798. Uninvited Guests

798. Uninvited Guests

Uninvited guests were an uncommon occurrence, though they almost exclusively appeared within the Eternal Library.

It was difficult for a Blessed to ferry a non-Blessed into the Nexus without the explicit permission of the Nexus. This process was administered by Justica Arms as the only point of entry into the Nexus was through the Central Relays.

As the bearer of the Warped Stone technology, it was Justica Arms’ role to monitor and facilitate those who attempted to enter the Nexus. Their headquarters was located within the Nexus itself, after all.

Corrupted collection via the Hyperwarps as well as teleported personnel were also recorded, albeit manually as the Hyperwarps were a one-time use item as well as a one-way trip. Due to the nature of the Corrupted, it was not always easy for the Blessed to determine their difficulty, especially when conducting Raids within the Nexus.

Thankfully, it was a role that became increasingly null due the arrival of Nav who could – in her words – sense the presence of those inside of the Nexus, as demonstrated by her ability to see the exact number of Stars, Moons, Beholders, Archetypes and the Blessed currently within the Nexus.

Not only that, but Nav could see the precise amount of Nex and Light held by the Nexus.

No one was able to view the inner workings of the Nexus before Nav, let alone interact with it in a meaningful manner. While Frost took the acclaim for taking reign over the Nexus, it could not have been done without Nav.

It was one thing to have the Nexus echo one’s thoughts and control its very functions, it was another thing to know how to do this.

As a result, Nav was Frost’s tether to interfacing with the Nexus. This was always known. It was obvious. But it always just that. Nav was merely a conductor of information derived from the Collective Unconsciousness, her tethered friends, and the matters of the Nexus.

She wasn’t an Archetype. This one fact had always bothered Nav. Lailah had similar abilities, but they were nowhere near as powerful or robust as Nav’s. It brought her existence into question; as it always had.

But only now did it really stir her unpleasantly, like a knife twisting in her chest. The sensation was unfamiliar to her as her eyes stared down at her teacup. She was sat down with Anna at her hideout within the Eternal Library. A sprawl of books practically spilled from the table as the scent of wood and paper surrounded them.

Nav sensed a different scent. It was one of burning paper.

She attributed it to the presence of the unfamiliar souls who barged their way into the Nexus. She clasped at her chest, feeling the mechanical whirls instead of a heartbeat like that of the nearby Anna who stared at her with concern.

“Um. Nav.” Anna began, reaching out to clasp one of Nav’s hands. “Did you say there are… intruders? Right here in the Nexus?”

“Right here. The Central Relay.” Nav couldn’t properly explain how she knew this.

Her face expressed her outward confusion; a rare emotion that Nav typically didn’t reveal through body language. Suffice to say, the sensation must have puzzled her enough where her body naturally betrayed her as if to ask Anna’s help.

“Frost told me. Lailah knows too. I can talk to her remotely. But… It’s different when I can

feel

that they’re here. I don’t see any prompts. How come?”

While she was everyone else’s interpreter, no one was hers. As a result, Nav rarely if ever received a prompt to adequately explain the situation. She could only draw her conclusions from whatever information was fed to her.

So for her to

feel

their presence was equally terrifying as it was relieving.

“I get that too.” Anna said, shifting her chair closer to Nav. “It’s a gut feeling you can’t bring yourself to ignore. I’ve got too many regrets for being a coward. N-Not to say that you are! And um… Nav. It’s been a long time since people have set foot into the Nexus.”

She directed her gaze to the Chapter of the Red Avenger who immediately leapt into the bookshelves above. Her gaze was simply meant for them to stand on guard, but they had misinterpreted it as a sign to begin their hunt.

“Er… But it’s always been inside of the Eternal Library. Do the others know?”

“Lailah is aware. She’ll make an announcement soon. The Archetypes will be informed as well. A shame that I can’t communicate with them as remotely as I can with you and Lailah. I’ll go –!”

“If the Nexus is under attack, then you need to stay right here! Next to me! Don’t go anywhere!” Anna exclaimed, almost shocked by Nav’s lack of sensibility.

She dragged Nav down the instance she tried to stand. Her strength was pitiful. If it weren’t for Nav’s compliance, then Anna would have tired her herself out for trying to stop her.

