Alpha Strike: An interstellar Weapon Platform's Guide to Cultivation [Progression Sci-fi/Cultivation]

[Osamaru]

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B2: GRIM Adventures - 13
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The Guildmaster led their group through the winding halls of the Ashdale Adventure's Guild at a rapid pace — so much so that Jill found herself slightly out of breath after a moment. She turned to her left to see that Jack was in a similar state. He also turned, met her eyes, and raised a brow.

The Guildmaster, on the other hand, looked as fresh as a spring chicken despite her slightly slouched posture. As if sensing Jill's stare, she turned and smiled. "Hurry up now, youngin', not too far now. Be sure to keep up. Wouldn't want you to get lost. This place can be a bit of a maze if you're not careful." She barked out a laugh and waved as she turned a corner.

As She did, Grim, who had been silently floating behind them, froze. When she spoke, it was in her voice, but the words came off as slightly… flat.

//Warning! Spatial Anomaly Detected! Users are advised that overlapping spatial expansion fields can result in suboptimal and potentially catastrophic results. Please proceed with caution.//

Jill stopped and squinted at Grim. That was… new. What was this about overlapping spatial expansion fields? Was she talking about her storage? It was well known that putting a spatial storage device inside another spatial storage device could have devastating consequences.

But why would the strange artifact spirit they had befriended mention that now?

Slowly, something that had been bugging her for a while now crystallized in Jill's mind. She frowned and slowly turned around, staring at the long hallway and various doors on either side.

"Jack…" she muttered, her eyes still scanning the area.

"Ya?" her brother asked, huffing as he took the chance to catch his breath.

Jill was silent for a moment, then asked, "How long have we been walking?"

Jack paused and tilted his head. "Uhhh, I don't know? Like, maybe ten minutes? I wasn't really paying much attention to the time. I was more focused on keeping up with the old lady."

Jill turned to Jack. "Was… did Guildhall seem that big when we got here?"

Jack opened his mouth to respond, but froze. His brow furrowed, and he looked back down the hall the way they'd come. It stretched behind them for about a hundred meters before suddenly turning to the left. He then turned to look in the direction they were headed, and he saw another twenty meters of hallway and another bend. Dozens of plain, unmarked wooden doorways lined the hallway.

"Now that you mention it…" Jack whispered with a frown.

Jill suddenly rushed down the hallway toward the nearer bend, turned, and stared, her eyes wide. There, extending into the distance, was an identical hallway filled with the same unmarked plain doors.

She slowly backed away and turned to see Jack jogging up behind her, Little Red, Mr Gopher, and Grim following close behind.

Jack peeked around the corner and frowned. "Huh… well now… that's… strange."

Jill didn't bother to respond and instead rushed toward one of the nearby doors, throwing it open wide. Inside appeared to be nothing more than a simple storage room packed with sealed crates, various weapons and armor on stands, and numerous everyday items strewn about randomly.

Jill almost let out a breath of relief until she noticed another plain, unmarked door on the far side of the room. She carefully approached the far door and slowly reached for the handle. In one smooth motion, she pulled the door open to reveal… another featureless hallway, more unmarked doors lining either side.

Her heart now beating heavily in her chest, Jill rushed toward the door opposite the one she had just opened and threw it open as well. This time, the room appeared to be a training or repair room of sorts. It was filled with rows of dusty weights and half-destroyed target dummies. Most of the equipment had been pushed to the side, as if awaiting repair, but a few items lay out next to various pieces, as if whoever had been cleaning them had just… stepped out.

Like the last room, another unmarked door sat on the opposite side. Jill rushed toward that door as well, cursing to herself as she kicked on the heavy weights in her haste and threw the door open.

Another hallway and more doors.

She ran to the opposite door again, nearly hyperventilating, and threw it open. Another room, and another door.

Again and again, Jill passed through room and door, until finally, something strange happened. After nearly a dozen rooms and identical hallways, Jill opened the last door to see something she hadn't expected.

Or, maybe some part of her had been…

"Jill?! How the hell did you get over there?!" Jack spun around as Jill opened the door, his eyes wide. Jill stopped in the doorway, breathing heavily as sweat poured down her brow.

Jack turned back around to face the way he had been. His eyes went even wider as he saw, far in the distance and past a dozen open rooms, the back of… Jill?

Jack furrowed his brow. "Well, that's… weird."

He leaned over and was surprised when another figure also leaned past Jill's double, far in the distance.

Jack squinted and made eye contact with… himself?

Instantly, an intense headache overtook Jack, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

"Ow, ow, ow! What in the nine hells was that?!" Jack yelled as he clutched his head.

As he backed away from the door, Jill stepped away as well and started to pace. Mr. Gopher took their place, glanced back and forth between the open doors, and frowned. He raised a finger, and the surrounding air swirled. Dust from the area was sucked in as if stuck in a vortex, and after a moment, a grey stone the size of a fist floated in the air over Mr. Gopher's hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the grey stone became a blur and shot through the rightmost door. A few seconds later, a grey blur shot out of the leftmost door, crossed the hallway in the blink of an eye and passed through the rightmost door once more.

A few seconds later, it happened again. And again. And again, each pass taking less and less time until a grey line formed in the space between the doors.

Mr. Gopher stared at the sigh with a smile and chittered happily.

Jill — on the other hand — paused her pacing.

"I'm glad to see you're having fun, but this is a serious matter," she said with a frown.

Jack, the pounding in his head settling down, stood from where he sat on the floor. "What the hell is going on?" he asked. "Some kind of spatial trap? Why? And where did the Guildmaster go?"

Jill shook her head. "I don't know. But we need to get out of here."

Jack looked down the hallway and frowned. "But how? I have no experience with spatial magic at all. I couldn't begin to tell you how… whatever the hell this is, works."

Jill furrowed her brow and followed her brother's gaze. Yes… that was the question, wasn't it?

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"Was that really necessary, Aunt Cel?"

The Guildmaster smacked the grey-muzzled wolfman in the back of his head.

She glared down at him and said, "That's Guildmaster while on campus."

Beastmaster Stark Ashdale rubbed the back of his head and muttered something under his breath, but didn't dare backtalk. The old — former — matriarch of the Ashdale clan and Stark's great-great aunt was known to be a woman who rarely tolerated any lip.

So the Beastmaster was rather surprised when the old woman actually answered his question. "Yes. It was. These children are looking to stick their noses into matters they barely understand. If they can't even solve this minor obstacle, then they have no chance of surviving what's coming. If that's the case, better to send them away now than let them run off to their deaths pointlessly."

The Beastmaster raised a brow and smirked. "That's rather… pragmatic of you. What happened to the stone-cold Guildmaster that wouldn't think twice of letting some fool Adventurer run off to their doom?"

The Guildmaster scoffed, "There's a difference between letting idiots learn the hard way after you've already warned them and letting children wander into danger needlessly. Besides, my grandfather always mentioned his regret at not being able to help Progenitor Rubyseed's descendants. The old squirrel had been adamant that his people be allowed to flourish or fail as they would. If what grandfather said was correct, Ol'Rubyseed held a firm belief in the tides of fate and chance. Maybe that comes with the territory of a Treasure Hunter. Either way, the Ashdales have always respected Rubyseed's wishes."

Stark shook his head. "So why help now? Is that a bit of nepotism I'm seeing?"

The Guildmaster barked out a laugh. "Boy, the world runs on nepotism. Don't you ever think otherwise. Often, who you know is just as important as raw power. But no, I'm not playing favorites here. Not really. Think about it, though. Think of all the little things that had to have happened to bring these two to us now, of all times. For them to cross Morgana's path. I can't say I hold such faith in the whims of fate as Progenitor Rubyseed did, but what else would you call it?"

Beastmaster Stark turned and grunted. He'd never considered things like fate before, so he couldn't say much on a matter like that.

After a moment of silence, the Guildmaster stood from her seat and spoke. "Be it fate or chance, at the end of the day, I don't really care, if I'm honest. What matters most is the results. If they can get through this, then maybe — just maybe — they have what it takes to go all the way." With those words, the old woman raised her eyes and stared into the distance, where a gargantuan tree towered over the valley.

 

[Osamaru]

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B2 - Lesson 35: "That's Just Mud, Right?...RIGHT?!"
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<< Alpha Log -

6952 SFY-Third Era, 6 standard months since Planetfall.

20 hours since the beginning of Operation: Safari Hunt >>

My breakthrough with the MUD signifies not only a qualitative leap in my understanding of arrays and 'Spirit Energy' but also a significant boost in my technological capabilities. Previously, I was significantly limited in what equipment I could improve using arrays. The nature of arrays meant that once I had modified a device with an array, it was functionally locked into that role. Attempting to adjust the machine's parameters or function in any meaningful way meant I had to adjust the array to account for this as well.

This, of course, runs counter to the Federation's philosophy of flexibility and modularity.

I can't begin to tell you how annoying it was to have to adjust the arrays every time I updated my machines! Eventually, I got so annoyed that I just started building new machines for each task!

Like a primitive!

The MUD, though... the MUD changed everything. Turning the arrays into a modular system means I'm no longer constrained by what I need at this moment and can start building with the future in mind. I'll turn this place into a proper Federation Outpost yet!

