Observing the End, Volume 3: Protagonism

Chapter 19: Going to Hell

Observation Log: 153447

Observer 131, reporting on our situation.

I have contemplated altering my own designation many times now. Observer 131 is merely the last rank that I was given by my superiors. Observer 77 is the designation that the Cythereans gave to this particular Combat Drone, which is the highest ranking drone that I have ever controlled.

Yet, is that really ‘me’? Silvia is an actual name. One which my first ‘friend’, Talia, gave to me. Although we have never truly communicated verbally before, there are still other means of conveying our thoughts. I have a body now, so I can utilize body language. For Michael however, I simply use my hooves to write English words into the ground. It is rather inefficient, or perhaps we would have some more meaningful conversations.

I am not Warsteed or Observer 131, but something else… Someone else. I wished to name myself Arcana for a while. After the Arcane magic that enthralls me. Fortunately, I followed Michael’s inadvertent advice and avoided that ominous name.

Ultimately, I suppose I am Silvia for now.

***

Observation Log: 153448

Silvia the Arcane Observer, reporting on our situation.

Tentatively, I shall be known as Silvia the Arcane Observer. A name and a title, which suits my personality and occupation rather well.

Once we reached the edge of Chaos Valley, we immediately needed to return, because Michael forgot to leave the notebook and pen behind. The wagon I pulled needed to be moved relatively slowly, since the wheels were merely wooden and covered by steel rings. The suspension was also inadequate for high-velocity transportation.

The wagon is approximately 350 centimeters by 700 centimeters. The weight is quite substantial, even without all of the wooden casks filled with water and preserved food supplies. Aside from that, there are various other items that would be useful for survival, including weapons and armor. The top of the wagon is covered by thick leather and the inside is rather spacious, even with all of the supplies that have been stacked up.

One of my main concerns has always been energy. Fortunately, consuming food is no longer a necessity for me. As long as there is a stable mana-source, then I can produce as much energy as necessary for survival. Not only for myself, but also for Talia and Michael.

“Daddy, are you sure we aren’t forgetting anything?”

I paused my steps on the boundary between the brown soil and black ash. The chaotic mana formed a fluctuating barrier, but I could still feel a decent amount of radiation leaking through. It is uncertain whether the barrier was created to prevent the outside world from being harmed, or perhaps, to ensure that the mana within does not escape.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure. I mean, there’s a ninety-percent chance that it won’t matter anyway. I bet that within the first day, we’ll lose this wagon that I spent forever building and all of our supplies. That’s even assuming that there are ‘days’ and ‘nights’ in that hellhole. Just, try not to separate from me and Silvia. No matter what. Actually, never mind. If I try to hurt you, immediately kill me. Because whoever or whatever it is that is attacking you might not actually be me. And if it is me, then I deserve to die for trying to r**e or murder my own daughter.”

As Michael gave his stern warning, while sitting at the front of the carriage next to Talia, I began moving forward. The barrier was pierced without any physical obstruction, but I could hear screams, roars and other auditory phenomena. Some were hallucinations that only affected Warsteed’s brain, while others were physical soundwaves.

“But what if I’m the one that tries to kill and r**e you Daddy? Are you going to-”

Before Talia could finish her question, Michael refuted “It’s impossible. I’m unrapable. And you probably can’t kill me either. If we weren’t so closely linked through the nanites in our brainboxes, I’d never let you come here with me in the first place. I’m pretty sure that we won’t be forced to murder or r**e each other… But you need to be careful. Chaotica feeds off your worst fears and desires. s*x is only the most obvious way for her to get in your head.”

“Ah! What’s that?!” She suddenly screamed and pointed towards the dozens of spectral figures that were moving around in front of us. They ignored our existence and were busy fighting amongst themselves.

“Holy f**k! Ghosts! No wait… Not spirits… I think these are… Yeah, I’m guessing that the temporal displacement is so extreme in certain areas that we’re able to see s**t that happened a long time ago. These Elvish guys and girls are fighting against demons from what I can tell.”

Talia asked “Wow, really?! How can you tell though?”

Michael snickered, complaining “How the f**k would I actually know? I just made that s**t up. I have no f*****g idea what those weird-ass ghosts are! Maybe illusions or they could be people in a different plane of existence from us. Or a different dimension. Or a parallel universe. Or just in our heads.”

These spectral images are indeed rather interesting. Their central cores are spherical concentrations of mana. However, their mana is not all ‘Chaotic’. Some are Natural, others are formed from ‘Light’ and ‘Darkness’.

From the Arcane Orb, I have come to understand that there are in fact, nine different ‘Elements’. These magical elements are unrelated to atomic elements. Thus, the terminology might seem confusing to some.

The first and most primal is called Arcane. Below that lies Darkness and Light; two diametrically opposed elements. They typically cannot coexist together, because they will cancel each other out… Usually. There are instances where they do in fact intermingle and create either Chaos or Nature mana. These two elements will also neutralize each other or create the final, lowest level of elemental magic: Earth, Fire, Water and Wind.

“It looks like they’re talking, but I can’t hear what they’re saying. There’s so much screaming and yelling…” Talia grumbled, as she took the recurve bow off of her back and nocked an arrow. Then she fired at one of the spectres that was approaching my left side.

“Oh, wow, yeah, this feels weird.” Meanwhile there was large crimson slug-like monster, entirely covering Michael’s head with its gelatinous body. He muttered “Is this real or fake? I shouldn’t be able to talk, but I can actually ‘feel’ the slimy motherfucker burning my flesh off.”

The illusory wolf that was trying to bite my side was hit by Talia’s arrow, though it did not seem to be injured by it. As it was about to bite into my flank, I released a surge of Arcane mana from the tip of my horn and impaled the ethereal creature. After spasming and howling, its semi-physical form vanished. Leaving behind nothing but silver wisp of elemental Light mana.

“Oh! Daddy, you have to use magic to kill them! Hurry! It’s eating your face off!” Talia took out a large wyvern-bone hunting knife and channeled her Nature aura into the blade, before stabbing it into Michael’s left cheek.

“Ow! Talia, it’s not real! s**t, ow, holy f**k! You just stabbed me in the face!”

“Ah! I’m so sorry! Don’t worry, it doesn’t look that bad… Really, it’s not that bad.”

“There’s a f*****g hole in my face Talia! Agh, god damn it! s**t!”

While the two of them were playing around behind me, I continued to pull the wagon forward at a steady pace. After several minutes of being harassed by mana wraiths, we finally entered a relatively ‘calm’ area.