————————————————

  Friday, September 23rd, 2253.

  5:15 AM

  ————————————————

  The barest hint of morning light filtered through the small window of Jeremiah’s apartment. The sun wouldn’t rise for another hour, but the faint rays cresting the horizon were enough to cast flickering shadows against the far wall.

  Jeremiah sat at his small dining table, his head resting in his hands as his mind tried to process recent events. Across from him sat a small, 12-inch-tall man, happily munching away on a pin bagel twice his size, smothered with cream cheese.

  That st part was important, according to the small man… apparently.

  Jeremiah made a special, conscious effort not to look at the tiny man’s own shadow behind him. He had made that mistake only once, and though the memory had faded from his mind quicker than mist in the morning sun, his body still remembered.

  Jeremiah took a deep breath and looked up at the tiny man.

  “So… Mr. Mero —“ Jeremiah said before the tiny man cut him off.

  “Just Mero, kid. I’m your Guide, ain’t your boss, nor your pops,“ Mero said, swiping‘ a bit of cream cheese from his chin with his thumb and popping it in his mouth.

  “And speakin’ as your Guide, let this be my first lesson,“ Mero said, continuing. His voice was oddly cold and sharp, sending shivers down Jeremiah’s spine. “Names are important when dealin’ with the Wyrd. Often, what ya call someone is just as central as what they are. Sometimes, those things are one and the same, ya dig?”

  Jeremiah swallowed and nodded.

  “Yes… Mero.“ He took a deep breath. “As I was saying, I feel as if I’m not fully understanding what you told me. You say you’re my ‘Guide,‘ but what does that mean, exactly? What the hell is even going on?“ he said. Each word came a little faster as he spoke. By the time he finished, Jeremiah’s heart was pounding, and the hand gripping the table’s edge was pale.

  Mero frowned up at Jeremiah for a silent moment before nodding. “It means what it means — a Guide guides. In your case, it means I’m your Guide to the System. Or rather, I guess I should call it the [Mystical Menagerie] now, huh?”

  The tiny man grinned from ear to ear. “Interestin’ choice, by the way. Not what any of us were expectin’, let me tell ya what. Should be a helluva lotta fun, though,“ he said.

  Jeremiah sighed and rubbed his temple. “Right… the… System? And… what was that, again?“ he asked. It had been nearly an hour since Mero appeared from the spinning vortex Jeremiah had somehow summoned in the middle of his apartment, yet he felt as if he was no closer to understanding recent events than before. Jeremiah wasn’t sure if it was because of the ck of sleep, all the stress that had been building up, or just something the… thing in his chest was doing to him.

  Mero narrowed his eyes and frowned up at Jeremiah. “Did Sarah really not expin anythin’ to ya, kid? Nothin’ at all?“ he asked.

  “So, this does have something to do with Sarah?“ Jeremiah asked, his interest piqued at the mention of his sister’s name. But then, his demeanor shifted, his shoulders drooping and a deep frown creasing his brow. “No... she... didn’t mention anything. The st time we talked, she hinted at having something to tell me, but...“ his words trailed off as he stared out the slowly brightening window.

  Mero looked away, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. “Ahhh… sorry about that,“ the tiny man sighed. Then turned back to Jeremiah and continued, “Listen, Jerry boy, nothin’’s goin’ quite like any of us pnned, I’ll admit. That’s life. But lemme get one thing straight off the bat. Sarah loved ya, Jeremiah—“

  Jeremiah flinched, his gaze dropping to the table. For a moment, he focused on the rhythmic thud of his heart against the cool metal pendant in his chest. He swallowed hard to maintain his composure, fighting to keep his mask from slipping.

  Part of him burned, wanting to sh out at Mero. If Sarah truly cared, she wouldn’t have left. She wouldn’t have challenged one of the most powerful mega-corporations on the pnet, only to die.

  Yet, amidst the bitterness, a softer, more poignant realization tugged at his heart. Sarah had been more than just an older sister. She pyed the roles of mentor and mother, teacher and confidante. He remembered the sacrifices she made, passing up opportunities that others would have killed for, just so that he could have a better life.

  What Mero said next cut through Jeremiah’s mind like an icy bde, however. “ — even if what comes next might make ya doubt that.“

  Jeremiah froze, his eyes narrowing as he met the tiny man’s eyes again. “What do you mean?“ he asked.

  Mero folded his arms and leaned back in the air, as if sitting on an invisible chair. “Geez, Sarah, why ya leavin’ this to me? Look, kid. First things first, ya gotta understand what that thing in your chest really is,“ he said, pointing to the metal pendant fused to Jeremiah’s sternum.

  Jeremiah looked down at his chest, then back up at Mero. “I’m assuming this is the ‘system‘ you keep going on about?“

  Mero burst into ughter. “Oh, Maker’s no. That’s just a part of it. A tiny sliver. Picture it like your ID. Like a username in one of them games ya kids fancy. It tells the greater System who ya ‘are‘ and lets ya interface with it. We call these keys’ Iterations,‘ as each is unique to its user. “

  The tiny man stood and peered at the pendant. “It’s still kinda... raw, but once we’re done here, it’ll meld right into ya. It’ll become a part of ya in every sense of the word.“

  “But. What. Is. It!?“ Jeremiah said, smming his hands on the table. He was getting frustrated with the roundabout.

