The frequent clicking sounds of the mouse were only interrupted by the occasional taps of the keyboard in the quiet room. Lindon, the sole inhabitant of the darkened space, had his attention on the computer screen. The soft glow of it illuminated his immediate surroundings as he continued reading about the history and contemporary developments of this world.
Dross, too, was absent from his thoughts. Deeming this method of acquiring information too slow and primitive for an Abidan Presence, he and Suu literally had their heads together in the other room of this nondescript apartment PRT had offered to them. They were figuring out on the other computer how to access the Internet directly—without the interfaces that the humans of this world required—and fully encompass it on their own terms.
Therefore, for the last twelve hours straight, one hundred percent of Dross' attention was on that task. It gave Lindon time for himself, to get up to speed on the necessary knowledge for this mission.
The Protectorate and PRT were among the few organizations in this iteration that had managed affairs in the aftermath of the Endbringer attacks and the surge in violent capes, stabilizing a significant part of the world. It seemed to Lindon that they made a good decision to have confided in the PRT about the reality of their mission.
Perhaps the most surprising thing he had learned was the absence of any defined energy system in this iteration. Not to mention the existence and behavior patterns of the Endbringers, the oddity that was Scion—the most powerful hero, chipped in the head as Yerin would say—and the S-class threats that were allowed to exist. Either because it was more convenient for the people in charge in maintaining the order of the world intact, the status quo, or the heroes just couldn't handle such threats without severe losses.
The door opened without a sound and Mercy walked in. She stood by the door for a heartbeat, turned the lights on, and then sat down next to him.
"I've just been inside my Book for a whole day, cycling, trying out a few things and making some adjustments to techniques, there's only so much darkness I'm willing to experience in any given day." She told him with a sigh, hands raised in apology.
Lindon suppressed a laugh at her exasperated expression. A break from the computer would be good for him too, let his mind assimilate all the new information.
He turned in his chair to ask her, "what have you been trying with your techniques that is new?"
"Nothing too drastic," Mercy replied, "I thought how the Endbringer body reacted to physical trauma and damage was quite fascinating, so I was thinking up some application of that layered makeup for my bloodline armor, could be useful. It's just thought exercise anyway." She waved her hand.
"What have you been doing? Are you in a competition with Dross and Suu or something? Who figures out all the secrets first?" She asked him.
He smiled, "we have little time so I thought to utilize it." He was already thinking how to present his findings to Mercy. "Did you know there was no energy system in this iteration up until a few decades ago? Never in its history."
Mercy nodded. "That's what they say."
"It still isn't much of an energy 'system' but it's something."
"The recent influx of powered capes you mean; heroes, villains, rogues."
"Yeah but how come that aligns with our estimate of the fiend's activity?" He asked, looking at her expectantly, "the arrival of these capes…" he held out both hands, indicating a balance and a correlation, "and the fiend's activity in this iteration from the Abidan estimates. Is there a relation?"
"Another thing," he pressed on, "they mention this extra organ in the brains of these capes and some non-capes—the ones they've assessed—Corona Pollentia they call it. That was also non-existent in humans, has been historically. Many theories surround it."
He opened up a web page that had information on the corona pollentia and showed it to Mercy. She leaned forward to read it, eyes focused.
"Ooh, that's why they asked for a scan of my head yesterday."
That was news. "Really? You didn't say anything."
"I thought they were verifying I was a human like them so I went ahead with it. Didn't think it was important enough to mention."
"It's probably a good thing, might clear any doubt they still have about us."
They'd been told the results of the analysis of the spirit-fruit a couple of days ago. PRT's conclusions confirmed that something like the spirit-fruit was not found on the earth according to any known records and all the experts they consulted.
He suspected there wasn't any more detail forthcoming on that subject but the hope remained that their purpose with handing out a minor treasure like that had been achieved. With Mercy's corona pollentia test a guaranteed success, their credibility should be further cemented.
Mercy stated after a few seconds, "Hmm... the question is if this is some inherent evolution for the humans of this iteration that had been dormant until now, or is it an unnatural development? Don't you think?"
Lindon liked the fact that she was thinking along the same lines as him.
"Exactly, did a chaos fiend's proximity accelerate a natural evolution in humans by accident? Or is this some corruption directly coming from it?" he offered.
"If we take into account how physically weak an average person is in this world, non-capes I mean— they're like foundation level children—I wouldn't be surprised if the evolution were natural, you know," Mercy theorized, her voice contemplative.
"On the other hand," she continued, "we are dealing with a chaos fiend—you've even faced one before so you'd know best—they are just …different, completely alien in every way so I wouldn't be surprised if this was its doing."
