←Descent | The City Below (Battles) | Molten Menace→
Chapter 6: The City Below[]
The gondola halts. Abruptly, everyone
starts talking at once, doubts and misgivings
spilling forth in hushed tones. Every single
gaze is fixed upon the same point.
"What's a city doing way down here?"
"Only one way to find out. Let's go!"
The city guard is the first to greet you,
promptly seizing and shackling everyone.
"Ouch! What do you think you're doing?!"
"This way!"
"All who set foot in our city must be
purified."
"Purified? How?"
"Hehe, you'll see. Welcome to
the city of Agra."
The guardsmen raise their weapons and
their voices in chorus.
"Time for the feast!!"
The entire city is brimming with machines.
"What's that?"
"It seems to be producing heat and steam."
"Hehe. That would be the Divine
Instrument."
The machine they call the Divine Instrument
is actually a relic of the primordial
civilization of Gallus--a relic that still
functions today.
It seems the city survives by utilizing the
energy produced by this remnant of a
forgotten age.
"You've come from the Overcity, drawn here
by rumors of what's down here, am I right?"
"Aye, but we've never heard anything about
a city."
"Of course you haven't. And we'll have you
vow you won't tell another living soul."
"And if we should refuse?"
You suddenly find yourself surrounded by
machines sprouting legs.
"Hehehehehe. You have no such option!"
"Hehe. Don't struggle so."
"They won't kill you."
"You'll just feel a little prick, hehehehehe."
"Hehe. Not bad, not bad..."
"But how much more can you take? Hehehehehe."
A swarm of machines comes seemingly
out of nowhere.
You continue your desperate battle.
"Hehe. Stubborn fools."
"You leave me no choice! Hehehehehe."
"We've simply come to seek an audience with
the Maker."
"The Maker? Don't speak of such foolishness!"
"Hehe. You won't find these as easy."
"The Divine Instrument provides us with
both food and water."
"Hehe. It gives us moving pictures--
even movable pictures."
"Indeed, anything and everything."
"All life's pleasures!"
"Agra, city of worldly pleasures..."
"Why are you attacking us?!"
"Hehe. People would flock to our
city in droves if they learned of the
pleasures that await."
"So that's it. You're trying to keep this place
to yourselves!"
"We kill the weak and appoint the strong to
guard the city. Hehehehehe."
"Simply do as you're told and you'll
find this place paradise!"
"Hehehehehe, that's right! Heed our
commands!"
As if you'd just meekly submit to such demands.
Without a word, your party comes to a swift and
unanimous decision:
Fight on.
"I believe that's quite enough."
"Hehe, and now for the long awaited
purification."
At that moment, a swarm of small, insect-like
machines attack en masse.
"Yikes!"
The mechanical insects dive straight for you,
plunging sharp stingers into the nape of
your neck.
"Ow!"
"What have you done?!"
"Just relax. This means we're friends now."
"Hehe. We've just implanted a tiny
machine into each of you."
"Implanted m-machines?"
"Now, should you ever return to the surface,
you won't speak of this place to anyone."
"The machines regulate the area responsible
for speech!"
A city guard points to this head as he
says this.
"Hehe. Those ancient Gallusians
were quire extraordinary. Too bard they
were wiped out."
And so, with no room for debate,
you become residents of Agra.
"Tried using that gondola in the center of
the city?"
"Why? Does it go back to the surface?"
"No point in going back. Can't do much even
if you do."
A deliberate tap to the back of the neck,
presumably referring to the tiny implant now
in control. The same is true of everyone here,
after all. You collect yourself and go on.
"So if that gondola in the city center
doesn't go up, then it must go down."
"Aye, though it's not that simple, for
the strange ooze always attacks."
"Ooze? What ooze?"
"The ooze that swallows up all who descend."
←Descent | The City Below (Battles) | Molten Menace→