Chapter 29: Lost Chapters [1]

  'The connection should work... now...' Estelle remarked.

  If her eyes could detach from their sockets, she imagined them hitting the floor with a disgusting squelch, turning the ground into a pool of blood. Despite the mental nausea, Estelle quietly quenched her thirst, taking small sips with her lip resting on the rim as she savored the tasteless liquid. Her gaze swept across the display before landing on the [Nexus Module Protocol], and just then, a new item report materialized above the list of numerous files.

  Estelle flexed her fingers, opening the report in a new window. She immediately skipped the headings and system details, going straight to the content—a short list of sentences confirming the various checks she had requested. A smile curved her lips as she nodded softly, never lifting her mouth from the crystal cup.

  'That worked more smoothly than I expected,' Estelle commented. 'I thought I'd need to read through manuals just to understand the basics. It works just like cloud-based controllers for computer-to-computer or computer-to-phone connection. It's functioning now.'

  Closing the window with a gesture, Estelle shifted her attention to the gestation hall map. Her eyes searched until finding the rows of Pods—or Gestation ModPods as officially designated by the Architect—glowing in highlights of light blue against the gray backdrop. She pressed one, bringing a film-like effect across the display as numerous names materialized above the ModPods.

  She hummed, nodding as she playfully ran the cup’s rim along her chin. “So we’re really going with this, huh? Cryogen Coffin ModPods…” Her words slurred slightly, thoughts spilling into speech. “Probably the best option—easy to use, no complicated technical nonsense.”

  She remarked inwardly, ‘I like the idea of my body resting on air, or something solid. Not submerged in some strange liquid. And I really don’t like the thought of having a tube wrapped around my head…’

  Her eyes flickered as she caught sight of something, prompting a brief blink. ‘Ah—there it is.’

  Estelle hastily switched hands; lifting her fingers from the display momentarily restored its colors, only for them to fade again when she pressed on the Cryogen Coffin ModPod. There was no noticeable difference in design between these ModPods—each identical in shape, glowing with the same thematic blue highlights—making it difficult to confirm she had selected the right one among hundreds by sight alone. She waited as a film-like effect spread across the interface, and thin text materialized over every element on the map, satisfying her need to double-check.

  “Good,” she whispered.

  As the reports had indicated, Estelle dragged the icon toward the assembly locks along the path to the hall's center. The circular blue glow followed her fingers across the display, and hope swelled in her chest, growing with the anticipation that she was performing the procedure correctly. Holding her breath and tightening her grip on the glass cup, she placed the Cryogen Coffin ModPod onto the assembly lock image near her position.

  She watched the display intently, waiting to see if the system would reject her command and return the ModPod to its original position. Only after the tenth heartbeat did she allow herself a nod of satisfaction.

  She finally removed the glass cup from her lips, placing it at arm's length on the ground. Directing her gaze to the floating sphere terminal, she pointed animatedly, "You," she said, shifting her finger to her side, "follow me from this side."

  As if responding, the main displays flickered momentarily—screens glitching and visuals dropping—before stabilizing as the terminal sphere floated around her, positioning itself precisely where she had indicated. Simultaneously, Estelle flexed her fingertips, attempting to crack them, yet no matter how much force she applied, not a single joint would pop.

  'Strange, is this body different from human-human? I should check the details of this body later,' Estelle thought fleetingly as she stretched her arms skyward.

  She expected the familiar strain of muscles under stress, yet neither limbs nor back felt the tension. Her eyes twitched as she wondered, 'Is this another new thing I have to live with?'

  Biting the corner of her lip in disappointment, she pulled herself up; kicking against the ground and pushing against the ModPod behind her. Standing, her eyes scanned left to right, finding no changes in the rhythm of the breathing wall, prompting her head to tilt in slight confusion.

  "It didn't... work?" Her words trailed off as a noise caught her attention.

  She whipped her head toward the sound—a wet, uncomfortable squelch, as if viscous liquid were opening to a pocket of air—creating a sensation that sent tingles down her neck. Along the path leading to the center at the cross section, black liquid spilled onto the floor. She couldn't see where the cracks had opened to release this strange substance, but it rose and moved with animation, as if possessed by some unnatural force.

  A chill ran down Estelle's spine, intensifying with each bubbling sound. 'What's happening to it?' she wondered, stepping back before noticing something through the murky water—a green sheen reflected off a smooth surface.

