This chapter is purely informational. You can choose to read it but if you skip it, you might miss out on critical information to understand how the crystals and their abilities work.
The crystals' origin on Earth remained a mystery just like how some can master their power while others can't. They have the capability to move, separate or assemble molecules and use direct energy attacks as long as they are wired to a user's brain. Despite the power potential of the crystals, almost all users have specific crystal abilities with distinct variations and limits depending on the user. Also, the user's psyche is also what determines what kind of ability one will acquire.
For example, someone may possess a crystal ability that allows him to launch a direct energy attack but other than attacking using energy, he cannot do anything else with his ability. Crystal users can possess up to 3 different abilities depending on their mindset with the exception of Mike and Sniper whose power is only limited by imagination, thought capacity, and experience.
Crystals also have some rules about them:
- Crystals are indestructible and impervious to damage by any other elements. They are also immune to any type of energy since they can absorb or reflect them on contact.
- Crystals are unable to inflict damage or affect other crystals in any direct way.
*Unless a significantly more powerful user's ability defeats a weaker user's ability. In this case, a crystal may suffer a break or total destruction.
- A crystal user can have a different power level compared to another user depending on the strength of his mind, the type of abilities he possesses, the number of abilities field by the user, his stamina and his mastery of the crystals.
- An energy attack from a crystal will ignore any matter not targeted by the user while only applying its effect when the target is reached.
*Due to a lack of self-control, certain users like Karson are unable to launch attacks that ignore obstacles.
- A crystal user can regulate his abilities' power as he sees fit. A user with enough power to level a city may choose to only apply a fraction of his full power during an attack. In another case, a user may choose to disperse his ability in order to move multiple objects instead of focusing it on a single object.
- Two opposing attacks of the same power will cancel each other out despite the laws of physics. In case of a non-equal power engagement, let's say a user used 40% of his power doing something else while clashing against an enemy with 100% of his power, it will usually result in his opponent breaking his crystal and even potentially hitting him with the remaining 40% from the initial strike.
I will be using a power system to represent the different vectors of a specific ability possessed by crystal users in my series. The system is divided into eight categories:
-POWER (The strength and offensive capability of a user's ability)
rank S - [planet(s) level - multi-dimensional+]
rank A - [continent(s) level - extinction event(s)+]
rank B - [small town(s) level - nuke(s)+]
rank C - [small bomb(s) - building(s)+]
rank D - [regular punch(es) - bullet(s)+]
rank E - [wind blow - gentle touch(es)+]
rank None - [does not harm or make contact]
-SPEED OF THE ABILITY (The time it takes for the ability to travel or take effect)
rank S - [the speed of light (299 792 458 m/s) - instant/dimensional+]
rank A - [supersonic speed (Mach 1.2) - beyond hypersonic speed+ (Mach 5+)]
rank B - [bullet speed (760m/s+) - supersonic speed (Mach 1.2+)]
rank C - [human perception speed+ (245m/s+)]
rank D - [fast run speed+ (3.6m/s+)]
rank E - [extremly slow (under 1m/s) - casual walk (1-2m/s)]
rank None - [stationary (0m/s)]
-SPEED GRANTED BY THE ABILITY (Speed granted to the user by an ability)
rank S - [speed unleashed for the user (1/8 of light speed - dimensional+)]
rank A - [massive increase to the user's move speed (Mach 2 - Mach 80+)]
rank B - [slight increase to the user's move speed (1 - Mach 1+)]
rank C - [does not modify the user's movement]
rank D - [reduction to the user's movement]
rank E - [severe reduction to the user's movement]
rank None - [Completely restricts the user's movement]
-RANGE (The reach of a user's ability)
rank S - [global - multi-dimensional+]
rank A - [country(ies) level - continent(s) level]
rank B - [small town(s) level - city(ies) level]
rank C - [10 metres - max human visual range (5 km)]
rank D - [1 metre - 10 metres]
rank E - [direct contact - arm's reach]
rank None - [ability only affects the user]
-DURABILITY OF ABILITY (The duration of an ability)
rank S - [unlimited duration+ (Idle activation)]
rank A - [unlimited duration (limited by the user's consciousness)]
rank B - [long duration (hours - day(s))]
rank C - [average duration (minute(s) - hour)]
rank D - [short duration (second(s) - minute)]
rank E - [very short duration (Instant - below 1 second)]
rank None - [one-time usage]
-DURABILITY GRANTED BY THE ABILITY (The defensive attributes of an ability)
rank S - [planet(s) level - multi-dimensional+]
rank A - [continent(s) level - extinction event(s)+]
rank B - [small town level - nuke(s)+]
rank C - [small bomb(s) - building(s)+]
rank D - [regular punch(es) - bullet(s)+]
rank E - [does not offer any kind of protection]
rank None - [ability will harm the user]
-PRECISION (The precision of an attack from an ability)
rank S - [atomic level - quantum manipulation+]
rank A - [microbiological level - molecular level]
rank B - [surgeon level - eagle eye]
rank C - [average precision - high precision]
rank D - [blindness - bad precision]
rank E - [indiscriminate effect]
rank None - [rogue ability with no user control]
-POTENTIAL (Potential of a user in developing his current ability or in gaining a new ability)
rank S - [limitless possibility / unlimited potential]
rank A - [extremely high chance of growth / apparent potential]
rank B - [good chance of growth / hidden potential]
rank C - [possible chance of growth]
rank D - [low chance of growth]
rank E - [almost no chance for growth]
rank None - [ability has reached maximum potential / can't grow]
Finally, cyberknights will often give names to their abilities. The exact reason cyberknights will call out their ability is because the crystals, just like the human brain, work by association. By associating the exact details of a technique or ability to a name, the stimulus caused by the calling of that name will often facilitate the memorizing and execution of the ability or technique associated. Meanwhile, the types of abilities or techniques are often stated before announcing the actual names to ensure that a fight is honourable.
