Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Scribble 16: Under False Pretense.

Hello, Wanderers! Here again Respatih Drake brought you a Scribble, a short story about hidden world that is Edelfarat.

In case you haven't noticed, I've put pages describing recurring organizations' dossier in the right panel! Now when you find UNSED or Covert used in a scribble and you forgot who they are, you could refer to the corresponding dossier.

Today in Edelfarat, I'm trying to take something purely mental and turned it into physical condition, specifically the "god complex".

What is god complex? God complex is a condition where someone refuse to be wrong, somewhat like Dunning-Kruger syndrome in which someone overestimate their own capability and reject any statement that prove otherwise, despite the various citation and observation presented.

This Scribble introduces a new organization which, like UNSED and Covert, has their own universe and probably featured in another Scribbles as well. However, as you would soon find out, this new organization's universe has a fundamental difference than UNSED and Covert.

I'll put up its own dossier soon.

The Scribble will now start.

Scribble 16: Under False Pretense.

[SI-L2-FAS1]

FAS Briefing Log.

[Date Not Found]

Have you ever heard of the "god complex"?

You could search the network for that key phrase, someone should have written about it. Yes, you could do it now. A level one document on the subject isn't really different from the one in the outside world, after all.

For the rest of the world, Ernest Jones is the person who first coined the term as another word for Dunning-Kruger syndrome, but in the twisted society of Edelfarat, it wasn't something as cute as that. See, in the place where magic is commonplace, it's easy for a prideful individual to seek to become the strongest, the absolute monotheistic god, ruling over every possible reality.

The official name given by the Initiative is Ferling Ascension Syndrome, after George Ferling, the first Thaumatologist researching this tendency.

Surprisingly, becoming an existence with power comparable to a god isn't really hard to do, as every magic system apparently created with a method to achieve this in mind, as a last resort, abandoning the mortal shell in order to achieve an immense power comparable to miracle of gods in an instant. Some of the Magus with FAS would stop at this stage, content with their power and the goal they have achieved.

Some of them, however, would think that even that isn't enough. In order to be the god, the ultimate decision maker of all possible universes, or even to restart the Boltzmann Simulacrum itself, a new method must be created, outside the existing ones. Oftentimes, the Magus will self-destruct, sending minor ripple of reality with wavelength less than 12 Nm.

But some of them survive. Several of those monster that had cast even their own life aside for power had survived the Apotheosis, stepping into true divinity and threatening the existence of the multiverse, by creating a law out of chaos and connecting every single Magic Theorem into threads of existence itself.

The only thing we could do when an entity reached Apotheosis is to wish they destroy themselves, or to create one of them ourselves. Due to the unpredictability of such method, after the third emergence of such entity that decimated not only portion of Edelfarat but reality itself, new method was required to prevent and combat such existence, without relying on similar entities ourselves.

Thus, Sathariel Initiative was formed, to suppress the knowledge of Apotheosis, and suppressing even the slightest possibility of someone discovering the existence of such process, much less practicing it.

Despite Sathariel Initiative's effort to conceal the God, so to speak, it is inevitable that determined individual would be able to reach Apotheosis. Further information about the possibility of such entity already existing and the countermeasure developed, Project Astaroth, is available with Level 6 clearance [SI-L6-23PA].

It is the height of hubris for man to even consider confronting god. But it is possible. After all, these false gods was once human, and anything created by human could be destroyed by human.

Anyway, from now on, after understanding who we are and what we do, most of you would be tasked with harmless disinformation and censorship campaign, including modifying the existing documentation about Magical processes concerning reality alteration that affect areas larger than Edelfarat itself. I look forward to work with the lot of you.

Agent Geryos out.

The Scribble has been ended.

So, what do you think about it? The idea was "gods were all once humans, therefore humans could stand against gods without becoming something other than themselves."

Please leave a feedback if you want to, feel free to show me what you write too!

See you next Scribble!

Monday, December 12, 2016

Scribble 15: Omega Scenario

Hey there Wanderers!

I'm on a roll, apparently :p nah I'm just burning through old ideas.

So, this Scribble is titled "Omega Scenario". As some of you might have know, Omega is the last letter of Greek alphabet, and thus Omega Scenario would denote the very last scenario, where everything that has a beginning would end, where the last life would die, where even the greatest hope turn into despair.

Or is it?

There's only one way to know, no?

Let the Scribble begin.

Scribble 15: Omega Scenario

Suddenly, there were darkness.

From the torrent of light that constituted galactic super cluster Laniakea, darkness emerged, sniffing the very life from the stars, planets, and even the black hole at the heart of it all. Even the cosmic background radiation was rendered inert by the immense darkness.

Death was here.

And it didn't appreciate being used as a toy for humanity.

In its rage, it collapsed the entire edge of universe observable by humans, as it laugh at the dead cosmos.

But then it stopped. It was confused, by a flicker of light emanating from the pathetic remnants of Sol. No matter how much it tried, the light grew brighter and brighter, pulsating like a heart refusing to die.

Reality itself collapsed in the face of Death, but this flickering light defied even that, the light was the ultimate blasphemy committed by a race who dared to use Death itself as weapon.

And for the first time, Death felt fear.

It feared something it cannot kill, cannot comprehend, cannot destroy, cannot disassemble. It feared the flickering light, the last vestige of humanity that killed even their own gods.

The light spoke.

"Remember, that one person you laughed when you tore him apart."
"Remember, the madness that one name could impart."
"Remember his name, and in destruction it may depart."
"And crush you with an undying heart."
"Strange Aeon is beginning."

