Central Park Information Kiosk, E 72nd St, Manhattan, USA. February 13th, 2023, 7:24 P.M.
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"Excellent. Here’s the plan: First, I'll drive. Second, we'll head to the weapons store at 718 Madison Avenue. Remy, Ramona, and I will gather weapons while Bart and Eva keep a lookout for hostiles. Third, we’ll proceed to JFK Airport, ready to defend ourselves. There might be military personnel there whose equipment we can use to locate the overloaded Ley lines. Any questions?" Alice outlined her strategy.
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Remy and Ramona remained silent, signalling their agreement. "Great. Bart report our findings about the Ley lines to them. They need to catch up and share information about how the world of 2203 works; it might be useful," Alice said, pleased with their compliance. Eva frowned at Alice's decision to inform Remy and Ramona, whom she distrusted, but she picked up Schrödinger and headed back to the SUV with the group.
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Before leaving Central Park, Remy and Ramona were stunned as the trees seemed to come alive, with creatures emerging from the roots and trunk of tree. The group watched from the SUV as these beings cared for and fed the animals, performing a routine. It became apparent that these creatures had likely freed the zoo animals. They did nothing when the group arrived, only revealing themselves as the group was about to depart. The group decided to leave the ‘Dryads’ to their devices.
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They arrive at weapons store, it was in disarray, though the lights still worked. Civilians had looted weapons in a frenzy, but not all, due to the hasty evacuation. Remy and Ramona managed to gather enough ammo and various guns, including bladed weapons, and loaded them into the SUV. Alice chose a handgun, tucking it into a holster she found. She then browsed the clothing section, shopping for new attire. Her clothes were scorched, though not as badly as her discarded lab coat. She selected clothes to her liking and changed into a new outfit: a black Evad Flex shirt under an Eclipse Gravite Windblock vest, Eclipse Hook Riptech pants, and brown long tassel boots.
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Alice discarded her old clothes except for her black blouse with red rose floral patterns. She manifested her Gizmo, opening the inventory to store the blouse. She noticed a chess set on display, considered it briefly, and then added a roll-up chess set to her inventory. As she finished, Alice rejoined Remy and Ramona, who had completed packing the weapons. Together, they began their journey to JFK International Airport.
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***
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Alice drove over the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge onto the Upper Roadway of Queens Blvd, then via I-495 E. It took nearly seven hours to navigate through the cars littering the highway and roadblocks fill the junctions. Find a gas station to rest, refuel, and loots for foods. Thankfully, on their way they eventually reached a clear stretch for a more leisurely drive. Everyone was wide awake. As they left New York City and entered Queens, the ground shook with massive earthquakes. The cities twisted, bent, and floated, distorting into a chaotic whirl of fast-moving colors. They hoped everyone had escaped, as they saw giant entities, "Voids," about 13 meters tall, roaming Manhattan. Consequently, they rushed to reach JFK International Airport before the Interstice hastened.
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As the SUV continued in the dead of night, a storm approached and raged on. Lightning crackled until they met roadblocks ahead of Queens Boulevard, Grand Central Parkway, and Jackie Robinson Parkway. Various vehicles were lined up into a man-made wall, surrounding Forest Hills, partially. Alice is quiet as she looks on with suspicion, nevertheless she took the exit towards Ascan Ave. She planned to turn right onto Union Turnpike, intending to get back on track to JFK Airport, as it seemed the roadblock had not reached Union Turnpike yet. But as they approached a large grocery store near Union Turnpike and Crescent Apartment, a sudden crash through the driver’s side window caused everyone to hear a sickening crack and squish. Alice looked down impassively yet with a mixture of disbelief as she coughed up blood, impaled by what appeared to be a lance.
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“ALICE!” Bart shouted, unbuckling his seatbelt to tend to her wound. But as he reached out, he was abruptly thrown back into his seat, his seatbelt re-buckling itself. Remy gripped the steering wheel to avoid the vehicle from overturning. The SUV was suddenly rammed, somersaulting through the air before crashing down onto the ground of the apartment complex.
