It's a few days since Gran sent me down to whatever the fuck he calls that replica to act as a training session; Even though he calls it an investigation. He's out today saying "I have some important things to manage" and "Be back by 8.00pm", so I have all the time in the world to finally be able to use my free time how I want to spend it. Thus, I'll be attempting the Transport circle again.
I've got 2 things on my agenda today, trying out the new circle architecture I had to redesign, and my date; I feel weird saying that.
Two things I still need before I can run this thing; Carcadian blood and a pure mana core.
Carcadian blood conducts mana well with just enough natural resistance so the circle doesn't short itself out, which makes it perfect for drawing the lines. The core I'll crush down and mix with that flower, which somehow holds more mana than my entire allocate, so that's the power source sorted. Dungeon cores are the most stable option so that's where I'm going for it. Blood from a donor's market in Novera. One trip, two things. Shouldn't be complicated.
First things first, I'll rift into Novera, get the blood from a donor's market and clear a dungeon to get the mana core. For research purposes and to spice up this run, I'll start a timer the moment I pass through the rift.
Good thing Gran taught me how to do that or else I would have to settle for a different alternative entirely.
It's 8.00 in the morning right now, if I can just get back in 2 hours at 10:00 that would give me enough time to prepare to meet with Kida at 11:00.
I open my eyes, push myself up from the living room couch. Slight hypotension makes me sway, but I recover quickly.
" 'Sleep more' he said. Probably a good idea now thinking about it."
Turning off the television, I drop the remote onto the loafy couch, and grab the left over chicken sitting on the cold kitchen counter.
I have everything I need right about now to go, "This might be fun I have to say— BUT it depends on my luck today. Does that rhyme?"
My heart palpitates a bit harder as I step out of the house onto the lawn; Remembering my past experiences with visiting other worlds, and quite frankly my subconsciousness trying to ignore how successful the rift will be.
Feeling my own pulse, I pause in place, trying to calm myself down.
Just don't... think about it.
I push past my thoughts, and brace myself both physically and mentally.
In preparation, I route mana toward my hands, and start the countdown on my watch.
The timer counts down, 3, 2, 1,
Mana pools in my hands.
*Beep*
The mana compresses, I force channel my allocate to flood my hands, mana layers start stacking to the point where the density is doubling, I swing my body letting my hands follow, and the condensing mana fractures space in the trail of my hand. A layer of Anti-Matter holds the fracture open, and by immediately linking the Leyline to Novera, I dive in.
The rim of the rift warps around me as I pass through the hole in space and darkness starts to spread. The hole through the blank of space starts to shrink as gravity pulls the openings of the rift apart. I align myself feet down. The tunnel starts to shrink from all sides. Space starts to bend more than what I'm comfortable with.
A sudden bright light flashes me, my eyes adjust as usual, and-
OH SHIT.
-I find myself falling through the lower atmosphere of Novera.
UH. UH. THINK OF SOMETHING DAMN IT.
Tears start to swell as this was not a situation I anticipated, and resources I have on hand—
I activate Thought Perception and to my field of view, my fall slows even though it's just my experience of time that has slowed.
OK NOW-
The rational side of my brain flicks on.
What do I have right now. Crimson Bloom has a lot of defense to negate damage, but not enough to bear a sudden force like this. 'Healer Type 3' is decent—No keep that as a backup... Wait, forget about skills, what about mana manipulation?
My head runs through as many simulations as it can in this state.
I can... make a pressure difference in front of me... with enough of a field to pull my body... and there's enough mana here WHICH MEANS IT'S DOABLE!
Time perception cancels on the spot, releasing tension off my head, and in a rush I pull the mana around me. I concentrate the gathering mana, and the mana starts to form a blob under me. I flip my body upside down, bring the blob with it, and drain my allocate. The mana gushes out of me like water through a filter, leaving behind a cold and wet sensation. The blob rapidly grows, and flipping right side up, I change the property of the mana, and almost immediately I'm pulled in the direction of the blob now turned into compressing air.
The force drags me with it, and I focus all my senses to hold it in place.
Now flying almost horizontal, I steer myself down very slowly without making it too unstable.
FUCK YES!
I catch a grassy plane under me, and by slowly shifting the position of the blob, I come down like a fighter jet.