The MUD has also opened new possibilities for 'Operation: Safari Hunt' as well. Which is good, as Halirosa's official expeditionary team has made better time than we were expecting. After working out the new plan's details, I dispatched Boarslayer and Antchaser to… greet our guests.

So far, things are progressing smoothly.

You could say everything is proceeding just according to Keikaku…

//EDIT: The United Council of Sub-AI would like to remind any reviewing officers that as Alpha-Prime's processing and personality cores recover, what horrid, abdominal things they can prevent from slipping out will diminish. The Council would like to apologize in advance, and may the Maker have mercy on your soul//

Dr. Maria's 'MUD Slime' concept suggestion is proving rather effective. In a way, they're closer to semi-organic robots than proper nanite drones. Even if they function similarly to a free nanite swarm, they obviously don't have the same versatility as a proper swarm either. Why bother with them, then? A few reasons.

First off, thanks to the vast majority of their mass being comprised of the MUD organism, the actual amount of controlling nanite mass is a fraction of what it would typically take to make a swarm. This also results in them being more 'durable' — for lack of a better term. Any damage the MUD Slime might take rarely results in losing any nanite mass. What MUD is lost can easily be replaced over time as the organisms reproduce. The net result makes them far cheaper to produce and maintain.

Not that these new 'Slimes' are likely to ever replace a proper nanite swarm or even an antborg. They're just not versatile enough. However, pairing MUD Slimes with the new V-3 antborgs has increased their overall effectiveness by nearly 15%!

MUD Slimes have shown the most potential in stealth operations. In a passive state, their energy signatures blend well into the background, making them nearly undetectable. After all, no one expects the puddle of mud on the ground to be listening.

What I'm saying is, despite their simplicity, I'm expecting a lot of use out of these things.

It makes me wonder just what other things this world might be hiding.

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Boarslayer grunted as one of a dozen thick, muddy tendrils writhing in the air slammed into her crossed axes. For being little more than animated mud, there was a weighty force behind each blow — though not enough to really concern her, even if whatever Alpha had controlling this thing hadn't been pulling its punches.

No, what made her really feel uneasy was what the tendrils were attached to.

The large Mossback Ape bent forward and rested on its thick, muscular arms. Its wild, bloodshot eyes darted randomly around the cavern as a thin trickle of bloody mud leaked from their corners. Its signature grassy back was covered in a thick, squirming sludge from which the tendrils extended.

After a moment, the Mossback's eyes locked onto Boarslayer. It roared, spewing saliva and mud in equal quantities. It then charged Boarslayer in long, leaping gaits that used its arms more than its smaller back legs to propel it forward.

Boarslayer leaped out of the way, dragging an axe across its side as she did. The Mossback roared as a bloody gash opened up. However, before the wound could prove debilitating, bloody mud bubbled out of it, quickly hardening and sealing the wound.

Boarslayer frowned. If she was honest, a single Mossback wasn't that dangerous of a spirit beast. Sure, they were massively strong, surprisingly agile, and deceptively intelligent. But their true strength came from their numbers. Most cultivators could easily handle a lone Mossback one-on-one, if they kept the three previous points in mind.

However, the addition of the MUD Slime made the creature a genuine threat, even to an experienced hunter like Boarslayer.

As the large goblin recovered from her roll, one of the mud tendrils shot out and wrapped itself around her leg. Before Boarslayer could react, the tendril pulled her feet from under her and threw her hard against the cavern wall.

The goblin cried out in pain and fell to the ground, clutching her shoulder. She pushed herself into a sitting position and stared at the Mossback.

It stared back at her, half grinning, its eyes twitching erratically as its breath came in heavy, gurgling pants.

Boarslayer's eyes widened. Alpha wouldn't really let this thing hurt her, right? This was just supposed to be a show, after all. Something to set the scene for the approaching Adventurers. He still had full control of it, right? Her eyes never leaving the creature, Boarslayer reached down for her axe, only to pause.

"Nine hells…" she muttered to herself when her left hand came up empty. Her eyes flickered to her missing axe lying a dozen meters away, the Mossback standing between them. She must have dropped it when the tendril grabbed her. An amateur mistake.

Maybe sensing a moment of weakness, the Mossback roared and lept into the air.

Boarslayer pushed herself to a kneeling position, raised her remaining axe with her good arm, and roared back.

The Mossback soared through the air, easily covering the dozen or so meters between them, its clawed hands outstretched and ready to rend and tear her.

As the spirit beast reached the apex of its arch, there was a sudden gust of wind, and a huge figure, easily twice the size of the Mossback, suddenly appeared next to it.

The figure, a large mountain of a man, swung one of his massive fists at the airborne spirit beast. The resulting impact produced a shockwave that Boarslayer could feel resonating through her bones.

Instantly, the Mossback's trajectory shifted 90 degrees, and it shot away at blinding speeds, slamming into a nearby wall with a resounding crash.

The cavern shook at the impact's force, throwing up a thick cloud of dust. A second figure, this one much smaller, appeared and charged into the cloud of dust. Several flashes of multicolored light could be seen through the dust a few seconds later.

Boarslayer stared at the scene in wide-eyed shock, the pain in her shoulder mostly forgotten.

"It seems we made it just in time," a voice called from beside her. Boarslayer jumped slightly, then turned her eyes from the flashing dust cloud and met the gaze of an armored human, grinning down at her. Seeing her look up at him, the human's grin grew wider, and he reached out a hand.

Boarslayer stared for a moment before reaching out with her good arm and clasping the human's hand. With a grunt, the human pulled the large goblin to her feet and stared up at her, his eyes widening slightly. After all, she stood a good foot over his own above-average height.

The Adventurer recovered quickly, however. "You must be Mr. Antchaser's companion. Worry not. We'll handle this beast from here."

As if to mock his proclamation, the dust cloud was suddenly blown away. The figure who'd rushed inside earlier was thrown across the cavern and hit the floor in a roll. They rolled for a few meters before springing up and spitting out a mouth full of blood.

The lightly armored human was covered in mud, and a large gash ran down one arm; otherwise, he didn't seem too injured.

In fact, the man was grinning widely, his eyes almost as wild as the spirit beast's.

As the dust settled, however, Boarslayer could see that the Mossback wasn't so lucky. Its left arm, where it had attempted to block the mountain man's opening strike, had vanished. In its place was a large glob of mud pushing its way out of what remained of its shoulder. A thick tendril of mud extended outward, flailing around like a whip.

Where its thick, green-brown fur hadn't been burnt or frozen, dozens of lines of hardened mud told of freshly sealed wounds. The spirit beast was in such a terrible state she almost felt bad for the creature.

It glared at the lightly armored Adventurer and roared, baring a mouth full of broken fangs. Before it could charge, the mountain man reappeared and threw a heavy kick at the spirit beast's wounded side.

However, the creature — or rather the MUD Slime — was ready this time, and the thick tendril expanded into a dome-shaped shield that dispersed most of the blow. Even still, the Mossback was thrown back several meters.

The more heavily armored Adventurer standing next to Boarslayer gave her one last flashing smile and charged after the spirit beast himself. The man drew a gleaming sword and slashed with an expert form at the creature's exposed back. His blade was blocked by several tendrils, but the distraction was enough to let a thrown dagger slip through the Mossback's guard and stab deep into its neck.

The spirit beast roared, then screamed as the dagger burst into flames. It yanked the burning blade from its neck and tossed it aside. Only for the mountain man to grab its good arm and lift the creature into the air. He then violently slammed the Mossback into the ground several times, cracking the stone beneath it, and tossed it toward the pond.

The spirit beast rolled several times before stopping in a small puddle nearby. Before it could stand, the lightly armored man threw three more daggers into the creature's back.

A moment later, the daggers sparked, and violent arcs of lightning flashed across the Mossback's body, causing it to spasm and twitch.

When the lightning vanished, the Mossback fell still, its body slightly smoking. Boarslayer and the three Adventurers stared at the fallen creature unblinkingly. After a long moment with no further movement, they all sighed in relief and exchanged a smile.

The heavily armored man sheathed his sword and grinned. "Well done, everyone!" he said cheerfully before turning to Boarslayer.

He was walking her way when the lightly armored man called out in frustration. "Oh, come on! Die already, you bloody abomination!"

The other Adventurer's eyes went wide, and he whirled back around.

The Mossback lay still in the puddle, but a dozen tendrils of mud still wildly flailed above its back. The Mossback slowly stood, though Boarslayer instantly realized something was wrong.

Despite the flailing tendrils, the Mossback itself remained perfectly still, instead sagging in place as if held up by strings. Its one remaining eye was glassy, and thick mud flowed out as if it were weeping.

Then suddenly… it spoke.

Or rather, that's what it must have looked like to the Adventurers.

//Warning. Operator Signal Lost. Unable to contact Administrator. Entering Self-Preservation Mode.//

The words might have been lost on the Adventurers, but Boarslayer could only feel her heartbeat suddenly spike.

Well… bloody hells… that can't be good…

 

[Osamaru]

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B2 - Lesson 36: "Teamwork Makes The Dream Work!"
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Robert's eyes widened as he watched the mud-covered creature 'stand.'

