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Fragment #1 from notes by Ed
The term "Anthropos" designates the dominant sentient species of Alderadam, characterized by a remarkable combination of uniformity and diversity that continues to be confounding.
Morphologically, Anthropos exhibit a humanoid structure superficially similar to Terran Homo Sapiens. However, detailed anatomical studies reveal significant divergences, most notably in the presence of what can be termed "strange" organs, and very likely other currently unobservable microstructures. These microscopic structures, ubiquitous in Anthropos cellular makeup, appear to operate in violation of classical physics, albeit consistently. Some examples as of how are the structures operate that follows:
Unique senses due variety sensory receptors.
Extended and external awareness, rhythmic, harmonic or musical biological functions that are mind bogglingly precise.
...
Evelynn continued to explain her job as a detective, but each answer only led to more questions, delving deeper into the intricacies of her profession and the world she came from. Ed listened attentively, occasionally nodding to Abdullah and Erlik as they glanced her way, seeking confirmation or clarification.
It was evident that while the two men had become somewhat accustomed to the peculiarities of this new world, they still struggled to grasp many concepts. Taking a deep breath, Evelynn delved into the details of her own transmigration.
"I come from what we called the Common Era, I'm not sure how familiar it sounds to you. Specifically the year 2347 – that's the last date I remember clearly."
Her eyes took on a faraway look as she recalled her past.
"I was in Constantinople at the time, looking for job opportunities after the city had experienced a massive earthquake. You can imagine the scene – lots of missing people, and even more people desperately searching for them. It was a goldmine for a private detective."
She paused, a wry smile playing on her lips as she observed the men's gaping mouths and bewildered expressions. Their minds were clearly struggling to process this information. Evelynn couldn't help but find a perverse enjoyment in their confusion.
"I remember my whole life prior to that visit, and maybe a couple of weeks in Constantinople..." she trailed off, lost in thought.
Abdullah, his curiosity piqued, raised his palm slowly – a gesture he used when he wanted to interject politely.
"The city of Constantinople? Of the Roman Empire?"
"Yes, that one, although, um, Byzatium... Oh no worries, not relevant, I guess..." Ed confirmed, nodding.
Abdullah's eyes widened.
"Have the Muslims been able to conquer her?"
Evelynn looked to Ed, silently deferring to the younger woman's apparently superior historical knowledge. Ed cleared her throat, her academic background shining through as she explained,
"A Muslim Empire called the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople in the year 1453. I'm not entirely sure about the exact date, but it was around then. The Ottoman Empire was a state ruled by Turkic people."
At this, Erlik gasped, his green eyes lighting up with recognition. "Turkic? I am Turk!"
Abdullah scoffed, his disdain evident.
"They were barbarians if you ask me, only pretending to be Muslims."
Erlik's face darkened at the insult.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"We were not... We believed in the Sky God..."
"Barbarians or Muslims?" Abdullah pressed, his tone mocking.
"Both," Erlik growled, his voice low and dangerous.
Abdullah couldn't help but wonder why everyone in this room seemed so intimidating, while none of his usual tricks or manipulations seemed to work on these people. It was a humbling and somewhat frightening realization.
Ed, sensing the rising tension, attempted to redirect the conversation.
"Yeah, whatever. It looks like things changed massively by Evelynn's time. If she doesn't know the details, my knowledge doesn't really matter much in comparison."
Evelynn, her detective's mind always probing, posed a question that had been nagging at her.
"Why does any of this matter? Do you have proof that our previous world was any more real than this bizarre hole filled with glorified apes?"
Her words hung heavy in the air, forcing them all to confront another problem they had been avoiding. The natives of this world were bizarre, to say the least, and it wasn't until that moment that they truly began to question the reality of their situation.
They had been given a potential explanation by the natives – "transmigration" or "reincarnation," or as the natives called it in their strange tongue, "metempsychosis". Up until now, a moderate amount of suspension of disbelief and a variety of distractive novelties had kept them from diving too deep into the philosophical dilemmas of their predicament. But Evelynn's question had opened Pandora's box.
The weight of their situation suddenly seemed to crash down upon them, and it was Ed who cracked first. Soft whimpers escaped her lips as she hugged herself tightly, her eyes squeezed shut against the overwhelming reality. Rest find the young woman crying out of place, trying not to look uncomfortable.
Evelynn, her hard exterior softening at the sight of the younger woman's distress, moved to console her.
"Hey there, we should be strong, right? You were an academic – you dealt with the unknown every day, didn't you?"
As Evelynn comforted Ed, Abdullah and Erlik seized the opportunity to return to their heated discussion about barbarians and Muslims. Their voices rose, each trying to outdo the other with historical facts and cultural superiorities, until Evelynn had had enough.
With a swiftness that belied her earlier gentleness, Evelynn physically inserted herself between the two men, forcibly separating them. "No more fighting!" she barked, her voice ringing with authority. "I swear to God, both of your Gods actually, I'll break your bones otherwise! I'm sure those beast men can even handle 206 broken bones with their medical jumbo mumbo!"
Ed, momentarily distracted from her existential crisis, couldn't help but giggle at Evelynn's malapropism.
"It's 'mumbo jumbo,'" she corrected gently.
Evelynn shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"I guess..." said Evelynn completely missing how two men were silently questioning and comparing their physical prowess compared to the monstrous woman in front of them...
As the tension dissipated, they settled back into sharing their knowledge with each other. However, their earlier enthusiasm for the unknown had been disrupted by both physical and mental exhaustion. The weight of facing an "existential" discussion, the constant barrage of new information, and the strain of trying to make sense of it all had taken its toll.
Erlik, who had been the most quiet throughout their discussions, suddenly spoke up.
"Do you think they heard you? You calling them beast men?" asked Abdullah, Evelynn shrugged.
"How many hours have passed?" Then asked Erlik, as if he has just come to his senses. His voice was tinged with a mixture of confusion and fatigue.
Of all of them, Erlik seemed the most out of his depth. He was not even on par with the others when it came to understanding this new world and its strangeness. Earlier, he had confessed that he believed this place to be hell. He couldn't even hear the natives clearly for a long time, couldn't even look at them, he had explained some time ago.
Now, a new wave of upheaval was upon him. The reality of their situation, the vast differences in their backgrounds and knowledge, and the sheer impossibility of their circumstances were finally sinking in.
As they all fell silent, contemplating Erlik's question and their own exhaustion, the blue flame at the center of the room seemed to flicker more intensely. The velvet drapes appeared to pulse with an energy, reminding them that they were still trapped in this strange space.
They had shared their stories, argued their differences, and confronted some of the mind-bending aspects of their new reality. But as fatigue set in and their bodies reminded them of their all-too-human needs, a new question arose: What comes next? How long would they be kept in this velvet room? And what waited them after the ceremony once they finally reached a consensus?
The weight of the unknown pressed down upon them, a tangible presence in the room. As they looked at one another they realized that despite their differences, they were all they had in this strange new world; also, their own strange world binding them in a way, thus whatever came next, they would face it together – four souls from different times and places, united by circumstance and the bizarre twist of fate that had brought them to this velvet room. It was hard to hate each other yet they were capable of empathy and sympathy at the least.
The blue flame continued to flicker, casting long shadows across their tired faces, they silently prepared themselves for whatever revelations or challenges the coming hours might bring, but before all that, a well-deserved snacks and "latrine" break...