Not even a single thought crosses my mind at this point, and I split a quarter of the blob in front of me and swing it backwards. My direction strays a bit to the right, and I lower myself down to the prairie under me. My hand slips for a bit from holding on, and I'm lowered to the point where grass grazes my lower abdomen.
I pass mana from the blob in front of me through my body to the one behind me.
Slowly the pressure balances out as I fear for my life, and eventually my speed dies down for a safer velocity. I let go of the mana I'm holding onto, and just like before, brace myself for impact.
I roll as I hit the ground to shake off that velocity, and-
I AM STILL ALIVE!
-I come to a stop, and I am grateful to still be alive.
GRAN, YOU HAVE SOME SERIOUS EXPLAINING TO DO.
The binary star system stares down at me as I lay and simply stare. My heart feels like it's about to arrest from the stress; Taking in deep breaths to clear out my oxygen deprivation. Even though the worst of it's over, I start to get lightheaded. Probably shouldn't have gone on a fucking field trip right after hitting your head huh.
YEAH, SHUT...THE FUCK UP. SEE THIS?
Raising up my left hand,
THIS IS HOW MANY SHITS I GIVE.
Taking in quick and shallow breaths, I bask in the sunlight, still in absolute shock. Maybe next time try doing something like this after you've healed.
I GET THE POINT THANK YOU.
I seem to regain my senses, and activate Healer Type 3. My musculoskeletal body recovers slowly as I push myself up; Still sitting down.
A gush of wind brushes by me, and I cover my eyes as dust scatters. My allocate fills up with mana in the same instance, and I can feel the cold sensation of mana passing through my skin again.
I take a deep breath, stand up, dust off any dirt, and brush down my hair.
Time to get a move on then!
Mana swirls around me, and flows into my core. Like a vortex sucking up air, my body becomes the conduit for mana, and from deep inside my core, 'Boost' surfaces. A sudden burst of mana swarms my body, and the skill activates.
I dash through the grassy prairie, and set my sights on the capital city.
...
A city with modernized buildings and small skyscrapers comes into view.
Exotic flowers and material pass me by and before I have the time to think about picking one, I'm already in a bustling city. Quickly dispersing the mana, I slide down to a stop; Nearly slipping.
Judging from the appeal, I'm now in the capital; Seranova.
Visually human looking civilians walk here and there, but through the dense crowd, I spot a familiar face near the district association building; A very familiar face.
I run past the crowd and confirm my memory,
"Kael?"
The human looking man wearing a black coat and a golden badge notices me and instantly lights up.
"Aarius? Is that you!?"
I gasp for air as I finally get a break. My arm lands on his shoulder.
"Aarius, long time no see huh?", A tight smile raises his expression. "That's an understatement!" "So you still do this every..." "Year? Yeah pretty much. I'm way too bored for anything else."
He guides me off the street, and the noise dials down.
"Didn't work last year too then?" "Yep." "Is it still worth going after? You look deader than before" "Meh, a bored man does his thing. But hey, I get to meet you every year!"
We both exchange a slight laugh. I straighten my back. The weird tension releases.
"Soo, I'm guessing you're going to find a core now?" "Yas; As per usual"
A silent curve appears on his face.
"Then I do have a big one for you"
Hm?
"As in?" "There's a dungeon pretty big on the north-east corner of Seranova. You could go for that if you want."
"Ah that works for me. I'll meet you back in a bit then" "By in a bit I'm guessing next year then?"
A dull expression laces his face, as his attention is dragged by something to his right.
"No actually, I'll be back tomorrow"
Almost as if a metal brick hit him from the side, Kael's face swings at me.
"HM?" "Granville finally taught me how to rift, so I can travel on my own"
"GRANVILLE WHAT??" "Jesus calm down"
Kael now even more surprised, turns into a literal beam. "NO FUCKING WAY, YOU'RE KIDDING ME"
He shakes me like I'm some sort of rattle and I explain.
"YES MEN, YES. NOW CAN YOU STOP" "NAHHHHH"
Kael wraps around me in a warm tight hug, and I'm left in an awkward situation; Should I return the sentiment- YES. The both of us slowly turning into a cotton ball, he lets go.