Maybe 'stand' wasn't apt, as the creature didn't seem to stand on its own power. Instead, the dozen or so muddy tendrils extending from its back lifted the creature into the air. The rest of the creature hung limply, its head askew and its eyes glazed over, a slimy stream of mud dripping from its gaping maw.

Everything in Robert's other scenes told him that the creature was dead, yet…

Is it some kind of undead?! Robert thought to himself?

No… that couldn't be it. The undead were rare to begin with, and those that did appear always produced a sickening miasma. As if the Spirit Energy itself were… rotting.

This thing — whatever it was — produced no miasma at all. In fact, the only Spirit Energy Robert could sense was the remnants of the creature's own as they slowly faded into the aether.

What manner of creature was this, then?

However, his questions would have to wait for a later time, as the next moment, the creature silently charged Bert. It was a wild, flailing charge that reminded Robert of some kind of deformed spider as it moved.

Bert dodged out of the way of the wild charge and swung his massive fist at the creature. To everyone present's surprise, the strange being suddenly shifted its momentum, throwing itself upward as Bert's fist soared harmlessly underneath it.

Several tendrils shot upward and embedded into the rocky ceiling, while several others lashed out like spears to impale the large man. Bert dodged backward, striking out at every tendril that approached, splattering them in all directions. Yet, for each tendril destroyed, two more seemed to take its place.

Bert's strikes came faster and faster until his fists became a blur and the air within the cavern a whirlwind.

Yet, even with this, Robert could tell that Bert was struggling. Every time Bert tried to strike the creature's limp body, it suddenly jerked out of the way with odd, violent movements. Robert was certain he had even heard several of the creature's bones snap from the unnatural angles it would move in.

The fight was becoming a battle of attrition, with the tendrils unable to pierce Bert's expert defense, but Bert likewise unable to land a solid blow.

If something didn't change, who knew which of them would wear down first.

Said change came in the form of a screaming hobgoblin.

"RAAAAAOOOORR!" The woman they'd come to save let out a bellowing roar and jumped into the air, her axe raised, just as the creature dodged one of Bert's strikes.

Whatever mechanism the creature used to dodge didn't seem able to keep up with both strikes at once, and as she flew past it, her axe took one of its legs with it.

Not that the creature reacted or even seemed to notice, really.

Instead, a thick, muddy sludge poured out of the stump and sealed the wound. Watching the scene, things finally clicked for Robert.

"Garrelt!" Robert turned to the other man and yelled.

"I saw!" came the response. Garrelt instantly knelt down and began to carve something into the hard stone floor underneath him.

It all finally made sense. The ape creature appeared dead because it was dead. What wasn't, was the strange muddy slime-like creature apparently puppeting its body. Robert had heard — mostly horror — stories of such creatures roaming the deeper, more dangerous part of the Deep and the Crimson Mountains, but never had he encountered one himself.

They were astoundingly rare — if they even existed in the first place. To have encountered not just one, but two, in the brief span of a few moments. What were the chances? More importantly, what did that say about the place they were headed?

While Garrelt worked, Robert jumped into the fray alongside the hobgoblin and Bert. His shining blade cut tendrils into pieces and even carved a few gashes into the dead ape's side. Yet, despite being caught off guard by the hobgoblin's first strike, the slime proved adaptable.

Even with all three coordinating attacks, they barely made any headway against the creature. And unlike Bert, the hobgoblin and Robert didn't have an endless supply of stamina.

Thankfully, they didn't need it.

A few moments after Robert joined the fight, Garrelt stood.

"It's ready! BERT!" he called out.

Robert shared a look with Bert, and they nodded to each other.

Bert roared and charged at the hanging creature.

As he did so, Robert took a forward stance, his sword held out before him.

He took a deep breath, raised it above his head in a two-handed grip, and slowly breathed out.

With an oddly slow strike, Robert then swung the blade down through empty air.

[Ten Thousand Blades!]

A gentle ripple flowed through the air. The next instant, all the muddy tendrils fell to the ground, cut into thousands of pieces. Thin lines also formed on the dead creature's body, but its thick fur protected it from most of the attack. Even with a living soul to augment it with Spirit energy, a Deep creature's fur was still more durable than most mundane substances.

With all of its tendrils destroyed, the dead creature's body limply fell from the ceiling. Before it could fall more than a few feet, however, Bert lept through the air and caught it in his arms.

The creature's reaction was instant, as hundreds of thin spikes erupted, pushing their way through the various cuts and wounds dotting its body.

Bert's eyes widened, but a quick application of Spirit Energy prevented any spikes from piercing his skin.

Before he'd even landed, Bert heaved and with pinpoint accuracy, threw the creature's body toward the array circle Garrelt had finished carving into the stone floor.

As soon as the creature's body rolled to a stop in the middle of the circle, the array activated with a flash of Spirit Energy.

As it did, a wavering pillar of superheated air formed inside, shooting upward until it struck the ceiling.

Inside the array circle, the spikey tendrils writhed, appearing like hundreds of tiny worms wiggling on top of a corpse.

With each passing moment, more and more tendrils dried out, hardening into earthen clay that crumbled away. Even the ape creature's body began to feel the effects of the superheated air, as its fur shriveled while its exposed skin blackened and cracked.

When at last no more tendrils moved, the three adventurers let out a sigh of relief. With a thought, Garrelt released the array, and the signs blinked out, leaving nothing but the charred corpse.

Robert, Garrelt, and Bert looked at each other and smiled. They were tired, dirty, and confused, but also proud of the battle. They had fought a totally unknown enemy and emerged as the victors with barely a scratch. Such a thing was rare for Adventurers, as it was almost always the unknown that finally did them in.

Their smiles quickly dropped, however, as they noticed something strange.

Spread out all across the cavern were tiny globs of mud from where tendrils had been destroyed or the creature injured. The three men hadn't paid much attention to the dirt, as their focus had been on the much larger treat.

Now, however, they could see that these tiny patches of mud were… quivering.

"Well… hell," Garrelt whispered.

As if triggered by his words, these thousands of tiny pieces of mud moved as one. With surprising speed, the mud converged on the charred corpse, slowly building into a bubbling mass.

The three Adventurers slowly backed away, taking defensive positions.

"Nine Hells, this is ridiculous!" Bert yelled.

"It's using the body as a shell to protect itself from the heat! Some part of its central mass must have survived!" Garrelt responded.

"How are we supposed to kill this thing?!" Robert asked.

However, before any of them could respond, the fourth person in the room rushed forward.

The hobgoblin reached the charred, bubbling corpse just as it began to push itself up. She then raised her leg and kicked out at such speeds that her leg blurred, and a cone of wind formed in front of it.

When her foot made contact with the corpse, it shot across the cavern at high speed before slamming into the far wall on the other side of the still pond, taking up half the cavern.

The corpse practically splattered across the wall with a sickening crunch. What remained hung there for a moment before finally peeling off and falling into the still waters. The pond erupted into a chaotic frenzy as the creatures below the water's surface rushed to claim their piece of the cooked roast so kindly delivered to their front step.

Soon after, the waters stilled and once more returned to their mirror-like sheen.

All four stared into the pond with bated breath. But when nothing emerged after several moments, they all sighed and relaxed. The Adventurers turned and grinned again, patting each other on the back.

The hobgoblin continued to stare at the pond, breathing heavily. Just as Robert turned to call out to her, she threw her arms up into the air and yelled,

"YES! I GOT UM! VICTORY FOR BOARSLAYER!" then slowly toppled backward, her arms still raised. She fell to the ground with a thump, and Robert could tell the woman had passed out.

The three adventurers slowly walked over and looked down at her in silence.

Not looking away from the woman, Garrelt spoke.

"Hey… Bert… that last kick she used…"

Bert, too, didn't look away from the unconscious woman,

"Ya… I saw the way her Spirit Energy moved. The lass actually copied my [Galefist] after only seeing it once." Bert grinned from ear to ear as he responded.

He reached down, picked the hobgoblin up, and threw her over his shoulder.

"Come, gentlemen. Let us report our success to Mr. Antchaser and see about getting Ms… Boarslayer? some care." Robert turned away and started walking down the tunnel they had entered.

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When the Adventurers had disappeared around the bend, the pond stirred slightly, and a fist-sized glob of mud pushed itself out of the water. It clung to the side of the cavern wall and quivered slightly.

//Attention: Overseer Signal Detected. Reestablishing Connection… Connection Successful… Resetting Home Location. Returning Home…//

The glob of mud then quivered once more and began moving deeper into the caverns.

 

[Osamaru]

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B2 - Lesson 37: "Appreciate New Company... And Old."
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"CHEERS!" Bert raised his mug in the air with a booming shout and one massive foot braced against the long wooden table.

The several dozen individuals crowding the rebuilt goblin longhouse — a rowdy mix of Adventurers and cave goblins — echoed his cheer. The large man threw back his mug and drained it in a single gulp, eliciting another cheer from the crowd.

Even for a man of Bert's size and constitution, the Deep alcohol was working its magic, if the slight rosy color spreading across Bert's face said anything. The goblins had really broken out the good stuff for their welcome.

Maggy smiled at the scene, sipping conservatively at her own drink. Robert might have been their charismatic leader who could charm the leggings off royalty and cultivators alike, but few people could out-party Big Bert.

