NOVEL NEXT Alicia Post Chapter: Modules
Manegia
Year 1421
"Thank you all for coming," Amelia said over a microphone with green glowing runes, a Catalyst.
She was standing in the courtroom, facing the eleven stands representing the eleven Guardians of the Elements of maneg. And for the first time in a while, every Guardian was present. Wish 'he' is here for this occasion, Amelia mused. His Cherished Armament's pretty helpful too.
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"Today, I'm going to present you the new system to classify Fantasy Laws of Circles of Worlds." She pulled the cap off the marker and wrote on the whiteboard she always used behind her. "The 'Module' classification," she said the words out loud.
"Ah, so you have finalized it. Splendid, sister!" Pierre Rickens, the Light Guardian, praised his younger sister. "You have always had a... poor view of the contemporary handling of the data."
True, ever since Amelia scoured the Otherworldly Court's database, she was utterly disgusted by it. Never mind the fact that a century has passed and the corrupted data has yet to be fully recovered, the whole thing was a joke! And now, she can say goodbye to one of those things, just like she did with the others.
"Thank you, brother." Amelia continued. "Now, this," she pointed at what she wrote, "replaces the old section on Fantasy Law. In fact, I already did it!"
"What!" Xiao Yong Gang (小勇刚), the Earth Guardian from the Eastern Dynasty of Manegia, exclaimed. "You modified the database before you inform us!"
"What?" Amelia deadpanned. "You guys made me the admin."
"She's correct, you know," Pierre chastised. "Since none of us either comprehend the operation or simply wished not to do with any of it."
"...Right," Xiao Yong relented. He did glance at the database and immediately averted his gaze from it ever since.
"Anyway," Amelia continued. "This new system will address one problem everyone has been procrastinating for centuries."
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Clearing the drawing board, she then drew a diagram of two Circles of Sister Worlds, a stickman inside one of the Circles with an arrow going to the other, all the while commentating about what she drew on the whiteboard, "You all know when a person transfers to a world, not from their Circle, whatever Personal Skill he's got under Fantasy Law gets affected by the new world's Fantasy Law.
"For example, Spiri Raia's spirit arts doesn't work at all if it's not in that world unless you're Aqua." Amelia leered at the greater water spirit in question. "While Master Darc's Rakarok-Earth World Merge dark elf magic still work in Qantasia, albeit less effectively. You catch my drift?"
None of the Guardians seemed to be confused, those above shared the same sentiment. They have seen it for themselves during missions in other worlds, their Personal Skills would sometimes work differently or just wouldn't activate at all.
"And so far, the data related to that gives us almost nothing but garbage." Amelia scowled bluntly. "So today, my idea is to separate each part that makes one Fantasy Law into neat little boxes which I call them Modules."
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Afterwards, Amelia presented these words on the whiteboard:
'World Species Module'
'World System Module'
'World Object Module'
"World Complex Module'
"A World Species Module," Amelia explained. "At a glance, is exactly as it sounds, the Module for Species, or races as you’re all familiar with, like humans, elves, half-animals, etc. But, all of us here know that's not all, am I right?"
"True," Miriel Aqua, the fish half-animal Water Guardian, spoke, flapping her crystal-scaled periwinkle mermaid tail with a glowing blue halo around it. "I have seen the counterparts of my people in other worlds, and they have differences with us even if we share the same tail and ears," she said, twitching her fin-like ears under her long wavy hair of the same color as her rear. "One of them was able to split their tails into two land legs, I wish my people can do that," she sighed, the Water Guardian for one has been using her loyal maneg to traverse on land.
"And stuff like those are specified at the 'world' part in the name," Amelia said. She then wrote below the current subject. "By the way, that's a placeholder, I don't put it on the database. Also, since we sometimes name the Circle and sometimes don't, I'm putting the name of the world where the Module shows itself in the database.
"For example, Master Miriel's Species would be classified as 'Beohar Fish Half-Animal Species Module.' And this Module makes up everything that makes you unique including Personal Skills that can be only used by your Species in your world, cuz' making an entry to that is unnecessary.
"By the way, this type of Module encompasses all living entities, even if there is only one of their kind. So Beohar's mutated animals, the Beosts are also under this Module."
