234: Answers

[Author Note: Things have been kinda quiet regarding the dark, decided that since he's not got the Blade with him for the first time, it'd probably start pushing a little wherever it can. I just added a bit to very end of last chapter, putting it in here so you can see the new portion ;o]

‘Okay.’ Nicolai shrugged, doing his best to move past the existential itch her words had generated in his mind. Becoming less common? Cannot be purchased? What’s so funny?! We have the bones, you bitch! His eyes briefly widened as he felt the dark stirring, feeding into his momentary anger. It shocked him. He wasn’t sure he could remember it trying to rise over something that was quite so minor. Something that, though strange and concerning, had no real bearing on his situation. This was the first time he’d felt the dark rise of its own accord in quite some time.

The Modules and the Mask helped him calm himself, and he pushed it back down after a moment. Because you are without the sword, put in the Mask, and he understood. The Angelic Blade kept him in easy balance, but he had left it in the cave. Now that it was gone, the dark was giving him a push, testing his barriers.

No matter. It was only a portal away. He took a deep breath and considered his next question carefully.

‘How much to learn about the Nightmare?’ asked Nicolai, having gone through his mental list and settled on his next questions. ‘I’d like to know its entire layout and what I can expect from it, most especially the jungle area I’m currently in, and this Phantom City.’

‘No more than 80,000 points, including additional related questions.’

‘That works.’

‘Nightmare is divided into several sections. The outer sections are the weakest, in terms of the beings living there and the opportunities available. These are where Players are generally being spawned as of now. As time passes, Players will begin spawning in more central sections, too.’

‘You are currently in the outermost section, the Jungles. After that comes the Caverns, then there is the Endless Castles, Dead Cities, and Gaping Ruins, and finally the Gate. If you wish to leave this Level, Nightmare, you must reach the most central area, the Gate. But getting there is not easy. There are barriers between each area, and they are successively more difficult to pass through. If you want to know in detail about how to pass the barriers, I can sell you that for an additional price.’ She waved a hand and the floating box on the right altered, displaying prices.

Red Barrier (Jungle to Caverns): 100,000

Blue Barrier (Caverns to Endless Castles, Dead Cities…): 500,000

White Barrier (Endless Castles, Dead Cities… to Gate): 1,000,000

‘I’ll take the first, Jungle to Caverns.’

‘Would you like me to tell you here and now via voice, or provide you… to your people, it could be considered a data packet, only spiritual in nature.’

He raised his eyebrows. ‘You seem to already understand how Earth tech works very well,’ he observed, surprised. He hadn’t told her any details about data packets. Had she, and presumably the other servants of this Guild, somehow already integrated and understood the information about Earth?

She smiled. ‘It is our purpose, to learn and to understand. We are the information Guild.’

‘Why do you call yourself “we”?’

‘That will cost you 10,000 Tokens.’

Nicolai shrugged. ‘Fine.’ He was curious and rich.

‘We are what you would call a hive mind. I am merely one part of a greater whole. Information is shared across all of us.’

He blinked at her, surprised, while within the Modules buzzed with excitement.

She’s like us! cried Cyberwarfare.

Nicolai snorted. We’re a composite, not a hive mind.

Still, it’s similar, said Cyberwarfare. Maybe she has tips…

What’s the difference? asked the Mask, curious.

A hive mind is governed by an overarching consciousness, which can overwrite any individual piece at a moment’s notice, speaking through them, and acting as a unified whole. A composite mind is formed of numerous individuals which maintain their separate identities and agencies, answered Threat Analysis.

Hive minds were possible on Earth, in a way, but they were typically just copies. A lot of super AI’s were actually formed from thousands of copies all running in parallel. This individual sounded like she was the more “sci-fi” type of hivemind. At least that was how Cyberwarfare, a fan of these things, referred to it. It was busy referencing some show it had watched once on stolen media, where there had been a race of aliens that infected individuals to make them a part of the hive mind, and how this was probably the same setup. There was a brief argument as Simulations declared she was probably just some piece of Heaven, and any “individuality” was just a front to reassure them.

Nicolai, also curious, and personally agreeing with Cyberwarfare, opted to see if he could find the answer to their debate. ‘You mentioned earning commission, earlier. What’s the point in that if you’re a part of a hive mind? I would have thought each part of the mind to be the same as any other.

