Well, you were gelled up and the world's avatar of good food and teaching idiots how to cook just blessed you. That was fun.
The books around the room were written in a bad mesh of understandable and gibberish. You were... 'half' getting information from the World. Perhaps since the world was split, the Fitter-In-Spell was on the fritz?
You suppose you should be glad the world prioritized verbal understanding over text... You looked about and spotted a sensibly sized vent above the door.
It was so tiny and even Genis would struggle to fit. But there was the simple answer of the front door. You couldn't be that weak in this world...
Remembering Kratos and his boss, you decided to be safe. You flashed in pale white to your Sharpshooter form, spinning Fallen Beauty the pistol once in your gloved hands. There were no 'fingers' in the gloves, but glove acted like it. You slithered up the wall, your once weightless existence was still in full force, but it did feel like you packed on a few pounds. You yanked the covering off which was held in by screws.
For all the magic and technology in the world, nothing could replace the handiness of a basic screw it seemed. You slithered in, your swishing noises thankfully concealed under the hum of the base around you. Your form narrowed and thinned out as the vents were really not designed for anything larger than a cat.
Then came the first choice. Left or right.
The left seemed to have more airflow, but there was the sound of voices to the right.
You followed the right and you did pass a series of vents going up, down, and even curving away, the voices bounced around in a confusing manner.
"-no, the Chosen is useless to us. What we need... is you, Lloyd Irving!" a voice that sounded snobbish announced. You headed forward, but the voices drifted in and out of audible range.
"...Me?! What's so special...me?" Lloyd's rather...passionate voice cried in anger.
"That's none of your concern! Get him!" the snob announced. There was a lot of yelling and noise which ended in an alarm going off.
Sound like negotiations had soured a tad. You kept heading forward until the vents abruptly ended in a single vent leading down to a large bay-like hanger. There was no movement and even the lights seem dim.
You popped the vent and floated to the ground. The space was huge with two floors and tons of computer screens constantly monitoring a 'tear' and a large seal metal gate that was covered by segments of metal in the floor. You could hear voices arguing outside the door which looked to be locked.
"-ffesor, the way to open this door will take us ages to solve and they could come anytime, can't we just blast it open with Genis' magic?" Lloyd demanded as he pounded the door to the hanger.
"No! You might damage the Rheairds!" Sheena said in a panicked tone. You hip thrust over and flipped the red button to green on the side of the door and there was a series of clicking noises followed by a hiss. The door slid open to reveal four staring eyes and a single set uncaringly staring ahead.
"Hello again, everyone. Did you have an interesting discussion?" you asked and none of them seemed to quite understand what they were looking at.
"I got bored, it was very rude to leave me nothing to do in there," you explained and Raine shook her head.
"How did you..." she trailed off as her sharp eyes saw the dangling vent cover.
"The vents were horribly laid out, anyone could have gotten lost in there," you answered as the others quickly followed and you shut the door, sealing it back off.
"That's impossible, to fit in there you'd have to be..." she trailed off, but her eyes landed on the computers and you were promptly forgotten about.
"Thanks! That was great timing!" Lloyd grinned at you then he blushed a little as he squirmed.
"I... never got your name," he said after a moment.
You were absolutely sure you gave him your name and the kid, Genis, sighed dramatically at his side. A common occurrence perhaps?
"My name is Eraqus," you reminded. Lloyd laughed in a rather unconvincing manner.
"R-right, I knew that. Sorry, this day just never ends," he said, brushing off the embarrassment easily.
"Amazing, this level of technology so vastly outstrips ours, it isn't even funny. We're still with Steamboats," Raine cried as she rapidly tapped the computer, learning the navigation and file directory with alarming speed.
"I hope she doesn't blow us up," Genis muttered and if you could feel alarmed, you would have as Sheena and Lloyd nodded in a grave motion. Lloyd gave you a slide-ways look.
"She's used computers before, at the Desian Human Slave ranches, she blew them up with computers they had," he explained.
"It was weird at the time because the function looked built into the base, which was stupid but now we know that Cruxis doesn't destroy the Desians... just ships them over to the other world, it makes sense to have easy clean up for the things they can't just transport, like the buildings, when the Chosen completes their journey," Sheena said darkly.
Human slaves... ranches. Lovely.
"I got them. There's only enough for five of us, but Colette is no state to drive. Eraqus, take the last one," Raine ordered as five slime metal things were raised from the hole. The way it looked was like metal turbines with a shark fin. The fin split from the tips and settled on either side of the machine to make the wings.