"I see," Miriel nodded. "And I suppose the World System Module refers to the various types of systems that allows Personal Skills like magic, spirit arts, and such. And the Maneg System would count as a unique system, correct?"
"Exactly," Amelia nodded. "Officially, it would be called Manegia Maneg System Module since there isn't any other System Module that's similar to it. And conversely, World Object Module refers to the collection of fantasy items like Osianicd Archipelago's artifacts or the ridiculously overpowered weapons Master Zekie's family forged in Irongrad." As she said this, she eyed the blacksmith Lightning Guardian, Zekie, whose full name she did not remember. "Also, that Black Mist from Beohar and those Beacons in Geron Yor also count as well."
"And what about the World Complex Module?" Miriel asked as she might as well do it.
"It's the collection of multiple modules above that fits a theme, for organization purposes. And before I continue, I should establish how the Module types will be named," the maneg scientist explained. "Object and Complex Modules are prioritized to be named after what the people of that world called it, then our classification, then whatever describes it. Species and System Modules uses our standards, with parentheses beside it for what the natives called it. Anyone got a problem with that?" None objected. "Good.
"Now, back to Complex Modules. For example, each and every Half-Animal Species Modules on Beohar would collectively be under the Beohar Half-Animal (Half-Beost) Species Complex Module. By the way, if the Complex Module is made up of just one of the Module types, the name of the type gets included and still uses our names followed by what they called it in parentheses unless it's a collection of a variety of races that couldn't be universally named by us like Eria's Children.
"Otherwise, you get Modules for the Species’, magic system, and fantasy stuff of Rakarok-Earth World Merge under Rakarok-Earth World Merge Norse Mythology Complex Module since everything about it screams Norse mythos."
"Which is the entirety of our old world," Darcassan Erith, the half-dark elf half-light elf Dark Guardian, commented.
"And it's still surprising for us that all the worlds of 'Earth' has folklore about our old world," Ilezenya Erith, the half-light elf Nature Guardian, Darc's younger half-sister, added. "Albeit with some differences."
"And additionally, since we have Maneg Amalgamations and Catalysts, a Race and Object Module aside from the Maneg System Module, I compiled all three of them into a Complex Module called the Manegia Maneg Complex Module, the Complex Module that jabbed itself into every world," Amelia declared. Everyone seemed to agree with her. "Any questions before we move on to the next part?" She glanced at the audience, none raised their hand. "Good."
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"We'll just go for the example to get the idea," Amelia said as she wrote the same words she spoke. Giving a look at the Dark Guardian, he sighed and gave her the go. "Darc can still use his dark elf magic on Qantasia as that world has the Elf (Dark Elf) Species Module. But it is Qantasia's Elf (Dark Elf) Species Module, and so his magic has to get integrated into the Module's Personal Skills, becoming less effective in the process.
"However, if he's on somewhere like Beohar, which doesn't have a Magic System Module, then it'll be 'disabled' unless there's some distant Module that Darc's magic could integrate into which even then would barely function or change into something new entirely. And in Beohar, there ain't any since his dark elf magic doesn't work. The same goes for some Personal Skills even if there is a similar Module as they're really specific and can only work on the Module of its native world no matter what.
"And finally, if it's in the same Circle-like in 'Earth' before it got fused into Rakarok-Earth then Darc's magic would work exactly the same since worlds inside a Circle all share the same Fantasy Law, thereby sharing the same Modules. Again, I'm entering the world name where the Module kicks in instead of the Circle, so don't get confused."
"I see, so we can use our Personal Skills as long as that world has the Module, though it would work differently if it is in a different Circle, baring a few," Aqua concluded. "And that example did actually happen. But I believe there are exceptions?"
"One, this whole thing means nothing if you 'carry' your Fantasy Law, or should I say your Module. And our Maneg Complex Module too since it jabbed itself into every Fantasy Law it sees - though the Module for Maneg Amalgamations couldn't function properly," Amelia said bluntly, looking at the questioner. "And two, there could be some Personal Skills that only works on their own Fantasy Law, no matter how much the other world's Module is similar."
"And what about the Species and Object Module?" Aqua asked next. "The explanation you gave is implied heavily for the System Module and the aspect of the Species Module that would have been in the System Module if it was otherwise."
