He knows that wasnāt really Alice, but the creature spoke with such desperation in her voice that Robert races down the decline to reach the bottom. When it evens out, Robert sets his hand on the threshold. He peers into the darkness that seems to crash into each other at the very bottom. He doesnāt know how these tunnels are going to get him to SDN, especially because he doesnāt have any clue how to navigate this place.Ā
Robert turns around, intending to return to the surface to switch his route. He freezes when a shadow falls over him. A figure stands at the top of the ramp. The darkness is too thick for Robert to confirm the personās identity, but he recognizes the electronic blue eyes of Shroudās mask. Robert scrambles upward right as Shroud flicks his fingers down. In the same way as but slower than a garage door, the entrance is sealed. Robert brushes right up against the metal, unsure how heās supposed to break through it when his only weapon is an electric baton.Ā
There are other ways to bust down a door. Robertās inquiries into which the easiest would be are shut down by a clear noise slicing through the staticky silence. He glances over his shoulder. He sees nothing in the darkness, but he knows that growling noise came from its depths. That doesnāt mean he knows exactly where it was, or how close it is to him, or even what kind of creature could make a sound like that.Ā
Robertās fingers press into the nearest wall. It guides him downward to the bottom of the ramp. He presses the button on his baton. Red lightning races across the end. It fills the space with a deep ruby light. Although wider than the decline he came from, it is only a tunnel made from stone and mossy bricks. There are a few puddles collecting among the cracks in the concrete. Words written by mole-people are on the wall. Unfortunately, Robert only recognizes the language; he doesnāt understand it.Ā
Even worse, whatever creature made that noise is not in the first tunnel. It must be from a creature deeper down. What mess did he get himself into? And how does he get out of it?Ā
Robert walks to the edge of the tunnel. He turns off the baton to preserve its energy and functionality. In the darkness, he uses the wall heās touching to guide him forward. This still presents him with the problem that he doesnāt know how to get to SDN. He shouldnāt have trusted that damn puppet masquerading as his friend. He wouldnāt be stuck in this mess otherwise.Ā
He could beat himself up over his choices some more, but that would require his attention to pull away from another growling noise. Itās much closer this time. His ears prove that, but his eyes do as well when he sees red dots starting to emerge from the unfathomable darkness surrounding him on all sides. When it gets too close for comfort, Robertās thumb digs into the button on the baton. The lightningās glow covers the rest of the creature sporting the red dots.Ā
It is a creature remarkably similar to Sonarās bestial form. In fact, it might just be that, unless this is another illusion cast over a puppet. Itās not a very good one since this bat-monster is covered in machines and metal. Thatās where most of the small pinpricks of red light came from. The rest would be the creatureās bloodthirsty eyes, so inhumane that this really canāt be the Victor Robert knows. Another one of his friendsā appearances has been taken from them, likely just to hurt Robert. The disrespect angers him as much as staring into this creatureās eyes terrifies him.Ā
The beast remains at the edges of the lightningās glow. Robert moves the baton forward toward the creature. It skitters out of the glow, getting as far away as it can. That gives Robert some clues about how to solve this problem. It isnāt a perfect solution, however, and he isnāt sure what heās going to do. Fight the beast? Hurry on ahead to find SDN? Search the tunnels for clues about what the hell is happening?Ā
The choice is made for him when the lightning comes to a stop. Without the light, the red dots rush toward Robert. Muscle memory still intact, he dives forward to avoid getting eaten or clawed by the creature. He rolls across the wet ground. Despite hating the way his shirt now clings to his skin, he pushes forward into a run to avoid the creature bounding after him, trying very hard to keep himself near the wall beside him. This pays off when thereās a turn he wouldnāt have been aware of otherwise. He swings himself over the side, continuing to run even when the creature continues forward for a few more paces.Ā
Robert doesnāt stop running until he sees a faint light. It grows stronger and stronger the closer he gets to it. When Robertās vision becomes accustomed to it, he realizes that itās a room. An office, by the looks of it, with a window showing the warm glow of the interior. The door is made from metal, but it isnāt locked. Robert effortlessly slips inside, slamming the door shut behind him.Ā
Although the reprieve is temporary, Robert relaxes so much that he stumbles, crashing into the desk. He takes a deep breath, trying to steady his heart. This entire day has put him on edge. Galen is still missing. Shroud is somehow wandering around and causing Robert problems. Thereās that strange fog and even weirder creatures just running around the city without any other signs of life. Robert must have gotten folded into the wrong reality. Itās to the point that SDN might not even be the beacon of safety heās hoping for.Ā
But itās all heās got. He doesnāt know where else to go, which just makes the thought of SDN having nothing for him even scarier.Ā
Fear is the last thing he needs to pay attention to, though, so Robert turns to look around at the room. He was right in calling it an office. If not for the window showing the darkened tunnel outside, Robert wouldāve thought this was ripped straight from a generic business. Well, thereās also a large picture on the back of the wall that makes it difficult to call this simple. Itās a map of the entire tunnel system. While it is, again, written in the mole-peopleās language, Robert doesnāt need to know what the words are exactly to tell what means danger and what means exit. Both are important as Robert figures out where he entered, memorizing as much of the map as possible. He plans his escape route carefully, striking a balance between speed and safety.Ā
Not sure how much of the latter is possible with that beast roaming about, but Robert will do what he has to.Ā
He turns around. He checks the desk for any other scraps of information that might be useful. It takes him a moment, but his eyes are drawn to the few pieces of paper that are written in identifiable English.Ā
[Issued Statement]:
To all land-dwellers, please do not leave the tunnels designated for the transferring. All other tunnels are either harmful or are hubs for domestic activity. Remember, we are doing the Red Ring a favor and will not tolerate your disrespect.
