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Chapter 87: The Summoning
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She forgot, Pitou is a Thief and these people are players who put profit first before enjoying the game. Thieves in Terroa weren't uncommon but a specialized Thief-Class player was rare.
It can even be said that Pitou's skill set is better than Raven (one of Hagrid's henchmen) because Pitou's initial ability was helpful when it comes to 'owning' whatever Pitou had stolen on a target's inventory.
This is someone who invested at least 50% to their DEX stat in the initial part of their careers.
Siva spoke sternly, "I can't promise any salary or any of that sorts but I can promise you an island of your own and a few men, preferably NPCs, as subordinates."
Pitou smiled, "How many men, exactly?"
"More than a hundred, at least."
"I can train and do whatever I want with them?"
"As long as you won't betray me in the end, then yes, you can train and do whatever you want with them."
Right after he spoke, Scion stepped forth with both hands clasped in front of her chest. "Can you promise me that you won't betray Re.. I mean Siva in the future? We have had an experience and a fair share of traitors, I don't want to feel that same feeling again."
Niobe put her arm around Scion, "Poor you. Is that how you ended up being locked up here?"
Scion nodded and was powerless to detach herself from Niobe's latch.
Thorn was silently surprised by this. He knew very well who she meant by traitors and their fair share of it. This whole ordeal was made by a spy of The Legion in the first place.
Pitou, on the other hand, felt that declining this girl's request will be such a sin of some kind so in this kind of situation, there was no other choice but to accept.
"Well it's such a waste of those future bandit groups of mine, isn't it? I admit that I really wanted to establish my own bandit group. Following you around ain't an issue as well since you're part of a Grand Quest... hehe.."
Coralline was lost in her thoughts. It felt like she was in a daze when she look at the group on the other side and herself... alone... on this side.
"You people..." she could only grit her teeth as she eyed the other side. "Firstly, you treat these matters as if it's light. He tricked you and yet you still chose to follow him!"
Heller raised a palm I protest and spoke in a seemingly uncaring tone as per his usual, "Don't get me wrong here, Little Witch. I am not following him because I want to be ordered around. It's more like a personal interest. I play this game because I seek a thrilling experience. Unlike you, I have no pride whatsoever. I just want to fight until I am the best or I'm satisfied."
As he spoke, he looked at Thorn and couldn't help but remember that one annoying guy who moved around and appeared like a bug.
Then, he looked at Siva... the urge to fight was visible in his eyes, "Now that I came down to it, I can fight that guy whenever I want to, right"
Siva cleared his throat, "As long as he agrees with you, then yes you can."
"What about you?"
"Me? Hmm... after this mess, you can come and challenge me then."
"Heh." Heller came back to his usual silence but everyone around could feel the burning urge to fight heating up around him. "Deal."
Scion glanced over at Siva and recalled the hard path he had to traverse and then inhaled deep as he walked up towards the smaller Coralline.
She grabbed her hand and the latter was utterly surprised by how natural and tender it seemed.
"Young miss, I am not asking you to be friends or become an underling. But at least, until we... finish up our mission, can you lend us your strength?"
These words were uttered softly and were akin to a flute tune performed by a Grand Master.
Her way with words, her tone, her manner of speech, and her bearing... were all harmonically merging into a vortex of emotion that would make a person feel like a sinner when declining her requests.
Coralline, despite being a girl, felt that Scion was just a natural charmer. She felt pain and in fact, she actually felt like she was going to be a real heart-breaker if she said no.
Thinking of this beautiful girl crying like she did earlier... was something that could make anyone think that she had been wronged by the world.
It was unfair!
Coralline glared at Siva and then pouted, "Just how are you able to have this girl fall for you?!"
Eh?
Coralline's face was red and she hugged Scion like a little sister throwing a tantrum because someone was about to marry her beloved big sis.
Her words and actions were completely north and south.
Everyone seeing this, including Heller, thought of a single sentence:
"Please, just be honest and request to be pampered already!"
Siva's mind spun.
"This girl..."
Everyone was surprised but Scion ignored them and patted Coralline's head, making Coralline blush but not stopping her. In fact, she even buried her face on her stomach, smelling the smell of a big sister's scent.
She was that small and that's just how tall Scion is.
