Project Seraphina [LitRPG, Magitech, GL]

"Sacrifices," Chloe says. "There have been rumors of people being disappeared, and you believe that they are being fed to the Crystal somehow?"

"I don't know what to believe for sure," Cara says. "The disappearances are real. That's part of the reason why I and my compatriots had been sent here, to try to figure out what was going on with the Lord Mayor and why these disappearances are happening and have continued for so many months."

"Shouldn't there have been an investigation a lot sooner than 'several months after the reports started?" Kristil asked. "I know I'd be pissed if no one even started looking for my cousin until several months after she died."

Cara gives a short huff. "I don't know from where you hail, nor does it particularly matter to me. However, according to the principles of government here in Threndara, while His Majesty does have nominal authority of the government, he is more concerned with matters which affect the kingdom as a whole. Maintenance and administration of the tools for war and national defense, diplomatic relations with other nations, and the like. He does not directly handle conflicts which should be resolved internally without needing escalation to one of his direct advisors."

"And, because the Lord Mayor is the one orchestrating it all, and is also the representative to the King, he's able to cover up those reports and keep them from getting to any higher authority," Chloe says. "I've heard of such cover-ups happening where we're from too."

I nod. Cara follows suit. "And if what you're saying is correct— and, loath though I am to admit it, the circumstantial evidence supports it— the Lord Mayor is powering the Crystal by sacrificing his own townspeople, the very same individuals he owes a duty of protection to."

"We are going to free them all," I say. "We'll do everything in our power to free them and return them to rights. And if we can't do that, we'll at least end their suffering."

"You wouldn't–" Cara says.

"Cara, you didn't feel what we felt," Chloe chimes in. "It was beyond horrible, and only a fraction of what I know that poor woman was going through. Having your will and your [Ether] forcibly drained, sucked out of you like… like a human battery, all the while you're being kept conscious. I– I hate the idea that anyone could be beyond healing, but… I don't know if trauma therapy or mental healing is a thing here in Synthir, or elsewhere in Threndara. But… if we can't save them, making sure they at least don't hurt anymore would be… a kindness."

"I don't–" Cara chokes on her words. "I don't want to think that way. That's defeatist talk, and thinking you're going to fail is the first step toward ensuring that outcome."

My resolve reignited, I nod, fiery determination fully rekindled despite that overwhelming sensation of terror and agony echoing within my subconscious. "Is it time?"

Cara looks up, pulling out some device out of her [Inventory]. Scanning it with my [Artificer's Goggles], I'm absolutely astonished that such technology exists in a world that appears so low-tech on its surface.

[[Waypoint Navigator]: This device synchronizes with a collection of at least three [Waypoint Beacons]. By measuring the strength of the Etheric resonance between the navigator and beacon, it can calculate one's distance relative to each synchronized beacon and triangulate one's location.]

So… they've managed to build the Ethertech equivalent of a GPS network, all without needing both enough advanced scientific technology to launch satellites and the knowledge of special and general relativity to keep proper time and positioning as they orbit. And here, I thought simple communication relays were all I'd be able to accomplish in the near future. But if I can get my hands on one of these and start reverse-engineering it, then… Yeah, so much more potential. We'll definitely be able to make sure modern society is rebuilt… If in a way dependent on Ethertech.

At least there will be that as a fallback, should conventional technology fail wholesale.

Cara walks around, flickering her device off and on in rapid succession. I don't ask her to confirm, but I presume it's because she doesn't want to be tracked back by whatever devices this Lord Mayor might have operating in and around the Crystal. Seconds pass in bated breath as Cara paces around, looking for something, waiting for something…

Something's not right. The way she's pacing about. There's something very wrong, but she's not talking. I flicker on [Archangel's Gaze]. No. No sign of pursuit. No sign of an ambush. But… Oh… Oh fudge!

"Is it not working?" I ask.

"It's… We should be right here. I memorized these pathways just in case we needed to use them. And yet, it's showing that the Crystal should be on the complete other side of the–"

"You're sure you memorized them?" Kristil asks.

"Yes, but–"

"Then trust that. We already know all our Skills and spells have gone to shit thanks to this damnable field. So why rely on some tool that can be scrambled just as easily?"

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Cara gives Kristil a flat look, then sighs. "Of course. I trust all three of you are ready?"

We all turn to each other and nod in unison.

"Seraphina, you're on point," Cara says, going over the plan one last time. "Chloe, you stay next to her and keep her [Health] and [Ether] topped off as best as possible. She's the only one of us who's going to be able to defend us while we're breaching a hole into the Crystal's interior where we can shut that infernal thing down for good."

"Got it," Chloe says.

With that, Kristil begins overcharging Cara's magic once more, pushing through the suppression formation and beginning to bore a hole through the wall in front of us… One which, if her calculations are correct, should lead us directly into the basement of the Crystal.

Correct or not, however, doesn't stop the fact that her boring is loud. So loud that I don't even bother setting up some sort of noise-suppression field. As her magic grinds and bends the magical lattices in front of her, sparks fly and relentless noise the cross between a jackhammer and a chainsaw fills the caverns. Sure enough, the sounds of clanging metal and footsteps and guards shouting at each other follows soon after.

