Chương 46: Chapter 39

There are a few times in your life when you can truly feel new and unbounded joy. This can be anything from winning the lottery, to the much more realistic setting of finding out your favorite author has published a new book in that series that you love. In my case, the feeling of unbound joy comes from seeing this amazing world brought to life. Just entering the new Ancient facility sparks to life thoughts of wonder and awe.

For this one lights up with light blue trim, with green bubbling accents that all but confirm my thought that this was a different Ancient faction that also settled here on the continent. While the ones out east focused on production, creating energy cells, and training to survive the harshness of life. This one seemed to focus more on elegance, with maybe a hint of opulence thrown in for good measure. For there were very few energy cells laying around, unlike the introductory facilities that I was used to seeing.

Instead of reusable and interchangeable power cells, this facility had large ornate leather chairs that somehow still seemed to be of the highest craftsmanship and quality, despite having been unused for centuries if the stories were to be believed. As I was following the floor to see where the power nodes came from, I heard the two talking to themselves.

"Oh wow, it is just so— amazing," Octavia said, her voice echoing off in the distance and bouncing back. Again, a sign of opulence and wealth as the vastness of this place was undeniable.

"This one is much better than the other one," Marie declared, giving a feint humble brag about having been to another Ancient facility. The one she was with Rydel was mostly a bunker compared to this one. An end of the world fallout shelter, versus this, a seemingly top of the line diplomacy facility that all but screamed entitlement.

"Should we help?" Octavia asked.

"No, it is best that we don't move around too much until the boss gives us the all clear," Marie replied. I don't know when she started calling me the boss, but it is clear that her affection level for me rose after our battle with the changed High Priestess Palmyra, who turned into a half-dragon-demi-monster thing before midterms. While the high priestess was killed, it did cause a bit of a commotion there for a while.

Realizing this was going to be a bit of a maze while I mentally tried to map out the layout and design of this place, I did what was common place in the games, whenever we entered an Ancient facility.

"You two just stay here and rest, while I deactivate the defenses," I tell the two group members. This was standard practice and almost a given in the game world of"To Love an Empire," as it was always my character, Karen, running around disabling traps and exploring the ruins, while Claudia, the world's main heroine used that time to woo her male escorts.

While I didn't have to worry about wooing anyone here, it did feel natural for us to split up here, while I practice my semi-thief skills by deactivating traps, exploring Ancient rooms, and ultimately making it safe for others to explore the facility. While I had made everyone here a dignitary, I was not a fool to believe that these facilities would not protect and likely kill dignitaries who ventured to the wrong parts of this building without supervision.

I was already thinking about which ways to go, and which access paths to look for, when I was cut off by a very abrasive and unexpected response.

"Absolutely not!" Marie declared.

"What?" Was my oh so eloquent response.

"What do you mean what, I said we are not splitting up the party!" Marie exclaimed, fists on her hips with her cheeks puffed out like she was going to give the ultimate life lesson on what was acceptable and what was not. In this particular case, it was clear that she was adamant that I not leave her side.

"But you all are only dignitaries at the moment, I will have to go in and do a complete system overhaul to make it so you both are registered as facility workers, with full access to everything," I reply, assuming this will be the last I hear of this particular issue. However, I was mistaken.

"No, you cannot," Marie demands, though she is suddenly too flustered to come up with more. For a moment, I wonder if she is somehow glitching, if she is on such a new setting that this set of circumstances never crossed the developer's minds. I think this for a second, but then I see the moment that Marie's face trembles as she wars with herself trying to remain calm and rationale, while clearly feeling some type of way.

"What if you get hurt? Who will be there to save you? How will I be able to save you if you are gone?" That was it, the most emotional reply I had ever heard from her. The normally stoic model of virtue and chastity was here, telling me in the most emotional way possible that she couldn't be separated from me.

"What?" Was again my one-word response to this sudden change in Marie's character, as I was not used to this level of emotion coming from her.

"You nearly died!" There it was, the response that finally put everything into perspective.

"You nearly died, and you were just lying there like a broken rag doll. If I was late in healing you, or if I hadn't been there, then what would have happened—" Marie began, but then quickly broke down as tears and snot bubbles began forming from her as she just cried. She cried, and I did the only thing I could think of to stop her, I grabbed her skinny frame and hugged her tightly.

