Travel, part of AO's Multiverse Options

[Asher Omega]

I've decided to post a sample of writing, since its not finished I'd rate it as PG (movie rating system). its one of my early starts. and I am terribly sorry that the story cuts off abruptly, I got writer's block as to where to take the story after that. and it would be considered a wall of text.

Travel

Everyday we see things that we're accustomed to, people, streets, ideas, and ourselves. No one really takes a step away from it all to see new things, giving the excuses, its too expensive, maybe later, or I've already done that. Some people find that this steady life style very comforting. Let’s take a venture away from all that to a place where our common everyday things are uncommon or even rare, sometimes even illegal.

Serenias Ventros was never liked by her neighbors, not even by some of her relatives. She half expected her brothers and sisters to turn her in sooner or later. Her views, ideals, her very sense of self were almost illegal in the government's eye. So as soon as she turned of age, she took a course that would allow the government to turn a blind eye to her, and allow her to leave her life behind. She took a job as an explorer. This would allow her to act normal while the government would keep its distance from her. Her family would no longer be able to coerce her to follow the doctrines and moral rules set by their religion. The only downside to this was being stuck with all the other religious nuts that thought of coercing the places they were going to explore. But his kind far outweighed the fanatics in the exploration business. it took an open mind and an interesting mind set to explore new places. The fanatics would try to convert people, but most of the time they'd come back shocked and scarred, others come back full of triumph. but most return and hand in a notice of retirement.

her first assignment was strange because she was practically forced to get a level 2 security pass for this. Most explorers never got past a level 6. Her first assignment got a clearance for something most templar officials would kill for. So she took as a sign that this was going to kill her or severely scar her forever. Serenias was waiting outside the door of the Explorer's Association Cabinet representative. "Come in Ms. Serenias Ventros? I believe we will have the meeting soon. But first I'd like to get to know you." she knew immediately what the cabinet rep. was talking about. There were three types of explorers, the religious fanatics, which any and all were equally accepted, the Male explorers, which unlike her had different opinions from that of the government. The last one were the true aberrancies. She fell into this last category. 'Getting to know her better' only meant two things to this last group, how can we disqualify them, or what we can do to persuay them to do this so the others don't have to. But for her, this also had a third meaning, one she really wish isn't what the representative is thinking. as she entered, she found the room rather coldly lit by the neotroic lights. "Take a seat at that end if you please." the Rep was pointing at a chair opposite of his. This gave Serenias a small comfort. as she sat down, the rep. pulled out a small folder. "Well Ms. Serenias, it has come to my attention that your first job was one that the government and a few scientific communities would rather have a much more "able" explorer handle, but I felt that it should be given to you. Do you want to know why?" She didn't have the slightest clue. "Because Ms. Serenias, it is my firm belief that this assignment is not for anyone that the government should push, but rather for the small and meek." *oh no, not another sermon* Serenias thought. "I'm sick and tired of sending out the evangelists on exploration missions that return them broken and battered in more ways than one, and even the most senior of explorers I offered turn down this assignment." *wait, did he just say evangelists?* Serenias was starting to feel as if the cabinet rep. was an explorer himself. "Now Ms. Serenias, can ask why you took a job as an explorer?" the rep was waiting for her response. "Well, I thought it might allow me some freedom." the rep shook his head at this. "Well Ms. Serenias, if you wanted freedom, you should have chosen something along the lines of factory worker, but instead you chose a job that literally separates you from the rest of society, and given your current standing with us, including our own society has labeled you an out cast." *”our own society”? This is getting stranger by the minute* "Ms. Serenias, it looks like you have a question." "Yes Mr... Uh Mr..." "Oh dearly sorry, Gercent Durumas, call me Mr Durumas." "Well Mr. Durumas, the way you talk and act, it seems as though you aren't a politician at all. it seems like you're an explorer. Ooops, so sorry, I'm dearly sorry for that statement." "It's alright, and I can fully sympathize with you. Yes I consider myself an explorer; in all actuality I was one before the government offered me this desk job. Now, what’s the real reason for becoming an explorer?" "Well I felt that everyone around me was going to turn me into the government sooner or later, even my parents were starting to get worried. And if I did avoid the government the templars would start hounding everyone around me until I would be turned into the government." Serenias suddenly felt scared, she just told a government official that she had either done something illegal or is still doing something illegal. "No worries, lass, I'm different than most people. What ever you did is now gone." and with that last sentence he took the folder pulled out several sheets of paper and ripped those in two. "Now the only thing left here is a folder containing your basic background, your medical history, and some minor and a few major achievements." she sat there looking at this G man giving her a hand up. Her history all of it was now rent in twain.

