Matthew ran without stopping. His eyes darted all over the place as he ran.
He ran through a straight hallway and soon came across three doors.
"You're kidding me!" Clyde exclaimed in excitement as caught up to Matthew. Matthew was looking over all three doors.
One was spotless. One was just a bit dusty and one was downright disgusting.
stood there thinking when
*RRRROOOOAAAARRRR*
A roar accompanied by a bunch of screams.
"Let's hide in this one." Clyde reached for the spotless door. But Matthew grabbed his hand and looked with disapproval.
"Do you want to get both of us killed?"
Clyde frowned,
"Now's not the time Becker."
Clyde looked down the hallway as the sounds of the beast were getting louder.
Matthew looked at all three and took an irritated breath and choose the disgusting one.
It was moldy and rotting as colors faded completely.
"How is my choice killing us when you're choosing that?"
Matthew quickly entered the dark room. And said,
"It's a crypt, Clyde. Anything that looks shiny must have people in it or maintained by something."
Clyde gave an expression of understanding as Matthew grabbed him by the collar and dragged him inside. After locking the door behind Clyde spoke,
"Great choice, Becker."
Matthew ignored him as he concentrated on his surrounding.
The floor was wet and sticky. The pungent smell of rotten wood made his stomach churn.
He took out his doll and closed his eyes.
'How did I get myself into this?'
...
Earlier,
Matthew and Clyde were talking when a black seven-seated car stopped near the entrance.
Seven people got out. All their clothes were identical.
They wore black vests with light armor all over their body.
There were two women and five men. They were older than Matthew by about nine to ten years.
They all had the same type of weapons. One sword and a gun.
They all quietly walked in.
Matthew could see all the people around them tensed up. He was trying to understand why when Clyde clicked his tongue,
"Tch. RCUVA agents."
Matthew raised his eyes. His mind went to the medallion.
"Why are they here?" Matthew was confused. He looked at Clyde and said,
"I thought ACA was a rival for RCUVA."
"They are. But RCUVA operates based on its own rules and regulations. But anyone can commission a mission through ACA." Clyde explained.
"I still don't understand why would they be here?" Matthew pointed to the RCUVA Agents.
"It is an open mission," Clyde replied.
"Meaning?"
"Anyone can accept it. *sigh* Well there goes the bonus payment."
Clyde just shook his head. Matthew looked around and saw similar expressions. Some even outright showed hostility.
"Cheer up. It's the experience that counts." Matthew patted Clyde's back.
"What do you know about experience?" Clyde looked at him with dismissing a gaze.
"Anyway, what will be doing in the crypt?" Matthew smiled and asked the main question.
"Simple we go in, we investigate. Find stuff, submit it, and get our share."
Clyde explained.
"That's it?"
"Well not exactly. There is also a matter of Void creatures and void anomalies. Plus other Agents."
Clyde took out his phone and saw the time.
"It's time. Don't stay in a group larger than three." He instructed Matthew.
"We are one short then," Matthew looked around and pointed with a nod,
"Looks like they don't share your thoughts on groups of three."
Clyde looked at a nine-man team.
"Idiots. Leave them be." He dismissed them.
"Bold of you to assume I'm not one." Matthew chucked as he said that to him.
Clyde looked at Matthew as he gave that statement.
'What the fuck does that mean?' was written all over his face.
Matthew just shrugged and said,
"What should we do if we get separated?"
Clyde showed his number,
"Just communicate with me."
Matthew noted it down.
Then a voice rang out as a middle-aged man came forward. Matthew and Clyde both took a look,
"Thank you all for accepting the mission."
He wore a simple shirt and pants.
"This crypt was discovered by the Royal Merchant Guild. We plan to relocate this cemetery and create a new mall to revitalize the town."
The man then took out his phone and typed something.
Matthew felt his phone buzz. He saw a notification on the top that said,
[5 drms have been added to your account]
"This is for taking the effort to come. Now please explore the crypt to your heart's content."
With that two people opened the gate of the crypt. The rusted iron made a scratching sound on the pavement as they dragged the gate. Unlike everyone else, Matthew covered his ears from the noise.
Beyond the gate were stairs running down. With flame illuminating the corridors and stairs. Everyone hurried to get inside as chaos ensued.
They were pushing against each other.
RUCVA agents stood to the side watching with disgusted expressions.
Clyde and Matthew also stood there watching the mayhem.
"Wanna go all in on the chaos?"
Matthew asked. Clyde snorted in reply.
Matthew saw two more groups standing like them.
One was a group of three people. All three had blank white face masks on and wore proper armor over white and black clothing. It was impossible to tell their gender.
Matthew glazed over them to the next group which was a group of two like them.
Both of them looked younger than Matthew.
The boy was reading a small hand-held notebook while the girl was vigilant.
Matthew was a bit away from them but even under the pale moonlight, Matthew could tell they were twins.
The girl suddenly made eye contact with Matthew. Matthew held her gaze for a few moments before turning toward Clyde,
"Hey, man. In case you die, do you want me to tell your family something?"
"How confidant! What if you die? Did you think about that?" Clyde poked Matthew to the sides.
"Well, I made a promise to stay alive. And I always keep my promise. So any last words?"
Clyde nearly choked from Matthew's words who looked genuinely serious.
"Do you get a kick out of getting under people's skin?" Clyde couldn't help but ask.
"Whatever could you mean by that?"
Matthew smirked as they slowly made their way toward the entrance.
Soon only they and two other groups remained. RUCVA agents already went ahead of them.
Clyde was about to head in too but Matthew grabbed his arms and turned toward the group of three and said,
"Ladies first."
Clyde looked at Matthew like he was a draft psycho. Plus he looked at the three,
'Are they women?' Clyde looked a bit confused.
