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[i]"What is Hacking?"

James watched as Clarissa Shields stalked the suspended cube in the middle of the room, and stalking was definitely the right answer, her gait was slow and measured and her sight never strayed from the object at his side. Even just standing at its side like he was felt like enough to feel the pressure of her gaze, some small part of his mind wondered when was the last time the genius found a puzzle she couldn't solve.

"It's...  a catch-all term for anything that messes with Source Code and Well-Springs?"

His answer was lackluster, he knew that but couldn't help it, for all his dealing with the shadiest of people Hacking was not something one could just stumble upon and the people who did it were reclusive in order to not be caught by the crown or one of the cults. Even inside the army of the Witch Queen and when he was being worked on the most he managed to glimpse was some indistinctive figures doing... something that hurt his mind to look at.

For the first time in hours, the Chief deviated her gaze from the cube but even then it was only to give him a glance before returning it to the device.

"In the most general of terms you are correct, however, that is only considering modern times, historically the word originally came from an ancient crime whereas people would alter Well-spring dimensions, 'Hacking at its edges', thus temporally interrupting the Well-spring's flow, causing disturbances in the area and denying a vital resource. Nowadays the practice is a taboo but as more ways to interact with Source have been discovered, so have related crimes risen"

She slowed her walking until she was across from him, placing the cube between them.

Then she let her sight unfocus.

No longer looking at the cube but not looking at him, instead, it was like she was trying to peer into something that could only be described as other.

"Source Code, both the fabric, the instruction, and the program offered by the Source, to assign it only one function is wrong but to peer at its entirety is foolish, we have long since found paths to shape it to our advantage, but without realizing it we have stopped exploring what is possible with it, instead becoming beholden to it like a road over hostile land" She drew breath and he couldn't tell if it was filled with anxiety or excitement "And today we are going to take the first step out of this trail, walking towards the unknown"

For a fleeting moment, she closed her eyes, almost as if contemplating something, but just as quickly her eyes were open and looking squarely in his direction.

"Do it"

At the signal he gave it a nod, and slowly his hand reached towards the cube until the tips of his left hand were touching it, in his other hand was his Symold clutched tightly. They had discussed what would happen beforehand but there was some aprehension in his system.

But he couldn't deny the flash of excitement he felt when he started chanting.

[color=df73ff]"I make an appeal for your blessing Lady Sillagy, mistress-[/color][/i]

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[quote=Alison]
"Hey there, glad to see you made it. We can catch up later, but right now, I gotta find whoever's still commanding this defense. Need to report in and figure out what our next move is. I will say we bagged the bastard that was hunting you guys,"
[/quote]
The voice spooked his memory away and returned him to the land of the barely living, he was... damn, he was really out of it wasn't he? To think that he would lose himself just because a lull in activity was happening.

Instead of dwelling on his failures he turned, facing the older woman with a tired scowl.

"Hey Alison" Then he took a proper look at the Rogue and his attitude shifted "Shit are you alri-? No stupid question, sorry" His hand went to his temples, the night was taking its toll and sometimes he felt he was at the end of his rope.

Man, fuck this siege.

Inhaling he allowed himself to breathe before talking again.

"What I meant to say is, it's good to see you Alison but if you are injured the you should seek medical help with the other healers" He gestured in the direction the the medical staff had placed themselves, even now he could see the dense mass of healers and assistants running around with purpose "As for the one in charge of all of this, well sad to say you are looking at him" He gave a halfhearted wave of his hand in his direction.

"Right now we have positions figured to resist as well as we can, we count with three Parties to hold the front lines, we have a few squads of magical backing and enough militia to cover any holes left in the defense, but that is also all we have left so if you have anything to report I would love to hear it"