  Estelle raised a brow. The object took a familiar spherical shape, contradicting her initial assumption. 'A terminal? But why? It can't be a terminal,' she doubted.

  Suddenly, the spherical object emerged from the murky black liquid, revealing its metallic gray body still gleaming with wetness as droplets peeled and returned to the hovering pool. Greebling patterns were etched across its surface, but unlike her expectations, the sphere lacked any black screens. 'Huh?' Estelle huffed, noticing two more spheres rising from the black water that continued flowing upward from the ground like some strange fountain.

  She watched, face laden with confusion, as the spheres floated across the path, encircling what appeared to be assembly locks. Abruptly, within the cracks of their greebled designs, a green glow began to fill the crevices, casting an ominous light unlike before. She swallowed, her stomach churning slightly as she pressed her folded hands against her abdomen and leaned forward, watching the illumination spread through the sphere's pattern until it completed like a circuit.

  Without warning, green beams shot upward from the spheres, targeting the bottom of the assembly locks. Estelle jolted, realization dawning. "Oh... are they constructing the ModPod? I thought they would transport it here..." she muttered, glancing at the ceiling filled with strange liquid.

  Returning her gaze to the ModPod, Estelle's head jerked as she found it half-finished. Green lights beamed intensely—almost sparking yet not bright enough to cause light to burn into her eyes—continuing where metal had yet to form. She could see components of different colored rods, glass, and various materials, leaving her stunned into silence.

  ‘Huh?’ Estelle breathed.

  Another moment flashed by, and suddenly the ModPod stood complete. Estelle blinked, struggling to believe what she witnessed, yet her eyes confirmed it was finished. Her mouth fell slightly open, brows furrowing as she cocked her head. "Did that just happen? What in the world?" she muttered, distracted by the three gray spheres still floating in the air.

  Another baffled breath escaped her lips as she mused. "Huh... okay... Damn—I didn't expect it would be like that... But... okay..."

  She kicked into motion, hurriedly approaching the Cryogen Coffin ModPod. It appeared significantly different from the images she had seen earlier—this one stood almost three times her height, with an interior built expansively, as if designed to accommodate adult elephants. Three metallic beams, equally spaced, ran alongside the glass walls, each lanced with different glowing colors from its middle section: one green, another yellow, the third cyan blue. Estelle hummed thoughtfully as she stood before the massive Cryogen Coffin ModPod.

  "So..." Her words trailed into quiet thoughts. 'Where can I access the settings to get this started?'

  As Estelle pondered, a strange black material built into one of the beams caught her eye. Initially uncertain, she approached it. Only then did clarity emerge, revealing its shape as the black screen she had been seeking. She nodded softly, shuffling forward to position herself before it.

  With a hum escaping her tight lips, Estelle tapped the black screen. It activated with the usual explosion of geometric patterns before projecting a holographic display. Immediately, she felt another twitch beneath her eye—yet another unfamiliar interface. A 3D cylinder dominated the center, several tabs crowned the top, while a panel-like preview occupied the right side. She clicked her tongue loudly, examining the cylinder first with an annoyed glare.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  She noticed several lines crossing the image like labels on the cylinder and began reading them. One line extended from the panel to inside the cylinder with settings apparently controlling gravity within, currently set to "00" or default. Another text floated near the cylinder's glass wall, indicating controls for the entry point. Estelle immediately tapped the text, bringing up a small window:

  [Open Entry point #1 | >Yes< | or | > No < | ]

  Without hesitation, Estelle pressed to confirm. Abruptly, sounds of glass cracking drew her attention to the wall, where a strange green glow erupted between forming fissures as though they were gates. Unconsciously, she stepped sideways before the wall exploded outward. The air hissed and gust violently, yet the glass fragments remained suspended in midair—each piece glowing along its broken edge, resembling the motif of gates opening inward.

  "Damn," Estelle whispered.

  She scanned from bottom to top of the newly opened cylinder—the glass wall completely removed. Her gaze shifted toward the interior where she was meant to enter—to continue with her work, the entire point of this process. However, the floating crystals, the container, and the alien setting around her screamed of horror stories waiting to be written. Estelle gulped, recalling unwanted memories of sci-fi movies featuring glass cylinders and ancient devices that never ended well.