"I was getting into that." But Amelia looked like she had forgotten about it. "There are two cases if the person goes outside their Circle, and if it's inside then nothing happens. One, if the other world has their Species Module, then they follow that Module instead of their original one, gaining and losing fantasy traits. You were able to split your tail into two when you're in that world, right Master Miriel?"
"True," Miriel nodded. "Though I always have to turn it back before I leave lest something unfavorable occur."
"Right, and the second," Amelia continued. "If there isn't any compatible Module, then every fantasy trait becomes disabled unless there's a distantly similar Module."
And everyone already knew a certain someone in that situation. And she was content to have most of her weaknesses and inconvenient peculiarities disappear in exchange for the loss of the abilities of her Species that she wasn't even adept in. In fact, the certain someone in question was among the audience above, showing a smile that relayed her thoughts exactly.
"As for Object Modules," Amelia continued. "As far as I'm concerned, only the latter case applies to it. I haven't seen any fantasy object still working effectively outside of its Circle unless it 'carries' its Module like Master Zekie's Cherished Armament."
"Yes," Zekie, the Lightning Guardian, agreed. "My hammer seemed to be only one that functions properly outside of Irongrad, being the origin of the Module you speak of. Richard and Jill's Armaments, as well as my other Armament my father forged, couldn't use its full power unless they're in my homeworld or in the presence of my hammer in another world."
"Hence why Object Modules are named by what the masses referred to it as, and that's about it," Amelia concluded. "There's gotta be more obscure exceptions for all Modules I haven't found and we still haven't got into details what an object, species, or system would gain in a different Module, but that's my presentation."
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"Splendid, Amelia!" Pierre praised. "Tis' a great endowment upon us all."
"Thanks, brother," Amelia blushed. "Any questions?"
One pale blue hand was raised. The Guardian who raised his hand spoke.
"You're Modules... suggested... that... Fantasy Laws... are 'puzzle pieces' that... make up the Law." Zack Grymes, the 'living' zombie, the Death Guardian, slowly said. "How... did you get... the idea?"
And that got everyone intrigued. Amelia simply cleared her throat and shifted into a more serious tone.
"A while back," she began. "I did another experiment with Alicia Bell."
Alicia Bell. Daughter of Ronald Bell, the man who managed the Bell Branches, the Otherworldly Court's intelligence service, and the first Court Wizard to have one hundred percent composition of loyal maneg, making her the subject of most interest this year, especially the pixie named Voice. Some Guardians have yet to meet her, due to differing schedules.
"Specifically," Amelia continued. "I had her [Avatar], Voice to use the Power of Ignorance to shift into the Fantasy Law which was successful. What she saw inside the Fantasy Law became the push I need to propose the Module theory."
"""..!"""
The entire attendees were shocked. Knowing what the Fantasy Law looked like was the most coveted knowledge of them all. And now, they may just have a grasp upon it.
"Oh, I suppose. Voice is rather... uncooperative with you, so I assume you did not get many results. Though I am curious to see what my authority looks like, I did not get to see it when I impose it upon Spiri Raia - it just... happened when I was born - and I certainly could not look into it by my own power."
"Yeah," Amelia nodded. "But even then, I more or less got an inkling to describe what the Fantasy Law is. It's..."
"I see," Aqua muttered. "If it is true then I believe 'that' would seem more plausible to us. Though I had the impression that me and the other greater spirits'... Sub-Module meshed together when we appeared and imposed it in Spiri Raia."
"Hence why they're Sub-Modules," Amelia explained. "They make the Module, so taking one out would make it a different Module all together, not to mention how delicate it would be to do so."
"Um..." Alice Es, the Ice Guardian two years in service, mumbled. "What are you talking about?"
"Alice," Aqua said. "You see, if what Amelia said is true, then Fantasy Laws are akin to bookshelves with each book being the Modules. And the Manegia Maneg Complex Module applied itself into Fantasy Laws by simply inserting itself there."
"And is there anything wrong with that?"
"Well, this thinking increases the feasibility of one idea the Otherworldly Court has ever since the Fantasy Law theory." And Aqua dropped the bombshell, "since the Maneg System must have forced itself upon Fantasy Laws of many worlds by modifying it, could we, the people who harness the power of the Maneg System, do the same?"
"..!" Alice could do nothing but gasp at the implication.
"Yes," Amelia nodded. "And that is exactly why I gathered all of you Guardians here."