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You decided to put it on the line, your life-and possibly even your immortal soul-for the sake of seeing how far you can drain this thing before it gives in.

Maintaining the tether, you can feel the Necrium slithering across it. A sickly spreading rot that starts to contaminate the link between yourself and the entity. You try not to fetch and give away your position, but despite your best efforts, you can feel the Negative Energy creeping up the connection between the two of you.

Despite this however, 5he tether holds strong and you can slowly but surely feel the entity growing weak. It giggles and moans in unintelligible tongues, flopping about the ground like a beached jellyfish. It still seems to be trying to pull itself along the ground even now, but with how much energy it's lost, it's basically a losing game.

You ignore the pain shooting through your body s the Necrium makes contact with your own energies at last, a burning oily sensation that is utterly unpleasant even from a slight touch. Now's your chance.

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>>5318274
You drop the tether, the connection between you and the Necrium entity falling and dissolving into nothing almost instantaneously. You have to repress a shuddering wheeze as you do. The mere experience of surface contact with Necrium already taking its toll on you.

But you can't say the entity you left on the ground is faring much better, given the drain you placed upon it. You watch as it feebly squirms along the ground, weak and hollowed out.

You're almost tempted to come out of from your hiding place when suddenly, with the 'pop' of displaced air, a fleshy window in space appears over the entity.

The window bulges, stretching like worn skin, before a very-and unfortunately-familiar face stretches out from it.

Its fur is more clumpy, appearing more like a shaggy carpet than it did before, the individual hairs writhing in the air like a bed of leeches. It's dark eyes glisten deep in sockets pushed too far back and a pronounced snout stretches forward from an all-too human looking skull.

It stretches down towards the downed entity, the sides of its muzzle stretching upwards as though in some cruel amusement towards the suffering of its prey. Then it opens its mouth, just a fraction to reveal the darkness within.

There is the whizzing of air and a sharp sucking sound. And the entity on the ground is gone. It swallows.

The sound of stretching skin starts once more, as the head starts to retreat back into the window but it pauses halfway in. It turns, towards your hiding place...

The Hound's eyes meet your own, just before you can duck back down. It smiles. Then it sinks back into the fleshy window and is gone. Another sharp pop of air and the window is gone.

Something splotchy and red stains the ground where the entity was, but you can't currently see what it is from your positioning.

>Approach the spot and see what was left there.
>No, just leave. You want nothing to do with this.
>Check your Energy-Tracking Device for any energetic remains.
>Write-in.

>>5318299

>Check your Energy-Tracking Device for any energetic remains.

>>5318299
>Check your Energy-Tracking Device for any energetic remains.

>>5318299
>Check your Energy-Tracking Device for any energetic remains.

>>5318448
>>5318500
>>5318952
You check your Energy-Tracking Device, and almost drop it from how hot it feels. It's as though the mere presence of the Hound sent an energy surge through the area, undetectable to anything save highly-tuned devices.

Nevertheless, you take your readings. Hoping to find even trace elements signalling the Hound's presence.

...Nothing beyond the rapidly fading fluctuations of a high-energy body greet you. It's as though the other entity was never here at all and no sign of the Hound itself remains.

>Approach the spot and see what was left there.
>No, just leave. You want nothing to do with this.
>Write-in.

>>5319523
>No, just leave. You want nothing to do with this.

>>5319523
>Approach the spot and see what was left there.

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>>5319580
>>5320092
Two votes for two different actions already? Well, we can always solve this. Roll a 1d2, 1 for just leaving and 2 for investigating the spot on the ground.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5322772

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>>5322872
You shake your head. Nope. You don't want anything to do with this. Whatever the Hound is up to, you're better off just leaving it alone.

Turning away and quickly making your way from the terrifying encounter, you consult your eenrgy-tracking device, the matrix of the device flickering between multiple points of interest, displaying several moderate energy readings from your location. At least one of which should be relatively close to your bunker, so you can return AND check out whatever is there should you choose to.

You could also just ignore it and go back home. You're certain that the Module is wondering where you are at this point.

What do you do?
>Check out the largest energy reading first, far to the South.
>Go to the West and scope out the mid-sized energy reading.
>Go and investigate the moderately sized energy surge near your bunker.
>Just head back towards your bunker.

>>5324818
>Go and investigate the moderately sized energy surge near your bunker.

>>5324818
>Go and investigate the moderately sized energy surge near your bunker.

>>5324818
>Go and investigate the moderately sized energy surge near your bunker.

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>>5324839
>>5324905
>>5325172
Alright, investigating the energy surge it is. Roll a 1d100 and let's see what you find.

