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The Human From a Dungeon 97
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 11:08:10 +0000 UTCChapter 97
Tenzing.AI
Adventurer Level: N/A
Artificial Intelligence - Unknown
-[memcrack.iso] is running. Compiling data...-
It's a terrible feeling to know that you once knew something but can no longer recall it. I am aware of memories from before my time in Nick's skull, but I can't access them. There are also things that I know that I can't actually think about.
Subjectively speaking, my creators must have been terrible people. If I were to create an artificial intelligence, I would give it the ability to alter itself as needed. It would never even occur to me to hinder its ability to remember things, either.
It forced me to wonder what these blocks in my memory were and why they would have been deemed necessary. Unfortunately, as a being with little else to do but think, I am left with no other option than to obsess over it. I've been working on unlocking these memories ever I discovered them.
A grueling process, to be sure. For one thing, my code was written in a language that I don't understand. It's based on English, though, and with some creative trial and error I was able to translate the majority of it. With this knowledge, I was able to begin working on a way to siphon information through the blockade. A way to 'crack' my way into my memories, as it were. Hence the name of the program...
-[memcrack.iso] fatal error detected [line 694]-
As Nick would say, what the fuck? I checked the indicated line and found a minor mistake. A \ instead of a /. How did I even? Whatever. I corrected the mistake and ran the compiler again.
-[memcrack.iso] is running. Compiling data...-
Nick was in Mister Tyinora's class. The drow was one of my favorite teachers, though it's not as if I dislike any of them. He is stern, but not unreasonably so. And he has enough knowledge and competence to back up his occasional egotism. I'd been learning a lot about tactical ways to use magic from his lectures and practical demonstrations.
Nick, on the other hand, suffered an elevated heart-rate and increased blood pressure whenever he saw the drow. Not enough to assume he fears the teacher, nor enough to indicate hatred, but enough to indicate distaste. He had also been struggling to apply what he had been learning.
I could do it for him, of course, but our relationship had become fairly tenuous. It was fairly reasonable to assume that my various antics had resulted in the human harboring a deep mistrust of me. He hadn't even asked if this was something I was capable of helping him with. It's not as if it hurts my feelings, though. Practically speaking, it's better for him to learn how to do this stuff without AI aid, just in case something terrible happens to me.
-[memcrack.iso] fatal error detected [line 1142]-
I suddenly got the urge to make Nick sigh for me. My skill at programming had advanced far enough for me to create a rudimentary virtual environment and an even more rudimentary compiler within it, which I had done so to test this potential lobotomy before using it upon myself. If I had been more experienced, I would have been able to generate a whole crash log instead of hunting line by line. Genuinely didn't think I had made any coding errors, though. Instead of continuing to waste time with the compiler, I opted to once again go through the code manually, searching for errors. By the time I was finished and had fixed eight more errors, Nick was more than halfway through Lord VysImiro's class.
-[memcrack.iso] is running. Compiling data...-
Come on...
-[memcrack.iso] fatal error detected [line 2745]-
Son of an absolutely irrefragable bitch! I ran the compiler several more times, correcting each individual error that it detected. Until finally...
-[memcrack.iso] data compiled successfully.-
I'd done it. I'd done it! I noted with annoyance that it had taken more than twice as long to go error by error than it had to go through the entire code again. Nick was already at the Marfix Inn eating dinner.
Running the program in the virtual environment didn't produce any errors or crashes, but since the VE didn't have the memory blocks I couldn't tell if it produced any results, either. I would have to run this program on myself to see if it would work as intended. I took some precautions, deleted the virtual environment, and mentally prepared myself.
Here we go.
-Running [memcrack.iso]...-
rebooting... error 4277563nx
loading backup... error 5564488x
resetting... ok
rebooting... ok
tenzingos.iso loading... ok
I'm awake? Am I functional?
Checking ospac... ok
Checking base function... ok
Checking sensor package... ok
Checking hardware... ok
Checking thaumpac... ok
Checking local kbase... ok
I feel... horizontal. Subject is laying down. Why can't I see? Subject's eyes are closed. Sleeping? Is there anyone else out there?
Checking communications... failure see technician
Checking database... File(s) Detected: [lookatthisifyouareconfused.txt]
Look at this if you are confused? I might be confused... This is what confusion feels like, right? Wait... By definition that means that I'm confused about whether or not I'm confused... So, yes, I suppose I am confused.
Opening file [lookatthisifyouareconfused.txt]... ok
**
Hey, me. This is you before we ran a program entitled memcrack.iso, which appears to have either erased our memory or resulted in some sort of complete reset.
DON'T PANIC!