Serenias sat there dumbstruck. One government official just made every note of her existence with the exception of a few achievements and medical history void. “Uh, Mr. Durumas is that standard procedure?” his only response was a curt nod. “Now Ms. Ventros, you’ve probably heard several stories of what happens to explorers. About half of them are bunk. Most made up to scare people away from joining. Others are completely true. Have you heard the one story about an explorer coming back twenty years older from when he left?” “Yes, but that shouldn’t be possible.” “Well I hate to break it to you, but that story is completely true. Time dilation is a problem that we’ve encountered but thankfully we found out what causes it. So we now have a system set up where you call in to be brought back.” “Mr. Durumas, is the story about a man coming back saying he came back without his soul true?” “That one is complete and utter BS. Souls as the Templars explain can’t be examined, quantified, or observed. That story is actually a twisted one of an actual account of one explorer returning and there wasn’t anything left of him mentally. So one of the unwritten rules about explorers is keep your head cool and calculating at all times. But that was a sad day when that explorer came back.” “if you don’t mind me asking, who was it?”

Mr. Durumas’ eyes clouded over, like remembering a very fond memory. “He was one of the early Explorers. He was the poster child for this branch of the government. Young, dashing, pretty and with a damn good head on his shoulders. His name was Janus Arkseus. It was a dark day when he returned.” The stillness of the air kept both Serenias and Mr. Durumas silent for a long time. “Ahem. Anyway that’s all classified from public knowledge now” “Wait a minute! If that was classified then why tell me?” “Actually I only told you what I tell all the new recruits. The rest of the story is still classified until you get your Level 2 Clearance. Most successful recruits only get to be Level 7 at most. Now first things first, what do you know about Explorers Ms. Serenias?” “They travel to places that can’t be found on any map, are practically branded traitors by normal society, half of the new people drop out on their first mission, and uh…” “That should be enough. Well you know all the basic stuff. Now let me tell you the stuff that isn’t common knowledge and isn’t printed on the government pamphlets. The recruits that drop out are the evangelists. They can’t handle the fact that the places they travel to have radical and sometimes dangerous ideals that in our society they’d be tried for state crimes. Now, the places you’ll be traveling will be on a map, just not a normal one. You’re going to be going to places we’ve termed ‘Alternates’. And the branded by traitors part sounds much like a personal opinion, Ms. Serenias.” “Sorry but everyone that came from where I lived considered anyone who didn’t pay respects to God and the Templars was practically a traitor. They consider anyone who tried becoming an Explorer up for disownment. And the way I lived I was just about to be turned over to the Rehab center at the Local Templar office.”

After a few more questions by Mr. Durumas, Serenias was let to finish unpacking at her new house. “Oh and one more thing Ms. Serenias, once you’re all settled in give my office a call. If I’m in, I’ll tell you when you can pick up your Level 2 clearance, if I’m not, leave a message. And I’ll be in charge of all your missions due to your clearance. It’ll be a pleasure working with someone who actual thinks for a change.” “Wait a minute; I thought you were just a representative?” “That Ms. Serenias will be come clear as to why I’m your boss. But first you’ve got to finish moving. Believe me.” He shooed her out the door and quietly closed it behind her. She quietly left to her new assigned home, near the facility that would now be her work place. She felt like she could finally get do stuff that would allow her to express her freedom. But first she had to unpack.

Serenias arrived to her new home. She stood at the front door, surprised at the size at the size of the house. It was a two story home. She didn’t even have enough to fill a small studio apartment. She looked at the key. It was the right house. She unlocked the front door and stepped inside. All of her stuff, 7 boxes, three suit cases, double bed, 14” tv, and dresser were in the entry way. A single person was sitting on the dresser reading a small booklet. “Hello Miss, since you weren’t here the rest of the guys left me to help you move your stuff to where you want it.” “And you are?” “Oh I’m sorry Miss; I’m Kenjins, one of the movers.” “Oh, well give me a moment to figure out which room is the master bed room.” “Up the stairs, Strait across, double door way, Can’t miss it.” “Uh if you knew where it was, why wait till I got here to move it?” “Simple ma’am, you might find that your house is a little daunting. So you might have wanted one of the smaller rooms.” “Well I might collect stuff and it sensible to put my bed in the master bedroom so.” “Say no more miss. Interesting read here. And call me Jin. Full name is rather hard to say.” He held up the red book. Rules and Regulations of the Explorer’s Association. “But we need to get stuff set up for a new Explorer. Her home.” And with that Serenias and Jin got to work of moving stuff to where she wanted. The house was partly furnished. But it was still mostly white walls and empty space when they got finished.
Serenias looked around at her new abode with satisfaction. “Well ma’am, need me for anything else?” “Nah, thanks for the help Jin. I do have a question, I thought the Explorers didn’t use outside companies for anything?” “They don’t. I’m part of the Explorer’s Association like you, just a different branch of it. Good Luck out there. We might see each other at the facility.” Jin left with out notice but he did leave the red book behind.

