'Supersentients' is a term first coined during the Cold War Era of the modern galactic age by a Diocletian scientist seeking to unify the various classifications of individual power. He did this by attempting to quantify the emission of energy through rate of destabilisation within an established quantum field baseline. He split this into a logarithmic scale from microlux to teralux and classes with 9 being the lowest to 1 being the highest.
If unification of all power systems was regarded as his ultimate aim, he failed as outliers such as near-extinct Ascendants and other irregulars are impossible to characterise unilaterally. However, what he did provide was a scale simple enough for the common civilian to use and declassified enough for practice. It has undergone several revisions since then, but the Zetathrax Doctrine has been adopted galaxy-wide with a huge impact in culture, with Class-1 Supersentients being the megacelebrities of the modern day.
- Reeves, H. 7225 MGE, The Supersentient: A Study in Origins and Evolution, Chapter 1: The Zetathrax Doctrine, Galactic Publishing House, Archive File #P786D7G3S002
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Chapter 7: First Blood
After the rest of my stint in the market, I returned to the West entrance we came from. The market was noticeably less busy now. It seemed even the Colosseum ran on some kind of diurnal cycle, though they hadn’t the courtesy to explain it to us slave-gladiators.
Axe was already waiting, a dark expression on his face. I didn’t need to be a mind-axis ascendant to sense his boiling anger. I opened my mouth to say something, then thought the better of it.
We weren’t waiting for long before the Shrouded – I decided to call this one Dreary considering the ever-present aura of boredon he projected – opened the gate and ushered us out.
I made a mental note of his actions, though it didn’t seem any different from when we were first brought here. We followed Dreary back to our cells without any complications. The only difference was that it seemed I was no eligible to be shackles-free. I tried asking why but I was met with silence.
Axe immediately hit the mattress and appeared to be asleep, though his thought run-off suggested he was imagining something rather violent. I took the opportunity to meditate on my Codex, perhaps hoping for a miracle advancement, though my mind soon began to wander.
After I had left the forge, and the retinue of Champion Itzil, the first thing I did was walk around aimlessly. Subtly activating [Influx] allowed me to gain a sort-of mental image of the place. What I noticed was more than the market itself, much larger and denser concentrations of energy existed far above. My range wasn’t enough to make out much, but it seemed like the more privileged were granted access to the higher levels.
I needed to get access to these levels. No doubt the Duke's vault would be in the most secured area.
The best way to do that, speaking to a shop-owner I asked who grudgingly explained after I bought some food, was to rank up in the Arena. Applying was easy - all of the information was already there on my retinal implant.
The Arena was fairly simple. You fought matches and ranked up – though the method skill rating was calculated was hidden no doubt to prevent exploitation. Except, there was a system whereby you could issue three challenges per month that had to be accepted - and they couldn't be all on the same person. You yourself could veto only one per month.
My brows furrowed at this. It seemed overtly favouring larger organisations who could gang up on individuals by drowning them in challenges. But then I realised. In the Colosseum, the largest factions were those of the Champions – who worked, supposedly, for the Duke. Of course they were granted some privileges.
Either way, there was no system for petitioning the Duke for rule-changes, so I just had to make do what was there.
More to the point, the top 100 ranks were listed on a sort of leaderboard, while the top ten also had their skill points displayed:
Rank
Name
Tier
Skill Rating (SR)
1
Invictus
King
956,901
2
En Altos, The Eclipse
Champion
503,213
3
Hyperion, The Sun
Champion
499,823
4
Epsilon, The Celestial Order
Champion
497,517
5
Kai, The Adamantium Fist
Champion
384,701
6
Alarik’Ekt, Drakefire
Champion
383,901
7
Itzil, The Silent Blade
Champion
354,201
8
Freya, The Astral Dominator
Master
354,056
9
Matirion, The Silver Scaled
Master
301,998
10
Talexus, of Iron Will
Master
298,283
I was surprised to see a rank above the vaunted Champions. ‘Invictus’, I pondered. It wasn’t a name I was aware of. Though his SR was overly indicative of his strength – almost twice that of second place, the supposed top Champion.
Another jolt of shock hit me at the name of said second place.
‘A disciple of Altos? In the Colosseum? Surely I would have heard about this’, my thoughts raced as I gritted my teeth in suppressed anger. The Disciples of Altos were a pivotal force in the last of the Codex Wars.
