23rd of Ash, 120 AS
Blinking Lyra gazed around at the familiar sight of her lab, just as she had left it. Her eyes scanned the ceiling for a moment before drifting downward, locking on the Core which now sat glowing softly at the center of the Circle. Lyra lifted the stone reverently in one hand, raising it before her eyes to look into its depths.
"Can you hear me?" the question was asked softly, with a fond tone while Lyra gently stroked the Core's surface. Of course, it could not answer. She had not given it the ability to, yet now that the process was complete Lyra could not help but at the item in her hands as something new, almost alive.
This was what drew her to the magic of artificing in the first place. Were the things created with this magic alive in some way? Were they merely a mimicry of life, or was it possible that, given enough time, they could become something more? Was this thing that glowed faintly in her hand the beginning of a true, artificial soul? The prospect of it made Lyra's soul tremble in eagerness as some long lost, distant part of her reveled in the question of life vs unlife. If she gave this core more identity, more processes, more information would it become sentient? Would sapients happen? Or would it always be simply a copy of her desires? Now, however, Lyra had another question that she desired to be answered.
Holding the core up before her eyes Lyra turned it over several times, inspecting for any visual changes. She found none, and after a few moments, she gently set it back down into the circle. Once more it came alight and Lyra pressed her hand down on her own glyph. The core was made, and it had been given proper instruction. It would follow the commands she had inscribed into its being, but now she wished to know... were those commands alterable now?
These thoughts continued to pass through Lyra's mind as she opened her eyes to the world of the Soul Space once more. The Core hovered where it had previously, unchanged and unmoving. With a smile Lyra flowed over to it and set both of her hands upon its surface, staring into its depths.
"You, little one, are a curiosity." Lyra said to the Core, "I know not yet what to classify you as, but that is fine. For now, let us see if we can learn more from one another."
Clapping her hands together Lyra summoned the design from before. The circles connected together by lines of power and in the 2nd circle a replica of the simple gem core she had created previously. Hesitating for only a moment Lyra whispered, "Connect."
Under her fingers, Lyra felt a thrum of power, and a build-up before a flash of aether was sent down the black lines of the schema, hitting the replica gem and making it glow faintly before fading. Nodding to her self Lyra patted the Core, whispering soft praises before continuing.
"Light."
Another pulse was sent down the line, and the connected gem began to glow with an emerald light. Again Lyra gave the Core encouragement, unknowingly slipping into treating it as if it were a living thing. With a smile, Lyra whispered, "Dark."
The channeled line of power ceased, and the emerald glow faded. Finally, Lyra clapped her hands and rose above the entire design, "Disconnect."
A pulse was sent out from the Core, severing the link between it and the other gem. With that complete Lyra clapped her hand once more, dismissing the entire recreation and floating with a satisfied smirk on her lips. Inside of this space, at least, the Core seemed to be able to function as intended. This was good, but now Lyra knew she needed to know... Could she alter what she had done? Was it possible to add to, or change the programing of a Core? According to Phoma it was impossible, and based on her own experience Lyra had seen that a core once created adapted the instructions as if they were a part of themselves. To change that would be like changing a Soul to favor one food over another. Lyra had thought about that for many days, but she had come to a realization. Souls, in and of themselves were moldable, adaptable based on the environment they were in. She herself utilized the Melodies to bend and shape the soul's desires in individuals. Thus if an Artificial Soul was able to understand what was a part of its 'self', then Lyra suspected it should in theory be able to change that understanding of self in some limited fashion. That was partially what the Soul Space was created to facilitate. Space where a connection between two souls could be made, so deep that they could interact in the way Lyra was now with the Core. In this space, powered and strengthened by Mesmer in the glyphs, Lyra thought she might, perhaps, be able to influence the thing she had created.
Floating down Lyra touched the Core gently, feeling its processes inside. She sensed the protocols she had given it before, the things she had taught it. She pressed on those now, choosing the command 'light'. In her mind she focused on the process, telling the Core that the function was the same, however, she wanted it to respond not to the phrase 'light', but instead to 'shine.'
Several long seconds passed, and a pulse came that made Lyra frown. If what she felt from the core previously was acceptance, this time the Core more or less said "That is not me".
"But it could be..." Lyra said softly to the Core, floating around it while keeping one hand trailing long its surface, "It is just a word, a single phrase. That is all."
Again Lyra tried, funneling more of her aether into the connection and grasping at the command of light as if to forcefully rip it from the Core's programming, yet with surprise, Lyra found herself forcefully rebuffed. Started Lyra snatched her hand back, staring at the Core.
"Stubborn rock." Lyra muttered in frustration. Then she sighed, laying her hand on the Core once more. She did not immediately try and make the alteration, however, but instead tapped into her rune and opened herself to the symphonies.