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***
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Eva inhaled a large gulp of air as she quickly regained consciousness, her eyes wide and alert. The SUV was upside down, broken glass scattered on the interior roof. Lightning flashed, providing temporary illumination as the storm raged on with continuous, unnatural thunder. Summoning her M.J.O.L.N.I.R., she sliced through her seatbelt to free herself. Using her elbow, still protected by her elbow pad, she landed on the shards and crawled toward Bart’s side of the window to escape.
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Remy and Ramona groaned in pain; their side of the SUV had taken the brunt of the impact. Despite this, they unbuckled their seat belts and, thanks to their jackets, crawled out of their windows unscathed. Remy exited first, followed by Ramona. Standing to gauge their surroundings, they saw a scene of chaos: masses of wisp-like smoke and thunderclouds attacking a group of combatants moving frantically, their blows landing to no avail. Another group approached, pulling Remy and Ramona toward an apartment that appeared to be a makeshift military base, disregarding their stumbling.
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Eva turned back to check on Bart, who was unconscious. She cleared the glass shards away with her combat boot, cut him free, and ensured he had no fatal or bleeding injuries. Moving to check on Alice, she found Schrödinger desperately trying to bite through a lance impaling Alice through the ribcage, pinning her to the driver’s seat. The lance had lodged into the driver’s door, preventing Eva from opening it without causing further harm.
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Eva joined Schrödinger's efforts, using her M.J.O.L.N.I.R., but was stunned when it didn’t cut through the metal as usual. There was only one plausible explanation: the lance was also a M.J.O.L.N.I.R. She had to find the wielder to dematerialize it and free Alice. Suddenly, lightning nearly struck the SUV, dangerously close. Racing against time, she decided to cut a square around the lance tip in the door frame, carefully opening the SUV door and separating the block with her boot. Schrödinger stopped biting and perched on her shoulder, watching intently.
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After breaking the windshield to free the lance, she was about to cut the top half of the driver’s seat when an unknown person appeared, grabbed her waist, hoisted her up, and sprinted away from the SUV in a blink of an eye. Another group immediately grabbed Bart, carrying him toward the apartment. Moments later, a beam of light struck the SUV, causing it to explode. Eva was shocked and resentful toward the person who had pulled her away before she could save Alice.
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“Eva, we need your help to slay an Exosphere Magnitude Void. It’s urgent!” The unknown person’s voice shook Eva from her thoughts. She recognized the outfit, a tactical combat suit with embedded technology and weapons from the 2203 timeline, though it seemed outdated compared to what NIX used. The unknown person was none other than “LUCY!” Eva exclaimed in surprise.
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Thunder rumbled again, but this time across from them. Eva realized the thunder and lightning came from a black, amorphous cloud of wisp and smoke with red incandescent sparks. Its upper half was more humanoid, with a Greek soldier helmet-like head, smiting the combatants with single blows. The thunder roared for the umpteenth time, and the surroundings where Lucy and Eva stood, along with the apartment behind them and the grocery store across from them where the entity was located, seemed to shift from stormy city blocks to a daylight, dry, desolate desert, yet the temperature remained unchanged. Eva looked at Lucy and asked, “How on Earth did you manage to get yourself into such a dire situation?”
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Outside the Safe-Zone, Manhattan, USA. October 31, 2203, 1:37 P.M.
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Wind whistled past her ears in a deafening rush. Lucy reached Apophis’s weak points; everyone was in their designated zones. However, she was baffled when she saw Eva stray from her assigned zone and jump off Apophis, not without first throwing her M.J.O.L.N.I.R. at lightning speed—a feat no one else could replicate. Lucy’s intuition kicked in, and she activated her SDN Equipment. Time blurred as she embedded her M.J.O.L.N.I.R. simultaneously with Newt’s, Tetsuo’s, and Eva’s. Apophis convulsed, but before she could comprehend the situation, pillars of light burst violently from the earth. Tetsuo appeared in front of her with a panic-stricken face, pushing her out of the way from something that struck them both, their world went dark, and they slept.
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Unknown Location, Unknown Time.