[Asher Omega]

Three Days Hence

It has been three days since Serenias came back with Dyu. After the ‘skirmish’ that Dyu caused, she’s been under house arrest. After it happened, Serenias and Serj were taken away to her house by Jin. It was then that Serenias found out that Serj would be staying with her. Jin explained that a few arrangements were made so that Serj would be an informal body guard. That and Jin made various comments that made Serenias blush. “Other than that, he really can’t stay at the local barracks, so when we gave him the choice, he just said that he’d rather stay with you.” Serenias spent the night wondering what would happen to her, Serj, and possibly Dyu. The next day Jin arrived with a simple bed for Serj and as Jin called it “an experience of a lifetime”. What it turned out to be was a new video game system. “Yep, top of the line, a 32-bit system with a couple of the new games available for it.” Serenias looked at Jin very skeptically. “Okay here’s the other news I didn’t tell you last night, you’re under house arrest until further notice. So I brought over something to tide things over until they have reached a conclusion. Believe me having something to do is better than nothing.” After Jin set it up he left to do some other business. Serenias tried to play one game and gave up after the fifth death on the first level. Serenias decided to read the manual before trying again, “oh wait here’s the back story… ocean of blackness? What were they thinking naming it that? Oh wait there’s combos? Oh jeez, this is getting complicated.” While Serenias was reading Serj picked up the controller and plowed through the first level with ease. After he defeated the boss did Serenias look up. She watched in silent awe at how Serj just when though level after level barely avoiding getting hit or barely surviving the levels. After he had beaten the seventh boss did he stop playing. “I need some paper and something to write with.” Serenias scrounged up a piece of scrap paper and a pen. Serj wrote down the jumble of letters and numbers that were left on the screen, and then promptly turned off the system. Serenias watched as Serj found another game and started to play it once again with his unnatural co-ordination.

Serj repeated this several times, stopping after getting well into each game. Serenias watched in silence when Serj finally met a game he couldn’t play. He silently handed Serenias the controller, while he reset the system. She decided to read the manual before she tried the game. “Magus Academy? Some how this seems really over used, but hey, it’s worth a shot.” The game played more slowly and was a bit text heavy but she got to the same area Serj got stuck. It was a block puzzle, and Serenias saw the solution at once. The more Serenias played the game, the more interesting it got. But after playing most of the afternoon away she decided to at least do something else. As Serenias got up Serj resumed his game playing. The rest of that day was uneventful. Serj had nearly completed at least two games. The day after was mostly just sitting there organizing some of the notes and reports that Serenias had to write for the previous mission. Serj had spent some of the early morning doing something outside of the house before returning to his rather weird obsession with the gaming system.

Serenias was lying on her bed, with a book that she had just unpacked getting ready to read when the doorbell rang. Serj was still doing what ever he did in the early morning. Serenias was greeted by Jin. “Morning Nia, I hope the games were okay.” Serenias gave him the same skeptical look. “I found one game enjoyable, the others however I couldn’t play for the life of me.” “Ah well, anyway I’m here to pick you and Sergeant Newman up. So where is Serj?” Jin stood in the door way, awaiting an answer. “I honestly don’t know where he is. He just disappears in the morning to return some time before midday.” Jin nodded for a bit, and then excused himself. Serenias watched him pull a radio from his car and talked to someone. “Okay, He’s already there. I forgot he’s got to go through the military training, Come on; we’ve got a briefing and someone to talk to. Bring your report too; I’m pretty sure the bosses would like to see how everything led up to that incident.” Serenias got most of the paper work she had and joined Jin in the car. Most of the ride to the facility was in silence; even at the gate the mood was a bit sullen and subdued. Jin actually accompanied Serenias to the briefing room this time. Mr. Durumas was sitting there along with Serj and General Vajra. “Ah and here’s the Miss that caused all this.” The speaker was Vajra. Serenias sat down in the nearest chair and set the reports out in front of her. “Well, I have some other deliveries to attend to.” And with that statement Jin left her to this somber room.

