Reaching beyond the Stars (F/GO)

Sorry for being late guys, I fell asleep before closing the vote.

Seams that this quest will go on, now to go back to writing the chapter.

AN:~Crash~*Appears with a sword and shield, fighting against tentacles*
Back! Back I say!!
*The tentacles retreat*

Well that has been dealt with (Turns to see the audience)...
… Yeah, procrastination is a bitch. I have been trying to get this chapter out for a long while and had to redo the interactions between these three various times.
The first sketch was of Olga, Marisbiri and Khororhoth. This one didn't work out because it seems I can't write a sociopath…good.
The next was just Olga and Khororhoth, but neither wanted to work with the other, so to the bin it went.
Two weeks of not wanting to look at the chapter, I reenter and an hour on it I remember another person who could be there.

Enter Trisha.

She allowed me to carry this whole scene, and now she will be in my heart for it.

Welp, here is the chapt–*the tentacles reappear suddenly*
… Me and my big mouth! *Grabs sword and shield again* WAAAGH!!

---

In one of the dining rooms of the Animusphere Manor, there were three people sitting at a table where the remnants of a finished breakfast were laid. One of them was a young male adult with black-brown hair, purple eyes and honey-tone skin. He was wearing a dusty purple cloak, black boots and fingerless gloves.

He was patiently smiling at the second person in the room, a girl with white hair, amber eyes and pale skin. She was wearing a black and amber shirt, black skirt and dark-brown platform shoes. The girl carried herself with the dignity worthy of a noble, if you ignored that her face was in a very deep shade of red.

The final person was a woman wearing a bluish-purple dress. Her blonde hair was tied into a bun with intricate twists while wearing half-rimmed tortoise shell glasses, and she had a riding crop at her side. She held a stern face and an aura of disappointment irradiated from her.

"Now that we have finished our breakfast and took time to reflect on recent actions,-" Olga flitched "- Mister Khororhoth, would you kindly explain why you just called Miss Olga your 'Student'? Because last I knew, Lord Animusphere tasked me with young Olga's education."

"Indeed! Her education as a Magus and inheritor of the Animuspheres Legacy shall continue under your tutelage. I would have originally let her be mostly had she chosen either of the other two options she had in the contract." Khororhoth the raised his hand as if holding something, and in a burst of purple flames , a series of papers materialized.

Olga's eyes widened and her face became white pale as she saw the paper that she had signed, and then all the implications of what she did in her carelessness hit her at once.

"This is the contract that little Olga signed, the Boons she chose and Conditions placed upon her are in the other papers."

With an unreadable pokerface Trisha took the offered papers and read through them one by one, and while there was no change on her face, from time to time she stopped as if rereading the same sentence again. Once she finished reading, she set the papers on the table and turned to look at her.

"Olga Marie Asmleit Animusphere, what have you done?"

Olga sat ramrod straight and answered. "I dismissed a blatantly obvious serious contract that was approved by my father Lord Animusphere as a joke, disregarding all the evidence pointing in the contrary, decided to choose based on preference rather than thinking properly, rereading it, checking for hidden clauses and not redoing the referred actions 7 different ways and with 12 different basic Mysteries!"

"And for that, you will spend the next month restudying all about contracts down to the last letter till all the proper procedures are engraved in your Body, Mind and Soul, UNDERSTOOD."

"Yes Madam!"

"Good" Trish looked back at Khororhoth. "Now Mister Khororhoth, I will need a detailed explanation about this contract, because some the terms, conditions, and above all, referenced facts are absolutely absurd, even if it is the legit Seal of the Animuspheres backing the contract, Mysteries included."

At that Khororhoth just smiled innocently. "And I can back my claims with a simple demonstration." He turned to look at Olga. "Student, would you be a dear and open the gate to the Grial, you just need to imagine a golden cup, say "Open Gate" and focus."

Trisha raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Olga, who took a moment to process what was asked of her and, with certain unease, proceeded to do as was asked of her. A few seconds later a distortion in space appeared behind her with a loud sound, which startled the girl and put her minder in alert.

Finishing his cup of tea to allow the girl and the woman a moment to gather themselves, Khororhoth sat up and started walking to the distortion. Before entering it he said "Chop chop ladies, the day is still young and we have to spend it wisely!"