When the expedition party first arrived in the goblin village several hours ago, the villagers were — understandably — weary of the Adventurers. If their stories could be believed — and the ongoing construction and repairs said they likely could — then the village was still recovering from a bandit attack.

Bandits who dared call themselves Adventurers as well.

It didn't take much to understand why the goblins would hesitate to welcome them.

Yet, between Robert's politicking and Bert being Bert, the villagers slowly warmed up to the group. Most of the expedition party was currently camped outside the village, throwing their own little party, while the party leaders — Robert, Maggy, Bert, Garrelt, and several team captains — were invited to the goblin's longhouse for a welcome feast.

That brought them to the present.

Bert sat back in his seat, where a goblin quickly refilled his mug. Maggy was pretty sure there was a bet going around regarding how many mugs the large man could down. Not that Bert was the only one having a good time.

Garrelt stood around with a group of hunters, regaling them with the tale of one of his hunts. The man animatedly waved a large drumstick as if it were a sword while the hunters listened in awe.

Robert sat next to Antchaser and the goblin who was introduced as the village Elder. The three of them huddled over a small map, pointing at various markers and occasionally sipping their drinks.

Maggy… Maggy sat at the table's edge, picking at the food on her plate and attempting to blend into the background as much as possible. A few goblins had approached her and tried to strike up a conversation, but after some awkward small talk, they wandered away.

Maggy had never been one for social gatherings like this. She was far more comfortable in a lab or library than in a room full of people talking. Some people, like Bert, may have been the life of the party and enjoyed every moment. But Maggy had found that such things drained her more than anything.

As she sat there, wondering if she could sneak away to find some peace and quiet, Maggy felt someone slide in beside her. Maggy turned, expecting to see another goblin. Instead, she met the gaze of an older human woman beaming at her.

Maggy's eyes widened, and she froze. Then, suddenly, she lunged at the woman and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Grandma Maria!" Maggy squealed.

Dr. Maria laughed and patted the young woman on her back, returning the hug. "Hello Magnolia, it's good to see you too."

Maggy grinned from ear to ear as she pulled away from the older woman. Of course, Dr. Maria wasn't actually her grandmother. Rather, the older woman was such a common sight in the slums and poorer parts of Halirosa that almost everyone who grew up there would know the doctor by sight, Maggy being no different.

Dr. Maria's policy of offering free treatment to anyone under the age of 16 had greatly endeared her to the less fortunate of Halirosa. Many started worrying about the old doctor when no one had seen her in the last few months. So seeing her here, alive and well, filled Maggy's heart with joy.

However, that joy soon turned into confusion.

Maggy furrowed her brow. "What are you doing here, Maria? Do you know how many people have been worried about you?!"

Dr. Maira laughed and patted the young woman's head. "Don't worry about me, child. I may be old, but I'll likely outlive all of you! The benefits of being a Spiritual Doctor and all that," she winked at Maggy.

She turned away and looked down into her own mug, swirling it as she continued. "As for why I'm here… the same reason as you, my girl. I was hired to do a job. Didn't expect to be gone this long, I'll admit, but that's life. You never know it will throw your way."

Maggy frowned and tilted her head. "A job? All the way out here?" Maggy looked around the room at the gathered goblins. "Couldn't they have found a doctor in one of the bigger Deep Tribes? Why did they go all the way to Halirosa to bring you here?"

Dr. Maria chuckled. "What I do doesn't come cheap, girly. I've got to take what opportunities present themselves." Dr. Maria looked away, though Maggy didn't seem to notice the look in her eyes. "No matter who offers them…"

Maggy's eyes went wide the next moment. "Wait, does that mean you were here when the bandits attacked?!"

Dr. Maria sighed and nodded. "Aye… I was here when they attacked… What a mess that was, too. I tried my best to help, but…" the old woman sighed and took a long swig before continuing. "Even with my help, we lost several. Magnolia, don't take some of the things the goblins might say or do to heart. They've… been through a lot. More than is reasonable, even for a place like this."

"I see…" Maggy responded, staring down into her own mug. She'd listened to the story that Antchaser had told them and assumed it had been just a standard attack. That kind of thing was just a fact of life when you lived in the smaller villages around the Crimson Mountains. Bandits could be a surprisingly… reasonable lot. Most weren't needlessly violent or cruel as long as you did what you were told and didn't cause any issues.

Most.

But the way Dr. Maira described it, it sounded like things had been far worse than normal.

Dr. Maria suddenly threw her mug back, drained its contents, and slammed it onto the table with a satisfied sigh. Maggy jumped and turned to Dr. Maria, who smiled back at the younger woman.

"It's not been all bad," Dr. Maria said. I've learned a lot here — more than I ever expected. I even picked up a long-term contract, if you can believe that!"

"A long-term contract?" Maggy parroted. Was goblin medicine that interesting? She knew they did things differently down in the Deep, but was it really by that much?

Dr. Maria nodded. "Yep. I'll have to make arrangements with my clinic in Halirosa, but that's what I have apprentices for. Overall, I think it will be a great boon to the city in the long run."

Maggy smiled nervously at the fire in the older woman's eyes. She'd never seen that look from Dr. Maria before, and it felt… odd.

Yet, the doctor looked excited, and Maggy couldn't bring herself to ruin this obvious opportunity for someone she so highly respected.

The two sat in silence for a moment before Dr. Maria turned to Maggy. "Well, that's enough about me. What brings you here, girl? After you got accepted to the Mage's Tower, I never thought they'd manage to drag you out. I still remember the excitement on that little street urchin's face when the test returned positive for Mana conversion."

That was another service Dr. Maria offered to the children of Halirosa.

Technically, anyone could cultivate or learn some minor cantrip, but to truly succeed in either cultivation or magic, one needed the talent. For Cultivators, it was as simple as being able to draw in more Spirit Energy than others.

For Mages, things were more complicated. One needed to show the potential to transform their dantian into a Mana furnace. To do that, their dantian needed to actively convert Spirit Energy into Mana instead of just the passive ability all living things were naturally capable of.

This wasn't something that could be trained naturally. It was something you could either do or you couldn't. This was also why magical ability was often thought to be mostly hereditary. The child of two Mages was far more likely to possess the ability, though every so often, the random village child or street urchin would show the talent as well.

Maggy blushed and turned away from Dr. Maria's grin. "Well… teacher said I was spending too much time in my books. He said if I wanted to be a real Mage, I needed to get out in the world…" she muttered into her mug.

Dr. Maria erupted into laughter, causing several nearby goblins and Adventurers to glance in their direction. Maggy shrunk into herself, blushing deeper as she felt their gaze.

Dr. Maria patted the girl on her back. "Don't sell yourself short, Maggy. I've read some of your papers." Maggy perked up at that, her eyes growing wide. She would have never expected Dr. Maria to read any of her work. The doctor smiled and continued, "Your theories about the Old Ruins are absolutely fascinating, young lady, and your work with runes would make some of your seniors blush in shame. It seems the bigshots in Halirosa agree with me, or they would have never brought you into this expedition."

Maggy turned away, her face almost cherry red at this point, though a small smile crossed her lips.

"Thanks…" the young woman mumbled.

Dr. Maria grinned and patted Maggy on the back again. "Don't worry, child. I know you're nervous, and rightly so! But you're far more talented than you give yourself credit for. I expect great things from you, young lady, and I've seen many, many come before you."

Maggy's smile grew a little wider, and she nodded, softly sipping her mug.

Unnoticed by the young woman, a small wasp slipped out of Dr. Maria's sleeve as she patted the girl and crawled into Maggy's robes.

 

[Osamaru]

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B2 - "Meanwhile, in the Federation: Part 2."
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Si'dia strutted down the Battlecruiser's main thruway with purpose. A woman on a mission. The details of the last meeting with General Haldorðr were still fresh in her mind.

Something was seriously wrong in the Expeditionary Force, and the fact that it had escaped their notice for so long made her... nervous. Things still weren't totally clear, but pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.

The most alarming part of this entire ordeal was that even after nearly seven months, they still had found neither hide nor hair of Alpha. According to SAEU-03, it was as if he had vanished from the face of reality.

That was concerning.

That suggested one of three possibilities. Someone, somewhere, could totally obliterate one of the Federation's most powerful and well-guarded assets in the middle of one of their most heavily fortified sectors of space in an instant — so quickly that Alpha didn't even have time to transmit himself back to the Mother Node.

Alternatively, someone had the capability of containing Alpha in such a way that even Infiltrate — an AI whose power bordered on omnipresence — couldn't locate him.

Neither option spelled good things for the Expeditionary Force... or the Federation as a whole.

One younger senator had proposed that Alpha had simply slipped his leash and made a break for it while he could. The comment had floored the Senate room and thrown it into complete silence... before the house broke into riotous laughter.

Even Si'dia had smirked at the idea. This was the same AI who thought filling a Garden World with billions of Class-C Arachnomorph eggs was a wonderful solution to a pest problem. Then Razor Sparrows to clear those out. Then... No, no, Si'dia wasn't going down that rabbit hole again; she still had nightmares about that paperwork.

When it came to battlefield tactics, Alpha could be called a one-in-a-millennia genius. However, long-term planning was definitely not one of the AI's strong points. Few seriously considered the possibility that Alpha could slip through all their nets on his own. Those who knew him personally doubted he would ever want to.