I could feel the moisture of her tears flowing onto my self-repairing leather uniform, and I realized this was likely a new moment with Marie, one where I could possibly see a deeper side of her.

"It's okay, I'm sorry," I reply, patting her gently on the back, before I realize it might be time to cast another Disruption Field over and around her. This time, I just keep it up and activated.

We had been working on weening Marie off the constant cycling of Disruption Fields, partly because she was developing a resistance to the inevitable corruption that comes from the influence of the void, and partly because I would randomly deactivate parts of the love academy when I cast the spell, depending on when and where it was cast.

While my casting was instrumental in weeding out High Priestess Palmyra before she had more time to act within the academy walls, it was not an event I wanted to relive anytime soon. Mainly for the very reason that Marie indicated, where I was thrown like a rag doll and clearly broke my back, in what would be a permanently crippling injury, one that came with permanent modifiers to my movement, mobility, and strength attributes.

Fortunately, Marie had been right there, and been able to tap into her ultimate healing ability to reset my bones and heal me before any damage could be made permanent. That was also part of why we stopped the constant barrage of my Disruption Fields on her, as her tapping into that energy seemed to have balanced something within her magical resonance that made her less likely to fall to corruption.

Though, after hearing her speak just now, it was clear that I was likely one of her triggers for falling into corruption. That's why I relented and told her the truth.

"Sorry, I just didn't want you to get injured, which is why I—""No, I'll be fine," Marie began, but then corrected herself, "we'll be fine." At her correction, Marie gestured to Octavia who had been the awkward third wheel in the room through our whole emotional exchange. Seeing that she seemed to be left out of this, I paused and then look at her and finally ask the important question, "do you want to come with us?"

"Are you kidding? Getting to explore an ancient ruin while being accompanied by the most technically proficient healer and the most capable healer duo of the new class, together, what more could I need," Octavia declared. Hearing her speak, it was clear that she both meant every word she said, and that word of both Marie's capabilities and my apparent mastery of the basic healing spells had made their way through the school.

While some of this attention could have come from Rydel Drakerton who ventured with both Marie and I, I do have to wonder how much information about me has made its way around campus. I assume it's not much, as I am probably not that interesting of a character, but it would be interesting to find out. After taking a moment to confirm that Marie was interested in exploring with me, I paused and then shrugged my shoulders and finally guided us on our tour, "all right then, follow me and watch for traps."

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Octavia looks like she wants to protest, as if she should take the lead, but ultimately settles on taking the middle spot between Marie and me. That is the most logical position, as she could run forward to protect me, or fall back to help Marie, while being right there to take on any monsters that might try to flank us. The first order of business is to fully restore the power to the facility.

It is clear that there are a total of three branches to explore, but only one is currently lit up with a dwindling supply of power. A typical, ancient ruin on the verge of collapse needs you to recharge the power units, and then rewire certain doors and features to make the facility fully operational. Along the way you will find the automated defenses still work and are actively trying to kill you. I always hated this, but it did make sense from a purely mechanical standpoint.

While my team and I have been identified as belonging to this facility, if the energy is cut off from the guard units in place, then it means there is no way the signal for the update could have made it to the standalone guardian units, meaning we will get attacked. Worse, we will need to do minimal damage to the units, so we can keep them and use them as part of our own defense. Just walking down these hallways, I feel the rush of excitement coursing through me, as I feel like a frumpy kid in a candy shop.

I am apparently smiling too much, while not wearing a mask, a habit that I need to get out of, or at least try to correct until I can get the machinery here to unlock a new mask for me. I know I am smiling too much and too excited as Marie chooses that moment to ask me about my apparent look, "you having fun?"

"Yes!" I exclaim, then try to take a breath and realize this from their perspective as this is literally a death trap waiting to kill us at every turn. Going to our first main hallway leading to the power supply room, all I can see are a line of six immensely powerful Annihilator Class Sentinels. These are the big kahunas, the warrior statues with blaster-swords, shields, and a set of advanced fighting moves. Facing one head on as a solitary player is often game over.

