount required for graduation. As long as it does, then you're in the clear.”
Their conversation was cut short when Professor Alaric called out the last few names on his list. “... Maddie Cronox, Lilith Bloodmoon, and last but not least, Daruk Brystion.”
Aodhán turned to stare at the first group as Daruk walked towards them and grimaced. Almost every member of the team was a noble, with only about a dozen commoners scattered among them.
“So much for random selection.” Lupin muttered beside him, and he chuckled. Still, it was to his favor; the fewer nobles he had to deal with in this exercise, the better.
Professor Alaric gestured towards them. “The rest of you will be in group two. Take a few minutes to choose your leaders and flag bearers; this exercise will commence in fifteen minutes.”
The members of group two shuffled forward, gathering slightly towards the left of the monolith, and Scarlett asked. “Does anyone have any experience with this simulation stuff?”
Alesh Vilaris responded. “We have a simulation chamber in my home, although it’s nowhere near as sophisticated as this one.”
“So, how do we go about this whole leadership election thing?” Azul asked, and a murmur rose from the group. Alesh raised his hands to say something, but before he could, a boy with bright blue hair and yellow-ringed pupils suddenly spoke up.
“For those who don’t know, I am Harnoth Darkwater, and my father is Major General Darkwater.” He paused as if expecting applause or gasps of amazement, but when he received neither, he scowled. “My point is that I may not have experience with this simulation thing, but I’ve heard my father talk strategy before, and I believe I’m the most qualified person to lead this group to victory.”
Aodhán chuckled as the boy struck a pompous pose, and Lupin muttered. “Ahh, the ever-present arrogance of nobility. Classic.”
“Anyone else wants to give a sales pitch?” Scarlett scoffed, and the Aodhán burst out laughing along with a few others, causing Harnoth to go red from anger and embarrassment. Before the discussion could devolve into a shouting match, though, Alesh voiced his opinion.
“There are several high rankers amongst us, both on the forge list and the tower leaderboard; it only makes sense to select our leader from among them.”
“It’s not just about power, though.” Eren, whom Aodhán hadn’t noticed until now, countered. “Like Harnoth said, this is a strategic game, so we need someone with strategic and tactical capabilities to lead us.”
Aodhán nodded, but as much as he agreed with Eren, there was something they were overlooking, and after clearing his throat to keep his voice firmly in control, he spoke. “Eren and Alesh are right, but I think what we need is balance. A leader who can fight, think, and adapt to changing situations to best utilize our abilities.
The problem is that we do not know the strategic capacity of anyone here, nor do I trust the little talks Harnoth has heard from his father.” There was a smattering of chuckles at his slight jab, and Harnoth growled in anger, but Aodhán ignored him and continued. “The ideal choice would be someone whose affinity offers the greatest tactical advantage while still being capable of self-defense.”
“I take it this so-called person is you?” Harnoth laughed. “What do you know about war?”
“Nothing, to be honest; I don’t even like it.” Aodhán responded calmly. “But I would like to recommend someone else: Ayisha Helsarin.”
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The attention of the entire group turned immediately to a girl standing at the edge of the group, and she glared in his direction before slumping her shoulders in defeat.
Aodhán had met Ayisha two weeks ago in the library, and although he’d seen her in a few classes before, he hadn’t spoken to her, which was unusual since he knew almost everyone by name at that point.
He’d been browsing through a few books on the disadvantages of seals, and after picking out two to read, he’d found her seated at his usual desk. Not that he was the owner of the desk, of course, but every time he came to the library, the desk had always been empty, so it had been a surprise to find it occupied.
He’d sparked up a conversation with her, and although she’d been hesitant at first, their conversation soon began to flow, and before long, they’d found themselves discussing the war and basking in their mutual hatred of it.
It was then that he’d found out that she was ranked 16th on the forge list and in possession of two seals already. Ayisha was exceedingly powerful, but what surprised him the most was her astounding control over the concept of time.
He hadn’t been able to understand how someone as powerful as she was could fly under the radar for so long, but he soon realized it was intentional, as she hadn’t even challenged the tower at all.
They had met a few times after that first encounter, and Aodhán even introduced her to Daruk and Andrew.