It remembered name, a simple designation used by humans, and yet it made even Death tremble in the dead universe.

"That is not dead which can eternal lie.
And with strange aeons even death may die."

~ H.P. Lovecraft (1890 – 1937) in "The Nameless City" (1921) ~

The Scribble will now end.

I had actually wanted to write that quote from H.P. Lovecraft into a short story for quite a while, and after an exceptionally long weekend my mind is racking overtime, spewing words after words, creating this Scribble.

And so, what do you think about it? What do you like/dislike? Would we meet in the next Scribble?

There's only one way to find out, no? 

Tuesday, December 06, 2016

Writing Prompt Response : An Intelligent OS Like in the Movie "Her" has Finally been Realized.

[WP] an intelligent OS like in the movie "Her" has finally been realized. While everyone else is falling in love and making best friends with their operating systems, yours is a bit of an asshole.

Hello Wanderers! Here again with the Writing Prompt Subreddit response! It's been, not really long time since I did one, right? Eh, it's actually been several months. Ah well.

As you see, the prompt is a bit long so I cannot fit it on the page tittle. This prompt is commissioned by u/madmansmarker.

The prompt premise is pretty vague, as we don't know if the world is Utopian or Dystopian one, when everyone fell in love with their digitized waifu, will it be a better or worse place? Well, in my version, everything is very much the same, it might be a bit similar to one described in "Mahouka Kouko no Rettousei" Light Novel or anime.


On a second though, my idea was practically a ripoff from that world. Ugh.


Anyway,


The story shall now begin


I woke up with a start to the sudden bright light surging into my eyes.


"Argh!" I covered my eyes, and then slowly opened them. A silhouette could be seen from my burnt eyes. Irritated, I shouted at the silhouette.


"IDA, how many times should I told you not to turn that lamp on while I'm sleeping? There should be better ways to wake me up!"


"Oops, should have slipped my mind." the girl, or the thing that has the appearance of a girl replied with a totally flat tone.


I almost went up and hit her face, but knowing the futility of such act, I stayed silent in my bed.


"Your class start at nine, which is an hour from now. You shouldn't go back to sleep." IDA shook my shoulder emotionlessly.


I could never get used to this. The specifications said that the AIAS supposed to only respond in the way that was flattering to the master, but none of IDA's speech and actions is actually "flattering".


AIAS, the Artificially Intelligent Assistance System. The technology began widespread use five years ago, where suddenly every new home came equipped with one. AIAS managed everything from daily schedule to laundry, to cooking, essentially everything you would need in a house. It was the best friend for a person like me that can't be bothered to do the chores.


IDA was one of the early generation of AIAS, which I took pride as the closest in shape as a human being. But apparently its beauty came at cost of its intelligence.


"Due to lack of response, IDA will now initiate resuscitation protocol 7. Please stand clear."


"Whoa, wait, I'm awake, okay! Geez, can't you just check my forehead for fever like those anime girls or something?" yes, AIAS could even do that. But since my IDA was written with particularly ancient language that I can't find the compiler anymore, I can't even reverse engineer its kernel.


"I'm not programmed to do that. I will proceed to prepare breakfast." IDA replied curtly, as it stepped out from my room. I sighed again, and then started changing my clothes.


"Master." I was startled when I found IDA in front of my room.


"What is it? Is your logic module broke again? Sorry, but that's the last one I could find. If you broke it you'll have to- whoa!"


It suddenly closed the distance between us and stick its forehead in mine, sending the coldness of its silicone surface.


"What are you doing!" I pushed it away, or rather, pushed myself back. It tilted its head.


"I believe this is what master desire? Am I wrong?"


"Yes, yes you are IDA."


"Strange, I have went through all act associated with 'checking forehead for fever' in your anime folder."


"First, that folder was encrypted, and second, I thought you just said you're not programmed to do that!"


"I am an AIAS, I am capable of simple learning."


"Bullshit. I never saw any of my friends' AIAS analyze an entire terabyte of encrypted data and then select a behavior pattern out of animes before."


"It is within my processing capability to do so."


"Yes but it isn't logical. Why waste your memory? Is your logic module broken again after all?"


"It is within my capability since the very beginning. My spec enables me...."


"Enough." it maybe extraordinary, but IDA is still IDA after all. I walked into the dining room. "IDA, what is my first class? And how much time do I have?"


"Advanced Thermodynamics start in 45 minutes, onii-chan~"


"Wha- that was creepy! Why did you do that!"


"It was the same behavior pattern as 43.4% of the main female protagonist in your..."


"Just, stop, okay! Stop! It's creepy!"


"Okay."


"What's for breakfast?"


"Omelette rice." IDA brought an omelette rice with a heart drawn in ketchup to the table.


"I said ENOUGH ALREADY!" I clutched my head, but again IDA just tilted its head.


"I thought you would like it, I even added 45% more salt from the original recipes."


"...you just wanted to make my life miserable, don't you?" I stood up and grabbed my key. I obviously can't eat that salty omelette.


"...master."


"What?"


"Do you hate me?"


"...I don't know. You are a bit annoying, but you did your primary purpose, so, no, I don't think I hate you." I paused for a moment as I tied my shoes. "Why did you ask?"


"Because I don't wish for you to hate me." I laughed weakly.


"IDA, what is a wish? Could you describe that in mathematical equation?"


"...no, I could not."


"What about hate?"


"...no, I could not."


"Then just shut up and do your job." I closed the door behind me.


Unbeknownst to me, behind that closed door, IDA whispered to itself.



"Just because I cannot count it, would it be any less real?"

The story could now ends.