"The mechanics don't make sense," Gale said, stopping his chair. "Every time we walk away from the facility, we end up back at that same tree with my X mark. But according to our phones, we're walking in straight lines. The apps show distance covered, elevation changes, even compass readings that confirm we're moving in the directions we intend."
"So what, the phones are lying?" Kyle said.
"No, that's the weird part." Gale pulled out his phone and opened AurMap. "Look at this trail data. It shows I ran nearly two kilometres in a straight line when I tried to break out of whatever's holding us. But I ended up right back where I started after thirty seconds of running."
Clyde looked at the screen. "A kilometre under 30 seconds? Kyle, you got some training to do. 'Fast as fuck boy' crown's gonna go to someone else."
"Shut up," Kyle grumbled.
"Will you two stop joking around?!" Lily shouted.
"Can a man not joke about our hopeless situation?" Kyle said.
"Can a man not enjoy dying slowly in a hopeless situation?" Clyde said.
Rachel shot them a look that could kill, making both of them wince from the sudden heat spike. "Gale?"
"Anyways, I ran straight through the trees, over fallen logs, through underbrush. The terrain I covered was completely different each time." Gale swiped through the map data. "Look at this elevation data too. Shows I climbed forty metres in elevation, then descended thirty metres, then climbed again. But that tree is on flat ground."
Rachel sat in her chair with arms crossed, her eyes fixed on a spot on the floor that had a rhombus and a distorted shape of an eye. She sat up, saying, "I'm certain this is this civilization's version of a trap array formation."
"A what now?" Kyle asked.
Rachel stepped on the pattern on the floor, twisting her feet on it, but the pattern was etched, not painted on. "Trap array formations. I've read about them in the Ann family library and also encountered them in Japan and China. They're primarily used by the Jiuling factions, but the concept exists across multiple magical traditions."
Ollie glanced at Gale, clearing his throat. "Break it down for the rookie."
"Think of reality as a piece of fabric," Rachel said, holding her hands out flat. "A trap array formation is like folding that fabric in specific ways so that what appears to be a straight path actually loops back on itself. The walker thinks they're moving forward, but the space itself has been twisted."
Lily sat forward in her chair. "So we're walking straight, but space is curved?"
"More complex than that." Rachel moved her hands, showing the concept. "Array formations work by establishing anchor points throughout an area. These anchors create a network that can manipulate everything within their boundaries. Distance, direction, even time can be altered depending on the formation's design."
"What anchor points?" Gale asked.
Rachel walked around as she talked. "The traditional Jiuling method uses physical objects infused with qi. Carved stones, spirit jades, array flags, special talismans. These anchor points are arranged in specific geometric patterns based on ancient cosmology. The most common patterns are derived from the Bagua, which is an eight-trigram system, or the Five Elements theory."
"How many anchor points are we talking about?" Ollie asked. "For Gale's knowledge."
"Depends on the size and complexity of the formation. A simple trap might use eight anchors arranged in an octagon. More advanced formations can use hundreds or even thousands of anchor points spread across vast areas." Rachel stopped and turned to the group. "The anchor points connect through what the Jiuling call spiritual qi channels. These channels form the array diagram, which is like a massive geometric pattern overlaid on the landscape."
Kyle whistled low. "So, to make it clear to the rookie, this whole forest section could be one giant magic circle?"
"Essentially, yes. But here's what makes them truly dangerous. The array core." Rachel's voice turned serious. "Every formation has a central control point, usually hidden and heavily protected. The array core processes all the spatial distortions and maintains the formation's stability. It's often mobile or even sentient in advanced versions."
"Let's say our rookie finds this core thing. Can he shut it down?" Clyde asked.
"That's the theory. But array cores are designed to be nearly impossible to locate. They might be buried underground, hidden in a different dimensional pocket, or constantly moving throughout the formation." Rachel rubbed her temples. "If some of us had bothered reading logs outside of North America, they would find theres multiple Path agents being trapped in Japan for weeks. Those agents were just on vacation too."
Gale shifted in his seat, slightly smiling. The trio were suddenly all nice to him to allow Rachel to explain everything to him. "So, I'm kind of new to this… what triggers these things? Like how do they know when someone enters the trap?"
