Surviving the Simulation: The Grand Crusade

The battle was over, but the aftermath was far from peaceful. If the maintenance room was in disrepair before the battle, it was now a landscape of destruction. Shattered gears and twisted metal lay strewn across the floor, mingling with the remnants of machinery that had fought under the Baroness's control. The steam that had hissed and roared during the fight now escaped in faint, dying wisps from broken pipes.

"Fan out. Grab any loot, watch out for traps," Xander said.

"I'll check the far end," Wyatt replied.

Jo moved with the grace across the room. "I'll cover this side. Shout if you find anything interesting," she called over her shoulder, already focused on a pile of shattered crates.

Zoey and Ford exchanged a brief look before moving together toward a cluster of overturned workbenches. Zoey's bow remained in hand, an arrow lightly nocked, while Ford's searched the workbenches. The room might have been quiet, but the tension in the air was still palpable.

As they moved through the wreckage, the reality of the room's devastation became clearer. The equipment that had once hummed with life was now reduced to scrap metal. Rusty tools lay scattered, some embedded in the walls from the force of the Baroness's wrath. The once heavy scent of oil that hung in the air was now full of burnt machinery. No one would mistake what happened here.

Xander's gaze drifted to the side room that the Baroness had entered from at the start of the fight. "There's an office over here," he said, stepping carefully over a fallen beam. The others turned their attention to him as he pushed open the splintered door, revealing the remnants of what had once been a command center for the room's former guardian.

The sight that greeted them was a stark contrast to the maintenance room. The office was a scene of chaos, even more so than the battle-scarred workshop. Great force had thrown something against the walls, gouging them deeply, while something scattered broken furniture across the floor. The remains of Supervisor Rustbelt, minus his head, lay in a twisted heap in the corner, his metallic limbs mangled beyond repair.

Jo was the first to step inside to join Xander. "The Baroness did a number on him," she said, his voice tinged with a mix of pity and disgust. He knelt down, examining the broken machinery that had once been part of the supervisor. "Looks like he put a fight, it probably wasn't pretty."

Xander watched Zoey circle an overturned desk, her posture shifting as something caught her attention.

"Over here," she called, gesturing to a pair of bulky tool chests wedged beneath splintered wood.

Wyatt joined her without a word, and together they dragged the chests free. The two exchanged a glance, silent but clearly satisfied. Xander didn't need to hear them talk to know they'd sort the haul later.

Xander's gaze shifted as Zoey paused near the center of the room, frowning down at something.

"There's a rug here… looks out of place," she said, nudging it with her foot.

The fabric shifted, and Xander caught the sharp edge of a seam beneath it. It was metal and embedded in the floor.

"Found something," Zoey called, glancing up to meet his eyes.

Xander stepped forward, his expression guarded. He knelt beside the hatch, tracing the edges with his finger, before gripping the handle and pulling it open with a grunt. The hatch creaked on its hinges, revealing a narrow shaft descending into darkness.

Ford stepped closer, peering down into the void. "This… isn't like the rest of the place," he said quietly. The walls of the shaft were pristine, unlike the grime and decay that marred the rest of the dungeon. They were smooth, cold, and gleamed with a sterile light that seemed utterly alien in this steampunk inspired hellscape.

Jo crouched beside the hatch. "Perfectly maintained," she noted, tracing the smooth metal of the ladder with a gloved hand. "No rust, no grime. It's like it was built yesterday."

Xander nodded, his face set in a frown. "We're not going down there. Not yet." He let the hatch fall closed with a resounding thud. "Whatever's below, it's not part of this place. Finish gathering up anything useful, then we'll move out."

"Have any thoughts on what is down there?" Jo asked Xander as the rest of the group headed off to finish searching the boss's room.

"Zoey and I found something like this back in a dungeon in Sidney. It's like there were rooms that were part of the Simulation that were put in storage someplace when the simulation crashed. Now that it's back, it's randomly attached to these rooms to dungeons." Xander explained. "Granted, I only have one data point and there was nothing in the online encyclopedia referencing it, but I'm pretty sure that's what we're looking at here."