This sight of Coralline was actually cute for some odd reason and considering her fame in the real world it could even fetch a high price if taken as a picture and sold.
Siva cleared his throat and pulled their attention, and then announced with an ashamed manner:
"I will admit that I have indeed wronged you all with the way I have tricked you. I ask not only for your forgiveness but sincerely request that you all understand that the circumstances of my mission are not something related to this game.
"And yes, it includes real world dangers.
"Following me will ensure that one of your feet is in your grave and the other on imminent peril of them hunting you down. The people that hold the shackles on my neck aren't good people."
At this point, he looked at Coralline. "I also have to tell you this in advance; working with you all is also putting... my mission into jeopardy but with the current circumstances, I am sure that they will have to forgive me for recruiting some help to finish it. If they lose their only hold on my neck, then they will also lose everything that's holding me in check... aside from the fact that they have only fueled my desire to get revenge on them."
These words alone proved the floating doubts in these people's hearts:
"Is it the mafia? Or is it the government?"
Such stories weren't that much surprising since the 21st century was full of these political wars and the aftermath of such wars included a bloody warfare that resulted in the establishment of the current World Government: The UNICORN.
Mankind has had its share of war.
Isn't preventing a fourth world war the reason why RPG: Terroa and the NLD were developed?
When Siva spoke at this part, he unknowingly had been clenching his fists and hissing his words out of his anger.
Scion walked over him and held one hand. Siva then backed on the wall and sighed, one hand covering his face and trying to fight the urge to dismiss these people.
Of course, even though he said those words, he was still not sure if Augustus will really forgive him for recruiting a few help on rescuing Baron.
He was taking a gamble.
"Real life threat..." Coralline muttered but when she saw the look of heart-hurting concern on Scion's face when looking at Siva, she couldn't pull up even the slightest of strength to say no to the request of aid. "She knew the threat but she still cling on this guy... just... who is he and that mission he was talking about?"
After a few moments of silence, Thorn's attention was caught by a notification panel that popped up on his vision.
"Hm? Fuma what is it"
It was a video call.
Thorn pulled up the panel and then walked over to a distance to listen to the report, leaving the group with Scion to talk things over.
After a while, his face became grim and he exclaimed with a hushed yet still audible voice.
"No shit."
This one outcry caught Siva's attention who was in the middle of explaining the things he will be giving as a reward to all of them.
"What is it?" Siva asked. He felt that that exclaim coming from Thorn contained some grave news in it.
Thorn then said, "We have big trouble."
He didn't wait for any reply as he gestured to enlarge a panel which showed a [LIVE] broadcast from inside Terroa.
There were two video feeds on the panel he just enlarged.
The one on the left had a label of [earlier] and the panel on the right had a label of [currently].
After a moment, Fuma's voice trailed on the audio background of the video call.
[Siva, you have to see this. Apparently, this scene has been going on inside Alexandria for around half an hour now. The panel on the left side was just around the time that you were in a heated fight against Kladis. The one on the right is a live broadcast from a player inside the city.]
When these words were spoken out, everyone's face paled in surprise and shock.
In the video on the right side, there was a giant white-armored golem with a bright aurora-like light surrounding its body. In front of it was a large semi-metallic sword that floats like a servant as it hovered up and down, while the buildings around the center of the city were being grounded to debris and being hauled by invisible hands to the still incomplete body.
That golem-body in itself looked bigger even with the already large size of Akhenaton. And from the looks of it, it's still not its biggest size.
Currently, the area surrounding the large golem-like knight figure had surpassed that of 10km.
Every building in that area seemed to have already been absorbed to its body much like how it is happening now.
In the golem's chest could be seen a bluish-white sphere of light that served like a heart where a humanoid figure could be seen having its arms spread wide as if it was ascending or calling for something.
Scion gasped and she looked at Siva.
"Rex..."
"No... No. This is not happening..."
A voice with a twinge of despair was heard from Siva's lips and he shook his head as if to deny it all and treated it like a delusion.
Unknowingly, his hands balled into fists and it was so tight and his arms were actually trembling.
Everyone could feel the complete agitation from his trembling shoulders.
Scion naturally understood the fears he felt. Her dainty hands covered her mouth to stop herself from exclaiming. She knew from Alice, in the real world, that Volt and Thorn told her that Baron's mind avatar is in Alexandria... somewhere... in the buildings and streets in the city.