All three turned their heads at Matthew.
His sly smile along with his delivery certainly leaves an impression.
Matthew's eyes sparkled when the middle one wordlessly walked forward as two followed.
After they entered and crypt and went down.
Matthew walked forward with Clyde followed by his side.
"And you ask what I mean!"
Clyde took a jab at Matthew.
"This is my first time in a crypt." Matthew changed the subject as he walked down the stairs. He glanced all around him.
It looked very old. Made out of stones and had cracked all over the place.
Matthew went near a wall and traced his finger over a line as he walked down.
"Seems like the Royal merchants triggered all the traps at the entrance."
Clyde commented as he stared at the ceiling that was missing a large chunk.
Matthew looked back to see the twins enter the crypt behind them.
The torches on the walls illuminated the stairs. So he finally managed to get a better look.
Both had white hair and wore silver color shoulder pads and breastplates. The girl had two short daggers to her side while the boy just had a notebook.
"Becker look at this."
Clyde attracted Matthew's attention.
He looked at where Clyde was pointing at.
It was a small statue embedded into the wall.
The figure was that of a small creature with two legs and two arms. It had a blank face. Its stomach was hollowed out.
Matthew took out his phone and took a picture.
"There is an inscription."
Clyde pointed out. Underneath the statue.
Matthew used the flashlight of the phone to inspect it. There were only three symbols. Two of which were messed up. Like it was scratched.
The good one was a symbol that looked like a crescent moon.
Matthew had to squint to find it yet Clyde managed to see it without the light.
"It's all messed up."
Matthew stood next to Clyde as the twins caught up to them. They glanced at Matthew and Clyde who were glancing at the statute.
After they also took a look at the statue, they continued.
"Do you know what this is?"
Matthew asked as he took a few pictures of the inscriptions.
Clyde shook his head.
"I am not well versed at things such as these."
"Clearly." Matthew's comment got a simple rolling eye from Clyde.
Soon they reached the platform and there were three corridors in front of them.
Twins were also there and talked among themselves. The boy shifted through the note as they talked.
Matthew saw no signs of anything except for how eerily quiet it was. And a bunch of footprints.
Most of the went forwards with the left being the second most.
Soon both of the twins choose the right-side corridor.
"You two stop."
Matthew called back.
Clyde was inspecting three symbols on the walls in each of the corridors.
"Why are you going towards the most unused path?"
The boy looked back as his sister stepped forward.
"What is it to you?"
The girl replied.
The hallway was illuminated by the torches that flickered in and out. She was just a bit shorter than Matthew.
Her white hair was tied in a ponytail while the boy's was cut neatly.
Matthew chuckled,
"Just looking out for fellow agents."
"I suggest you look out for yourself. What we choose is our business. Minding your own business is a good trait to have."
She walked on as the boy looked back awkwardly before following her.
"Those two..."
Clyde was about to say something but Matthew cut him off.
"I know. Don't worry. They can't fool me."
Clyde smiled as said,
"You're something else, aren't you? Anyway, we should go left. There is a slight breeze to the left. Means there is either a very open space or it opens up to somewhere."
Matthew shook his head,
"No, we go right."
"Why? It's better not because you think I can take her in a fight."
Matthew raised his eyebrows,
"Relax. If I understand them correctly, they won't try to mess up their cover. Besides..."
He pointed at three symbols.
"They understand what they signified."
The left was the symbol of a flower with long petals and stems. The middle is a chalice. On the right was just a sun.
"Or it could be a wild hunch."
Clyde didn't argue but put forward a suggestion.
"Maybe. It's not like we will be losing something if we go the wrong path."
"What makes you say that? Do you know the danger of crypts like these?" Clyde couldn't help but frown.
Matthew walked forward as Clyde followed.
"Nope. But I know people. Why do you think they gave us five drms?"
Clyde was momentarily stumped. He didn't think about it.
"Because we came?"
"No. Because they want us to stay."
"I don't follow."
Matthew once again went near a wall and traced his hand along the lines.
"It creates an impression that whatever is in here is so valuable that they are willing to spend extensively."
"Are you saying there isn't?"
Matthew shook his head.
"No. It's quite the opposite. They know exactly where and what it is."
Matthew pointed at the ceiling with a hole,
"They didn't just trigger the entrance trap. They quite possibly have triggered all of them."
"Wait if they know what it is and where it is, why not just simply take it?"
Clyde raised the question.
But before Matthew could answer,
*RRRROOOOOAAARRRR*
"I believe that's why."
Matthew and Clyde glanced back as a faint sound of screaming followed after the roar.
Suddenly the entire crypt shook as Matthew lost his balance.
Clyde tackled Matthew to the ground as a large rock fell where they were standing.
Matthew glanced at the rock that now blocked their entrance.
"I owe you one for that."
Matthew looked at Clyde who was extending his hand. Matthew grabbed his hand as he was pulled straight.
"Yeah, you do." Clyde dusted off his armor and said,
"I guess that wasn't part of the plan."
Matthew looked at the irregularly shaped rock,
"Well, there goes our exit. The good news is that we have only one path..."
*RRRREOOOOOAAAARRRRE*
"Bad news is that we have only one path," Clyde said after the roar.
"Well let us move forward shall we."
Clyde looked at Matthew and said,
"You want to run at the sound."
"And you want to wait for the sound to come to us. Both of them sound dumb. At least with mine, we get to choose how we go out."
Matthew pointed out.
"I thought you will survive no matter what." Clyde quickly recalled what Matthew said earlier.
Matthew gave a simple humph,
"Touché."
*RRRRROOOOOAAAAAARRRRRE*
"We should make a break for it," Matthew said as he took off running.
Clyde just shook his head and also took off after him.