Empire of Steel

My eyes suddenly fly open.

How long has it been? Did I just fall asleep?

Looking around, nothing has obviously changed. So it couldn't have been too long.

*ping* A sound emits from my crystal, I pick it up and see a notification, 'Your new rank is 95' and right after that 'Your MANA hass increased to 125 points'.

'Huh well that was easy, I wonder if I can learn some spells now, if thats how this works that is' I thought to myself. Suddenly I hear a sound coming from the darkness and then human voices,

'Automated translation enabled'

'Are you sure there was a new activation here? Of all places do you really think someone lives in the under crypts? And if they did why would they need an Artifact?' Said one voice.

'I don't know Gill, Corporate got an activation from down here, maybe its jusst an error from one of these old ass artifiacts' said another.

I finally have the courage to look over at the speakers from behind the crate I was hiding behind. I can't let them see me is all I can think. But, as soon as I lay my eyes on them I am stupified. One has a literal square head while the others arms appeared to be metallic and totally out of proportion. Dare I say they looked just as strange if not stranger than I did. Whatever the matter was I didn't feel like they would very much approve of me meddling here. Looking a bit closer I cloud see light coming from around the corner at the end of the warehouse opposite the door I came in.

'If only I could somehow get through without them seeing me' I thought to myself. They would surely see me if I tried to open up my crystal, no artifact I think they called it. So I couldn't try see if there was a way to cast spells like in a video game or something.

'Hey Bill look at this, the door's open this way' My heart did a skip when I heard that. Thankfully they passed by the crate I was hiding behind and went to check the door. I took this as my chance and ran to where they came from. In front of me, a steel door. I grab the handle

'Personnel not authorised' said the door. I freeze, 'Oi Blyats' I say under my breath, theres no way they didn't hear THAT.

Thinking fast I clutch my artifact and think 'How to unlock this door'

'A panel appears, beginner lockbreaker spells, minimum rank 98, a section symbol is highlighted' Not knowing what the hell anything was I act on instinct and trace the symbol over the door with my finger. A bit like the main protagonist in Blade Crat Connected does.

'SShriiiizzzzzooonnnnnnuuuuu' A strange sound comes from the symbols which start to glow. Suddenly the door breaks open and I am flooded with bright light. I wasste no second, I can already hear the two strangers running. I sprint into the doorway and up the stairs. More doors greet me, these I break open with the same way. Eventually while running I reach a room, in front of me, I see the greatest visage since I got here.

Through the large wall sized glass windows I see a strange new world. One that pays homage to the cities I'm familiar with, yet, exhales a sense of incredible scale. In such a sense that it is almost surreal. Hundreds of tall towers that pierce the very sky, beyond vision. and even more towers that grow horizontally into infinity. walking closer and looking down, I see that I am only on the second floor but tower over many buildings as if on a hill.

'Hey call backup someone has broken out from the lowest floors!'

'Affirmative team Klaxon dash o one moving out'

'Oh shit' I think to myself, looking around, I see no way out other than the one I came in. Guess I have no choice. I step back and charge at the windows.