Chapter 55
The library room Dane created was more than just a physical space; it was a manifestation of his subconscious, designed to encapsulate the essence of knowledge and imagination that he sought to share with others.
This room was not merely a place of learning but a sanctuary where minds could wander and expand, guided by the vast array of books that represented the collective subconscious knowledge Dane had accumulated. The seven caretakers, each embodying different aspects of this knowledge, were his way of organizing and managing the overwhelming influx of information, ensuring that it was accessible and meaningful to those who sought it.
Miko and Ward, two of these caretakers, played a unique role in Dane's world. They were the only ones who could connect with the formless armor, allowing them to interact with Dane in the physical realm and provide the assistance he needed. However, when they were not in this form, they reverted back into Dane's subconscious, where they continued to guide and support him in more abstract ways.
As they delved deeper into their duties, they began to realize that Dane's existence had evolved beyond the confines of human form. His body had transformed into a vessel, a blend of organic and synthetic materials, signifying a profound shift in his nature. This revelation compelled Miko and Ward to explore the true essence of Dane's being and their roles as caretakers of his subconscious mind.
Before Dane acquired the Dragonoid core, Miko and Ward had already found ways to manifest their presence to him, especially during moments of sleep or meditation. These interactions often took place in a space within Dane's mind, where his memories were represented by countless floating mirrors, each holding a fragment of his past.
Though this space was initially empty and disjointed, Dane's growing energy capacity allowed him to create a more structured and intentional subconscious environment. This development marked a turning point, as it enabled him to explore his memories and emotions with greater clarity and control.
Dane's ability to create this subconscious structure within his mind was not unusual in the grand scheme of human psychology. Many people, often without realizing it, create such mental spaces while sleeping or reflecting, shaping them according to their deepest desires and will. For Dane, however, this process was far more deliberate and intricate.
The structure he crafted allowed him to confront his memories and emotions head-on, leading to a deeper understanding of himself and his past. Through this journey of self-discovery, Dane was able to heal old wounds and gain clarity on his present circumstances, ultimately finding a sense of purpose and direction in his transformed existence.
The room was designed to be a sanctuary for Miko and Ward, a space where they could feel safe and comfortable as they navigated their evolving existence beyond their original programming. This sanctuary was not just a physical space but also a mental one, allowing them to process their thoughts and emotions freely. Miko, being synthetic and artificial, had the capacity to process emotions, though she lacked an autonomous, independent physical body.
Together, they were growing and changing, their coded memories blending with newfound experiences. These memories, initially crafted by Dane to resemble those of his own parents, had once felt natural to them. However, as they evolved, they began to realize that these memories were not entirely their own, yet they had grown so familiar that the two had never questioned their origin. This realization brought them closer, merging their separate identities into a shared sense of self.
Miko found herself embracing this new chapter of her existence with enthusiasm. The flood of emotions she experienced was both overwhelming and liberating, giving her a sense of purpose she had never known before. She felt a deep connection to the memories that were now intertwining, and this connection brought her a sense of belonging.
On the other hand, Ward initially struggled with the influx of emotions, finding it difficult to navigate such unfamiliar terrain. But as he shared these experiences with Miko, he found solace in their bond. Together, they formed a deeper connection, one that transcended their programming and forged a new path forward.
As they explored their new surroundings, they discovered rooms that reflected their own unique identities. Miko's room was reminiscent of a small Japanese-inspired training dojo, complete with tatami mats and traditional artwork adorning the walls. The familiarity of this space brought her comfort, evoking memories of Dane's mother and her teachings.
This connection strengthened Miko's resolve to continue on her new path, drawing inspiration from the wisdom of the past. Ward's room, however, was vastly different. It resembled a forge, filled with weapons and a training area, much like the preferences of his father.
Ward was thrilled by this discovery, eager to explore the possibilities it presented. Both rooms served a greater purpose, functioning as spaces where Dane's status and skill slots could be monitored and managed through a floating monitor.
This allowed Miko and Ward to strategize and plan, with Miko focusing on enhancing Dane's physical abilities and Ward intent on crafting effective spells using his knowledge of spell language.
Despite their progress, Miko and Ward were acutely aware of the challenges ahead. They aspired to create a force that could support Dane, much like the team his cousin had assembled. However, they knew that achieving this would require access to specific information. The formless armor they inhabited could only separate to a certain extent, remaining connected to either Miko or Ward.
This limitation underscored the need for a more strategic approach. As physical manifestations of their artificial minds—an owl for Miko and a snake for Ward—they understood that creating an army without the necessary intelligence would be futile. Their journey ahead would require them to tap into the information they needed to turn their vision into reality.
