>>5322316Following your ears <span class="mu-i">and</span> the pipe leads you to a sealed cap similar to the one you busted open to enter this vent along with another path leading further into the pipes sealed behind a thick series of grates! As you contemplate carving through them, you hear your target giving orders from beyond the seal!
https://youtu.be/6z6B6O52fks“-intain that frequency until I give the word.”
“Yes, <span class="mu-g">HIGH SCHOLAR!</span>”
“And you–quit dawdling! I don’t want to see even a <span class="mu-i">fraction</span> of an error on that screen, do you understand!?”
“Yes, <span class="mu-g">HIGH SCHOLAR!</span>”
“Satisfactory. <span class="mu-s">RODHI!</span> If you even <span class="mu-i">CONTEMPLATE</span> entering the wrong coordinates-”
“Y-yes! I mean <span class="mu-i">NO</span>, <span class="mu-g">HIGH SCHOLAR!</span> W-wouldn’t dream of it!”
The sheer volume of their voices and the annoying droning sound tells you that whatever they’re doing, it’s <span class="mu-s">BIG.</span> And right below you!
“Well!?” Talbot impatiently hisses, “What are we waitin’ for?!”
“We can’t just <span class="mu-i">hop</span> in,” Art counters, “there could be, like, a billion people in there!”
“I’m getting interference…” Sybil groans as she closes her eyes and tries to concentrate. “But I’m certain there are at least <span class="mu-r">FIVE SKELETONS</span> in there… and maybe some <span class="mu-r">SENTRIES.</span>”
“We don’t have much time…” Teevor whispers in a trembling voice, “They’ve already brought the <span class="mu-g">KAERNACK COILS</span> to one-hundred percent…”
Right, you nod, not understanding whatever the hell he just said, so what’s the best way in?
“Err, <span class="mu-i">this</span> is…” Mutters the mage as he points to the locked seal next to you. “Through that grate there <span class="mu-i">might</span> be another seal that opens up across the test chamber, but-”
“But <span class="mu-i">WHAT?</span>” Talbot growls impatiently! “You’re supposed to know this crap!”
“I didn’t make a habit of <span class="mu-i">crawling</span> through <span class="mu-i">vents</span>!” Teevor spits!
“Why the hell not!?”
Alright, this isn’t going anywhere! Time’s ticking and you’re probably in for a fight here no matter what you do, so the question is…
What <span class="mu-s">DO!?</span>
>BURST FROM THE SEAL! MAKE AN ENTRANCE!>CARVE THROUGH THE GRILLE AND TRY THE OTHER SEAL! IT’LL MAKE NOISE, BUT NOT AS MUCH, RIGHT?>GET THE DROP ON THEM! SEE IF YOU CAN’T LASER EYE SOMEONE FROM IN HERE!>WAIT FOR THE SOUND TO GET LOUDER–YOU CAN EMERGE THEN!>WRITE-IN! 