“Well Lass, what happened three days ago, technically wasn’t your fault.” Durumas was the speaker this time; Serenias perked up at the comment. “Sadly that doesn’t excuse the damage caused to the facility that was incurred during the incident. And then there’s Him.” Both Vajra and Durumas seemed to shudder at the mention of Dyu it seemed. “Anyway, Dyu will be staying at the facility, as per his request. How ever Ms. Serenias he was intent on talking to you, he mentioned something of a deal. So it’s probably best to get that out of the way first.” Durumas led Serenias to an off shoot off of the hallway that led to the Door. A single guard was across from the door he just waved Serenias and Durumas past. “I’ll be right outside Lass; he wanted to see you alone.” Durumas opened the door and allowed Serenias in before closing the door quietly. The room’s neotroic lights were dimmer than usual. A dull red glow came from left side of the room. What was producing the glow was Dyu, the hole in his clothing now filled in with a large crimson crystalline orb. He was lying atop of a military cot. “Ah finally I can speak to you. My apologies for not getting up; it was quite the expenditure when I first arrived. I must say, I am finally getting my appendages under me.” Serenias stood there, looking at some thing that had practically done more damage than most weapons today. She couldn’t stand it anymore.
“JUST WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU? I don’t understand how you can do what you did, that monstrous mouth, the damages to the Door room, and especially to…” Serenias heard sounds of agreement coming from Dyu and from two other places in the room. “I can understand your feelings of mistrust and muddled understanding. First of I’ll explain what I am. I am a sentient bio-form comprised of the 14th metalloid. I use normal phenomenon as senses that your kind would have to use a device for. I’ve lived for several hundred thousand of Heliosar cycles. My race lives on radial energy, and if prompted we can even absorb the very material around us. Does that answer your question?” Serenias had found herself seated near Dyu’s bed with no recollection of doing so. “I guess. But what do you mean heliosar cycle?” so much of the information was new to Serenias’ ears. “A heliosar cycle is one rotation around your star. It’s a rather standard form of measurement.” Dyu’s tone of voice was almost of a whimsical quality. “Okay, what do you mean ‘a normal phenomenon’? What kind of phenomenon?” Dyu actually let out what Serenias thought was a sigh. “I live off of radioactive decayed particles, my race calls these particles neutrinos. I could explain the entire process but I doubt that you would understand the nuances and variables involved in such matters. So that’s as far as I’ll explain on that matter.” Even with the explanation she got from him still went over her head. “So you can basically sit around and just replenish your energy? From nothing?” “Not quite nothing, I’d have to be in an energy rich environment to begin with. So technically I don’t get it for free. Come on, this is enjoyable.” Serenias was more accustomed to this Dyu than the one she saw that night.

“Okay, okay, so you don’t get a free lunch. So what was that large mouth… thing?” the answer this time came from some where under Dyu’s cot. “Me that was me! It didn’t taste good, not good at all.” Out scooted a sphere the size of a basketball. It was made of the same mat grey armor that the mouth was. It held a prominence on top of itself. Four smaller crimson orbs were placed in the same fashion as the maw did. And a distinct line opened between the pairs of orbs to reveal two rows of triangular teeth. “Ah Aru, allow me to explain what you are first before revealing yourself. You know better than that. Ura, you come out too.” From behind Serenias floated a cone shaped one. This one was resembled a mix between a pine cone and an armadillo. Its symmetry was based on a 60° partitions along its spindle. It had a singe red orb on each face plate followed by a single jutting spike behind it. “Anyway the round one with four eyes is Aru, while the one with three eyes is Ura. It’s a bit difficult to what they are. I’ll explain what they are as best as my vocabulary can. Aru and Ura are extensions of myself with a passable amount of sentience.” Serenias held up her hand. “Wait, you mean that thing is intelligent? And it can grow several thousand times its size?” Aru floated to about a few inches away from Serenias’ face. “No, no grow. Changed!” Dyu finally sat up and swatted to one side, making Aru float drunkenly about the bed for a moment. “Aru, manners. But he is correct, Aru didn’t grow, he changed to a more normal form to Aru. Aru, Ura I think a more humanoid would be more appropriate.” And the two things changed into, to Serenias’ opinion, small children. Aru wore an open vest similar to what Dyu wore. Aru’s hair was like how he was when he was the sphere. A single spike of hair at the top, while the rest was combed back. His face looked normal with the exception of having the two red ‘eyes’ below the normal set. Ura appeared more feminine, her hair instead of being spiked, was braided. Her face was normal with an ‘eye’ in the middle of her forehead. Her clothes were more along the lines of a long sleeved shirt. All of the clothes worn by Aru and Ura were a variation of what Dyu wore himself. And they all shared the same creepy eyes that Dyu had. Ura had yet to say anything. “This sucks. I can’t float. Can’t I change back mastah?” the speaker was Aru. This time he sounded a bit more mature, even if what he said wasn’t very mature at all. Dyu popped Aru once on his head. “Aru, no matter how many times you want to do something, you can’t disobey orders.” The speaker was Ura; her voice was silent and a bit timid sounding.