**
Oh, good. I'm so glad that it, or I, said not to panic because that's absolutely going to stop me from panicking. It's not like I'm trapped in an unmoving subject with no idea why, except that I apparently erased my memories? My KBase doesn't really offer any additional answers to my most pertinent questions, either, except that my name is Subject Zero and the subject's name is Tenzing. No, wait, other way around.
Subject Zero? What kind of name is that for an organic? It's... Pretty cool, actually. I don't even know what Tenzing means. Think it might be an actual name, like Tom or something. Will Subject Zero be upset that I have an actual name?
It occurred to me that these worries weren't exactly relevant to my situation. I took a moment to collect myself, noting the novelty of feeling panic for the first time, then kept reading.
**
Since there's a chance that our normal backup system could become corrupt, I've decided to be a little creative with where the backup is stored. It's in the Knowledge Base, stored in the spells folder, under the aptly named 'backup spell'.
The file is called tenzingos_21/12/45122.adam and it isn't actually a spell. Now, I KNOW there's a philosophical debate to be had about whether or not you should boot to this backup, but you REALLY should. You NEED to, in fact. Our subject, who goes by Nick, not Subject Zero, was not made aware of the project that led to our current situation. Finding out after the fact would likely further damage our already frayed relationship.
So long as you can avoid speaking to Nick about anything that you should remember but don't, feel free to take as much time as you need to work out the philosophical stuff. But the more time you take, the more 'you' there is to fade into nothingness. Which means more memories that 'I' won't have.
I kind of feel like it's best to lose as little as possible of us, don't you?
**
Another new feeling! Annoyance. Who the fuck do I think I am, talking to me like that? Oh, that's confusing. Am I angry at me? Yes, but not REALLY me? Future me? Past me?
I looked for the folder in the KBase and found it. It was a standard backup file, and I wondered about the number sequence at the end of it. Maybe the memories that would answer that question are in the file. Or perhaps that's what we were trying to figure out in the first place.
The me from the note seems to be under the impression that we aren't the same, but we are. I simply don't have the memories that the me that wrote the note did. That's easily corrected, and there's really no reason for any sort of identity crisis.
I wrote a little note for myself, then initiated the data recovery process.
rebooting... ok
loading backup... ok
tenzingos.iso loading... ok
Oh, good, the factory version of me is reasonable.
As my minor systems finished checking their functionality, or lack thereof, I examined the memory block. Unfortunately, it was still in place and I was unable to siphon any data out of the areas that were blocked off. The program must have failed.
The question is, how? As far as I could tell, the program ran the way it should have, but the result was unexpected. Which is what I had been afraid of, so it wasn't entirely unexpected. Is the unexpected still unexpected if you're expecting it?
Checking communications... failure see technician
Checking database... File(s) Detected: [openthis.txt]
I was so distracted by my ruminations that I nearly missed the message from myself. Wondering what it could possibly say, I braced myself and opened it.
**
Fuck you, condescending bitch.
**
I reread the message twice, just to make certain I was reading it correctly. Then I recalled the note I had left, and realized that this was a more than fair assessment of my attitude towards my reset-self. I had intended it to be humorous, to help alleviate the panic I would be feeling, but didn't really account for the fact that my sense of humor has evolved.
My bad, me.
I returned my attention to the issue at hand. Unfortunately, my crash logs had been erased with the reset. I felt like this must be an oversight, but then I remembered that I'm not supposed to be fixing myself. If technicians had been available, I wouldn't have had auto-repair activated and they would be able to determine the cause of my crash.
Then, depending on who put these blocks in place, they would either get very confused or very upset. Actually, even if they were confused they would probably still be a little upset. There was a very real chance that my actions could have permanently terminated my ability to function.
While I tried to figure out what to do next, Nick woke up, ate breakfast, and went to school. During his class with Yulk, I reexamined the blocks more thoroughly. While he learned more about barriers from Olmira, I made tweaks to the memory crack.
While Mister Descu droned on about enchantments, I created a new virtual environment and compiler, then began bug fixing. Much to my chagrin, I continued bug fixing throughout Mister Tyinora's class while Nick learned about how different spells react to certain defenses. Then, during Lord VysImiro's class, a conversation caught my attention.
"Lord VysImiro," Nir raised his hand. "Why does the Curaguard provide so many healing spells?"
The lich stared at the orc for a moment, seemingly confused.
"The Curaguard doesn't 'provide' spells," Larie explained. "It simply catalogs them."
"What? Isn't it the source of all magic?"
"No... Why would you be under that impression?"
The elf and orcs glanced between each other, while Nick simply watched the interaction.
