Before moving forward, Artis went back to check on the wolf's corpse to get his spoils of the battle. Examining it, Artis decided to break 4 wolf's fangs and skin a bit of its fur. Satisfied with his hunt, he walked towards Ray and Lexis with a smile.
"You wanna go on?" asked Ray, crossing his arms.
Artis nodded, "Yes. I just levelled up. No way I am going back without testing my strength first!"
"Alright then. Let's continue on!"
As the trio continued to walk around, staying vigilante, as night continued to fall and their surrounding got even darker. After a while, Lexis's voice broke the silence, her tone a bit nervous.
"Does anybody got a flashlight? I- uh...forgot to bring mine!"
Artis shook his head, making a note to buy one after this mission while Ray checked his pockets, only to be disappointed as he forgot to bring one.
"Oh c'mon Ray!" mocked Lexis irritated, "Artis can get a pass since he is new but how did you forget to bring it!"
"Hey! Don't blame it on me, you forgot yours as well!"
Artis could only shook his head as they continued to move forward, only depending on moonlight as their only source of light.
As they continued to walk, they came across the odd watchtower that Jax talked about. The watchtower loomed ahead, silhouetted against the dim moonlight filtering through the trees. It looked ancient, with wooden beams worn by years of rain and wind. The structure creaked softly in the night breeze, giving off an eerie, abandoned aura.
Ray squinted, trying to make out any details in the darkness. "So this is it... the watchtower Jax mentioned."
"Seems like it." replied Lexis, "Now that we have come this far, the only thing we can do is go ahead!
"Agreed. Also remember, we are only going to inspect it. If we see anyone suspicious, we will not engage in a fight. Understood?"
Both Artis and Lexis nodded in agreement, their faces serious as they steeled themselves for what lay ahead. Especially Artis, since if his assumptions are correct, he could find answers that he is looking for.
The trio, moving quietly, approach the base of the tower. Seeing as no one was there, they quietly approached the door of the tower. The door looked particularly rusty and was creaking noises, with hints being there that the door was being used.
"Hmm?" Ray got closer to the door as he inspected it, "It's locked."
"Then, should we break it?" suggested Lexis in an amused tone.
"Are you crazy? We don't want to make any noise here to get in trouble now do we?"
Lexis raised her hands, "Yeah, Yeah, I was just joking!"
"Then what? If we can't enter, do we just check the surroundings if there is another entrance?"
Ray glanced around, eyes scanning the area for any hidden entryways or weak spots. "Good idea, let's spread out a bit and see if we can find another way in."
They split up to check around the tower, each of them examining the structure closely. The moonlight barely illuminated the weathered wood, but as Artis moved around to the back, he spotted a small, partially covered window near the ground. It looked narrow, but with some maneuvering, he might be able to squeeze through.
"Hey, over here!" He called out in a low voice, gesturing Ray and Lexis to join him.
Ray crouched beside Artis, inspecting the window. "Not ideal, but it's better than breaking the front door open," he said with a smirk. "Think you can fit through, Lexis?"
Lexis peered at the narrow opening, then shrugged. "It'll be tight, but I'll manage. I'll go first and check if it's clear."
With a quick nod, Lexis slipped through the small window, wincing as she had to wiggle a bit to make it through. After a few moments, she gave them the all-clear from the inside, and Artis and Ray followed, squeezing in one by one until they all stood inside a dusty storage area.
Inside, the tower smelled of stale air and old wood, with scattered crates and barrels lining the walls. It was silent, save for the faint sound of wind rattling the boards above them.
"Alright, we're in," Ray whispered, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. "Let's move carefully."
"Wow, Genius, we actually got inside. But how the fuck are we suppose to move carefully if we can't even see anything in this dark space?" hissed Lexis in a low strangled voice.
Ray rolled his eyes, but he understood the frustration. "Alright, alright. Let's try to feel our way around. Just stay close and keep it quiet. We don't want to alert anyone upstairs."
They moved slowly through the storage room, each step stirring up small clouds of dust. As they reached the staircase, they slowly climbed the stairs without making any noise as the stairs creaked a little bit making them a bit panic.
"Sheesh. It's so dark here. Next time, please bring matchsticks or anything..."
"Be quiet!"
As they reached first floor, Artis noticed a bit of source of light coming from the other side of the floor. He signaled Ray as he also noticed it. Nodding at each other, the trio moved towards the door to inspect it.