Her expression shifted, the politeness fading, her eyes glimmering. Nicolai reckoned this meant she was being more “herself” and less a voice of the hive mind. ‘There’s a kind of pecking order, and benefits.’ She winked. ‘With what you’ve shared, I’ll be able to get something I’ve wanted for a while.’

He smiled back. ‘I’m glad I could help.’ From that, it sounded like she was in fact some kind of middle ground between a composite mind and a hive mind. While Cyberwarfare crowed with victory and Simulations sulked, Nicolai considered asking what it was that she wanted, but opted not to. She had been very helpful and seemed happy to keep on being helpful. He didn’t want to accidentally offend her. Another question occurred, one that needed to be asked regardless of possible offence.

‘Can you lie?’

‘I’ll tell you that for 1 Token. No. We do not lie. We are bound within Heaven, as Denizens within the Great Game. Thus we are bound by its strictest Rules. Please tell me the method by which you would like to receive your requested information regarding the barrier.’

He chewed his lip, considering. He wanted to hear about the barrier from her, right now, but he also wanted to ask a dozen other questions. He felt like a cat surrounded by a small army of mice, struggling to decide which to eat.

The barrier wouldn’t be of immediate relevance, it was something to study later. ‘I’ll take the datapack.’

A small metal disc, similar to a coin but coloured electric blue, appeared on the table. She put a finger on it. ‘This is a Memory Disc. It is a creation of our Guild. It may be used only a single time but allows for a smooth and rapid Soul-based integration of knowledge. Much easier to digest than a Memory Tome.’ She slid it to one side of the table. ‘Due to how they are designed this disc, and any others you purchase, will fit into the Big Mouth Symbiote you possess without issue, despite being spiritual in nature.’

‘Why are there People here? I thought the People were all dead, killed by Heaven when it launched some kind of crusade on this world. I didn’t anticipate a whole city full of People.’

She shrugged. ‘Mostly. There are remnants here and there. As to this City, Heaven likes putting interesting things in the Great Game. Like a city full of ancient beings, still somehow existing and competing in the modern day. It is not wasteful, nor particular vengeful. It makes use of what it takes… thus my role.’ Cyberwarfare wanted him to ask if an already hive-minded individual had vomited into her mouth to infect her and make her a part of this Heavenly hive mind, but Nicolai, along with Threat Analysis, did not consider that wise. After a moment she spoke again. ‘Continuing on the subject of the Jungle, it is a very large area.’ She waved and a new board of light appeared, showing a map.

Nicolai understood it immediately. It was a map of this world, and he drank it in hungrily. The map showed one gigantic continent, roughly circular. She flicked her fingers and a series of circles appeared, each a different colour, nested within each other.

The outermost circle, green in colour, was labelled Jungle. The next circle, similar in overall size, was blue and labelled Caverns. The next, which was a large sphere, was red and labelled Endless Castle. Finally, there was a yellow dot in the middle of the ocean of red labelled Gate.

‘Would you like me to connect to your UI map and provide our Fill Out service? This will cause your map to populate and be filled in with what you see on the map above, no more empty space, though we cannot provide absolutely everything. Roughly 90% of the map will then be available for your viewing at anytime, and main landmarks will be noted. The cost is 150,000 Tokens.’

Nicolai smiled. ‘I’ll take it.’ Immediately he felt his hand buzzing, and looking down saw his Mark had lit up, the golden shape shifting and squirming.

‘The download should complete in a few minutes,’ she told him, then gestured at the map floating behind her. ‘As you can see, the Jungle forms a large band around the outskirts, between the Caverns and the sea. After that come the Caverns, which similar to the Jungle, are not overly large. Finally the Endless Castles, Dead Cities, and Gaping Ruins, which takes up most of the centre. In the middle of that is the Gate. The layout did not used to be quite so simple, but Heaven moved earth and sea to better match its vision.’

‘The jungle is a place full of many creatures but also many resources. Something you should keep in mind regarding the barrier, is that it can only be passed through in a few locations. Your updated map will have these places marked. Because of this, you can expect that as you travel through the jungle towards your nearest entry point, you will begin to run into more and more Players, both your own kind and the others. The more powerful jungle creatures will also tend to be closer to this barrier.

‘Regarding these threats, other than Spirit Beasts and monsters, there is another danger to be aware of. These are the bugs. These include numerous different breeds of gigantic Spirit Bugs, some twisted by demonic influences, some altered by other means. These beings can be found all over the galaxy and seek always to spread and consume.

