32 Riddle Me This, Wayne....? #32
As you descend deeper into the labyrinthine corridors of the Whispering Abyss, you find yourself confronted by a massive iron door, adorned with ancient runes that seem to shimmer with an ominous glow. With a resounding creak, the door swings open, revealing a chamber bathed in eerie moonlight. At its center stands a towering statue of a hooded figure, its eyes glowing with an otherworldly intensity.
Suddenly, the darkness seems to coalesce into the form of Mordrak, the Rhyming Shade, his voice echoing through the chamber in rhythmic verses.
"Here's the deal, as shadows unfold, part with your stones, escape the cold. Deny, and prepare for a whimsical spree, every fortnight, a new decree. Be visited by a certain well-ednowed horse at night, a tragic tale, or endure the incessant sound of a squeaky nail."
The choice is yours:
1-Yield your Power Stones, and in rhyme, your soul consoles.
2-Defy, and embrace the whimsical spree, a fortnightly of rear-pain for all to see.
...
Perched on a slightly wobbly table outside a hole-in-the-wall coffee joint, I took slow sips from my cup, the rich aroma of the coffee blending with the city sounds around me.
The worn wooden surface beneath my fingers served as a makeshift console for browsing the system's shop options. It had been a solid couple of days since the Catwoman and Batman spectacle, and life had settled into its usual quirky rhythm.
Between the regular grind of training sessions with Wildcat, I found myself meandering through the grimy streets of Gotham, hoping for some spontaneous excitement to rack up those elusive points.
Alas, Lady Luck seemed to be on vacation, leaving me with a bit of a boredom hangover. I guess relying on luck and expecting plot twists to fall from the sky has its limits.
Contemplating a more hands-on approach, I considered the idea of targeting villains with fixed lairs. In Gotham, that pretty much spelled out the Penguin.
A visit to the Iceberg Lounge, a chat or two, and maybe a bit of head-bashing could easily secure me a villain encounter. But, the temptation was curbed. Penguin wasn't just a point dispenser; he had a role to play in my future plans as Livewire did. The timing was crucial, and now wasn't the moment for a formal introduction. That grand entrance could wait for its cue.
Releasing another melodramatic sigh that could rival a soap opera, I shifted my attention from my indifferent rat companion, Rattigan, nibbling on a piece of cheese, to the infinite wonders of the system's shop.
The display was a carnival of possibilities, an endless list of intel items tempting me with their secrets. City intel, factions, character insights – a virtual encyclopedia for sale, ranging from the budget-friendly 50-point finds to the more extravagant thousand-point extravaganzas.
"Guess I'll consider it an investment and splurge on some intel," I muttered to myself, squinting at the array of choices.
Boredom was threatening to consume me, and Kord's expedition preparation was a tad sluggish. Plus, I needed to test out the tutorial's strategies. After a brief window-shopping session, my gaze landed on the Gotham City Intel, a mere 100 points.
Seemed like a reasonable investment; I was already prowling Gotham's streets, after all. With a nonchalant click, the deal was sealed, and my point balance shrank to 630.
The system chimed in, delivering a notification with its usual annoyingly humorous tone.
[Rumor has it that someone in Arkham Asylum is brewing a scheme that's nuttier than a squirrel on caffeine]
After absorbing the wisdom of the Gotham City Intel, another cheeky notification popped up on my virtual screen. It proudly proclaimed:
[Quest Unlocked: 'Riddle Me This, Wayne.' You've got a head-scratcher cooking up in Arkham Asylum. Time to uncover the scheme, and who knows? Maybe you'll spice it up, fan the flames, cool it down, or just let it simmer. The choice is yours, oh intrepid adventurer!]
I chuckled at the playful tone of the system. "Riddle me this, Wayne, huh? Very subtle..." I muttered to myself, amused by the system's naming sense.
Scratching my head, not due to any clever riddles yet but out of pure contemplation, I pondered the intriguing quest that had just dropped into my lap. The "Riddle Me This, Wayne" title was like a neon sign pointing straight at the Riddler, and I couldn't help but marvel at the system's questionable naming sense.
"Shouldn't it be Riddle Me This, Batman, rather than Wayne?" I questioned aloud, muttering to myself.
Questionable as it might be, the system's naming sense had a purpose. The tutorial quest, for example, Zap and Influence, was very telling of its own nature. Zap, as in Livewire, and Influence, as in the goal of the quest.
Was using Wayne instead of Batman another clue, albeit an actually subtle one, or am I overthinking it? With The Riddler, it could honestly go either way.