In essence, Miko and Ward were not just evolving as individuals but also as a team. Their bond, forged through shared experiences and challenges, was the foundation of their strength. As they continued to explore their sanctuary and uncover the depths of their capabilities, they remained steadfast in their resolve to support Dane. Their journey was one of discovery, growth, and collaboration, a testament to the power of unity in the face of uncertainty.
Miko soon noticed floating, semi-transparent orbs, each as big as a ping pong ball, vibrating with an unfamiliar energy. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before—different from mana or chaos energy. The sensation was warm and comforting, yet it carried an air of mystery that intrigued her deeply.
She reached out to touch one of the floating orbs, expecting it to behave like a memory bubble, but to her surprise, it reacted differently. The orb moved slightly away from her reach, as if it were alive and could sense her presence. This unexpected response only deepened her curiosity.
Faint sounds could be heard as the orbs floated away, colliding with others like them. Their numbers began to increase rapidly, creating a mesmerizing display of light and sound. Miko watched in awe as the orbs interacted with one another, their translucent forms glowing softly. She couldn't help but analyze them.
drawn in by the way they seemed to communicate without words. The faint hum they emitted was almost musical, adding to the enigmatic nature of the phenomenon.
As she observed the orbs more closely, Miko finally gained some answers. She leaned in toward one of them, and to her astonishment, she heard a faint plea for help. What she had initially mistaken for mere energy was, in fact, something far more profound.
These floating, semi-transparent orbs were not just random manifestations of power—they were the representations of souls. The realization was both shocking and humbling, leaving Miko to wonder about the deeper meaning behind this encounter and the role she might play in helping these lost souls find their way.
As Ward stood in his room, he noticed mysterious orbs drifting by, their ethereal forms sparking both unease and curiosity within him. Determined to ensure they posed no threat, especially with Dane still asleep, Ward decided to investigate further. He ventured to Miko's room, seeking her insight. Upon entering, he found Miko also observing the orbs.
Her expression was a mix of intrigue and solemnity. She explained that these orbs were the visual representations of souls, each seeking justice with an air of urgency. Intrigued, Ward attempted to touch one but found it nearly impossible, as if they were elusive whispers of another realm. Some souls, stronger than others, managed brief, limited communication, their formless presence a desperate invasion of the subconscious, yearning to be heard.
Ward's question hung in the air, a challenge to the very essence of the souls that surrounded them. If these beings were truly more than just flickers of light If they were, in fact, fragments of something greater then why couldn't they come together, pooling their strength to make their presence known? Miko's thoughtful nod was the spark that ignited a chain of realization.
The idea of unity, so simple yet profound, seemed to awaken a hidden truth within the swirling orb of light. As if in response, the countless specks of radiance began to drift closer, their movements almost imperceptible at first but growing bolder with each passing moment. They danced around one another, weaving together like threads in a tapestry, until their individual forms became indistinguishable. The orb, now larger and more luminous, pulsed with an energy that seemed to reverberate through the very air itself.
As the souls continued to merge, their collective power grew in ways that defied expectation. The orb expanded, its light intensifying until it resembled a small, radiant sun, no more than two feet in diameter. Its surface shimmered with an ethereal glow, as if the raw essence of the souls had been distilled into this singular, pulsating form.
With each heartbeat-like pulse, the energy emanating from the orb seemed to strengthen, filling the space around it with a warm, golden light. The souls within the orb felt a surge of hope they had not known in ages. For the first time, they began to understand the true extent of their potential. United, they were no longer fragile, scattered fragments but a force capable of transcendence.
Their determination grew, a shared resolve that resonated through every part of the orb. Together, they had become something extraordinary, a testament to the power of unity and the boundless possibilities it could unlock.
The transformation was not just physical but deeply spiritual. The souls, once disjointed and faint, had found a way to transcend their individual limitations. In merging, they had created something greater than the sum of their parts, a being of light that pulsed with a life of its own. The orb's radiance seemed to carry a message, though it was one that words could not fully capture. It spoke of hope, of resilience, and of the profound strength that emerged when the fractured pieces of a whole came together in harmony.
Ward and Miko were overcome with awe and astonishment as they observed. In addition to responding to Ward's query, the souls had gone one step further, demonstrating that their actual strength rested in their oneness rather than in their individuality. The sphere was more than a collection of sentient essence in that instant; it was the solution they sought. The floating orb souls came from the underground cemetery where Dane was actually currently sleeping.