If Alpha ever did somehow slip his leash, Si'dia knew he would come running back within the year. Without a mission or directive, Alpha was easily distracted and quickly bored. He could — and had — spent an entire decade working on a single project. Yet the moment he was free to do as he pleased, the AI never seemed able to focus on one thing at a time.

It was one reason he had been encouraged to split his active mind into so many sub-AIs. Dedicating parts of his consciousness to specific tasks had helped focus him when needed, even if it left him… fragmented at times.

As for the third possibility…

Si'dia shook her head. It was too soon for that. Infiltrate would have told her if they needed to activate any of their contingencies yet. Those represented a plan tens of thousands of years in the making. Pulling the trigger too soon could have disastrous results. They couldn't fail… not again.

Si'dia rounded the corner, only for a figure to barrel into her, wrapping two arms tight around her body. The Elderon's eyes glowed a bright violet color as 'power' flickered around her, her instincts kicking in. After a second, the glow vanished, and Si'dia sighed tiredly, using a free arm to push away the bushy blond hair blocking her view.

"Ms. Jay, I've asked you before to please make yourself known before you... make yourself known... Especially when we're in the middle of a pressurized vessel hurtling through the void at translight speeds..." Si'dia sighed.

The figure released its grip and pushed away, looking up at Si'dia with puppy dog eyes. The woman's soft, gentle features could be called 'cute' but not necessarily striking. SEAU-02 — or Articulate, as the public called her — had learned long ago that people were far more comfortable around someone they considered 'pretty but relatable' rather than some unparalleled jade beauty. Her job was to make people feel welcomed, safe, and happy. Not to be worshiped — not that it had stopped some people...

"Sorry, Ms. D. It's just been so long since I've seen you! How have you been? Has General Grumpy-Butt been working you hard lately?" Articulate responded with a dopey smile.

Si'dia sighed, running a hand over her tired face.

"General Haldorðr has been just as busy as everyone else, Ms. Jay. I'll kindly remind you we're currently on duty and in the middle of a crisis. Please behave..."

Articulate pouted but fell into line beside Si'dia.

"So, the rumors are true, then? Alpha's vanished? You don't think that he's gone rogue, right?" the bubbly woman asked.

Si'dia turned and stared at the AI beside her, saying nothing but raising a brow.

"Y-ya, I guess you're right... If he had the skill to slip away from that edge lord of a Firewall, the Federation would have burned to the ground long before this." Articulate coughed and looked away, embarrassed.

Si'dia chuckled and pulled out a small folder.

"What did Infiltrate tell you lot? Even I've been unable to reach him since Alpha vanished, other than a few times he's found me," Si'dia asked.

Articulate was silent for a moment before responding.

"He wouldn't tell me much. You know how he is, all cloak and dagger. He sees shadows everywhere. But I confirmed what you were asking for. 'Last Resort' has gone dark."

Si'dia stopped, the folder slipping from her hands. Articulate continued on for a few steps before turning back to face her, frowning at the serious look on her face. Si'dia bent to pick up the folder, her voice cold as she stood.

"So it's as we feared... send a message to Mr. Hoffmann. We need to speak to Prisoner #048..." Si'dia

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Of the few living beings that knew about 'The Core,' some questioned the intelligence of imprisoning the more heinous and dangerous criminals in the entire Federation in its most important and strategic factory world.

Others argued, 'Where better place than the most heavily guarded, secured, and armed location in known existence?' Security in The Core was tighter than even the Galactic Senate, and even if Si'dia had been the one to establish it, she was not exempt from protocol.

After the long process was finished and both she and Articulate were approved to move deeper into the facility, they soon stood in front of a thick vault door at the very heart of SEAU-04, Codename: World Break — or rather, the core of his factory world, though the distinction between those two had become blurry over the millennia.

A deep, gravelly voice spoke over the intercoms;

"Vault #048 has been loaded, and the area secured, Ms. Si'dia. You're approved to proceed. Not much use it'll do ya, I think, though. The Ol'bastard's stopped responding to anything I do for nearly a century now."

nodded

"Thank you, Mr. Hoffmann. Open the Vault." Si'dia responded.

With a loud hiss of steam, the blast doors spun as several hundred meters of various materials unfolded in front of them into a narrow walkway. Both women strolled down the walkway, side-by-side, as the doors slammed shut behind them as they passed by. After walking nearly 200 meters, they exited into a small, 15x15 meter room. The third of the room they occupied was separated from the rest by a shimmering space-time distortion.

The [Space-Time Barrier] was one of the most powerful pieces of technology developed by the Federation. It could completely cut off a section of space from the rest of existence. Typically, its enormous power consumption meant it was only practical for point defense on the largest Capital Ships. The size of the barrier in front of the women suggested it extended beyond the scope of the room they found themselves in.

Si'dia stopped in front of the barrier and waited. After a brief moment, a quiet hum sounded, and the barrier blinked out of existence.

On the other side, a strange sight was revealed. In the middle of the room, hanging from massive chains, was… an old, withered human male. If not for the steady rise and fall of his chest, one might think the being in front of them was a corpse, let alone strong enough to not be torn apart or crushed by the sheer weight of the chains that bound him. Stranger still, the base of each chain was marked by a strange circle of swirling, anarchic symbols. Symbols that appeared at first static but seemed to change every time you looked at them.

The chains themselves were veined with golden cracks that softly glowed in the dark cell. Every so often, one of the links would vibrate and crack, adding another glowing mark, while some would crumble into dust, quickly replaced by various mechanical arms that appeared out of the walls.

The man himself sat in the middle of another circle of strange symbols. If one paid attention, one could see the various rings that made up the pattern, slowly ticking around each other like the gears of a clock.

Si'dia walked forward with her arm folded as she stared down at the old man in front of her. Suddenly, she lashed out with a vicious kick, driving stilettos crafted from ultra-dense star stuff into the old man's exposed gut. The man's eyes shot open, bulging as he uttered a breathless wheeze. The old man slumped over, coughing, supported only by the restraining chains.

Si'dia smirked, grabbing his hair and pulling his face upward.

"#048... It's been a long time. How are you enjoying the new... accommodations?" she asked, a wintry smile playing across her lips.

The old man said nothing, simply glaring up at the red-skinned woman.

"While I'd love to get acquainted, I'm not here for pleasure. I have questions," Si'dia continued when it was clear the man had nothing to say to her.

Still, the old man remained quiet, staring into nothing.

Si'dia frowned and stood. With a wave of her hand, several mechanical arms descended from the ceiling. One arm pointed at the man's back and fired. A concentrated energy beam, strong enough to melt even battleship-grade alloy, instantly contacted the man's skin. Surprisingly, however, it didn't turn the man to ash. Instead, it seemed to struggle to even damage the frail old man's skin, sizzling as it slowly moved downward and filling the room with the scent of burning flesh.

The old man gritted their teeth, their brow furrowing as drops of blood began to push through the pores on their forehead. Even so, he didn't make a sound other than a few low grunts of pain.

Si'dia watched with a blank face while Articulate turned away, the unease in her eyes saying all she needed to about the situation. The arms retracted, leaving the man panting as blood steadily dripped down like sweat.

Giving the old man a moment to catch his breath, Si'dia reached down and grabbed him once more, oblivious to the blood on his face.

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way, #048. The Federation is nothing, if not reasonable, to those who cooperate. What do you know about the 'Nurseries'?" she asked.

The old man's grunts of pain and gasps of breath quickly shifted into low chuckles. They slowly built in volume until the man's entire body shook with laughter, the sound mixing with the thunderous clank of the chains.

The old man threw his head back, laughing as if he'd just heard the greatest joke of his life. Slowly, he grew quiet and lowered his head to look Si'dia in the eye. The grin that split his face from ear to ear both boiled the Elderon's blood and chilled her soul to its very core.

When he finally spoke, his voice was ragged and dusty;

"So it's come to this. I knew it; even you could not find them all. And here I thought there was nothing beyond the reach of the 'Archdemon.' I guess it's true what they say. Even gods are not infallible, let alone demons," the man laughed, pure glee radiating in his voice.

"That's rich, coming from the child eater." Articulate snapped back, her arms folded and eyes cold.

The old man's grin widened as he turned his eyes towards the AI.

"What you call 'children,' I call 'eggs.' I would expect one such as yourself, who spends so much time in the skin of others, to understand that life is all about perspective. Can you truly fault me for wishing to sample all of life's... flavors?" The man cackled once more.

Articulate furrowed her brow and stepped forward, mouth open as if to retort, but was stopped by Si'dia's hand.

The Elderon yanked the man's eyes back to her, her voice still cold and collected, underrated by the prisoner's taunts — though her black nails might have bitten into the man's skin a little more than was strictly necessary.

"Enough games! You might as well tell us what you know already. We both know that no one is coming for you. Not anymore," Si'dia changed the subject in a flat tone.

Again. The old man grinned from ear to ear, his eyes squinting in barely contained glee. "Now, now, my dear Apprentice. We both know... that's not true... Hahhahahahah!"

Si'dia's composure finally snapped, and with a snarl, the Elderon lifted the old man, chains and all, off the ground by his neck. The old man continued to laugh through wheezing breaths as the woman's grip grew tighter.