The entire space hummed with Power as Lyra did this, and glancing up Lyra could see the colors in the sky shifting as pulses in time with the rhythms broke across the surface of the world. Perhaps it was the Glyphs responding to Lyra's power, enhancing them in some way due to the proximity of the Core to Lyra within this space and the strength of the connection? It was a thought for another time, though, and with a shake of her head, Lyra focused on the Core.
A part of Lyra was surprised to find that the core DID in fact have a melody. A simple one, consisting of only two notes. One was a deep base that thrummed with a steady rhythm. This was the rhythm of the shard itself, brought forth by the nature of the Core. It was steady, consistent. It was power. It did not change. It simply was. The second rhythm was lighter and wove up and down in simple waves. When Lyra pressed her hand on the Core's surface this melody quickened ever so slightly. Not excitement, or anticipation. Awareness? Searching?
The more she focused the more Lyra could see that the wavering tone was what was linked with the Core's programming. When she spoke one of its phrases its rhythm spiked before an evening out once more. Lyra pressed on the core then, trying to shift the phrase Light to Shine once more. As she did the rhythm stuttered, becoming erratic as the Core did not accept the command as it was not a part of itself. An idea then came to Lyra.
Again she envisioned the steps connected with the Command 'Light'. As she did the rhythm quickened once more. Smiling Lyra wove her own melody into the Core's, mirroring it. Acceptance, acknowledgment, enacting. Then she pressed the new phrase, and the rhythm became erratic. With a breath Lyra dimmed that erratic rhythm, weaving her own in its place, overlapping it and wrapping the erratic motion. Again Lyra repeated the new phrase, and again the Core's Rhythm was erratic, yet her one remained consistent. She repeated this process over and over until, finally, she spoke 'Shine' and the Core's rhythm spiked just as it did with 'light'.
Lyra breathed in, anticipation growing as she brought up the replica diagram once more. After having the Core connect to the other Gem she used the 'light' command, and as expected the other gem glowed a soft emerald. She then commanded the light off and whispered softly, "Shine."
Lyra could almost dance with pleasure as the gem glowed a soft emerald green.
It was possible. Within this space, with her close connection to the core and through Mesmer conditioning, a Core COULD have its programs altered. It would be tedious, time-consuming, but it told Lyra one thing. Core's were truly Artificial Souls.
Blinking Lyra gazed around at the familiar sight of her lab, just as she had left it. Her eyes scanned the ceiling for a moment before drifting downward, locking on the Core which now sat glowing softly at the center of the Circle. Lyra lifted the stone reverently in one hand, raising it before her eyes to look into its depths.
"Can you hear me?" the question was asked softly, with a fond tone while Lyra gently stroked the Core's surface. Of course, it could not answer. She had not given it the ability to, yet now that the process was complete Lyra could not help but at the item in her hands as something new, almost alive.
This was what drew her to the magic of artificing in the first place. Were the things created with this magic alive in some way? Were they merely a mimicry of life, or was it possible that, given enough time, they could become something more? Was this thing that glowed faintly in her hand the beginning of a true, artificial soul? The prospect of it made Lyra's soul tremble in eagerness as some long lost, distant part of her reveled in the question of life vs unlife. If she gave this core more identity, more processes, more information would it become sentient? Would sapients happen? Or would it always be simply a copy of her desires? Now, however, Lyra had another question that she desired to be answered.
Holding the core up before her eyes Lyra turned it over several times, inspecting for any visual changes. She found none, and after a few moments, she gently set it back down into the circle. Once more it came alight and Lyra pressed her hand down on her own glyph. The core was made, and it had been given proper instruction. It would follow the commands she had inscribed into its being, but now she wished to know... were those commands alterable now?
These thoughts continued to pass through Lyra's mind as she opened her eyes to the world of the Soul Space once more. The Core hovered where it had previously, unchanged and unmoving. With a smile Lyra flowed over to it and set both of her hands upon its surface, staring into its depths.
"You, little one, are a curiosity." Lyra said to the Core, "I know not yet what to classify you as, but that is fine. For now, let us see if we can learn more from one another."
Clapping her hands together Lyra summoned the design from before. The circles connected together by lines of power and in the 2nd circle a replica of the simple gem core she had created previously. Hesitating for only a moment Lyra whispered, "Connect."
Under her fingers, Lyra felt a thrum of power, and a build-up before a flash of aether was sent down the black lines of the schema, hitting the replica gem and making it glow faintly before fading. Nodding to her self Lyra patted the Core, whispering soft praises before continuing.
"Light."
