A beam of light pierced through the darkness, as a figure decked out in sheer white passed. It was Aedhira, and he was miserable.
"How far down are we Argos?"
[You have approximately covered a distance of 3.4 kilometers, and decreased your elevation by nearly 300 meters and closing.]
"Sh*BLEEP*t. Ahrgh, stupid filter. When are you gonna get rid of it anyway?"
[Until I am sure that you do not develop any bad habits]
"What bad habits?"
[....]
It had been a mildly frustrating 4 hours since he'd woken up and gotten out of that pile of rubble. Mildly frustrating as engaging in small talk with Argos had been a largely futile endeavor.
He let out his 34th sigh this hour.
Aedhira continued walking in stark silence until a disturbing thought crossed his mind, and asked Argos a question to verify his thoughts.
"Hey Argos, you've been mapping my path so far right?"
[Affirmative]
"What's it look like" he asked, in hopes of glancing some clue from his response. His working theory was that he was set up into some kind of illusion, making him walk in circles, until he'd be picked off when he was tired and vulnerable.
He thought up the idea from the fictions he'd read in the Archive back at the fort. While slightly far fetched, stranger things had happened.
"[Displaying map data now,]" Argos intoned.
Aedhira's HUD shifted as Argos overlaid a map of his current path. The lines traced a straight line, facing a steady downward incline, with not a single turn, twist or bend. And definitely not doubling back on itself. The relief was palpable, his theory of an illusionary loop dispelled by the data, yet he also felt it was rather anti-climactic as supposed to his imagination.
"Well, at least I'm not going in circles," he muttered, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and renewed determination.
The path he had taken was NOT complex, instead, just unassumingly simple. Aedhira studied the map closely, seeking patterns or clues that might hint at what lay ahead.
"Any signs of life or activity nearby, Argos?" he inquired, shifting focus to more immediate concerns.
"[Sensors indicate no significant life signs within a one-kilometer radius. In fact, there are no fluctuations at all.]"
He raised an eyebrow at that. Similar to radiation, mana has a base level of fluctuation dependent on the local density of mana. But for there to be no fluctuations at all...
"You're absolutely positive? Not even any radiation? Nothing at all"
[All activity in the surroundings have been rendered mute. The sensors aren't picking up anything]
Aedhira nodded, filing the information away as he resumed his march. Whatever lay ahead was still a mystery, but he felt a flicker of anticipation alongside the ever-present caution. The unknown was vast and daunting, yet it was the only path forward.
As he pressed on, the oppressive silence was broken only by the steady hum of his armor's systems and it's metallic footsteps against the sleek floors. The environment around him remained steadfastly ominous, with the air thick and heavy, almost sentient in its darkness.
As he trudged forward, the echo of his footsteps the only sound in the silence, his mind turned over the mysteries that had been gnawing at him. This shaft, this seemingly endless corridor, felt deliberately constructed, its purpose a mystery wrapped in the enigma of its design.
"Argos," Aedhira said, breaking the silence. "Do you have any data on this shaft? Anything about its origin or purpose?"
[No relevant data is available,] Argos replied, his voice as steady and calm as ever.
Aedhira frowned, the lack of answers only deepening his curiosity and frustration. "What about the dungeon we found earlier, or the guardian? Did you know about any of that?"
[Information on those subjects is currently incomplete. The archives do not contain detailed records of the guardian or its origins.]
Aedhira sighed, his breath fogging the air before him. Argos's lack of insight was both expected and frustrating. He had hoped for some kernel of knowledge that might shed light on the shadowy depths through which he journeyed.
"I thought you were supposed to have access to all the records from the archives. Isn't there anything about Fort Blanche or this area?" Aedhira pressed, his voice edged with the sharpness of anticipation unmet.
[The archives show that there are missing segments of data, particularly related to Fort Blanche and its surrounding areas. This location's history seems to have been deliberately obscured or redacted from the available records.]
He absorbed this information with a grim nod, a quiet determination settling over him. There were pieces of the puzzle missing, and he was no closer to understanding the full picture. Yet the lack of information only reinforced his resolve to uncover the truth.
The silence resumed its hold as he continued down the corridor, the light from his helm steadfastly illuminating the way forward. It was a beacon of certainty in the uncertainty that surrounded him, a promise of clarity he sought with each step.
---
[POV - MIYU GALANIS]
Miyu awoke with a start, her stomach rumbling in protest. The room she found herself in was small and cramped, cluttered with storage crates and unused equipment. Her initial disorientation gave way to the persistent gnaw of hunger, urging her to rise and seek sustenance.