The door behind you began to squeal as a massive sword pierced through it.
"Rude," you commented as you jumped on the machine. Was it a coincidence it was silver and sleek? Flickers of nothing energy surrounded the thing but vanished off after a moment.
Lacking proper class to transmute vehicle.
The thing shot off after the others, the bay doors opening to reveal blue skies. You looked down to see the shimmering dome of a base in a desert. Sheena's voice came over a panel on the Rheaird.
"These things are set to jump to Tethe'alla! Hold on!" she warned. What happened next was... truly something that you were sure would both impress and terrify Aqua if you ever told her.
A tear in the sky peeled back like a wound so deep there was no recovery from. The Rheairds shot into it and the space you entered was not the world, not the stars... this was...
A dark lane with the sky of shimmering water. The abyss below you and only the protection of Rheairds and something else kept this wound from bleeding. You looked over the edge of your Rheaird and the abyss looked back.
That was, you supposed, rather unsettling. The sea above began to thin and a world became visible, upside down as the sea was the sky to them. You rose out of thin air and the space in front of you parted like water.
A neat trick and watching it gave you ideas.
Sharpshooter gained 10 exp.
You broke out in a new world and easily shook the wonder off. You had done this a few times already and you were also an emotionless sock set on bringing joy to the good pastries and desserts of the world.
Like an apathetic Santa.
The others cheered to a degree. Sheena and Raine managed to just smile. The Rheairds, almost all at once, began to shake and tremble.
"The fuel tank is empty!" Genis yelped and you saw your own was indeed flatlining.
"Wait... you guys released the seals in your World so-" Sheena's voice trailed off in a horrifying realization.
"We're going to crash!" Lloyd warned as the Rheairds nosedived to the summit of a mountain. You gently let your own ship follow them as your own body floated slowly in the air towards them. The crash wasn't that far from down and they all looked... banged up, but not in need of urgent care.
Good thing this mountain was here otherwise they'd all be dead.
"That's unfair," Lloyd's face looked annoyed as you just stepped down out of the air as if taking a stroll.
"Given the reason I can do this, I would say it is decent compensation," you offered. You noticed the world felt... easier to move in as the lowering levels of Mana were giving you more leeway to be nothing.
"We have too many questions, but the important thing is that none of the Rheairds look damaged beyond repair," Raine mused.
Genis scoffed in annoyance.
"But they're useless unless we get some fuel," he told the group as he looked around the mountain summit. Lloyd tilted his head in confusion, thinking so clearly you could almost see numbers and words pass in his eyes.
"What's the fuel? Coal?" he finally asked.
Sheena looked insulted at the idea. "Coal?! Oh, geez...how do you guys manage to actually live in Sylvarant?" she moaned in despair but Raine coughed politely.
"Then magic, I assume. Perhaps the lightning that Volt produces?" she hypothesised. She was carefully keeping you in view as she examined the other vehicles. Lloyd mused aloud for a second then you could actually see a lightbulb moment go off in his head.
"Then all we have to do is have Sheena summon Volt, right?" he announced, smacking one hand into another. Sheena took a step back and her face paled to an unhealthy white. She didn't seem to breathe for a moment.
"I...haven't made a pact with Volt," she said, voice so tight that it could have bisected anything that attempted to cross it. Lloyd didn't notice as he sighed.
"Nothing's easy, is it?" he mused as he sadly took in the sight of Colette staring into space.
"If you would like, I can try to provide some of my own energy. I am not sure it will be compatible with the device's system, but it is worth a try," you offered and Sheena looked up but Raine answered.
"I don't trust you to not simply blow them up or run off with them. We should leave them here until we can figure out how to get to the imperial research facility Sheena mentioned back in the base," she told the group and Genis winced.
"Sorry, she's like that," he shrugged and Sheena brushed her black hair to the side.
"Yup, I got the fourth and fifth-degree when I joined as well," she told you, sounding more amused by the memory now.
"Understandable. Just thought I should offer my help in some regard," you said but Lloyd put his hands on his hips, face frowning.
"Professor Sage, you can't just turn down help. Eraqus might be able to help us and bypass needing Volt," he suggested.
"After Kratos, you'll forgive me for being cautious," Raine snapped and the mood instantly plummeted in the group.
"Hence why I said it was understandable. If our plan is to get moving, does anyone have any idea which direction we should move towards?" you decided to hurry the traumatised group on. Sheena stepped forward.
