AFFINITY CALLING IC - Chaos Chronicles

[Imp]

THE INTRODUCTION

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After a traumatic dream filled with haunting images and ancient symbols, you discover that daily chores are difficult to concentrate on. The next night brings on an even more discomforting dream. In it, you see yourself along with nine mysterious figures standing upon an ancient sigil that has been long forgotten. It looks like a double pentagram with one upright star placed over an inverted one. From there on, everything else fades to black.

In the morning, you contemplate what you have seen and decide to get answers. After some research, you discover the images from your dreams are all located on the planet Amal. With the coordinates of the sigil recorded, you leave immediately to investigate that which has haunted your dreams.

=============== ۞SOMETIME LATER۞ ===============

As you enter Amal's atmosphere and look for a landing zone over the capital sector, you take note of the vast amount of strange ruins that lie beneath. Your eyes follow what seems to be limitless columns, archways, and strange architectural structures that fade into the distance. One could easily conceive the idea that the entire planet is nothing but sandy brown ruins. What ancient race had such ability or even time? Seems once everything was completed, they vanished...

Finally touching down, you wait for the dust to clear and begin taking readings of the environment. The computer concludes that there is oxygen even though no living plant-life is visible in your vicinity. The temperature comes to exactly 72° and from further reading, the planet seems safe to walk on. You are still baffled over this odd journey ever since you left home.

Every footstep you take kicks up a cloud of dust. The air is so fresh with each breath you take in, yet there still seems to be no foliage in sight. However, the dry dead remains of bushes in the area give the idea the planet once was beautiful. Other than dead planets, it confuses you as to why the area is so dry since there appears to be a heavy overcast that blocks much of the sun's light. Perhaps it will rain soon? You shrug the idea off as you concentrate on finding that sigil from your dreams.

Investigating the area, you notice all of the tall columns and archways that stand over the rest of the rubble. Some have fallen and crumbled into pieces but most seem to remain standing strong after countless centuries. You observe them closer to acknowledge exquisite carvings that show a variety of incomprehensible characters. Trying to decode what it means would be deemed trivial by most.

Making your way into the mess of exotic ruins, the whistling of the soft wind in your ears begins to sound like a voice. As the breeze picks up, the voice becomes clearer. This voice calls to you and pulls you in a certain direction. You succumb to it's intoxicating sound...

==================================

I've been shooting myself up with caffeine-Plus each night. The potent stimulant has been my savior from keeping away those wretched dreams. Why am I even getting them? It makes no sense! Is she calling to me? It can't be cause she was proven dead and there was no chance of reviving her. Maybe it's from the dead space that surrounds me.

"Here I sit in solitude. Bare of reason and filled with false hope. I float aimlessly." I speak to myself whilst typing it into my holographic notepad. The meaning behind it represents me. After surfing through the History of Writing File from yesterday, I've been quite intrigued by this 'poetry'. After several ill attempts, I finally understand it well. Heh, I bet only the depressed wrote this stuff...

Not after long, my mind reads like a blank book; unable to set my mind to something and yet knowing all I am capable of doing. I'd rather not be bothered by these dreams anymore and so I've finally decided to head to the mysterious planet of Amal. The coordinates have sat idle on my navigation screen for sometime now until finally I've grown a backbone and submitted the order to the ship's auto-pilot. "I hope this will benefit me in the end..." I say foolishly out loud as no soul could possibly hear me. I sigh soon after and look to my laser pistol. It looks friendlier than it ever has but... it will wait to have its fateful date with me.

---------Entering Amal's atmosphere----------

"Here it is." I speak to my reflection in the windshield and then pull away to gather my equipment. I won't need much, I'm sure. Just the weapons and some minor supplies should do. After all, I'm not expecting any company and I doubt there is any life on the planet besides some archeologists. "Preparing landing gear. Atmospheric Stabilizers at 84%. Outcome: Minor tremors felt." The ship's AI continued its landing protocol as I got dressed. The blue holographic screen lit up much of the dark interior of ship. I never really was one for bright lights... most likely the reason why I kept to the outer regions of space.