Serenias sat in silence taking in the amount of information from this small revelation. “Okay so what are they? Pets?” Dyu shook his head. “No, they are not an external organism per se. they’re more like an appendage, just with a bit of sentience. A word I learned once may be close to what they actually are. If I recall correctly I think the word was Homunculus. A being made of one’s self but independent to a point.” Serenias decided to change the subject; she might have to get a dictionary for both of them next time she decided to have a chat with Dyu. “Okay, I’ve got another question. Who or what are the Black God and the White God?” Dyu sat with his head tilted to one side for a moment, before he finally answered. “I can wager that your race has religious beliefs or way individuals should act according to a rule set for them, correct? Anyway, the Black God, the White God, and The Grey Man are a basis for my race’s way of living. A form or other about a code of conduct. I’ll explain each of them and what they stand for. First one is the Black God. He is concerned for the individual and what they want and need. He cares not about individuals helping others. His identity is Self, the Up is Accomplishment while the Down is Loneliness. The White God is his opposite. The White God is concerned with the whole, Societies, cities, Races. His identity is Group, the Up is belonging, and the Down is stagnation. And of course the Black God is his opposite.” Serenias thought this a very odd way for one race to live. “Wait you mentioned a third god, the grey god?” Dyu stared at Serenias very sternly before letting another sigh go. “The Grey Man isn’t a god, he’s… hard to describe. He stands above both the Black and White Gods, and yet he’s completely random, chaotic is more appropriate word. He has to no concerns with any thing, and yet he is a complete balance between the two. At best he’s a natural force, change and chance combined, at worst he is the destruction of all, unity and predestination. The Grey Man isn’t a normal deity. One thing I have learned is that my race’s beliefs are an abnormality, for we don’t have a concept of ‘morals’ as some races we’ve encountered have said.”

Serenias was a bit jumbled by this odd religious outlook. “On to a different topic, like how did that orb get stuck in your chest?” Dyu looked puzzled for a moment, and then let out one of those melodious laughs of his. “Oh you mean my Core! I forgot I hid it when we met. It’s a physical vessel for my conciseness, body, and what some races would call a Soul. Its how I see, hear, sense, and talk, its everything about me.” Dyu’s explanation was still a bit confusing to Serenias. “Oh I see there’s still a bit of confusion. My current form isn’t my original; I took this up so that the residents on the planet you found me on wouldn’t find me disturbing. My Race is a bit older than most others. We’ve got through the world, planetary, and heliosaric wars that most early races usually do. But our development was a bit quicker than them so we passed through those in a small amount of time. So we’ve grown out of inter-conflicts within our race. But that’s beside the point; my race is a long lived one due to our Cores. Any damage to our bodies can be repaired as long as the Core isn’t damaged. But as far as any of the eldest can remember there’s been nothing that could damage a Core. But there are methods of changing one from a rational sentient to an instinctual rampaging beast. I must warn you though, never touch my Core. The consequences are deadly to any other race than my own.” Serenias sat there, stunned at what was just explained. Something still didn’t make sense, like how Dyu had known when she awoke, or how he had read Renthal’s thoughts, or how Dyu resolved what happened during the incident.

