Chapter 8 : Welcome to Kar'goth 1
If humans have always considered themselves to be the most evolved form of life on their planet, it is partly due to their arrogance.
Certainly, the human brain was the most efficient and their intelligence was higher than the rest of the animals, but this is not enough to be at the top of the food pyramid.
For example, a single tiny ant is very unlikely to kill a human. However, if this same ant was 4m long and 2 meters high, then the odds would be reversed.
A seemingly unbreakable shell, powerful legs, antennae capable of capturing both sound vibrations and odor enzymes.
A sharp jaw with huge mandibles.
If this being existed on earth, there is no doubt that humans would never have been able to rise as masters of their planet.
It is a similar being that I currently have in front of me, although it is not exactly an ant, it looks too much like one to not make the connection.
The only noticeable differences are that this giant ant has 8 legs instead of 6, and stands half upright. All along its body on the chitin of its armor are razor-edged spikes of various sizes, and it seems that the black matter has almost entirely absorbed it as it is entirely covered in black.
'Gladia, if we were to fight how long do you think it would take it to kill me?'
[if you're lucky, I would say 5 seconds.
No more than 10 seconds if you start over 20 meters.]
'I see...'
While I watched the giant ant, a robotic voice echoed in the arena where we were all waiting.
"Species: Arthropoda Formicidae
Race: Pterygota Ingens Et Potens
Subject: K078-84
Sensory capacity: high
Cognitive capacity: medium
Intellectual capacity: low
Stamina: extremely high
Physical resistance: high
Psychic resistance: low
Muscle density: extremely high
Submission: extremely high
Notable abilities:
Able to lift 150 times its weight
Dual digestive system
High compatibility with black matter
Extreme survivability in all kinds of environments
Evaluation: High Lethality Vector"
After the voice finished its report, the Scylla watching us chanted a bizarre incantation and teleported the ant elsewhere.
If I am here among individuals of different races weirder than each other, it is because of a certain evaluation that the Scyllas have decided to make us pass.
After surviving the third protocol, I fell asleep without realizing it and I woke up in a gigantic arena, with a hundred of other Void Rifters.
In the middle of this arena was a black monolith, emitting a dark aura around its base. A Scylla was present next to the monolith to supervise us.
It seems that this monolith is hosting an artificial intelligence they created, after scanning us one by one it gives a detailed report based on our abilities and how our protocols went.
After the giant ant left the place, I felt the gaze of the Scylla land on me.
"Next, B213-84"
When I heard my name, or should I say the number they gave me, I walked towards the center of the arena and stood in front of the monolith, on a platform made of a strange material that seemed to resonate with the dark matter inside my body.
"Scan in progress...
Potential assessment...
Acquisition of biological data...
Genome analysis..."
After a few seconds, the monolith vibrated and the robotic voice started his report again.
"Species: Homo sapiens-sapiens
Race: Secundum Genus Humanum
Subject: B213-84
Sensory capacity: low
Cognitive capacity: medium
Intellectual capacity: medium
Stamina: low
Physical resistance: extremely low
Psychic resistance: low
Muscle density: low
Submission: extremely low
Notable abilities:
High adaptability
Highly versatile genome
WARNING
Biological anomaly detected,
Consideration of new parameters...
Analysis in progress..."
The monolith seemed to have encountered a problem and my evaluation took longer than expected.
'Why am I not surprised anymore when a problem occurs...'
[You attract the most improbable events like a magnet...]
"New factors assessed,
Synergy link with Obscura Materia extremely high.
Synergy link with Nihil Conscientia extremely high.
Notable abilities addition:
Extremely high psychic potential.
Manipulation of void energy possible.
New assessment: Unknown Lethality Vector"
When the monolith finished its report and stopped vibrating, the Scylla exclaimed.
"IMPOSSIBLE !!"
He approached me in a second, scanned me from head to toe, then chanted in his strange language.