"...Detecting filtered oxygen. Prepare for subtle tremors in 3... Playing requested audio track for emotional stabilization until landing process complete." The AI screen went blank and the last word spoken was quickly followed by an enjoyable song I salvaged off a corpse on a dead ship. I felt the song fit the moment immensely.

--------After landing-------

"...72°. Plentiful oxygen. Welcome to Amal. AI on standby. Watch your step, Amina. Hope to see you soon. I will activate security measures once you leave." The screen faded and left me to continue my duty in getting answers on my dream. This placed looks like a shit hole and I really don't know what could be here for me but I'll give it a chance. Maybe an hour before I come back. Honestly, all I can see are ruins and dirt and no one welcoming me with a weapon in hand. I open the side door on the craft and breathe deeply before exiting. Already I'm overwhelmed with dry air. Ugh... I hate static. This quest better be worth my time.

As I step out, my right boot makes contact with the hard ground and dust emits. Great, I'll be coughing non-stop soon enough from the heavy dust. With each foot, the dust creates a slowly fading trail behind me. In hopes of losing the dust, I levitate up onto a sturdy column and land with a soft landing. 'Ah, now I can actually see where the hell I'm going' I think to myself, enjoying the view. From here, I continue easily hopping from column to column...

[Atrum Daemon]

The warrior clad in black armor clashed blades with his quarry. The Blackblade crashed into the glowing sword belonging to it’s master’s foe. The massive frame of Keldan dwarfed the Imperial officer who wielded the gleaming sword. In normal circumstances, the officer’s powered blade would have cut Keldan’s sword in two at their first contact. However, the Blackblade was no ordinary sword and stood up to the assault. At his side, the Kingslayer chucked darkly in the Vhalan’s mind, the demon lord within amused by the spectacle of the duel.

Keldan moved with an agility that belied his size and turned his blade with a deftness that only came from decades of wielding it, becoming accustomed perfectly to it’s weight and shape. The officer swung his blade in a wide arc only to have it rebuffed by the large, black shield Keldan used. The officer staggered, creating the opening Keldan needed. With a single thrust, the Blackblade drove home right through the officer’s chest.

Keldan tore the sword out of the man’s chest as he went limp. Wiping the blood from his sword and sheathing it, the Vhalan warrior turned and headed back to his ship. “Even with his robotic enhancements, an officer is still no match,” Keldan mused as he removed his helmet.

The single occupancy ship Keldan had claimed on his homeworld long ago lifted off the planet and took toward the stars. Once again, the Kingslayer chuckled darkly and prodded Keldan in the direction of that strange desert he’d been seeing in his dreams. Sighing heavily, the large man finally gave in and locked the coordinates in.

***

Dust clouds kicked up as Keldan stepped off his ship’s access ramp. More small clouds puffed up around his armored feet as the warrior walked forward. The ruins reminded him somewhat of home, specifically of the grander cities far from the battlefields he had known for so long. The whole thing felt strange to him and his mind once more wandered to what could possibly be pulling him here strong enough to rouse the interest of the normally slumbering Kingslayer.

With a small grumble, the warrior set off at a quicker pace toward the ruins. He figured that if there was anything to find, any sigil like the one from his dreams, it would be among the columns and archways.

[Carnival]

Etrik was piloting a X-110 reconnaissance ship, a small vessel which relies on speed and maneuverability. Etrik had bought it on the planet, it had taken refuge on, after the escape from T182C4. It is an Atronicatum ship, build so the pilot can link together with it. In a way, the pilot becomes the ship, and vice versa. The link enhances the pilots senses. Making it able to detect various readings within the ships radius.

Approaching planet GT9277V - Commonly reffered to as Amal.

