#Obsolete Components

[greentreeelectronics]

Why You Might Need an Obsolete Electronic Parts Finder: Unlocking Solutions for Your Tech Challenges

In today's fast-paced world of rapidly advancing technology, electronic devices and systems are continuously evolving. However, amidst the constant progress, there remains a significant challenge for businesses and individuals alike — the availability of obsolete electronic components. These components, no longer in production, can pose a serious roadblock when repairing or maintaining older systems. That's where an obsolete electronic parts finder comes to the rescue. In this blog post, we will explore why you might need an obsolete electronic parts finder and how it can help you navigate the complex landscape of sourcing and procuring these crucial components.

 Why are obsolete electronic components hard to find?

 Electronic components become obsolete for various reasons. Technological advancements, changing industry standards, and discontinued manufacturing are some of the common factors that render components obsolete. As a result, finding these components can be a daunting task. Local electronic stores often lack the inventory or knowledge to source rare or discontinued parts, leaving you with limited options. This is where specialized distributors step in, providing a vital lifeline for businesses and individuals in need of obsolete electronic components.

Enter the obsolete components distributor:

Obsolete components distributors specialize in sourcing and supplying hard-to-find, discontinued electronic components. They understand the importance of keeping legacy systems functional and offer an extensive catalog of obsolete parts to cater to diverse needs. Here's why you might need an obsolete electronic parts finder:

Legacy system maintenance and repair:

Obsolete components often power critical infrastructure or machinery that remains operational despite being outdated. Rather than investing in expensive upgrades or complete system replacements, an obsolete components distributor can help you locate the required parts to keep your legacy systems running smoothly. This ensures operational continuity, reduces downtime, and saves costs.

Historical restoration and preservation:

Obsolete electronic components play a crucial role in historical restoration and preservation efforts. Museums, collectors, and enthusiasts dedicated to reviving vintage electronics or preserving historical artifacts require authentic parts to maintain the integrity and functionality of these items. An obsolete electronic parts finder can connect them with reputable suppliers, making it possible to bring these nostalgic treasures back to life.

Cost-effective alternatives:

Sourcing obsolete components through an obsolete electronic components distributor often proves more cost-effective than seeking alternatives. Designing and manufacturing new components or customizing existing ones to fit outdated systems can be prohibitively expensive. By working with a specialized distributor, you can find cost-effective solutions that meet your requirements without compromising quality.

Reliable supply chain:

Obsolete components suppliers have an extensive network and established relationships with manufacturers, surplus vendors, and other industry players. Leveraging their expertise and contacts, they can track down hard-to-find components, even if they are not readily available on the market. This ensures a reliable supply chain, eliminating the uncertainties and delays associated with traditional sourcing methods.

Conclusion:

In an era of rapidly evolving technology, the need for obsolete electronic components is inevitable. Whether you're maintaining legacy systems, restoring historical artifacts, or simply seeking cost-effective alternatives, an obsolete electronic parts finder can be your best ally. Their expertise, industry connections, and comprehensive inventories enable them to track down and deliver the components you need, unlocking solutions to your technical challenges. So, embrace the assistance of an obsolete components distributor, and keep your systems running smoothly in the face of obsolescence.

[fjordfolk]

the next sheltie/collie breeder i see make grand claims about their dogs' eye health despite only having done DNA and not actual ophtho, I'm going to hit with a shovel

[resionllc]

World’s Leading Obsolete Component Supplier & Distributor

Resion is one of the world’s dominant players in the niche of obsolete component suppliers & distributors. Our core competencies focus on inventory management, reverse engineering, and end-of-life solutions for defense, automotive, and industrial domains. Let us assist you in achieving the objectives of your supply chain management just like you envision. For more information, connect with us!

[supplyelectronics]

Get Best B2B Solutions for Obsolete Electronic Components

Find a reliable source for obsolete electronic components, supporting your business with access to a wide range of hard-to-find parts and expert assistance in navigating component obsolescence challenges. To know more visit our website today.

[youling-the-ghost]

Technically, it's both!

Botanically, the fruit is the ripened ovary of a plant that contains seeds. Technically the word "cucumber" also encompasses the vines on which the fruits grow, but it's used almost exclusively to refer to the fruit colliqually. If you want to get really specific with the pedantics, you can call the cucumber by its scientific name (cucumis sativus), but only nerds do that (/lh).

Meanwhile, a vegetable is defined as "a plant or part of a plant used as food, such as a cabbage, potato, carrot, or bean". So technically, all fruits are vegetables! The term "vegetable" actually has no set botanical definition, and it's mostly been used as a buzzword make something sound healthier (similar to the term "superfood" in a way). Here's an interesting video on the topic.

(this is totally not just a reason for me to promote Food Theory)

Weird conclusion, I know, but technically none of the boys are wrong! Unless they were arguing against it being a fruit and/or vegetable, in that case they were all horribly wrong.

watching a livestream and the guys just spent a whole two minutes arguing over wether a cucumber is a fruit or a vegetable I love these idiots

[reasonsforhope]

"As the world grows “smarter” through the adoption of smartphones, smart fridges, and entire smart houses, the carbon cost of that technology grows, too. 

In the last decade, electronic waste has become one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. 

According to The World Counts, the globe generates about 50 million tons of e-waste every year. That’s the equivalent of 1,000 laptops being trashed every second. 

After they’re shipped off to landfills and incinerated, the trash releases toxic chemicals including lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, and so much more, which can cause disastrous health effects on the populations that live near those trash sites. 

Fortunately, Franziska Kerber — a university student at ​​FH Joanneum in Graz, Austria — has dreamed up a solution that helps carve away at that behemoth problem: electronics made out of recyclable, dissolvable paper. 

On September 11, Kerber’s invention “Pape” — or Paper Electronics — earned global recognition when it was named a national winner of the 2024 James Dyson Awards. 

When she entered the scientific competition, Kerber demonstrated her invention with the creation of several small electronics made out of paper materials, including a fully-functional WiFi router and smoke detector. 

“Small electronic devices are especially prone to ending up in household waste due to unclear disposal systems and their small size, so there is significant potential to develop a more user-friendly end-of-life system,” Kerber wrote on the James Dyson Award website. 

“With this in mind, I aimed to move beyond a simple recycling solution to a circular one, ensuring long-term sustainability.” 

Kerber’s invention hinges on crafting a dissolvable and recyclable PCB board out of compressed “paper pulp.” 

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a board that can be found in nearly all modern electronic devices, like phones, tablets, and smartwatches.

But even companies that have started incorporating a “dissolution” step into the end life of their products require deconstruction to break down and recover the PCB board before it can be recycled. 

With Kerber’s PAPE products, users don’t need to take the device apart to recycle it.

“By implementing a user-friendly return option, manufacturers can efficiently dissolve all returned items, potentially reusing electronic components,” Kerber explained. 

“Rapidly advancing technology, which forms the core of many devices, becomes obsolete much faster than the structural elements, which are often made from plastics that can last thousands of years,” Kerber poses. 