"I'm going to lead you all to the nearby town. Meltokio, the Imperial City," she promised. You were going to follow if not for that constant low buzzing pull on you. It was someone or something you had never felt, but it was constant...insistent. Your intra-world portal was working here and you could follow the pull...
"I'm feeling a pull on myself. I have the power to follow it through dangerous... wormholes. A tug from that direction," you explained to the group who shared a look. Sheena followed the direction and thought.
"The temple of darkness is the only thing of note down there," she said after checking a compass from her pocket.
"Ah. That somewhat explains things then," you said and Lloyd rushed over and tried to open his pack to give you some supplies like food...water... gold coins.
"You can't just go off with nothing," he said distractedly. Raine opened her mouth but you barely saw the hint of tenderness she revealed to Lloyd's back before it was hidden behind her stoic veneer once more.
"That is very thoughtful of you, Lloyd. I will be sure to return what I can when we are reunited," you said calmly as you stored some bread and a waterskin. The coins were converted out of sight.
X2 plain bread gained.
X1 full waterskin.
30 munni gained.
Lloyd grinned, his pain and confusion temporary put aside to know he was doing good. He had a handsome face full of light and determination.
"Dwarven Vow number 1! Let's all work together for a peaceful world," he said seriously.
He held a hand out for you to take. You shook it with the same seriousness, seeing the blue sphere sparking in the light. You remembered what they were and despite sensing... you only felt...peace from the rock.
Lloyd Irving N-Link gained!
+2 to taunting someone upon first meeting them.
You turned and opened a portal to the temple.
"It's leaking Dark Mana... so much that I think we should back up," Raine warned seriously.
"Indeed, it can be... dangerous to people with Hearts," you said and waved goodbye, stepping through as the portal closed behind you.
The place you exited into had a style of 'demonic ritual alter' and 'goth basement' with the feel of 'leave me alone'. It reminded you of Hollow Bastion in some places. You turned but before you could call out, five tiny little wiggly blobs slid down the stairs leading up.
Their wiggles were... sub-optimal. Each one was a leaking pool of shadows with a glinting purple light. It was like a Heartless, but there was no Heart inside or around these things. If anything, what they had was extraordinary pieces of Soul and Willpower. Divided into five parts equally.
This thing was from the Dark Realm, giving place in this world as an avatar of the darkness. The blobs gathered together on the alter and merged together, the feeling of mana growing to immense levels. The figure that rose was darkness itself, barely made real by the ornaments it wore. Gold spiky half-moon pauldrons and silver bands and a massive purple eye attached to a belt.
Pulsing green eyes peered out from the 'head'.
"Hello there. I have answered your call, if it is you that tried to reach me.," you nodded your head.
"Nothing… heeded... call. I am Shadow. I am...pact with...Mithos." the being said, immense power rolling off it, but it was not aggressive.
"Why have you called?" you decided to get to the point.
"Commanded to...seal... passage out. Sea of Darkness contains... Underworld... Ratatosk... further.. You...come from further," Shadow spoke factually.
"You're here to remove me?" you asked slowly.
"That is my command. It is... also... requested not to be." Shadow said and waited.
"So you're at a crossroads. Follow your order, or listen to those that asked you not to. That must mean you wish to judge me personally, no?" you prompted.
"I cannot aid you and I must...fix crack in the world. The order for you was... simply remove you...from the two Worlds. I have invited you here... to do that. But also...not." Shadow wavered as he spoke and you had a feeling he didn't do this much speaking normally.
"You have an alternate solution?" you said and Shadow twitched for a moment.
"Ratatosk," he said simply.
The name meant nothing to you.
"Spirit... like me. Match for...Origin. He is in...Ginnungagap," Shadow bubbled and wavered faster. He focused and his size shrunk in half as something floated down from the ceiling. A strange closed flower thing that began to absorb the mana.
"Guide... Centurion," Shadow explained. The flower bloomed to reveal a dark purple sphere with an intense light that began to pulse faster and faster.
The core leaked shadows and something landed on the ground.
"My... my... what a long nap! I dare say I haven't missed much, hm, Shadow?" the creature stretched on all four legs. His deep masculine voice coming from a shadowy canine form who floated after a moment, to show deep purple markings around his eyes, purple fringes coming off each paw, and a coat-tail like hind that a tail swept out of.
The tail ended in a large demonic claw.
