Seeking Pandora: Cloud explores Pandora’s Temple (25/08/2403)

It had taken the Stryfe some time to make it into the facility, but now he and Isis were finally there, allowing the duo to make their way through the odd ruin.  The inside of the facility was particularly dark as the two moved away from the massive hole in the wall that had provided them with an entrance.  Cloud would be sure to check with Fort David and Valhallard to see if they had managed to translate any more of the symbols that he had sent them, hoping that it would aid him in navigating the strange environment that he now found himself in, while Isis kept her eyes out for consoles or maps of any kind.  The two would quickly realise that despite the advanced technology required to create an entity such as Genbu, Pandora’s temple seemed rather archaic in its construction.  The walls, though energetically enhanced, were constructed very similar to a number of older buildings, and all of the ethereal technology seemed to be either damaged beyond functionality or barely functional and executing extremely simple tasks like air purification or lighting in some extremely dark areas.  There was little in the way of consoles like the one that Isis had found earlier, they were few and far between, and the general network for the facility did not even seemed to be designed for public access but more so for a single person.  Isis would deduce that they were designed for the architect of the facility, the being from the future baring the name ‘Synchros’, but not the guardian himself.  If her history was correct, after the worlds were separated, he lost his connection to latent ether and as a result his channelling potential but remained immortal as most channelers did.  This made it possible for him to orchestrate the construction of the facility, but confirmed that he would have needed the assistance of ethereal channeler to actual provide a great deal of labour.  This meant that this massive structure would have to be built after the start of the eighteenth centry when channelers first started popping up regularly on Gaia’s three fractured components.  She was still unsure whether it was in Oya or this third Earth that Genbu was created, but regardless of the location, she could be sure that this man Synchros, a follower of Teros had been the mastermind behind its creation and those that provided the labour was undoubtedly oblivious to the deep inner workings of the creature.

As the two made it further into the facility, Cloud would communicate with his Guardian companion Dias, requesting that he seek more information from his senior counterparts about the temple to see if he could garner any more information in that way, but this only seemed to confirm Isis’ deductions, there was little other information that these ancient being could confirm.  With this, the two would spend the rest of their action now seeking signs of others present.  They would find little in the way of signs of a scuffle or DNA of any kind, but Cloud’s massive sensory range would luckily allow him to send a faint ethereal signature some distance away from him, allowing the two to go in that direction.

As they did this, Cloud would feel an odd resonance between himself and the ethereal signature before, after some time, he received an odd sensation from Dias.  Cloud would order Isis to cancel her Intercourse ability and dismount herself from his energy reserve to find a good hiding place while he investigated now.  His combat suit would instantly power on and activate its stealth, allowing him to approach the area quickly and silently.  Some distance in, he would see an odd Dark haired channeler standing at an alter and hear mutterings but he would not be able to make out what he was saying.

“Cloud is it?”  The voice sounded, startling the massive Stryfe now as the man turned his gaze around.

Cloud instantly realised that the man could not actually see him or sense him directly, but yet he could confirm his presence, giving the Mercenary a rather uneasy feeling.  Cloud would watch as the man’s faint energy signature now built exponentially before capping off at what would normally be fully power for a channeler around his faction’s Field Leader’s level.

“Your power will be a useful one... why don’t you come out and make this easier on both of us?”  The man stated now, causing Cloud to quickly back-peddle and make his way out of the room, ensuring to not make a sound.

The strange man would somehow become aware of his retreat and give chase, but being unable to pinpoint Cloud’s location would make his pursuit ultimately pointless.  Cloud would rendezvous with Isis and clear the area.  Whoever this man was, he was clearly not who they sought, and he was clearly not someone who they wanted to run into.

Outcome: Cloud and Isis have not found the exiled Prince Kairi Itami Jr. but they have run into another anomalous channeler and fled from his presence.  They must now locate the Prince while this man seeks them out.

Cloud: 80 Exp
  Isis: 270 Exp