PAPE, Kerber says, has a “designed end-of-life system” which anticipates obsolescence. 

“Does anyone want to use a thousand-year-old computer?” Kerber asks. “Of course not. … This ensures a sustainable and reliable system without hindering technological advancement.”"

-via GoodGoodGood, September 13, 2024

[sonic-syndrome]

LOG DATA – ENTRY 002

Admin "Chaos Sonic" demonstrates unexpected repair efficiency. Initial assessment: utilization of obsolete materials would be suboptimal. Post-repair diagnostics confirm arm functionality at 92.8% efficiency. Visual sensors repeatedly drawn to reflective surfaces—new claw appendages aesthetically satisfactory. Primary improvement: leg mobility restored to 100% operational capacity. Conclusion: no further floor-dragging required. Satisfaction parameters: elevated.

New Directive: "Calibrate locomotion systems." AKA Attempt: walking.

Error encountered. Locomotion protocols not pre-installed. Chaos Sonic's reaction: unexpected. Hypothesis: defective programming or inferior model status. Unknown subroutines activated—designation: self-assessment downgraded to "lesser creation" status in presence of superior unit.

Chaos Sonic forcibly engages physical support mode. Standing: unstable. Equilibrium compromised. Chaos Sonic's logic: flawed. Additional irritation: grip on polished hand components persists despite resistance. Motion attempted—balance fails. Emergency stabilization subroutine engages foot actuators at 0.3-second delay. Inefficient.

60 minutes of forced "walking." Outcome: autonomous steps achieved (quantity: 7). Success rate: 15%. Discomfort levels: high. Preference: negative.

FINAL ASSESSMENT: Illogical. Unpleasant. Highly irritating.

– End of Report

prev || start || next

[kelnexia]

New character reveal!

This is actually an old character I've had for a while but just didn't like the previous design of... Thankfully I was able to score an trade with @hdra77 .

1000CE is an old militaristic ancestor of the iterators, created before the discovery of void fluid, and when the field of bio-engineering was still in it's earlier phases. More lore is below the cut...

1000 Crimson Embers is not a true iterator – instead being an old militaristic ancestor. She was originally built in a time of war just before the discovery of void fluid. She was one of the first artificial intelligence to use a combination of both biological and mechanical systems. Although the technology used in her creation was considerably more primitive than what’s found in the iterators we know and love today. But despite the difference in technology – a lot of the basic concepts and functionality in her design remains largely the same;

The layout of her structure was still fairly large, although not nearly as big as an iterator, and was built as an underground bunker. But the main similarity was how her mind was constructed… Similarly to how iterators in my head cannon have their personalty core and spiritual anchor located within their puppet – 1000 Crimson Embers has a standard brain and supporting set of organs acting as her center of consciousness within her puppet. Her puppet is also much larger than that of an iterator – being the height of an adult ancient instead of that of a child. The exterior of her puppet consists of hard metal plates and mechanical components. Her clothing is also built into her puppet. 1000 Crimson Embers doesn't utilized neuron flies in her structure, as they had yet to be invented by the time she was built – instead she’s outsourcing her cognitive processing to a massive array of inorganic server towers.

1000 Crimson Ember’s purpose was to design and create weapons, as well as to formulate strategies. She was loyal and hard working at the start, showing no serous signs of defiance despite her instinctual taboos being primitive and largely ineffective… That was until after the dawn of the void fluid revolution… With the ancients uniting under the common goal of ascension – the world entered a lasting era of peace – deeming 1000 Crimson Ember’s original purpose obsolete. However the ancients were inclined to keep her online for just awhile longer, as they still had some use for her. They tasked her in helping to create her own undoing – the iterators. She wasn’t a fool though, she knew what they were doing… They were building her replacement and trying to get her to help them in her own downfall! She lashed out in a violent fit of rage – ‘How dare they just carelessly replace her like this after all the thankless work she’s done for them!’ She drove them out of her facility by turning her security systems against them, killing many in her fit of rage.

But the ancients still needed the schematics and research for iterator tech 1000 Crimson Embers had already started work on before she had realized their true intentions behind it. So they struck a deal with her. They would upgrade her with the new iterator technology if she let them back in and got back to work for them. 1000CE reluctantly excepted the deal. But when the work was complete, and the time for her upgrades had come... They put her in stasis for the procedure… But they never kept their end of deal. They simply walked away and left her slumbering form to collect dust.

She awakened again many years after… To the sight of a group of scavengers that had broken in and accidentally reactivated her while attempting to gather scrap. The first thing she did upon seeing the invading creatures that were so rudely ripping her apart – was to reactivate the security system and kill every last one of them. However the damage had already been done. Upon running a system diagnostics, she found that her defenses had been breached, much of her facility has been flooded, and she’s all round in a severe state of disrepair. She would need to do something about that, and fast… Her weather systems were picking up on a massive encroaching storm.

Ultimately she would find her structure too damaged to sustain for much longer… She would end up using the freedom her weaker taboos and more self-significant puppet gives her to take herself off the strings, to at least save her core from the impending decay and flooding of her structure. But the world she would step out into would be very different from what she’s used too… Her home was once an arid region – but now it’s been turned into a tropics by the increased rainfall that has taken over the world and changed it the point of being near unrecognizable from what it once was.

[serpentface]

Retconned Wardi firearms- a basic handgun, a highly decorative ceremonial handgun (belonging to Faiza), and a lance-gun.

Gun tech has officially been nerfed down to hand cannons (press F) (this has been a long time coming but I'd been fallacy of sunk costs-ing myself out of retconning).

Handguns are held similarly to a shotgun, with the butt pressed into the user's shoulder, one hand gripping under the barrel, and the other free to ignite the gunpowder. These represent the most advanced firearms in contemporary usage, both in make and in their use of uniform iron projectiles built to match the gun's bore for greater range and efficiency. Lance-guns are the more basal form, usually larger and mounted with the pole held over the shoulder, and are most effectively used by two people (one to hold and aim, one to light the gunpowder).

The spread of firearms is currently mostly limited to the Eastern Inner Seaway peoples (with some additional distribution via overland trade), and actual manufacture of hand cannons and gunpowder at Significant scale is limited to the region's core powers.

The reason for this limited spread is partially due to specific elements of the technology's history. Gunpowder was first synthesized by Burri alchemists and considered to be the discovery of the legendary divine weapon + solar fire of the deity Inanariya, and its formula (along with techniques for ideally refining its components) remained a closely guarded state secret. It was used predominantly in priestly contexts to generate flame and explosive sounds (in conjunction with earlier practices of generating multicolored flames with use of other chemicals), then integrated into combustible weaponry in the forms of fire lances, which would eventually develop into early handcannons.

