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I sat in the submarine, waiting patiently for it to arrive at its destination. The intercom crackled before NAVI had announced for “All personnel to exit the submarine in an orderly fashion.” I got up, and waited at the sub’s door, as it opened. It acted as a bridge, allowing me to cross it and reach the Blacksite’s dock. After I had set foot on the platform in front of me, the submarine closed its hatch and had gone underwater again. The intercoms overhead turned on as HQ informed me on what my mission for being in the Blacksite was; It was to secure some crystal somewhere in the center of the Blacksite, in an area known as The Ridge. My secondary objective was to gather loose assets that were still left around in the Blacksite. I noticed a keycard on the desk next to the door and swiftly grabbed it. I jabbed it into the keycard reader on the door, which had a small panel that gleamed with the blue numbers “100”. The card reader beeped before the door opened, which led to a long gray corridor, and which ultimately started my quest that would determine if I see the light again.
Door after door, I grabbed loose assets, dodged threats, and slowly made my way closer to the Crystal. Paranoia had begun to consume me, and I felt my sense of panic increase. I couldn’t panic though, as much as I felt the urge to make a run for it. I had to notice everything. Every small light flicker, every low growl, every audio cue, every footstep, everything. It determined whether I lived or died in this place. The halls were quiet and desolate, and were filled with a piercing silence. Only my breathing could be heard, and even then. Every small thing made me jump, and flinch ever so slightly. My senses were heightened unusually, the feeling of adrenaline pumping in my veins and my body telling me I needed to run. That I needed to survive.
I had to keep my calm however, especially in a place like this. Danger could be around every corner, or even following me, and one wrong move could lead to my blood painting these walls.
I went through door and door again. Following the same things I had done before. Grab loose assets, and stay away from danger. Eventually I reached a room that was different from the others. Door 62. It was covered in control panels, whose buttons gleamed an orange glow, and there was a door on the right side that led to a wide dock-like area. HQ’s voice boomed over the intercom again, giving me further instruction. “You will need to make your way through the maintenance tunnels, as according to NAVI, it is the safest way to the crystal.” The deep voice instructed. “You have been granted access to the Hydroglide Unit. Good Luck.”
After I had opened the door, there was a stairwell, which led to the dock. I walked down it cautiously, keeping in mind that danger was everywhere. Once I had reached the small area near the water, I had grabbed the Hydroglider, as I was instructed to use it in order to navigate through the maintenance tunnels. I had plunged under the water, holding on to the hydroglider. NAVI had begun giving instructions on the safety rule for using such equipment. “No dropping the Hydroglider, No ramming the Hydroglider into walls or other hard objects. No using the Hydroglider to purposefully commit roadkill. No using the hydroglider outside of water… etc.” The hydroglider roared, as it began to speed up, I held on to the handlebars for dear life.
If I died down here, nobody would know or care. Except Urbanshade. But even then, nobody would know. No funeral, no nothing. I would die a nobody.
I slowly waded my way through the water into one of the tunnels, which was highlighted with a slight green hue. The hydroglider began to speed up once more, before abruptly stopping at one of the tunnels, where the entrance was blocked, presumably to stop non-Urbanshade personnel from going further into the Blacksite’s pipe systems. The tunnel was opened as the door slowly retracted back into the wall. The hydroglider sped up again, and I gripped on the handlebars, following the tunnels with green light. I dodged the white fans that were spinning fast, barely avoiding a crash. As I entered one tunnel, I saw a sleek, black lizard-like creature dive past the tunnel’s exit. I wasn’t alone in here. It seemed like a crocodile, with machinery implanted in its side, and spikes made of bone that lined its back, along with fins that glowed a yellowy hue.
