Without even realizing it, I  found myself seated in a chair with a book open in front of me, a pen held loosely in my hand. My eyes moved across the page as I transcribed the letters onto a fresh sheet of paper.

[-Interesting creatures found by Sonos Tavidara…- ]

Afterwards, I compared the letters I had written on the book above. They were mostly similar, but I couldn’t help but wonder if that entity would accept it. I turned my head to look at the floating crystal.

Floating at the center podium was a blue glowing sphere adorned with numerous mechanical rings, each rotated erratically without a pattern. That thing… It called itself the Core if I remember correctly.

I stood, holding both the book I had scribed and the reference book. Suddenly, a wave of unease, mixed with a strange sense of familiarity, washed over me? What was this feeling? A sense of longing, perhaps? What does that mean?

Wasn’t it brighter last time? Why is it so dark all around now? I tried to remember. It felt like it had been this dark all the time; I had been doing this for many months, maybe even years. When did it begin? I can’t recall. I glanced around my surroundings.

Surrounding the floating Core were numerous chairs and tables spiraling down to the podium. Many spots of the tables were occupied by inorganic forms, resembling some kind of humanoid shapes seated on chairs with eyes closed, their bodies covered in dust.

I remembered that they had pens in their hands, with books underneath, carrying out the same actions as I previously did. However, this time, they didn’t move; they remained in that position for hours on end. I was the one who had to retrieve books from them if others didn’t do it.

Above the encircled sitting area, there were numerous bookshelves filled with books, veiled in dim darkness. I couldn’t help but wonder, what is this feeling? I remember a time when it was vibrant and lively. But now, it’s filled with dust and age.

I can’t recall how I arrived at this place; I was simply writing.

“Candidate?” came a familiar voice, with familiar words and a familiar tone.

I glanced back at the Core and noticed it faintly glowing. The sound had definitely emanated from it, but what did it mean by calling me a ‘candidate’? It prompted me to tilt my head unconsciously to the side. I couldn’t explain why I did that, but it triggered a sense of familiarity with me.

“Candidate?” The Core repeated, “Is there something wrong?”

“Ca-? Candi? Candidade?” I copied its voice for the first time, “Candidate?”

I wonder what the Core meant by calling me as a candidate. The word was familiar, having encountered it numerous times while rewriting books. What did it mean? Was I the Candidate, or was it something else? I don’t understand.

Suddenly, a flash of green light gleamed through the crystal-like body of the Core , almost as if it was responding to my words. 

Did I make a mistake? It felt unusual, something different. Unlike the inorganic forms sleeping around me, I lacked a body, yet there was a natural ease in creating sounds with an ‘intent’. However, this was my first attempt. Is being different the issue then? When using ‘intent’ to write, it didn’t have any issues.

“The external entity candidate, a nameless Ghost, has achieved self-awareness. We are requesting promotion of nameless Ghost to Assistant Directive Nameless Ghost within the Internal Arc Core.”

This is the first time I have heard something like that from the Core. No, it was the first time it behaved like that. I wonder why. Is it because of me? Did I do something wrong? Is it because I did something different? 

Within the Crystal-like body of the Core, a red glow appeared for the first time, followed by another voice, one different from before. “Request for promotion denied. Cause: Rule 345, Book of Laws of External and Foreigners, Section B-19, Clause 3.”

“Requesting a promotion for Candidate nameless Ghost to the position of Assistant Directive nameless Ghost, in accordance with Rule 12 in Book of Death, Emergency, and Survival.” Once more, the green glow shimmered within the Core.

Is it conversing with itself? This is the first instance where I had seen the red and green color glow. It was always a blue glow whenever I submitted my books to it. Intrigued, I strolled towards the pathway that descended to the podium.

“Request granted,” a red, glaring glow appeared. “The candidate nameless Ghost has been temporarily appointed as the Head of Chrono Writing Department. However,  the Assistant directive position cannot be granted at this time, as several Administrative Core Components are currently offline due to a lack of Aerix Energy in the Singularity Energy Storage Module.”

Suddenly, a soft glow surrounded me, attracting my attention to my own limbs. My transparent form emitted a bright yellow light. As I stared at my hands and fingers, a sense of familiarity washed over me. Where had I seen this before? Glancing around at the numerous chairs and tables, I tried to recall.

Right, those things. 

“Head of Chrono Writer Department, nameless Ghost, please proceed to the Celerity Commons,” A voice echoed from the Core.

I turned to look and saw the familiar blue glow emanating from the crystal body of the Core. It said ‘proceed’ didn’t it? What did ‘proceed’ mean again? Wasn’t it about retrieving books and starting to write again? Like moving towards Bookshelf 1999 in the reverse section B? But this time, it felt different.

I haven’t even given my written books yet.

“Head of Chrono Writer Department, nameless Ghost.” 

Ghost… How familiar… Isn’t that what they used to call me?

“Proceed here.” The Core repeated.

Here?

As I pondered the meaning of the instruction, I noticed the floor of the podium beginning to glow. Ah, that seemed familiar. I recalled that I used to follow the bright lights, it always showed me the way where to go. Eventually, the path became so familiar.

“Pro… Ceed.. Here…” I unconsciously copied the voice again, and before I knew it, started floating towards the glowing stage.

“Before entering the Celerity Commons, please drop off the book ‘Fascinating Creatures Found in Setierson Abidlars’ and your scribed material.”  

Another familiar phrase, dropping books is like dropping pens? I raised my hands to inspect the books I was holding. But they weren’t resting in my hands; instead, they were floating. I recalled seeing those inorganic objects with limbs that enabled them to hold things.

 I couldn’t replicate what they did, but I had my own way of interacting with things. I let go of the books, yet they remained suspended in mid-air. Releasing my ‘intent’ on controlling them, they fell on the ground with a loud thud that echoed in the lifeless place.

After doing such, the Core repeated, “Please proceed to the Celerity Commons.”

Following its words, I unconsciously floated towards the raised podium and gently landed on the glowing area engraved with numerous familiar letters. As I continued to hover around, I gazed up at the massive Core, its numerous mechanical rings rotated erratically.

“Do not resist, you are being blessed.” The Core said. 

Suddenly, the glowing letters itched on the floor started to float around, along with those embedded in the mechanical rings of the Core. Before I knew it, I was blinded by the piercing light emanating from the Core.