Looking at the distortion and then at each other, they decided to check it with their magecraft and nothing out of the ordinary was shown, and that unsettled them more than anything, for they didn't detect a single droplet of Magical energy, Od, and above all, Mystery on or in the distortion, it was truly ordinary. As if the World itself acknowledged that the distortion belonged.

While Olga became paler by the second and Trisha felt her stomach dropping, from the distortion Khororhoth's voice was heard "Ladies we don't have all day, we both have commitments and while I respect you for checking and verifying, we are on a time table."

With caution, the two proceeded into the distortion and felt space shift. When they could once more perceive their surroundings, they became speechless, for there was a gigantic magical artifact before them.

"So…" Khororhoth watched them with an amused smile. "...believe me now."

Martial (one action)

[ ] Martial education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100
"We are gonna need you to bring you up to snuff if we want you to do your new job well, I will prepare some games for this one"

Reward: increase your base stat by 1d2 per threshold crossed.

[ ] Basic Forms (Unarmed Combat): DC 20
"Striking, kicking, throwing, grappling, holds, locks and ground fighting techniques, the essential and most basic of acts in the art of self-defense."

Reward: You will actually be able to throw a punch (Unlocks the Prowess Stat at 1).

[ ] Walking and Breathing: DC 80/150/250
A key concept in Magecraft and Martial Arts. Though mainly affecting one's physical fitness, it also plays a role in the strength of natural interference. The absorption of outer energy (breath of life?) to connect your inner world to the outer world.

Reward: First threshold (Body and Mind), Second threshold (Inner World), Third threshold (??????? and unlock Spirit actions ???????, Learning actions ??????? and Martial actions ???????)

Diplomacy (one action)

[ ] Diplomacy education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100
"We are gonna need you to bring you up to snuff if we want you to do your new job well, let's chat and try to convince me on your point of view."

Reward: increase your base stat by 1d2 per threshold crossed.

[ ] Education in the local Cosmological Beings: DC 50/100/150/400
"Let's talk about the local Authorities, better to know about them properly so you don't get on their bad side."

Reward: Can now research "The Outside of the Human Order {Gaia}", low chance unlocking "The Outside of the Human Order {Mooncell}", really low chance of unlocking "The Outside of the Human Order {Crimson Moon Brunestud}", infinitesimal possibility of unlocking "The Outside of the Human Order {The Crystal Valley}"

[ ] Talk with Father: DC 200
Ask about why he allowed this and what he both gave and received in exchange for this.

Reward: You will know the terms of the contract between Khororhoth and Father.

Stewardship (one action)

[ ] Stewardship education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100
"We are gonna need you to bring you up to snuff if we want you to do your new job well, let's see how well you do at management and construction."

Reward: increase your base stat by 1d2 per threshold crossed.

[ ] The 'Holy' Artifact: DC 200/300
You now have a dreadnought-class magical reactor core now, inspect it to see its quality and its functions, Khororhoth did say that the maker cut some corners.

Reward: A partial overview of the Greater Grail and unlocks Intrigue action "Searching for a land" and Spirit action "Reworking the Grail", possibility to get a full summary.

[ ] Bounded Field Theorem (General Fundamentals) (Practice/Making): DC 50
A topographic type of Magecraft that consists of knitting a network of Magical Energy and spreading it over a base area, such as a piece of land or a building, to create a mystic boundary line that separates the inside from the outside. Practice this craft by making some here and there. Synergies with Spirit Action and Learning Action.

Reward: Lowers the difficulty of some Stewardship actions, add 1000 progress to "Reality Marble".

Intrigue (one action)

[ ] Intrigue education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100
"We are gonna need you to bring you up to snuff if we want you to do your new job well, let's test how good you are at the game of cloak and dagger."

Reward: increase your base stat by 1d2 per threshold crossed.

[ ] Explore the Animusphere Manor: DC Variable
Even being the heir of the Animusphere, you really do not know your house all that much, so let's fix that!
(Warning! Some places can trigger events and one of them will do so INSTANTLY, beware…)

-[ ] The Gardens: DC 30/70/???

