Memory transcription subject: Governor Tarva of the Venlil Republic
Date [standardized aurigan time]: Braying 20, 1 AA
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The archaeologists continued their meticulous work via drones, using the scans as a basis for the careful removal of sediment and seaweed, while not damaging the vessel or artifacts within. Now they were busy removing and cataloguing every individual find, the drones prying the hatches open and carefully pulling out each object.
First they removed the statuette, which was as beautiful as I imagined, and yet still perplexing in its meaning. It was apparently made of gold and Dust, according to newer scans, and the eyes were glowing ever so faintly as it was removed. It was then set aside, since it wasn't full of water on the inside, and thus would be the last artifact examined.
I watched as the drones then began removing the jars from the husk of a vessel, each one inlaid with Dust. It was a wonder to think that my ancestors once knew of the miraculous substance, and used it in mundane construction.
The drones deposited the jars on a large table, where one by one the drones drained the water within, and scraped the inside for samples, aiming to devise what exactly was contained within. The jars were then moved to a separate tent, where venlil historians and mezari alchemists would work together on examining their construction and patterns.
As the drones began removing the coffers, I watched carefully with baited breath, stepping closer to gaze upon the contents. The coffers were opened with even greater care than the jars, and the contents removed with delicate instruments. I could see the telltale glow of Dust even on the jewelry and coins, and it was becoming obvious that Dust was integral to our ancestors, just as it had been to the Aurigans.
One of the coffers especially caught my eye, as a pattern began forming on its lid, where once there was none. The wood seemed to shift and change in the corner of my eye. Looking closer, I could see an image was truly forming on its surface, and it wasn't all just in my head.
"András, is this normal?" I pointed to the shifting lines on the wood, and was astonished to see that the coffer was showing my face, like an engraved mirror. I was graduating from my studies, with my family behind me, just like it happened on the day. It then formed an image of my inauguration right next to the first, before adding an image of my daughter lying in a hospital bed. It kept adding images after that, my meeting the Aurigans for the first time, my visit to Aafa, the dealings at the Cradle, and finally, this moment now, where I was gazing at the coffer.
"Definitely not normal... I've never seen a Dust artifact do that. It seems linked to you somehow."
"Why me? I'm not special. Stars, this is unsettling." Despite the sentiment of unease, I couldn't take my eye off of the strange object. Bringing up my datapad, I checked to see what the contents of this particular coffer were, and was surprised to see that it was an axe, another Dust artifact according to the scans.
"It seems to be telling your life story. Perhaps that's what it was designed to do?" The mezari mused. But why my life's story? Why didn't it activate for someone else?
"Can you open it?" I asked, gazing over at the drones currently making their way through the other coffers.
"Of course, give me a moment..." András tapped some new commands on his holopad, and the drones moved to open the coffer.
Carefully unclasping the wooden object, the drones then lifted the lid up, revealing the waterlogged contents, a single longaxe, made of copper and Dust, with a long, ebony haft and a delicate, yet intricately decorated head. I leaned in to peer at the axe up close, and faint sparks of Dust flittered across its surface.
Something inside me compelled me to reach out and touch the object, and before I realized what I'd done, I was holding it in both hands, the golden head glowing more than ever. The statuette then started rattling in place, its eyes glowing even harder, and I could hear a voice piercing into my mind, as if by translator implant, only even more invasive.
"Blood child of Baol, with this axe you are reborn as Nekal's warlord. By this axe you will live. Or by this axe you will die. The Warchest of Ages will record your greatest highs and lows, and prove your divine right to all who gaze upon it. May the Stars watch over your reign. For blood and honor!"
As the voice assaulted my mind, I could feel a burning heat coursing through my body, and all sounds of the outside world were drowned out, and I could barely see anything as the glow of Dust engulfed me. Was this how I died? From some ancient magic left behind by blood hungry venlil? I couldn't think straight as the heat overwhelmed me.
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Memory transcription subject: Governor Tarva Baol of the Venlil Republic
Date [standardized Aurigan time]: 20th Day of the Month of Braying, Year 1 After Auriga
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I woke up on the floor, lying on dry, warm soil. My arms ached and my memory was foggy, but I remembered my body burning. I could see my arms stretched out before me, and through my blurred vision they looked to be smoldering. I quickly drew them in as my vision cleared, ready to pat them down, but what looked like smolders revealed itself to be glowing circuits of dust, embedded under my skin. Looking down, I could see patterns of energy zig-zagging all over my body, forming an intricate web of circuitry.
"Governor... Are you ok?" I heard a voice ahead of me, and looking up, I realized that András was looking down at me, dumbfounded and worried.
