Lore:Novum

It's early morning in Algus, though everyone is up and about. In one specific house, a girl of great intellect is about to return to her College in Barun to do research on ancient artifacts whose power has been lost to time. Her brother, ever interested in her findings thinks of something to inquire about before she sets off as he finishes his breakfast. Finally he gets an idea and acts on it.

Nora:Aright, I got it. Estris, could you enlighten me on how the world was created? The stuff I learn in school's pretty dull, but everything you learn in Barun is really interesting. Have you guys found out how long or what happened after Old Lore was destroyed? Or how we still remain when that world was presumably erased?.?

Estris:To be honest, the time gap between the Old and the New World's formation is uncertain, but what is certain is that everyone died except for those born at a specific time. Lorithia, the Creator destroyed the world, and brought into existence a new one and recreating the children of those who had died. These ancient ancestors would be the ones to lay the grounds for the New World, its name to be preserved as Lore in honor of its creator and in memory of its heritage. In modern days, we became obsessed with artifacts left behind by those who had perished and have actively sought them out to determine their functionality and uncover any powers they might possess. *sighs* Unfortunately, those that have been found just sit around and do nothing. Hopefully our expedition to Zera's Estate can give us something of value.

Nora: *eyes widen* You're really going to go to The Creep? That sounds exciting. ^ ^
Estris: Was wondering if that little code-name for it would stick. Sounds so stupid...but yeah, we're going there to check out a disturbance in the flow of Hex near there. We've seen these sorts of things near magical artifacts, but when we take them to the lab, they do nothing. It's really weird.
Nora: Could I go with you guys? I mean-
Estris: No. It's a safety precaution, but a lot of the people up in Barun are snobby dicks. They'd right you off as a liability. *he begins to argue that he isn't and she tousles his hair, smiling* I know you wanna go, but it'd just be impossible to get you in on this. When we clear it of artifacts and stuff it'll be open to tourists. Just wait a few months and we'll go there. Now I gotta go. *hugs Nora and goes, waving to him through the window as she walks down the street*

After half a day of travel(yes, even with the utilization of the Hex-core), she arrives to The Creep about fifteen minutes late.

Professor: As much as we like fighting off savages, and having icicles for eyelashes, we really must get going Ms. Faugh.I'll be inside with the others when you recuperate.
Estris:*panting* Uh-huh....*follows him in* So...how're we gonna find it? The source? Just use the scanners as usual?
Professor:*chuckles and shakes his head* Oh no, I'm afraid the scenario's different this time around Estris. The magic here is spread too thin for us to utilize. It's all eyes and ears here. Couldn't you feel your strength waning as you rushed to get here on time?
Estris:Never really noticed...but yeah, I can't get a schematic for this place. Never had this happen before.
Professor:*nods and strokes his beard* Yes. I find the level of disturbance here unsettling. Be careful where you wander, no telling what may've snuck in here from the barren wastes out there. *turns to the crowd of students* Everyone go your separate ways! But remember to stay within the insulation field, we don't want to have to take a pickaxe to your ice coffin if you happen to freeze to death. *most of the students leave*
Student:Is it really that cold? I mean really? Ice coffin?
Professor:I don't know, why don't you check for yourself and let us know?
Student: No thanks...*leaves*

Estris wanders the halls of the gigantic house before leaving the insulation field. She feels the drop in temperature and begins to turn back but falls to one knee at the sudden gravity the befalls her. Yes, the gravity of the planet is quite intense without certain provisions active.

Estris:What the...*takes out a PDA-esque device and looks at a gauge for the levels of Hex in the area* It's negative here? That doesn't seem possible. Something must be consuming it. *she looks toward the insulation field, then back down the hall, where a large steel door glows a bright blue* Hm.

