* * *| JOVE DARNER. . . [UNABLE TO LOCATE EXALT] . . . . . . [LOCATING] . . . . . . [UNABLE TO LOCATE EXALT] . . . . . . [LOCATING] . . . . . . [UNABLE TO LOCATE EXALT] . . . . . . [LOCATING] . . .
* * *> REMOVE JOVE DARNER FROM THE PARTY?
I thought I removed this before…
Should I just…?
“Hey!” James shouted. “The hell do you think you’re doing?”
Startled from an empty stare at Jove’s name on the party roster, Liam answered wearily.
“I… don’t know.”
James glared. “Just… leave it alone, alright?”
“Yeah. You’re right. I don’t know what came over me.”
What the hell compelled me to remove Jove’s name like that?
It’s not hurting anything by being there.
* * *> INVENTORY
Lucidium BatteryQUANTITY: 03[ LIAM: 2 / 5 ][ JAMES: 1 / 5 ]Stored in the neck piece of all sentisuits. Can be used to quickly restore SAI & LCR to 100%.
Lo's RibbonQUANTITY: 01A long, cyan piece of ribbon that Lo tiedto Liam's suit "for good luck."
* * *> FILES
Liam decided against looking at the files saved in his system.
As far as he could recall, he had only saved photos of his journey with Jove and James.
Memories he was not interested in delving into at the moment.
Now’s not the time to get nostalgic.
* * *> CORRESPONDENCE > (3) UNREAD MESSAGES
A sick and heavy feeling welled at the bottom of Liam’s chest as he remembered whose names he’d find in his inbox.
I… really don’t want to look at these right now.
* * *
Lucidium is the ore that powers everything in Libelle. Using what’s called an alchemical conversion system, lucidium is the only material that can truly be transmuted into different elements. With a base amount of lucidium, one can convert it into fire, water, metal, etc. There are eight known elements that lucidium can be successfully transmuted into—all elements which are used by exalt sentisuits to engage in combat.
“I’d love to see the lucidium core under Libelle one day…” Nym said.
“That would require some pretty hefty protective equipment. That much lucidium exposure can’t be good for the body.”
“Lucky for me, I’m a hologram. I don’t exactly have a body.”
“Huh. Good point. Well, if I ever figure out how to hack into Libelle’s core system, I’ll upload you there.”
“…really?”
“Of course. I think that if I could see it without dying, I’d jump on the opportunity.”
“Maybe one day I’ll see it for us both then. I’ll be your eyes.”
“Maybe.”
09 | No Escape
A gentle piano ensemble masked the silence between the Sterling brothers. Both stood with arms crossed over their chests and gazes sideward. Tension had settled between the two despite the small talk managed in the foyer.
Finally, James spoke. “You mad or somethin’?”
Liam exhaled and conceded, “I… thought you were dead back there. Alyssa would have killed me for that. If Laurent didn’t, anyway.”
“Oh, boy. Here we go.”
“You really don’t give a shit, do you?” Liam cast his brother a glare.
“Not really. We’ve got more important things to worry about right now.”
More important things.
Despite knowing the reality behind Chrysid’s curtain, Liam’s will to wage war was nowhere near as strong as his brother’s. James was easily riled by injustice. The only vindication Liam wanted, however, was justice for Art, Lo, and Jove.
I already got what I came here for.
Liam shook his head in disbelief.
There truly was no getting through to James—he was convinced that he was indestructible. Convinced that his endeavor was too righteous to fail, perhaps. Unwilling to even consider that countless exalts and even rogue Chevaliers had likely waged this very same anarchic crusade against Chrysid—all to be erased from the pages of history as a result.
Would you go alone? Or is my presence merely enabling your delusion?
“Right. Well, I think I’m going to return to Euclid, then.”
Liam made his way toward the elevator’s panel.
“Hey, what?”
“I’m done.”
“That’s bullshit, you are not done!” James stepped between Liam and the control panel. “You’re not seriously thinking about sending me up there to fight Lucienne by myself?”
“Had you died back there, what did you expect me to do? Just go on and fight her by myself?”
“Well, we’ve talked about this. If I die, you’re off the hook. You get to go home. You get to do whatever the hell you want. I mean… hell, I honestly can’t stop you from calling it quits now. It’d be pretty screwed up to just walk like this, though. After everything Jove died for.”
“After everything Jove died for?” Liam repeated, astounded that James was really going to pull that card.
“You know what I mean. What do you think Lo and Art would say to you if you went home and told them we made it this far but then you decided to just pass me off to Satan’s ballet coach by myself? Or hell, Alyssa? I’d love to see her reaction.”
Liam scoffed with indignance.
All of this had spiraled out of control so quickly. Just a few short years ago, their father passed them off to Jove Darner to be trained for Exaltation and a fast track to Rank 3.
That was the expected minimum of all citizens in Libelle.
Rank 3 was safe. It didn’t involve taking part in what was ultimately a culling of the exalts Chrysid deemed “weak” or “unrealiable.”
Rank 3 didn’t involve deathmatch-clause officiated matches to entertain sadists.
“We were only supposed to