  Mero raised both hands. “Easy there, boy. I’m gettin’ there. Like I said, words mean somethin’ to the Fae. There’s an order to these things. Would’ve been smoother if Sarah had the chance to spill the beans herself, but we’re past that now.”

  Jeremiah’s frown deepened, but he leaned back in his chair and let Mero continue.

  The tiny man paced back and forth on Jeremiah’s table. “Returning to my point... the pendant is your ticket to the System. As for the System itself…“ Mero stopped, his gaze far off.

  “I dug your sister, Jerry boy. She was my kinda folk. But don’t get it twisted. She was absolutely insane. A total mad woman with ideas that could make even the most shameless of Faekin balk at their audacity.“

  Jeremiah ground his teeth and gred at Mero. The man’s words were too close to what the media had been trying to call Sarah. Yet, unlike the others, Mero’s words held no anger or malice. If anything, the man sounded… in awe, as if his words were the greatest form of respect he could conceive of. Jeremiah pushed the angry words threatening to escape his lips as Mero turned back to him.

  “Ya asked what the System was?“ Mero said, continuing, “It’s somethin’ that ain’t s’posed to exist. It’s the peak of all your sister’s grind and talent. Everythin’ she could do and shouldn’t have been able to do. Her Magnum opus.“ As he spoke, Mero became more animated, his eyes glistening. “More than anythin’ though, it’s a chance. A gamble of sorts. But that ain’t somethin’ ya gotta sweat over. Not yet.”

  Mero turned and looked Jeremiah in the eye. “Simply put, the System is a fusion of Wyrd and Law. An impossible marriage between the ‘purpose‘ of Law and the raw, undirected ‘potential‘ of the Wyrd.“

  Mero pointed to Jeremiah’s chest. “What you’re holdin’ there, Jerry boy, is the first ever example of operational Wyrd Technology.”

  Mero’s words hit Jeremiah like a hammer. The young man’s brows rose, and his jaw dropped.

  “Wait, hold up for a second,“ Jeremiah said, “That… that doesn’t make any sense! You can’t mix Wyrd and Law! They’re directly opposed!“

  The Natural Laws Of Reality — or just ‘Laws,‘ as they were commonly called — represented one of the five core aspects of Reliquum, the Cosmic Wheel, that everyone learned as a child. Science and technology use Natural Laws to understand and manipute the physical world. They were the cornerstones of human — and many other species — civilization.

  The Wyrd was another such aspect of the Cosmic Wheel. It was pure potential. It was possibilities, ‘what ifs‘ and ‘what could be’s.‘ Which never made any bloody sense to Jeremiah. However, that was the closest any of the Wyrd natives would ever get to expining it. After all, trying to ‘define‘ the Wyrd was how you invoked it, and invoking the Wyrd without knowing what you were doing was a death sentence for most.

  One represented order and stability. It was ‘what is,‘ without regard to belief. The other represented ‘what could be‘ and uncertainty in its purest form. Some theorized that it wasn’t even anything until something told it what it was.

  These two fundamental forces of existence were in direct opposition to each other. Only on Nexus, where reality overpped, could the two exist side-by-side without warping and twisting the other.

  “What you’re describing is a step beyond that!“ Jeremiah said, looking at the tiny with a furrowed brow. “You can’t ‘mix‘ Law and Wyrd! That’s like trying to describe a square circle!“

  Mero grinned from ear to ear and ughed. “Ya hit the nail on the head, boyo. Yet, somehow…s???h???e??? ???d???i???d??? ???i???t???,“ he said. Jeremiah could feel reality bend slightly as the tiny man made his procmation. Like overextending your elbow. Not enough to really ‘hurt‘ but enough for it to be a little… uncomfortable.

  Jeremiah swallowed hard.

  Mero nodded at the sight. “Good. I was right; ya catch on quickly. That’s good.”

  Mero raised a brow. “So, Wyrdtech?“ he said. “What does that word mean? How do ya define something that shouldn’t exist? Surprisingly easy, it turns out. Potential given Purpose. That’s what the System is. It takes the best you ‘could be‘ and makes it into reality.“

  Jeremiah paused and considered Mero’s words. Did he really understand what the tiny man was saying? Not really… This whole thing was so far beyond him that Jeremiah couldn’t help but wish Sarah was here. She had a way of making things seem so… simple at times.

  Jeremiah returned Mero’s look. “And this… [Mystical Menagerie] thing?“ he asked.

  Mero smirked. “The [Mystical Menagerie] is the form — your ‘Iteration‘ — the System takes for ya. Built just for you. To think of it another way, if the System is the ‘concept of a car,‘ then the [Mystical Menagerie] is your own custom ride. Feel special, punk?“

  Jeremiah frowned and folded his arms. “So… what does it… you know… do?“ he asked.

  Mero shook his head. “You’ll catch on as ya go through the tutorial. This ain’t no walkthrough! —“ his next words were muttered so that Jeremiah barely caught them, “ — Besides, we don’t know yet…”

  Jeremiah frowned at the fairy, who at least had the decency to look away with a chuckle. After a moment, Mero’s shoulders sagged.