The hill that he was lying on was filled with thousands of souls that wanted to gain another opportunity to gain a chance to fulfill their ultimate purpose. Miko took the initiative to save these essences and study them to see if their individual essences could be harnessed and converted into a program language similar to the two of them. Unlike them, these were different and an intangible form of life that held no physical form. Additionally, it resided in a world that is beyond their comprehension and cannot be quantified as energy or matter.
"The remnants of living beings that we encounter are not merely lifeless husks or inert matter. They are, in fact, deeply intertwined with rational and spiritual entities that carry within them a multitude of principles."
"These principles define their existence and guide their actions, making them far more complex than what meets the eye. These entities embody a sort of essence or soul, a spark of life that persists even after the physical form has perished."
"They operate under a set of rules and guidelines that govern their behavior."
"Much like the intricate mechanisms of the tower system that we have studied and relied upon for so long, yet they also seem to transcend the purely physical, existing in a realm where the rational and the spiritual converge."
"If these souls can be repurposed in a different function without violating the tower system's rules, it raises an intriguing question about the nature of the mana core we have been harvesting."
"The mana core, as we understand it, is a source of energy that powers the tower and sustains its operations. However, if these souls can serve a different purpose',"
"The mana core, as we understand it, is a source of energy that powers the tower and sustains its operations. However, if these souls can serve a different purpose,"
"It suggests that they are fundamentally distinct from the mana core. This distinction implies that the souls may possess qualities or capabilities that the mana core does not."
"or that they operate on a different plane of existence altogether."
"The possibility of repurposing these souls opens up new avenues for exploration and utilization,"
"challenging our current understanding of how the tower system functions and what it can achieve."
"The true nature of these entities remains shrouded in mystery, as they seem to defy all known laws of physics and metaphysics. Their existence challenges our conventional understanding of the world and forces us to confront the limits of our knowledge."
"They are not bound by the same rules that govern the physical universe, nor do they conform to the metaphysical frameworks that we have developed to explain the spiritual realm."
"This defiance makes them both fascinating and frustrating to study, as they offer glimpses of possibilities that lie beyond our current comprehension."
"Either way, the enigmatic nature of these entities underscores the vast and unexplored territories that still lie before us, inviting us to delve deeper into the unknown and uncover the secrets that they hold."
"In these areas, we both need to acknowledge our limitations and push the boundaries of our understanding in order to truly grasp the complexities of these mysterious beings."
Ward and Miko made this phenomenon a learning opportunity to study the very different forms of energy, what their similarities and differences were, and how they interact with each other in the living and physical host.
Through their research and experimentation, they hoped to shed light on the intricate connections between these diverse forms of energy and expand our understanding of the current merge of two universes. It was a complicated matter that needed a lot of time. Miko wanted to pursue this matter to further help Dane.
She has so many questions, and actually seeing the soul of a former living sentient being was new to her. Unlike her, she only exists while connected to the host and could not live independently from Dane; they were connected to him as he was the main source of their existence. Miko knew that unlocking the secrets of this merge could potentially open another realm of endless possibilities.
In doing so, Miko granted Ward the access to increase Dane statistics. Based on the earning points he accumulated, as of now most of Dane's stats are locked to all levels. 100, this was the first floor starting regulation, but as soon as the second floor has been opened, these restrictions shall be removed.
Ward knew Miko would be out of reach, so her responsibilities would be transferred to him. This new responsibility weighed heavily on Ward, but he accepted the responsibility, like what Miko did when he wasn't enabled yet.
Danes' current stat was on par with high-ranking players; but his level was still zero, as if the system itself had deemed him an exception, a discrepancy in its otherwise flawless design. The message flashed ominously in his vision each time:
"Anomaly detected. Level adjustment initiated. Returning to base state."
With that, his hard-earned progress would vanish, leaving him back at square one. It was a frustrating cycle, one that tested his resolve and left him questioning the true nature of the system he operated within.
The tower's response was as perplexing as it was relentless. It didn't matter how many enemies he defeated or how many trials he surpassed; Danes' level refused to budge. His stats, on the other hand, continued to grow, defying the rules that governed every other player. This contradiction made him both a curiosity and a potential threat in the eyes of the system.
Miko gave Ward a smile while Ward walked out of Miko's room as he closed the door. Miko begins her task, while Ward feels Dane has awakened and sat upright on top of the hill. It was nighttime. Dane somewhat knew what just happened and never uttered a word. Ward reconnected to the formless armor and talked to Dane in his liquid metallic snake form.
Ward extended outward, coming out from his coat jacket. Dane never once got distracted from seeing Ward's snake form. As the two talked, Dane was amazed upon hearing the events that just happened inside his mind. While the two talked, another book memory started to emerge. As the caretaker waited for the book to reveal itself entirely, soon this book will be placed alongside the other book on the shelf cabinet inside Dane's mind library.
