.hack//SIGN Fan Fiction / .hack//LIMINALITY Fan Fiction / .hack//Legend Of Twilight Bracelet Fan Fiction ❯ Episode One- .hack//Destiny ❯ The Message ( Chapter 9 )

Chapter Eight-The Message -Real World

 

Vanessa came into the room two or so minutes after she logged off. She found Dan with a handful of straws. He looked at one face to the other, with no expression on his face.

"What did you learn?" Jas smiled and poked Morgan.

"Well, besides the fact that Morgan is ticklish, we learned something interesting."

"Go on," Badger said.

"We learned that Aura, for a period of time, was split into pieces. A special technique, known as Data Drain, was able to do so. The wielder of the attack was known as Skeith, and he was apparently what is known as a Phase."

"A what?" Vanessa asked.

"Well," Morgan continued for Jas, "basically you remember hearing about the Epitaph of Twilight?"

"Yes. Go on."

"Well, that is what The World is based off of."

"So? What does that mean?" Dan asked.

"Well, let me give the background. No interruptions please." Morgan said. The others nodded. "The Epitaph, or E.o.T. as we call it, was written by a German woman known as Emma Wielandt. She was in love with the man who created 'Fragment'. That was the predecessor to The World. She, however, died. Most of the E.o.T. was lost. But, what parts were found were written into the gaming code and storyline, by the creator of the game, Harald Hoerwick." She looked down at the screen. "All that we know at the moment, is that there is something in the E.o.T. that deals with eight different phases. Morganna, an AI, to gather things on human emotion, used these phases. Skeith, for instance, was the Terror of Death. One, known as Macha, was the Temptress. Whatever information they collected was given to Morganna. With me so far?" She asked, finishing.

"Yes," Vanessa said, "but why split Aura into parts?"

"I am getting to that. Basically, these phases caused much havoc, and wherever they went, people dropped into, well, comas." She took a pause. "Aura was the only one who could solve this. She is, after all, the perfect AI. So, she bestowed upon a dot-hacker what is known as the Book of Twilight, and within is what we call the Data Drain Bracelet. With it, he was able to defeat the phases, and gain back the pieces of Aura. At the end, Aura had to die, but by doing so, she deleted Morganna."

"Hold on!" Dan said. "I know you said no interruptions, but earlier, Aura said that she had to kill, kill her mother."

"That is right," Jas said. "Morganna was Aura's mother. Technically, Harald, who created Morganna, would be considered Aura's father."

"So, Harald created a malignant machine capable of bringing death?"

"Well, not at first. He installed what is known as 'WaveringThought' into Morganna, and she kinda lost her maternal instincts. Morganna's initial duty was to create the perfect AI, who would die and absorb Morganna, killing her, and becoming The World itself."

"Oh, I see. I remember Aura saying something like this." Vanessa said, not fully understanding.

"So, do we have the Epitaph?" Dan asked.

"No. We only have its description. Nothing else."

"We need to find it. But, we have pressing matters now." Dan said, taking charge. "Helba said that it should be okay to open Boragia's mail. But, to be safe, we are going to draw straws. The person with the smallest straw must be alone in the room, open the mail, and make sure nothing pops out. I believe that two things must be done IF the mail is safe. Whoever is selected should print out a copy, and if nothing happens still, give all of us the copy, and allow us to read it. Then let us in. Make sense?"

"I guess." Jas said.

"Good. Now, here is the thing. All of us are subject to a coma if it pops up. So, whoever opens it must be aware of that. Okay? We are dealing with something serious. So, if selected, do not treat it lightly. It could be the last time we see you awake for a while. So, if anyone has a better idea, then speak now."

Dead silence.

"Very well." He held out the straws. Jas, Morgan, and Vanessa all selected a straw, and all pulled out at the same time.

"I'm good." Dan said before looking up. Jas was looking up, relieved. The two looked at each other before looking at Vanessa. She was looking at Morgan, who was looking at her hand. Held within it was the shortest straw.

Dan and Vanessa waited in their dining room, grabbing a snack for them and the other two, while Jas waited at the door, his foot bothering him. As Dan grabbed the drinks Vanessa was pouring some dip into a bowl. The two bumped into each other's back, causing them to giggle.

Vanessa put down the dip and looked at Dan. He, still laughing, put down the soda cans so he wouldn't shake them up more than he already had. He looked up at Vanessa, and saw her growing sad.

“What's wrong?” He asked, straight-faced and genuinely concerned. She sighed.

“I know we are just at the beginning, but I feel so helpless. There is so much to do. I mean, we are in the middle of school, and we have to do this now, and, and, I just feel so overwhelmed. I don't know what to do!” Dan looked inside himself for a brief moment to gain insight, then sighed himself.

“It is true we are only at the beginning. We may come close to the brink of insanity. But, we are not doing this for us, we are doing it for others! We can't tell anyone we know, or ask anyone for advice or help. But, we can rely on each other, and the people we will meet. Like Casper. Or Helba and Aura. We must rely on them. It is like we are, like we are sailing, and all of us who know are in the same boat, looking for the enemy ship. We may encounter cold mornings, turbulent storms, and maybe even a few of us may fall ill, but we will find the enemy, and we will fight.” Vanessa was looking at the floor, her face shining with tears.

“Yes. We are the only ones who know. In this, we fight for our friends. We fight for us. We fight for the idiots.” A moment of silence passed between the two.

“The WHO?” Dan asked.

 

Morgan wished that she could have been anywhere except where she was. Even in the principal's office! Where, she hadn't told anyone before, she had been often. She had been a little troublemaker- that is before she met Amanda. She had mellowed Morgan out, and become her dearest friend. But now, who could she trust? She sighed and swallowed back some tears as she prayed a silent prayer, asking for safety. She double clicked the mail icon, and saw the message from Boragia.

“Well, I guess there is no better plan than to do, or to-” She stopped, unable to continue the phrase. She shed a silent tear as she clicked onto the message.

 

Jas was sitting outside the door, waiting for something; anything really. He felt so useless, not because of his foot, but because he wasn't chosen to log in just a half-hour ago.

`No,' thought he, `I am only important enough to research! I can't do anything important!" He heard Dan and Vanessa coming up the stairs and began to intently listen for Morgan.

 

Sender- Boragia

Message- None

"The stars of heaven and their constellations

will not show their light.

The rising sun will be darkened

and the moon will not give its light.

I will punish the world,

I will put an end to the arrogant

and will humble the prideful.

I will make man scarcer than pure gold,

more rare than gold.

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;

and the earth will shake from its place

In the day of his burning anger.

All will flee.

Whoever is captured will be thrust through;

all who are caught will fall by the sword.

Bows will strike down the young men;

nor will they look with compassion on children.

The time is at hand,

and the days will not be prolonged."

 

End of Message

 

"What the hell?"