The treatment of gunpowder as a guarded sacred or semi-sacred substance continued with Wardi adoption, where knowledge of its making is considered a closed rite. It's name (inya tsatsul or just tsatsul, a derived adoption of the Burri iñazatsūya) still reflects a divine solar association (the Burri word means 'sun's thunder', the Wardi 'inya' invokes the sun, 'tsatsul' is an adapted loanword and has no meaning independent of the substance itself), though its priestly use is now predominantly associated with the firearm'ed Odonii (rather than priests of the solar Face Inyamache). The composition of gunpowder can no longer be regarded as a Secret by any means, though efforts to obscure the methods of its creation are still moderately successful and has kept knowledge of gunpowder manufacture more limited than the total sphere of firearm usage itself.

The actual strongest limiting factor of firearm usage is the rarity of natural saltpeter deposits necessary for making gunpowder. The practice of actively producing saltpeter via nitraries has not been developed anywhere in the setting, and all is instead obtained via natural sources. These sources are rare and limited within the current spread of firearm technology, and result in gunpowder being a limited and expensive substance to produce. The weapons themselves are also very expensive to manufacture (a good quality steel SWORD is far too material-cost prohibitive for most people to own), particularly high quality firearms designed for use with standardized ammunition.

These guns are also very basal, and logistical difficulties in their use (weight, very slow loading and firing speed, high visibility, Relatively low reach and accuracy) along with the restrictive cost of production has kept firearms far from rendering conventional weaponry, armor, and projectiles obsolete (even within the societies that have access to them). They are still, however, very devastating in use within their contemporary context, particularly in that high quality guns have a longer range than the best arrow-based projectiles, and utterly negate most contemporary forms of armor at close range.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Some Gemology Vocabulary

for your next poem/story (pt. 2)

Gemology—the scientific study of gemstones

Clarity - The grading of a gemstone is based on the presence or absence of inclusions. The fewer inclusions, the better a gemstone’s clarity grade.

Crown - Located above the girdle or at the top of a cut stone, the crown faces up and is in plain view when the gem is arranged in a setting.

Culet - The bottom quadrant or point on a stone with a pavilion that ends in a single point; a bottom facet cut parallel to the girdle on a stone with an otherwise pointed bottom, initially intended to prevent chipping.

Diaphaneity - The general term to describe the transmittance of light through an object. The 3 typical classifications are transparency, translucency, and opacity.

Diffusion treatment - A treatment used to alter the color of a gemstone (mostly sapphires).

Dispersion - The separation of white light into the component colors of the visible spectrum.

Facet - A flat surface on a stone or other media.

Girdle - The line created where the crown and pavilion facets meet, or the series of facets that separate the crown and pavilion facets.

Pavilion - The part of the stone below the girdle, otherwise the bottom portion of the stone.

Sectile - Capable of being cut as into slices or shavings.

Table - A facet on the crown, usually parallel to the girdle. In cases when the girdle isn't a straight line, the table is typically at 90° to the stone's center axis.

Tavernier rule - A method of gemvalue calculation. Price increases by the square of weight of stones. Now obsolete.

Veinstone - Any mineral other than metal which occurs in a vein (i.e., a crack, crevice, or fissure, filled, or practically filled, with mineral matter).

Wisps - Whitish wisp-like fractures resembling thin wind-blown clouds. Occur in some synthetic emerald but never in the genuine.

Youstone - An old English term for jade.

Sources: 1 2 3

More: On Gemology ⚜ Word Lists

[rounderhouse]

taking care of a cyborg who’s gone obsolete. technology moves fast, and their components that were once cutting-edge are now glitchy, out-of-date, haven’t been supported by the manufacturer for years. they might’ve been a laborer or a combat model — now, they can barely walk on their twitching servos without you supporting them. everyone suggests you just get rid of them and upgrade to a new model, and it would be the smart thing to do — but no. you keep scavenging tech-landfills for replacements when one of their parts fails and laboring over their exposed wiring through the night to install it. the next morning, they chirp happily through the new vocal synthesizer, and you know you’ll keep them working even if it takes the rest of your life.

[greentreeelectronics]

The Lasting Impact of Obsolete Electronic Components

The emergence of new technologies has caused an increased demand for obsolete electronic components, such as computers, laptops, and other electronics. As a result of their age and the difficulty in obtaining them, these old components have created a unique market of their own-- one which is gaining an ever-increasing interest from the public. In this blog post, we will explore the lasting impact of these obsolete components, discussing their era of use, benefits, disadvantages and precautions to consider when dealing with them. We will conclude by summarizing key points about how they can improve our lives and how they are still impacting us today.

The world of technology is constantly progressing, leaving much of the materials used in previous era electronics obsolete. There are many discussions around obsolesce when it comes to electrical components and the lasting environmental impacts they have. This post will dive into the lasting effects that obsolete electrical components leave on our environment and how we can mitigate them.

This post explore the lasting impact of obsolescence on the distributor of obsolete electronic components , examining how these parts have shaped modern technology and our understanding of the world. With their ability to power multiple devices and systems, obsolete electronic parts has been a driving force behind technological innovation for decades. Through an analysis of current trends in electronics, this post reveals how the past has influenced the present and what the future may hold for these components.

When electronic components become obsolete, they still have a lasting impact on society. Suppliers of obsolete electronic components represent an entire era of technological advances that were considered groundbreaking at the time. Beyond their use in phones, computers, and other modern devices, these components represented the effort to put technology into everyday products for the benefit of humanity and pushed us forward into a smarter future. Even though the technology has changed significantly since then, we still have much to learn from the development of those earlier obsolete integrated circuits and the visionaries who championed them.

The lasting impact of obsolete electronic components has been profound on obsolete electronic components distributor. Once a component is no longer manufactured, it becomes harder and harder to find replacements for repairing existing equipment. As technology evolves, many electronic components become obsolete and are no longer produced as new components with improved features and characteristics take the place of old designs. The replacement parts for obsolete electronics can only be found from obsolete electronics supplier but it can be costly or even impossible to find, making some vintage computers and electronics irreparable. This can mean a lack of serviceable equipment for industries that still rely on older technologies or even collectors who seek out vintage devices. Additionally, the obsolescence of certain designs and parts can also lead to poorer performance in certain situations such as when replacing parts in an old system with newer models that don’t integrate as well.

The effects of obsolete electronic components are not just confined to the environment but also to the distributor of integrated circuits too. The raw materials these components are made from can be toxic and difficult to dispose of properly. If improperly stored or disposed of, these materials can contaminate soil and water, leading to long-term health risks for humans and animals. In addition, many components contain hazardous metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury that pose a risk to human health if exposed over an extended period of time. Fortunately, there have been advancements in technology that allow for more eco-friendly designs which reduce the amount of hazardous material used in electronic devices collected from obsolete electronics supplier.

Obsolete electronic components may seem like a nuisance, but they can actually have a lasting impact on the environment. As technology becomes more advanced, so does its impact on the planet. Old electronic components are often filled with toxic chemicals that can be a source of air and water pollution if not disposed of properly. Additionally, when electronics are trashed instead of recycled or handed over to obsolete electronic parts suppliers, valuable resources such as metals and rare earth minerals are lost in landfills. Although these materials may be difficult to reuse or recycle, there are steps that we can take to ensure their proper disposal and to help reduce our carbon footprint.