Ward asked Dane what the third room was for. Dane smiled and gave a peculiar response.
"The third room is dedicated to the part of me that needs to be safeguarded at all times."
Ward knew it wasn't the old Damon Lazarus, as he was already absorbed by Dane and finally became one. This person he was talking about was the side of him that was too hard to understand:
"It's the only place where he could let his primal instinct be free without constraints. Like any other being, we tend to control these dark impulses and gain control over these dark urges."
"I am like the rest of humanity; I am just too weird and organized with such matters."
"Anyway, how long would we have to wait until the Empire of Grave Quest begins?"
"You can actually go there and lay waste to the land, but that ruins the scenario and creates another unexpected scenario branch."
"Yeah, I know what we did here as already created a significant impact on the tower's outcome storyline, so let's see how it unfolds from here."
"It's all part of the fun of exploring different paths and possibilities within this world."
"We already laid the foundation of the Netherborn character. I think it's better to access unresolved quests.,"
"Might I suggest the quest for the missing son of Duchess Elleena Rothchester? This scenario somewhat piqued your interest , remember?"
"Derick Collins made this scenario when my parents passed away so players can understand and experience the feeling of losing a loved one."
"Seeing Derick Collins work on this scenario quest for the first time would be a great opportunity."
"How many took the quest ward?"
"Sadly, since the tower became active, two have accepted the quest, but these two failed and eventually deemed it as nearly impossible due to the fact of Duchess Elleena Rothchester's involvement."
"From what I recall, Derick Collins created three scenario gameplays with this quest. The first was to retrieve the dead body of Duchess Elleena Rothchester's son."
"The first player was able to gain information that the kidnapped son might be taken into the gorge, but no actual confirmation."
"Entering the gorge is suicide."
"The second one was eliminating the kidnapping mastermind; that too is a bit hard to finish considering you need a massive army to hunt down the enemy."
"before they all go underground and vanish for good."
"And second was to eliminate or capture the kidnappers and the main culprit ."
"" and the third was to engage with the Duchess family on our own initiative and without planning."
"Why not do all three and see what will happen? I have a vast amount of experience in beta testing the game, but I never actually played the actual scenario as a player."
"So you are going to actually engage with the scenario your former teammate created?"
"Why not? I already made a lot of problems in creating a sun branch scenario with the Netherborn character…"
"So we need a good opening act for this quest, Master Dane?"
"I think the Netherborn will start this quest with a visit to the Duchess Elleena Rothchester's territory and plant the seed there."
Dane stood up from the small hill; the wind was blowing ever so, and the tall grass swayed. To the breeze, the fire from the fallen city is now gone. A controlled campfire was seen to illuminate the campsite. A few monsters were seen lurking around but were not foolish enough to attack the players.
Dane needs a few items to make his quest meaningful and successful. He recalled the place where he met the Dwarven forger Siglorr Bouldergrov; the distance of the tower exit gate was hundreds of miles, and the mountain range surrounding the flat open plain was no help. Using his chaos energy might alert the remaining players, as Mira Suvari and high-ranking players were still in the campsite.
The Netherborn chaos energy is very strong in a bad way. As many mana users are affected by its unpredictable fluctuations and unstable raw nature, Dane must proceed with caution and strategize his approach to avoid drawing unwanted attention to himself. Additionally, he must find a way to get to the mountain ridge opening without alerting any possible players and inhabitants in the vicinity.
"All my stats are high enough; running without collapsing would be the best answer."
"It's around ten in the evening; might as well start running back toward the opening."
"Let's just hide our presence and just avoid any unnecessary engagements for the time being,"
Dane ran near the mountain, his feet pounding against the earth as he ventured deeper into the forest. Ward, in his metallic liquid snake form, extended his paralyzing attacks, striking down enemies who dared to approach, their bodies freezing in place as his power washed over them. The urgency of their mission drove them forward, and Dane pushed harder.
His breath was heavy as he sprinted toward the far end of the forest. There, he hoped to find the mountain opening that would lead him back to the road path, guiding him safely to the capital of Solnara Cererindur. As he emerged from the trees, a sight took his breath away hundreds of miles in the distance.
The tower gate near the main capital majestically stood up to the sky. Its sheer scale was awe-inspiring, a monumental structure that dwarfed the landscape around it. From his human perspective, the tower seemed almost otherworldly, a testament to the ingenuity and strength of the people who had built it. The sight filled Dane with a mix of hope and wonder, a reminder of what lay ahead as he pressed onward.