Another pulse was sent down the line, and the connected gem began to glow with an emerald light. Again Lyra gave the Core encouragement, unknowingly slipping into treating it as if it were a living thing. With a smile, Lyra whispered, "Dark."
The channeled line of power ceased, and the emerald glow faded. Finally, Lyra clapped her hands and rose above the entire design, "Disconnect."
A pulse was sent out from the Core, severing the link between it and the other gem. With that complete Lyra clapped her hand once more, dismissing the entire recreation and floating with a satisfied smirk on her lips. Inside of this space, at least, the Core seemed to be able to function as intended. This was good, but now Lyra knew she needed to know... Could she alter what she had done? Was it possible to add to, or change the programing of a Core? According to Phoma it was impossible, and based on her own experience Lyra had seen that a core once created adapted the instructions as if they were a part of themselves. To change that would be like changing a Soul to favor one food over another. Lyra had thought about that for many days, but she had come to a realization. Souls, in and of themselves were moldable, adaptable based on the environment they were in. She herself utilized the Melodies to bend and shape the soul's desires in individuals. Thus if an Artificial Soul was able to understand what was a part of its 'self', then Lyra suspected it should in theory be able to change that understanding of self in some limited fashion. That was partially what the Soul Space was created to facilitate. Space where a connection between two souls could be made, so deep that they could interact in the way Lyra was now with the Core. In this space, powered and strengthened by Mesmer in the glyphs, Lyra thought she might, perhaps, be able to influence the thing she had created.
Floating down Lyra touched the Core gently, feeling its processes inside. She sensed the protocols she had given it before, the things she had taught it. She pressed on those now, choosing the command 'light'. In her mind she focused on the process, telling the Core that the function was the same, however, she wanted it to respond not to the phrase 'light', but instead to 'shine.'
Several long seconds passed, and a pulse came that made Lyra frown. If what she felt from the core previously was acceptance, this time the Core more or less said "That is not me".
"But it could be..." Lyra said softly to the Core, floating around it while keeping one hand trailing long its surface, "It is just a word, a single phrase. That is all."
Again Lyra tried, funneling more of her aether into the connection and grasping at the command of light as if to forcefully rip it from the Core's programming, yet with surprise, Lyra found herself forcefully rebuffed. Started Lyra snatched her hand back, staring at the Core.
"Stubborn rock." Lyra muttered in frustration. Then she sighed, laying her hand on the Core once more. She did not immediately try and make the alteration, however, but instead tapped into her rune and opened herself to the symphonies.
The entire space hummed with Power as Lyra did this, and glancing up Lyra could see the colors in the sky shifting as pulses in time with the rhythms broke across the surface of the world. Perhaps it was the Glyphs responding to Lyra's power, enhancing them in some way due to the proximity of the Core to Lyra within this space and the strength of the connection? It was a thought for another time, though, and with a shake of her head, Lyra focused on the Core.
A part of Lyra was surprised to find that the core DID in fact have a melody. A simple one, consisting of only two notes. One was a deep base that thrummed with a steady rhythm. This was the rhythm of the shard itself, brought forth by the nature of the Core. It was steady, consistent. It was power. It did not change. It simply was. The second rhythm was lighter and wove up and down in simple waves. When Lyra pressed her hand on the Core's surface this melody quickened ever so slightly. Not excitement, or anticipation. Awareness? Searching?
The more she focused the more Lyra could see that the wavering tone was what was linked with the Core's programming. When she spoke one of its phrases its rhythm spiked before an evening out once more. Lyra pressed on the core then, trying to shift the phrase Light to Shine once more. As she did the rhythm stuttered, becoming erratic as the Core did not accept the command as it was not a part of itself. An idea then came to Lyra.
Again she envisioned the steps connected with the Command 'Light'. As she did the rhythm quickened once more. Smiling Lyra wove her own melody into the Core's, mirroring it. Acceptance, acknowledgment, enacting. Then she pressed the new phrase, and the rhythm became erratic. With a breath Lyra dimmed that erratic rhythm, weaving her own in its place, overlapping it and wrapping the erratic motion. Again Lyra repeated the new phrase, and again the Core's Rhythm was erratic, yet her one remained consistent. She repeated this process over and over until, finally, she spoke 'Shine' and the Core's rhythm spiked just as it did with 'light'.
Lyra breathed in, anticipation growing as she brought up the replica diagram once more. After having the Core connect to the other Gem she used the 'light' command, and as expected the other gem glowed a soft emerald. She then commanded the light off and whispered softly, "Shine."
Lyra could almost dance with pleasure as the gem glowed a soft emerald green.
It was possible. Within this space, with her close connection to the core and through Mesmer conditioning, a Core COULD have its programs altered. It would be tedious, time-consuming, but it told Lyra one thing. Core's were truly Artificial Souls.
