Chapter 7 – Scouring the System

Chapter 7 – Scouring the System

Clearing the window from in front of her eyes, Emily looks over to the clock on her desk. The clock sits at 7:48 pm, matching the pocket watch in her hand.

Yep, that said 7:50 when I hit rewind. This is insane. I’m insane.

Staring intently at the Clockwork of Time, she debates testing its function again to confirm her sanity but decides to take a breather and have a look at the mysterious new system instead.

Status

She calls out in her mind and sees the floating popup appear again.

̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

[Name:] Emily Coldstone

[Race:] Human

[Magic Circle:] First Circle

[Machina Cortex:] First Stage

[Attributes:] Strength 7, Dexterity 15, Agility 12, Vitality 8, Intelligence 22

[Health:] 115/115

[Stamina:] 175/175

[Mana:] 330/330

[Machina:] 330/330

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

{Please focus here to expand}

_____

The window has changed slightly since she first viewed it, the long list at the bottom now shrunk down until she focuses on it. She tries reaching out to touch the system, only for her hand to pass straight through, staying faintly visible on the other side.

Definitely not physical, I wonder if anyone else can see it? Is it being projected in front of me or in my mind? Only one way to find out!

She stands up and moves to her bedroom, leaving the watch on the desk behind her as she leaves. Reaching her bedroom, she shuts the door and stands in front of the mirror. Calling out for the system again, which shut the second she lost focus on it, she looks at her reflection and sees only empty air where the blue window should be.

Okay, it’s in my mind. I wonder if that’s what the pain in the back of my head was.

Emily lays down in bed and stares at the floating window above her.

Right, let’s go through this from the top. I just need to focus on something for further explanation, right?

She tries focusing on her name only for nothing in the window to change.

I guess there isn’t much else for it to say about that. How about my race?

This time the window does shift.

̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

[Race:] Human

[Traits:] Carbon-based lifeform, high adaptability, weak fleshy bodies

The most common sentient species spread across the cosmos.

_____

Spread across the cosmos... I don’t think anything else can surprise me after today. First, I time travel, then I find out there are other intelligent species in space, and now I think about it, I guess magic is real... like one of the stories Dad used to tell us when we were kids.

Laughing to herself, Emily focuses on her attributes next.

̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

[Attributes]

The numerical values to represent the user's body.

All attributes increase with each increase in [Magic Circle] and [Machina Cortex]

Some attributes can be increased with meditation, training or elixirs.

_____

Thank Goddess there are no surprises here. I wonder which attributes are related to my role as a technomancer. What is a technomancer? Also, what’s a magic circle and a machina cortex?

With her curiosity sparked, Emily reads through the rest of the visible options for full explanations.

̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

[Magic Circle]

The mage’s power organ.

A circle of pure mana condensed around the heart that displays a mage’s level of enlightenment.

Generates [Mana] and allows mages a connection to the world around them.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[Machina Cortex]

The mechanic’s power organ.

A mechanic’s brain, optimised and compartmentalised by machina, that displays a mechanic’s stage of development.

Generates [Machina] and allows a mechanic a connection to machines around them.

“I see, in that case, it must be someone else in the shop. We don’t need him anymore, Carlos!” The tall man, Diego, says while stepping aside to allow the muscular man behind him to approach Herber.

“No one in this shop has your crystals. I think I’d know if my daughters were using magic!” Herber says with anger, struggling to his feet.

Carlos says nothing, simply approaching Herber, producing a knife from within his robes and jamming it into Herber’s throat in a smooth motion as he rises.

“AAHH,“ Emily lets out a scream in shock before quickly covering her mouth, Herber’s fallen form overlapping with the long-suppressed image of her parents bleeding out in front of her.

Not again.

Her heart drops, her breath catching in her throat as panic threatens to overwhelm her.

“Tsk,” Diego clicks his tongue. ”Miguel, Jose, capture her for questioning.”

No, the watch can turn back time, it’s fine, Dad will be fine. I can do something this time!

Taking one last glance at Herber falling to the ground, clutching his throat as blood pours out, cold resolve settles in Emily’s gut, dragging her back from the brink of despair as she turns and runs into the hallway with tears streaming down her face. Two pairs of footsteps chase after her, but she doesn’t look back to see her pursuers, focused only on reaching her workshop.

She bursts through the workshop door and scrambles to her desk, but instead of seeing the Clockwork of Time where she left it, she sees nothing but her notes and a few scattered tools.

Damn it, I left it right here, where did it go?

Feeling her panic build, Emily pulls the chair away from the desk and looks at the floor, finding nothing there she glances around the room and sees Miguel and Jose walk in.

Taking a deep breath, Emily calms her nerves and calls up the system interface, navigating down to the Clockwork of Time again.

̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

[Clockwork of Time]

[Rank:] Exclusive (bound)

[Description:] The first marvel of technology and magic created by the Technomancer Emily Coldstone and blessed by the universe upon inception.

[Effect:] Upon activation, rewind time by up to twenty-four hours

_____

Reading through the description, she focuses on (bound).

̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄

Bound items can’t be removed from the user.

Upon separation, the item will automatically return to the user.

_____

If it returned to me when I left the room, then it has to be in one of my pockets!

The two Mandrago mages are two steps into the room, eight steps away from Emily.

Emily pats her trouser pockets and finds nothing.

Six steps away.

She reaches for her breast pocket and finds a familiar shape beneath the cloth.

Five steps away.

Pulling out The Clock she presses the button on top while glancing down at the time.

Tick!

Four steps away.

It’s 8:15 pm, only thirty minutes have passed since she first turned back time.

Tick!

Three steps away.

Emily looks back up at the two men approaching, now moving in slow motion.

Tick!

Two steps away.

She grins at them as the last of her panic washes away, replaced by a calm confidence as she finds comfort in the familiar pressure wrapping her body.

Tick!

One step away, and Jose reaches a hand towards Emily.

Tick!

The hand never reaches her.

Time stops when Jose’s hand is a few centimetres away from Emily’s arm, then begins to wind backwards.

Tick! Tick! Tick!

Emily watches the men moving in reverse with fascination.

Tick!

Then space splits around her, and her perception is once again twisted to pieces.

Tick! Tick! Tick! Tick!

A wave of force once again bursts from Emily along with a crack of thunder, as the clocks hit 7:45 pm.

I have thirty minutes to make sure Dad doesn’t die.

Hurried footsteps charge towards her workshop as Emily stands up and walks towards the door. The second Herber pushes it open, she dives into his arms and starts crying.