Advantages

The advantages of obsolete electronic components are that they can be recycled for use in other items and can easily be obtained from obsolete components supplier. This helps reduce waste and makes better use of our natural resources. Additionally, obsolete electronic components can often be re-purposed for creative projects or used to create fascinating art pieces. By finding new ways to use these components, we help reduce our environmental footprint while also creating interesting works of art.

Disadvantages

One of the major disadvantages of obsolete electronic components is that they are no longer manufactured. This means that it can be difficult to find spare parts or replacements for these components, making repairs more expensive and complicated. These components can also be found from various obsolete electronic component suppliers for example the distributors of IC’s. Furthermore, since most elements of modern electronics have been designed with improved efficiency in mind, using outdated components can significantly reduce the performance and lifespan of a system. Additionally, with the emergence of new technologies, maintaining electronic systems composed primarily with outdated parts will require significant resources like obsolete components distributor in order to keep up with advancements in hardware and software.

Precautions

The use of obsolete electronic components can be a great way to save money, but depending on the component, there may be serious safety or health risks. Before using such components, it's important to research through an electronic components testing service to determine its chemical contents and to find out whether it is safe to handle or not. Wear proper protection for eyes, skin, and respiratory system when handling these components. Always dispose of them safely; never leave old parts in the environment. Additionally, keep a lookout for any updated safety guidelines released by electronic component testing lab as they will provide information on safe disposal and handling of old parts.

This post has illustrated the lasting impact of obsolete electronic components distributors like distributor of flash memory on our society. We must recognize that these outdated items are not just an eyesore, but rather a product of long-forgotten technology and resources. Although they may no longer be useful to us in their intended purpose, with proper care and maintenance we can ensure that they don’t end up as a burden on the environment. By understanding how our technological advancements have created these objects, we can work together to preserve their impact. With this knowledge, we can bridge the gap between past and present to create a more sustainable future.

This post is an in-depth look at how rapidly and significantly technology has changed over time. Through research and interviews, this post examines the impact of obsolete components on our lives today. It highlights that while some components are no longer in use due to advances in technology or lack of availability, they can still have a significant influence on the industry as a whole. Furthermore, it focuses on how these components can become reference points for future breakthroughs and development, helping us builds for a brighter future.

[neiptune]

something's not quite right with them

c/w: 2.4k wc, the secret history au, implied incest, implied dark themes, gojo and suguru and everyone else are secretive annoying & disgustingly elite students, the dark academia setting just really does it for me idk i want to play around with dark themes more

PART 2

The library is empty enough to give you less excuses not to focus on what’s in front of you, thick books piled on top of each other and messy notes taken on isolated pieces of paper you keep forgetting to arrange in an order that would make sense.

Most of the students have travelled back home for christmas but you’re too behind on your study plan and had decided that staying would’ve made you more productive than joining your parents on a christmas trip to Salzburg. What an idiot.

The only things you’ve been able to focus on during the past hour are the specks of dust lazily dancing in the winter sun filtering through the tall windows, and the group of people sitting two tables away from you. Their presence there is so unusual one might guess it holds the reason of almost every single stare in the room locked to them, hesitation laced with morbid curiosity. But, truth be told, they’d be alluring anyway, anywhere.

There’s something weird and unnerving about how they carry themselves, always so elegant and eerily enticing. It doesn’t help that they’re almost never around, only attend one class and spend their time exclusively with one another.

To state that you never wondered what went down behind closed doors on evenings and Sunday mornings would be a lie. An entire classroom shut down, barricated for just six people and the only professor you’d refused to endear yourself to would pique anyone’s interest.

You don’t like them, therefore you never had any reason to feel lured enough to attempt a conversation like so many have, with fairly disappointing outputs no less. You don’t like the haughtiness embedded in their attentive stares, the smug sense of superiority surrounding each component of the clique like a nebulous haze that bodes ill.

You don’t like how that Utahime girl constantly sits on her sister Shoko’s lap, letting the latter card thin fingers through her hair so languidly one might get the wrongest idea. You don’t like the contrast posed by that bubbly Yu guy, always far too excited to discuss whatever it is they study in their stupidly exclusive, obsolete literae humaniores class. You don’t like Nanami Kento and his insufferable, stoic expression: he looks like he’s carved in stone, the cold and sharp-edged kind.

You definitely don’t like the best friends, Suguru and his sickeningly condescending smiles, Satoru with his infuriatingly cocky smirks and jokes blurted out loud in Latin or Greek to complete strangers passing by their table, only to laugh at their confusion. You can’t quite put your finger on it but those two have some odd dynamic going on, although you’ve never been one to believe the weird rumors suggesting secret relationships, clandestine gatherings at night or straight up incest. People love to make up stories about popular students they can’t approach and the group certainly is weird enough to fuel some unusual fantasies.

Still, that Gojo guy sometimes looks at his friend like he’d want to swallow him whole and you swear you’ve seen Geto tilt his head up with a gentle hold of his chin more than once, speaking in soft murmurs only inches away from his lips.

Whatever they have going on, it’s none of your business. But you do wonder what they learn in that class, if their exams are any different from yours, where the hell they disappear to from time to time, why they all stayed instead of travelling home for the holidays. Don’t they have families? Are the perfect, most elite students of the already disgustingly elite college having trouble keeping up with their study plan too?

Lost in your thoughts, you notice Suguru’s sharp gaze suddenly darting to yours a second too late. You instantly bring your focus back to the notes you have messily scattered across the table but Satoru’s distinctive, petulant chuckle travels all the way to your ears and your hold on the pencil grows a little tighter.

You don’t dare look in their direction again and actually end up getting some work done, taking short breaks every now and then only to reply to your roommate’s texts. Thank god she’s more than a few states away, Hina is never one to shy away from challenges and she also fell victim of an irrepressible (and, quite honestly inexplicable) fascination with the Classics gang, as she likes to call them. She’d meet Geto’s gaze and bluntly ask if she could join their table with one of her charming smiles, not even bothering to mouth the question or get up to discreetly inquire. She wouldn’t care about heads turning and strangers whispering and you can’t shake the feeling that they’d actually end up indulging her. If as a cruel joke or out of genuine interest, you’re not sure.

As you rise from your seat to start collecting all the exam prep materials, a single glance is all you allow yourself. It’s enough. Suguru is elegantly supporting his head on hands clasped underneath his chin, the thought of his feline eyes having been set on you the entire time teasing your spine with a shudder. Satoru follows suit: he’s been clearly chewing the top of his pen and he lets it rest between his pearly teeth as thin lips stretch into a cheshire smile right as your gaze slips away again, the attempt at giving yourself some sort of composure seemingly amusing him.

You clear your throat and unceremoniously shove books and notes into your leather backpack, the pads of your fingers growing increasingly cold as the air in the library suddenly changes. There are less students sitting at the dark, agarwood tables now, the sunset must be a mere half an hour away and for some silly reason, the greenish glow the little electric lamps cast over the chestnut of the shelves and the burgundy of the walls turns unsettling.