Call sign: [Guilt Extension]: Ranged/Manipulation/Binding-effect
"Abilities which exert precise control or strike over one or multiple objects or persons. Abilities of this type are often bound to an object or extent the will of a user onto something or someone else. Abilities which require initial contact but gain range by binding to the target afterward count in this category. "
Call sign: [Echoeing Verdict]: Ranged/Manipulation/Zone-effect
"Abilities which affect an area with or without discrimination when it comes to targets. Abilities of this type can be very similar to [Guilt Extension] in terms of effects but have a better range and often way less precision. "
Call sign: [Damnation's Reach]: Short-range/Direct-contact
"Offensive abilities which require direct contact or possess a very short distance of effectiveness. Abilities of this type are often direct damage-type abilities that are bound to the user himself. "
Call sign: [Trial Access]: No-damage/Protection/Trait-boost/Utility/Unusual/Quantum
"Abilities with no offensive/undirect offensive capabilities. Abilities of this type often include defensive abilities, trait-boosting abilities or utility abilities but on rare occasions, abilities with unusual properties are also included in this category. "
Call sign: [Existential Judgement]: Ultimate/Execution
"An attack which combines multiple different types of abilities to form a strike which is often aimed at executing the enemy without any possibility of escape or defence. It usually requires a combination of three abilities or more to count as an Existential Judgement type attack. People capable of developing an [Existential Judgement] type technique are considered the best and most powerful among cyberknights, displaying pinnacle mastery over one's abilities and mind. "
Here is some trivia about the cyberknights and other crystal users :
Cyberknights with 1 ability are called "Templar".
Cyberknights with 2 abilities are called "Gemini".
Cyberknights with 3 abilities are called "Chimera".
The imperial cyberknight power structure is ranked as such:
The average knights are often divided into disciple knights, knights and senior knights with disciple knights as the lowest class with many amongst them still in formation. Then the rank moves up to knight where we can find the majority of the cyberknights often armed with unremarkable powers. Finally, senior knights are promoted cyberknights with better-than-average powers and a long service record. A senior knight also bears the responsibility of training a new cadet into a disciple knight. Teams of 4 knights picked randomly from the 3 ranks are often formed to accomplish missions.
The regular cyberknights are under the control of the imperial military. Thus, their jobs are often assigned to them by the different branches of the military as if they were special mission operatives. However, a separate and exclusive branch of cyberknights exists outside of the control of the military and is directly controlled by the IEEB. These cyberknights were selected among the best from the senior knights and were given the title of "cardinal knight". The cardinal knights' job consists of assassination, infiltration, hostage-taking, intelligence gathering, counter-intelligence work, investigation, and termination of rogue cyberknights.
Above this hierarchy, we find CR-455, the pope of the cyberknight. He is in control of all the cyberknights and is the only cyberknight that has to directly answer to Sniper. Although outside of CR-455's jurisdiction, the Grand Knight does not possess the same power over the cyberknights as CR-455. As a tangent, the Grand Knight only answers to Sniper and to no one else unless Sniper says otherwise. Meanwhile, outside of his alternate identity, Mike is a respected admiral-general of the imperial military.
Finally, hidden behind a veil of obscurity with no record or knowledge of their existence, the Divine Servants are a small group of cyberknights who remain in the darkness and only live to serve their emperor, Sniper. Their membership is exclusive to knights with undying loyalty to Sniper while armed with some of the most destructive powers ever known to even the cyberknights.
Outside of the empire, no one has so far been able to master the cyberknights' technology. The crystals often proved to be too dangerous to tame without the appropriate technology and techniques. As mentioned earlier, due to the energy-conductive nature of the crystals, experiments with the element often released a form of ionizing radiation that ignored all forms of barrier.