‘Much of my People’s trouble on this planet stemmed from the significant bug infestations that existed here since before we even arrived. The bug hives in the jungle are frequently at war with one another, and you may fall afoul of armies passing through the area. Bugs tend to act cohesively and with intelligence, though typically it is a slower, more collective intelligence, and you won’t have to worry overmuch about any individual bug. Some, however, are different. There are a few breed of bugs of which every individual is as smart as you or I. Should you see any Hornet or Spider Bugs, for instance, be wary. In the Memory Disc I give you, there will be detailed information on all breeds.’

‘As to the other areas, the Caverns are a strange and treacherous place, full of winding caverns and dungeons. The Endless Castles, Dead Cities, and Gaping Ruins is the remnants of the People, scarred by Heaven’s Crusade. During that time there was a lot of activity, both Demonic and Angelic, and the fighting twisted the land. It is a place full of undead, and strange beings, and odd and nonsensical places where reality was torn.’

She paused. ‘Is there anything else you’d like to know about the jungle, or shall I move onto the Phantom City?’

‘Go ahead.’

‘This Phantom City is similarly divided into sections. However, each section is not necessarily better or worse than any other, just different. Also, not all Players are in this section. In fact, right now the other sections have their own fresh arrivals, in a similar number as are here. Different things are available in each Section. Each section currently has a few Noble houses, each controlling certain areas and services within that section. This section is currently split between six Houses, though over the coming weeks and months there will be a little… consolidation. If you wish to travel to a different section, you’ll have to wait a while, but in time you’ll be able to gain Permits of Passage that allow free movement. Most of the Guilds are available in all the sections.’

‘In this one there is a branch of our Information Guild, the Merchants Guild, the Scoundrels Guild, the Slayers Guild, and the Refiners Guild. The names are quite self-explanatory. You can attempt to join any of these Guilds, though typically can only be in one at a time, and there are benefits to doing so.’

‘Do you think I should join one?’

‘You would be foolish not to. Don’t worry, it isn’t a decision that will stick with you for life. You can leave a Guild and join another, though doing so isn’t necessarily free and easy. Depending on your goals and how you plan to spend your time, the right Guild could be very useful to you.’

Nicolai considered. ‘I need to grow my Cultivation. To gain points-tags and Oma crystals and Symbiotes. Is there a Trade Link here?’

‘There is, though you have to pay a small fee each time you wish to use it.’

Good, I’ll be able to get what I need. ‘How would I go about gaining funds, Oma crystals and points-tags and anything else? Which Guild would be best for that?’

Her face went distant for a moment. ‘Consider where you are located, the fastest and most efficient way, assuming you have the skills, would be to hunt Spirit Beasts and harvest resources in the Jungle. After all, it is an area rich in these resources. By doing so you could gain the Symbiotes you need, and sell what you don’t need in the Phantom City. With that in mind, the best Guild for you would be the Slayers Guild.’

‘Why them?’ He quirked a brow. ‘I anticipated you would suggest your own Guild.’

‘Their focus is providing services and equipment for those intending to hunt Spirit Beasts and other creatures. They have guides on hunting just about anything—we have similar guides, but they will give them to you at a lower cost or even for free. One of the primary benefits for those who join the Slayers would be an additional Mark UI Function called Monster Harvest. With that you’ll be able to have your Mark automatically harvest any creatures you kill and send the parts worth keeping to the Guild storage. From there you can choose to keep it for yourself, or sell it straight to the Guild. Depending on how much you kill, you could make a significant income.’

She shrugged languidly. ‘As to joining the Information Guild, you could, but the main reason to do so is because we give members a multiplier on their Token gain. After doing some jobs and reaching the second rank, you would gain Tokens with a 1.1x multiplier. There are some benefits but that’s the multiplier is the primary one. Joining is thus most useful for those lacking in information, wishing to gain more. You accrued so many Tokens, so early, that at this time you would be best served by another Guild.’

Nicolai nodded, appreciating her honesty. ‘Mark UI Function,’ he murmured, turning his hand over and peering at his Mark. ‘Just how much can this do?’ He nodded when she told it would cost him 2,000 points to find out. ‘If the cost to any of my questions is under 5,000, just tell me,’ he added.