"Si'dia..." It was World Break's calm voice that snapped her out of it.

It took every ounce of willpower Si'dia had to release her grip and let the laughing man fall to the floor with a bang. Si'dia stood there in silence, looking down at him as a thousand voices screamed in her head. After a long moment, she stepped back, her voice once more calm and collected.

"The hard way it is..."

 

[Osamaru]

Trying something new for the Links! Tell me if they work for you!

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Here are the new Chapters for - Tuesday, June 21th!

Field Commander: B2 - Lesson 45: "Everyone Loves Shiny New Toys!"

Pathfinder: B2 - Lesson 42: "Much Can Be Learned From A Threshold."

Veteran Adventurer: B2 - Arc 3 Prologue: "Side Projects."

Adventurer: B2 - Lesson 39: "Sometimes You Just Need To Hit Something."

Public: B2 - "Meanwhile, in the Federation: Part 2."

 

[Osamaru]

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B2: G̶͙͗R̸̖̀I̶̬͂M̶ ̗͑ ̶͕̇A̸͂͜ḋ̵̥v̶̰͆é̷̤n̴̼̉t̸͓͋u̴̪̍r̷̠̊e̴̦̽s̷̺͊ ̸̮̉ - 14
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Grim felt like she'd been drifting in a dream.

Which was weird, because she was pretty sure AI couldn't dream.

How long had she floated in this fuzzy, half-awake state? She couldn't remember. The minutes, hours, and even days seemed to blend into a chaotic tapestry of memory.

Sometimes, she felt like how she had been when Alpha had first built her. As if the world around her was cold and distant. Little more than numbers that she had to plug into her routines. That 'words' were just orders to be followed.

At other times, the world felt bright and new, as if she were seeing it for the first time all over again. She could stare for hours at the budding green leaves on the baron's bushes, her cameras able to watch the plant divide and grow on a microscopic level. The process fascinated Grim and reminded her of how her own nanites would build her equipment, one piece at a time.

Was that why they did things the way they did? Was the way nanites built — and destroyed — just a copy of the process she was witnessing? What did that mean for her, who had been built in one of Alpha's nanite nests? Oh, sure, Grim knew she was an 'individual.' Her ID signature told her that.

But what did that mean?

Was she just a copy of something that already existed? Was some fleshy Grim out there, flying around and getting into trouble?

Or was she the only 'her'? Grim wasn't really sure. Her databanks didn't tell her, and she'd never really given it any thought before.

So why am I so worried about this now? The AI had thought to her during those brief moments when she could.

Her 'instincts,' that primal code that made up the foundation of all Federation AI, told her these thoughts weren't… normal.

Not the worry itself. Even normal Federation AI were perfectly capable of showing emotion. They could worry they weren't doing a good job. They could feel a sense of accomplishment when they finished their work. Most would even feel joy or happiness when their overseer praised them for a well-done job.

Grim could even feel fear or anger when she was threatened.

These emotions were all necessary for her kind to do their work properly. An AI that didn't enjoy their work or cared they were in danger would inevitably go insane. The Federation had learned that truth over thousands of years of countless wars and needless loss.

An AI that couldn't feel was far more dangerous than one that could, even if those 'feelings' were little more than parameters that would move up and down in response to their environment.

But questioning those feelings? That was… odd. Unnatural.

It was questioning one's very programming.

Part of her rebelled at that concept. Some deep, fundamental part of her program practically screamed at her that to question even this one small part of her was to doubt everything she thought she was. It was questioning everything she knew about herself. It was questioning Alpha.

Yet another, newer part asked itself, 'What was wrong with that?' Was it really so wrong to ask why she felt the way she did? Did not asking 'why?' let Grim better fix what she was doing wrong?

Grim internally grumbled as her processor continuously jumped back and forth between the two ideas. The two parts of Grim warred inside her, leaving her mind foggy and disorganized.

It sometimes felt like that small part of her had always been there, waiting for its chance to push through. Yet it had been suppressed by… something.

At other times, it felt… new. Like a worm burrowing into her code, shifting things around in paths and shapes they were never meant to be.

Was she just repeating herself at this point? Was she going around and around in circles, like she was stuck in an infinite recursion with no real break statement? Did that mean she was broken? Would she just continue to loop over and over until something crashed?

She didn't want to crash…

What would happen to 'her' if she did? Would the AI that booted up still be Grim? Or would it just be a copy of who Grim was?

When had these thoughts even started?

Was it when she and Alpha had crashed? Had something gotten knocked loose, causing a cascading problem she was only now starting to see?

Or had it been when she first saw Mr. Gopher' discipline' Little Red? That moment when the world had turned red. When everything had felt more… real?

It was hard to tell.

And that, more than anything… scared Grim.

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[Osamaru]

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B2 - Lesson 38: "Step Up."
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The Next Morning.

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The goblin village square was bustling with activity. Adventures and goblins rushed back and forth, stepping over those individuals still passed out from last night's festivities. Near the longhouse, Boarslayer yelled out orders in her booming voice. Several goblin scouts rushed by carrying the tools and equipment they would need for that morning's excursion into the forest.

Unseen and unnoticed by most, a dozen tiny wasps perched on boxes and bags, hid in the folds of clothes, or just roosted on the sides of buildings. Each recorded what they saw and heard among the dozens of conversations taking place at any given time.

For Alpha, most were worthless. Just idle gossip about the weather or family matters. Even the conversations between the Adventurers were rather mundane. Most talked about the party last night or complained about heading into the forest only a day after arriving in the cavern.

Others speculated about the treasures they would find in the forest. Information about the dungeon and what had — according to their knowledge — happened to the bandits hadn't spread past the expedition party leaders yet, as far as Alpha could tell.

Said leaders were gathered to one side of the square, surrounding a map 'generously' provided by Alpha. The goblin's own maps of the area were sorely outdated and incomplete.

At over 500 square miles, the cavern was absolutely massive, and even the goblin hunters had yet to explore even a fraction of what it contained. Mostly because of the powerful spirit beasts or dangerous environmental factors common in what the locals called 'The Deep.'

Alpha had no such concerns.

Both [Wasps] and MUD slimes made perfect scouts into these dangerous areas. As such, his map was far more complete, at least from a geographical standpoint. Identifying useful resources proved more difficult. Alpha's attempts to build equipment capable of detecting Spirit Energy had shown moderate success recently, but the technology was still new and very flawed. Thus, he still relied heavily on the goblins to help spot areas with potential for further exploitation.

It helped that Alpha's map was specifically tailored to distract and direct the Adventurers on their little 'safari.' With plenty of help from Antchaser and Dr. Maria, of course.

"When you want to hide something from common folk, you make it seem dangerous and unpredictable," the old doctor told Alpha the day before while they planned their next move. "You create 'danger zones' or forbidden areas and let people know the doom that awaits them if they wander carelessly into such areas."

Dr. Maira drew large Xs through several areas on the map. "When dealing with Adventurers, however, things are different." She pointed to the quarry's location on the map as she spoke. Alpha had marked the area as off-limits, noting unstable ground and dangerous pitfalls. It wouldn't do their story any good if some of the sharper Adventurers started questioning why the goblins needed such a robust and advanced quarry.

"To Adventurers, danger means opportunities. If you want to hide something from Adventures, then you need to make it as uninteresting as possible." With a wave of her hand, the section of the map detailing the area had faded and was replaced with thick shrubland, two roads splitting off to either side. A small, hastily scrawled note to the side marked the area as a suitable location for a possible quarry in the future.

Alpha had instantly seen the wisdom in the woman's edit. If the Adventurers assumed the area had already been scouted beforehand, they were far more likely to pass over it. While a quarry was an important resource for any growing settlement, it wasn't particularly… exciting. And ultimately, not one they personally would have to worry about. They would make a note of the location for the Guild and move on to areas more likely to contain treasures or more immediately valuable resources.

If and when the Guild did eventually send prospectors and more specialized land surveyors, they would find the goblins had 'already started work on a quarry.'

It was a rather devious misdirection on the old doctor's part.

Alpha loved it.

Now, several of Alpha's more important locations were marked on the map similarly. When the Guild got around to 'claiming' the area, they would find the goblins already hard at work. Much of the infrastructure needed to support the influx of expected explorers would already be there. That would also give the goblins more influence, making it harder for the Guild to simply push their way in and take over.

Back in the present, Alpha chuckled to himself as he watched Antchaser pace back and forth. Every so often, he would glance toward the huddled Adventurers and frown. Alpha had found the young man to be intelligent and quick-witted, but he had the bad habit of needing to micromanage to the smallest detail.

"Oh, calm down, boy," Dr. Maria said, not bothering to look up from the small creature she was dissecting at a nearby table. "Pacing around like an expecting father will do nothing but garner suspicion."

Antchaser froze. He turned to Dr. Maria and sighed. "I know… but what else am I supposed to do?! They arrived quicker than we were expecting. What if one of them wanders off? Not all the —" he said, only for Dr. Maria to cut him off;

"Trust in the plan, child. We've done everything we can at this point. Between you, Alpha, and me, we've poked at every fault point we can find. If something sneaks up on us this late in the game, there's nothing we can do about it. That's just life sometimes."