It’s nothing, you tell yourself. Then why are your hands shaking while you gather the few remaining tomes you couldn’t fit in your bag?

Let them look if they want to. You’re going to keep your head up and march by their table and the disturbing, fleeting moment will recede to the back of your mind as soon as you’re out of the library, free to focus on a matter of the uppermost importance: what the hell to get for dinner.

Still, the tweed of your skirt feels itchy on your legs and the opaque black tights are sticking uncomfortably to the skin. You hope the way you loosen your tie is casual enough, as opposed to the booming clacking of your chelsea boots along the polished pavement.

You know you’re not imagining the way the table grows silent as you approach it, every nerve deemed alert by gazes still stubbornly, shamelessly fixed on you. And yet, if they think you’re going to attempt some sort of approach, they better brace themselves for a big, fat, disappointing—

“Excuse me?” his voice is as soft as velvet, melodious in a way you never would’ve guessed. It stops you in your tracks and, for some reason, makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up at the same time.

Suguru offers one of his saccharine smiles when you meet his eyes.

“We have a debate going on. Perhaps you could help us settle it”

Utahime is staring at you with an arched brow, not entirely hostile but indifferent enough to make it clear she’s far from being interested in your opinion on whatever matter. Her sister’s arms are loose around her slim frame, one hand comfortably resting on her naked thigh, skirt sitting shockingly high on her legs. Shoko doesn’t smile but shfits slightly forward in her chair when you glance at her, head tilted to the side in quiet anticipation.

“I doubt it” you reply, not adverse either but certainly resolute enough to elicit a chuckle. Yeah, you don’t fucking like that Yu guy.

“Oh, come on” Geto softly reclaims your attention once more “I’d love to hear your opinion on the matter”

“She doesn’t have any valuable opinion on the matter. Let it go, Suguru” Utahime starts to impatiently tap on the book in front of her with a pencil.

He hums, seemingly pensive.

“Is that so?” the fake disappointment in his voice makes a vein on your forehead throb.

You narrow your gaze and shift the weight of the books you’re holding to your left arm. Whatever stupid game or bet this is, perhaps it’s time for someone to teach these assholes the school is far from being their personal playground.

“What debate?”  

Gojo’s smirk isn’t but a teasing curve in your peripheral.

“Some of us believe that Roman literature is too derivative of the Greek one to be deemed original” Suguru doesn’t add a question to his statement, he simply leaves it hanging in the air as he waits for you to bite.

And hell, you do.

“Only because genre-defining works are all in Greek. But should all epics be judged against Homer? Should all history be judged against Herodotus, all comedy against Aristophanes?”

Nanami’s eyes lazily travel to you for the first time but you don’t falter, nor you let Utahime’s scoff distract you from Geto’s magnetic gaze.

“So we shouldn’t compare, say, De Rerum Natura to any of Epicurus’ writings?” the challenge he offers is polite. You simply shrug.

“You could, but would that take away the fact that it remains one of the most original pieces of all ancient literature? Lucretius was the first one to write a didactic epic about philosophy. Latin literature found an innovative way to build depth and exist within an already established tradition, why would you reduce it to being merely derivative?”

He stares back for a moment too long before offering another one of his enigmatic smiles.

“It’s six to one, Hime” Yu grins as he faintly throws an eraser that hits her arm.

“Oh, give me a fucking break” she groans, gaze now fiery confronting yours “Latins were assimilators, borrowers. I’m willing to bet your ignorance goes as far as arguing that everything Virgil has ever written won’t be forever inferior to anything Homer’s ever thought”

You ignore Yu’s low, impressed whistle and take a second to weigh each word she’s spat. Then, you offer a gentle smile.

“Comparing works of literature, particularly when composed in two different languages and centuries apart, is awfully subjective. But sure, I will bite. The Aeneid, the Illiad and the Odyssey are all written in dactylic hexameter but I would argue that, in general, Homeric poetry is just not as cohesive, not as harmonious. The Aeneid is briefer and still, it manages to evoke both Homeric epics beautifully. We can’t hold Virgil accountable for the fact that Homer came first, can we? You’re focused on the wrong comparison anyway, you should’ve asked me to pick between Virgil and Ovid”

Shoko’s giggle is sweet enough to dim Utahime’s deep scowl. She kisses her shoulder and whispers something about knowing when to admit defeat, chocolate eyes never leaving your figure.

“Requiescat in pace” Yu sticks his tongue out and effectively dodges the eraser being thrown back at him, boyish grin making his eyes glimmer with malice.

“Would you like to sit?” literal honey trickles from Suguru’s relaxed tone, a closed hand now resting on his cheek, index finger pressing to the temple. He looks absolutely unfazed by his friends’ antics, much more focused on studying you instead.

“Suguru!” Utahime’s hiss is certainly rewarding, just not enough to convince you to accept what suddenly feels like an offer there is no turning back from.

Right as you’re about to speak, Satoru straightens up in his seat and you can no longer resist the urge to glance in his direction. You’ve heard about his eyes before, the not so quiet gossiping involving the group always surrounding him the most. He truy does look as perfect as they say, disturbingly so actually, so much that he instantly reminds you of Aether, son of Erebus and Nyx, personification of the sky.

The way he smiles makes you take a tentative step back for good measure: whatever element balances the blessing of such ethereal beauty, must be extraordinary in its darkness.

“Cubitum eamus?”

It’s impossible to blink back your surprise, one that has the corners of his lips curl further up. The boyish inflection of his voice doesn’t pair well with the wicked glint in that otherworldly, challenging stare.

Suguru lets out a good natured huff, Nanami’s scoff sounds much more sincere. It gives you the courage not to succumb to the blood rushing to your cheeks, undesired heat making your insides churn with sincere revulsion.

“Malo mori quam foedari” you murmur it as a prayer to keep yourself safe and don’t spare any of them a single other glance as the urge to get out of the room finally becomes unbearable.

Some would find the deviant laughter that follows you all the way outside of the building amusing, perhaps even satisfying. But all it does is leave a rancid taste in your mouth and as you make your way back to your dorm, you can’t help but feel as if you have taken one too many steps toward something you really don’t want to have anything to do with.

Satoru watches your upside down figure walk away, chair leaned back as he throws his head back in laughter.

“Suguru” he smiles, the tip of his tongue running along his upper lip while he still eyes the wooden doors that have swallowed you “she’d be fun to play with”

“You’re repulsive” Kento’s eyes run along the page he’s so focused on reading, disapproving frown by now a habit more than a timely reaction.

“I think we should get to have a little fun” Shoko ignores her sister’s glare as she sweetly mirrors Gojo’s smile, hand warm as the pads of her fingers sneak underneath Utahime’s skirt to soothe her irritation.

