'Are you alright, buddy? Felt a spike there,' Mnemon inquired, evident in his tone.
'Could be better,' Boss replied with a shrug, although it was clear they weren't satisfied with his response.
Not long after being left alone, trouble seemed to find them again, prompting a weary shake of Mnemon's head. In a swift motion, the crow teleported to Boss's side, the trio now standing in silence at the tunnel's end, facing yet another vault door, this one of a distinct design, accompanied by a control panel attached to it.
"So...," the crow began, perched on Boss's shoulder. "What did I miss?" But Boss remains silent, merely gesturing towards the defaced insignia.
"Dude, I need some context here—," Mnemon began before realization dawned on him. "Oh, shit..."
It was unmistakable; they recognized the pattern even in its damaged state. No wonder Boss reacts like he did before.
"Is this your doing?" Mnemon turned to Noira.
"Dudes," Noira sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "If Ah want tae buck ye in th' crease, Ah will buck ye in th' crease regardless ay whether ye loch it ur nae."
"Yer buddy speart me tae watch ower his haem planit," she continued, stepping forward and turning to face both of them. " Ah fulfilled mah end ay th' bargain. noo 'at yoo're haur, consider it returned tae sender. Canty noo?" Noira pouted; her annoyance was palpable.
Both Mnemon and Boss couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Despite her extremely fucked-up mind, Noira was undeniably true and committed to her words. Boss decided he would make up for her later, for there was a more critical hand here. Stepping towards the console, it appeared rather ordinary: a power button, a keyboard, a screen, and a faded, oversized red button. The Boss swept away the dust before pressing the power button. Instantly, the screen flickered to life, displaying a solitary line of yellow text:
[Password: ?]
"Old school password. Eh? That's... kinda weird," remarked Mnemon, cocking his head inquisitively.
Indeed, it was odd. Noira confirmed that this bunker belonged to the Boss's old corp, the predecessor of his current company. The technology back then was not that primitive to resort to manual typing. Kneeling to inspect the console closely, the Boss found no microphone, card reader, or any ports—just a keyboard.
"Could you check underneath the console, buddy?" the Boss requested of his avian companion.
"Ugh..." begrudgingly complied the bird, descending to investigate. "Boss... you're not going to like this."
That foreboding statement offered little comfort.
"Well?" prompted the Boss, sensing the tension in the air.
"There's a line of text down there," the bird revealed, "It reads: 'The beloved child.'"
"Verdammt noch mal..." cursed the Boss, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.
"Am Ah missin' somethin' haur?" Noira inquired, noticing the change in his usual expression. The mischievous grin had disappeared, replaced by a familiar parental disappointment.
"The password," the Boss pointed to the console, "it was my Captain-Commander's name."
"Yer personal caretaker? Th' a body 'at gart ye accidentally devoor a planit?" she quoted. " That's heem?"
"Yes, that's him," Mnemon confirmed with a nod.
"An'?" Noira pressed.
"That's exactly the problem!" Boss exclaimed.
BINABASA MO ANG
Blackbloods
AdventureThere's this guy and his friend. Both are powerful beings, forces of nature, and the end of the cycle. Their presence elicits a spectrum of reactions. Some revere them as the divines. Most revile them, cursing the very ground they tread upon. And...