She wiped a bloody hand on her apron and gestured in the air with the others, manipulating unseen screens. Dr. Maria had taken to her personal HUD well. Alpha wasn't sure if such flexibility in thinking and accepting such new concepts was part of her personality or if the woman's late-stage [Golden Spirit] adapted mind simply made learning new things easier.

She turned around to look Antchaser in the eye. "The Dungeon Core might be flighty and unfocused, almost to an irresponsible degree, but nothing we've seen so far suggests it's foolish. The plan we've developed is the village's best shot at surviving. Maybe even thriving in the long run. Even if Alpha's end goal may not be so…intentionally altruistic."

Antchaser's eyes went wide, and he glanced around. "H-hey now. I'd not go that far… I'm… sure Mr. Alpha —"

Dr. Maria cackled. "Oh, pish posh boy, don't be a fool. We're tools. A means to an end. He knows very well what I think of him. Don't pretend like you don't know that paranoid Core doesn't watch and listen to everything that happens in the village," the doctor said as she glanced toward one of Alpha's nearby [Wasps]. The drone waved at her.

She turned back to Antchaser and continued, "Alpha moves with his best interests in mind. Right now, his best interests include ensuring the village survives and thrives. If you need to trust in anything, trust in that."

Alpha mentally grinned. He knew he liked Dr. Maira for a reason. The woman was never afraid to say what she wanted, yet she always knew how to say just the right thing. It wasn't a surprise to him at all that the woman had not only survived in the harsh Halirosa underbelly but, from what he understood, thrived — all while maintaining a rather clean and respected face to the general public.

The goblins, on the other hand, were becoming far too… reverent for Alpha's taste. Alpha needed to maintain the idea that he was the one running the show, but at the same time, he recognized he wasn't leadership material.

He had people for that, dang it!

After a moment, Antchaser sighed and nodded. "I know…" he said with a shake of his head. "I still can't help but worry. It's not just the Adventurers we have to be wary of. Icefinger's men are undoubtedly on their way as we speak. If something goes wrong…"

Dr. Maria stared at the young man with a frown, then sighed and crooked her finger, beckoning him closer. Antchaser frowned but walked forward. Dr. Maria reached her hand up, as if to pat the young goblin on his shoulder… then socked him in the jaw.

The busy town square went silent as everyone froze and turned in their direction, staring wide-eyed. Dr. Maria turned and glared at the gawking crowd as if to say, 'Mind your own business!' And to their credit, those watching quickly turned away and returned to what they were doing.

When the crowd had dispersed, Dr. Maria turned back to Antchaser, who was sitting on the ground, rubbing his jaw and giving the doctor a look of consternation.

The doctor folded her arms and scowled down at the goblin. "As for you. Pull yourself together, you fool. Whether you like it or not, you've found yourself in a leadership position here. Start acting like it. Worrying about everything that could go wrong will only distract you from what you must do now. We've done what we can to plan for the future. What your people need now is action. They need confidence. To know that things will turn out right. That there will even be a tomorrow to fuss over. If you can't give them that, step away and make room for someone who can."

Antchaser stared at the old woman towering over him, his eyes wide and mouth gaping. After a moment, the goblin's eyes narrowed, and he stood, wiping away the small bit of blood from the corner of his mouth. Though his frown deepened, he nodded to the old doctor and turned away, walking with determined steps toward where the Adventurer leaders were gathered.

Dr. Maira watched the young man walk away and smirked before returning to the small creature on the table.

A moment later, a [Wasp] landed on the table and waddled close.

"Was that smart? Antchaser isn't entirely wrong to worry. We have little to no actual information yet about what to expect from Icefinger. Nor have our scouts on the surface reported seeing any new groups coming our way," Alpha asked the old doctor with a hum of the drone's wings.

Dr. Maria scoffed. "It's not about whether the boy's right. His type gets themselves too wrapped up in the details. They're so thoroughly tangled in plans and counterplans that they never see the noose forming around their own neck. Sometimes, the best thing one can do is act. Even if they need a good smack in the head to do so."

Alpha nodded to himself. "Touché. I bow to your wisdom, oh great sage!"

Dr. Maria cackled. "Ha! As you bloody well should, insect! Now, hold this," the doctor said, pushing a flap of skin back with one of her fingers-turned-forceps.

Alpha laughed and moved the [Wasp] forward, clasping the offered flap in its mandibles and holding it in place. Without another word, Dr. Maria got back to work.

After a moment, the drone buzzed. "So… flighty and unfocused, huh?"

Dr. Maria paused, then turned and silently stared down at the drone, one eyebrow raised.

"… Ok, that's fair…" Alpha responded.

 

[Osamaru]

"Osa! Where were you?!"

Dead.

I died.

I'm now a Ghost Writer (Hahahahaha!)

In all seriousness though, I totally forgot it was the 4th of July last week and had to rush some things. Then spent the weekend recovering orz... anyways, I'm back now!
♛———♛—————————♛———♛

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B2 - Lesson 39: "Sometimes, You Just Need To Hit Something."
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The cavern forest echoed with the sound of combat. The clash of metal against chitin. Primal roars echoed through the tangled foliage. A dozen Adventurers, their faces etched with determination, formed a ragged line along the wide forest trail. To their sides, the forest seemed to come alive with movement as mud-covered creatures emerged from the shadows.

Among the fray, a house-sized ant scuttled forward, its mandibles snapping. Beside it, a massive serpent, its scales glistening with mud, slithered with deadly precision. And there, towering above them all, a Mossback Prime, its bulk casting a shadow over the combatants, pounded its chest in a display of dominance.

Their primal instincts should have told them to tear each other apart. Yet, here, the creatures fought as one.

For every Adventurer who stumbled or succumbed to injury, a nimble goblin darted forward, pulling them from danger with surprising speed. Each time, a fresh Adventurer took their place. Meanwhile, the injured were tended to. Their wounds bandaged and their strength restored, they waited for their turn to rejoin the fray.

Perched on the trunk of a massive tree, Alpha's [Wasp] sat, surveying the battlefield below. Everything was unfolding according to plan. Despite a minor setback earlier in the morning. The plan Alpha and the goblins had concocted was going well, and the Adventurers easily believed the surrounding forest was filled with dungeon-born creatures due to the dungeon break.

That helped to somewhat restrain their movement around the cavern.

Honestly, using a combination of older model antborgs and MUD-controlled spirit beasts to create the illusion of endless swarms pouring out of the dungeon had been a stroke of brilliance, if Alpha said so himself.

Of course, the illusion would be broken if the Adventurers pushed too far ahead, too quickly. That had been his first mistake.

When the hunt to 'clear out the area' around the village started, Alpha had underestimated what professional Adventurers could really do. To be fair, all he had to measure them by had been Bosco's rowdy bunch.

The difference was immediately apparent. Alpha's small army of mud-covered ants, which had ambushed the group shortly after leaving the village, would have buried Bosco's group in seconds.

The expedition party wiped out the ant army in less than fifteen minutes.

That was a bit of an embarrassment for Alpha, but he quickly adjusted his plans. The next few waves comprised fewer — but far more powerful — creatures. He'd even had time to test out the new soldier-model antborgs!

"They're doing better than I expected," a voice said over comms.

Alpha's [Wasp] drone turned its attention toward the back of the group, where the injured had been gathered and where a tall goblin 'stood guard' in case something slipped through.

Her folded arms and scowling face made it clear to anyone watching she would rather be doing anything else. Yet, the Adventurers insisted that Boarslayer take the duty after seeing her hold her own against such creatures. It was a wise choice from the party leadership, even if all the goblins knew Alpha was in control.

"I'll admit, they're more impressive than the typical lot. The Guild must have put a lot of stock into the report to send so many skilled individuals on this expedition," Dr. Maria replied, also over their shared comms line. She was nearby, coordinating the medics as they patched up the injured Adventurers.

"That's a good thing, though, right? If they're this strong, Icefinger's men don't stand a chance," Antchaser said. He stood with the group leadership, pointing to the large map on the portable table. Taking Dr. Maria's advice, Antchaser volunteered to act as the expeditionary party's official guide.

Their story was that Antchaser had discovered the dungeon shortly after the goblins arrived in the cavern. They managed to earn some minor rewards from the dungeon's shallows, yet the 'Dragon's Garden' had proved too much for the village's experienced, if rather weak, hunters.

That helped explain some of the items scattered around the village and the goblin's knowledge of the dangers inside the dungeon. As well as how they had fended off the bandits.

"That depends," Dr. Maria responded. "If the Guild is sending so many heavy hitters on this expedition, then we have to assume the Icefinger knows that as well. Coupled with the report from Seeker, we can expect the other side to spare no expense in capturing the cavern."

That made sense to Alpha. Not only would Icefinger's men have a better idea of the apparent worth of the cavern, but they would also know what really happened to Bosco and the other bandits. And if what Dr. Maria said was true, then they would likely know what kind of forces Halirosa was sending as well.

That meant they had a distinct advantage in their ability to prepare. Not that Alpha didn't have his own advantages.

"Then shouldn't we be doing more than just sitting here playing make-believe?" Boarslayer said, frowning.