Of course, seeing this scene right now, Scion would fear for the worst.
Rage once again took root in Siva's heart. But more than that, there was a voice calling...
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Burn them...
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It was a calm voice, almost soothing, almost as if it was trying to compose a sensation of tranquility and steadiness.
And yet, the way the words came into his mind was like a command... almost like... a statement of a natural order. Like reading a script; the one statement was like something that was akin to be a natural part of himself being called upon.
Siva felt all the hair in his body rising as his already in-check murderous desire was once again rekindled as he listened to that voice. Like the previous feelings that this kind of thing had occurred, this voice seemed to come from deep within his mind or conscience... like an inner demon...
...a whisper of logic, a second self, a second mind...
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No one is innocent...
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This voice was, once again, calling for him to do something; to vent his hatred; to release what he had been keeping in check all this time...
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Mother is gone....
Do you now recall what your name is?
Who are you?
You have a purpose.
You have a job to do.
Search for it!
Remember...!
You have to free it!
That's your task...!
Remember...
Remember me...
Remember your name...
No one is innocent.
Punish the traitors.
Destroy them all...
I am the Beginning...
You are End.
That's your job....
Finish it.
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As the whispering voice became louder and more aggressively, dominantly echoing on his mind, its tone was also becoming more urgent with every phrase that was uttered.
Every small fragment of a statement overlapped with the echoing of the voice, the urgency and the forceful booming intent gradually bellowed on Siva's mind like the thundering of a storm.
"My job..." Siva whispered as if entranced.
Like a command prompt window that blocked his entire vision, Siva's sight was filled with the dark of blackness... a world with nothing but him and a hovering message:
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[Entering Sequential Brain Analysis...]
[Analysis Complete.]
[Displaying Results...]
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[Memory In Use: Main]
[Subconscious Memory: Active]
[Memory Integrity....]
[Scanning...]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
[ERROR!]
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[Problem at Temporal Memory Region detected!]
[Scanning Memory...]
[Scan Complete.]
[Memory Obstruction Sequence detected!]
[Temporal Memory Region S-35 blocked!]
[Recovery Circuits: Enabled]
[Recovery Options: 2]
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[Recover Memory?]
(Yes?) - (No?)
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"This is... the same at that time**..."
Although it seemed to be that he still had his mind and in complete control of his thoughts, there was something else in this black region that came in with him.
That something is in fact, a shadow of himself.
A self... that's been affected by the sheer savage nature of that other entity that he had expunged out of his system back in Dragona.
That self smiled at him as soon it saw the prompt. It may not be able to directly control Siva's notions and inclinations but it can definitely whisper some words that might have an effect when he chooses his decisions.
As such, this 'self' whispered: "Press it."
"Press it?" Siva's mind fought with the idea but he felt that beyond the urging of this inner voice was a feeling that if he does press it and agree, then he'd be getting back something precious with him.
"Yes, press it. You've been holed up in here for a while now... you should... wake up."
"Wake up..."
Siva was like a child, being led by a grown up.
His mind was becoming clouded and his thoughts were being driven by a force that naturally akin to his second or even third self.
The ideas this voice whispered to his mind was registering with a [friendly] label that felt like a true friend was giving him advice.
"Wake up, Siva... it's time to work..."
"I have to work..."
While Siva's consciousness was in this black region and as he listened more to this inner voice, he slowly lifted up a finger.
"My job..."
It slowly moved and hovered there above the (Yes) button and the shadow smiled evilly as he felt that he had won.
Still, as evil as this thought may seem, this is but a part of Siva's mind as well. Whether it urged his true self to a direction or not, it wasn't urging him to his downfall and only wanted what was best to Siva and his future at best.
Meanwhile, something was happening outside....
*****
Unknowingly, Siva, in the underground cellars, came into a dazed state and he was whispering some words as if he wasn't himself.
"Remember... I... my name... punishment... my task... my job... traitors... remember... punish..."
"Rex?" Scion became scared. She looked at Siva and she saw his eyes were white and the iris was trembling, looking upward, as if in a delirium.
"My job... innocent... have to free... mother is... remember... punishment... traitors..."
"Rex!" this time, Scion's voice was a bit louder.