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Crows cawed as an alarm blared from Lucy's SDN Equipment: “WARNING! SDN EQUIPMENT DAMAGED! 0% OPERATIONAL INTEGRITY!” The notification repeated in cycles, rousing her from unconsciousness. Jolting awake, she found herself face-to-face with a grotesque attacker, wrestling with it. It had a large head like a dummy with messy strands or spikes for hair and coral-like holes of black poxes riddling its skin. Its eyes were angled oddly, one towards the lower corner, the other to the upper, yet both stared directly at her. It showcased a wide grin with some teeth remaining, screeching and spasming side to side, trying to swallow her head whole. She glanced to her side and saw more ‘Biohazards,’ drooping and elongated as if their bodies were melted like wax, creeping towards her whimsically, step by step, like sadistic clowns relishing her helplessness. Her M.J.O.L.N.I.R. was nowhere to be seen, but it wasn’t her only weapon.
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A new holographic display projected in mid-air. The transparent yellow interface shimmered with data as a series of options and statistics flickered before her eyes. The interface did not belong to her Gizmo or her SDN Equipment.
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"LEVEL UP INTERFACE ACTIVATED."
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- Name: Lucy Drakenstein
- Class: Artificer
- Level: 28
- Health: 128/200
- Stamina: 48/200
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Skills:
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- M.J.O.L.N.I.R. Mastery: Level 4
- SDN Equipment Proficiency: Level 4
- Stealth: Level 5
- Combat Prowess: Level 4
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Status Effects:
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- Fatigued
- Minor Concussion
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Available Skill Points: 2
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Choose an action:
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- Allocate Skill Points
- Access Inventory
- Use Item
- Analyse Enemy
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She had no time to second-guess. She quickly mentally selected "Allocate Skill Points." A sub-menu appeared, highlighting her skills with plus signs beside each one.
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Allocate Skill Points:
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- M.J.O.L.N.I.R. Mastery: Level 3 [+]
- SDN Equipment Proficiency: Level 4 [+]
- Stealth: Level 5 [+]
- Combat Prowess: Level 4 [+]
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Lucy knew she needed an edge to survive. She mentally chose the plus sign next to "Combat Prowess," investing all two points. A surge of energy coursed through her body as the level indicator for Combat Prowess shifted from 4 to 6.
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Combat Prowess: Level 6
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Her senses sharpened, and the Biohazard's strength seemed lighter. Her movements became a blur as she lifted it and delivered a powerful throw, hitting other Biohazards in a combo that sent the creature sprawling, dismembered and twisted. Lucy rose from the ground, in battle stance, readying herself.
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The interface updated:
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New Ability Unlocked:
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Schedulers
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Description: Can be activated and deactivated on demand after a slight delay. Allows brief manipulation of time, slowing down or speeding up the user's perception of events. While Schedulers is active: Time is slowed down by 85% for everyone but the user. Increases Headshot Damage Multiplier, Crit Chance, and Crit Damage by 15%. Neutralizing an enemy when this Scheduler is active gives: 10% extended duration, 22% Stamina. Temporarily boosts all physical abilities by 50%. This Scheduler has a base duration of 6 seconds and a cooldown of 26 seconds. "SDN Equipment Proficiency" will be obsolete.
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Do you accept?
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“Yes” or “No”.
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"Yes," she whispered, activating the skill. Her body felt like it was on fire, every muscle primed for combat. The interface remained active, providing real-time updates on her status and alerting her to new threats. The transparency and responsiveness of the holographic display felt almost like an extension of her own thoughts, guiding her actions with precision. A new notification appeared.
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Quest Update: Survive the Biohazards Ambush
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Objective: Defeat the Biohazards (0/10)
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The world around Lucy changed from gloomy, overcast skies to a scene bathed in brilliant yellow light, like sunlight piercing through storm clouds. The interface displayed "Access Inventory." Twelve assembly-line robots, six on each side, picked circuits flowing out from nothing and assembled them grid by grid into a longsword. With their six-axis arms, they presented the sword to Lucy, who accepted it. The world reverted to normal. Time nearly stopped as she activated the Scheduler, with the notification revealing “Summoning ‘Excalibur’.” Lucy coldly looked at the Biohazards storming towards her in slow motion. She raised Excalibur high and swung the blade to complete her quest.