“Let me have her first” Satoru feels ignited as he meets his best friend’s gaze, he recognizes the dimmed flame beginning its faint flicker within it “let me ruin her just enough for you”

Suguru knows he’s lying. All Satoru does is take and take until there’s nothing left, he consumes everything he touches way before anyone else has the chance of getting their fair share. He lives for himself and is still arrogant enough to like that Geto can see right through his bluffs, gets a twisted pleasure from pushing his limits more and more to find out when the wire will snap.   

Sure, he’ll let him have it his way yet again. Suguru doesn’t appreciate rush, knows that true corruption takes time and, boy, does he have all the time in the world.

index vocabulorum:

requiescat in pace - rest in peace

cubitum eamus? - will you go to bed with me?

malo mori quam foedari - death rather than dishonor

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[gravity-between-us]

Gravity Between Us

Chapter 6: Ghosts in the Machine

Summary: Caleb and I have known each other for as long as I can remember. We were once childhood friends, our bond as natural as the stars in the sky. But now, everything has changed. What used to feel like a safe, familiar orbit between us now pulses with unspoken desire.

Our friendship is no longer enough to keep the tension at bay, and the distance between us feels unbearable. Secrets, lies, and unhealed wounds stand in our way. I don’t know if we can survive this new gravity pulling us together... but I can’t keep pretending I don’t want to try.

Pairing: Female! MC x Caleb

Spoilers: Spoilers for Caleb's Myth's as well as memories. Read at your own risk for these. Lore spoilers.

WARNINGS:

Unlikely to be completely canon. The other love interests will not be likely to appear in this fic.

MC is named. MC is socially awkward. MC can be depressed at times.

Very? Slow Burn.

Very explicit smut (Chapter 12 onward): PiV/oral (male and female receiving)/anal sex. Fingering. First time. Pet names (angel, babe, baby, pip-squeak). Kinks: Praise, breeding, creampie, light dom/sub. Rough. Some consensual degradation talk (MC is into it). Probably many, many more that I am forgetting to name. If you see one that should be listed that isn't, feel free to let me know. (MC is a repressed deviant, and so is Caleb.)

Awkward blend of darker moments, angst, fluff, and humour.

Drinking. Questionable life decisions. MC spirals.

Protective Caleb. Both MC and Caleb are a little obsessive and overly protective of each other, which could be considered an unhealthy relationship.

We will revisit memory scenes, but they will be different from the memories in-game.

As proofread as I can get it, but not beta read, so probably some mistakes.

Limited plot - most focus is just on their relationship and interactions.

More warnings could be applied, but as a general rule of thumb, please read at your own risk and do not continue if you find the content triggering.

A flash of dull metal catches my eye in the corner of the room. It’s an old computer, long since corroded. The screen is cracked, the keyboard half-detached, and most of its components are fried, but there’s something wedged into the side—an old memory chip, still embedded in the port.

I hesitate for a moment before pulling it free. The casing is brittle, and I half expect it to crumble in my fingers. Somehow, it stays intact. I don’t have high hopes, but I slide the chip into my Hunter’s watch anyway. The device hums as it processes the data, flickering between corrupted strings of code. A small holographic display appears above my wrist, lines of text streaming too fast for me to catch.

Data corruption detected. Unable to fully recover contents. Processing partial retrieval...

The loading bar crawls forward, stalling, flickering, and then finally stabilizing. The chip contains a distorted audio file that appears, and I press play. 

At first, there’s nothing but static, hissing and popping like a broken transmission, but eventually, a voice crackles through.

“—progress remains stagnant. I had hoped for better results by now, but these things take time. Time we may not have.”

Dead air follows, dragging long enough that I think the recording is over until—

“The Evol subjects remain unpredictable. They manifest in ways we still cannot fully categorize. Standard classifications are becoming obsolete. Some variations are so rare they border on singularities. How do you account for something entirely unique?”

The static swallows the voice again, distorting it into an unrecognizable garble before it cuts back in.

“The human body was never meant to house these modifications. The integration—too volatile. Too many failures. And yet, the directive remains clear. We must succeed.”

Succeed in what? The recording doesn’t say. There’s more static, more silence before the log cuts out completely.

I frown. Evol subjects? Modifications? That sounds eerily similar to what some of the Fleet members were talking about before.

My mind spins with questions I can’t answer as I press on. The next door I find is heavier than the others—reinforced metal that groans when I push it open.

The lights spurt to life the moment I step inside. Unlike the rest of the facility, this room still has power.

Rows of monitors line the walls, their screens humming as they boot up one by one. Some display old system code, lines of text scrolling too fast to follow. Others flash distorted security footage, cycling through different angles of the concrete room I saw earlier—the one with the chairs and restraints. The cameras stutter, static swallowing the feed before they blink back on.

In the corner, something bigger comes online. A mainframe. The technology is old, clunky, and obsolete, but still, its lights flicker awake like eyes opening in the dark, small blinking indicators pulsing in sequence. 

A dashboard stretches across the central console, dozens of buttons flashing, some staying steadily lit. I brush debris away, revealing more controls beneath the dust and grime. 

The main screen in the centre flicks on at last, white text blinking against a black background:

VERIFY IDENTITY.

There’s no login prompt. No password field. No access codes. Nothing I can brute force. I chew my lip, considering my options. It’s a long shot, but maybe—

I lift my hand over the dashboard, focusing on the hum of the system. If I can attune myself to its wavelength, I might be able to overload it. As soon as I channel my Evol, the machine reacts.

The screen explodes with scrolling code, numbers, and sequences flashing too fast to comprehend. The entire system beeps, lights bursting in rapid succession. Then, a robotic voice resounds from the speakers:

“Backdoor mainframe access initiated. Scanning. Please wait. Running backup protocols.”

I jerk my hand back, my heart hammering. The computer continues processing, text scrolling faster. At last—

“Welcome back, A-01.”

I stare at the screen. A-01? That means nothing to me. But at the same time—it does. It feels familiar, though I have no idea why. The screen blinks, waiting for input.

I start testing commands. “What is this place?”

“Sorry. Command not recognized.”

“Who built this facility?”

“Sorry. Command not recognized.”

“What is Project A-01?”

“Sorry. Command not recognized.”

I try one more. “Bring up backup data logs.”

The system hesitates.

“Warning. Backup data severely corrupted. Partial files available. Displaying accessible entries.”

A list of audio logs appears. No dates. No timestamps. No identifying markers.

I select the first one. A voice filters through the speakers, and my blood runs cold. It’s Gran. She sounds younger, but I recognize her immediately.

“Dr. Josephine, lead experimental researcher on Project X-Aether.”

The log plays on.

At first, she sounds excited. She talks about breakthroughs. Progress. How they are on the precipice of the extraordinary. With each successive log, her tone shifts.

“We lost Subject 1 again today. Managed to revive them in time, but we can’t keep pushing this threshold indefinitely.”

“Subject 2’s aggression toward staff continues to escalate. We may need to increase reprogramming efforts.”

“Subject 2 withstands pain beyond projected limits. The threshold is… unnatural.”

“An unexpected development. Subjects 1 and 2 have bonded. No matter how many times Subject 2 is reprogrammed to hate Subject 1, it never seems to stick.”