I continued along the tunnels, following the green lights, before the creature from before revealed itself. As I flew across the water filled tunnel, it lunged out, its jaws wide open, before diving into the other tunnel, which led back out to the main tunnel. Where I was. I saw it up close, its face partially torn off where its skull was revealed, and two ferocious yellow eyes glared at me aggressively, with the intent to kill. I looked around frantically, knowing that the creature was chasing me. The tunnel opened up to a three way, and two of the tunnels already crashed down, and were dead ends. Straight ahead was the only safe way. The hydroglider sped up and I tried my best to hold on. I kept following the green, praying and praying and praying that this would all be over soon and I would be okay. The fans in the underwater passageways served as obstacles that could be very lethal, and I dived past them.
I went upward in a tunnel which had led to an open area, as dark as the abyss. Hundreds of spiked balls lay there, assuming they were a defensive mechanism used in the Blacksite.
Though, those didn’t stop the abomination that was hunting after me. It plunged straight through them, exploding on impact. I followed the green lights, still. I eventually found myself in the normal tunnel route. God when will this end? I had no time to think, my blood ran fast with adrenaline, and I only had the instinct to survive. I keep following the green lighted tunnels. Green. Green was safe. Green meant safety. Following the green lights meant I would be okay. Right? The tunnel led out to another open area outside of the Blacksite, and the Hydroglider beeped with a warning sign. “Danger!” NAVI reminded, and I abruptly changed the direction I was going, and the abomination lunged forward, its jaws snapping. The yellow eyes glared at me, filled with hatred. I kept following the green. I just had to. The green meant safety. I landed in the tunnels again. My heart raced, I could barely think.
Dodging the hazardous fans in the tunnels ahead, I eventually reached what I thought was the end. The tunnel led upward and the creature dived forward again, this time it hit my hydroglider, knocking me off of it. “Danger! Letting go of the Hydroglider is extremely dangerous and unadvised.” NAVI beeped. I swam back to it quickly, and the water pulled me outwards to the light. I flew out of the tunnel, falling off of the hydroglider and onto the hard floor of the Blacksite. The abomination fell onto a platform, which ultimately collapsed, resulting in the creature—more than likely—falling to its death.
I lay there, relieved. Breathing heavily. I was alive, certainly… But barely. I had landed on my side, and I’m sure that my left arm was messed up badly, maybe even broken. My arms and legs ached, yet I managed to get up and stumble my way to the door. There was a small chest there, indicated with a path marker, which was leaving a small bit of green smoke. I reached down and opened it, grabbing the contents. It was some red needle looking thing, and I jabbed it into my arm. Not necessarily the best idea but hey, It worked. I was able to feel my arms and legs again, and I felt fine. I took a few deep breaths, and calmed myself.
I went through the door. It was the same as usual again, going through door after door, collecting loose assets and dodging the monsters that served as threats to my life. Door after door after door after door after door after door after door after door. I felt as if the longer I spent down here, the more and more my sanity was drained. The door numbers kept decreasing and decreasing. Going down down down down. Until I reached Door 0. I opened it and was met with a large room that had a yellow hue, which was likely due to the poor lighting of the place. Lockers decorated the walls, and desks were scattered about. The lighting was horrible, and everything was slightly dark. There was little light, which barely helped.
I kept going forward. I was here. I was safe. Certainly I was safe, right? Certainly. I had to be safe. I just had to be.
I went through a few rooms, and that was when I found it. The crystal. The room had four separate pathways that led to the area where the crystal was stored. It was a relatively large diamond shaped rock that had glowed a bright orange. I walked down the grated pathway, my feet clanking against the metal of the bridge. Once I had reached the crystal, there was a control panel that glowed green. There was a switch, and I had pulled it. The shield that was protecting the crystal had closed, and I was able to touch it. I grabbed my crystal container from my prisoner diving gear and opened it. I approached the crystal cautiously and reached for it. I had to pull the crystal out, which was a bit of a tough job, but I was able to. The crystal was in my hands, and it felt warm, radiating with power. It made its way into the crystal container and I had put it on my back again. The lights turned off. Completely. The sirens that were blaring were quiet, but they were heard. The Ridge was filled with dull red lights that slightly glowed.
And I was all alone in the dark. I gave up.
I was going to die here, and nobody would know or care.