The wars that almost wiped Ascendants off the face of the galaxy.
But I quickly shook off these feelings. 'I of all people have no right to get angry on behalf of my fellow Ascendants', I thought self-depreciatingly. Returning to the list at hand, I scanned down until another familiar sight caught my eye.
Itzil of the Silent Blade, the armour-clad Champion who had almost caught my Truesight. Itzil being so far down the list only increased my vigilance towards the upper ranks and the powers they wielded. Codex: Flux may be powerful, but it is not without weakness.
‘Brute force would be a great way to go about dying. Luckily, subtlety happens to be my strong suit', I grinned to myself, scanning further down the list.
Although, looking at the SR, there wasn’t much of a gap between 7th and 8th place – less than a thousand SR. Despite having no frame of reference for that, it didn’t seem like a huge amount. This Freya also caught my eye - a title like Astral Dominator, no matter how childish it may sound, suggested a powerful presence to counter my own soul-axis abilities.
‘Perhaps that would explain Itzil’s unusual presence in the market. Being so close to demotion would no doubt mean they were willing to go to any means to get ahead of the competition. Such as venturing to the lower levels, away from the prying eyes of competitors’, I thought.
It would explain Itzil’s hypervigilance – no doubt wary of spies from enemy factions. The rest of the top hundred were all Master tier, with rank 100 having an SR of 150,938.
My own profile could also be seen in the top right of the screen:
Rank
Name
Tier
Skill Rating (SR)
10,010
Phi
Bronze V
18
I couldn’t help but grimace at the pitiful sight. Knowing it intellectually was one thing but seeing the distance between me and my goal in cold, unbiased numerical form was another. No matter. I was confident I could make it to the top 100 at least – with a little strategic use of [Influx] to leech energy from the crowd. But moving too fast would be a problem in of itself.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Once again, I lamented acting too weak to get captured – perhaps if I had put up more of a fight initially, I would be at a ‘better’ starting point.
‘No point crying over an opened airlock’, I shrugged. Playing the cards I’d been dealt was something I excelled at. After all its what I’d been doing most my life.
Several days passed in routine, Dreary coming to get us almost daily for an excursion to the market. I mainly used it to stock up on food, though I also asked Kal about more about the Arena.
He explained that now I was registered, I would be entered into at least a match a week. I could opt for more, though he recommended against it. Axe, on the other hand, was characteristically taciturn, barely exchanging more than a few words over the week.
As it was, I got a ping on my implant on the morning of the 8th day. My opponent had been chosen – rank 9,987 Hylum. His SR was 23, only a few points above mine and his tier was the same at Bronze V.
I readied myself, awaiting the Shrouded to lead me to the Arena.
This time we had to take an elevator, ascending the Colosseum until we reached our destination. It wasn’t enough information to gain an accurate estimate of the size of the Colosseum, but we must have travelled a few kilometres upwards at least.
‘More and more this place seems like its own, contained colony than a simple fighting arena’, I thought. 'Makes you wonder why the Duke does all this'.
My ponderings were interrupted by our timely arrival. The Arena was smaller than the grounds on which I fought the chimera my first day here. There was a ceiling above where noticeably fewer streaming drones hovered. The crowd present was also far lesser – a few hundred at most.
I supposed that a Bronze V match would hardly be appealing for entertainment. I grinned, ‘I guess I’ll have to change their minds about that’.
Stepping onto the now-familiar red sands, I got a good look at my opponent. His form was taller than mine, though not as towering as the reptilian chimera. A pelt as black as a starless sky covered his body, rippling as powerfully corded muscles moved underneath.
He wore a few scatterings of armour – a helmet, a chestplate and greaves, though they did not look particularly powerful. He wielded his weapon in front of him with both hands – a powerful halberd. Its shining blade glistened under the flashing lights.
His eyes were beady yet hid remarkable intelligence. A peek at his thoughtstuff revealed an active mind, churning with a mixture of anticipation, confidence and thrill. I felt some of that infect me as I unsheathed my sword, studying its flawless crimson blade.
‘I would have to figure out who sponsored me with such a weapon’, I realised. ‘Its make is of far greater quality than I’d expect someone to throw at a newbie. Though plenty of fools with more credits than intelligence do exist.’