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LEVEL UP!
Current Level: 45 -> 46
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Stat Increase Section:
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Strength: 140 -> 150
Agility: 145 -> 155
Intelligence: 140 -> 150
Endurance: 140 -> 150
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Achievements and Rewards:
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Veteran Zombies Fighter
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Reward: Medibot Regeneration Bandage (3x)
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Enjoy your reward, Intruder.
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The reward materialized as a virtual item in Lucy’s inventory, its image rotating slowly on the display. Sweating from exertion, she summoned all three bandages and used one for herself, while placing the other two in the Gizmo inventory. Lucy sighed with relief, having managed to slay the Biohazards without alerting more of the horde to her location. She opened the map scanned by her Gizmo and learned she was in Queens—specifically, St. John Cemetery. “Did that snake baseball-bat me and Tetsuo across New York? Oh… Tetsuo… Newt… Eva… Where are they?” Lucy’s mind raced as she typed commands into her Gizmo to locate the others.
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“Evangeline Weiss’s Gizmo: ‘Unable to Connect’.” Lucy frowned, worried. “Capt. Newton Sullivan’s Gizmo is located 0.2 miles south of your current location,” her Gizmo displayed.
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“Huh? Isn’t that where the Biohazards were coming from?” Lucy wasted no time and followed the marked path, activating the Scheduler. She continued through the rows of gravestones and found Newt with his back towards her. Dead Biohazards littered the graveyard, and some evidence showed they were rising from their graves. She summoned ‘Excalibur’ and crept towards Newt. “Stealth Activate,” the interface displayed, until she was within arm’s length.
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“Captain?” Lucy quietly called out, placing her hand on his shoulder. Newt lashed out, turning his head 180 degrees. His skin was filled with coral-like holes, and his eyes angled just like the Biohazards’, screeching with his mouth wide open like a monkey. Lucy instinctively activated ‘Scheduler’ and swiped her M.J.O.L.N.I.R., cutting him in half vertically, killing him. “Sorry captain, for not being sorry,” Lucy said and released a sigh, sheathing her M.J.O.L.N.I.R. into the inventory. Truth be told, she was no fan of jump scares.
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“Tetsuo’s Gizmo is located 0.6 miles east of your location,” a new voice from her Gizmo informed her.
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Lucy activated the Scheduler again, passing through the graveyard until she exited and entered the main street of Metropolitan Avenue, arriving at a convenience store at 8944 Metropolitan Ave. “Did Tetsuo land through here? A convenience store of all places.” Upon entering, the area was dimly lit but still immaculate and organized despite the trash and chaos outside.
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Passing the cashier counter, Lucy felt someone watching her from the shadow behind it. Instinctively, she swung her sword, only for the blade to be stopped by a hand blackened with dirt. A tall woman stepped out from the shadow. Her long blonde hair was fuzzy like a bird's nest, strewn with black feathers. Her fair skin was plagued by fungal-like cracks spreading out like vines, and her forehead and eyes were also blackened with dirt. Lucy realized the woman eyes are shut and stitched together, rendering her blind, yet her presence was too unknown for Lucy to comprehend. She considered the woman neither human nor Void.
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"Is this how thou repayest mine kindness, for tending and shielding thy inmost part of thee, by slaying me, Intruder?" the woman spoke in a strong accent with a calm demeanour, taunting even though she was nearly beheaded.
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“I don’t understand a single word she said, even though she’s speaking English! Can’t she speak normally, or is it part of a dialect I haven’t studied?” Lucy thought, frustrated and confused. Then a notification appeared: “Translation,” it began to translate the woman’s words.
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"Is this how you repay my kindness for treating and protecting your innermost segment of your whole by slaying me, Intruder?"
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“Still, what the hell does she mean by that?” Lucy thought, unable to comprehend the woman's words, even with the translation. The woman seemed to sense Lucy's confusion and pointed toward the row of shelves where Tetsuo lay unconscious near the storage fridges. Lucy rushed to his side, noticing he was fully healed with no wounds or scratches from their earlier battle with the Voids Incursion.
