2xx AP
Amduscia
Campship
0820
The campship flew in Amduscia's stratopause. The campship had reached planet Amduscia, home of the dragonkin a few minutes ago. Now all that was left for group Hotel was to hover above the unexplored open caverns so the second and main part of the exam could start.
These open caverns or fissures were needed so that the teleporter could set up coordinates for the receiver-end telepipe. Setting up a location in an unexplored cave is far too dangerous because no one knows where the cave's ceiling is exactly or whatever obstacles there may be.
From within the fissures you had to explore the caves to record the actual coordinates.
The campship lowered in speed.
"Sergeant MultiCore we are almost at target destination."
MultiCore grabbed towards his comm. "Roger that, navigator." MultiCore then turned towards Xiphos en Moriah.
"We are almost at our drop zone so get ready and move to the teleport room. Same for you Kanade, you are lucky you don't have to finish your ten pushups for being late."
"Ten?! But that was 16th just now!"
"Oh really? Move along lady or perhaps you want to do more?" MultiCore laughed.
"What?" Kanade yelled loudly while slightly panicked. "Can he just do that? He can't just do that right, Moriah?"
Moriah didn't reply.
"Xiphos?" Xiphos pulled his shoulders up and left the room. MultiCore still laughing gestured both Moriah and Kanade to do the same.
The campship stopped and hovered on the same place.
"We have reached the target destination.
Preparing the telepipe......
Set up complete..........
Activating telepipe........
Telepipe activated..........
You are good to go sergeant."
"Roger skipper, team Hotel setting out."
The photon portal was glowing in a bright blue. Up on looking close you could see the chosen location of a fissure.
MultiCore stood in front of the portal and said
"I will jump down first and secure the perimeter, then I will signal you through our squad channel." The students nodded.
"MultiCore setting out."
He jumped in the portal. Upon contact with the photon portal, the photons started glowing much brighter and MultiCore's body instantly crystallized and then with a flash of light his body got absorbed.
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2xx AP
Amduscia
Volcanic Caves
0830
A flash appeared at the horizon follow by a bright blue ray of light falling from the sky. The blue ray kept falling down without changing its speed. It fell past the well known, yet mysterious floating lands of Amduscia.
From the sky orange streams of molten stone could be seen, spread across the lands without a stone roof.
The blue ray fell down below into the lands known for it's numerous caves and fissures with a scorching heat.
The impact of the ray caused a small circular dust cloud. When the dust began to disperse, a large metal body became visible.
MultiCore immediately raised from his kneeling position and pulled his rifle from his shoulder hub. He slowly turned 360 degrees while aiming down the sights. After he had finished the circle, he lowered his rifle and reached to his comm.
"Area clear."
Shortly after his message, three more blue rays shot out of the sky. It didn't take long before they hit the ground and dust clouds formed once again.
Kanade, Moriah and Xiphos had also teleported successfully.
After the dust dispersed, Kanade took off her coat and stuffed it into her huge bag.
"W-what are you wearing?!" Moriah exclaimed.
"A yukata" Kanade was wearing a red and pink blocked yukata with a yellow rappy print. The yukata ended far above the knees, revealing a large portion of her legs.
Her shoes were a lightweight sports model that did not fit at all with the rest of her outfit.
"I can see that, but why? We are on an important mission!"
"Well it's very comfy and it's easy to move in." Kanade replied while stretching her arms as if she was doing a quick warming up.
"Alright! Were to go now Mr Cast!" She asked while doing a fist pump.
MultiCore slightly shook his head, for that tactical change of subject.
"The entrance for the unknown caves start there."
He pointed towards a large crack in the wall that was located approximately 200 meter far from the group.
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2xx AP
Amduscia
Volcanic caves
0845
The cave section behind the crack was dark, the only light that was there came through the crack and that light only reached the first few meters. MultiCore stood in front Moriah, Kanade and Xiphos.
"So what now?" The Kanade asked.
"From this point onward, all responsibility will in your own hands. Meaning I'm not in a leading position anymore and will merely act as observer. Your main exam will now start."
"Here?"
"Yes,here. Lead the way."
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2xx AP
Amduscia
Volcanic Caves
0900 hours
"It's so dark. I can't see a thing." Kanade whined.
"Shut up! We know it's dark and I don't want to hear that every few meters." Xiphos said and launched a soft jab at Kanade.
"Hey! What are you doing!" She tried to jab back, but was stopped by Moriah.
"Kanade, Xiphos! I can't concentrate if you two keep quarreling like this."
The three of them were clustered together. Moriah had a small flashlight that barely produced enough light to see the ground and the silhouettes of rocks a meter ahead.
Because Moriah was the only one with a light she walked in front. Kanade and Xiphos right behind her.
Like this, they progressed slowly through the dark cave, carefully placing each footstep so that one would not trip over some loose rocks or misstep and fall off an in darkness covered ridge.
MultiCore walked a few meters behind them, with his steps giving a dull sound, he proceeded slowly, but he also walked casually.
He was a Cast after all and most Cast have a variety of spectral range visibility and HUDs to support it like night vision.
With this MultiCore could apply image intensification by magnifying the received amount of photons from light sources. In this case the flashlight Moriah was using.
Because MultiCore registers more photons he can see in the cave better than the others. And to keep track, MultiCore used thermal infrared to identify his group and changes in the ground structure in front of him.
The group of three knew that MultiCore used it and so occasionally a 'stupid cheater' or 'unfair' could be heard from a certain someone.
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2xx AP
Amduscia
Volcanic Caves
0910 hours
The cave bend towards the left and started to become very steep. The surroundings started to get slightly brighter each step the group took downward until the ground was leveled off again.
The cave walls and ceiling were now slightly visible.
The cave split in two smaller tunnels, one straight ahead and one that curved to the right and slightly upwards. Light, much clearer than where they were now could be seen in the tunnel straight ahead.
Whilst the right tunnel was not total darkness, it was certainly less appealing.
The three teenagers briefly discussed which side they were going to but quickly decided on the the left way. The light became brighter and the ground and walls became more visible with each step.
Moriah and Kanade looked at each other and nodded.
"We are going ahead Xiphos." Moriah said with a smile. Before Xiphos could reply, she and Kanade ran away.
Ran, because they could see clearly now and with this they didn't need to worry to take a wrong step.
The scouts ran like it was a race, stopping for no obstacle. They used builders as steppingstones to jump over wide holes and used vaults to dash elegantly over rocks, not having to slow down for them.
The exit of the tunnel was close and the light was almost blinding.
Xiphos and MultiCore were still behind, they had no haste in getting there.
"Almost there!" Moriah said. "But not before me!" said Kanade smiling and she passed Moriah.
The girls went into the light and passed the exit.
But what they met was a wall of hot air. Unprepared for the sudden change in temperature,which caused the air to have a lower oxygen density, let the girls fall on their knees, gasping for air.
Dizzy and on all fours they tried to make their way back into the tunnel.
And because theirs bodies had already started to become used to the new oxygen density, they found the strength to crawl back into the tunnel. The cool air filled their lungs and they sighed in relief.
The air coming from the tunnel was cold enough to cool the hot air and keep away the heat.
Most of the hot air went upwards but as it met a stone ceiling the heat could not escape. Moriah still coughed occasionally, but looked outside the tunnel, she saw what came after it. It was a huge area filled with slow magma streams and pools.
Originally Posted by Sacrificial
'' so yea 10 years and a few months by now.
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By the way, you said "negative photon readings are increasing." What are negative photons? Is that something you made up for your story? Just curious!
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