She stepped out into the sterile halls of Fort Blanche, the gleaming surfaces and clinical precision of the place unsettling her. Everything was too pristine, too orderly, as if the slightest deviation from perfection was not tolerated. The lack of human staff only deepened her unease. She had seen automaton workers, yes, but there was something about their presence that felt inherently wrong, as if they were stand-ins for something—or someone—that should have been there.
Miyu navigated the halls with a quiet caution, her footsteps a soft patter against the immaculate floors. The fort was a maze of corridors and rooms, each more pristine than the last, and she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched despite the apparent emptiness.
Eventually, she found her way to the mess hall, a vast expanse of tables and chairs stretching out under the bright lights high above. It was eerily quiet, the air humming with a kind of stillness that set her nerves on edge.
At the far end of the hall, she spotted a row of automatons stationed behind a buffet, their metallic forms standing sentinel over the steaming dishes. Miyu approached cautiously, observing the smooth efficiency with which they moved, their artificial limbs precise and unfaltering.
She grabbed a plate and selected her food with care, eyeing the selections with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. The food was steaming hot, the scents wafting up to her with a promise of warmth and comfort.
Miyu settled at a table, the emptiness of the hall accentuating the clatter of her utensils against the plate. She ate in silence, her mind churning with thoughts and worries as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
The pristine nature of the fort was unsettling, but the lack of human presence was what truly bothered her. It was as if the place was a shell, a perfect facade hiding secrets beneath its gleaming surface. And Miyu, with her cautious nature and sharp instincts, couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.
Yet, amid the swirling uncertainties, her attention drifted to the meal before her, a comforting distraction from her more serious thoughts. Her plate held a serving of something vaguely familiar—steamed rice, its delicate grains glistening with a hint of oil. The sight of it sparked a flicker of nostalgia, and she couldn't help but smile.
Miyu had always loved rice. It reminded her of home, of warm family dinners and bustling kitchens. It was a staple, a constant presence in her life back on Earth. She could almost hear her mother's voice, calling everyone to the table for a meal shared in laughter and love.
But this rice was different. The grains were slightly larger, almost translucent, and carried a subtle, nutty aroma that was new to her. It was familiar yet foreign, a reminder of what she had lost and what she had yet to discover.
Next to the rice was a second dish she had chosen on a whim—a colorful assortment of what looked like bright red tendrils, interspersed with deep purple orbs. It was entirely unlike anything she had seen before, yet the aroma was enticing, a blend of sweet and savory that awakened her hunger.
Miyu took a bite of the rice first, savoring its comforting taste and texture, allowing it to ground her in this strange, sterile place. Then, curiosity piqued, she turned her attention to the unfamiliar dish.
She hesitated, her fingers dancing over the smooth surface of the purple orbs, her curiosity battling with caution. A familiar voice in her head—the one that always spoke up when she was about to do something risky—prodded her to scan it with the system first.
Her vision shifted as the system engaged, overlaying her view with a translucent window.
---
**System Analysis:**
**Name:** Xar'qul
**Description:** A symbiotic species cultivated for culinary purposes. The tendrils exude a mild paralytic toxin when alive, neutralized upon preparation. The purple orbs are spore clusters, edible after deactivation. A delicacy known for its energizing properties, though ingestion may cause mild hallucinations in some species.
---
She grimaced slightly at the description, especially at the mention of "paralytic toxin" and "spore clusters." The idea of hallucinations was also not exactly reassuring. But hunger and curiosity outweighed her hesitation. After all, it was steaming on her plate, ready to be eaten.
Miyu gingerly picked up a small portion of Xar'qul with her fork, eyeing it with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. She took a cautious bite, bracing for an explosion of unfamiliar flavors.
Her apprehension melted away as the taste unfolded across her palate. The tendrils had a delicate, earthy flavor, while the orbs burst with a sweet juiciness that was unexpectedly delightful. It was a harmony of tastes that danced together in a symphony of sensations, both exotic and invigorating.
Before she knew it, Miyu had cleaned her plate, her earlier doubts forgotten in the simple joy of discovery. She found herself craving more of the unique dish, her curiosity unsated.
Rising from her seat, she approached the row of automatons manning the buffet line, their mechanical precision oddly comforting in the empty hall.
"Excuse me," she began, hesitating slightly as she addressed the nearest automaton. "Could I have some more of the Xar'qul, please?"
The automaton's eyes glowed with a soft blue light, acknowledging her request. "[Apologies, we are currently out of Xar'qul. Please wait while we prepare a fresh batch.]"
Miyu nodded, content to wait, the promise of another serving a small comfort in the strangeness of her new reality. She returned to her seat, her mind a little less burdened as she savored the anticipation of another taste of the unknown.
In that quiet moment, the worries of the fort and its mysteries receded to the background, leaving her with the simple pleasure of a meal well-enjoyed. The path ahead was uncertain, but for now, she was content to take things one step—and one bite—at a time.