-[ ] The First Floor: DC 20

-[ ] The Second Floor: DC 40

-[ ] The Third Floor: DC 70/???

-[ ] The Fourth Floor: DC 60

-[ ] The Fifth Floor: DC 60

-[ ] The First Basement: DC 10/???

-[ ] The North Attic: DC 80

-[ ] The East Attic: DC 10/50

-[ ] The Central Attic (The Main Observatory): DC ???/???

Rewards: Variable.

Learning (three actions)

[ ] Learning education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100
"We are gonna need you to bring you up to snuff if we want you to do your new job well, let's test your learning capabilities."

Reward: increase your base stat by 1d2 per threshold crossed.

[ ]Magecraft Basics (Animusphere) (Theory): DC 10
Refresh your knowledge of the basics of your family's Magecraft to start into the advanced ones later on. Trisha will be disappointed if you fumble in this.

Reward: Lowers Spirit action "Magecraft Basics (Animusphere)" DC by 20.

[ ]The Scientific Phenomena: DC 0/50/100/200
Research about Science, which gathers the technology of the future humanity that Magecraft cannot reach, and expand your horizons of the possible and the impossible.

Rewards: you will not become a Technophobe and you will be able to track down the degradation of Mystery (To an extent), possible progress to ???????, low possibility of development of ???????, incredibly low chance of discovering ????????

[ ] Research Reality: DC 0/10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90
One of the Boons given to you by Khororhoth, he says this Boon is akin to having an extra Origin. You also have new insights about things you never considered before.

Reward: roll 1d800 +200 progress points per threshold reached.

-[ ] Inner World (Theory) (0/8500)

-[ ] Reality Marble (Theory) (0/5000)

-[ ] Textures (Theory) (0/15000)

-[ ] Miracles (Theory) (0/20000)

-[ ] The Human Order {Humanity} (0/20000)
If this one is completed, add 5000 progress to ???????.

-[ ] The Human Order {Alaya} (0/20000)
If this one is completed, add 5000 progress to ???????.

-[ ] The Human Order {The Counter Force} (0/20000)
If this one is completed, add 5000 progress to ???????.

[ ] Research Fantasy: DC 0/10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90
One of the Boons given to you by Khororhoth, he says this Boon is akin to having an extra Origin. You also have new insights about things you never considered before.

Reward: roll 1d800 +200 progress points per threshold reached.

-[ ] Illusions (Basics) (0/1000)

-[ ] Dreams (Basics) (0/5000)

-[ ] Fiction (Fundamentals) (0/3000)

-[ ] The Outside of the Human Order {Gaia} (0/100000)
If this one is completed, add 5000 progress to ???????.
Can't be done until Diplomacy action "Education in the local Cosmological Beings" is completed.

-[ ] The Outside of the Human Order {Mooncell} (0/80000)
If this one is completed, add 100000 progress to ???????
Same as above. It will be something for later down the line.

-[ ] The Outside of the Human Order {Crimson Moon Bruestrud} (0/100000)
If this one is completed, add 100000 progress to ???????
You don't need to care about this guy for a long while, there are things more urgent, important and immediate to deal with.

-[ ] The Outside of the Human Order {The Crystal Valley} (0/??????????)
If this one is completed, add 500000 progress to ???????
Hopefully we won't need to touch it, with luck, for 3 millenia.

[ ] Bounded Field Theorem (General Fundamentals) (Theory): DC 20
A topographic type of Magecraft that consists of knitting a network of Magical Energy and spreading it over a base area, such as a piece of land or a building, to create a mystic boundary line that separates the inside from the outside. Practice this craft by making some here and there. Synergies with Stewardship Action and Spirit Action.

Reward: Lowers the difficulty of some Stewardship actions, add 1000 progress to "Reality Marble".

Spirit (two actions)

[ ]Magecraft Basics (Animusphere) (Practice): DC 40
Put in practice all that you have learned up until now in regards to your family's magecraft, prove that you are ready for more advanced lessons.

Reward: Unlock Learning action "Magecraft, Advanced (Animusphere)" and Spirit action "Magecraft, Advanced (Animusphere)".

