|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
<![CDATA[
<a
href="http://www.game-advertising-online.com/" target=_blank>Game Advertising
Online</a><br>
banner requires iframes
]]>
|
|
|
 |
| RF Online : Lore - Chapter 4 |
|
|
 |
Chapter 4: The advent of the Arcane Virus |
Mankind had grown as a race, its progression
seen in the developments made within the galaxy.
The expansion to the furthest reaches of the galaxy
paid testament to their success. The tragic events
to follow came with the advent of the new and deadly
virus, designed to systematically wipe out mankind.
The galaxy's best known scientists and scholars
examined the new strain, in a bid to find a cure
and to wipe this deadly virus from existence. But
time was against them, their only discovery showed
that the symptoms were very similar to those of
the Arcane Virus, the same virus that had destroyed
the Earth's Solar system all those centuries ago.
Infected people showed signs of aggression and extreme
excitation with a strong desire for destruction.
It was inevitable that the killing would start,
as cases of infection grew out of control. People
killed each other and then themselves. Mankind as
a whole was on a losing battle with itself. |
 |
This new strain of the
virus differed from the Arcane Virus. The life expectancy
of a human infected by the virus was a mere 8 hours,
unlike the Arcane Virus, which took 7 days to kill
its host. The scariest thing about this new virus
wasn't the rate of fatality, but the speed of infection
between carriers and victims. The resilience of
the virus to variations in temperatures, sterile
conditions and known medical anti-virals, meant
that it spread to the general population with ease
via transport links, communication channels and
even individual spacecraft. 90% of humans were infected
and killed within a day.
To survive this horrific destruction, the rest of
mankind had no choice but to segregate themselves
from the outside world. Planets were put into a
self-regulated quarantine. All landing platforms
and communications were destroyed to prevent any
outside intervention. For a lucky few, a number
of planets in the Lablum Sector escaped infection.
This was one of only a handful of sectors that escaped
the damage the virus had brought to the galaxy.
The Lablum sector played home to Doctor DoHyun and
he deduced that the current virus was somehow related
to the Arcane Virus. Working closely with the scholars
and members of the Arcane Club, they dubbed the
new strain the “Mutant Strain Arcane Virus”.
With the latest information gathered from the other
colonies before the galaxy wide cut-off, the researchers
resumed their investigations into this MSAV.
Soon after the research into the MSAV strain had
started, scientists found something truly unexpected.
For within the Lablum sector, the MSAV was found
to be lying dormant. All life activity had ceased.
Like true scientists, this lack of activity intrigued
the team greatly, so much so that they inadvertently
activated the virus to ascertain whether it was
indeed the Mutant Strain Arcane Virus. The death
of 5 researchers confirmed this. The intriguing
by-product of these deaths was the peculiar actions
of the virus. It again seemed to cease its activity
and resume a state of hibernation. Dohyun and his
fellow researchers hypothesised that the cause of
this hibernation must be in some way related to
the environment within this sector. What exactly,
was still a mystery.
With communication to other sectors unavailable,
it was difficult to explain this great finding.
Members of the Arcane Club took it upon themselves
to communicate by any means possible, what they
had discovered, in the hope someone was listening.
The distance between sectors was vast, and the platforms
were used as communication and transportation tools.
Alas all had been destroyed and hence making the
task very difficult.
As the scientists continued on with their research,
the Lablum government discovered a rare and previously
unrecorded element. This newly discovered element
had unique properties never seen before, its most
distinguishing feature being the incredible explosive
power. This was like no other element and was named
“Holy Mental”. This element had a deeper
side to it though. The mystery of where this great
power came from baffled scientists, as it didn't
follow any of the known scientific laws.
The local government in the Lablum sector was carefully
developing this newly discovered element in the
utmost secrecy. However, with the advent of the
Mutant Strain Arcane Virus, the discovery and research
of the Holy Mental was put to one side and forgotten.
Members of the Arcane Club took the opportunity
and began to look into the attributes that this
new element possessed. The theory was that this
one element may in fact be the key that they were
looking for. This could be the element that destroys
the MSAV and inevitably save what was left of mankind.
It was speculated that the unusual wave emanating
from the Holy Mental was somehow effecting similar
waves coming from the Arcane Virus, which were seen
to penetrate the human brain, stimulating the aggressive
centres and hence causing violent behaviour. The
“spiritual waves” from the Holy Mental
had a cancelling effect to the virus. Working together
with the government studying this relationship between
the two waves, the theory was eventually proved
to be true.
