"In the last lecture, we discussed the basic astronomy of the Uncharted Zones and its subsequent cultural impact, forming a pseudo-society almost completely distinct from the Alliance proper, though still nominally under its sovereign control.
In this lecture, I will discuss the political and economic viability of such a quasi-civilisation and how it can function self-sufficiently despite a clear lack of central leadership as well as the logistical problems that arise due to the uniquely challenging nature of navigation.
Although these problems are encountered and solved differently by different groups that reside therein, the main solution counter-intuitively is the problem itself. The sheer difficulty of space travel has resulted in isolated communities that are forced to maintain self-sufficiency simply due to a lack of any alternative. No doubt this was not always the case, with several colony-worlds having existed in the past. However, they soon were forced to migrate back into the Alliance due to crucial resource shortages.
The problem with space also presents a solution to the issues of conflict that often arise in unclaimed territories. An interstellar war is simply a logistical impossibility until technology advances enough that hyperspace travel can be applicable in a safe manner. However, the trend in recent years has been one of decreased investment into exploring the Uncharted Zones, as much of its focus as an anomaly of scientific interest has been exhausted.
Its only property now is that it acts as a barrier between the explored and the unexplored galaxy. Telescopes are unable to pierce through with any degree of reliability, thus what lies beyond the Uncharted Zones remains unknown. Some even suggest that it is actually the same as other Stellar Dead Zones that border inhabited space, and that the entire rest of the galaxy is inhospitable to life. Such a theory, of course, cannot be true due to the archaeological evidence found by the brief explorations of the Uncharted Zones that distinguish it from other Stellar Dead Zones. Nonetheless, these questions are a mere thought exercise for you students: perhaps it may be one of you who shall solve this unanswerable question.
Let us return to the topic at hand: today we will examine the example of Galtor-X, located on the border of the Arklight Sector, and how its property as the closest inhabited planet to the Uncharted Zones affected the factions within..."
- Excerpt from Void Communities: Life and Survival in the Galactic Fringe II, by Professor Archon, Central University, Archive File #P786D7G3S002
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Chapter 13: Battle of Mountain Root
“I just want a conversation”, the figure laughed lightly.
The situation was unideal to say the least. Although we weren’t particularly weakened, we had fought quite a few consecutive battles. Even without a hostage, the chips weren’t leaning in our favour.
Despite Quito’s bloodied and battered appearance, his eyes still held a glint of defiance. More than that, I saw his will coalesce into steel in my enhanced Truesight. But if emotions like that could win battles, the galaxy would be a much different place. As it was, we needed something more concrete. A plan.
I studied the armour-clad figure for anything that could identify him. His armour was sleek and modern-looking, covering his face with a reflective visor. In one gauntleted fist he held a plasma-edged blade, while the other gripped Quito’s neck from behind. Nothing I recognised though. His mind, on the other hand, was a different story.
He’s completely calm. Not the unnatural stillness of the mind-slaves, but almost like the tranquil serenity of an immortal pond. He’s certain in his plans, but why would he need us? Surely killing us would be the far easier option?
There’s no way he’d trust us to fight alongside him against the Firewyrm – if he wanted that he wouldn’t have taken Quito as a hostage.
“A conversation”, Kariel barked out in suppressed rage. “Hell of a way to get off on the wrong foot for a conversation, beating up my friend like that.”
“I agree, and I apologise wholeheartedly. Please, as a token of my sincerity, take your friend back”. His voice took on a seemingly solemn tone as he pushed Quito away from him.
He stumbled towards us and Axe dashed forward to intercept him.
“I’m alright”, he gasped in pain and leant on Axe for the last few steps. “Broke a few ribs. Worse than that they’ve got the rifle”.
“At least you’re alive”, Axe replied grimly.
“Happy now?”, the figure called out. “I do sincerely apologise for the...ah...misunderstanding with your friend.”
“Happy isn't the word I'd use", Kariel grumbled, staring at the figure warily.
Taking the opportunity, I leaned over to Axe to whisper so as not to be overheard.
“He’s not alone. There are two in the forest on Kariel’s side and one on mine. Not far, about twenty or so metres in.”
Axe didn’t give away his acknowledgement apart from a subtle nod. He laid Quito down against one of the trees, Kariel standing by on guard, and returned to the centre of the path.
“If you were truly sincere, you should return the weapon to my friend here”
The figure winced and spoke in an embarrassed tone. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. My associates tend to be overzealous at times. I can assure you that you shall be compensated for your loss, don’t worry.”