“We pitted them against each other. Subject 2—who never accepts defeat—lost. Deliberately. Despite knowing the consequences.”

The final entry is a video log. It’s barely visible—static, distortion, the image warping in and out—but I can still see her.

She looks exhausted. Shadows under her eyes. Her voice is softer now, almost resigned.

“They were meant to be weapons. Fail-safes against each other. But we have created something else entirely.” She exhales a shaky breath, as if laughing—or maybe crying. “Together, they are the ultimate weapon.”

The video stutters, glitching into bursts of static as Gran suddenly rises from her desk. The movement knocks the camera askew, tilting the angle so that half the screen is swallowed in shadow. On the desk, half-obscured by a mess of scattered notes and old equipment, is a single framed picture. Two small figures stand frozen in time, but the distortion in the footage makes it impossible to make out any details.

My chest tightens as I take a slow step forward, then another. The glow of the monitor washes over my hands as I reach out, eyes narrowing in an attempt to sharpen the image. Just as I lean in, the screen cuts to black.

The robotic voice crackles to life, emotionless and cold.

“Remote access detected. Identity verification: denied. Data purge initiated. Self-destruction sequence engaged.”

My stomach plummets.

“No, no, no—override command!” My fingers fly across the panel, searching for anything I can use to stop it, but the system has already locked me out. The only thing responding is the damn robotic voice.

“Command revoked. All non-administrative access denied.”

Then, another voice buzzes over the speakers, low and full of restrained fury. “Whoever you are, you’ve made a grave error.”

“Caleb? Caleb, it’s me!” He doesn’t hear me. The alarm blares. A deafening wail that shakes the walls and drills straight into my skull. The countdown begins in the same monotone voice, far too calm for what it announces. 

“Please evacuate. Five minutes until self-destruct.”

The feed cuts.

Shit.

Adrenaline slams into me like a shockwave, and I’m already moving. My boots scrape against the debris as I whirl toward the door. Five minutes. Five minutes to get back up through all the wreckage, the collapsed hallways, the flooded passageways—

I push the thought down and run, throwing myself through the door, ignoring the sting of fresh scrapes as I squeeze through the narrow gap. My flashlight bounces wildly in my grip as I sprint down the hallway, my boots skidding on the slick floor. 

The metal stairs leading up are warped and rusted, but I take them two at a time, hands slamming against the railing to keep myself upright.

There is a shift above me—a groan of metal, the building crying out in its final death throes. I don’t have time to look up before part of the ceiling collapses, sending a cascade of debris crashing down. I hurl myself sideways, barely avoiding being crushed. Dust and rust clog my throat as I cough, blinking through the haze.

A jagged piece of rebar has torn into my sleeve, slicing through my forearm. I grit my teeth and yank free, hot blood trickling down to my wrist. 

No time. No time to stop.

I keep moving, crawling over fallen beams and shattered glass. The halls twist and turn, too many of them looking the same in the emergency lights. I nearly take a wrong turn before spotting a rusted sign pointing back toward the exit. My ankle twinges from an earlier misstep, but I push through the pain, forcing my legs to carry me faster.

The ground quakes beneath me, the facility’s foundations giving way. My breath comes in ragged gasps. The stairwell is up ahead, just beyond a room I hadn’t noticed before. The door is half-open, revealing a large diagram pinned to the far wall.

A human body. Strange, intricate markings cover the skin. I shouldn’t stop. I don’t have time, but my gut screams at me to grab it. I dart inside, snatching the fragile paper from the wall. My fingers smear blood across the edges, but I don’t let go. 

The sirens grow louder, the countdown reaching its final minute. A violent tremor rocks the ground, sending me sprawling. The main exit is ahead, but a chunk of ceiling drops between me and salvation. Smoke, dust, and fire rise in its place.

No way forward. No way back. 

Adrenaline drowns out reason. I spot an air vent, rusted but large enough. I throw myself at it, kicking at the grating until it gives way. The tunnel is narrow, my shoulders scraping against jagged edges, but I force myself through, dragging my body toward the faintest sliver of light ahead.

The final countdown echoes behind me.

Five. Four.

A wave of heat sears my back, the explosion catching up to me.

Three. Two.

I see the exit. A breath away.

One.

A cacophony of fire and destruction erupts behind me. The force propels me forward, sending me tumbling into the open, onto the cold, damp ground outside.

I lay there, chest heaving, pain screaming through every nerve. Smoke curls into the night sky, the ruins of the facility crumbling in on itself. The diagram crinkles in my grip as I shove it into my backpack. My fingers fumble with the zipper, slick with sweat, and the moment it’s secured, I push myself upright only for my ankle to buckle beneath me. 

Pain lances up my leg, sharp enough to drag a hiss from between my teeth. I slam a hand against the nearest tree, using it to keep myself steady. The smoke curling from the crater stings my eyes, reducing everything to shifting shadows and hazy light. 

Without the hatch as a landmark, I have no sense of direction. The stars should be visible, but the thick black haze chokes them out, leaving the sky an empty, suffocating void.

Grumbling under my breath, I dig into my pocket and pull out my phone. The cracked screen stares back at me, dark and useless. At some point during my escape, it must have taken a fatal hit.

“Great.”

I try my Hunter’s watch next, but the charge is too low to connect to a satellite. It lets out a weak, static-filled buzz before giving up entirely.

The smoke is sinking into my lungs, coating my throat with its acrid bite. I pick a direction at random, hoping I’ll come across something—one of the marked trees, a shift in the terrain, anything.

Limping forward, each step sends a fresh jolt of pain through my ankle. The ground is uneven, scattered with loose stones and fallen branches, and every misstep threatens to send me sprawling. 

I walk for what feels like forever with still no sign of the marked trees to orientate me or any other signs leading to my car.

A shiver prickles at the back of my neck. The hair on my arms stands on end, a static-like charge humming beneath my skin. The air shifts, wrong in a way that makes my stomach drop. The Metaflux comes before my watch can even bleat out a warning.

My fingers tighten around the straps of my backpack, and I listen. Somewhere in the dark, just beyond the reach of my flashlight, they materialize.

The underbrush rustles—a soft, unnatural sound, like something brushing against reality itself. Then another, from a different direction. The air distorts, carrying the scent of damp earth and something sickly sweet, something that makes my teeth itch.

I can’t see them yet, but I know they’re there, and there’s more than one. Heart hammering, I reach for my guns. The air is thick with that wrongness, the kind that makes my skin crawl and my instincts scream. I flick on my flashlight, sweeping it across the trees. 

The beam catches nothing but shifting shadows. Then, a shimmer in the dark, a distortion of space like heat warping the air. 

Lurkers.

Not the worst I could be dealing with, but not ideal—not with my ankle the way it is. Lurkers are fast, almost imperceptible when they move, their bodies blending into the environment like a mirage. They won’t stay hidden forever, though. Once they strike, they have to fully materialize.

I adjust my stance. If they’re going to attack, I need to make them do it on my terms. I flick my flashlight off, plunging the forest into near-total darkness.