"That's what they teach students here," He opened another webpage for her, "something close to it anyway. It's a theory; alien or artificial intelligence giving people powers. A stressful event happens, or a series of such events, person usually passes out or goes discombobulated for a while and afterwards they possess powers."
"Sounds like your cycling technique, and your training methods." Mercy said with a teasing smile. "Let me put myself through constant excruciating pain." She mimicked his voice.
Huh, he hadn't realized. Both things indeed sounded similar on the surface. But they weren't really when you delve deep.
"Except no one is getting their powers by following a plan or training regimen, are they?" He said as much and paused, briefly distracted by the thought if such a plan was possible in the first place and what would it entail, but shook his head to clear it. "Also, the sheer variety of powers is something to note, I'm studying these PRT classifications on power and it backs our observations on that."
Mercy was in thought for a few moments, then she asked him, "have you tried…?" She mimed grabbing at the air using her right hand with exaggerated slowness.
Consuming?
"No, no. I haven't," he said.
"Really? Not even a little?" Mercy said knowingly, doubt dripping from her voice, but the face showing the hint of a smile.
"What if they die? Or go paralyzed or comatose? I can't pour it back into them to fix them." He tried to demonstrate the "pouring back" part with a pushing gesture.
Mercy only looked at him with eyebrows raised.
Lindon scratched his head, "well… I'm not sure some little sips here and there count," Mercy began to laugh, he continued, "those gave me no answers at all, only some idea of what a power can do, not a definitive one either."
Mercy got up from the chair and began pacing. "I haven't seen many capes stronger than Jade or Gold level but at the same time you see some of them throwing around Sage and Monarch level techniques. Even kids can get those when they trigger. Some of these Wards I spent some time yesterday with, they are strong enough to affect reality in a substantial way if allowed—I'm sure you've done the research— freezing anything in time, conceptual attacks that bypass anything, the little girl who helped us in the end. It's a wonder not everything has turned to chaos with the most powerful capes dictating everything in this world. In this region at least."
"Some areas haven't been so lucky," Lindon said. "We might have to do something about that if we can't find the fiend."
Mercy's reply was interrupted by a ping, Lindon looked at the screen, "Dragon is calling me." He told Mercy.
[What did you say…? Dragon? Accept it. Quickly.] Dross was back with him, manifesting in front of the computer.
Lindon paused, "Any luck Dross?" He inquired about his mind spirit's task.
The spirit-turned-Presence sniggered [So you are hoping for my success. I knew it.]
Lindon only shook his head in amusement and clicked the green button. The face of a woman appeared on the screen as the connection was established.
"Hello Lindon, this is Dragon," her voice came, clear and impassive.
"Yes… we know. I'm here, Mercy too."
"Good. I've called for a check-in, in case your team needs anything from the PRT or the Guild," Dragon said, "also if you need my personal assistance with something."
He exchanged a glance with Mercy and spoke up, "we've just been discussing how the powers work on your world. To continue that conversation, what would be the best material to study triggers and the theories about it?"
Dragon replied after a second, "I can certainly refer something. Just check your inbox after this call, I'll send you a list."
"Hi Dragon," Mercy chimed in, "do you know if PRT have confirmed my lack of corona pollentia yet?"
If Dragon was taken aback by that question she didn't show, "Indeed they have. Actually, that is another reason I contacted you; some in the PRT are contemplating, or rather pushing for, a similar test for Lindon and Yerin. I happen to be on the other end of that particular debate, so if you refuse now, that'll probably be end of the matter."
"They certainly know how to waste time," muttered Mercy.
"We'll see about that," Lindon told Dragon, "we'd rather spend the limited time more productively." He had no desire to satisfy the egos of some foolhardy bureaucrats.
Dross nudged him. [Ask her about electromagnetic receivers.]
That bemused Lindon. Ask her what? He said to Dross.
[Electrom… Material to study and maybe some questions I have on the subject. I told you, I can't stand this giant contraption they call the computer.]
Right… But what exactly do I ask her?
[Forget it, just repeat what I say.]
…Alright.
For the next half hour, he only asked Dragon questions that the Presences—Dross and Suu—put forward. Everything from 'radio frequency' and 'signal processing' to 'wireless receivers' and a host of other terms he didn't know or only had a passing idea about were discussed with him as a proxy between Dragon and the two Presences.
Mercy watched it all unfold, offering him no help other than asking a question or two of her own. He missed Yerin, her Moonlight Bridge really was an unfair ability and the irrational part of his brain resented it even more right now.
By the end Dragon was clearly holding back on the question of why Lindon even needed this information, but she didn't ask. Dross, too, only stopped because Lindon had had enough.