The findings saw that whenever the Arcane Virus
was in the presence of the Holy Mental, it would
not activate itself and remained dormant. With this
groundbreaking discovery, scientists began to study
this further in the hope of creating a much needed
vaccine to eliminate the deadly virus. However,
it was seen too be impossible to create a vaccine
using Holy Mental without further understanding
how this element actually functioned.
Consequently, Doctor Dohyun focused his research
into developing the Holy Mental as opposed to creating
the vaccine. His research, though, did not receive
support from the Sector administration nor from
the members within the club. As a result, he was
excluded from the Vaccine research group. As the
Lablum sector and Arcane Club research teams developed
ideas and theories for the vaccine, a devastating
event was taking place on the outer boundaries of
the Lablum Sector. An unidentified ship was seen
to be entering the area, much to the dismay of the
Sector’s Administration.
Electrical transmissions were repeatedly sent to
alert this unidentified ship to hold back and to
cease its current trajectory. The only reply from
the ship was the sound of destruction and burning,
and the complete annihilation of the outermost colonies
in the G-17 sector. The Lablum Sector itself was
in complete shock by what was happening. The ship
had completely destroyed the G-17 sector all within
an hour, using an unimaginable force and power that
human weapons couldn’t match.
The 400 million people living in the G-17 sector
were wiped out within 30 minutes.
Back in the Lablum Sector, people were in a panic,
mass hysteria channelling through the planets. The
alien ship was on a direct heading toward the Core
Lablum planet, G-60, all the surrounding planets
subjected to the same terrifying force that had
been witnessed earlier. There was no mercy in these
attacks. Planetary armies were deployed but failed
to even launch a single attack on the incoming vessel.
All hope was lost.
People tried fleeing the planet but without a central
platform to launch from, options were limited. Those
that did find a way to leave the planets surface
became easy pickings and effortlessly destroyed.
Doctor Dohyun suspected that there was some sort
of relationship between the unidentified spacecraft
and the source of the mutated virus. Instinctively,
he knew that the ship was being controlled by the
unknown race that had destroyed the two great ancient
Earth civilizations centuries ago. The question
remained, would it be possible to hold back these
attacks with the newly discovered Holy Mental?
These deductions were pure speculation based on
his understanding of the cultures, and earlier research.
He presented his findings to the members of the
Arcane Club and the local government, but his ideas
were dismissed as fantasy with no basis. The tense
conditions on the planet led to chaos and fear.
The social structure broke down completely leading
to rioting, lawless behaviour and even suicidal
tendencies. Complete anarchy took over. With the
end of humanity so near, only a miracle could save
mankind.
Be it a miracle or something more sinister, the
alien ship so close to victory, did a most unexpected
thing. On the eve of its triumph, it stopped. For
what seemed like an eternity, the ship remained
stationary, attacks ceased, and all was at peace
for that moment. Without warning or cause, the spacecraft
took a new heading back toward the outer colonies
and disappeared to whence it came.
Doctor Dohyun, though perplexed by this course of
action, kept on with his research. This time they
had survived. But why? Who were these attackers?
What did they want? With so many questions, Dohyun
immediately began work.
The secret of the Holy Mental was key to Dohyun’s
research. Did it possess some sort of ability that
allowed telepathic ability, an ability to communicate
to other creatures through the power of thought?
Could the great explosive power of Holy Mental be
adapted into an energy source for a new era? His
thoughts and suspicions focussed on the spiritual
wave which he strongly believed drove the alien
spacecraft away. It was obvious that his work here
could not be carried on with so much hostility around
him. With the army themselves in turmoil, uprising
against the government, the stability of the planet
was in ruin.
Doctor Dohyun planned to leave the Lablum Sector
with others, sharing the same ideals and beliefs.
He needed a more stable location to continue on
with his research into Holy Mental with a firm belief
that this was indeed the key to mankind’s
survival. Upon their departure from the Lablum sector,
reports came in that the alien spacecraft had returned
to Lablum and mounted its final and devastating
attack on the area. The Lablum sector, a once peaceful
and tranquil quadrant of space, was left as a barren
and lifeless solar system… |
|
» Chapter 5 |
|
|
 comments |
|
|
|
|
|