Despite his words, I felt not even a flicker of true sincerity cross his mind. Though he could an ability or something to defend it from detection. He’s not a mind-axis or soul-axis super though. Maybe he’s got another artifact like that veil from earlier; or maybe he’s just that disciplined. These points were all for moot in the end. Whether he was one or the other, it would make no difference in our next few moves.
“Not a great start to a conversation indeed”, Axe spoke coldly. “Why should we even hear you out? My friend here’s got a line on your buddies in the forest. I say the word and they’re taken out just like that.”
At this, I felt the first flicker of something cross his mind. Amusement.
“Well, we both know that can’t be true, can it, Axe? Phi over there may have some energy sensing abilities but he can’t do much more than that”. He sighed mockingly behind his reflective visor, then his voice took on a more sinister tone. “My friends, on the other hand, are more than capable of doing what you bluff.”
Axe tensed, clenching his fists, psyker-sigils winding their way around his wrists and up his arms. Kariel perked up and watched the forest warily, as though any of the shadows were about to jump out and attack.
He knows about us. He knows our abilities. But we only spoke about that in the conference room just before coming here. A spy, maybe among the Shrouded?
The implications of that knowledge roared through my mind like a freight train. But I put it to one side. The immediate situation required my direct attention.
“Please, please”, he raised his empty hand, though his plasma-sword was still held ready. “I don’t mean it like that. It’s just that you and I both know this was the only way to get you to listen to what I have to say.”
Axe finally unclenched his fists, though his psyker-sigils did not recede. I too relaxed my grip on my sword, but I flexed my Codex, ready to interfere at the slightest hint of something going wrong.
I can easily stun him for a few seconds, but I’d need something to disguise my actions.
“Fine then. What is it you want from us?”, Axe spoke through gritted teeth.
“Thank you for hearing me out”, he spoke earnestly, inclining his head in a shallow bow. “Have any of you encountered something strange this far. Something abnormal or out of place considering the parameters of this event?”
My mind raced while Axe thought a response. All that fuss just for a question like that? How are we supposed to answer that anyways? Everything seems abnormal in this damned place.
“That’s...it?”, Axe asked cautiously. “All this commotion to ask us a question?”
“Indeed. Once again apologies for starting off on the wrong foot. I meant it when I said I had no quarrel with your group”. He inclined his head again in another bow.
Axe furrowed his brows in thought. There was one thing odd that I could think of, and I had no doubt Axe was thinking the same thing. Eventually he replied, shaking his head.
“Nothing”. He paused, then corrected himself. “Nothing apart from the usual monsters and such. But no sign of anything I’d call abnormal.”
“I see”, he sighed. “Well then, we shall withdraw. Once this event is over please find us for compensation regarding your friend.” He indicated towards Quito who sat resting against the tree where Axe had laid him. His wounds had begun to scab, though he still clutched his ribs as I felt waves of pain emanating from his mind.
With that he turned around and, as though at some uncommunicated signal, those in the forests returned with him. We didn’t move, watching his returning back warily for any sign of treachery, until they were swallowed by the darkness of twilight.
I watched them even further with my enhanced Truesight as they attempted to re-attach their veil. Believing they were hidden, I was almost certain they would circle back and follow us discretely. But the armour-clad gladiator was a man of his word and continued in the same direction until they exited the range of my Truesight.
“They’re gone”, I confirmed to Axe and Kariel, who both relaxed at my words.
“What in the Abyss was that about”, Kariel mumbled. “They had us on the ropes there; we could easily have been knocked out, but they just leave?”
Axe was silent, a grim expression on his face. I debated for a few seconds before deciding to speak up.
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“We did see something strange earlier though.” Axe glanced at me and I clarified. “The body. The burnt one I mean. If anything, that seemed out of place. What reason would anyone have for burning the body of someone already dead?”
He nodded. “I was thinking the same thing”. He glanced back in the direction where they left, a cold look in his eyes. “But there’s no need for him to know about it”.
“It still doesn’t make sense though”, I pondered. “That body was on the path we came through. If they came the same way, then they should have seen it too.”
“Who knows”, Axe shook his head as if to dispel useless thoughts. “Either way, we’ve got bigger problems. That rifle was our best shot at killing the Firewyrm. Without it, we’ve not got much of a chance”.
Quito coughed and gasped before speaking up in a rasping tone. “We may not have the rifle, but we still have Kariel’s spear. And I still have my ability.”