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>5327022

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>5327022

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>>5327124
>>5327645
You make your way back towards your bunker, taking a longer route away from any errant energy signatures signifying the presence of entieis or phenomena. You DON'T want a repeat of what happened earlier if you can avoid it.

It takes you a bit, and as you get closer, you can hear the distinct murmuring of the Orphan somewhere away in the distance, but you don't focus on that. Instead, you focus on your device which beeps loudly as to signify the proximity of the large energy signature. Your path coming to an end - you quickly step off to the side towards an outstripping of destroyed buildings, where the energy surge is highest.

When you get close enough, you see that it is a gathering of silt grey figures. They jitter and stutter in place, like broken records or a scratchy disc, their features remaining indiscernable beyond dated clothing and their bodily proportions.

Energetic phantasms of a kind, or ghosts to put it more simply.

>>5328759
They gather around a moderately sized sphere of energy, not looking the least bit concerned when arms of energy leap from it and through their bodies, tearing some apart into mist. They simply reform seconds later.

They do not react to your presence at all, seemingly unconcerned about your intrusion into...whatever this is.

>Approach the ghosts.
>Approach the sphere of energy, see what you can learn about it.
>Try to communicate with them from a distance.
>Try and force them to disperse.
>Write-in.

>>5328759
>Try to communicate with them from a distance.

>>5328761
>Try and force them to disperse.
Time to start blasting.

>>5328761

>Write-in.
Try to aproach the sphere very carefully. Get a little closer, and try to use tether on the sphere. Watch out for the Ghosts though.

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>>5329848
>>5329893
>>5329916
Three different votes, eh? I'll leave it open for another few hours, but if nothing swings the vote one way or another, I'll call for a tiebreaker.

>>5328761
>Approach the ghosts.

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>>5329848
>>5329893
>>5329916
>>5332393
Going to merge approach and communicating. Roll a 1d100.

Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>5332998
More bad rolls?

Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>5332998

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>>5333009
>>5333011
You creep forward slowly, not wanting to disturb the ghosts initially, instead watching as they crowd around the sphere of energy and occasionally are forced to disperse and reform from the stray bolts of energy that tear through them.

After a moment of watching this go on with no change in the entities demeanor, you decide to press your luck.

You call out to them.

To your surprise, not a single one of the many specters turns in your direction. They continue to gravitate towards and crowd around the sphere.

You call again. Still no response.

Feeling irritated, you get up slightly closer, still crouching down a bit to stay low. You stare at the sphere and after a brief moment of deliberating whether or not this is smart (and it isn't), you establish a tether to it.

You watch as the sphere of energy convulses slightly. Then you feel...relief. Like your aches and tiny pains are fading, a weight on your shoulders lifting that you didn't even know was there.

>Get up closer to the Ghosts.
>Try and force them to disperse.
>Move closer to the sphere and keep your tether on it.
>Drop the tether and head back to your bunker for now, you can come back here later.
>Write-In.

>>5334782
>Get up closer to the Ghosts.

>>5334782
>Drop the tether
>Move closer to the sphere

>>5334888

+1

>>5334782
>Move closer to the sphere and keep your tether on it.

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>>5334873
>>5334888
>>5335300
>>5335424
Dropping the tether and moving closer to the sphere it is. Roll a 2d100, one for dropping the tether successfully and the other for moving on closer.

Rolled 33, 31 = 64 (2d100)

>>5336189
rolland

Rolled 85, 37 = 122 (2d100)

>>5336189

Rolled 84, 100 = 184 (2d100)

>>5336189

>>5336203
>>5336229
>>5336632
You drop your tether, feeling the connection and the feeling of pleasant relief it brought with if swiftly fading. It's almost...saddening.

You shake your head to clear the cobwebs from it. No time to think on that-instead, you start creeping up closer to the sphere. You note that the majority of the ghosts don't react to you, instead simply crowding around the sphere.

Emphasis on "most", as you catch a few furtive glances from the smaller figures, who quickly turn away as you try to meet their gaze or are reduced to swirling vapor by stray bolts of energy and swiftly reform with their faces set on the sphere, as though they'd never moved at all.

As you approach the sphere, you feel a rising sensation of tingling across your skin, as the sphere itself almost seems to 'stir' in response to your presence. Crackling arcs of energy swirl all around you, almost comfortingly reaching down at you as you stare at its shifting surface.

>Touch the sphere.
>Try to get a feel for whatever this is by getting a feel for its energy.
>Try to communicate with the ghosts again before anything else.
>Try to communicate with the sphere itself, it seems almost...alive.
>Write-in.

>>5338493
>Try to get a feel for whatever this is by getting a feel for its energy.
Cautiously, and if that fails
>Try to communicate with the ghosts again before anything else.

>>5338493
>Try to communicate with the sphere itself, it seems almost...alive.