"We'll let you go soon, just one last thing," he tried to sound sincere, "any progress on finding capes with interdimensional abilities? Something like portals to access alternate earths?" He asked, holding a tiny bit of hope.
"Unfortunately, no." Dragon replied. "Although PRT is on the lookout and so am I."
"You didn't confiscate any of Haywire's technology after he died?" Mercy asked pointedly.
"The PRT had some of that technology in secure vaults but that was lost after a Simurgh attack." Dragon said.
No progress, that was a shame. For all the action on their first day here, since then it had all been research and discussions mostly. Not counting Yerin, who had been travelling up and down the country.
"Okay then, thanks for your time and help, Dragon."
"Likewise."
The call ended with a beep.
A momentary quiet filled the air.
Mercy broke it. "Lindon, if there's no way to access other worlds then what are our options?" She asked.
"I'm not sure," he replied. "Maybe Dross and the other two can figure some technology out once they have more knowledge. Isn't that right Dross?"
Dross apparently had something else occupying his mind [Yes yes I'd love to. Can you open this file Dragon mentioned and look at each page?] Lindon obliged [Yes that one, and all the ones below it. Just keep doing that when you talk to Mercy.]
"Hey Lindon," Mercy called for his attention, "is it possible to try and open a rift ourselves, between dimensions, or worlds as they are here?" She looked at him keenly.
"Not with our advancements sealed." Lindon said.
"For a normal Archlord I'd believe that, but we are not normal, are we?" She said with a glint in her eye, "you, especially, have a connection with the concept of Void, pretty handy in spatial transportation wouldn't you say?"
Lindon considered that, "obviously we can't break the seals just yet only to access other worlds, without any guarantee of even finding the fiend, let alone fighting it. So, you're saying what…? We pool our Authority and Willpower somehow and form a Working?"
Mercy nodded.
"Wouldn't that be the same as one of us releasing our power and then working the Way?" He objected. "We'd still attract the fiend's attention."
She retorted, "Assuming we already haven't."
Lindon shrugged.
"We won't try to call on the Way though. It would just be our own power," Mercy said. "Break through the fabric of reality. Like a Herald for example; overwhelming power, or how some Silverlords counter the Way's workings."
"That is assuming such a buildup of collective of Authority is even possible, we don't have anything like the eight-man empire's armor."
"Weren't you working on some prototypes to replicate that?" She asked.
"That was some time years ago. No success, and we've been busy since then." He informed her, a little miffed. He wasn't too fond of those memories.
"Well, I'm only tossing ideas around but if it came to that, you might have to be ready for some soulsmithing." Mercy winked at him.
[Have either of you given a thought to why the Way is so distant in this iteration when potentially countless sentient beings reside in its parallel worlds?] Dross asked out loud.
"This iteration supposedly exists at the absolute end of a single branch of the Way, no surprises it is distant. It's probably the reason, or at least one of them." Lindon replied.
"It could also be the fiend's doing no?" Mercy said. "Like Vroshir who block the Way when they attack Abidan posts and other chaos fiends who naturally have that effect on any world."
[I don't just mean this world. I mean Aleph, and all the rest of them.] Dross clarified, [why is all that human population not cementing this iteration to the Way? Instead it's the opposite.]
"I understand what you're asking," Lindon believed he had the answer, "I think Mercy had it right too. Not sure if you realized it though," he gave her a cheeky smile, "even if this iteration has this many people, first, it already exists where the Way is thin, but second, this fiend has most probably cut off all those worlds from the Way completely. From the perspective of the Way, so to say, those worlds and those people don't exist. That has caused the fraying of connection to the point of non-existence. It's just like you said; Vroshir can purposefully block off the Way so why not this fiend."
He looked at both Dross and Mercy, "it's a theory."
Dross turned his attention back to his study and Mercy got up, stretching. "Okay I'm off. Let me see how friendly our 'protectors' are today." She giggled.
Lindon reached out with his spiritual senses, "new ones today?" He said, referring to the rotating pair of capes and a couple of non-cape squads PRT covertly had on duty to guard their guests. The Reapers knew it was to keep an eye on them, PRT knew that the Reapers knew but the charade continued.
Mercy replied, "Yup, did you know they've asked for extra cape reinforcement from other cities to bolster their ranks? Two have arrived so far, one of them is a Ward. They really don't want an accident involving us do they."
Lindon nodded and stood up, "You go make friends, I'll take a break too."
Perhaps it was time to see how useful an Endbringer's stale power was, the one he had devoured and vented in a void key of his. Mercy's mention of an Eight-Man Empire-esque armor had piqued his interest in checking out how he'd fare as a soulsmith with the current restrictions.
He willed the void key to open. Dross waved him goodbye from where he was and Lindon stepped inside the extradimensional space.