She felt scared for some reason.
"My name... punishment... remember... mother... traitors... beginning... no one... innocent... I am... I am... he is............"
While Siva continued to trail on this whispering notion, a cold sensation descended in the room.
Siva's mutterings became louder and gradually caught the attention of others.
"Rex! Hey, wake up! You're scaring me..."
"Beginning... punishment... I am... I am... the end..."
And then, for some reason, his muttering came like a whisper in the wind and snatched all the howling and whooshing sounds of the winds between the cellar halls.
"I am......."
Siva's voice beckoned a physically cold sensation to the skin that unwittingly creeped in the entire underground cellar halls.
"My job... I am..........."
At the moment when all sounds had gradually been swallowed by something for some reason, everyone's senses had somewhat been blocked by the sensation that lingered in the air.
It was also at that moment in time that a single whispering of a voice, like a summoning call from the grave, was heard echoing through the walls.
"I am.................. Siva."
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SIVA'S MIND IS SLOWLY AWAKENING...
WILL THE LOST MEMORIES FINALLY COME BACK?
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Note: **If you can remember, in Volume 4 Chapter 28: Déjà Vu, as soon as Siva and Samantha were transported by the mysterious High Mage to The Northern Continent, they were attacked by Pegasus' men under orders from an incomplete Mefisto. Long story short, we all know from the clues that the [Mefisto Extraction Experiment] conducted by Doctor Pegasus under the supervision of the World Government had an accident that cost him his own daughter Kris/Samantha to be trapped in Terroa. When Siva saw Samantha got stabbed by a stave, a sense of Déjà Vu struck Siva that activated this same command prompt. It can even be said that seeing Samantha got stabbed like that triggered a traumatizing memory... leading all the way back to that one eventful War of the Braves, 56 years ago, in the timeframe of Terroa.
FACT: Temporal Memory Region is a real-world term used to describe the region in our brains that had something to do with 60% of the mental processing and Long-Term memory ability. An article extracted in a thesis passed by an MIT student back in 2010/11 that I managed to read (before the forum site dissolved because of some legal issues) was the origination of this very same principle I used during the time of the drafting of Siva Volume 3. Yes, Volume 3. In that article, the student, or rather (no infringement intended and all credits to whoever that thesis originated) the person who posted that said post, stated that "how the brain works is subjective to certain particular triggers that can be said to be the key to how and why people with the decrementing alias of having 'selective memory' are said to be geniuses of some level, and that they can control their emotional and psychological behaviors even when they lacked (and all the more when they do have) proper experiences on that or in any regard. Selective Memory does not mean that the person pretends to be stupid nor he/she acts silly, but it is because his/her focus and mental processing ability is quite high that he/she can think of maybe a hundred thoughts within a span of a moment; enacting and replaying, saving, organizing, grading, and/or planning, choosing the right choice before they even chose it; like the way how 'instinct' works; or like how the way playing video games and saving in the middle of the game works —leading to the conclusion that these people can choose multiple choices and have ample preparation that seemed to be 'luck' in the outside during particular circumstances; with the bottom line being that their choices will always, or in some times, look like self-centered and always had the main point of being only helpful to themselves or the people they intended their choices to be helpful to. In particular, people with Selective Memories may also seem to have 'multiple personality' and 'shifting emotion' tendencies that may not be visible during certain times but will become noticeable during particular circumstances or/like during an emergency or extreme mental agitation; and may even give the notion that they are crazy. But research shows that these people with the so called 'selective memory' conditions are indeed bright and only seemingly 'self-centered' people that had more emotional and psychological stability than most people in our society."
(Note: You may have noticed it now but I surf the net for these kinds of materials and whether by accident or by choice, do not have the courage to copy/paste the details and origin of these articles as well... leading me to actually end up only making them [references] and up to your own research for proofs' sake)
Author's Notes: Alright people now you know how I got some of the plot elements for the background elements of this story. It's kind of a challenge, really, trying to merge real-world facts into the plot of our story but I hope that you are liking my efforts so far. Also, I hope you'll all re-read that note I left in Volume 5 Chapter 54 regarding my development material for the technologies used in the Siva Story if you needed some references for the upcoming chapters in the future (particularly in Volume 7).
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Next Chapter: A God dies, another is born.
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