None of the Arakins were coming down the chasm, which made me relax almost entirely.

  They would approach it and then turn around. Perhaps checking in case we went up through that point once more.

  Although the Ether that kept them at bay came from another threat, I was glad it worked as a detriment, a very effective detriment.

  Aspen was still fast asleep after a few hours, and Erika kept checking on her vitals.

  [She is doing fine. Her vitals are stable, and is healing faster thanks to the potion and the armband.]

  “I am glad…I don’t know what I would do if she died.”

  [I am still trying to understand what happened in the Seeker building.]

  “I would prefer not to need to return there…” My metallic body shuddered.

  [Maybe not now, but there is something I noticed I failed to tell you with all that was happening. Want to hear it?]

  “Yes, what is it?”

  [While checking the Database, which was inside that door you saw in the basement, I saw corrupted Data. Chunks that could not be read. But there was something else that called my attention. There was a big piece of empty data, extremely prominent, and based on neighboring information, it was like it was gone or stripped directly from it.]

  “Yeah, well, I was not good with computers, but I think I get you. You think the data that should have been there was mysteriously gone, right?”

  [Exactly. Databanks are crystals, and information is placed in order as it is stored on them. So, suddenly seeing an empty blank space surrounded by damaged data is usually a signal that something was there and got removed entirely.]

  If I had a head, I am sure I would be suffering from a migraine with all the mysteries piling up around me. Missing data, and Erika felt it was important enough to point it out to me.

  I observed the building. There was no way I would want to go back in soon, but I knew that structure was holding answers, and I might need them.

  “Any clue on what would be usually there?”

  [Yes. The controller unit. The Controller Created Intelligence that is meant to control the entire structure over the automatic magic you saw already. It’s the one that stored and managed the data. I think it is gone.]

  “But that building is old, Erika. Wouldn’t that mean that it was extracted before those things came in?”

  Erika did not answer for a good while. Was she thinking about it?

  “Did you know that Intelligence?”

  [No… I don’t think so…]

  “Then?”

  [Is just… odd. Normally, I would find some form of log, or something that could explain what happened, but nothing. I doubt the creatures accessed it, as it was still readable even if full of corrupted files. And I am not sure it was that it purged itself.]

  “Maybe it moved itself?”

  [That is what I was thinking. For a moment I thought of a self-purge, the CCI deleting itself as part of a protocol, but there would still be evidence of that act in the form of partitioned or corrupted data. No, I feel the CCI was either moved or moved itself, then the rest of the information got forcibly deleted in an emergency.]

  “Why go through all of that?”

  [Maybe to hide something… I want to go back there. Maybe we can gain access and obtain information, or take a slab with a copy of the data and I could try to repair it to read it. If that Seeker building was in Khalei, it could have information about what happened.]

  “I really don’t want to go back in there again, not yet. I need to get back with Aspen to safety.”

  [I understand, but please, keep it in mind. I might be able to learn what happened with the structure to end up underground.]

  Noted for the future. The idea to return inside that hellhole made my soul and metallic body shiver, but if that meant getting answers, perfect. Just not at this point.

  No, I preferred to wait on it. Most likely I killed the biggest of those, but I am scratching that structure for later. I had more things to worry about, and there was already the need to wait for Aspen to wake up.

  }------------------------------------------o~o------------------------------------------{

  A couple of hours passed, and that was the first time I ever missed my phone.

  I was laying beside Aspen while I stared at the ceiling, bored, nothing to do other than my own thoughts or having to talk with Erika.

  The only thing I was keeping my mind busy at was the chasm and the Arakins that came nearby. They were extremely hard to differentiate, so when one left my vision, it was impossible to tell if the next one that came by was the same or a different one.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Aspen snored like a devil, which, surprisingly, was not enough to make the swordswoman come towards us to attack in response.

  I tried something. The flowers. I noticed how the swordswoman did not cut them, her blade danced around them and kept them safe.

  I walked a bit into the field, touched one with my blade, its petals, beautiful and delicate, laid against my cold iron.

  I swung my blade… and I damaged the poor flowers I passed through.

  The swordswoman’s blade danced around them, only making them dance with the pass of the edge.

  Alignment. I tried more swings, trying to keep my control of my alignment. A good blade can cut anything, a good swordsman can decide what gets cut. That swordswoman had good control over her weapon, and I was still lacking, especially without my body.

  I still had too much to learn. I always wondered if I would ever surpass my sensei, she would be screaming at me with my practice, then show me how she can do it, frustrating me and telling me to try harder.