Shrugging off the speculation, I decided to confront the mystery head-on. The quest presented me with the option to refuse, a luxury the tutorial quest hadn't afforded, which meant I could fish for another intriguing quest by rejecting this one and buying more intel. However, considering my current point balance, I couldn't indulge that much.
"Huh... whatever, I guess I'll just have to figure it out if I accept the quest..." I concluded, realizing that sometimes the thrill was in the uncertainty.
I was bored, and this felt like just the Scoopy-Doo mystery to keep me entertained. With a tap on the "Accept Quest" button, I dismissed the filters and began to browse the shop to prepare for the quest.
Considering this Gotham escapade, a puzzle meticulously crafted by the Riddler within the confines of Arkham Asylum, the essentials for conquering this quest are crystal clear. Armed with my EMP power, I can neutralize any contraptions the Riddler might concoct on the fly.
The combination of my Guardian Veil Barrier and healing prowess ensures resilience against a multitude of threats. When confronted with reasonable individuals, my adept acting and persuasion skills can gracefully navigate me through precarious scenarios.
However, something to help me stay hidden is imperative. A lockpicking kit or a similar tool to navigate Arkham freely was also in order in order. Finally, a prob badge might prove invaluable in manipulating probabilities to my advantage.
Luckily, I had this convenient tool called the system shop.
...
Standing before the foreboding façade of Arkham Asylum, Commissioner James Gordon surveyed the chaos unfolding around him. Yellow tape cordoned off the area, and traumatized asylum employees sought solace amid the turmoil.
If receiving a call just as he prepared to enjoy some well-deserved sleep was enough to elicit a grumble, learning that the inmates had seized control of Arkham Asylum was ample cause for outright cursing.
To make matters worse, Batman and his cadre of sidekicks were preoccupied dealing with their own adversaries scattered across the city. The timing seemed too convenient, considering Gotham had been unusually quiet for the past two days.
But what could he do about it? His subordinates were paralyzed with fear, understandably hesitant to venture into the asylum teeming with dangerous lunatics. Even Gordon, with all his determination, couldn't bring himself to send them into a potential massacre.
As he weighed his limited options, the commissioner furrowed his brow at the sight of an individual in civilian clothing nonchalantly approaching the asylum's entrance. Strangely, he seemed to pass through the police subordinates as if he were invisible to them.
"Hold a moment, young man," Commissioner Gordon called out, halting the mysterious figure in his tracks. The man instantly stopped and turned to face the commissioner.
"I don't know who you are or what you're trying to do, but this area is off-limits for civilians. It's too dangerous inside the asylum," Gordon firmly stated, stopping in front of the young man and giving him an inspecting look.
The stranger, of average build and height, wore casual streetwear with a hood covering his head, casting shadows over most of his features.
"Commissioner Gordon? I believe there's a misunderstanding," the man said, retrieving his wallet and flashing a badge and an ID card in the commissioner's face.
Gordon was ready to take a closer look, but a shadowy hand materialized over his shoulder, giving it a quick tap. Startled, he turned around to catch a glimpse of the intruder, but the shadowy hand dissipated before he could discern anything.
When he turned back to the man, the latter was already putting away his wallet."My name is Jon Jones. I'm with A.R.G.U.S., sent here to pacify the situation within Arkham Asylum," he calmly explained.
A.R.G.U.S., a covert government agency specializing in metahuman and supernatural threats, operated in the shadows, dealing with situations requiring secrecy and specialized capabilities.
The commissioner was familiar with them, and the asylum incident fell well within their expertise. Still, he couldn't help but wonder how they learned of the situation and responded so swiftly, considering the police hadn't even finished isolating the premises with yellow tape.
Moreover, he pondered why they chose such a young man to handle such a delicate matter.
Despite his reservations, there was something about the young man's confident demeanor and assured speech that made him appear trustworthy, dispelling the commissioner's doubts.
"Very well, if you're with A.R.G.U.S., then I won't stop you," he said, nodding after a short pause. "But allow me to explain the--" His sentence halted midway as the young man raised his hand to interrupt.
"There's no need. I already have a good idea of what's happening inside," the young man calmly interjected. "The inmates have taken control of the asylum and are holding some of the staff hostage. Am I correct?" he asked, and the commissioner merely nodded, unsure of what else to say.
"Then rest assured and leave it to me," the agent said with a calm nod. "Until I come back, please keep the asylum sealed. Allow no one to enter or leave," he concluded, heading toward the entrance without waiting for a reply.
...
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