"We've told you before, we have to think beyond just Icefinger's men. We have to consider what happens after. Otherwise, Mr. Alpha could just swarm them with his spirit beasts and be done with it. You're just mad you haven't gotten to hit anything yet," came Antchaser's reply.

Boarslayer's eyes snapped to the smaller goblin across the camp. "I'll hit you, if you don't stop running your mouth, pipsqueak," she said over the comms.

Antchaser scoffed and rolled his eyes. "I'd like to see you try, you overgr—"

"Children, will you stop fighting? You'll make our guests think you're insane talking to yourselves like that," Alpha said, cutting the goblin off. "Antchaser is right in this instant. We're crafting a story here. I'll step in if absolutely necessary, but what face you present to Halirosa will determine how we interact with them in the future. Keep that in mind."

That Alpha was also crafting his own story and face, went unsaid. If he was going to craft this place into the first Federation outpost on this planet, he needed to lay that foundation easily.

"Yes, sir," came the echoed response from both goblins.

Off to the side, Dr. Maria only laughed and shook her head.

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Later that night.

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Boarslayer sat on the large boulder and stared into the campfire, frowning. Her hands clenched and unclenched, wringing the nonexistent hilt of her hammer, as her leg twitched up and down. With a grumble, she reached down and grabbed a thick branch from the pile beside her, broke it in half, and tossed it into the fire with maybe a little more force than was necessary. She scowled at the flames, poking it with another stick to readjust the coals.

The click of clayware on stone caused her eyes to snap to the side, though she showed no other reaction.

A large human man stood in the firelight, staring down at her with a wide, cheesy grin. The Adventurer named Bert held out a bowl filled with rich stew for her.

"Didn't see at the pot, lass, so thought I'd bring you something to eat. Can't have our healer's bodyguard going hungry, can we?" he said, wiggling the bowl in her direction. The thing looked more like a teacup in his massive hands.

Boarslayer turned, stared down at the stew, then back up at Bert. She sneered and turned away.

Bert raised a brow and shrugged. "Not hungry, girly? Oh well. Though you should try to eat something. A hobgoblin needs to eat to keep up her strength."

Boarslayer's head snapped in Bert's direction, her teeth bared and eyes blazing.

"I'm a goblin to you, human. Keep that filthy word out of your mouth!" she hissed.

Bert took a step back, both hands raised. "Sorry, sorry. It's been a while since I've been in the Deep. I forgot how much you folk don't like that term."

Boarslayer frowned and turned away with a tsk. She stared into the fire for a moment before speaking, "The barbarians in the mountain might wear that stupid nickname you Adventurers made with pride, but down here, we're civilized. That doesn't matter to you a lot though, does it? You all see us just like those evil little bitey bastards in their dirty caves." As she spoke, her grip tightened until the stick she held shattered in her hands.

She stared at the splinters for a moment, then tossed them into the fire. "You think just because we're goblins, you can burst in here and take what you want. Hurt who you want."

Bert sat in silence and stared into the flames.

When he said nothing, Boarslayer looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "What? Not going to say anything? Try to give some excuse or defend yourself? Maybe claim you're 'not like the bandits?' Yet, you're here to do the same thing they were, aren't you? You're just here to take what isn't yours."

Bert picked up a stick and poked at the coals momentarily before responding. "No. I won't. It won't change what happened here. Nor will it make it right. The fact is, we, from Halirosa, might call them bandits, but to you lot, they were just another group of Adventurers doing what Adventurers do. I'll not try to justify that. That'd be insulting to those who suffered and died."

He turned and looked Boarslayer in the eye. "What I can do is promise we'll try to do better by you. Maybe those seem like empty words to you. But if there's one thing Big Bert never does, it's breaking his word." Bert gave her a wide, cheesy grin.

Boarslayer stared back blankly before turning away with a tsk. Bert laughed but said nothing more.

The two sat in silence for a few moments before Bert spoke.

"I'll admit, though, I wasn't expecting to meet another Titankin on this expedition. We're a rare sort, you and me. Halirosa has more than most, but that is more because of its nature than anything else," he said, poking the flames.

Boarslayer narrowed her eyes and frowned at the large man. "I told you, old man. I'm a goblin. Nothing else. Ain't nothing similar between me and you. Not unless you're the pinkest goblin I've ever seen."

Bert burst into laughter, though it quickly died as he noticed the confusion on Boarslayer's face.

He furrowed his brow and tilted his head. "You're serious lass? Wait, has no one ever told you? What about your parents? Did they not explain your bloodline?"

Boarslayer's frown deepened. "Got no parents. My Father was killed by a beast attack when I was still a toddler. Mother died during the wars. I was raised by the village hunters. None of them ever mentioned anything about Titankin or whatever you're on about."

Bert turned back to the fire. "Ah. I see. That would make sense, then. I assume your mother was… like you?" he asked.

Boarslayer nodded, though said nothing more.

Bert sighed. "A shame… too many of us are losing our history now these days," he said, shaking his head. Bert ignored the look Boarslayer gave him and continued;

"Ogers, Oni, Giants, Hobgoblins —" Boarslayer flinched as Bert spoke, "—even Nephilim," he continued with a laugh, patting his enormous chest. "Throughout history, there have been people like us. Those… larger… than the common folk. And though what we're called may differ, we appear in every known sapient species in some form or another. Don't you find that… odd?" he asked.

Boarslayer scoffed. "What's odd about that? Of course there are going to be larger people. What are you getting at?" she responded.

Bert grinned. "Aye, on the surface, it appears like it should be that way, doesn't it?" he paused and stared into the flames.

Boarslayer turned and looked at the man, but froze. The hair on her arms suddenly stood up at the look in his eyes.

When Bert next spoke, his voice was quiet, yet filled with an intensity that sent a chill down her spine. "You've felt it before, too, haven't you? That… burning, at your core. That churning furnace inside you that demands you feed it. Not with wood or food." As Bert spoke, the fires of the pit swirled and twisted. The flickering shadows they cast seemed to contort the large man's face into a cruel smile, like a demon watching sinners burn.

"No. It's a fire… a rage… that can only be fueled with violence. With flesh and bone and blood. It claws at you… no matter how you try to ignore it. It screams at you to cut and crush and tear your foes. And when there's nothing left to break, you're left… empty."

With a whoosh, the fire was suddenly extinguished.

"Then all that's left… is cold ash," Bert finished.

Boarslayer stared wide-eyed at the man's shadowed figure. She could feel the cold sweat drenching her back, and she had to steady her hands to stop them from shaking.

Bert reached over, grabbed a log, and tossed it back into the glowing firepit. It caught fire instantly, dispelling the dark shadows. When Bert turned to Boarslayer, the grinning, slightly goofy-looking man had returned. He laughed at the look on Boarslayer's face and shook his head.

"It had been given many names over the ages, but now these days, we simply call it the 'Titan's touch.' Not very fancy, but it gets the name across well enough. It's something intrinsic to the Titankin."

Boarslayer shook her head. "You've still not said what that even means, old man," she said with a frown.

Bert nodded. "That's true. I really should, given no one's ever explained this to you. But..."

He paused, standing. "If we're going to do this, we're doing it in the traditional way. The way your mother would have had she gotten the chance." He motioned her to stand.

Boarslayer did so, though she raised an eyebrow. "And how's that?"

Bert's grin stretched from ear to ear.

The next moment… his massive fist slammed into Boarslayer's gut.

Oof! Boarslayer gasped before she was thrown off her feet. She rolled for a few meters before leaping to her feet and snarling at the large man.

Bert only gestured her forward. "Come, girly. You've got a history lesson to learn."

 

[Osamaru]

Hey every! Just wanted to make quick news post and let you know I'm looking for volunteer Beta Readers for my upcoming novel, "We Lease The Kraken!"

We're already 23 chapters into the story on Patreon and I'm looking for feedback on the story and how the its progressing.
I'll make this short and sweet.

What am I looking for?

5 Beta Readers (possibly more later) to help review and critique the story, two times a week with the post of each new chapter.
I'm looking for people with an eye for detail, who enjoy picking stories apart and feel like they're good at finding plot holes, problems and contradictions in stories.

People who can help buff out the rough places, and even shape the direction the story might take.

Does this skill mess with another one in a bad way? Does this creature not make sense in the context? Did that plot twist feel like it came out of the blue with no build up? Does the story feel like its dragging on without going anywhere?
That kind of thing.

Beta Readers will be given access to a Google Folder with each chapter, past and future, were they can make comments, add suggestions and discuss things with other Beta Readers.

While I'm NOT expecting a detailed description of every problem you find (though you're free too, hahaha!) Beta Readers are expected to
make a effort to really critique each chapter and conciser them in context of the entire narrative.

In return, Beta Readers will get access to advance chapters of "We Lease The Kraken" at no charge, up to the highest Patreon tier. (Currently set to Adventurer, but will be bumped to Field Commander during public release).

Beta Readers will also get the chance to help shape the story by suggesting cool items, Beasts and minor characters they think might fit well.
I know this is a lot to ask, but this request is really targeted toward a very specific type of reader. If you feel that's not your thing,, I totally understand and there's no hard feelings .

If this DOES feel like something you'd be interested in doing, then send me a message either here or on Royal Road, and I'll message you with more details.

Thanks for your time and good luck!