Most of the time just seeing this entry way would mean that we would have to leave, and come back after finding the other facilities where I could learn my Disruption Field, followed by my Factory Reset, then finally the Break In, which would allow me to take over each statue individually. Taking a deep breath, I start bouncing on the tips of my toes with excitement as I know this will be fun.

"Do you need me to do anything?" Octavia asks, seeing the statues and likely sensing that they are dangerous in some way. I pause and look at her, only to smile widely.

"Just stay here, and watch!" That's all I tell her before I begin running. Making sure to enter the room at my normal speed, for there was a timing bug. I could enter the room with all my speed and strength buffs already activated, but then the machines would scale to that power level. Instead, you were to run in at your normal strength, then once the guardian machines were activated thanks to motion sensors, they would be calibrated to your base speed.

Then and only then, once they started moving, should you cast your speed enhancements. That was why, I entered the room relatively naked. Well magically speaking that is, also for what I was going to do, having my speed enhancement buffs didn't make much sense as they would all be stripped away as I cast my first Disruption Field on a sphere covering myself and the nearest guardian. Moving in, I darted to the left, aiming for the closest of the Annihilator Class Sentinels.

Within ten steps, I can see its glowing red lights for eyes activate, as it has tracked my movements. As I am continuing to move, I see the independent golden core in its hull light up and activate, spreading bolts of lightning throughout the head, arms, and legs. Watching as it gives off an almost humanlike shrugging off sleep, before taking one stuttering step forward. Getting closer, I can see just how massive this statue is, as it's one thing to read that a statue is twenty-five feet tall.

Then it is another thing entirely to go toe-to-toe with said twenty-five-foot-tall statue and expect to win. Yet, that's exactly what I expect to happen as it takes its one clumsy step forward, as its processors come online and it attempts to find its balance. Seeing its defiant step forward, I feel the rush of adrenaline fill me, knowing that this is the most fun I've ever had in a long time.

Getting to feel the rush of wind around my face, the tingling chill of static electricity causing the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end. Everything tells me that this is the moment. This is what all those hours spent training with Lady Von'Graysing, my spymaster and physical trainer at the academy. Knowing that everything I have is thanks to her and her guidance. Jolts of yellow lightning bolts circulate and begin to form a protective coating around the sentinel.

I know this all too well, for it is a sign that the machine is activating its own form of speed boots, this is an overclocking ability that will pull a substantial amount of energy from the core of the monster. One of the easier ways to end this fight would be to just run around and avoid the machine entirely, waiting until it ran dry by constantly applying these speed enhancement buffs on itself.

Of course, I would then have to react and apply my own speed buffs to hopefully avoid the overpowered attacks that were bound to come, any one of which could split me in half, or be used to fire bursts of energy into paths where I would need to run. Also, the more I ran and avoided attacks, the more likely I was to awaken the other sentinels that were otherwise avoiding this confrontation.

All of this is to say, rather than running and hiding like I should, I instead did the stupidest thing possible, I ran towards the towering machine and attempted to end this early.

(Marie De'Claire) Marie's heart fluttered frantically, as a surge of unknown emotions filled her as she watched on anxiously from the sidelines. Seeing the look of excitement and pure joy filling their boss's face, Marie could only watch in amazement. Watching their master move, Marie couldn't help but find herself wondering something that at first felt farfetched, the idea that their boss had the gift of foresight, the fabled gift of prophecy.

This was the power of legend, and part of why Marie worked so hard to be part of Claudia Von'Roseblade's retinue, for being able to play any part in a prophet's future is something to cherish. Yet, Marie couldn't help but feel as though she had been lied to. For Claudia never showed signs of prophetic dreams, or future sight, if anything she always seemed to fall into the role of falling into obvious traps and pitfalls.

By comparison, their boss, this Karen, came from out of nowhere and didn't tell you she knew the future, didn't boast of a powerful prophetic ability, instead she did something Claudia never could. Rather than relying on a reading, or highlighting the potential for something greater, on having the potential for prophetic visions, their boss just knew the future, seemingly before it would happen. Everything their boss did, was suave, cool, and executed perfectly.

Here she was in the heart of an Ancient facility, the likes of which had never been used in centuries, a fact that was made evident by the fact that their feet made gentle sand imprints on their way in, something that couldn't be done if she had staged this to look like a prophetic vision. Even these gigantic statues seemed to be too realistic. Just watching them, Marie almost felt the impending wave of death rolling off of each of them, despite the fact that they were clearly stationary.