After a series of incomprehensible noises and light emitted from his etheric body, several other Scylla suddenly appeared in the arena.
Some checked the monolith, and the others examined me in detail.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Before I could ask what was happening, another Scylla teleported to the arena. When he arrived, the other scyllas stopped what they were doing and he seemed to bow to him.
"Where is he ?"
"Here, Sir Legatus. He is the Rifter B213-84 from the last batch."
"I see. Did you also evaluate the other of its species ?"
"We did, Sir, but none of them had the same result as this specimen."
"What about their results ?"
"One High, two Medium and five Low, Sir."
Before the ant, they evaluated a lot of other specimens and all the other humans already got their results.
None of us had a high stat in physical resistance, stamina or any other physical oriented characteristics. The best of us had been evaluated as a high lethality vector, and it was probably because of what the monolith called the 'notable abilities'.
Our best strength is our cognitive and intellectual capacity, and it seemed that we were one of, if not the weakest species here.
Just one of the giant ants from earlier would probably be enough to kill all of us in less than a few minutes.
"I heard about a deficient specimen from Optio, not that I would expect you to be the first one to be deemed capable of manipulating the void energy."
'I've no idea of what this guy is talking about. I knew I didn't pass the third protocol as I should have, but what is this void energy and why are they so excited about it ?'
[It is an energy which, compared to classic energies such as thermic or kinetic, does not need to maintain a certain force to overcome the inertia and resistance that oppose this cha...]
'Gladia, make it simple'
[Hum. Let's just say the void energy doesn't follow the law of dimensions. The Void is surrounding the different universes, to be able to manipulate a part of it, no matter how few, is to be able to use the most powerful force existing]
'I thought the Void these scyllas freak about was another dimension like the Singularity.'
[Not exactly, they are both remnants of the collision of 2 major planes, so theoretically they aren't another dimension. They are just the space between universes.]
While I was conversing with Gladia, only a few seconds have passed. I don't know how it works but I noticed that my mind became much faster after the third protocol, I could think tenfold faster without having to concentrate.
As if the natural speed of my thoughts got accelerated to its maximum.
"If it was during another time, we would probably have taken you for our experiments, to understand what makes you capable of controlling the void energy compared to the other specimens.
However, our research is on hold for now and before needing experimental subjects, we need soldiers."
The Scylla Legatus went back to his peer and said.
"Assign him the other rifters of his kind, he might lead them to Kar'goth."
"Very well, Sir."
After giving his orders, he teleported out of the arena with the other scyllas who came to check me and the monolith.
The supervisor chanted in the Scylla language, and suddenly I also got teleported.
When I checked my new surrounding, I was not in the arena anymore but in a small room just wide enough for ten or so people.
I could see the other humans facing me, six beings of a race I didn't see before, and another Scylla behind them.
"The highers-up explained to me the situation, from now on you'll lead this squad.
Listen well to my orders."
The Scylla, seemingly in a hurry, resumed his speech.
"We do not have time to train you, nor do we have resources to spend on failures such as you all. It has been decided to send all our new rifters on a mission just after they finished their evaluation.
You were supposed to join a bigger squad but unfortunately for you, your special case made Sir Legatus plan something different for you.
You will lead these rifters in a fifteen units guerilla squad, your objectives will be to delay and kill as many enemies as possible until we teleport you back."
Before he continues his explanation I decided to ask a question, even if he doesn't answer me I still have to get more information.
I don't understand the point to invest so much into creating Rifters to send them into a suicidal mission without training, equipment, or even just explaining to them who they need to fight.
"Excuse me, but can you at least tell us what kind of beings we are going to face and for how much time ?"
"I told you to listen, not to speak. Seeing you talking to me as if I was the same as yours proves to me how deficient you are. I couldn't believe my colleagues when they told me a specimen talked to them on his own, but now I understand why they called you the Deficient One.
In case you still didn't understand your situation, let me resume it in a way your small organic brain can process : may you all die in the first hour, we wouldn't care less about it."
