The Allbright System - A Sci-Fi Progression LitRPG Story

PoV: Auxiliary Legate Selene Calla

Selene’s mind raced, her thoughts scrambling to make sense of the abrupt end of her [Echo Trauma] and the terrifying encounter with Æht.

The entity she had faced was unlike anything she had ever encountered—something she couldn’t have prepared for, something beyond her comprehension. The sheer power it had radiated when it revealed its true nature had nearly shattered her mindscape without the need for physical force.

It was a raw, overwhelming presence that had left her shaken to the very core.

Yet, despite the violence—the piercing of her throat, the snapping of her neck—Selene couldn’t shake the feeling that Æht hadn’t acted out of malice.

The way it had ended her simulation felt almost… merciful.

As though Æht had been sparing her from something far worse, a fate tied to the unravelling of the [Echo Trauma] under the weight of its true nature. It was a thought that both unsettled and confused her, leaving her with far more questions than answers.

But now, back in the real world, there was no time to dwell on the encounter at all.

Thea stood before her, concern etched on her face, her steps hesitant as she slowly moved closer, clearly wanting to help but not really knowing how. Selene knew she couldn’t let Thea see the cracks in her own composure—not if she still intended on getting the girl out of this situation in as good of a condition as she could muster.

‘I don’t have time to figure out what in the Emperor’s cursed toenail all of that was right now,’ Selene resolved, swallowing hard, forcing herself to push the fear and confusion deep down.

She needed to regain control, to project the calm, authoritative presence Thea needed from her.

With a steadying breath, she rose from the armchair, willing her trembling hands and legs to obey her command.

“Ahh, don’t worry, Thea. I’m absolutely fine, just had a brief dizzy spell from one of my Abilities,” she said, her voice smooth and controlled. She quickly reached out to Thea, hands extended to create a reassuring distance, subtly keeping them from getting too close.

Despite the turmoil raging inside her, Selene knew she had to maintain the facade of stability and competence.

Thea needed that.

And Selene, now more than ever, also needed to believe she could still provide it.

At the same time, keeping Thea at arm’s length served multiple purposes—ones she couldn’t ignore, no matter how much she wanted to.

Firstly, it was to conceal just how tense she had to be to keep her body from betraying her with uncontrollable shakes or outright collapse. Her nerves were frayed, her thoughts a tangled mess, but she couldn’t let Thea see any of that. The girl needed someone strong, someone stable, and Selene had to play that role, even if it took everything she had.

Secondly, Selene had noticed that Thea wasn’t someone who welcomed physical closeness, at least not with someone she barely knew. The girl’s guarded nature had been apparent from the start, and Selene was determined to respect that boundary, to make Thea as comfortable as possible in this unsettling moment; even if it was Thea that was trying to help.

And lastly—though it was something Selene would never openly admit, not even under threat of torture—she was genuinely afraid of getting too close to Thea after what she had just experienced.

Whatever that Æht entity was, it was undeniably a part of Thea.

That much was now a horrifying truth in Selene’s mind.

Her [Empathetic Resonance] was still locked onto the same cold, calculated emotions it had mirrored before the [Echo Trauma] incident, proving that Æht was still present, lurking somewhere just beneath the surface. It was impossible for Selene to gauge Thea’s true mental state with her usual Abilities, leaving her vulnerable and thoroughly unnerved.

To divert Thea’s attention away from her own internal struggle, Selene quickly shifted the focus back to the girl.

“What did you mean by that warning, by the way? Should I be concerned about something…?” Selene asked, keeping her voice steady even though her heart pounded heavily beneath the calm facade.

The question seemed to catch Thea off guard, and she froze mid-step, her expression faltering for a moment.

“Ah… There…” Thea stuttered, struggling to find her words. Selene, grateful for the brief respite, used the time to further steady her own frayed nerves. “Do you know about my Psychic Powers? I’d assume so, considering they let you in here.”

Selene nodded, encouraging Thea to continue.