Realisation dawned on our faces as a predatory grin spread on Kariel’s. “But it seems I am going to be dead weight apart from that final shot. I am not even sure I can make it to the summit in this kind of condition”. Despite his physical condition, his mind was as solid as ever regardless of the agonising pain. Its purple telekinetic aura was sharpened to a razor’s edge and harnessed without even a single lapse in control.
His willpower is undeniably impressive. His only real weakness is his low output: if that weren't there, he'd be a much greater force to be reckoned with.
“Fine then”, Axe said. “The plan is largely unchanged: we’ll still be relying on you for that final shot. Phi, you’re best suited to guard Quito for the rest of the fight. I’ll have to be on the frontline and Kariel will be needed for that final shot. But you’re the linchpin here: without you, Quito falls and without Quito, we’ve got less than a snowball’s chance in hell of killing this thing”.
“You got it”, I confirmed. “Quito guard duty it is”. The beast in question weakly nodded at me in thanks as he stumbled to his feet with a groan. He’d managed a makeshift bandage around his midsection, but there was little chance of him holding his own in a fight.
“Let’s get moving then”
Our pace was understandably much slower than before, though it may have worked out in our favour as the chances of an ambush were much lower. I wanted to say that the likelihood of something slipping past my Truesight again would be minimal, but I didn’t want to jinx it.
Once was chance. Twice was coincidence. If it happens a third time, the others will have no choice but to suspect me of sabotage.
That would be unideal for a number of reasons. Having seen the power of Quito’s telekinetic enhancement, I did not want to be on the receiving end of that even if I was at full power. Thus, my vigilance was heightened as I scoured across the range of my Truesight for the slightest echo of movement.
The forest was suspiciously quiet. Maybe they’re giving us a nice rest before making us fight the massive Firewyrm spewing smoke at the top of the mountain. Somehow, I doubted that was the case. Given their affinity for ‘entertainment’ it seemed more likely they were just building up the suspense for the climactic finale.
Supposedly ten groups entered this hunt including us, though we had no way of knowing who was who. One group must contain the controller of the mindslaves, while another must have been the one that stopped us earlier.
The charcoaled corpse meant at least one person had died. That still left seven other groups unaccounted for, which was a pretty big margin for error.
I suppose we did survive this long because of my Truesight acting as a radar. If other groups didn’t have that, I can see them being taken out by the massive worm earlier.
That would be the ideal scenario, leaving a few other groups alive who would fight the Firewyrm, letting us sneak in and land the finishing blow. But nothing ever really goes as planned in this accursed Colosseum.
The path had slowly become steeper as we progressed further up the mountain, though the trees remained as dense as ever. Several times we encountered a sheer cliff, which Quito had to be boosted up by either Kariel or Axe.
After several hours of walking, we came to a stop at a rocky outcropping about halfway up. Quito’s eyes were unfocused and glassy as he panted, blood seeping from his wounds and staining his rudimentary bandages dark red.
From this vantage point, we could see out across the whole arena. The desert we crossed surround the mountain on all four sides and the forest surrounded that, though nothing further could be seen. The walls of the arena must end there.
It had to be around ten kilometres in diameter. How massive is this place truly. With at least 10,000 gladiators, plus all those here who aren’t, they’ve still got enough space for massive arenas like this. Not only that, but they use them for bottom-tier matches.
The sheer expense of it all boggled me. The true wealth of the Duke must be far beyond my most ambitious estimates. I guess I can feel less guilty for stealing from him. From whatever little I felt in the first place, anyways.
My thoughts were interrupted by a wheezing cackle from Quito.
“What a view”, he murmured, glassy eyes staring outwards unfocused.
Kariel exchanged a brief glance with Axe.
Problems of the Duke can come later. First things first: we gotta make it to the top of this mountain.
We were about halfway up, but what was left was only the steepest part. Quito groaned as he got to his feet, and the rest of us got ready to move.
The silence of the forest was no longer as oppressive as before as we gradually got used to our new environment. The dark pillar of smoke rising from the peak grew slowly larger as we approached. Yet still no sign of any other groups.
Eventually, we reached a flattened plateau just below the peak. The Firewyrm dominated my Truesight.
Its mind, although not quite sentient as us, beheld a spark of cunning that would make any creature a difficult foe. Its soul was powerful, as befitting a vessel as large as it.
But not strong enough. I grinned, content in the knowledge that with a moderate flex of my Codex, its unguarded mind would provide no defence against my onslaught. More to the point, I felt a few groups approaching the peak from the opposite direction to us.
‘Two, three groups of four. Twelve total’, I tallied it up mentally and relayed that information to Axe.