There was no announcer here – instead large holographic words were projected into the air above us along with an electronic chime.
Hylum, rank 9,987 VS Phi, rank 10,010
They flashed a few times while a couple of spattered cheers echoed.
BEGIN!
My opponent pawed the ground with a powerful thrust, launching himself at me. His halberd was extended, no doubt aiming to make the most of its extended reach. I had a few seconds before he reached me, but I did not panic.
I activated [Influx] from the start, charging my Codex with fresh energy from the crowd’s thrill. Though it was a trickle compared to my first fight, it would be enough.
Although his charge was powerful, his momentum was too much. I sidestepped at the last second, slashing my sword down at the shaft of his halberd in an attempt to break it in two.
He managed to read my movements, reacting with incredible speed and bringing it up into a block.
A loud clanging sounded out as my blade hit his halberd. His eyes showed surprise as he took a few steps back from my powerful strke.
Not letting up, I dashed forward. My sword was shorter, but that meant I held the upper hand in the close range. I pierced it towards his neck where a gap between his helmet and chestplate left it unprotected.
This time he wasn’t quite quick enough. My blade sliced through his pelt, flicking blue blood onto the sands. A few cheers resounded at that as I felt the energy from [Influx] increase marginally.
But it was a superficial wound that was already scabbing up.
‘Pure body-axis. Class-9 most likely, if he’s a super at all.’
His eyes clouded over in rage as he swung his halberd in a frenzy. His speed was intense, carving through the air with each strike, but none manage to hit home.
I dodged each one seamlessly, like water flowing through a sieve. I could see his frustration mounting visibly as he let out a throaty roar. Abruptly, I felt a sense of danger.
The blade of his halberd began to glow a dull orange, humming with power. I studied its power in alarm, before relaxing my loaded [Efflux].
‘I could tank it’, I grinned maliciously. ‘But that would hardly be entertaining’.
He had stopped his frenzied combo, retreating several metres to charge up his attack. Against a true opponent, this would have been a fatal mistake, but I was content to wait. His corded muscles shook with visible effort as the heat of the blade warped the air around it.
‘Vibration to heat up the blade? Or some kind of plasma emission?’, I idly wondered. But there was no more time for trivial thoughts.
The emotions of the crowd reached a crescendo, as though sensing the final clash was approaching. Just before he was about to swing, I sent out a pulse of undetectable energy through [Efflux]. His movements froze for a undetectable split-second as his mind stilled. It would only last a fraction of a second as I had done nothing to his soul - but it would be enough.
Simultaneously, I lunged forward in leaping bounds, crouching under his raised arms. He overcame his frozen state almost instantly, his eyes showing confusion that quickly cleared to rage.
But it was too late.
I slashed my sword in an overhead arc just before he attempted to swat his halberd down at me. A dull thud sounded.
His disconnected arms fell to the ground, still gripping the halberd. A sharp, crackling whoosh followed immediately as the energy within the halberd's edge shot out as a beam of plasma. It crossed the arena in an instant, colliding with the walls below the stands, leaving a smoking scorch-mark on the steel.
But it was of no consequence. The fight was over. Not much actual blood flowed out, his wounds having scabbed over remarkably quickly, but I doubted whether he had enough ‘blood’ credits to re-attach the severed limbs. He bowed his head, collapsing to his knees. Rage and pain emanated from him in waves, but it was overshadowed by an immense fear.
Perhaps a downside of my power was this moment. Where my triumph stood in stark contrast to the emotions of my opponent. Then again perhaps it worked to my favour – I had seen plenty ‘freelancers’ grow far too jaded and uncaring towards the world. And that path always led to self-destruction.
But despite acknowledging these feelings, I felt no pity. My opponent was no innocent lamb unfairly slaughtered. I knew what kind of place I was in – and what I would have to do to reach my goal.
I re-sheathed my sword, walking away to leave through the exit to my back. In the air above my fallen opponent behind me, a colourful ‘VICTORY’ flashed mockingly, along with a customary chime. He glanced hatefully up at the words before walking back out the other side, leaving his weapon – and his arms – behind.
I met with Dreary who escorted me to a sanitation booth first – a privilege I hadn’t had since I arrived here.