  "I've seen enough movies to know what could happen..."

  She swallowed hard, taking deep breaths before weaving her way inside. Carefully navigating around crystals that might strike her face, she gently batted them aside and stepped into the cylinder. Noticing a small gap between where she stood and the cylinder's floor, Estelle crouched forward and landed with a resounding metallic thud inside.

  The air felt thin yet unnaturally warm—the cold from outside clung noticeably to her clothes, making the temperature contrast numbingly apparent. Estelle turned, or tried to, before her body suddenly felt weightless—incredibly light, as if someone had entered secret cheat codes and changed the world's physics.

  "Woah!! Woah! What!" Estelle yelled, her heart pounding in panic as her feet lifted from the ground.

  Her body began to rotate without consent, hands frantically reaching across space until finding purchase on the ledge—the opening where the glass had been. Yet, an unknown force still carried her body, preventing contact with the floor; her hair and the long white coat tails seemed to float away from her.

  "What the fuck—" Estelle cursed.

  Everything felt disconcertingly light—responding to her intentions but without resistance, a concept her body struggled to comprehend. She turned her head, looking at her fully stretched form, legs kicking toward the center, seeking any wall, ledge, or ground, but finding none.

  "Pfftt... I'm floating?" Estelle muttered. "Oh, is this from the setting earlier...?" She tilted her head before noticing something among her floating hair strands.

  The image of her hair flowed through a holographic display, reflecting a green glow in strange aesthetics. Estelle's eyes widened with realization that the terminal had followed her. "Oh, I see," she gasped, pulling her hair back with one hand and tucking it beneath her collar with a swift motion.

  Scanning one of the three metallic beams, she discovered multiple dormant black screens along its length. Her eyes lingered, spotting potential areas while formulating a navigation plan in this otherworldly space. Nodding to herself, Estelle pulled closer to the wall, curling her body to position her legs against it before carefully launching herself with measured strength.

  'Weeee!' Estelle smiled inwardly.

  Her entire body soared through the cylinder in weightless flight. Estelle extended her hands to guard her face as she approached the opposite side, landing with open palms. The impact sent a soft vibration through her arms as she hurriedly tried to grip available material, only to realize with wide-eyed shock that there was nothing to grasp. Clicking her tongue, she pushed forward, using her body's momentum to lodge herself against the surface.

  Her heart pounded beneath her chest, breathing quickened with exertion. She felt precarious, as if her position could be compromised by the slightest nudge. Taking measured breaths, Estelle waited, trying to settle her body comfortably; her foot shook as she attempted to secure herself, yet she couldn't shake the feeling she might drift away at any moment. She tried repositioning, but couldn't find a stable configuration that offered comfort.

  She frowned as sweat dampened her armpits, adding irritation to her already precarious situation. 'I just have to do it,' Estelle thought with frustration, freeing one hand to tap the black screen.

  The screen erupted with colorful geometric shapes before settling and projecting a terminal. As green light flashed, something materialized in Estelle's mind, prompting a soft gasp.

  "Oh, right—I can do that," she muttered under her breath. "The pull-pool?" she tilted her head, playing with her lips, "the pull request... on the thingy."

  As she continued her slurred mutterings, Estelle scanned the tabs crowning the display, whispering "should be," "I think so," "the window said so earlier." Her hand hovered along, following her gaze until finding 'Session-request' among the top options and tapping it.

  A new holographic window appeared beneath her fingers with a sorted list, distinguished by darker backdrops and lighter lines defining the options. Her eyes caught her session at the top: [Session Pool: Consciousness Vessel Transfer || Req: ID-AC-A001 (E. Nytelles) || Assistance: Core-01]. She nodded to herself, briefly glancing at other items—administrator names that felt part of some grand lore, and others that seemed to belong to the architect with nothing to their name.

  She took a deep breath, shaking her head as if to clear away growing curiosity. "Now... how do I... deal with this...?"

  Mindlessly, Estelle pressed her session item, bringing up another window. The interface resembled a wheel UI with options in circular formation. She spotted [Allow device to join Session-session.], raised an eyebrow, and slid to select it.