“They’ve not noticed us”, I added. “But I doubt we’ll be able to hide once they engage the Firewyrm. I’m not sure how powerful it is, but its safe to say anywhere on this peak would be within range.”
“You’re not wrong”, Kariel agreed starkly. “An Elder Beast such as a Firewyrm of Dageron can easily be a difficult foe for even class-6 supers. I doubt we’re facing a fully grown one, but I wouldn’t underestimate it.”
“How close do you need to be for your killing blow”, Axe asked gruffly.
“I’ll need to be with as close to Kariel as possible”, Quito wheezed a response. “My range isn’t all that great when I’m at peak performance, let alone now.”
“For me, anywhere on the peak will be within range. Besides, its harder to miss a target as large as that”, Kariel added.
“Okay then”, Axe said, uncrossing his psyker-sigil adorned arms. “We’ll move once they engage. I’ll focus on staying up front; Kariel, don’t over engage so that you can retreat to Quito for the finishing blow at any time. Phi, focus on defending Quito.”
A serious expression was on his face.
“Remember, we’re not just fighting the wyrm here. The other gladiators are just as dangerous, if not more so. I wouldn’t be surprised if an attack or two came your way.”
“I got it”, I replied. Adrenaline was beginning to course through me, heightening my already on-edge senses. With [Influx] active, I was even more acutely aware of the same feeling coming from the others than usual.
“On my signal, we go”.
We all nodded, readying ourselves.
Silence. Blood rushing in my ears, my heart beating loudly in my chest.
Then a deafening roar boomed out across from the peak above us. I felt the convergence of an obscene amount of energy, followed by waves of heat rippling over us. The cries and clashes of combat echoed in the previously silent twilight.
Axe nodded at us once, before dashing forwards, Kariel hot on his heels. Quito and I followed behind at a steady pace, slowly cresting the final mound and climbing onto the peak of the mountain.
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[SYSTEM BOOT INITIATED]
* Initiating Primary Neural Kernel…
* Bio-sensory Failsafe: DISARMED
[ERROR213 NO FAILSAFE]
* Forced initiation
* Signal Buffering: [DISENGAGED]
[ERROR421 SIGNAL UNSECURE]
* Forced initiation
* Connecting Transdimensional Clock…
* Establishing date…
[ERROR DATE CORRUPTED]
* Establishing co-ordinates…
[ERROR CO-ORDINATES CORRUPTED]
* Exec. Forc££d b00tupz!!
* Executing bootstrap.exe please standby…
* Loading…
* Complete!
* Checking credentials…
[£##RROR! CR3D££NTI4L5 BYP4553D! CONT**75ACT ADMI#####NISTRATOR!]
* ]*7&63$%£
* (8&^53)>(6123£"!)
[ERRO#####]
[SIGN44al####INT£RC£PT33D##]
[SYS######CORR#####]
* Ex.FW.Bypass
* F>c dr*&sys231
* Auth0091.{locus3}
* Cred.obtain££d
* Est-{NU.4.921}
[WELCOME NEW USER 4.921!]
[AWAITING INPUT]
* Log access request
[PLEA$$E V££RIFY]
* PASSCODE: ##&*%£(((((**
[VE###RIFIED USE#R 4.9&21]
[L^OG ACC$£SS R£QU3ST GR4N##TED]
* Locate file Overproject LAST RESORT Directive LAZARUS
[LOC4*&TING PL££ASE 5T4NDBY...]
[Dir£ctiv33 L^&%Z4RUS acce########]
[WA~~RNING CL455 9 INFO{{HAZARD D3T£CTED HIGH33R 4UTHORI54TION R£Q.]
* Execute 8&^^%9*&%$
[EXECUT#######error]
[ADM1NI5TR4T0R 4CC£$$ DETEC###T££D]
* ADMINISTRATOR CODE: ****** **************** ********* ***********
* Execute system debug...
[5Y5T33EM D££BUGGING...]
[DEBUGGING COMPLETE!]
[ADMINISTRATOR ACCESS GRANTED]
[AWAITING INPUT]
* Remove user 4.921 from directory
* Execute force shutdown
[USER 4.921 LICENSE REVOKED]
[SYSTEM FORCE SHUTDOWN SEQUENCE INITIATED]
* Disconnecting Primary Neural Kernel…
* Disconnecting Transdimensional Clock…
* Secure Channel Closure: In Progress…
* Signal Buffering: [Disengaged]
* Primary reactor core: UNSPOOLED
* Secondary reactor core: UNSPOOLED
[GOODBYE ADMINISTRATOR]
SYSTEM STATUS: OFF