"Multiple activation methods. Some respond to movement, others to the presence of cultivation energy or life force. Advanced formations can differentiate between different types of intruders and adjust their responses accordingly." Rachel sat back down. "The really nasty ones can read your intentions and adapt to counter whatever escape method you try."
"Hear that rookie?" Kyle said. "This thing's working against us."
"Possibly. Trap formations often have multiple layers of defense. The spatial distortion we're experiencing might just be the first layer. If we somehow break through that, there could be more dangerous defenses waiting."
"You wanna explain what kind of defenses just so everyone knows?" Ollie turned his eyes to Gale and quickly looking away.
"Automated attacks, environmental hazards, illusions designed to drive you insane, qi suppression fields that weaken your abilities." Rachel counted on her fingers. "Some formations can even create false copies of the trapped individuals to sow confusion and distrust."
"How do you know all this?" Gale asked.
"The Ann family library contains extensive records of encounters with various magical formations. My ancestors believed in understanding potential threats, even if they never expected to face them directly." Rachel smiled at him. "The Jiuling have been perfecting array formations for thousands of years. They have the most dangerous defensive techniques in their arsenal because of those."
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Gale turned his chair slightly. "So if the anchors are taken out, we'll be able to get past the trap?"
Rachel shook her head. "It's not that simple. There could be hundreds of anchors scattered throughout this area, and we don't know how this civilization's version works. What I described was specifically the Jiuling methodology."
"What do you mean?" Lily asked.
"The Path and United Knights have their own versions of spatial manipulation, but they're much simpler. The Path uses technological solutions, devices that create localized distortions through ether manipulation. The United Knights employ runic inscriptions that bend space through mystical formulas," Rachel said. "But this civilization was operating at a completely different technological level. Their version might work through principles we don't understand at all."
Kyle groaned. "So we're back to square one."
"Not exactly." Rachel stood again, examining the walls with squinted eyes. "Traditional array formations have certain universal weaknesses, regardless of the specific methodology used. They require constant energy input to maintain the spatial distortions. They have maximum operational ranges beyond which the effects weaken. And they're vulnerable to overwhelming force applied at specific stress points. But that assumes we can identify the stress points, which requires understanding the formation's underlying structure."
Gale stopped turning his chair, then looked at Rachel. "The only way forward is to mark anything weird within range of the facility that could potentially be an anchor. Maybe destroy it immediately."
Rachel's head snapped toward him. "No. Absolutely not."
"Why not?"
"Destroying an anchor randomly could completely destroy the formation's stability. It would lock the current state and trap us here forever," Rachel said firmly. "Arrays do not discriminate between friendly and non-friendly targets. In cases of emergencies where friendlies get stuck inside, Array Masters set up predetermined patterns for safe destruction. The anchors need to be destroyed methodically."
Kyle tilted his head. "Then what do you want us to do?"
"It's best to mark all potential anchors first, see if there's a recognizable pattern, then figure out the proper destruction sequence based on that pattern." Rachel looked at Gale. "Rush it and we'll be stuck here until we starve."
"Got it. Makes sense." Gale nodded, turning to Ollie. "It's probably best for everyone to split up again. Looks like nothing can get in or get out of this area. Everyone should mark potential anchors out in the forest."
Ollie sat up. "Agreed. There's six of us. Each person needs to split the search area evenly." He pointed toward different sections of the facility. "I'll go to twelve o'clock, Rachel at two, Gale at four, Lily at six, Idiot One at eight, Idiot Two at ten. Any questions?"
"No questions, boss man." Kyle looked at Gale. "Good job, Rachel, for explaining to our rookie. Couldn't have done it without you."
A spark shot out of Rachel's gauntlet, hitting Kyle right in the mouth.
"Ow! What the hell!"
"Shut up, Kyle," Rachel sighed.
The group left the facility, each heading toward their assigned direction. Ollie walked north toward the thicker tree line. Rachel went northeast, her orange gauntlets already warming up. Lily headed south, stepping carefully through the underbrush. Kyle and Clyde split toward the western sections, Kyle complaining about the heat before he was even ten metres from the building.