Carefully, they approached the faint light spilling from a crack beneath the door. Artis pressed his ear to it, trying to pick up any sounds. There was a low murmuring, barely audible, but it was unmistakable—someone was talking inside. He glanced back at Ray and Lexis, nodding to confirm they weren't alone.
Ray gestured for them to stay silent as he leaned closer, trying to make out the words. The voices were muffled but occasionally loud enough to catch snippets.
"…should be arriving soon… must be prepared…"
"…don't fail this time. If anyone interferes…"
The tone was cold and commanding. Whoever was speaking seemed to be giving strict orders. Lexis looked at Artis and whispered, "Sounds like they're expecting someone. Maybe we can listen in to learn what's going on."
Artis nodded, but then the voices stopped, and footsteps approached the door. The trio froze, heartbeats thudding loudly in their chests. Ray pulled them back into the shadows just in time as the door creaked open. A figure in a dark cloak stepped out, holding a lantern and looking around suspiciously before moving down the stairs.
As the footsteps receded, Lexis let out a silent sigh of relief. "That was close," she whispered.
Ray peeked into the room, making sure it was empty, and gestured for them to enter. Inside the room, there were a bunch of books and crates filled with machine parts that nobody knew what it was for.
Artis picked up one of the books that was kept in the table but opened it. Just as he opened in, he closed in instantly, closing his eyes and sighing in frustration.
'I can't read it.'
Picking up this book, he examined it even further before meeting up with Ray and Lexis to discover what they found. Ray said he can't tell what these machine parts are for since he isn't a mechanic and Lexis also found nothing but picked up the snacks kept in the table to eat it as she was hungry.
"Let's go back!" declared Ray, "It's useless to stay here now. We don't know what is going on here and if we get captured, it will only go in vain if we can't report it to the Professor. We are weak right now and we aren't prepared for any fight. Let's head back and come back again next time!"
Artis hesitated, glancing at the book again. He felt an urge to push further, but deep down, he knew Ray was right. Even if he levelled up, he had no idea of his enemy's strength and to only push forward would be useless and dangerously stupid.
"Alright," Artis agreed, reluctantly tucking the strange book under his arm. "But I'm taking this with me. Maybe the professor can help us understand it."
Ray nodded, understanding Artis's determination. "Good idea. Let's move quickly, then. Lexis, finish up those snacks—we don't have much time."
Lexis groaned, reluctantly shoving the last bite into her mouth as they made their way back to the window they'd entered from. They slipped out one by one, careful not to leave any traces of their presence.
As they stepped back into the cold night air, Artis cast a glance back at the watchtower. Shadows loomed within the window, and he could feel an unsettling presence watching them depart, but nothing moved. A shiver ran down his spine, as he looked on ahead with frustration and quickly urged both of them to return.
...
East Ferrous Laboratories, 8:00 PM
Professor Javier was still sitting in his desk, examining the reports as the trio entered his room.
"Well, I didn't expect you all back so soon," Professor Javier said, leaning back in his chair. "Do you need anything?"
Ray stepped forward, frowning, "Professor, we have a report to make!"
It took a few minutes to report everything they went through as Professor visibly grew paler and paler with every information he received. After they were done, Artis showed the book he picked up from the Watchtower and handed it to Professor.
Professor glanced at it, but at the sight of it, he flinched as if he recognized what this book was!
He kept the book down, removed his glasses and rubbed his forehead and looked up.
"You guys did good. Leave everything rest to me. I declare this mission completed. Artis, Ray, your reward of 100 Grands will be waiting for you at reception. Lexis, I know you were not part of this mission, so I will give you and the two of you extra 50 Grands for the contribution and hunt you successfully did."
"Alright!" Lexis shouted, her fists raised in air as Ray only shook his head seeing her antics.
Professor sighed as he signaled all three of them to leave. As the three of them were leaving, Artis quietly glanced back at the Professor noticing his calm expression but he knew better. He realized Professor knew about the book but wasn't telling them about it.
Realizing he couldn't really ask for answers, he left the room to collect his reward.
As soon as the three of them left. Professor got up from his desk and closed the door. He leaned back on the door as he slide down grabbing his head in frustration.
"It's began. Those experiments and the Rabbit. No doubt about it...Project Spiral is active again!"