A quest appeared before Alan:
Prison Break:
Remove and destroy all power sources of the mysterious Abyss Labyrinth, unleashing its prisoners upon the universe.
Option: Try to free only certain beings
Option: Try to conquer the Abyss Labyrinth
Option (Missing Systems): Try to play both sides
Penalty: ???
Reward: ???
Time Limit: Unknown
Threat Leveclass="underline" Beta - Gamma
“Um, and if I don’t want to do this?” Alan asked.
“Then I kill you. I won’t be able to torture you, but the penalties applied by the warden program would be worth it. It’s almost out of power, a few more millennia at most.
"Even if my sentence is elongated, as long as all those that come here to try to repair the systems are dealt with, I will be free once the power runs out.”
“Look, um, it’s not like I want to die, but I just don’t have enough information to make a decision. Like, I have no idea why you or anybody else here is imprisoned,” Alan said, hoping his statement was innocuous enough to not alert the warden program.
The Predecessor stared down at Alan.
“Fine. Simply perform the task as I outlined, then go and learn more. You should be able to fool the warden program. Tell it you are analyzing the crystal so you can recharge it, or some other such lie. Then make your decision. I am confident you will see that we are in the right, and are unjustly imprisoned here.”
Another quest appeared before Alan:
A Mad Gamble:
Kill the Predecessor, remove the black crystal. Escape from the Abyss Labyrinth with the crystal.
Option: Find out more before attempting either Missing Systems or Prison Break
Rewards: Black Crystal, Soulsteel Knives
Penalty: Possible imprisonment (est. 1 month max sentence), Failure of Prison Break and Missing Systems
Alan quickly thought through his options. At the very least, he should kill this boss that was offering itself to him, right? The powerful weapon sounded rather nice as well, and he didn’t even need to go through with this crazy plan after he killed the Predecessor. But what was that about the possible imprisonment? Eve remained quiet in Alan’s head.
As if it could sense Alan’s thought, the Predecessor continued, “And, if you do kill me, but fail to take out the black crystal, the automated systems will surely kill you, no questions asked. That is why I said to remove it as soon as possible after I am dead. It will likely start spewing out poison gas or some other such nonsense. Thus, this is the only path you have if you want to escape here alive.
“Now, follow me. I will pretend to prepare to add the crystal you brought. Until the warden program is alerted, we should have a nice little chat. I’m sure you must have plenty of questions. First, though, I must transfer the soulsteel to you.”
The Predecessor stood up straight, then commanded Alan to hold out his hands, palms upwards. Alan did so. The Predecessor reached into a pocket, pulling out a piece of soulsteel the size of a small smartphone. Within its hands the soulsteel changed shape, becoming twin knives about the length of a pencil. Each knife had a small handle and razor-thin arced blades. The Predecessor took a blade in each hand.
“Oh, and this is going to hurt.”
The Predecessor suddenly brought the blades below Alan’s hands then thrust upwards, piercing his upheld palms. Before Alan could react they cleanly cut through his armor and the center of his palm, each penetrating bone. The Predecessor let go of the knives’ handles, then thrust its own hands through the blades, grasping Alan’s hands firmly. The Predecessor’s blood was almost a pitch black, and Alan watched as a trickle streamed into his own wounds.
Alan immediately felt the blood enter the veins within his hands, travelling upwards through his body. It burned, like a thousand ghost peppers had been condensed into hot sauce and directly injected into his blood stream. His body turned feverish, sweat pouring out like rain. He began having difficulty breathing, his throat drying up, the entirety of his self aflame. Abruptly, the two knives liquefied, entering Alan’s body through his bloodstream.
Alan tried to break free from the Predecessor, his body writhing in pain. The Predecessor calmly watched, holding Alan’s hands firmly in place. Alan had long ago activated the Ignore Pain ability in an attempt to relegate the liquid fire pulsing through his veins to the back of his mind, but it was to no avail. The boiling blood within his body grew hotter with slow intensity, from a steady blaze to a roaring inferno.
It felt as though Alan was standing in the middle of a flame, as if he had been engulfed by lava. Nerves began to shut down as he lost sensation in his hands. Alan thought with utmost certainty that his body was becoming a charred mess, melting like candle wax. He couldn’t handle this, whatever this was. He began to panic. Soon, his entire body was left without feeling. Alan stood, motionless, fearful of any attempts to try to move his body.
Then, slowly, feeling began to return. A message popped up:
Predecessor Blood Rites:
An unknown ritual has triggered a transformation of your blood. Its properties have been changed. General Status Enhancer implant has been consumed and replaced with Diluted Predecessor Blood augmentation. Weak Soulsteel Bond has been created.
+20 Strength +30 Endurance +Unknown effects
The Predecessor let go of Alan’s hands, carefully drawing out the knives which painfully materialized out of Alan’s body. It carefully placed them on the ground then stood up straight, slowly making its way over to the power generator holding the black crystal. Alan staggered backwards as the pain began to clear from his head, glancing down at a knife, trying to examine its stats. He almost fell over as he read the message he saw.
Soulsteel Knife (Rank S):
A knife of soulsteel. Able to cut through virtually any material, this weapon should be handled with the utmost care. The item has been forcefully bound to the traveler Alan through blood. Only a powerful Predecessor is able to remove the bond.
Damage: Bypasses nearly all defenses. Whatever is cut is destroyed. Additional abilities.
Approx. Infinite Durability. Predecessor Blood, Strong Soulsteel Bond, Knife Fighting (Master), Enhanced Control (Advanced), Enhanced Movements (Advanced), Knife Mastery (Advanced) required.
Requires Predecessor blood essence to manifest, current supply: 100/100 units, 5 units consumed/min active. 1 unit/1.4 years regen.
Pure Predecessor Blood, Absolute Soulsteel Bond, Enhanced Control (Master), Enhanced Movements (Master), Knife Mastery (Master) recommended.
Alan looked down at the knives, feeling a strange connection to them. It was almost like the connection he felt with Eve or other AI, but not quite, as the knives lacked consciousness. It was odd, like the feeling he felt when Eve was off doing something without him. He bent down and picked up the knives. With a push of will he forced this sense into his body, and the knives liquefied, entering and sealing the wounds. A familiar dull burn shot through Alan’s body.
Soulsteel Knife Sheathe Ability Unlocked:
Activate to absorb into your body. 100 HP drained when sheathing or unsheathing knifes.
“Come here,” the Predecessor said from across the room, next to the power storage device.
Alan ran over. “Thank you for the gift, I will use them wisely.”
“I would hope so… but again I caution you to be wary. If any Predecessor learns you hold a sliver of soulsteel they will kill you for it instantly. You may gain the ability to shape the metal to your will, but you are far from awakening soulsteel's latent abilities.”