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Pocket Dimension, November's Laboratory, Time: 9:10 AM
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November descended the stairs within her laboratory. Earlier, she had mentioned to Dy'va that she needed to retrieve an item from her residence.
While Dy'va might show much concern for her, November was aware of the familiar scents surrounding her—those unmistakably associated with home.
November's laboratory within her pocket dimension was a place of organized chaos. The air was infused with a mix of scents: the tang of various chemicals, the mustiness of old books, and the faint aroma of brewed tea. The room was well-lit by intricate magical lamps suspended from the ceiling, casting a warm and inviting glow.
Bookshelves lined the walls, their shelves overflowing with dusty tomes, ancient scrolls, and neatly labeled potion ingredients.
In one corner, an alchemical workbench was cluttered with vials, tubes, and bubbling concoctions.
A chalkboard covered an entire wall, filled with intricate diagrams and equations that only a practiced alchemist could decipher, and a picture of Elizabeth for some reason with a red arrow pointing 'KILL'
The centerpiece of the laboratory was a massive wooden table, adorned with intricate carvings and laden with alchemical tools.
Mortar, pestle, beakers, alembics, and other apparatuses were meticulously organized.
Parchments with handwritten notes and sketches were scattered across the table, detailing experiments and theories.
A plush armchair sat beside a small bookshelf filled with volumes on magical theory and potion brewing.
The chair seemed to have been molded to fit November's form, evidence of hours spent lost in study and experimentation.
The robot is seated on the wooden table, its brain encased within a cylindrical jar. The lights within the jar were dimmed, indicating that it had entered sleep mode.
"Seems like the mana has been depleted," November mused as she gently placed the robot on the table.
With a careful touch, she assessed its inert form, her nimble fingers working to uncover the root of the issue.
In her hand, November held a cluster of mana crystals, which she promptly crushed before delicately depositing the resulting powder into the robot's rear exhaust pipe.
As the mana powder entered its system, the lights within the jar began to flicker and then gradually regained their brilliance.
The robot smoothly straightened up, its frame coming to life as it observed its surroundings.
Meeting the robot's gaze, November couldn't help but smile.
"SCANNING..." the robot declared, its mechanical voice resonating in the room. Patiently, November awaited the completion of the scan.
"Scanning completed. Greeting, Master," the robot acknowledged, its words precise and calculated. A slow applause escaped November's lips.
"Well done, Combat Emit Fumes Intelligence Entity," she commended, offering the full title before playfully abbreviating it to "CEFIE."
"Is this the name you have given me?" Cefie inquired, its artificial voice carrying a touch of curiosity.
It attempted to tilt its head to the side, only to realize that the jar wasn't properly aligned with its collar.
"Yes, that's your name. Just be patient while I find something," November replied, her tone focused as she rifled through the contents of wooden crates with a sense of urgency.
Items flew haphazardly from the crates, some landing perilously close to Cefie.
The robot reacted with a sheepish avoidance maneuver, evading the incoming projectiles with mechanical precision.
Among the objects hurtling toward Cefie were fragments of gibbed remains, bouncing eyeballs, severed human ears, and a doll that bore an eerie resemblance to November herself.
"Ah, found it," November exclaimed with satisfaction as she located the two runes she had stashed away, one marked with a rhino symbol and the other adorned with a blade symbol.
She inserted both runes into a compartment in Cefie's exoskeleton.
"It's time to unleash your power," she declared to herself, knowing this process might take some time.
As she activated the runes, Cefie appeared to jolt from the surge of energy. A billow of smoke emanated from Cefie's pipes, and the gears and cogs within the robot's frame began to whir and turn.
Cefie rose from the table, smoke still dissipating from its form. The golden claw gauntlet on its hand twitched, and veins-like patterns, though mechanical in nature, appeared on the surface.
Cefie's gaze was fixed on the ceiling as the smoke intensified, but soon, it declared, "POWER RENDERS: Completed," and the smoke dissipated. Cefie's head returned to its normal position.
"The rune's power has been fully integrated into my systems," Cefie reported, its voice laced with a hint of accomplishment.
November couldn't help but laugh at her genius; this was her finest addition to Sugar's Enterprise.
"Now for the final step—making you presentable," November declared. She retrieved a body sack, containing human flesh and muscle, which she roughly affixed onto Cefie's frame. The human-like muscles were pale white, devoid of blood. Cefie's movements became more human-like as it tested its new capabilities.
"Am I now what you would call 'perfect'?" Cefie inquired, and November playfully wagged her finger in denial.
"Just one more little step," she replied, producing a helmet with a distinct off-coloration between the metal, giving it a yellowish hue.
The helmet was openable from the back, and November secured it around Cefie's brain jar. As it closed, four vent-like lines appeared on its surface.
With this final addition, Cefie's transformation was complete. November adorned its exoskeleton with rough white church robes, and the creation before her was nothing short of extraordinary.
"Now, you're my masterpiece," November said with a proud smile as she gazed at her creation.
Cefie, now fully formed and equipped, responded with a question, its digital eyes showing curiosity.
"What's my purpose?" Cefie asked, seeking to understand its role under November's command.
"Your mission is to follow Sugar's Enterprise and hate on lower species," November explained, her tone filled with determination.
"Together, with your assistance, we'll shape the future." Cefie analyzed the directive, ready to fulfill its role in its grand endeavor.
With its directive clear and its purpose defined, Cefie nodded in understanding. "Understood, Master November. I shall serve Sugar's Enterprise to the best of my abilities," Cefie declared, its voice resonating with newfound determination.
November couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction as she looked at her creation. "Excellent. Now, let's join the others. They're on a journey to change the world, and we won't be left behind," she said, a hint of excitement in her voice.
Together, November and Cefie left her laboratory in the pocket dimension, ready to rejoin back to the ranks of Sugar's Enterprise.
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Sylanwood, Diremaw Entrance Gate, Time: 10:00 AM
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"And here we are!" Ace's voice carried over the sound of the howling mountain wind. He pointed ahead with an enthusiastic grin, his long coat billowing dramatically in the breeze.
James, on the other hand, was struggling to keep his balance. He clung desperately to a sturdy pine tree, his face contorted with the effort. "Ace, are you sure this was a good idea?" he shouted over the gale.
Mianne, holding onto her hat, laughed. "James, you're not going to get blown away! It's just a little wind."
Ezra, ever the quiet one, simply nodded in agreement with Mianne. "Yup, you're way too dramatic for this."
As the group made their way forward, they all caught sight of the colossal wooden gate that awaited them at the end of a narrow bridge.
It was intricately carved with symbols and designs, a stark contrast to the rugged wilderness they had traversed.
"Gah!" The baby pinecone dragon roared in response to the gusty wind, flapping its small wings enthusiastically.
Mianne couldn't help but chuckle at the creature's reaction. "Seems like you're enjoying the weather, Dyssoarth," she remarked, though it was clear the dragon had a blast with the wind.
All of them pushed through the wind as our heroes arrived at the city of Diremaw.
Sugar's Enterprise, as stealthy as ever, had managed to catch up with them, their golden wagon, The Golden Captain, now somehow towering like a sentinel.
It tiptoed through the forest of pine trees, silently shadowing The Lucky Inquisitor as they entered the city.
The adventure in Diremaw was about to begin, and the mystery of the moon charm loomed large in their mind.
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