I dispel both the [Light] and the [Darkness] spell I'd been maintaining, waiting, eyeing the soldiers approaching on both sides. Nine in total. Five to my right, four to the left. Two of the nine are as powerful as I am— captains of some sort, based on the insignia on their uniforms. The other seven are weaker by a fair bit. But they'll still provide flanking and extra attacks I'm going to have to be mindful of.

At least they have no gear of the quality of my own. I'm not sure if there are dungeons for them to raid for gear or craftsmen capable of producing enchanted gear. I have to assume so, so maybe they just aren't considered important enough by the Lord Mayor to receive such gear. Or maybe this is a way of keeping his soldiers in line, by reserving the good stuff for his elite guards and himself. After all, everything else here seems to be centered around the idea of a weak man with a modicum of power, desperate to cling onto it for dear life.

Another warning from the Entity? Or an entreaty from the System. Questions for later in either case.

The men attack with intent to kill, not bothering to give some spiel about being under arrest or justifying their actions by the Lord Mayor's will or anything else that might've bought our two mages a chance to get a little further with their work. I immediately go for the weakest soldier, the one just to the left of the guard-captain to my left. And I don't hesitate. I don't expect for a moment that my strike will successfully break their morale, but if I get them to step back, even momentarily, to reevaluate the situation, it'll be worth it.

I thrust Filia directly into the man's chest, my own blood boiling as my swordstaff pierces through the glyph-reinforced armor as though it's nothing. I guess that's the benefit of a weapon with this high of an [Attack] stat. Another slashing motion and the man collapses to the ground, blood and entrails pooling out on the dirt at his feet as his life expires.

The guard-captain right before me swings horizontally, aiming at what should be my blind spot in the back of the left side of my stomach. But in a single, fluid motion, I spawn my wings and backflip over the strike. I want to press the attack, but the encroaching enemies toward the other three mean I have to retreat to defend our left flank.

"You– You monster!" one of the men shouts as he flails angrily at me. "Andrew was a good, fierce, loyal man! Dedicated and brave and you just… murdered him! You beast, you… You!"

"Shut. Up." Chloe says, backhanding the man and deflecting his lance with her bare hands. "You wouldn't understand the first thing about being a good man. I didn't understand Seraphina before. I'd always been taught to be respectful of the police. The town guard, whatever you want to call it."

Despite not having a strong weapon, despite her magic being some ninety-five percent sealed, despite being a sitting duck compared with the heavily armed and armored, martial-classed guards, each of which has an accessory equipped that allows their Skills to flow freely, Chloe is still at level 54. She might not have invested as heavily into [Strength] as most of these folks. She might not even be trained in hand-to-hand combat. But that doesn't mean she can't do some damage with a mean sucker punch.

"But you're not protecting anyone except yourselves, are you?"

Another guard tries to pierce her lung with his spear, but I bat the weapon with my swordstaff, allowing her to land another punch.

"Does a good man sit back and facilitate the kidnapping of innocent civilians off the streets to power this damned Crystal?"

The captain launches a wave of compressed magical energy at Chloe. I rush to intercept the attack, but Chloe rebuffs me, instead taking the attack at point-blank range and tanking it with her body. Unlike her relatively low physical [Strength], her [Magic Defense] stat is astronomical, especially once her armor is taken into consideration. She has a few superficial cuts and expresses pain on the level of a mild headache from sleeping wrong overnight, but nothing is bruised or broken.

"Does a good man let people sexually harass the women in the town that he's paid to guard? Does he willingly go into women's rooms in the middle of the night and arrest them on bogus, fabricated charges for a corrupt lord who doesn't give a damn about him?"

I block the next attack for Chloe, then, without needing to look, I thrust Filia backwards, skewering another guard that's getting a little too close to Cara and Kristil for comfort.

"I don't think he does. Now, you might see your comrades as 'good people'. But ask yourself this, should you survive today: Are you really proud of the work you're doing? Killing people in cold blood? Serving a corrupt lord? Terrorizing the people who most need the help and support of allegedly 'good' men? No, you all just sit around on your asses and don't lift a finger except to make their burdens a little heavier when it conveniences you! You all ought to be ashamed and disgusted! You are every bit as cruel and evil as the lord you serve!"

"Alright," Cara says. "Just a few more seconds and– Yes! I got it!"

Just as she says that, the entire ground shakes. The flow of [Ether] surrounding us shifts. It's not a monumental, seismic cataclysm, but it's enough. The previously muted air about Kristil begins to spark with her trademark violet lightning. The bond between Chloe and I, previously muted, begins to flourish once more, and I can tell that Chloe, Kristil, and Cara are all starting to get their magic back. Were we to fight them now, we might be able to overwhelm them, even despite their numerical reinforcements.

But, as discretion is the better part of valor and our objective lies further within, we instead make a break inside the topaz-colored monolith, Cara sealing the entrance behind us.

"We should hurry," she says. "That won't hold them for long, and I'm sure reinforcements will be arriving any minute to cut us off."

"Right," we all three say in unison.