[ ] Bounded Field Theorem (General Fundamentals) (Practice/Application): DC 50
A topographic type of Magecraft that consists of knitting a network of Magical Energy and spreading it over a base area, such as a piece of land or a building, to create a mystic boundary line that separates the inside from the outside. Practice this craft by making some here and there. Synergies with Stewardship Action and Learning Action.

Reward: Lowers the difficulty of some Stewardship actions, add 1000 progress to "Reality Marble".

[ ] Possibility Culling (Mastery 0/10000): DC 0/10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90
One of the Boons given to you by Khororhoth, as it's now he said it will help me, but he also said that it's only working at 50% of capacity, rectify this.

Reward:roll 1d800 +200 progress points per threshold reached.

Personal (two actions) (Trisha will grill you those procedures, you won't have time for yourself)

[ ] Focus on a task. Add +10 to the chosen action (Can be taken multiple times).
-[ ] Which one.

[ ] Spend time with someone (Increase Bond).
-[ ] Trisha (Bond 2)
-[ ] Khororhoth (Bond 0)

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AN: ALERT!! I made a change to the chosen Contract. It's recommended to reread 'Prologue (Part 3) to check the changes.
And yeah, I'm BACK!!!

Okay, I shall start writing today at night or in two days, expect the update on Friday or later!

AN: Good God, that roll at the end…

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Basic Forms (Unarmed Combat): DC 20 | 45+20+5=70 Great Success!!

Fwoosh "Ha"

In the manor's gardens a bounded field was erected.

Fwoosh "Ha!"

Within this bounded field both gravity and time were distorted.

Fwoosh "HA!"

Outside of it gravity fluctuates from 9.780 m\s² to 9.832 m\s² and an hour has passed.

Fwoosh "Ha!"

Inside gravity is fluctuating at 9.832 m\s² to 9.884 m\s² and two hours and a half has passed.

Fwoosh "HA!" Fwoosh "Ha!" Fwoosh "HA!!"

"That's it!! Break!"

Olga sprawled on the grass and took large breaths, kick, punch, move, jump, grapple, this has been her routine for the last two weeks. The first hour was spent practicing katas of a martial art He described as "personally made for her" not that she believed it at first all the while correcting her if she did it wrong he has been incredibly gentle with her… not that that's important!, and then a 15 minute break.

"You have made good progress these last two weeks." Khororhoth passed her a towel and a water bottle, she grabbed the water first and drank small amounts, she learned her lesson after the first time not after the third and then accepted the offered towel.

"Hmph, this hasn't been anything extraordinary, as an Animusphere exceeding in all matters, even in something as crass as fighting, is a given" But even as she said that, Olga honestly was a little nervous about how easy the forms came to her. It wasn't really noticeable at first because she was more worried of surviving this hellish training than anything else.

And then the results of her training started showing at the end of the first week.

Five glasses broken, a door closed with too much force two times, pencils snapped in frustration… three Mystic Codes now useless…

… Trisha wasn't happy with that last incident.

She spent the remaining minutes of her break sitting there in the grass until her new teacher called her. "Okay, time is up, now to put into practice what you learned."

The second hour of the training was spent fighting against Him, and some puppets that He sometimes brings along.

She has yet to land a solid blow.

Rewards: You can now throw a punch and fight against a normal trained person (a black belt) equally (Prowess Stat unlocked at 2). All DC of "Walking and Breathing" lowered by 10. #

---

Diplomacy education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100 | 16+20=36 Moderate Success

Intrigue education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100 | 43+20=63 Great Success!!

Learning education: DC 0/20/40/60/80/100 | 49+20=69 Great Success!!

There wasn't much to say about her studies with Trisha, etiquette lessons, how to control your reactions and emotions with self-hypnosis and without, and how to perceive the given deceit of the magi around you.

Then there were the lessons that He was teaching you. How to listen to others, how to put yourself in the place of the other, trying to convince him of both my point of view and how to appease him.

I… I couldn't make sense of it, why would these things be important?

At least He did provide new insights on how to take more advantage of my studies.

Rewards: Diplomacy Stat increased by 3, Intrigue Stat increased by 9, Learning Stat increased by 12.

---

The Scientific Phenomena: DC 0/50/100/200 | 63+20+26=109 Crit-Overflow!!!
66+9=75 Immense Success!!!