  A movement in the corner of the main display caught her attention. One of the panels on the right side—previously empty—now contained an item. She quietly read:

  [---]

  In session(connected:)[Session Pool: Consciousness Vessel Transfer || Req: ID-AC-A001 (E. Nytelles) || Assistance: Core-01]

  [---]

  Before fully processing this information, Estelle had already nodded. "Got it. Got it, nice."

  However, before finishing her reading, her attention shifted to the cylinder image dominating the center of the display. She noticed a subtle difference from before—one section of the walls appeared gray instead of blue against the pale green backdrop, prompting a slight tilt of her head.

  "Huh?" Estelle exhaled sharply, her words turning to thoughts. Her confusion was immediately resolved as she read the label: [Entry point - open]

  "Oh, I see," she murmured, tapping the label to expand options below, selecting the command to close the entry point. She briefly glanced at the opening, confirming that hundreds of glass fragments were floating back into place, reconstructing the wall.

  Before the glass fully reformed, her attention shifted back to the holographic display where the previously gray section was gradually transitioning to blue. She nodded, noting the small loading animation beside the text. Proceeding forward, Estelle focused on a new element at the bottom of the cylinder display—one certainly absent before she entered. In increased font size with green labels and bold red text, she read: [Request: Vessel Consciousness Transfer || Session Code - AC0001|| Ready to start.]

  "Oh, good," Estelle said, nodding to herself. 'So that's what the earlier text meant. Making sure all devices operate in the same session if you want to work with things... I see. I see.'

  Without hesitation, she pressed the option. Immediately, something flashed in her peripheral vision, drawing her gaze to the beams now glowing with vibrant golden light. As she watched, the glass walls began turning white as if affected by sudden frost, clouding over in cold temperatures.

  Estelle stared impassively, the spreading whiteness across the glass walls enrapturing her. Cold air slipped through her clothes, replacing the lukewarm atmosphere from earlier. Curious, she reached to swipe the glass—or tried to—when her fingers passed through it—no, the glass disappeared before she could make contact.

  Suddenly, Estelle found herself staring into a familiar void. Turning around, she saw massive floating black rocks filling the space, smaller fragments scattered between them, and where gaps appeared, golden and gray dust occupied the emptiness, shimmering with textures that glinted in strange phantom light emanating from seemingly every direction.

  "Huh?" Estelle blinked, mouth slightly agape.

  She recognized this place, had seen it before. She turned her head again, double-checking every angle before voicing her thoughts, "Is this from... that place? That heaven? Well... not exactly heaven," her words trailed off as she noticed the floor beneath her feet had transformed into a pathway of broken pavements forming stairs leading somewhere.

  As she observed, Estelle began hearing strange sounds—rhythmic clicking like a clock. Another mutter escaped her lips, "Does this always happen during transfer?"

  Though, instead of words answering her question, strings began to play in a playful, musical tone. It stretched from a distance, echoing from every angle her ears could perceive. Estelle's eyes widened slightly—she had expected some kind of response, but the music felt just as fitting. She smiled and began walking forward along the pathway.

  As she moved, drums joined in a slow rhythm, vibrating through her skin, into her bones, until her heartbeat seemed to follow their cadence. Estelle slipped her hands into her laboratory gown's pockets, letting them sway slightly as she continued onward. She resumed her monologue, trying to recall details of her own world, "Probably? I mean, it makes sense. Slightly. I'm not quite... I should be getting the wor—"

  “Where are you going? I tread these broken paths—”

  The words thundered across the distance. Estelle jolted, her feet coming to an abrupt halt. She frantically looked around, searching for the speaker—yet carried an innate understanding that finding the source might be impossible. Still, she continued, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Oh, there it is. My voice. The opening to the architect's line. But... it kind of makes sense that this would happen, though I don't understand why. It's supposed to be an opening, but why am I seeing this scene when I've already experienced it before?"

  As words continued to flow from her lips, Estelle pressed onward. Her own words resounded through the empty space. She tried to recite the familiar speech, occasionally speaking along in the architect's language. She watched the scene mindlessly—the long stretch of broken bridge, the familiar and heartfelt music washing over her. Before Estelle realized it, she stood at the very end of the path where a void of space awaited her, and the words came again:

  "Where are you going?"

  Estelle attempted to respond in unison but misjudged her timing. She stood alone, taking a deep breath as irritation flickered in her eye. She swallowed and answered as usual.

  “To the world of Astris.”