[IC] Eternal Galaxy: Shards of Starlight - Part I

Sol Inceneron
Inopia-Temple of the Lost

Nhiome sighed, well he didn't really expect her to have one in the first place. "traveled recently...How do you know that, it looks the same to me as every other one. And shouldn't this place been hidden for a long time...So I guess "recently" is a relative term?"

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

So a powerful tome and shards of entities that can be either the saviours of the galaxy or the end of everything, I can imagine the factions using it for their military power though" Mara said with a calm tone after hearing the whole speech

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"The Blood Tome, as the legend says, was a book of secrets for the two Guardians of Time, Sol and Luna. The secrets it contains is supposed to be that of the entire universe. If someone learned the secrets, they would become the master of the entire universe, and possibly dimensions. So, as you said Mara, There's a book of powerful secrets and a physical representation of divine power. Of course there's one thing that won't happen: most would not bother looking for the Shards as according to the laws of Aura Crystals, something that could create or destroy a galaxy would have to be as big as a few solar systems, so one shard according to science would be as big as about two solar systems. And so the conclusion is, after all these years, something that big would have been found by now. But the legends make them seem to be small enough to be hidden on a planet, inside a temple of sorts."

Joe chuckled and spoke in a sarcastic tone, "So you've been to the fun kind, eh?" smiling he continued in a more natural tone. "Don't worry, the only parties we have are the kind that involve good food and good friends. Anyway, ya a part of the Strike Fighters?"
"Nope, she's just a traveler." Terrisa answered for Nova.
"Is that so? What brings ya to this part of the galaxy then?"

***

Two drone pilots sat at their terminals and controlled their fighters in Sector 11. "Hey, do you see that ship yet?" said one of the pilots.
"Not yet...wait, no, there it is. Seems abandoned." the other confirmed.
"Huh...let's go in closer and scan for vitals."
"Right. Scanning now."
"...anything?"
"Affirmative. There's a life form on it."
"Alright let's bring it in. Either side of it now, let's tow her back. Manipulate shields to latch onto it."
"Roger. Adjusting shields."

And so the two unmanned drone fighters maneuvered into position to tow X's ship back to the Delta Division Fleet.

***
"What are you...do...ing..." Nero tried to ask but wound up focusing on the cheese again. "....uhm....ah...." He felt his mind drift slightly. "....maybe....a little bit...just a nibble..."

---

Sol Inceneron
Inopia-Temple of the Lost

"....call it... a gut feeling..." Dalia seemed transfixed by that one corridor. As she stared, she thought she something move in the darkness. "...there's someone...or something...living here." She started to walk towards the corridor, Arke drawn and held at the ready.

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"Maybe that's because they are that small. Remember that the technology behind the Shards of Starlight could be many times more advanced than anything possible today. As for the Blood Tome, if the Shards of Starlight can't get us home, then maybe the tome can.", Cortansa said to Aion.


John continued to look at Nova with his peripherals. Her armor was somewhat unusual to John, but then again, there were possibly hundreds of armor designs in this time line. After covertly looking over Nova's suit, John turned his head back to it's normal position and listened to Cortana, Mara, and Aion.

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"It's dangerous. As the book is dangerous in of itself. It's said to be cursed. That man that opened the book that vanished...he lived on the same planet I call home, Alcyon."
"Kiara...?" Aion looked surprised at this sudden revelation by the black-haired human girl.
"...the puddle of blood...everything about the existence of the former Grimoire is true from what I've seen. The book does exist."

Helios System
X's ship | Proceeding to the Delta Division Fleet

As X's ship began to be towed toward the Delta Division Fleet X waited patiently. The red glow of his x shaped visor glowed brightly within his dark ship as it was towed towards the fleet.

X was prepared for anything that would happen once his ship reaches it's destination.

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

"I already know that. You said so in the legends.", Cortana said to Kiara.

"I have a way to unlock the tome's secrets without risking anyone's life. I could easily create a basic copy of myself and program it to study the tome. If the copy is destroyed, then nothing is lost. If the copy survives, I can assimilate the copy and retrieve the information it gathered. My advantege is that I am not made of flesh and blood, which means that I might not even be affected at all by the tome's detrimental effects.", Cortana explained to Kiara.

Sol Inceneron
Inopia-Temple of the Lost

Nhiome hadn't seen nor heard anything, but he supposed her senses would be sharper than his wondering around in this type of place. He drew his pistol as well as the welder, turning on the latter and aiming the light towards the corridor. He held his pistol in the other hand, setting it to automatic and then clicking off the safety. He then followed behind Dalia, straining to see or hear anything.

Sol Inceneron
Inopia-Temple of the Lost

Dalia and Nhiome went into the maw of the corridor which was were the light that illuminated the main hall ended and the darkness began. The glow of Dalia's sword and Nhiome's welding torch being the only source of light, casing shadows of light on the walls. Rubble from the ceiling littered the floor and the walls in this part of the temple were more noticeably cracked with age. More murals and long strings of ancient text detailed the walls.
"...strange..." Dalia looked up at the text for a moment. "I don't recognize this language...It looks similar to that of the Ancients...but it's different." She continued walking along when she suddenly saw a phrase written in blood on the walls. it was dried and of another language from the rest of the temple. Below the message, was a skeleton of a Vatian. Slight differences to the normal human skeleton were evident, along with many parts damaged from something large. "...I hope those fractures are from rocks..."

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

Kiara shook her head. "You would still need to find it and open the book. Ever since that man found it and opened it...I shudder to think what it really is capable of..."
Aion thought for a moment. "Nonetheless, it's a piece of the puzzle..." He then considered something else, "... you said that you know where the man lives? Perhaps the trail starts there..."
"Aion! Are...you thinking about finding the Blood Tome?!" Kiara appeared distressed by the concept.
Joe looked over to his friend. "Treasure hunters, now are we? What's got you thinking, matey?"
"Something that I thought I'd never say...Revere is right, there is something going on here that's greater than the war itself, and it's time to find out what. We'll hunt down the Blood Tome, and hopefully it can shed some light on the situation. And if we find Revere..." Aion smiled almost sadistically, "I'll make sure to ask him a few questions..." As he said this, his hands tightened their grip on Mercurius. "So, who's with me on this?"
"Do you really need to ask?" Joe chuckled. "If that's the path you've chosen, then I'm with ya all the way."
"You guys are crazy..." Kiara smiled. "I guess you'll need me then to make sure you don't go killing yourselves."
"We're going on an adventure! Yay!" Terrisa skipped around the group, causing Aion, Joe, and Kiara to laugh.

Helios System
Delta Division Flagship | Excalibur

John looked over to Aion and spoke.

"I'm going.", John said in an emotionless tone.

"And it's pretty obvious that I'm coming with you.", Cortana said to Aion and John.