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"He's slumb'rin' fer now, Intruder," the woman said, suddenly appearing beside Lucy. Lucy tensed but did not attack, recognizing the woman had not shown any hostility despite her strange behaviour. Lucy suspected the woman wanted something in return.
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“What do you want? And don’t call me Intruder,” Lucy demanded bluntly, disregarding politeness. The woman smirked, clasped her hands together, and produced a long spear with a lance-like tip. She handed it to Lucy, who eyed the weapon hesitantly.
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"Bid Paradox to ready himself; 'She' cometh forth. When the hour strikes zero, wield the spear known as 'Destiny,' marking the dawn of a new day. No moment more, nor moment less. Once the deed is done, I shall feast upon 'Her' carrion, after." The woman said, her words cryptic but carrying an air of urgency. The translation provided clarity:
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“Tell Paradox to be ready; ‘She’ is coming. Use the spear ‘Destiny’ when the time strikes zero, marking the start of a new day. No seconds more, no seconds less. I will eat ‘Her’ carrion, after.”
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Lucy took the spear and placed it in her inventory. The woman turned to leave the store, a crow flying in and landing on her shoulder, cawing loudly and rousing Tetsuo from his slumber.
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"How is it, ye ravens—whence are ye come now with beaks all gory, at break of morning? Carrion-reek ye carry, and your claws are bloody. Were ye near, at night-time, where ye knew of corpses?" the woman cooed at the crow before disappearing in a fluff of feathers.
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Tetsuo groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes. “Lucy? What’s going on? Where are we?” he asked, trying to get his bearings.
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“We're in a convenience store in Queens,” Lucy replied, helping him to sit upright.
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“QUEENS! WHY ARE WE IN QUEENS?!!!” Tetsuo screamed, his voice echoing through the convenience store. Lucy quickly covered her ears, signalling him to lower his volume. “Sorry,” Tetsuo apologized, realizing his outburst.
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Lucy rolled her eyes. “You tell me what happened. You were the one who pushed me off the Apophis and got hit by something,” she said matter-of-factly.
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Tetsuo instantly remembered. “Oooh, I think after we killed the Apophis, it hit us as a last-ditch effort, so we were likely catapulted from Manhattan to Queens?” he deduced, though he sounded unsure. He noticed a nearby snack that looked like a white cylinder, grabbed it from the shelf, and opened it. To his surprise, it was soft and fluffy, melting in his mouth. He checked the package and found it was called a marshmallow.
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Lucy raised an eyebrow at his explanation, finding it ridiculous but unable to provide a better one. She joined him in eating the marshmallows, passing the time and pondering their next move.
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Their moment of quiet was interrupted by the ring of the convenience store doorbell. Two people entered: one was Paul Sievernich, whom Lucy and Tetsuo recognized immediately, and the other was an unfamiliar man in his late forties. The man had golden-brown hair beginning to grey, wore a tactical combat outfit, and had an amber gaze that was lighter than Tetsuo’s. Unlike the muscular Paul, the man had a more mesomorphic build.
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The man scanned the shelves, spotting Lucy and Tetsuo. He approached them, his expression unreadable.
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“Lucy, Tetsuo,” Paul greeted, his tone serious. “We’ve been looking for you. This is Commander Arthur Brimstone.”
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Commander Arthur Brimstone nodded, his eyes sharp as he assessed them. “We’ve got a situation. Your disappearance after the Apophis fight has caused a lot of concern. Are you two alright?”
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Lucy stood up, brushing off dust from her clothes. “We’re fine, just trying to figure out what happened. We got thrown here from Manhattan.”
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Brimstone raised an eyebrow. “Thrown here? That’s quite the distance.”
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“Tell me about it,” Tetsuo muttered, still munching on marshmallows.
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“We’ve set up a base at a nearby apartment on Union Turnpike,” Paul interjected. “Biohazards are everywhere. New York City is already corrupted with ‘Chaos,’ and we’re getting reports of new Voids emerging and infesting densely populated areas.”
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Paul glanced around. “We need to move. This place isn’t safe, but we’re also here to gather supplies at the grocery store across from our base. Good job finding complete supplies here.”