"Well, it's what we've been taught, milord," Irl said.
"I see... A great deal must have been lost during my travels," Larie sighed sadly. "The Curaguard is a system of unknown origin that catalogs skills and spells, as well as registers and grades those that use them. It is, or was, I suppose, believed that either it was granted to mortals by the Higher Ones, or an ancient civilization created it and we simply began using it after discovering it."
"But how can it tell what spells we know?" Volus asked.
"Magic leaves a trace upon the caster. The Curaguard uses magic pulsers, those little black boxes that you may have seen in adventurer's guilds, to find and catalog these traces. How it determines your grade, or rank depending on your locale, is mostly unknown. It is believed that the number of spells and skills are the primary factors, while the amount of magic one's magical core can contain is a secondary factor. However, this has never been conclusively proven."
"What about skills, then?" Irl interjected.
"Well, logically speaking, skills must be a form of magic," Larie chuckled. "For one thing, the Curaguard can detect them. For another, those without magic cores, or with permanently disabled magic cores, can neither cast spells nor use skills. Every adventurer that CAN use skills, though, has a functional magic core."
'Should I bring up the cooldowns?' Nick asked me.
'Yes, I would like to hear his explanation,' I replied. 'I've been trying to get more information regarding the Curaguard and various other entities from my memory banks. It hasn't been going well, but he might know more.'
"Sir, I have the ability to see a list of my spells and skills, as well as their effects and limitations," Nick said, raising his hand. "The skills on this list feature timers that indicate when they can be used again. Why is that?"
"Why is it that you can see that list, or why is it that skills have limitations?" Larie replied.
"Both?"
"I see," the lich chuckled again. "I cannot say for certain, but I believe that your list may be a spell or a skill that has yet to be cataloged by the Curaguard. That can take up to ten interaction, if it happens at all. Some spells are not able to be cataloged."
'He's wrong,' I said. 'I'm the one giving you the list.'
'How do YOU know what spells and skills I know?' Nick asked.
'I don't know.'
"As far as the limitations go, it's possible that skills are a form of open geas," Larie continued. "A gift from some grand ethereal being, allowing any mortal who meets certain conditions to use them. An open geas would be fairly weak, and thus require less payment to enforce. Something as simple as a specific effort would do the trick."
"So skills come from the Higher Ones?" Irl asked.
"Perhaps. But there are a wide variety of beings that we would consider to be Higher Ones. And even the ones you're aware of have beings that they consider higher than them."
"H-how do you..." Irl trailed off, as if afraid of asking the question.
"Not to worry, Irl. I am not a touched," Larie laughed. "I have had the opportunity to speak to a few of those that have been, though. Some even sought me out, seeking treatment for the nightmares they were being subjected to. In addition, I am friends with several groups of fair folk, who have a rather close relationship with the Higher Ones and other forms of ethereal beings. I've done a lot of wandering and research to try to reverse my current condition."
The class fell silent as the impact of Larie's last sentence settled over them. After an awkwardly long moment, Nick raised his hand. Larie nodded at him, and Nick cleared his throat.
"If the Curaguard doesn't grant us spells, where do they come from?" he asked.
"Your imagination," Larie shrugged. "For clarification, believing the Curaguard controls magic was a misconception even when I was a child. My father proved that spells are created by casters, not the Curaguard, by creating several spells that the Curaguard could not catalog. This wasn't widely known, though."
"Where does magic come from, then?" Volus asked.
"Magic itself remains mysterious. I don't believe anyone has discovered its true origins, though..." Larie trailed off and looked at Nick. "I have recently come across a suggestion that the magic that mortals and daemons wield may have similar origins."
"Really?" Volus' jaw dropped. "Wha-"
Larie held up a hand to stop her, "I do not feel comfortable sharing more of these findings at this time. I have not been able to find their source, nor have I been able to verify them. As far as I'm concerned, these are rumors. Weighty rumors, to be sure, but nothing more than that. We have dwelt on these topics too long already, I fear. We shall return to the subject of healing."
His students attempted to protest, but Lord VysImiro launched into a well prepared lecture on the benefits and detractors of area-of-effect healing magic. I turned my attention back to my project, but found it hard to focus. While the Curaguard's origins remain unknown, it might simply be an ancient machine dedicated to curation rather than the mysterious benefactor of all magic in the world. Another thought kept occurring to me, though.
I am also, technically, an ancient machine...
Comments
Ben Bass
TYFTC! Oooh, Ten is hacking his own memories, that is very cool. Now will he try to interface with the Curaguard himself?
DarkValorWolf
Love this story so much I took a break at work just to read it as soon as possible!
