System Fall

Plunging into the emergency hatch of the treasury vault, I felt an icy chill instantly wash over me. All I knew was the water as it filled up my senses. It was cold and unforgiving. The water was dark and murky, illuminated only by dim red emergency lights that lit the bath forward.

Beyond those lights was only a void. I followed their direction.

I propped myself deeper into the water filled tunnel. I didn’t know how long I had to go, but I knew I had to reach the end of it before my strength started to falter.

Every stroke, every kick, my lungs started to tighten, and I felt the need for air. I kept pressing forward. I knew to pause for even a moment would be a disaster for me.

Plunging into the emergency hatch, an icy chill instantly washed over me. The water filled my senses, cold and unforgiving. It was a jarring shift from the semi-controlled environment of the vault, and I was suddenly at the mercy of an all-consuming abyss.

I couldn't see more than a few feet ahead. Every shape was just a blurry form, their details lost to the disorienting red light and the rippling water. Time seemed to warp around me as I swam, each second stretched out by the agonizing wait for air.

Just when I thought my lungs would burst, the tunnel opened up into a larger space. I surged upwards, my body instinctively seeking the surface. Breaking through the water with a gasp, I took a deep breath and another then another of air.

I found myself in a safe zone of sorts, a partially submerged bathroom. I could see the remnants of stalls and sinks, some floating debris, and a cracked mirror reflecting the flickering red emergency light. Though not ideal, it was a respite from the treacherous swim, and I gratefully pulled myself onto a solid, albeit damp, surface.

 

[System Fall Notification]

 

Title: Breather Granter

Well done Nick Vandal. You’ve managed to complete the Hidden Dungeon and escaped from the treasury vault.  As a token of regard, a temporary safe zone within the submerged men's locker room has been create.

 

In this safe haven, monsters will be barred entry, and all player attacks will be suspended.

 

Remember, the world outside is still dangerous. Don't grow complacent. The game is far from over.

 

“Gotcha,” I muttered as the notification faded.

Exhausted but alive, I rested a moment, taking stock of my situation. The Rejuvenating Supplements were thankfully safe within their watertight container, and my weapons were still firmly strapped to me. Despite the swim and chilling cold, I'd survived and could now take a moment to think before facing the next challenge System Fall would throw at me.

Pushing through my exhaustion, I got to work. First, a fire was absolutely necessary, both to dry my clothes and put off the impending hypothermia. I might have gained Forsaken Endurance, but I wasn’t foolish enough to forget the line between resistance and immunity.

The bathroom, although half-submerged, offered a few elements that I could salvage for a fire. A few discarded pieces of paper, some wooden fragments that once were part of a door, and even an old mop with a dried-out head. The toilet bowl, odd as it might seem, served as the perfect fire pit.

Stripping my soaked clothes, I enjoyed the feeling of the warm fire. I strung my clothes up using a length of wire I had managed to scavenge, arranging them near the makeshift fire. The heat would gradually dry them out, and for now, I was just glad to be out of the wet fabric.

With my makeshift fire pit flickering and casting a warm, orange glow across the room, I turned my attention to the lockers lining one side of the bathroom. Given the original nature of this safe zone, they seemed promising for potential supplies. Fingers crossed; I began to investigate.

The first few lockers held only mundane items: discarded toiletries, a few barely expired food items and some non perishables, and a few personal effects. I was about to give up hope when I stumbled upon a plush, warm robe in one of the lockers.

I felt a small spark of relief kindled as I went to put on the robe. It was embroidered with the SYSTEM FALL insignia, it seemed to be an ironic gift from the [Admin], yet in my current situation, it was just what I needed.

With the fire crackling in the toilet bowl, I sat down, wrapping the robe tighter around me. The flickering light painted dancing shadows across the bathroom walls, providing a bit of cheer amidst the otherwise dismal setting. But this was no time for rest. I still had a long journey ahead, and many more challenges to face. For now, though, I could allow myself a moment to recuperate, eat what I found, and to gather strength for what lay ahead.

 

Hours later, leaving wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. My sense of direction was effected by the dungeon’s layout and it wasn’t the structured pathway I was used to. For maybe the first time, I started to miss the Homing Beacon ability.

With every twist and turn it seemed like I got further and further away from the surface.

Worse still were the bugs. They attacked again and again. They were never a significant threat or real danger to me, but instead just a irritation that slowed my progress.  The Hidden Dungeon wasn’t even spawning new creatures. The monsters that attacked me were just the leftovers. Unfortunately, the left overs were plenty.

Eventually, I found myself standing in front of escalator.

To my surprise, the escalator still worked. Its rhythmic hum, mechanical and steady, was weirdly soothing. I laid my hand on the smooth railing and stepped on, careful to not get caught on the step teeth. The steady vibration under my fingers brought a smile to my self.  Even in this messed-up System Fall world, it seemed that some things just kept on going.

 

The escalator carried me upward. For a second, it almost felt normal, like a trip to a shopping mall in the old days, pre-System's Fall.

When I arrived at the top, I was met with a long, dark hallway. It snapped me right out of my casual musing. A skittering sound grew louder, and eyes glowing in the semi-darkness stared at me, each pair a part of a Rail Roach

"More of you?" Annoyed, I sprinted headlong into the darkened path, my grip on my sword unwavering.

The escalator hum was now just background noise as I stepped off the top and headed straight into the fray. My sword sliced through the air, easily cutting through the exoskeletons of the Rail Roaches. The contrast between the escalator ride and the battle after almost made me laugh. It wasn't a normal day, after all, but it was just another day in this brave new world.

I kept up the slaughter.

"Good workout, huh?" I mumbled to myself as the last roach fell, the glow in its eyes fading away. The eyes in the darkness had been replaced with a sea of lifeless bodies.

I walked on.

As I continued my relentless journey back to the surface, my mind began to drift towards future plans. "Which hidden achievement should I try to unlock next?" I mused, a grin teasing at the corners of my lips. The goal of upgrading my rank from F to E was always looming in the back of my mind, but I knew it would take time, even with the piles of enemies I left dead in my wake. But first there were tasks that promised quicker rewards and easy achievements.

I looked down at my sword. Cursed Valkyrie. The blade was a battered shell of its former self, worn thin from the constant grind of nonstop battle and marred by the traces of my own blood. Soon I would need an actual expert to repair the blade if I wanted to keep using it. Even good gear had to be maintained.

My eyes ached from the relentless strain of dimly lit battles and I wondered if it was day or night on the surface. I had no way to tell just what time it was, and I kicked myself for not at least having a watch. In a world obsessed with smartphones, I hadn't bothered to wear one in years, only to realize now how handy it could have been.

I marched on, reaching the familiar remnants of the first safe zone.

Stepping out of the darkness, into the light of the store. I must have looked like a wreck My jacket, once sturdy, was now a shredded mess, bearing the brunt of countless battles. The jeans I wore were slashed and ripped, more a collection of loosely held together threads than a pair of pants. Even my shoes were far from unscathed. I was covered in a gruesome mix of gore and ichor, but I was very much alive. And in this game, survival was everything.

Another group had stumbled upon the Hidden Dungeon and were busy gutting the Wall-Store. They were a crew of seven, two women and five men. None looked like fighters, though they did look like trouble, and off to the side, secluded in a corner, my former party members were huddled together.

Stepping into the well lit Wall-Store, I paused, surveying the scene before me. The once comforting  area felt different now, the protection of the Safe Zone was notably absent. The Hidden Dungeon was complete, and with it, the protection it provided had vanished.

"Figures," I muttered to myself, "At least I got to enjoy the temporary safe zone." 

Around me, the noise stopped. Multiple heads turned my way. Instead of safety, tension filled the air.

The new group's eyes glinted with an unspoken threat, their glares sharp enough to cut. I wasn't wanted, and I wasn't welcome. As the silence extended, I chuckled dryly, "Don’t mind me. I just really need to get a watch."

.