  I continued for a while, slower, avoiding to let the sharp edge of my metallic body cut through the fragile petals, but even so I managed to injure a few, feeling both guilty and frustrated.

  “I am going to miss my favorite series ending… and all the novels and mangas I was following.” I commented as I kept training, trying to figure out how to keep a better control of my own body.

  [Those are forms of entertainment in your world, as I could gather from your memories.]

  “Ah, yeah.” I shuddered, as I forgot she could access my memories, stopping my training, so I risked the question that formed inside my head. “Question… how deep can you go into my memories.”

  [Very deep.]

  The phrasing made me know the fear I had was real.

  “T-thank you for not judging…”

  [I am not meant to do so, I am just surprised.]

  “Sorry…”

  [LIke, seriously, how come some people can think of a position like that is possible with…]

  “Okay! Okay! I am sorry! No need to talk about it! You were lying about not judging!"

  [Hehe…]

  Ugh… I was being judged by the magical equivalent of an AI and I was losing.

  “I have a question.” Changing topics, “You said only humans could use the System. Why is that? The book and you have mentioned other races. Wouldn’t that be a disadvantage?”

  [Well, is not that they couldn’t, is that Marbos made the System with himself in mind, so when he tried to use it on other species it did not work. As far as I know, he is currently trying to make it work on other species.]

  “Currently… so he is still alive?”

  [Yes. It has been only a few months since I heard about him.]

  “And how did you end up here with me?”

  [...I don’t know. I just appeared, and began with the protocols of activation.]

  “But you have memories from before meeting me, right?”

  [Yes… but last I remember was Marbos telling me I was going to have a big task, and then I was with you.]

  That was odd, and she seemed to take it naturally.

  Well, what better time to ask more questions.

  I flew to sit by the edge of the flowers. The light from the outside was dimming, turning more golden. The day was passing.

  “So, how much did it take for Marbos to create the System? And why is this like a game?”

  [That is not something Marbos came up with. You see, Marbos used the research made by another arch wizard called Luciel, who discovered the level ups and made a categorization of the tiers, to make it visible.

  Luciel ran extreme experiments on himself, when he noticed that under certain conditions, after training, he released a great amount of Ether into the environment, and he became more powerful. He called that Power Up, and later Level Up, and slowly experimented. He presented his findings to the different magic guild across the Crossing, and continued experimenting, until he noticed that, if he focused his mind on those moments, he could store that Ether and turn it into skills and more power.

  Marbos, having read his research, began his own experiments, and came up with an interface to read it. I am interface 2, E-System, and my job is to help you with data, showing you your progress based on the rules in the Ether, and automating that process that Luciel figured out to capture the magic energy for personal use.]

  Then, in theory, the world of the Crossing, as Erika called it, worked in the same way a game would. Leveling up, gaining power, going up in ranks.

  [The Ether, however, is still a complete mystery. You can sense it, and I can work with it, but every so often, some have said that rules change, or move. Some postulate that the Ether is more sentient than what was initially thought.]

  A magical energy that dictated the rules and changed on a whim, as if it knew what it did. Like a patch on a videogame, differently is that it could mean rules changed and the balance tipped in someone’s favor.

  I got the basics of the System so far, like killing monsters and enemies to gain their Ether, or using it to get spells and titles, but I knew there was more, much more.

  Erika mentioned that she could create more Systems for me to use, and modules to obtain.

  And what a powerful tool. Being able not only to make me stronger, but to help those that follow me and are my companions, giving them my skills, helping them with levels too just because of the contract.

  Then… those allegiances they had to me were more powerful than I thought. I knew they were powerful already, but they made a connection that was strong enough to benefit from my growth.

  How far can I take it? How far should I take it?

  Were there others outside like me?

  When I accepted the contracts, the desire of the wolves to join me, I did not think it that much, but now I felt the weight.

  Once we left the caves, what was I going to do? The door was there, waiting to be open, yet still unreachable. Once I open it, I need an answer to that question.

  And while I pondered about my current reality, I saw something happen.

  An Arakins, holding a spear with much better coordination and form, came into my view, stepping back. From the border of my vision, followed by others of its species, approaching, cornering him against the chasm. At least a dozen.

  “Protect… queen…” they repeated over and over.

  The one that was getting surrounded fought tooth and nail, killing a couple with its spear, but fell quickly overwhelmed by the rest. One, sneaking by its side, grabbed its neck with sharp claws and broke it, killing the lonely Arakin way before I could reach.

  The body of the Arakin fell through the chasm, and the attackers stood there, staring at nothing like zombies, before moving away.

  What did I just watch?