"OH YOU BET YOUR ASS I'M GOING TO BE READY FOR THIS." "YOU BETTER BE"
We exchange a dab and before I can recollect anything, he immediately pushes me.
"YOU GO DO THAT, I'LL BE WAITING"
I turn around as Kael ecstatically waves goodbye and zoom towards the crowded street. On the spot, I activate Teleport and using the mental map I have of mainland Hydras, the skill initiates.
Mana pierces through me as the world flips, and my body and soul reconstruct.
Let's see where this is now.
I scan the area and immediately spot a cave opening to my left.
Oh that's really close.
Activating Boost again, I dash directly in front of the entrance. Once again gasping for air, I really should have taken a break. Thank you... Mhm.
I take in a deep breath, and concentrate my senses. Crimson Bloom activates, and I get on the floor, grabbing onto the rock underneath me. The ground under my hand breaks, my grip tightens and using the same technique from before, I create a pressure difference, both in front of me and behind. Pressure building up pulls my body back as another force wants to push me forward almost like a slingshot.
I let the breath slowly release and through the partial activation of Thought Perception, the blob near my feet goes first, and a millisecond later, the mana blob near my head disappears next.
The pressure pulling me loses against the forward force and I crash through the air into the dungeon.
(40 Minutes Pass)
I come out bleeding from the palms, drenched in sweat, hauling a mana core roughly half my height.
First of all, WHY THE FUCK WAS THE DUNGEON SO BIG!?
Launching myself in was the right call—blasted clean through 19 floors in one shot—but I forgot the one very crucial detail which was HOW TO STOP MYSELF. Floor 20 introduced that problem when I CAME THROUGH THE CEILING INSTEAD OF THE DOOR and landed directly ON TOP of a floor guardian that, to its credit, looked just as fucking confused as I was. I don't know which of us recovered faster but I'm choosing to believe it was me(CAUSE HE DEAD).
Sixty floors. This dungeon had sixty floors. I was not prepared for 6 0 floors.
Crashing through the final door and using my bare hands to kill the velocity because I still hadn't figured out how to flip in time was simultaneously the dumbest and only viable thing I could do. At least the core is massive.
Healer activates, and the bleeding on my hands stops.
Then the last thing I need is the blood.
I snap and head back to Market District in Seranova. With a snap, Teleportation instantly spawns me in an alleyway near a hospital. I make my way out to check if there's a pharmacy nearby.
I catch a relatively modern looking building in white with glass windows right next to the hospital.
Is luck actually on my side today?
I rush in as cool air hits me after being in a hot dungeon for so long. A lady in white and grey behind the counter sees me and I hurry over.
"Excuse me, do you have any blood available?" "Yes, we have a new round in the bank"
"Ah ok, so how much would 650 millilitres cost?" "Mind if I ask for what purpose the blood will be used for?"
"It's for a standard mana circuit" "I see, so I'm assuming you want at least grade 3 purity blood?"
100% purity would screw the circle because the circle needs at least a little resistance. Otherwise it would short circuit and break the circuit.
"Yes, how much would that be?" "650ml of grade 3 would be..."
She types on the tablet on her desk.
"9,200 Phi" "I'll have that thank you"
A bit expensive, but I can manage. I'll have to do some extra jobs the next time I come here.
(A few more minutes later)
I sit in the A/C cooled waiting room as Crimson Bloom dissipates, and nervously wait as the room starts to get a bit crowded. I am not in the mood to have a conversation.
The attendant rings the bell and I head over.
A bag with an association sticker sealed sits on the counter.
"And that is 650ml of grade 3. How would you like to pay?" She rolls her chair over to the register at the edge of the room.
I give her my ID card and loyalty card from the back of my pocket. Her eyes widen.
"Oh wait, with loyalty discount, that would actually bring you down to 7,820 Phi" Not like that's any better. Be grateful you ass.
My card is debited through my ID and I take the bag whilst still holding onto the core. The bag of blood shakes slightly, and judging from the density, it is the right variant.
I open the door, and the warm air instantly makes me reconsider leaving.
I go back to the same alleyway I entered, and using the same procedure, focus all the mana around me into my one free hand. In desperation to get back I rush the process, but luckily the rift opens successfully and remains stable. This time I enter slowly, and as soon as my body passes through, the fracture envelops me and I start falling again.