“S-Sorry for shouting. I… Don’t take this the wrong way, but please don’t be as reckless as Frost. She can only get away with it because she’s strong and she knows what she wants. I don’t mean that in a bad way either. It’s just that it’s too easy to get caught out for trying to do something good. I’m like you. I can feel if people are inside of my Library. I just don’t know where. That’s all.”

Anna reassured her, adding with a comforting:

“Your life comes first. Don’t do something reckless because of your sense of duty. No one wants you to get hurt. Think about how much I’d cry if something happened to you.”

It calmed Nav down. Nav wasn’t prone to being caught up in her emotions. Duty on the other hand, tended to get to her regardless of consequence. Still, it did not explain why Nav felt like she needed to hurry.

Like I needed to do something about this. I was shocked. My systems froze. But they sped up. Why was I so blind sighted?

“I vaguely understand, only because there was a time where I could be killed if Frost perished. I see… I was…”

“Irritated?” Anna’s tone darkened.

It was still soft and gentle, but the edge she carried was in response to a sudden loud explosion that occurred further into the depths of the Library.

It came from the direction of where the Red Avenger disappeared to.

“I believe so. Irate, because our home is being barged into by uninvited guests. Is this what Frost has to deal with on a constant basis? I could never.”

Nav, for perhaps the first time in her life, felt rage. Desire was her conclusive emotion, and now, she felt what it was like to hate something.

“I couldn’t either. Even if I was upset, there wasn’t anything I could do but hide and close my ears. I lost my home like that. Fire took everything away from me. Even my life. But…”

Anna, despite the danger present within the Eternal Library, trusted the flaming mantle Sinder had left behind for her. She reached out to grab the fiery feather from the table. What once used to hurt her became a source of comfort.

“Fire doesn’t choose to hurt people. It’s how it’s used that makes it dangerous. On cold night fire keeps us safe. On dark days, it’s what lets us see the world. Sinder was like that. People used him as a weapon. But to me…”

Anna could ramble on, and on for as long as there was time in this world. But she stopped, understand the severity of the situation at hand. She gave Nav a longing look; one that begged her to stay her with.

“This is our home. It’s normal to get angry if someone barges in.”

“… I’m not advanced enough to understand how you can love the same thing that destroyed everything you love, but I at least know what it’s like to be protective of something. I see. The Nexus is our home.”

“Mhm.”

“And monsters are intruding.”

“That’s right. I’m sure a Star or a couple of Moons will come to us. Lailah can send an announcement. I trust them. And if not, then you got me. Haha…”

“Yes. I trust you.” Nav didn’t catch the sarcasm in Anna’s voice, taking her by surprise.

“… Thanks.” Anna melted into her seat as warm, cozy feeling bubbled in her chest.

The warm feeling inside of Nav on the other hand felt like a furnace. She placed a hand onto her arm, dragging her nails from her elbow down to her palm.

“… I can feel them crawling around, like ants roaming my body. I’m linked to the Nexus in a way I cannot fathom. But it’s important to us. I…”

Nav plucked a spot on her palm. It felt like she had grasped something.

//////// < WARNING > ////////

< Intruders Detected >

< Uninvited Guests have entered the Nexus >

Nav had no idea what was happening. There was no information that could help her here. But she felt like this was the right thing to do. If one had bugs on their body, the natural decision would be to remove them.

And so, she moved the plucked air above a candleflame as though to burn them.

“… I

want

them to know the price of setting foot into our home uninvited.”

< Linking with the Warped Stone >

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Uninvited Guests and the Blessed may be relocated anywhere within the Nexus once

>

< Linking with the Dimensional Seal >

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Uninvited Guests and the Blessed may not or may not leave the Nexus at your discretion

>

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Directing Unwanted Guests (Impuritas) to various Floors of the Nexus

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Oh? Is this your doing Nav?

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It seemed that Lailah had received numerous Impuritas at her doorstep just now.

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Finally. You’re waking up

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It was always strange that you could do so much despite not being an Archetype

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Alas, you’re a freer version me. The prompts should make more sense. I find it amusing that I could show you

this

despite neither of us knowing what linking with the Warped Stone or the Dimensional Seal meant

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I suppose we will find out soon enough

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Now then, how shall we greet our uninvited guests?

>