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Tetsuo and Lucy shrugged, indifferent to Paul’s approval. They hated him, no question. Paul had a history of targeting Felix due to his rebellious yet good-natured behavior. Whenever Paul had a chance to condemn Felix, he took it without hesitation, leaving worse offenders free to roam the city. Tetsuo and Lucy preferred to keep quiet about it, especially after NIX Polytechnic was destroyed by Apophis. They hoped Felix was smart and reckless enough to have made a daring escape and be safe somewhere, where their friendship could be reunited.
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Brimstone still locked his eyes on them, noticing their subtle hostility towards Paul. He didn’t comment, instead, he pulled out his Gizmo, typed a few messages, and clicked send. “Have you checked the snack expiration dates? It’s not good to eat old goods.”
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Lucy and Tetsuo had been binge-eating marshmallows, an addiction they couldn’t resist. They stopped munching and looked down at the nearly empty bags, stuffing the last of the marshmallows into their mouths, ignoring Brimstone’s implication until it was too late. After swallowing, they checked the dates on the packs. Their eyes bulged as they realized the marshmallows were 200 years old!
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A vehicle honked outside the convenience store, alerting everyone inside. Paul moved quickly, packing up the supplies to be loaded onto the approaching vehicles. “Come on, I’ll explain what’s happening to our world.”
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Brimstone gestured for them to follow him to a vehicle parked beside the store. Lucy and Tetsuo grabbed a can of cola, drank it, and checked the dates again. Wincing at what they saw, they held their stomachs, having eaten something ancient yet strangely delicious.
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90-60 Union Turnpike, Glendale, Queens, NY, USA. February 13 2023, 4:53 P.M.
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“This world isn’t 2203, but 2023! Uh?… When you put it that way, it’s just two numbers flipped.” Tetsuo exclaimed in disbelief and bewilderment, while Brimstone winced at Tetsuo's outburst.
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Arthur Brimstone sighed, as if explaining to a kindergärtner. “Yes, that is true. Unless you’re unaware, people originating in 2023 have no sensitivity to the Cosmos. They aren’t considered Troposphere Magnitude; in other words, they’re the lowest of the low—humans.” Brimstone stated sternly to Tetsuo, who then turned to look outside the manager’s office in the apartment complex, which Brimstone had set up as his debriefing office.
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“I advise you not to display your Constellations openly. I have informed the teams and Ms. Drakenstein of our current predicament. The ‘Locals’ are aware of our metaphysical abilities, yet they are unlikely to accept us fully or completely alienate us. They currently rely on us to survive. It’s best we cooperate as much as we can. We are strangers in their world, and their world has changed unexpectedly in front of them. Am I making myself clear?” Arthur looked at Tetsuo sternly, and Tetsuo met his gaze without breaking eye contact.
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“Roger that, Sir,” Tetsuo agreed reluctantly.
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Aware of his reluctance, Tetsuo stood to leave, thinking he was dismissed. “Wait, Mr. Kenshin. I heard you and Ms. Drakenstein were investigating the missing person named Starling, as well as finding evidence to exonerate Felix Quantum, am I correct?” Brimstone's question caused Tetsuo to freeze and take his seat again.