In the little time he'd known her, he'd come to realize just how smart and strategic she was. Yet, Ayisha was a ghost, and it was usually hard to notice her except when one was actively searching.
The reason he’d recommended her was because of a skill she’d unknowingly shared with him during one of their many conversations in the library, and that was {Foresight}.
With the use of this skill, she could see up to a minute into the future, more if she pushed, so when Eren mentioned the importance of strategy, she'd been the first person he'd thought about.
As the attention of the group fell on her, Aodhán could almost hear her cursing his name as she glared daggers at him.
“Why her?” Eren asked, but before Aodhán could respond, Harnoth sneered. “You would pick a girl to lead us in a strategic exercise? Girls are stupid.”
Aodhán had never seen a person so thoroughly dig their own grave, as all at once, the eyes of more than two dozen females turned to glare at Harnoth. He sputtered, trying to retract his statement, but before he could come up with a coherent apology, Ayisha walked to the middle of the group and glared. “I’m Ayisha Helsarin, a time awakened with the ability of foresight, and I would be honored to lead this group to victory.”
Needless to say, when they cast their votes, Ayisha won by a landslide. She kept glaring at him for putting her in the spotlight though, but Aodhán ignored her. He would apologize later.
With the leader now decided, the focus shifted to the next critical choice: the flag bearer. This role was even more crucial, as the flagbearers capture would mean their defeat.
“I think the flag bearer should be someone strong; that way, they’ll not be so easily captured even if we fail to protect them.” Aida Simms argued.
“We’ll need the strongest people to fight our opponents.” Lupin countered. “The flag bearer should be a person geared towards defense or perception manipulation, like me.”
Aodhán frowned, not really having much to say in the matter. Both ideas were good. If the flag bearer was strong, then even if they were discovered, they wouldn’t be easily captured, but Lupin's idea would ensure that the flag bearer wasn’t even found, although if, by some sort of miracle, they were discovered, it would be quite easy to capture them.
The argument continued for another few minutes before Ayisha spoke. “Let’s go for both. Someone who’s able to hide and escape discovery but has enough power to protect themselves.
After a few more minutes of deliberation, they finally agreed and settled on Derek Sylithen, who referred to himself as a changeling. Professor Alaric arrived a moment later, and after taking notes of their leader and flag bearer, he directed them to a room at one end of the hall that housed a collection of black haptic suits, embedded with hundreds of runic sensors that monitored their vital signs and movements.
After they were done, Professor Alaric led them to the array of ASR pods at the left of the chamber. The pods opened with a soft hiss and a slight, chilly mist. Aodhán excitedly stepped into the oval pod, and the transparent canopy sealed itself shut, isolating him from the outside world and immersing him fully in the simulation.
The first thing he heard was a soft hum as the pod activated and the feel of electrodes as they adhered to key points on his head. The interior lights dimmed further, and gradually, the hum intensified.
Aodhán felt a tingling sensation as the pods synchronized with his brain waves, and the next moment, reality dissolved, and he suddenly found himself in a world vastly different from any he’d ever imagined.
It had a sky that was darker than night and riddled with stars as red as blood. An unusually large red moon shone brightly, and a smattering of red clouds floated lazily above them. Red mountains jutted out of the earth, their narrow tips piercing into the red clouds in a slightly disturbing manner.
A forest of extremely tall trees surrounded them, each one riddled with red leaves, and the air was thick with the scent of smoke and bloodlust. Aodhán immediately created a construct to shield his face, Andrew's, and Lupin's from all the smoke and dust.
Fortunately, someone manipulated the air around them, clearing away the haze of smoke and dust to provide some breathing room, and that was when Aodhán looked down.
He regretted it immediately.
Nausea roiled through him violently, but he wasn’t the only one, and retching sounds soon filled the air as the students threw up. Bodies littered the ground, barely a day old, and it was obvious that a battle had just taken place recently.
“Trigger warning!” Andrew heaved. “Professor Alaric should have at least warned us.”
“Fuck!” someone cursed, and Ayisha’s voice rang out shakily. “Okay, so it’s a terrible sight; let’s just try to remember that it’s not real. It’s a nasty test that we can pass if we can just push through the—fuck! Is that a liver?”