If that paper wasnāt damning enough, the others give further details. Apparently, the mole-people were allowing the Red Ring to move supplies through their tunnels. Robert doubts the Red Ring were threatening the mole-people if the leader was bold enough to say they wonāt tolerate disrespect, but why else would they agree? Was the Red Ring creating something they wanted to profit from, too? Was this an old favor Shroud was cashing in? Does it have anything to do with the stars Robertās not supposed to interact with?Ā
Robert startles when a loud noise rips through the room. He whirls around, eyes wildly searching until they find aāa landline? A frown pulling at his features, Robert slowly makes his way across the room to the shelving unit. His fingers brush across the edge of the plastic. It feels cool beneath his skin. His fingers wrap around the vibrating mass. He lifts it to his ear, leaning into the plastic. ā...hello?āĀ
āHello!ā An automated voice responds. Robertās brows furrow together. Out of all bizarre things happening, why would a telemarketer be calling now? And why here? āI have a question for you, Robert. I would really like to know your answer.āĀ
Not a telemarketer, then, because how the hell would they know Robertās name? āWho the fuck are you?āĀ
āI am someone asking you a question. Listen closely, because your answer is very important to me.ā The voice still sounds robotic and prerecorded, and thatās likely why Robert remains in place. āThere was once a king who ruled over his nation for many years. There was a young inventor who claimed the king was a tyrant. Curious about the claims, the king invited this inventor to his palace to ask him why he thought the king was a tyrant. The inventor answered that the king was unfair. He bestowed his favor and disfavor arbitrarily, resulting in the people receiving fates they donāt deserve. Furthermore, he told the king that he did not understand his people. He spent so much cultivating his gardens and shepherding his animals that he did not see the suffering his people experienced. The king was taken aback by this. Although it was not untrue, the king could see into the inventorās heart. He knew that the inventor thought a proper ruler was someone who truly was a tyrant: someone who meticulously controlled the lives of their people, who gave everyone a deserving fate at the cost of their right to choose. The king is an uncaring, unbothered ruler who casts blessings and curses down on the land without ever understanding the people who will prosper and suffer from this decision. The inventor is an overbearing, coddling ruler who wants to restrict everyoneās freedom in the pursuit of giving them the lives they have earned. Who do you think is right, Robert? Or if thatās too difficult, who do you think is more right? If it was up to you, who would rule the kingdom?āĀ
Itās a stupid question for an even stupider story. Robert doesnāt need to deal with this. Heās not even sure he has the time to. Thatās why he canāt fathom what could possibly keep in place, what could set the gears inside his head into motion trying to figure out the answer. In the end, he finds himself spouting something out. āI guess⦠the inventor? I mean, itās still not right to take peopleās freedom, but⦠Well, Iād rather my leader give a fuck about me. And I imagine justice actually gets done in that world compared to the one where the king rules.āĀ
āA well-put answer. I am inclined to agree. Thank you for answering my question. I wish you luck in your pursuit to find the inventorās perfect ruler.āĀ
The line goes dead. Brows still furrowed together, Robert sets the landline back down. He shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the weird feeling that lingers in his chest. It remains firmly in place, but Robert ignores it in favor of checking the map one more time. Once he confirms that heās got his route memorized, he heads over to the door.Ā
Before he can open it, he finds a device leaning against the threshold. Robert squats down. Itās a gun. Heād get more specific than that, but this is clearly something from the Red Ring. It likely shoots lasers instead of bullets. There is a magazine right beside the gun. It doesnāt look like a normal magazine, though, so maybe his laser theory isnāt out yet. If it matters because heās notā¦Ā
Heās notāwhat? Not going to bring along a weapon that might keep him safe? Something that would allow him to preserve the batonās energy? Now isnāt the time for personal feelings and convictions. Heās lost in this world. Thereās no telling who else is. As a hero and as a normal human, Robert has to use all the tools available to him, lest he risks his life and the lives of those heās trying to save.Ā
Robert slips the magazine into his pocket alongside some of the notes heās carried with him. He twists the baton up in his belt loops. With one hand free, he pushes open the door. He leaves the safety of the light for the darkness beyond. Heās already prepared for the bat-monster, so heās not surprised when he sees it shifting slightly along the farthest corners of the lightās halo.Ā