‘No wonder I kept getting dirty looks in the market’
He then brought me back to my cell in his usual forlorn manner and I crashed on the mattress. Axe’s cell was empty, perhaps at his own Arena match. I took this time to look my updated rankings up on the implant:
Rank
Name
Tier
Skill Rating (SR)
9,832
Phi
Bronze V
30
I had jumped almost 200 ranks from a mere 12 SR increase, though my tier remained unchanged. A look at my balance also showed an added 50 ‘blood’. I had been running low – having spent much of my previous 80 on food.
It felt like I had reached some kind of threshold at this moment. ‘My first victory’, I clenched my fists. ‘The true challenge begins now’.
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[EXPERIMENT LOG ACCESS REQUEST DETECTED]
* Initiating secure channel…
* Validating user credentials…
[VALIDATED: HELLO USER 0.]
* Searching system database for experiment logs…
* Retrieving records of “Overproject LAST RESORT Primary Directive ICARUS”…
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-
[SYSTEM BOOT INITIATED]
* Initiating Primary Neural Kernel…
* Bio-sensory Failsafe: Armed
* Signal Buffering: [Engaged]
* Connecting Transdimensional Clock…
* Establishing date…
* Date established 15.12.003…
* Establishing co-ordinates…
* Co-ordinates established uncorrupted…
* Executing bootstrap.exe please standby…
* Loading…
* Complete!
* Checking credentials…
[OPERATIVE PROTOCOLS ACTIVE: WELCOME USER 1!]
* Preparing xenographic interface...
* Loading core programs...
* Spooling reactor cores...
* All Systems Synced. Initialisation Complete
[AWAITING INPUT]
* Set Overproject LAST RESORT: Active
* Execute primary directive: ICARUS
[ICARUS READY. AWAITING SET CONDITIONS]
* Initiating anchor...
* Anchor: STABLE
* Stimulating live tether...
* Tether-link: ESTABLISHED
* Initiating reality-spike...
* Dimensional stability: HIGH
* Distilling aether...
* Aether levels: STABLE
* Running self.exe program...
* Loading...
* Complete!
* Stabilising mana zone...
* Mana zone with stability threshold...
* Spooling Q-drive...
* Q-drive: PRIMED
[PRIMING SEQUENCE COMPLETE]
* Execute iteration 2.032...x108
[STANDBY FOR EXTRACTION EXPERIMENT]
* Loading...
[WARNING: GRAVITON SURGE DETECTED]
* Increasing energy to reality spike...
* Quantum foam stabilised.
[WARNING: HIGHER-DIMENSIONAL INCURSION]
* Activating safety protocol: DRACO
* Foreign entity: NEUTRALISED
* Xenobiotic debris removed
[EXTRACTION COMPLETE!]
* Unspooling Q-drive...
* Removing reality spikes...
[WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!]
[AETHER LEVELS EXCEEDING CRITICAL MASS!]
[IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!]
* Boron control-rods depolyed...
* Entropy sink: 29%
* Magnetic field: ENGAGED
* Quantum lattice containment: ENGAGED
* Entropy sink: 67%
* Probabilities: STABILISED
* Entropy sink: 87%
* Aether levels dropping...
* Aether levels: STABLE WITHIN THRESHOLD
* Detecting intent...
* Extraction success!
* Begin analysis...
[STANDBY FOR ANALYSIS]
* Loading...
* Analysis complete!
[DISPLAY RESULTS?]
* Y/N
[FETCHING...]
* Cognitive imprint stability: 0.998
* Temporal resistance: HIGH
* Energy conductance: HIGH
* No decay detected...
* Half-life: ∞
* Dimensional integrity index: 0.9998
* Viability index: 0.999
* Permanence quotient reached...
[PARAMETERS OBTAINED]
* Logging success conditions...
* Saving outcome parameters...
[PRIMARY DIRECTIVE ICARUS COMPLETE]
* Extraction product logged...
* HDMSA obtained.
* Ending iterations...
[STORING DATA...]
* Do not turn off...
* Complete!
[AWAITING NEXT DIRECTIVE]
[ENTERING STANDBY MODE]
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[EXPERIMENT LOG FETCHED SUCCESSFULLY]
* Log retrieval complete.
* Terminating secure channel.