Halfway in the second month of the year I spent some time at His side learning…

… How to use technology?

"Are you taking me by an idiot?" She said with an almost neutral face, if one ignored the twitch of her eyebrows. "The Animuspheres are the most progressive of families between the Lords, we use every advantage possible to reach and fulfill our ambitions." That there was a TV in her room is not factored in this.

He looked at her and rised a single eyebrow. "Do you blame me when the standard of even the most 'Elite' of Magi is a magical F.A.X., and while it is actually useful, I won't deny that there's no need to fix what isn't broken. But your entire culture is far too reactive, and as such, is going to get quite behind the times soon enough, nay, it is already behind the times."

I was going to tell him her opinion about it but I was stopped by him raising his hand up.

"And before you say something, let me give you examples."

And then he started explaining about the advancement of Science and its repercussions on Humanity. How the more people can be sustained by even less farmers and the more this advanced, the more exponential the growth rate and quality of life of Humans as a whole was. Which affected directly to how many hands there were to produce the machines and crafts that maintained that lifestyle and subsequently their free time.

Add some decades, enter automation by machines which require little support and supervision from someone who knows its usage, and after it is proven valid, make it a worldwide practice. Suddenly hundreds of thousands have either lost their jobs or have over half of their livelihood threatened. And then they are given a choice, or they adapt, or they get left behind.

Natural Selection does its work.

The majority go for greener pastures with other jobs that require manual labor or go to learn how to operate and make these machines.

But above all take into account the 'minority' of tens of thousands that go to understand these machines and the World around them. They, whose endeavor is to ease, save, improve and sustain the life of others, they, who use Science to archive this, plunge themselves to the know, to the unknown, to what once was considered Divine, Sacred, Unholy, Demonic, what ain't the realm of Humans for the goal of furthering Humanity understanding of themselves, the World and the Cosmos for its prosperity, its Survival.

…

"In 1991 the Cold War ended. Since then, how many Mysteries have died?" He asked me with an eerie calm look, *he wasn't smiling, it's the first time he ain't smiling*. "How many Old Magi families have fallen in the previous century? How much has Magecraft degraded since the Second World War?"

I had nothing to retort with, either those topics were things that Trisha hasn't covered yet or the few that did were dismissed soon enough from her curriculum, because why should an Animusphere worry about those below them or the disgraces that couldn't protect their lineage?.

So absorbed in myself I was, that his hand suddenly caressing my head came out of nowhere…It's nice… "Sorry if I was harsh, but your generation will have to fit themselves with very big shoes soon enough and I can have you going blind."

"... Okay." I said weakly and without any excuse to give.

Without further ado, Mister Khororhoth started to teach me about technology and Science, and while through the second half of the next month we had to put it to the side for other things, I was determined to come back to finish this later. There were some details and facts that didn't sit well with me.


Rewards: Congratulations, you ain't going to be a technophobe, and you can now track down the degradation of Mystery, to an extent. Progress to Science Boon. Development of Science Boon. Something is off.

---

Magecraft Basics (Animusphere) (Practice): DC 40 | 20+20+33=73 Moderate Success

Olga was feeling both trepidation and eagerness this day, because today starts a week-long test to see if she has mastered enough of the Animusphere's Magic Crest and the basics of Magecraft to allow her to start with more advanced Mysteries.

But mainly, her father is the one going to oversee her test! I can finally prove myself to him! Failure is not an option!

…

(A week later)

"Passable"

…
…
…

Olga was in her room, the curtains were closed, the door locked and the bounded field that muted the sounds was active.

Trisha will probably scold her later, but for now she needs time alone. So that none would see her tears.

Rewards: Learning action "Magecraft, Advanced (Animusphere)" and Spirit action "Magecraft, Advanced (Animusphere)" have been unlocked. You can passably perform the basics of the Animusphere Magecraft without supervision.

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Bounded Field Theorem (General Fundamentals) (Theory): DC 20 | 82+20+26=128 Crit-Overflow!!!
76+28=114 Double-Overflow!!!!
71+14=85 Astronomical SUCCESS!!!!!

