The sound of Alexanders boots hitting the ground changed from a grassy muffle to one of sandy steps as he inched closer to his destination. The tension in the air was thick as he got closer to the suit of armor, stressed and nearly fatigued.
Getting close to something lunaris had no information about was never good for him. A lesson learned quickly.
' Lunaris? Are you sure you scanned no information about this thing? I'm feeling a lot of something coming from being this close. I can feel the mana in the air thinning out. Even the air feels thin as a mountain top. Something is off about this thing, and im getting my trap vibe again.'
'There is no information on the subject, all attempts at scanning have been blocked.' Lunaris responded. Sending all the information about the surrounding area again to reinforce her words.
Alexander went over the scans, from grass to the air quality around the suit specifically. He needed to know why he was getting a strange feeling.
His eyes moved over the info, and stopping his steps.
'Lu, when you said no information was found, did you mean information couldn't be found or that there was no information at all? The data you sent me here, reads that the drones were unable to respond, not that there was no information gathered.'
Lunaris glowed and dimmed in his mind scape, while sorting the information through the complex algorithms that made up her thoughts. 'Correction, no information could be gleamed, as the drones were destroyed. Before they were forcibly terminated they reported their was nothing.'
... "Ha." Alexander chuckled with a straining pressure building in his neck muscles, that were quickly eased by the nanites in his neck.
'When we get back we're working on your understanding of the complex algorithms for languages and meanings of urgent words, when we get home.'
Taking a second to reassess the area, a numbing feeling slowly started to take over his right arm.
To him, it felt like a wave of warnings dull his senses in his head. Parts of his body protected by the nanites where failing due to an unknown issue. The pain was lunaris letting him know through their mental bond that sections were failing and parts of his body was vulnerable.
'Were in here now. What readings are you getting now, leave nothing out. Coming in here and leaving without getting anything, would be a waste of time.'
Scans of everything around their location, air quality, and samples collected through his shoes, and skin, was analyzed.
Alexander took a closer look at the armor while Lunaris worked. Focusing on how great and sturdy it looked up close.
The edges of the sword where still well sharpened, rust spots were nearly nonexistent, and the few that where, were just in the beginning stages. With a good polish, it could be fix.
The armor was dense and sturdy, no amount of poking or prodding could loosen the latches or leather bits. Even slight enchantments could be seen on its surface making this nearly pinnacle armor.
'Who would abandon a perfectly good set of armor? The fact that all the webs are connected to it, like a large trap... it rubs me the wrong way.'
When the new data finished processing, Alexander read over it quickly, he acted. His muscles contracted and he used the remaining Mana in his core to leap backwards out of the desolate area. A familiar fear gripping his chest, threatening to take him into the cold deep.
Huff!!!
'Start the repair functions. Any longer in there and mana exhaustion would have been the least of my problems. The center of this trap steals mana and organic life away.'
'Calculations indicate that the formation of the traps and material used, have no human equivalent. Most likely this is not from any known human civilization. Information gleamed from the Associations servers have no information on this area.'
'I want that armor, or atleast a sample of it. I would use more nanites but they would just turn to dust in there. The closer I get the worst its effects us.' Alexander pondered in circles.
The thought of what time, and why hadn't Max checked in on him, crossed his thoughts.
"Lu, recall the other nantes from the webs. I have a feeling that were gona need to use a lot more.'
'Activated, "Bad Tum-Tum, protocols. Warning! Vibrations will be detectable from the Webs.'
"That's what I'm hoping."
The light pink strands uncovered as the nanites returned to Alexander.
Nothing happened as Alexander was in a dead spot and neither touched the webs or enough nanites were there to counter his Vibrations.
He took his dark blade above his head, swinging at the webs hard, feeling a dull dude sound as it connected.
A sound of silence was echoed through the village. Nothing echoed through its rotted beams and abandoned doorways.
'Its possible whatever set the trap is long dead. Organic creatures even gate creatures can not live forever.' Lunaris stated hopefully.
'Jinx.'
As Alexander was thinking a multititude of nearly imperceptible thumping coming from the web vibrated around Alexander.
A feeling of fever took hold of his body, his senses aggravated by the suit and the webs around blaring of danger.
'Four creatures heading from the Cardinal directions. The way they fling through the nanites suggest they could be close to D rank. They have an abnormal aura around them, preventing further scans, caution is advised, Master.'
Alexanders' hands gripped the black blade in anticipation. A well-balanced and hypersharp weapon made from most of the nanites in his body. The edge of his blade consisted of compressed nanites, so dulling was not a problem.
Out of the corner of Alexanders eye, a quickly moving shadow navigated its way around the crumbling buildings towards his location.
When it got closer, it's bottom half and eight legs made it an arachnid, but it's top half stunned him.
The creatures top half was a pale blue-grey skinned woman with pale long hair and pointed ears. Cloth armor seen specifically for her gave a fearie like essence to her, but the two spears on her back made Alexander step back from this enthusiasm.
"A human boy! Dearie, do you have any idea the mess you are stepping into. To think the barrier that my ancestors have placed, would be traversed by a mere human hatchling."
"I'm a teen boy, not just a boy. Uh, miss?"
"It speaks our language, but it matters not. If it has made it into the Grove, then we can escape."
The subtle anxiety on her face, highlighted by Lunaris, gave Alexander an itch. He had gotten use to that look to many times at the orphanage from runaways or those from abuse homes.
"What are you running from and why are you here? This is a restricted zone, controlled by Federal United Government and the Hunters Association."
'There was no mention of this in the information we took from the Hunters Association. Something unknown in the heart of a Hunters trial would most definitely be Omega level powerful for someone of my level or the most cowardly creatures in the world.' Alexander thought to himself.
"Lets talk about this, no?"
Alexanders grip on the sword did not relent but he lowered it to parley.
"There is no time for words. Take me to where you entered this space, and I shall dispose of your body respectfully. You will serve a greater purpose than you could ever wish for, flesh legs."
'Flesh legs sounds racially charged. Disposal of whom's body? Lunaris, did you find this things weak spot yet? This spider thing is giving major, Nope, vibes.'
'Scans show no obvious weakpoints you are able to affect. The density of its body is far greater than you can cut through. Escape measures advised, Master.'
"Be quick! Were did you enter this sacred space or I will gut your entrails." She stepped closer with a dense aura around herself.
"Quickly!" She screamed, dropping all pretenses of being civil. Its head stretched to allow its several eyes to open around its forehead and cheeks. Its jaw elongated to allow its large fangs to stretch out of its venomous mouth.
"It's just not my day."