"Who is this humanoid? And who the hell are you? You're not Jamek." The voice in my head then spoke up, and it took me a moment to realize that I wasn't supposed to have a voice in my head!
"What- Who said that?" I looked around frantically, trying to find the source, but the only other person in the tent was András.
"Tarva? I said that. Are you ok?" András reiterated, getting down on his knees to help me.
I slapped his hand away and shook my head. "No, not you. I heard someone else's voice. Like when I touched the axe."
"The axe... You took the Mantle? Who are you?" The voice asked again, somehow both calm and angry at the same time.
"I heard nothing when you took the axe. You just began glowing and floated off the ground. Should I call the medical staff?" András interrupted again, and I growled in frustration-
Why did I do that? That's not like me!
"No... No. It's fine. I need a moment. Just possessed by an ancient spirit. It's fine. I'm totally fine!" I said sarcastically, my voice cracking as panic began to cloud my mind.
"Easy there... Tarva, was it? You are indeed fine. This is just what happens when you inherit the Mantle." The voice interjected, and I sat up on my haunches, trying not to cry.
"What does that even mean!?" I pleaded out loud, looking up at the ceiling in frustration.
"Maybe we should start over... I am Baol, a virtual entity. For thousands of years I was bonded to the rulers of House Nekal, passed down from generation to generation. But something happened which cut the line off at Jamek, the son of my last host. He never received the Idol and the Scepter."
"V-Virtual? You're an Endless?" I managed to stammer out, scrambling up to my feet. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Maybe I really was insane!
"No, you're not insane. And yes, I am one of the Endless."
"Stars! No! Get out of my head!" I screamed, grabbing my skull in anguish. This wasn't real, this couldn't be real!
"Correction. Our head. I cannot willingly leave you now, it was part of the contract. A little clause to ensure I didn't desert the Nekal bloodline."
"No. No. No! I said out!" I screamed, banging my palm against the side of my head.
"It doesn't work like that, I'm afraid. Your ancestors demanded it."
"And what do you get out of this mad deal!?"
"I get to experience life again. As fun as immortality sounds, without a Mainframe to simulate life, you're practically a ghost. You can't feel anything."
"Governor, I'm beginning to worry. What is going on?" András was such a terrible liar, he was worried from the start, I could read it on his face.
I moved over to a chair and sat down, taking a deep breath in frustration. "What's wrong with your nose?"
Later.
"I have a Virtual Endless in my head, that's what's going on. It struck some sort of... pact with my ancestors. And it's refusing to leave because that would break the contract."
"Hey now, no need to ignore me."
No, fuck off.
"Rude."
Says the ghost in my head.
"Touché."
"Well that's... not disconcerting at all." The mezari replied sarcastically, which made me roll my eyes.
"What's wrong with your knees!?" Baol then screamed in shock, which made me flinch in the real world. It was like someone was shouting into my ear, only without the vibrations reverberating through my skull.
It's a long story. Someone genetically crippled the venlil people.
"Do you want me to fix you?"
I... You can do that?
"Of course, I'm made of Dust."
...Do it.
"It will be painful, excruciatingly so."
I don't care. I want the kolshians' meddling to be undone!
"Very well. Brace yourself."
As soon as the pain hit, my body began to convulse violently, and it felt like my nerve endings were on fire all over my face and through my bones. My eyes rolled back into my skull and I could hear flesh and bone growing and twisting in real time.
By the time it was over, I was laying on the ground again in a puddle of my own blood, scents assaulting my senses for the first time in forever. I then puked all over the floor at the smell of my own blood, before shakily pulling myself back up to my feet.
András tried to help, but I refused, pushing his arm away. I was tired of being weak, I was angry at being made weak. I didn't need help with such a simple task, no matter how wobbly my legs were being.
First thing I noticed once I stood up was that I seemed to be taller by a few inches, my snout reaching up to András's chest rather than his stomach. The mezari was mortified over what he'd just witnessed, so I patted his arm comfortingly.
"Don't worry, András, I asked for that to happen. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to sit back down..." I dropped down into the chair once more, wiping blood from my new nostrils, while flexing my new knees. It was a strange sensation, but I felt I would get used to the new way of walking soon enough. After all, it was the natural way for a venlil to walk.
"I'll go get you some water... And call the medical staff just in case." The mezari said softly, awkwardly. It was kind that he cared, but I felt fine, better than fine. For the first time in my life, I felt powerful.
"Now that he's gone, care to explain to me what I've missed?"
Where do I even start?
"At the beginning, of course."