Bright orange luminous eyes peeked at you.
"I knew the place was a little unclean, but I didn't expect it to be so... dusky," he said in mirth. He bowed his head
"I am the Centurion of Darkness, Tenebrae. I haven't seen Empty Shell of Twilight in a long time... 2000 years? 5?" he mused to himself.
"I am Eraqus, a Nobody of Importance. It would appear that I require your aid in finding this Ratatosk individual," you said and Tenebrae sniffed once.
"Lord Ratatosk. But yes, I can lead you to his current location and given that Shadow has made it so important, I suppose we shan't waste time," he said and Shadow twitched hard.
"Mithos... coming. Go." Shadow warned and exploded into dozens of tiny blobs. Tenebrae didn't look alarmed but confused.
"The strange half-elf child? He's still around... it must be... if my sense of the stars are right (and why is half the world missing?) 4000 years since I met him and his friends... they must look after themselves," Tenebrae muttered.
His tail sliced a hole in the air, making a portal appear to somewhere... hot.
"A lot seems to have happened while you were asleep," you said and Tenebrae frowned.
"So it appears... for my Lord seems to be not at his tree or mending the damage, but in this wretched place," the dog said and leapt through the hole.
You followed and found yourself in a place where the mana was so thick that it was like moving through water. You stared up at a massive upside-down egg structure as lava burned inside runes and glyphs on its surface. The portal had dropped you on a bridge and looking down, you saw a barrier of heat, mana, and power suppressing another World.
A world in the Dark Realm.
"I wish my last attempt into the Realm of Darkness went that smoothly," you admitted.
"Well, think of it as the last stop before no return. Still, quite impressive to be this close," Tenebrae stretched as he looked around.
"Ginnungagap. The seal upon the Underworld. The demonic world," Tenebrae said and smirked at the portal as it closed.
"A coward. He didn't follow," he told you and you had a feeling you knew what he meant.
"That's a sign that this place is a bit Ginnunga-gap in his power," Tenebrae said with a chortle.
"Perhaps he thinks he's too cool to be here," you suggested.
"Oh, good one. Come along. Lord Ratatosk won't be far. I still can't quite understand what's happening," Tenebrae frowned as he floated forward towards the egg dome. Inside was another two large paths and at the end was something that looked small, but you sensed... on a spiritual level, was massive. A giant door of glass and with massive eight slots that barely kept the darkness behind it at bay as it was without power.
Then the image parted and the place attempted to look innocuous once more. Just a strange small lattice with eight orbs set into it. Only the dark purple orb was glowing.
You had felt a door like that before.
This was a much smaller edition, but it was no less potent.
A door between Light and Dark.
"W-what... this cannot be!" Tenebrae cried as he saw the lattice. You had been wrong. There were 9 cores in the thing, but the middle one, the largest and most potent was...
Near dead was being generous for its personality.
"Tenebrae, talk to me,I assume this is a bad thing?" you encouraged him to talk. The Centurion turned, still shocked.
"O-of course, sir Eraqus... my manners fail me. My Lord Ratatosk is the being that regulates all the Mana in the world when it came to this world over 10,000 years ago. He, along with us faithful Centurions, controlled monsters and made sure Mana did not cause disasters with the arrival of Derris-Kharlan. My Lord even used his own tree as a conduit," Tenebrae sat on the floor, ears drooping.
"I fell asleep once the great tree was mortally wounded and the child, Mithos, went around collecting pacts of the spirits to create a way to safely rebirth the tree with their powers combined. The lack of Mana made me and my fellows fall into a slumber... then I awake to find my Lord trapped here, unable to reform himself. The World is split into two and Origin is missing. My Lord Ratatosk was nearly driven into a death-like state but with my activation, it has bought him some more precious years," Tenebrae said quietly.
"So the state of the world is putting a strain in what is left of your master's power. Would seeking out the other centurions aid in his restoration?" you asked and Tenebrae thought about it.
"It would be a slight measure at best. There is no flow of Mana. It's bottled up, enough to keep things afloat but there should be far more... there should be a new tree by now!" Tenebrae cursed.
"That might be due to Mithos' own actions. He seems to have made a system that alters how the Mana of the world moves. I am not aware of any further details, though," you said and Tenebrae looked like he was going to be sick.
"No... I know what we must do now," Tenebrae said, voice grave. At your look, he grimaced.
"We shall go to Origin's seal and demand an answer," he announced.
Ratatosk's core shined just a little at that.