Bounded Field Theorem (General Fundamentals) (Practice/Making): DC 50 | 44+20+6=70 Moderate Success

Bounded Field Theorem (General Fundamentals) (Practice/Application): DC 50 | 84+20+33=137 Crit-Overflow!!!
52+37=89 Colossal Success!!!!

Bounded Fields, any proper Magus of the Clocktower (Cause Rank and up) can put a basic one in less than an hour and I won't be of the ones outside this fact. I must get better.

Two types of Bounded Fields exist. The first applies a process on terrain, buildings, etc. to create a boundary between inside and outside. The second involves encircling a prepared component and then cutting the space off. The former includes wards that are used to protect a Magus' mansion or land, designed as defensive measures against other Magi, or security measures. The latter would include uses such as the encircling of a specific ground area using rope woven from hair imbued with Magical Energy, the drawing of magic circles, and so forth.

So in the fourth month I asked Trisha to focus on those studies and devoted all my resolve into them.

The theories that we read were reviewed trice, and with some commentary from Mister Khororhoth we streamlined some issues that were normally present in them.

Its making was nothing to write home about, we just stuck to the basics there.

Now its activation was where we applied some of the new theories, and it was a resounding success.

With all that done I focused on something that Trisha wouldn't have approved at all. The making of Reality Marbles.

It was just the basics of the theory that is widely known to all the families above Fes Rank. but it was informative nonetheless.

Rewards: Difficulty of some Stewardship actions lowered, Difficulty of some Intrigue actions lowered and revealed. Add 5000 progress to "Reality Marble".

---

Education on Contracts (Trisha)(General Fundamentals): DC 0 (Trisha was through) | 45+20+26+33+20(Very through)=144 Crit-Overflow!!!
70+44=114 Doble-Overflow!!!!
98+14=112 TRIPLE-OVERFLOW!!!!!
75+12=87 … Almost*

In January, Trisha spent the entire month grilling me all she could about contracts, from herself, from the Animuspheres, with father's approval of course, and from some outside sources that she pulled favors from.

In February, Trisha Evaluated me to the very last detail and I passed with flying colors.

It was… incredibly easy.

Of course I didn't say that outloud and just relished in Trisha's prising moved on with my studies.

In March, after Mister Khororhoth put a hold on my scientific education, he decided to give me contracts for, in his own words, "Heard about how well you did with those contracts from Miss Trisha so I want to test you myself."

Of course, the contracts he gave me were a little harder but nothing really stressful… at least the first and second week.

In April Mister Khororhoth proceeded to spend the time we had besides physical training focusing all on teaching me about contracts that he could realistically teach me. Each contract was exponentially harder than the last, but there was a strange pattern, some contracts were odd or weird, and even after I finished I asked Khororhoth to let me keep them. "Why?" he asked. I told him "There is something… off about them."

He proceeded to give me that eerie calm look once more *it was scary*. "I will fill Lady Trisha in on this, and yes you can take them, consider them homework."

In May, after finishing checking and revising the last details of the bounded field, Trisha joined Khororhoth in my extended education and started making odd faces when Khororhoth and I mentioned certain facts of what he was teaching. No time later she was grilling her as usual, but with an almost… Desperate energy into it.

And finally in June, after having devoted countless hours into figuring out what bothered her, she was able to crack down that there was a very innocuous Mystery in all of the contracts hiding some clauses! Only…

"Why is it still blurry?!" I shouted exclaimed at the paper in my hands. I have approached this Mystery from every possible angle, though now it's no longer hidden, one could neither make out what was written in it.

Mister Khororhoth and Trisha stood near her, one with its damn eerie calm face and the other with an unreadable poker face *It isn't shock nah ah, no way*.

"Because it's a Grand Rank Spell"

A sudden weight could be felt in the room after those words were uttered.

…She didn't notice when the contract slipped out of her hands in her shock, nor did she have the mental processing to care.

Rewards: Only the likes of Scathach and Altrouge Brunestud and Khororhoth could cheat you out of a contract now.

---

AN: Whooh, posted it just in the nick of time, and congratulations, the dice almost broke the quest in the FIRST turn.
I shall update the Character Sheet tomorrow.
Edit: Character Sheet Updated!

# Had to change the time frame from the original 3 months to half a year and had to change the progress made in that timeframe to be more realistic.