“Then yeah… I had a brief notion of you activating some kind of Ability—I’m guessing here—which led you to wildly lash out in panic… You kind of… Hit me by accident? Not that I blame you, of course! Whatever you did seemed thoroughly terrifying!”

Selene’s eyes widened in shock. The idea of hitting a patient, even unintentionally, was utterly abhorrent to her. The mere thought of causing harm like that was beyond anything she considered acceptable.

Yet, if it hadn’t been for Æht’s way of ending the [Echo Trauma], along with the cryptic request to keep its presence hidden from Thea, Selene wasn’t sure just how she would have processed everything.

Perhaps Thea’s warning had indeed influenced her reaction, preventing her from completely losing control upon her abrupt return to the real world.

“Rest assured, Thea, I would never intentionally harm you—the very thought is unthinkable to me,” Selene responded with a light incline of her head, aiming to convey both sincerity and authority without overplaying her hand. “I’m glad that whatever might have occurred in your vision didn’t come to pass, and I truly appreciate the warning.”

Thea now stood awkwardly between the two chairs, torn between wanting to help Selene and realising that the situation no longer called for it. Her uncertainty was obvious, her body language a mix of hesitation and concern.

Understanding Thea’s predicament, Selene gestured towards the chair and offered a warm smile. “Please, take a seat, Thea. Let’s continue where we left off before all of this—I apologise for the interruption. I was merely using an Ability to check on your overall mental state, to gauge how the assessment has impacted you. It’s part of my post-assessment care, but I underestimated just how much you’ve been through. I ended up getting hit with more than I expected.”

Selene let out a soft, fabricated giggle, lightly covering her mouth with her hand—a subtle move she often used to convey a sense of embarrassment and camaraderie.

It was one of her go-to strategies for putting people at ease, making them feel more comfortable and connected.

The explanation seemed to relax Thea, who returned Selene’s smile and finally decided to sit down for the first time since Selene had entered the room.

To Selene, this was a significant win.

It meant she could continue with her primary mission: Helping Thea and figuring out how to reconcile the issues between her and the greater UHF.

Whether Æht was still present or not, Selene resolved to rely on her actual skills and experience, setting aside her Passive Abilities for the time being. It had been a while since she’d worked without them, but she was confident she could manage.

“To get back to the matter at hand,” Selene began, her voice steady as she returned to the core issue. “As I mentioned previously, the reason you were sent into the assessment without any information is because the people responsible for disseminating that information simply forgot to do so. As ridiculous as that sounds, it is actually the truth, based on everything I’ve been able to gather.”

She knew the importance of re-emphasizing key points, especially in emotionally charged situations like this one. It was essential that both of them were on the same page, minimizing any chance of misunderstanding. When emotions were running high, clarity was paramount.

“The UHF is fully aware of how unprofessional and downright unfair this was for you, especially since you were essentially handicapped throughout the entire assessment. Rest assured, they do not expect you to simply ‘forgive and forget,’ as some might suggest. The brass is prepared to offer concessions; but before we delve into that, I want to make sure you fully understand the situation.”

Selene paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. This wasn’t just about offering reparations; it was about making sure Thea knew what was on the table and why.

“These concessions are not intended to buy your forgiveness or to make you keep quiet. They are meant to fulfil the UHF’s part of the deal, a part that they have failed to uphold until now. They are, in essence, compensation for the UHF’s shortcomings, but they will not impact your ongoing deal with them in any way.

“Whatever concessions you choose to accept or deny, and even those offered without your explicit consent, are purely gestures of goodwill. They are attempts to rebuild the trust that has understandably been damaged between you and the UHF brass.”

Selene allowed a brief pause, giving Thea time to process everything.

Just as she prepared to continue, a message suddenly appeared in her vision, almost derailing her composed exterior. But she held firm, maintaining control over her body, suppressing the natural urge to react with alarm.

Thea didn’t seem to notice the digital text that appeared a mere metre in front of Selene, confirming that it was visible only to her.

The message was succinct but heavy with significance: