Blue Boy

9 - Descent

"We're near," Wolf whispers.

Both Blue and Wolf have been walking several kilometers after the sunset. It's pitch black in the forest, her drones offered light. I gotta get me one of those, Blue thought.

Blue Boy mostly looked at the back of Wolf Girl as they walked. He wondered what her name was (if she had one). He admires her collection of drones hovering around her. They seem resilient and handmade. Her cape was old but well taken care of. She moves swiftly and with purpose. 

We come up to a clearing near a small stream, a number of tall boulders, with jagged chunks of crystal jutting outward, sit along the water's edge.

"Bingo," she turns to me. "This should be it."

"Did you just say 'Bingo'?" I ask.

We walk near the boulders. They look out of place, not to mention the large crystals poking out from it. The rocks even seem to fit naturally. Wolf Girl crouches then springs upward landing gracefully on the very top. She curiously examines her surroundings. I follow her up, landing on one foot right on the edge. Close one, he thinks.

The top is flat and wide, in the center is a metal panel on the floor. 

"See this?" Wolf says crouched near the panel.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Its an elevator. I was told that there was some old laboratory down here, untouched since the war. Who knows what's in here?" Wolf greedily chuckles.

"Well ok," he says looking down. Blue Boy pulls himself together, he feels apprehensive but ready. "Let's go then."

They both step on the metal panel, the floor hummed and lit up white around the edges. There wasn't ample space on the elevator so the ride down was a bit uncomfortable but it'll do. It moves fast straight down a square-shaped shaft. The drones followed.

When the elevator arrived the lights flickered on. A long, dim hallway lit up. Lights line the floor on either side. A straight corridor leading to just one door.

"Kinda ominous, huh, Waffle?" Wolf says. I sense a bit of worry in her distorted voice. I let my right hand rest on my hilt on the left side of my waist. I clutch my phase blade, Fury. I feel its heat in my palm. 

The hallway is thin so I push forward in front. I don't want Wolf to sense hesitation. The door at the end is large, circular and metal as I get close enough it, it slides open automatically revealing the office.

"Here we are. Look at this place!" she says. Its completely deserted, a large office room, a maze of cubicles and caked in dust and mold, water from the stream dripped down on the side of the wall. Dim white lights lit up the whole room. Computer fans whirred and thick monitors flickered on. The room was dusty and vines crawled themselves along the ancient technology.

Most computers are dead, but few managed to still be alive. The room came to life the computers beeped with excitement, it's been decades without a soul in here. 

"Check these out." I nod to the old computer consoles lining the wall. "I think I can get this one working."

"You've used one before?" Wolf asks.

"No, but I can try."

Wolf Girl left him to that, but she wanted to play detective some more.

Wolf more closely examined the room, she quickly noticed that there were more hallways leading out. The room was quiet except for a steady drip of water. She figured this was maybe where low-level employees worked. She wondered how all this is still being powered after possibly centuries. She sees a pink glow down one of the hallways.

Blue Boy quickly wipes the first monitor he can get his hands on. A familiar language blinks in a green text in the middle of the screen.

PRESS ANY KEY TO CONTINUE. . . .

Blue presses the space bar.