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“Yes, that is correct, sir,” Tetsuo replied, not bothering to lie as there was nothing to hide. With that confirmation, Arthur rummaged through his desk drawers, took out a document folder, and placed it on the desk in front of Tetsuo. The folder was marked “CLASSIFIED.” Tetsuo opened it and read the contents inside:
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“October 31st, 2203: We have begun proceeding with Project Event Horizon. Unlike the first test batch, we are using twenty-three ‘Quasars’ instead of sixteen. From the previous batch, we learned that the more ‘Quasars we use as test subjects, the higher the survival rate in replicating the successful attempt to open the MAD, as the [REDACTED] Project succeeded in doing, despite the ‘Quasars’ being nonexistent in reality. The results were initially promising, but due to 'complications,' this test batch ended in failure. Here is the list of ‘Quasars’ NIX had to ‘sweep under the carpet’:
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- Ethan Johnson [DECEASED]
- Sophia Rodriguez [DECEASED]
- Liam Patel [DECEASED]
- Ava Nguyen [DECEASED]
- Mason Kim [DECEASED]
- Isabella Smith [DECEASED]
- Noah Martinez [DECEASED]
- Olivia Lee [DECEASED]
- Elijah Gonzalez [DECEASED]
- Emily Chen [DECEASED]
- Jackson Ramirez [DECEASED]
- Mia Davis [DECEASED]
- Aiden Hernandez [DECEASED]
- Chloe Walker [DECEASED]
- Lucas Parker [DECEASED]
- Emma Wilson [DECEASED]
- Jayden Clark [DECEASED]
- Amelia Lewis [DECEASED]
- Sebastian Hall [DECEASED]
- Grace Young [DECEASED]
- Michael Underwood [DECEASED]
- Jake Landon
- Felix Quantum [DECEASED]
The next experiment shall begin in the next two hours. After the ‘Eraser’ cleans the chamber, we will use forty Simulacrums. Let’s see how it goes. We might be able to bring forth, Valkoinen.
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- Dr. P.Krendler”
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Tetsuo read the document with a dazed expression, skimming the text without absorbing the information. One phrase pierced through his fog: "Felix is dead." Arthur appeared oblivious to Tetsuo's internal turmoil as he placed another folder on the desk. Tetsuo stared at it blankly.
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“Lieutenant Sievernich has reported that you and Ms. Drakenstein broke into the office of Dr. Bartholomew Buchanan, Administrator of the Medical Sector. I reviewed the video recording that Lt. Sievernich confiscated, along with the documents from your and Ms. Drakenstein's interrogation. I discovered the reason for his disappearance on October 10, 2203. This folder contains information about A.E. Starling.” Brimstone gestured towards the folder in front of Tetsuo, who opened it slowly, fearing what he might find inside.
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Official Report: Case of Dr. A.E. Starling
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Subject: Dr. A.E. Starling
Alias: Elizabeth Starling
Position: Co-owner, NIX Corporation
Date of Disappearance: January 1, 2016
Date of Declaration of Death: May 13, 2016
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Overview:
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Dr. A.E. Starling, known as Elizabeth, was declared deceased on May 13, 2016, following her unexplained disappearance on January 1, 2016. This declaration followed an extensive investigation that found no evidence of her continued existence.
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Background.
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Born on June 13, 2003, Elizabeth Starling emerged as a prodigious talent in the scientific community. By thirteen, she graduated from the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research at the University of Basel, specialising in Neuroscience and Biomedical Sciences. Her academic achievements earned her numerous scholarships, facilitating her education in Switzerland.
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Professional History.
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After graduation, Elizabeth was recruited by NIX Corporation, a multinational conglomerate engaged in cutting-edge scientific research. Her work primarily took place in the corporation's laboratory in Ingolstadt, Germany. There, she collaborated closely with Dr. Paul Krendler, Dr. Arachne Masters, and Dr. Bartholomew Buchanan. This group, known as the Four Horsemen, was pivotal in advancing research into harnessing raw and pure energy without depleting Earth's resources, focusing on anti-matter—a project rooted in studies conducted at CERN.
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Elizabeth shared a notable friendship with Bartholomew Buchanan, with whom she bonded over a mutual interest in astronomy. Despite her professional visibility, she maintained strict privacy regarding her personal life and family background.
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Circumstances of Disappearance.
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Elizabeth vanished shortly after the tragic suicide of her younger sister. The emotional toll was profound, yet she continued her work until her sudden disappearance on January 1, 2016. Her last known location was the NIX Corporation laboratory in Ingolstadt.
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Conclusion.
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After an exhaustive investigation that yielded no new leads, Elizabeth Starling was declared deceased by authorities on May 13, 2016. Her disappearance remains a significant loss to the scientific community, and her contributions to alternate energy research are deeply missed. The circumstances surrounding her vanishing continue to be a topic of speculation and mystery.
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This report documents the essential details of Dr. A.E. Starling's career and the unresolved mystery of her disappearance.