"..."
"Thanks to your abnormal evaluation and the lack of natural weapons of your weak bodies, without claw nor sharp teeth, Sir Legatus decided to at least give you a way to fight until you can use your symbiont. He probably thought that it would be a waste to let you die in a place where he couldn't examine your body."
After saying this, a huge ball flew to us and opened itself in half, a meter above the ground. Inside was an array of what seemed to be metallic gauntlets, and under this line of gauntlets were items I would never have expected to see here ; rifles. Or at least, they looked like rifles.
"The first weapon is an energy sword we took from a certain specimen race during their abduction, it won't be as destructive as the energy blade the Holy Children can create, but because of your lack of training, it would be a miracle if you could use your symbiont power during this mission.
Just equip the gauntlet and focus your thought on it, once the weapon is linked to your mind, you can generate a high-intensity energy blade at will from its end.
The items below the gauntlets are energy rifles, they come from the same race and even if they are very efficient against organic lifeforms, you shouldn't expect too much from these rifles, they won't be of much use where you're going to.
Equip yourselves, when you are ready form a line and keep your emblem in your hand."
We all went to the floating storage ball to pick our weapons.
I noticed the rifles had different lengths. I doubt it would change the range as it isn't a ballistic weapon, but just in case I still took 2 of different kinds.
The first one looked like a handgun but it had no barrel, instead, its form looked like a C with the handle being the rounded part of the weapon.
I couldn't even try to guess how these weapons worked but I still respected the race who made them. From the few memories I regained of my people on earth and the war we waged during our history, these guys seemed much more technologically advanced than we've ever been, and even them, they have been abducted by the Scyllas...
The second weapon had the size of an assault rifle, with two grips. One at the back like the handgun and one under the weapon. It also had a small handle on each side, and this time it didn't have two, but three metallic sticks which looked like barrels but had no holes.
None of these weapons seemed to have a magazine or use any kind of ammo. I have no idea how to make them work but now is probably not the right time to try, not with this crabby Scylla watching us.
I slotted the pistol on my right thigh, the rifle in my back, and the gauntlet which is supposed to be a sword on my left hip.
Since I woke up in a capsule with this dark alien skin covering my body, I found out some of its specs. By focusing on a certain point of my body, I can make the black matter softer or harder.
I can also make it ultra-sticky or very smooth, so carrying weapons is not a problem I just have to focus and change the black matter proprieties when I want to take them out.
Once I was done equipping myself, I grabbed the little emblem floating above my shoulder and kept it in my hand. Behind me, the humans and the six unknown specimens were already lined up.
"Are you all ready ?"
The rifters behind all nodded their head, I was the only one answering.
"Yes."
"Perfect. Deployment in ten seconds.
Do not let your emblem go, keep it tight in your hand.
Nine,
Eight,
Seven,
Six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One..."
Before I could hear 'zero', a sudden flash covered the whole area where we were standing, and after a few seconds of haziness, we found ourselves opening our eyes in an unknown environment.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
We were in the middle of a clearing, around which strange plants were growing.
Everything we seemed able to see was of purplish-red color, as if we had a filter in front of our eyes.
The sky, although colorful, was strangely dark above a certain height and it was impossible to see beyond the clouds.
All around us, small red dust that looked like tiny snowflakes floated a few meters above the ground.
If the ship of the Scylla had an other-worldly vibe, this planet seemed to be from another dimension at first look.
'Gladia, is that the Singularity or the Void ?'
[It is not the Void, I'm sure of it. You don't have time to admire the scene, you are surrounded by hostile presences.
Energy level increasing...
BE CAREFUL !!]
'Hostile ? Wher..'
I couldn't even finish asking before a human Rifter in front of me exploded like a balloon, throwing bloody entrails at us before we had time to understand what was happening.
I didn't move yet that I already understood the previous Scylla's words : they didn't expect us to survive, because they sent us to hell.