  “Look, something ya hav‘ to understand about the Wyrd is that sometimes, there ain’t no simple answer. I ain’t tryin’ to be all cryptic and whatnot for kicks. The entire System’s set up to adjust to who’s usin’ it. It’s like a furnace, burnin’ your potential to make ya into the best damn version of yourself you can be,“ Mero said, letting out a sigh and slicking back his hair.

  “Now, how does it go about doin’ that? Well, that’s intentionally left kinda… vague. As I said, it’s meant to change and adapt to the user’s expectations as much as their needs. I can’t y out what your Iteration of the System is gonna do for ya ‘cause we don’t even know yet. Right here, right now, me expinin’ this stuff is part of gettin’ your ‘Iteration‘ all set up and stable. ‘Priming‘ it, in other words. That’s part of my gig as your Guide; as your System grows and evolves, I’ll get the hang of how it works and be able to better direct it in the direction ya want.”

  Jeremiah leaned back in his chair and groaned, covering his face with his hands. He sat there for a silent moment. Part of him wanted to yell at Sarah for dumping what sounded like a (literal) potential bomb on him like this. He quickly buried that thought, however; if he understood what Mero was saying correctly, thinking of the System in such a way would make it just that. Jeremiah shivered and sat straight. No, he had to trust that whatever this ‘System‘ thing really was, Sarah wouldn’t do something like that to him.

  Jeremiah frowned

  But why tell me all this? Wouldn’t keeping a user ignorant of that aspect of it be safer?

  “Like I said, all of this is ‘priming‘ your Iteration,“ Mero said.

  Jeremiah gred at the fairy, and Mero waved him off with a ugh. “Stop with the look, kid. The System might be able to read your mind, but I ain’t no peeping tom. You and your sis get the same look when you’re thinkin’ about stuff.”

  Jeremiah sighed and leaned forward on the table. “Fine… let’s assume I understand… anything you’re telling me. What now? What can you tell me?”

  Mero’s grin grew wider, and he folded his arms. “Now you’re asking the right questions. But before that, a debt owed.“

  Mero swung out an arm to his side, and a massive sword fit for an anime protagonist appeared in his hand. Well… massive to Mero. To Jeremiah, it was a little longer than a switchbde. Then suddenly, it was a switchbde. Or had it always been one? Jeremiah’s head pounded slightly, and his eyes crossed as if he had been trying to look at two different things simultaneously.

  Mero stared at the weapon in his hands and smirked. Then he folded the bde into its handle and tossed it to Jeremiah, who caught it without thinking.

  “Technically, I owe that to Sarah, but as her st of kin, these things have some… bend to them. Don’t expect the same from many Fae,“ Mero said smugly.

  Jeremiah unfolded the bde and stared at it. He had to admit it was a beautiful work of craftsmanship for what little he knew of such things. Its thick fmberge bde almost glowed in the dim light of the room, though part of him wondered why he would even need something like this. There was a reason the city issued its CSA workers firearms instead of swords or spears.

  Jeremiah looked up from the bde and at Mero and raised an eyebrow.

  “Ya wanted to know what the System can do?“ Mero said. “Well, here’s your first taste. Focus on the bde and think [System Scan].”

  Jeremiah furrowed his brow at the man’s words. He could almost feel the inflection to them. As if they carried a weight that he couldn’t quite pce. In a way, the words reminded him of Mages’ incantations, but Mero had definitely spoken in Common.

  Jeremiah consciously wrote it off as more System shenanigans and did as Mero instructed. He focused on the bde and mentally commanded,

  [System Scan]

  As soon as the words echoed through his brain, something in his chest pulsed as the bde in front of him flickered and twisted. It kind of reminded Jeremiah of the odd distortion that happened when you passed your hand through an AR dispy, and he wasn’t sure if what he was seeing was ‘real‘ or just being projected by his HUD.

  However, those concerns quickly fled as a new screen appeared in front of him.

  Jeremiah’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head, and his gaze snapped to the grinning fairy behind the HUD screen.

  “What the hell, Mero? Are you trying to get me killed?!“ Jeremiah nearly screamed, barely catching himself, lest someone else come knocking on his door.

  The words on the new screen weren’t many, but their contents sent a shiver down his spine.

  ——————?——————

  The Bde Whose Name Was Freely Given

  Rank: —

  Quality: ERROR

  Keywords: Bded, Fae weapon, Faesilver, Artifact, Soulbound.

  Description: An Echo. A bde whose name was given to something that couldn’t exist. It might be but a shadow of its former self, but don’t let that fool you — as much as it might try to — it remains a masterfully crafted Faesilver bde, nonetheless. Like many things of the Wyrd, Faesilver is never quite what, or where, you expect, and many defenses — mysterious or mundane — find it difficult to fully protect from its sting.

  Cuts a target’s name to absorb a small part and learn more about it.

  The weaker the name, the stronger the blow.

  Shy.

  //WARNING! - Excessive damage to a name may have unpredictable consequences.//

  ——————?——————