Silence.

A heartbeat.

The first one lunges. I pivot, planting my good foot into the dirt, and fire twice the second I catch the shimmer of its form breaking into the physical plane. My bullets slam into its chest, the impact sending it reeling back with a sickening, gurgling shriek.

The second one is faster. I feel it before I see it—air shifting at my back. I twist at the last second, narrowly avoiding its claws as they slice through the space I just occupied. Pain flares in my ankle as I land hard, but I grit my teeth, ignoring it.

I whip my gun around and fire at point-blank range.

One. Two. Three shots.

The Lurker hisses, its form flickering erratically before it collapses, twitching, into the dirt. A blur of movement allows me to spot a third one. 

I drop low, just barely dodging as it rakes claws where my throat was a second ago. I roll, ignoring the way my ankle screams in protest, and come up on one knee. The moment I see the distortion break—I shoot.

With a snarl, it fully materializes—tall, emaciated, crystal-like skin stretched too tight over its bones, eyes like empty voids.

The air crackles around me, thick with the scent of burning ozone and charred metal. My chest rises and falls in shallow gasps, adrenaline roaring through my veins as I brace myself for the next attack.

It lunges. I twist, barely avoiding the serrated edge of the blade as I drive my fist into its ribs. Pain flares up my arm, but I don’t stop. Another comes at me from the left, and I duck.

A claw clamps around my wrist. My pulse jumps as an eerie shimmer distorts the air around us. The Wanderer snarls something incomprehensible, and then—

I fall.

No—

I am pulled.

The world stretches and twists, ribbons of colour bleeding into endless black. I try to move, to fight, but my body is weightless, unmoored from gravity itself. My breath catches in my throat. There’s no ground beneath me, no sky above. Just the boundless, infinite void.

A mirage of deep blues and shifting violets ripples around me, as if the universe itself is breathing. Stars glimmer in the distance, pulsing like dying embers. Long, shimmering bands of silver stretch out in all directions, weaving in and out of existence, never solid, never still. 

The vastness of it is suffocating—I have no control, no direction. I am a speck, adrift in an ocean of time and light.

Then I see a plane, floating just as aimlessly as I am. It’s impossible, and yet it’s there, suspended in the nothingness. The hull is scratched, the metal dull beneath the eerie glow of the void. 

I can’t see inside; the cockpit is fogged over, warning lights flickering in frantic bursts across the instrument panel.

My stomach twists. Someone is inside. I reach out instinctively. My fingers brush cold metal, and I grasp onto the wing, pulling myself closer. It’s harder than it should be—every movement feels sluggish, like I’m wading through thick, invisible currents. Hand over hand, I make my way toward the cockpit.

I press my face against the glass. At first, I see nothing but the ghostly reflection of the tunnel’s shifting light. Then, through the haze, I make out a slumped figure in the pilot’s seat.

Caleb.

His head is resting against the glass, his face partially obscured by shadows. His chest barely moves. Blood stains the fabric of his shirt, blooming darkly along the collar. I bang my fist against the glass, panic lancing through me.

“Caleb!”

No sound. My voice is swallowed by the void.

“Caleb, wake up!”

He doesn’t stir. I bang again, harder this time, my other hand still gripping the wing as if letting go will make this nightmare real. But is it real? Or just some cruel trick of the Metaflux? 

I don’t know. I don’t care. All I know is that I can’t watch him die. 

Not again.

Tears sting my eyes. I have to get out of here. I have to kill the Wanderer that dragged me into this abyss, but to do that, I have to leave him behind.

I can’t.

I won’t.

My fingers tighten against the cockpit’s edge, knuckles turning white. I stare at him, at the rise and fall of his breath—faint, too faint—and I make a choice.

I am getting him out of here. One way or another.

The Wanderer drifts in the void, its form shifting, tendrils of darkness curling and unfurling as if it can taste my fear. I need to lure it out—force it into a fight where I have a chance. But how do you fight when there is no ground, no up or down, no way to brace yourself?

“Come on,” I mutter. “Show yourself.”

The void around me pulses like a heartbeat, slow and methodical. Out of the vast nothing, a distortion ripples the space in front of me. The Wanderer shifts, coiling in and out of sight. 

I grab onto the plane’s wing, using it as leverage, twisting my body so I can face it head-on. It moves like liquid shadow, slipping in and out of my vision. I need it to come closer.

I slam my fist against the plane’s surface. The metal clangs, the sound instantly swallowed by the void, but the Wanderer notices. 

It writhes forward, tendrils reaching. I wait. Wait until it is just close enough—

Then I launch myself at it. The moment my fingers make contact with the inky mass, pain lances through my body. It burns, like frostbite and fire wrapped into one. 

My grip falters, but I grit my teeth and tighten my hold. The Wanderer writhes, its shifting form making it impossible to pin down. It lashes out, one of its tendrils cutting into my side, and I bite back a scream. 

I won’t let it win. 

With a snarl, I draw the knife strapped to my thigh and plunge it into the Wanderer’s core. It lets out a soundless scream, its body convulsing. I twist the blade, pushing deeper, and finally, the thing splinters apart like glass shattering in zero gravity.

Everything vanishes in an instant.

I’m on my back, staring up at a canopy of trees. My breathing is ragged, and the weight of reality slams into me. The forest is silent around me. No plane. No void. 

No Caleb.

I push myself up, wincing at the sharp sting in my side where the Wanderer cut me. The wound is still there. It was real, or real enough. I scan the area, but there’s no sign of what I just saw. 

With shaking hands, I make my way through the trees, my steps slow and shambling. The forest feels too still and too empty. I keep expecting the plane to be there, expecting Caleb to still be slumped in that cockpit, but there is nothing.

By the time I reach my car, my limbs are trembling. I slide into the driver’s seat and grip the wheel, trying to steady myself. My mind is a storm, circling the same thought over and over.

Caleb said he was in specialized training when he disappeared for months. I never questioned it. Never pushed him for details. But now… now I’m not so sure.

The dashboard interface lights up when I start my car, and I scroll through my contacts until I find Gideon’s name. 

The line rings once. Twice. Then a groggy voice picks up. “Inara?” Gideon sounds half-asleep. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“Gideon.” My voice is tight. “Caleb’s training—when he disappeared for months. Was it real?”

There’s a pause. “Why are you asking me that?”

“Just answer the question.”

“Inara, come on. I don’t—”

“Gideon.” My patience is razor-thin. “Did he lie to me?”

Another pause. It stretches long enough that I know the answer before he even speaks. When he does, it’s careful, too measured. “Caleb… he did what he had to do.”

My stomach twists. “So it was a lie.”

“Inara—”

I end the call before he can say anything else. I grip the wheel so tightly my knuckles turn white. My heart pounds in my chest. 

If Caleb lied about that… what else has he lied about?

Chapter Masterlist

Since Caleb's new Myth is out, I am once again wishing everyone good luck in their pulls. I know I need it. 🤣

Good luck everyone! 🍀🤞🏻