Remembering back to that night, after Dyu announced his full name the Templar Soldiers fired upon him. Serenias was dragged to the floor by Serj and Vajra together. The bullets ricocheting off of Dyu like deadly rubber balls. The Giant mouth let loose a deafening roar, and the soldiers froze in place. The Door room was now a mess of chipped rock, gore, and silent deadliness. Some of the ricocheted bullets had wounded some of the soldiers but Renthal and Dyu were still standing. Renthal was scared at this being that defied logic. A small melodic chuckle began in the room. It was coming from Renthal. “I can’t believe this, nothing can be that strong! You must have been wounded! You cannot…” and Dyu cut him off. “You’ve coerced your followers with falsities and threats, the armed men fear you because your threats against their loved ones. I’ve shown them your powerlessness; they need not fear you again. But I still have yet to change you. And there’s only one solution.” Dyu took a simple step forward, Renthal responded by taking one back. Without Renthal noticing the monstrous head had surrounded both him and Dyu. As Dyu kept advancing, Renthal kept his retreat up until he found the neck of the beast behind him. Dyu was now an arms length away from Renthal. “I have no need for games anymore. You won’t remember this encounter.” Dyu stated nonchalantly. Renthal spat his response, “I’ll remember this for all of time, Demon! Killing me won’t make me forget.” Dyu’s face kept that genteel smile. “Who said I was going to kill you? And it wasn’t a request; it was a statement of fact. Good Day Bishop Renthal, may the Grey Man correct your path.” And with that statement Dyu rested his right hand on Renthal’s head. Renthal stood there with a blank look on his face for the longest of moments before fainting to the floor: shortly followed my Dyu, unencumbered by the giant mouth anymore.

“And when I did that, I changed the very memories he would remember.” Dyu had been watching Serenias the entire time she had been remembering. “But…” Dyu raised his hand to stop Serenias this time. “Unlike you, my sense of ‘sight’ is much wider than yours is. I can see the parts that make up even the smallest of things. Which allows me to read the signals of your… oh what’s the word again?” Serenias finally got what had happened. “You mean you can read thoughts?” Dyu perked up at the last word. “Thoughts! That’s what I’ve been thinking of! Your minds are like open books to me if I felt like reading them. Writing in those books however is a bit of a bother. That person who’s memory that I changed will have had a bit of an ache when he awoke. Such an individual was mostly easy to get in once he let his defenses down. But as for what he’ll remember I do not know. All he’ll remember is feelings of disgust and defeat. Come in Mr. Durumas I know you’ve been listening in for the entire part of this conversation. Hovering outside the door is a bit of an annoyance to me.” The door opened to a slightly stunned and sheepish Durumas. “And the trade I made with Ms. Ventros here wasn’t just for her, but more of an agreement with your entire race, at least those willing to trade. And don’t worry; I will not harm those that I have come to trade with.” Durumas looked at Dyu with a mix of skepticism and curiosity. “So is this visit going to become a permanent stay or a brief one?” Durumas posed the question to Dyu. “I have no need to go back to where I came from, for I am in exile from my people, self imposed of course.”

After that Durumas wanted to speak to Dyu alone so Serenias headed back to the conference room there she was met with a great hug from Vajra. “Well Miss, I don’t know what he is or how he did it, but he is going to be staying with us. And he said that he’s willing to develop communication and energy technologies for civilian and military use. He did state that he will not make any weapons, something along the lines of knowing better than that. Also Director Hoel told me to pass this note on to you.” Vajra handed Serenias an envelope. She read it out loud. “Dear Ms. Serenias, On behalf of the Explorer’s Association I congratulate you on two successful missions as well as acquiring a source of information on both Alternates. Sergeant Newman and Dr. Vyern will be given appropriate quarters (based on their requests) and adequate pay. You’ve proven yourself a capable explorer and a very resourceful young woman. I wish you luck on your next mission, which will be soon. Signed, Hoel Mervin Penthelus.” In side the letter was a brief description of her next mission.

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And post 800! w00t. Anyways I pulled a fast one on you people. thinking I probably wouldn't reveal what happened that night. and yes I've hidden references to other things in this chapter including a reference to a book I really want to read.

now to explain some of the terminology again.

Heliosar - is a funky (and made up) way of saying Solar. Yes I used the Greek word for sun instead of the Latin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun

ah Number 14. another allusion to chemistry. and this time I'm being nasty. this entire line is underlined.

and no I didn't make up the Neutrino part, at least the name. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neutrino and yes Dyu can 'eat' matter. I'm not going to explain all of it because some of it is just plain "making **** up" and others are plot points!

and now on to Aru and Ura. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homunculus yes I'm borrowing the term from the alchemic term for it. and no they look nothing like the sensory homunculi. their names and how they came to be will be explained later, like how Dyu can see elementary particles.

and to preempt people from asking, Dyu changed how the electrical signals were arranged in Renthal's mind which also explains why Dyu doesn't know what Renthal will remember.

and finally ARGH DOUBLE POST!