Aodhán heaved again, but managed to keep his guts in check this time. How was this a fun exercise? Was this even allowed? They were teenagers, for heaven sake.
Aodhán wiped his mouth and turned to take in his surroundings to distract himself from the mutilated bodies scattered around him.
The city they’d appeared in was in ruins, completely destroyed, and the only thing still standing was the fort, a monster of a building covered in black runes. It aligned with the theme of the world and was made from red stone and sheer glass, giving it a bloody and menacing aura.
Red flags stood on its wall, decorated with black stallions, and damaged artillery lay scattered on the floor, sputtering and releasing smoke into the air.
“We need to move; we’re losing time.” Aodhán rasped as he created a platform large enough to carry them all, and as one, the group rushed forward, suddenly impatient to stay one more minute in the area.
As the platform floated closer to the fort, they passed by a river stained red with blood, and Aodhán jerked his face away, unwilling to see where the blood was coming from.
Ayisha constantly reminded them that it wasn’t real, but she didn’t seem like she believed it either. Everything felt so real—the metallic scent of blood, the mournful sound of the wind, and the feel of Lupin’s palms as she held tightly to his arms.
Realizing that she hadn’t said anything since they’d arrived in the simulation, he asked. “How are you dealing with all this?”
“Constantly reminding myself that none of it is real.” She replied with a shaky grin. “The river isn't red, the sky isn’t black, and there aren’t any dead bodies beneath us.”
Aodhán nodded, still affected by the gruesome scene. Perhaps he needed to do the same, but the point of the exercise was to get them used to the realities of war, and if he had no choice but to join it in the future, he needed to start building his apathy to death now, so that by then, he would be sufficiently desensitized to it.
When they arrived at the fort, they found a company of simulated soldiers moving aimlessly around the fort. A floating text above their heads identified them as Tier 18 soldiers, and immediately they saw them, they rushed to their feet and saluted.
A man rushed out from among them, dressed in a more decorated uniform, and identified as a Tier 20 commander. The commander saluted. “Welcome champions; thank Raol, you're finally here. We’ve been expecting you for weeks.”
Ayisha glanced back at them in confusion before awkwardly returning the man's salute. “What happened here, commander?”
The commander shuddered and shook his head sadly. “A grievous battle, my lady. The order of black attacked out of the blue; we fought back fiercely and even managed to push them back, but we lost so many soldiers and weapons in the process.”
If Aodhán wasn’t so mentally weary from their journey through the haze of smoke and death, he would have been impressed by the amount of detail in the simulation, but at this point, he just wanted a nice long bath.
“It’s alright, commander; we’re here now; we’ll protect you.” Ayisha gestured to the soldiers and said, “In the meantime, prepare your soldiers; we have an order to destroy.”
The commander saluted eagerly and began shouting at the soldiers. Ayisha chuckled and turned back to face them with an expression of amusement and disbelief, the horrific sight beyond the fort walls temporarily forgotten. “Did you see that?”
“We’d be blind not to.” Eren muttered grimly, and Scarlett added. “Deaf too.”
Ayisha glared at them. “I meant that it was an interesting turn of events, one I wasn’t expecting.”
“Agreed.” Andrew murmured. “It’s not everyday one gets called a freaking champion.”
“Or gets saluted—twice—by a commander.“ Alesh added, and a smattering of weary chuckles rang out from the group. When the chuckles died down, Aodhán groaned. "Well, as interesting as that was, I’m in dire need of a bath.”
“Raol, me too.” Andrew replied as he alighted from the platform. “I feel like a plague.”
Murmurs of agreement echoed out from the group as they walked into the fort, and Aodhán breathed a sigh of relief to find it clean and spotless. The dark walls were decorated with red runes and curtains that prevented the luminescence of the moon from coming in.
“Okay, I think there are enough rooms for all of us, so we can all take our bath at the same time.” Ayisha instructed. “In five minutes, though, we need to convene in this hall to talk strategy.”
They trudged up the elaborate stairs, and Aodhán picked the first available room he found, after which he stepped into the bathroom and spent the next five minutes scrubbing off the feel of death from his skin.