He adjusts everything on his person. He takes a deep breath. He glances back at the map through the window one last time. Shifting his weight, he bolts for the direction that will take him to the end of this forsaken tunnel system.Ā
As fast as he goes, the bat-monster remains right on his heels. Between the red lights on it and the deep glow of the gun, Robert isnāt completely blind in the darkness, though itās a damn-near thing. Itās why he has to stay near the wall, but that also lets him feel the actual vibration that rattles the tunnel as the bat-monster follows him. Itās fucking terrifying, something so deep in his bones that he knows itās a supernatural force compelling him to feel this weak-limbed and low-spirited in the face of approaching death.Ā
He doesnāt collapse, though, instead making it to the ladder that should lead upward into SDN or a building near it. Robert scrambles upward as quickly as he can. He thinks heās about halfway up when something slams into the bottom. Itās hard enough that Robertās feet slip. He only has one hand tightly gripping the rung, so gravity nearly rips his arm out of its socket. It might actually do that, but Robertās is too high on adrenaline to feel it.Ā
He does, however, feel the way sound itself can be weaponized when the bat-monster literally screeches. It really is like a banshee keening for his end, a literal death rattle making it impossible to hear or think or breath. Itās no small wonder that Robertās spasming muscles make it impossible to cling onto the rungs any longer even when he was just starting to get his balance again.Ā
As gravity is claiming him, Robert makes sure to push off the ladder as best he can. With the arc, he manages to go over the bat-monsterās gapping mouth. The fear of smacking into the hard ground is what compels Robert to latch onto whatever he can. His free hand grasps the collar around the neck. The hand holding the gun manages to cling to some fur. The bat-monster drops down onto its claws, letting Robert lie himself flat. Despite knowing what its prey is, the beast canāt get Robert off just yet, so he makes a risky decision.Ā
He releases his free hand to pull out the baton. Heās shoving it into the creatureās neck even before he has the button pressed. The interaction between metal and lightning happens immediately. Robert hopes that short-circuiting the damn thing might get him Sonar back (if this is, indeed, Sonar).
He doesnāt know if he short-circuits it, but the collar explodes. Robert is thrown back. He discovers that his shoulder was injured when he fell from the ladder the first time because of how much it hurts when he hits several times on his way across the ground. His ears were already nonfunctional because of the screeching, and now his vision is compromised by the bright flare of the explosion, too.Ā
Not completely in either case, though, because it slowly begins to clear. Itās to the point that he can see that thereās no longer a bat-monster. Only Victor lying flat on the tunnel floor, illuminated by a few flames that continue burning in the aftermath.Ā
Robert scrambles over to his side. Heās not sure how he makes it there with his body in shambles, but his knees are soon planted firmly at Victorās side. Hands marred by partial burns reach forward to grab Victorās face, cradling both sides as Robert forces eye contact between them. A question passes through his lips. He isnāt sure what it is because he cannot feel the words in his mouth nor hear them in his ears.Ā
He does hear Victorās responseāor whatever he chooses to say next. āYouāve made your choice.ā He touches his burnt neck. āCanāt do shit like this again.āĀ
Robert doesnāt understand. Victor hums, hand sliding back to cross over his stomach. āThe future is coming. If you really want to kill the past, you know who you have to make your ally. You got this, Rob.ā
His eyes shut, and his chest stills. Robert has a split second to mourn before yet another noise disrupts his peace. Heās getting real sick and tired of them, especially when he looks into the glowing eyes of one of those creatures made from blue light. This one, like all the others, is covered in plant life, including mushrooms growing out of the eyes. Unlike them, this one doesnāt appear to be a chimeraāitās just a vulture. A scavenger ready to feast on the dead.Ā
Without any hesitation, Robert lifts the gun. His aim is surprisingly straight for someone who hates guns and just went through what he went through. He manages to send a bullet (a laser) through the birdās head. It flops onto the ground, spurting golden blood like an erupting geyser.Ā
Two deaths in a row, Robert rises to a standing position. He sets his hands on the ladder rungs. Before he can pull himself, part of the wall opens. It swings back, actually, revealing itself as a door Robert didnāt see. Shifting to the side, he peers in to see that itās a basement. If this building heās going into is SDN, thatās the basement, perhaps one of the underground labs or workshops. The ladder must take him to the main floor.Ā
People will likely be upstairs, but there might be useful tools down here. Robert taps his finger against the ladder rung, eventually coming to a conclusion.Ā
He's going to...
Voting ended onApr 3