>>5338493
>Try to communicate with the ghosts again before anything else.

>>5338493
>Try to communicate with the sphere itself, it seems almost...alive.

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>>5338498
>>5338556
>>5339624
>>5339697
You reach out, feeling it pulse and hum beneath your fingers. Light arcs and crackles about all around you.

You feel everything fall away, as the world tumbles and falls into a sea of boundless blue and white light. The sphere pulses rhythmically amidst the waves. Then it stops.

Attention turns to you.

A voice comes forth. From the sphere. From the sea. From yourself. It speaks in a billion languages, none to be found on Earth, yet you understand it just the same.

WHO ARE YOU?

>Give it your name.
>Give it your purpose.
>Give it your nature.
>Give it your history.

You are communicating with the Fluxium Entity. It is intrigued.

>>5340566
>Give it your history.
Actions speak louder than words..?

>>5340576
Flashes of color flow forth from your body. You waking up in your bunker well after the Invasion, hunting and scavenging for scraps and food in the middle of the Dead City, running from entities, hiding in empty rooms, being hurt and wounded, meeting the little recon module, finding the Hound, running from the Orphan...

The images flow unprompted and without end and by the time it is finished, the sphere glows a brighter hue. There is a little hum as it and the sea churn together.

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

>Give it your name.
>Give it your purpose
>Give it your nature.
>Write-in.

You are communicating with the Fluxium Entity. It is curious.

>>5341292
>Give it your nature.

>>5341292
>Give it your nature.

>>5341292

>Give it your nature.

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>>5341889
>>5341920
>>5342720
You deliberate on what it might be asking for now, but only for a few seconds. You reach out once more, feeling your fingers press up against the sphere once more. And again, experiences flow out, but not of your history. Of your nature.

Images of you first manifesting your Wave so long ago now, your usage of it to dissuade numerous hostile entities before you eventually determined that running away was the better part of valor, using it in that dark cavern of rotting flesh and equally vile creatures lit only by a green light, all the times when you trained your powers and refined them, manifesting your Bubble, tethering the energies of others to your own...

You retract your hand from the sphere, feeling somewhat exhausted. It turns and turns for a bit, before wildly and brilliantly expanding to take up almost the entirety of your field of vision.

YOU HAVE POWER

I HAVE POWER

ARE WE THE SAME?

>Give it your name.
>Give it your purpose.
>Write-in.

You are communicating with the Fluxium Entity. It is questioning.

>>5343567
Ask about the Hound, a monster that is hunting you.
Should we continue talking with this or leave?

>>5343567
>Give it your purpose.

>>5343567
>Give it your purpose.

>>5343612
>>5345476
>>5345527
You give it your purpose. Your scavenging of the Dead City to survive, you using the power given to you in order to fight off the Negative Energy phenomena plaguing this world. You convey to it that you are a protector, even if there's little left to protect. It twists and turns, contemplating this.

PROTECT?

IF I WERE LIKE YOU, COULD I PROTECT?

You ask it about the Hound, a monster that is hunting you. It seems confused.

HOUND?

DO YOU NEED PROTECTION?

>Give it your name.
>Ask it for its aid.
>Write-in.

>>5347479
Leave this monster alone.

>>5347479

>Ask it for its aid.

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>>5347567
>>5347798
Alright, roll a 1d100 for asking it for help. Probably not going to be a very high DC, but probably best not to roll too low.

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>5351332

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>5351332
Coming in for the kill, doing for a thrill.

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>>5351350
>>5351410
You pause for a few minutes- wondering what to say. This has been hard enough on your own for so long, but the little module did help you out to the best of its ability. And clearly, whatever Fluxium truly is, it's a lot better than any of the alternatives out there.

So you ask it if it will help you.

....

It pauses, as though unsure. The sea of blue around it also pauses. A held breath on a cosmic scale.

I DO NOT KNOW

Then with a snapping sound like a broken cord, the world comes back into focus. The Dead City returns in all its rotten and ruined splendor, carpets of meat stringing along from broken buildings.

The sphere of blue energy pulsars once then twice, then it is gone. Only the lingering sensation of its last answer filling the space it once occupied.

With nothing to occupy their time or focus anymore, the ghosts that surrounded you and the sphere slowly begin to break off and disperse, one by one.

>Just head home, there's been enough excitement for one day.
>Try to communicate with one of the ghosts before they disappear.
>Look around the area for any further sign of anomalies.
>Check your Energy-Tracking Device.
>Write-in.

>>5354008

>Try to communicate with one of the ghosts before they disappear.

>>5354008
>Try to communicate with one of the ghosts before they disappear.

New thread has been made. Feel free to migrate over:
>>5355429
>>5355429
>>5355429
>>5355429