Oh for fucks sake.
I hold tightly onto the core and bag, feeling it starting to slip, and a few seconds in, my feet land on the grass in our lawn.
That was... unexpected.
I was expecting to fall again, but somehow that wasn't the case.
Dashing inside the house, I slam open the door, drop the bag on the living room table, and jump onto my bed, letting the core roll down beside me.
Barely managing to lift my hand, I stop the timer on my watch.
[01:05:12]
"An hour and five—" I drop it. Don't care anymore.
My hand gives out, and I knock out on the bed, soaked in sweat.
(45 minutes later)
My body rolls around, my face buried in my pillow, and I gasp as I wake up. My eyes open to the blinding light beaming through the window in front of my bed, and I am groggy as hell.
Flipping myself up, I stretch my body to release the tension of sleep.
What time is it...
My eyes still barely open, I roll my head to my watch.
[09:50]
Ah...
I push myself up, and sit on the bed for a bit to recover some energy and get into the right headspace.
Kida's going to be here at 11, I need to take a wash, eat... K.
Taking in an aggressively fast breath, I get up from my bed, and change into my towel as I head for the washroom.
(~15 Minutes In)
Still in the washroom, my hair flies in the air as I blow dry it because it just takes too long to dry by hand; And no, I am not trimming; Yes, I like this style.
I open the door coming out smelling like strawberries (Kida got me this shampoo by the way, I did not have a say in the scent). Changing into more casual clothes; Cotton shorts and a simple shirt; I make my way to the kitchen and open the fridge to see what's there to snack on.
"Cake, some coke, biscuits, wait why are biscuits in here"
Grabbing a piece of cake, I place the biscuits back in the pantry under the counter, and sit down.
As I snack on the piece of cake, I check my phone to see if there's anything new. Scrolling through my social media, instagram and youtube, there's nothing interesting to watch, so I check my notifications. I catch the top notification from a minute ago; It's Kida.
I nearly choke on that piece of cake and drink some water to push it down.
[See you at 11]
I take a bite as I reply to her and accidentally bite my fingers. "Shit"
Will she notice my hands like this? I stare at the burns. Nah, I doubt that.
I wash my hands, grab the core, blood, and head towards the same spot in the lawn that I rifted through.
Once again, let's try this.
First I'll crush down the mana core into smaller pieces with the assistance of Gravity magic, and mix the small pieces in with the flower. This flower somehow has more mana than the entire capacity of my allocate, thus this will be the power source; I would attempt at making it more solid, but keeping it in liquid form will help cover a larger area of the circle making sure power is properly distributed. Then finally, I'll draw the circle with Carcadian blood over the trimmed grass.
I create the mixture and draw the circle I designed in detail and get ready to initiate the circle.
I wonder though, will this work?
I've tried at least 21 times now, and never once did it work. Every time something just breaks, it's either the circle overlaps a part it isn't supposed to, short-circuiting everything; The blood is the wrong thickness or purity overloading or underwhelming the circle; Something just happens. It's highly unlikely this time will be different, so I can go out with Kida knowing I tried in the very least.
I take a deep breath and throw the mixture onto the circle.
It splashes across the blood lines, spreading into every groove I drew, and I watch the last drop fall.
For a second, nothing.
Then the circle catches.
22 attempts. 21 failures. And this time the mana doesn't short, doesn't overload, doesn't just sit there dead in the ground. It takes.
A shockwave rolls off the activation and hits me square in the chest, and I have to dig my heels in to hold my ground. Wind vortexes around the edge and nearly pushes me back.
Is it actually... going to work?
The sky darkens as rain clouds gather over me. Thunder spreads and rain falls.
If what my testing concluded is correct, a rift-like portal should form above the circle which will connect this point in our universe to the one my parents came from, and basically went to.
Wind pushes against me harder and harder,
"This should be fun to see"
Sparks crackle around the circle and lightning strikes over it. Rocks and parts of the ground vibrate as they slowly lift up. The pressure increases and sends another shockwave rippling off.
My eyes feel like they're going to explode and my legs might give out. I struggle to keep my ground so I cast gravity magic in the slightest to keep me steady.