Etrik awoke from it's dormant state. The pilot deactivates itself when flying one of the Atronicatum space vessels.
Whenever Etrik would enter this state. Images would appear. If it could dream, Etrik was 100% certain, that the images would appear as such. They were vivid and unclear. Yet it knew, that the images was pointing it towards GT9277V. It could feel an arcane signature from them. Maybe here, on GT9277V, it could find an artifact. Or even something else, which could help against the irregular and chaotic presence, which had infected it's kin. Unable to calculate probability. Signs of a possibility does exist.

"What calculations leads you to believe that?" Etrik had asked Sigil. One day 9 years ago. "I don't know Etrik." she had responded. "I can just feel it in my gut." Sigil said, with the quirk Kenvashians called a smile.

If Etrik had a gut, or anything resembling one. It would most likely, be sending out these feels Sigil spoke of.

Warning. Detecting residue from several spaceships landing on planet GT9277V. Amal, as it is called among the organic species. Should not be inhabited.

Accessing databanks. Reviewing information regarding planet GT9277V from system K-244: Amal - Desert planet - Previously inhabited by unknown ancient civilization - Reduced to ruins - Plant life: withered. No more data avaliable.

No turning back. Etrik was being... called to this place. Entering atmosphere. Preparing for landing among the ruins. Etrik steered the X-110 towards a rather large ruin, some distance away from where it had calculated the locations of the already present spaceships.
The thick layers of dust, flew up as the vessel landed among three of the larger ruins. Etrik turned off the X-110 systems and left the ship. Equipping the X224-G17 rifle, it left the ship to scout the terrain. The dusty planet will be a minor hindrence to optical sensors.

Eyeing the ruins. Etrik found a suitible tall one, where it could take vantage point while getting a clear view over the area.
In the same direction. Etrik could detect arcane energies. Most likely emitting from whatever summoned it to GT9277V.

Climbing the pillar didn't prove difficult for Etrik, at all. Standing on the very top, it prepared the X224-G17 rifle, in case any hostilities should arise.

From the vantage point, Etrik could spot two individuals. Walking among the dusty ruins of GT9277V.
One female - Features: silver hair, dark skin - Approximately 117 Ktan units in height - Armed: appears to be four blade weapons. Etrik concluded the evaluation with Unable to verify wether hostile or not. Probability lies at 57.22351%

One armored individual - Unable to determine gender - Armed: two large swords. The armor appears to be thick. Possible chance of penetrating armor using Arcane Shot. Estimates to approximately 61.2% - Also unable to verify, wether the individual is hostile or not. Probability lies at 73.55132% due to appearence.

Etrik decided, that it would continue to observe the situation. For now.

[Imp]

"What the hell is going on!?" The excited and confused vigilante jumped about the dusty landscape primarily due to how he was transported here. "I was about to kill this criminal until SUDDENLY! Bam! I like teleported here! I'm gonna get some fuckin' answers from someone." Satire didn't realize he was actually on another planet. The familiar turf made him think he was in the Middle East but little did he know of what brought him here.

After some distance of walking through the mass of ancient ruins, Satire began to hear something call to him. It was angelic and addictive to his senses. It sounded uplifting like if it was going to save him. Forgetting the horrid dryness and lack of water, he followed the voice. It seemed to carry him from distance which took several minutes but in his mind was only seconds.

In no time shortly after the voice ceased did Satire query what he was brought to. "What the fuck is this shit?" The foul mouthed gunslinger shouted angrily. "Some weird symbol... strangely looks like the one in my dreams. But I'm the only bastard here?!" Out of frustration from the moment, Satire ran over to the metallic symbol that laid flat on the ground. It looked like it was carved out of the planet.

Rising his boot over one of the edges of the double star, he began repeatedly stomping on it while speaking ill of the situation he has been forced into. "I wanna go home! There's no women here!!!" He continued until suddenly the sigil began to glow and seconds after, it shot out a continuous beam of light that traveled into the clouds. From a distance, it could be viewed as a beacon, calling out to others to come see what was the source of the bright light.

"Good thing I'm wearing these goggles." Satire rose to his feet and dusted himself off after his fall during the release of the ethereal light...