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-V.M.N
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Tetsuo read the text carefully, thoroughly, and repeatedly. “I don’t understand. Starling was Ms. Weiss's older adopted sister, and she met Mr. Quantum before the year 2196. She disappeared on January 1, 2196, and was declared dead on May 13, 2196. But this report says she disappeared and died 180 years ago. What is this nonsense?” Tetsuo exclaimed, perplexed.
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Arthur, unfazed by Tetsuo's outburst, retrieved another folder and placed a picture of an object resembling a Buckminsterfullerene on the desk. Tetsuo immediately recognised it as Athena’s Cube.
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“Mr. Quantum was tasked by the Paradox Movement to locate Athena’s Cube within the NIX Polytechnic compound. In exchange, he needed cash for his caretaker’s daughter, Sasha Everhart, to enrol at NIX Polytechnic. It’s rumoured that he succeeded in his assignment, but it’s confirmed that he betrayed the Paradox Movement by revealing their hideouts to NIX authorities. An Elite Stargazer was dispatched to handle the situation, leading to the ‘Onslaught of Alpha Centauri Mansion.’ Somehow, Athena’s Cube ended up in Dr. Buchanan’s office, and he wants to open it to reunite with a long-lost friend,” Arthur explained, watching as the gears in Tetsuo’s mind began to turn.
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“Get to the point already, you low-budget commander. How did you obtain these files? This information is confidential. You’re painting Felix as the villain for your pro-Paradox Movement agenda. Unless… you’re not with NIX Corporation but actually part of the Paradox Movement. That would explain why your team is equipped with obsolete technology. That means Lucy and Sievernich also work for you,” Tetsuo deduced, prompting Arthur to roll his eyes.
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“You’re correct in deducing that we are the Paradox Movement, but you’re not seeing the bigger picture…” Arthur began, but Tetsuo interrupted.
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“Felix is dead because YOU betrayed him!” Tetsuo shouted, rising from his seat and slamming his hands on the desk in anger. “My loyal and trustworthy men are all dead because YOUR friend betrayed us! Now listen to what I’m about to say, boy! You know nothing!” Arthur yelled back, matching Tetsuo's fury.
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Tetsuo glared at him, stubbornly unyielding, while Arthur sighed, deeming Tetsuo's behaviour childish. “Athena’s Cube is not just an ordinary orb with a hidden treasure map inside it,” Arthur continued, attempting to steer the conversation back on track.
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“Then how is Dr. Buchanan going to find his friend?” Tetsuo asked, his tone suggesting Arthur was foolish, which only fuelled Arthur’s irritation.
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“He doesn’t need to, because it’s actually a box with a gateway to another dimension—more like a prison, to be precise. Dr. A.E. Starling did disappear and die; the report states she was last seen in the NIX laboratory in Ingolstadt, Germany. The Four Horsemen were researching how to find alternate energy sources by opening another dimension,” Arthur explained, trying to clarify his point.
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“You and the Paradox Movement sound like a cult of conspiracy theorists,” Tetsuo scoffed. “If your theory is correct, then the purpose of Project Event Horizon is for the NIX Corporation to open a gate. They likely failed, and our world is now in ruins because of them. But that doesn’t explain why there are two Starlings who both disappeared and died at the same time yet in two different timelines,” Tetsuo voiced his scepticism.
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Arthur leaned back in his chair. “You have every right to be sceptical. I’m going to show you a video we managed to hack from the NIX Archive’s private database.” A holographic screen materialised in front of Tetsuo, displaying a video titled “12th MAD Expedition.”
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Tetsuo watched the grainy, unstable footage, devoid of sound, recorded by a woman and a man beside her. He saw them fall into a crater, struggling against an entity shrouded in white. The video abruptly shifted to a woman in a white lab coat—Starling, though she appeared older. It skipped again, revealing the couple who had recorded the video brutally striking Starling on the head, causing her to tumble into the pit below. Just before the video ended, a serpentine entity stirred, its gaze fixed on the fleeing couple.
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Tetsuo realised the serpent was Apophis. The video concluded.
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“Starling is confirmed dead,” Arthur stated. “What Dr. Buchanan believed was freeing his friend was, in fact, unleashing a being of pure madness, poised to consume the world as we know it.”
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