The circle glows an intense white that switches to a light blue, and a wave of sparks ripple out passing me by and over the grass to pavement nearby.
But just as soon as the reaction started, the swirling stops, dispersing the air out, and the pressure dissipates as I nearly fall before regaining my balance.
What's happening now..
The glow disappears and the sky returns to normal.
I'm guessing that didn't work. Well yeah no shit; Expected as much.
Looking at my watch the time strikes 10:50am. Seems like the high density mana that was circulating around the circle had an effect on time.
Damn it, I'm not going to have enough time to get ready. I prepare to run to my room, but my senses trip; I hear someone approaching near the gate right next to the garden.
Shit, did Gran sense something wrong?
I hurriedly look and it's... Kida? Oh fuck she's early; Way too early.
Kida in a white dress and a straw hat looks at me and smiles. I can't help but stare as blood rushes into my face and I really have to say, Damn I'm lucky.
"Ryo! Sorry I'm a bit early! Looks like someone isn't ready"
I'm left speechless at her appearance and almost forget to talk for a second. "...Y- Yeah, Sorry I got a bit busy here"
I walk over the circle to get to the gate, joints still achy. I wave a gesture her way, but the second my foot passes over the edge of the circle, my body freezes over; I can't move.
"Wait what."
The circle that I drew suddenly moves to center me and expands to be as long as my height.
I can't move. What the hell is going on? Time couldn't have frozen, She's still moving and I can hear her calling out.
"Ryo? You ok over there?"
Shit, something is very wrong. I can't move nor talk. "Ryo? Are you ok?"
Her concern grows, "Ok wait, I'm coming in"
Shit No No No, Don't do that!
I can't even act, and she steps over the edge of the circle as it expands to cover both of us.
Rain clouds converge above us with rain pouring down again. The circle recenters and a spot of light appears in the clouds right above us.
Everything starts shaking vigorously and wind starts swirling around us, pulling toward the spot of clear sky above. The shaking increases and pressure builds from above.
Kida stands frozen facing me, and the confusion starting to seep into her face makes this so much worse. Why did it suddenly reactivate. What the h—
The point of clear sky above us screeches an ear-splitting shriek and the entire ground shakes as if an earthquake just hit.
Then the beam comes down.
White. Absolute.
It crashes from the sky directly above the circle and pain, real total pain, detonates through every inch of my body at once. My knees buckle but I'm frozen. I can feel it in my spine.
Using the silent activation of Crimson Bloom, I force through it and sensation floods back; Moving feels like pushing through wet concrete, every joint screaming, but I can move. THIS IS NOT GOING TO LAST LONG ENOUGH.
I can hear Kida screaming through her gritted teeth.
I force myself over to her and push her underneath me, my back curving into an arc above her. A bone cracks and the pain layers on top of everything else. But I feel her stop shaking, just slightly. Even a fraction of the pressure off her is worth it; All of this was my fault-
"A-Are You O-k?"
Kida covers her mouth as tears run down her face. "Ryo, what's going on?!"
Her eyes find mine, and damn it, why is she looking at me like that. "I-I'll explain to you... in a bit"
I look up while maintaining cover over Kida and lock onto something descending through the beam.
Is that a circle?!
Red. Glowing.
Speeding down faster than it should. I force my eyes to track it—
Flashbacks from my research book surface and the recognition hits like cold water.
That circle is designed to eliminate.
FUCK.
SHIT, SHIT, THIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!
My eyes dart to the border of the circle we're standing in.
We can't make it out. Too wide, too centered, and I can't move fast enough carrying her. I knew the risks of this. I knew them and I built the circle anyway and now she's here because of me and—
I look back at Kida. Shivering. Tears running. Looking at me like she trusts me to fix this.
"Kida, this was... not meant to happen. You might not... understand what's going on right now... but I'll explain... after this ends..."
No time for explaining. I need a fallback.
I reach for her face and pass a portion of Crimson Bloom: Just enough defense to keep her soul intact if this goes wrong. It's not much. It has to be enough.
I brace over her as the circle descends, the pressure compressing the air between us and the sky. My flesh starts to peel from my back. The heat builds and I hold the arc, and the circle crashes down, burning and atomizing both of our bodies.