At least they were at first, that was until their boss charged in and fearlessly faced the machines that sparked to life with fury that could only show the power and lost mastery that the Ancients once possessed.

"Eep," Marie cried out in panic, seeing the towering machine charge forward and lunge at their boss. Fortunately, her panicked shriek either went unnoticed by Karen, or was drowned out by the pulsing and rhythmic vibration of the charging machine. Turning to her right, she locked glances with Octavia who just gave Marie a what are you doing gaze, before turning back to take in the fight. The giant machine was now coated and golden lightning and began to surge forward.

Their size and relative speed of the two combatants was so vastly different in scale, that Marie knew this battle would be over quickly. At least, she thought it would be quickly, until their boss, fearless as ever, raised her right hand and cast a spell that Marie knew all too well. Disruption Field. A spell that had helped to cleanse Marie of her corruption from exposure to energies from the void. To Marie's surprise the Disruption Field quickly stripped the giant machine of its golden protective aura.

Then Marie watched as their boss cast more and more spells in rapid succession, one seemed to stun the colossal machine, while the third caused a compartment to drop from its backside. Karen, not missing a stride ran forward, darted between the stunned mechanical construct's legs and then climbed upwards, bracing herself on the insides of the two legs, and thereby forcing her way up.

Everything from the way she moved, to the way she seemed to know how to interact with this mechanical construct seemed to prove one thing, that her boss had been here before. Then within seconds of their boss climbing upwards, she raised one hand and proceeded to fiddle with the machine's backside, the closed the latch that had fallen open. With a resounding click that echoed open chamber, Karen dropped down and moved to a few paces in front of the giant machine.

As she did, the glowing red ominous eyes of the machine suddenly shifted to a much more comforting green color. From the corner of her eye, Marie could see how Octavia was just staring on in awe at the sight, something that Marie found to be worthwhile in and of itself as Octavia had been one of the most adamant that their boss had no notable prophetic abilities. Then just before Marie could ask Octavia what she thought about their boss now, that's when their boss did the ultimate thing.

Speaking in an odd birdlike chirping language, she pointed to first herself. Then proceeded to point at Marie and Octavia. For a moment, it looked like the machine was contemplating the gestures given by their boss. Octavia even went so far as to take a half step forward, as if she would be able to run down and help their boss defeat this mechanical construct should it decide to attack.

Yet, rather than attack, the machine did the most amazing thing possible, it dropped to one knee and bowed its head while burying its blade into the ground. It took Marie a second to realize what the machine was doing.

"It-it's bowing in fealty?" Octavia whispered, not wanting to speak too loudly, lest the illusion before them get broken and the now subdued machine go on a violent killing frenzy. Then Karen gave her own thoughts on the situation.

"It is," was all Karen replied with. Then giving a quick sidelong glance at Octavia, Marie raised one questioning eyebrow. To anyone watching the interaction they would have no clue what was being conveyed in that interaction, but Octavia knew instantly what was being asked in that one glance. The question was simple,"do you still doubt her?" Octavia just gave a slight shake of her head, no.

That was all that was needed, for at that moment Marie knew she had brought on a second believer to the power of their leader. With that out of the way, Marie looked up to see that their fearless leader had already moved on. Rather than resting with her successful subjugation of one of the powerful machine guardians, Karen was already moving on to face the second one. This time, her attack was a split second too late, as the machine let out a wide horizontal strike with its mighty sword.

A slash that would bisect anyone it contacted, yet their boss casually dropped to her knees, and slid under the blade before coming up, raising her hand and all but demanding the mighty machine stop to her power and authority. Watching their boss in action, it was clear that she was someone who would change the world, if given a chance. Clang.

The machine took a step forward, but before it could land its foot, Karen chose that moment to freeze it in position, locking it in place and letting its forward momentum carry it forward as it crashed into the ground. From there, their boss again easily cast her spells that let her take control over the lumbering machine. Seeing their boss work like this, Marie revised her earlier opinion about their boss.

At this rate, she wouldn't need to be given anything, instead she could just take what should rightfully be hers.