She continues down the hall towards the door, wincing at the icy air stinging her skin through the broken windows just before opening the door and going down the large staircase. The temperature begins to even out for some reason, and the raw wind that should be flowing down the stairs does not do so. As Estris walks through the age-old labs, she sees the preserved bodies of experiments long completed, but dead. She walks past vaults full of hoarded treasures left untouched and for a brief moment considers raiding from them before remembering her purpose there. As she reaches a dead end in the vault room, she notices one room is not lit, the light in the hallway not penetrating the darkness. She began to reach for the door's handle, noticing that unlike the other vaults, this one's combination lock was not present. She heard the faintest whispers urging her to open the door, and before turning the handle, she let go and stepped back, leaning against a wall to think. This was clearly against better judgement and she began to weigh the options. The contents of the vault could be lethal, deadly, poisonous. She could lose a promising career as a professional archaeologist, everything could be lost.

Then she began to think of the pros. She could see herself famous for her discovery of a working artifact, something that actually worked for once. Her name would have to be referenced in every book on artifacts ever written for her discovery. She pondered everything, and understanding the possibility of death, she started to walk away. Then came the voice, dry and seeming to conjure up all of its strength in one desperate effort.

???:WAIT!

Estris paused, looking toward the vault with renewed curiosity. The whispers were not in her head. They were real.

???: There is no poison! There is nothing in here, but the artifact of which you seek!
Estris:...who are you?
???: A manifestation of the owner of this house! Of course! Free me, and I will give you anything you wish in return!

With that, she could see golden eyes staring at hers through the large window of the vault. It was all the motivation she needed. A priceless artifact that seemed to work, an entrapped soul of an arcane master begging her for freedom. She knew she wouldn't be able to leave the room without a lingering sense of regret. She may never be able to return, and if she could, would the artifact and soul trapped inside already be freed? Her opportunity lost forever? She advanced toward the door and opened it, the dark fog inside slowly rolling out and dispersing through the basement.

???:Thank you ever so much, girl. Much appreciated.

Almost immediately, black tendrils entrapped her in their embrace, and dragged her screaming into the black abyss.

Back in Algus, a short teenager wearing glasses, a white lab coat buttoned all the down to just past his waist and black pants as well as black sneakers walks geefully, his purple hair ruffled and messy, he twitched his large cat ears as he stopped and turned around to find a woman following him, she was hovering a few inches off the ground via hover units on the bottoms of her gleaming silver robotic legs that were carefully designed to resemble real human legs just wearing long boots, a black skin suit pressed against her realistic body and revealing her stomach, relatively small breasts and thin body, her dull gray hair was at neck length and looked as if it had been recently cut. She was also wearing dark red sun glasses as well.

Van: Why are you following me, Zero? I thought I told you to stay home?
Zero: I must stay with Master. I will not be online if I am not in Master's presence.
Van: Sheesh, a robot lady that's afraid to go offline for even a few minutes. You're worst than Zero-Gamma. I swear she was such a clingy wench. Oh well. continues walking up to Nora's house and lightly knocks on the door.

Nora opens the door slowly, peeking from the small opening before opening it entirely.

Nora:Hi Van, what u- oh, I see your robot thing followed you too. You must really like this one. ^ ^ Oh right. *walks back to the kitchen* Alright, come on in, I was just making a really big meal for everyone. *dumps some food in his pans onto a bunch of plates*

Behind them, a young man with short red hair and wearing nothing more than some casual clothes (I'll come up with something later) nods and sits down at the table.
Matthew: Thanks for the food, Nora. And Van, don't you have a remote or something for your robots?

Van: Because I like making my robots able to function on hex, which I have around my neck all the time so that I don't have to hold a remote control. And I just haven't found the time to make a separate remote for Zero here. And besides, then she'd possibly have a will of her own and I'd hate for her to have one.

Nora:No problem Matt. I love making food. ^ ^ Why wouldn't you want her to have her own will? I think it'd be interesting to have a robot with its own will. ^ ^ *drinks some chocolate milk*

Van: Then she'd more than likely fall in love with me.....Just like omega did two years ago....*shudders*
Zero: Master did not like Omega?
Van: No. My mom gave her her own will and she fell in love with me to the point of stalking me. I just had to put those damn stealth units on her. Geez. It was awful.
Zero: I had to destroy Omega for Master.....