‘There are many Functions. Some are very powerful and limited, others are more what you’d call nice-to-haves. If you manage to be one of those who survives the Great Game, the Mark continues to be of use—it allows victors to directly interact with Heaven. The easiest way to gain additional Functions is by joining Guilds or completing certain Quests and Challenges.’

She paused. ‘There’s something I should make you aware of. If you decide to join the Slayers Guild, there will be a selection process to go through. It starts in one hour and twenty three minutes. So don’t spend all your time here, talking to me.’ She flashed her teeth. ‘Not that I mind.’

Nicolai nodded. He was already building a mental library of additional questions to ask, as he hadn’t intended to spent his entire 18 hours in this City just in this room asking questions. He’d get the answers he was most immediately interested in now, and then ask for Memory Discs regarding everything else. Threat Analysis suggested that it might be better to delay asking about the Lizard. In another week he’d be able to come here again. It would be problematic if he found the Memory Discs gave him new, important questions, but he was unable to get answers. Plus, as he got used to this city, more questions would arise. He knew the Lizard’s location already.

Time to start wrapping up.

‘I want information via Memory Discs that go into detail about Souls, Soul Sense, mental attacks, these golgrinoids and whatever else might a threat to me in the jungle… I already know about many of the other creatures I can expect in the jungle, and numerous Symbiotes, but I’d like to fill in the gaps. I also want to know about the process and requirements for a Cultivator to go from Tier 1 to Tier 2.’

After some discussion where he mentioned each creature and Symbiote he already knew about he received the necessary Memory Discs to fill in the majority off blanks and each of his requests, costing him 200,000. He opted to then ask about the Artifact Blade, in a roundabout way.

‘How would it work if I were Tier 1, and wanted to use a Tier 2 Artifact?’

‘There are two problems with attempting to do so,’ she began. ‘Firstly, it would need Tier 2 energy which you are incapable of producing. This can be remedied by finding external sources of Tier 2 energy—these can be purchased, though the price is quite high. Tier 2 Cultivators are capable of creating items not dissimilar to Oma crystals, containing Tier 2 energy. The exchange would be roughly 100 Tier 1 Oma crystals for one Tier 2 Oma crystal.’

‘The other problem is that your Soul and internal system may not be up to the task of using this higher levelled item, although if you are a particularly close match to it, it could be possible. Notably, it is easier to use higher level Imbued and Artifacts than it is to use higher level Symbiotes, as Symbiotes need to be used within your Nodes—which is unlikely to be possible if you aren’t of the proper level. Whereas Imbued and Artifacts often contain their own internal storage of energy.’

‘What about the price for Tier 3 energy?’

‘Much more expensive. 500 Tier 1 Oma crystals for 1 Tier 3 Oma crystal. You wouldn’t be able to buy them at the Trade Link, either, not with your current Market Permit. Your only option would be bartering with a Tier 3 Cultivator. The Trade Link Markets don’t sell these items until a higher level.’

He nodded. So it was possible for him to restore his blade’s charge, but extremely expensive. He would have to perform maths anytime he was considering using it. If the benefits gained from using it were worth less than the cost in energy, it simply wasn’t worth using.

‘Is there any way to hide Artifacts from Soul Sense?’ he asked.

‘There are a few ways. The easiest for you at the moment, assuming you want to cover perhaps… a Tier 2 or 3 Artifact in the shape of a weapon, would be to purchase some Spirit dampening cloth. It is any kind of cloth that has been treated with nullifying resins and Symbiotic rituals, in order to make it extremely resistant to spiritual intrusion. If something is wrapped tightly in this cloth, it will be practically impossible for someone in the Foundation stage to work out what is within. If you had a higher level Market permit, you could buy it at the Trade Link. Alternatively, there will be some available to members of the Refiners guild. You could buy it from one of them in trade.’

For the next Market upgrade, he needed 1,000,000 points-tags which remained a bit out of reach. He’d have to check out this Refiners Guild. Nicolai remained silent for a while, checking he’d asked everything he immediately needed to know about. With the Memory Discs, he should be covered. That meant it was time to broach his first riskier question.

‘What can you tell me about the Black Gift?’

Her eyes widened, the most surprised he’d seen her. ‘An unusual question.’ Then her eyes narrowed, glittering. ‘Interesting. Why do you wish to know about the Black Gift?’

‘Because I have it.’

To the side, the counter had started ticking. It showed a value of over 500,000 Tokens.

Nicolai regarded it with a frown. He had a bad feeling about that number.