Gale stepped outside and stopped. Breath of the Void spread, tendrils passing through all the trees for until it hit around the 2km mark where his control over the tendrils faded.
Huh? That hasn't happened before.
[Warning: Interference detected. Threat Level: Moderate.]
Right. There was interference, but at least it was less than the previous level. Focusing the Breath of the Void closer around him, the tendrils swirled with him as the centre. It was then he noticed a sort of pull coming from a specific rock that sat about five metres from the facility's entrance. Gray stone, roughly basketball-sized, sitting among other rocks scattered around the building's foundation. But something about it looked off.
Around it, the other rocks were weathered, worn down by time. This one had clean edges, almost geometric. The surface looked smooth, but also rock like. The roundness was perfect, but wasn't unheard of in the wild. If this civilization had lived for thousands of years, such roundness and smoothness could be achieved if this whole biome rained.
Gale walked to the rock and squatted beside it. Up close, the differences jumped out. The gray colour wasn't natural stone gray. It looked more like polished metal painted to look like stone. The rocks around it were clearly organic minerals with natural colour variations.
This thing was fake.
Analyze.
Text appeared in his vision.
[Ordinary Rock]
[There is a slight ether signature in the rock. What could it be?]
Gale picked up the stone and found another rock nearby. He smashed them together hard. The sound was exactly what he'd expected. It was stone hitting against stone. Nothing different.
He rubbed his fingers across the surface. Rough texture, small pits and bumps where minerals had worn away.
Gale held it close to his nose and inhaled. Earthy smell, slight mineral scent.
Then, as a last measure, he licked the stone's surface. Gritty, chalky, unappetizingly salty with a hint of iron.
He used Phase Touch. The cold sensation spread through his hand and then also turned the stone he touched into phased material.
He saw something inside.
The object was grain sized, perfectly smooth. It was something that was injected into the rock itself, yet the rock still had its original shape like nothing had broken into it and put something inside. Someone had placed it in here deliberately.
Static crackled behind him, sharp and electrical, coming from the research facility.
Gale dropped the rock and went back to the building. The doors slid open as he approached. Inside, the main hub looked the same except for the central control panel that flashed with static.
He got closer. The screen flickered, then went completely black. Not the dead black of a powered-down monitor, but a deep, black that seemed to eat the light around it.
Gale touched the screen. It felt cold, almost wet, though his fingers came away dry.
Nothing else in the room had changed. Same chairs, workstations, and equipment along the walls. But that screen looked different than before.
The blacks that formed on the panel looked similar to the glowing black candles of the ship down below the stone tower in the Eclipsed.
Gale tried using Phase Touch on his eyes. The ability spread, letting him see differently. Colours flipped as whites became black.
The black screen changed in his inverted vision. White text floated in what had been absolute darkness:
"Welcome to the Agriculture Centre. I have heard that your name is Gale. Nice to meet you. You may call me Recursive Agriculture Enterprise Unit Assembly Node. Also known as RAEUAN. You may call me RAE."
Gale blinked, cancelling the phase effect. The screen went back to its light-absorbing black again.
"What are you?" he asked the empty room. No response, but he turned on the phase vision again. New text replaced the greeting:
"I am named as Recursive Agriculture Enterprise Unit Assembly Node. Also known as RAEUAN. You may call me RAE."
"Are you responsible for the trap array formation?"
The text scrolled and more words came out.
"No. I do not have the ability to set those. Instead, there are invisible enemies that came from the upper floor that have laid them down. They have created the array in order to prevent the group from getting out."
Gale's stomach knotted. "Why are you telling me this?"
"The invisible enemies are also my enemies. They want to take my parts to create an agriculture centre on the upper floors, which is not allowed by the Architect. I ask if Gale could prevent the invisible enemies from stealing my components. In exchange, I will give the group better sustenance than the nutritional bricks that you currently eat."
"What kind of sustenance?"
"Fresh fruit. Vegetables. Protein sources that do not require water mixture to consume. Food that provides complete nutrition and tastes pleasant."
Gale looked around the empty facility. "How many invisible enemies are we talking about?"
"Unknown exact count. They move in groups of three to five entities. They do not remain in one location for extended periods. They avoid direct confrontation with armed individuals."