Matthew: And you're fearing the same's happening with Zero right now, huh? *Starts eating* Maybe it's time for you to man up.

Nora:Well, the stalking thing was kinda creepy, but... never mind. ^ ^u I hope this one sticks around, she seems cool. ^ ^

The tv that was on in the background changes over to an emergency alert and and a reporter appears on screen with the city of Barun in the background, shrouded faintly in dark energy with people fleeing the city.

Reporter:Breaking news! We as well as many other news casters have just arrived on location at Barun, the College City! As you can see, some kind of dark force as overtaken the once peaceful metropolis of knowledge. Not much is known at this point, but- *sees a person running nearby* Hey you! Come here and inform us of the situation, please!
Citizen:Well, there was this girl...seen her around, apparently a genius or somethin'. Anyway, this girl was nuts. Fucking crazy. Her clothes were ripped up, her eyes were glowing yellow man...and she had some weird sword with her that had teeth and eyes! I mean-

The camera turns to the reporter who rolls his eyes and tells the man to move along.

Reporter:So clearly, he didn't know what he was talking about. When we have our drones here to survey the scene we'll let you all know what is really going on at this eerie scene.

The regularly scheduled show turns back on and goes on as normal.

Nora:Well that was weird....

Matthew: Agreed....

Van: Hmmmm....What can you infer about that, Zero?
Zero: .....I would like to believe the deranged man on the television. He could be speaking the truth, however derailed from it, it may be.
Van: Really? You're really gonna believe there's a crazy girl with an even crazier sword walking around there? Weirdo. *continues eating*

Matthew: *Shrugs* Why not? Strange shit has happened throughout history.

Nora:Well in any case, there's something wrong about all of that. I think we should check it out later. My sister might be in trouble. *finishes his meal and goes in a another room to retrieve his gun-blades and holster them before returning to the table and drinking his chocolate milk*

Zero: You are going to help his sister?
Van: Well, just walking around with you behind me would be boring, so yeah. give us something to do, Zero.

Matthew: Well it's nice to be meeting Estris again. When do we plan on going, Nora?

Nora:Well...now if you guys are ready to go. ^ ^

Van: Well of course Zero's ready to go. *finishes his drink* And now I am. Let's jet.

Matthew: Just a second...
The red head sighs, he really didn't want to do this. As he lifts his shirt, his torso opens up into a much larger mouth which promptly devours his remaining food...and the plate...and a chunk of the table...
Matthew: I'm ready to go too... >.>

Nora:^ ^u Kay!

~Hours later, Barun~

Nora:*rests on a tree as they come up a hill* Whew...my sister has some trip to make coming all the way out here....*looks up at the city* What the...looks like stuff's growing on some of the buildings...

Matthew: Hmm? What kind of stuff? Gooey fleshy stuff or crystals or what?

Van: Can you figure out what that stuff is? And don't say the obvious...
Zero: I can't analyze it without a sample, Master.

Nora:Can't tell what it is from here, let's keep going.

He begins to move down hill and sees a quadrupedal darkness elemental with read fleshy parts on it. After a short pauses of them looking at each other, it leaps at Nora who stabs it through the roof of its mouth with a gun-blade before kicking it off of him.

Nora:*gets up slowly* Never seen anything like that before. *walks over to it, nudging it with his shoe*

Matthew: Same here... Whatever it is it looks ugly...

At the nudging it quickly gets back on all fours and is then stabbed repeatedly by Nora until it has clearly made holes in its head.

Nora:I think they might be pretty tough too. The stuff on it looks like the stuff on the buildings, maybe your robot can scan it for us? ^ ^ Just so we know if its safe to poke or not.

Van: OK. Sick 'em.
Zero: Fine. *hovers over to the elemental and starts scanning its carapace*