"Think of it like corrupted save files stitched back into the Simulation's code. Leftovers from the crash that don't belong here, but got reattached anyway."

"Well, the penny drops then, doesn't it?" Jo replied.

"Yeah, between the way someone staged the museum above, almost as if they did it to prepare for the Simulation's return, then I'd say finding a Simulation storage room attached to a dungeon underneath the museum is either one heck of a convenience or a deliberate act."

"Well, as much as I'd love a deus ex machina to somehow save the day, I doubt that is what we're looking at here." Jo added, "Looking like there is a game of shadows taking place."

"How about not be heros and stay out of that? Heroes would let their loved one die to save the world. I'd rather be the guy that minds his own business and watches the world burn to save the girl," Xander said, leaning over to kiss Jo on the cheek.

"We're stronger together. You and me, kicking ass and chewing bubble gum," Jo responded, pulling him into an embrace.

"Okay ladies and gents, we've picked up everything of value. Xander would you do the honors of holding all the loot," Zoey said as she bounced back into the office with Wyatt and Ford in tow. "Now let's hit the secret loot vault!"

"Loot vault?" Xander commented, breaking his embrace with Jo to slide the handful of items team had found into his inventory.

"Sure! Final boss is dead, there's a hidden room. Ergo, loot vault," Zoey explained.

"Alright, then it sounds like we're ready to drop into the dark spooky hole in the floor," Ford added.

The hatch creaked open with a reluctant groan, revealing the dark, gaping maw beneath the floor of Supervisor Rustbelt's ruined office. The party gathered around the opening, the light from above casting long, jagged shadows that danced along the edge of the hole. Xander peered into the darkness, his expression unreadable as he weighed the unknown against the risks they had already taken.

"Onward to loot!" Zoey exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement with a mix of caution.

"Loot vault or hidden Simulation room artifact. There's certainly got to be something of importance down there." Xander said. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it.

"I'll go first. If something's waiting for us down there, it'll have to get through me first." Wyatt said as he glanced at Xander, who gave a nod of approval.

"Be careful," Xander said quietly. "We don't know what we're walking into."

With a deep breath, Wyatt descended the ladder, each step slow and deliberate. The sound of his boots against the rungs was the only noise in the otherwise silent room. The rest of the party watched as he disappeared into the darkness below, the light from the room above reflecting off the polished walls of the shaft.

As Wyatt reached the bottom, his voice echoed up. "It's… dark down here. And sterile. Feels like a different world." His words carried a weight of unease, and Xander motioned for the others to follow.

One by one, they descended, the narrow shaft enclosing them as they left the remnants of the battle above. The sterile environment below was a stark contrast to the steampunk chaos they had just fought through, the walls smooth and unblemished, as if untouched by time.

Xander was the last to descend, his senses on high alert as he took in the surroundings. The walls gleamed under the faint light of their torches, polished and reflective, devoid of the grime and decay that marked the world above.

"This place… it's like stepping into another world," Zoey said, her breath misting in the frigid air.

Ford moved closer to the wall, running his hand along the smooth surface. "It's as if we've left the dungeon behind," he observed, his voice low. "Time and decay haven't touched this place, whatever it is."

"No dust, no cobwebs… nothing. It's too clean. Too perfect." Jo added.

Xander remained silent, his mind racing as he tried to piece together what they had stumbled upon. "It's certainly a Simulation remnant, a room that got disconnected when the Simulation crashed," he finally said. "Not sure what to expect. Like I said before, Zoey and I have only seen one of these and it wasn't like this. Be ready for anything."

As they ventured deeper into the hidden section of the dungeon, the tension among them grew, a silent acknowledgment that they had crossed a threshold into something far beyond their understanding. The ruins above felt like a distant memory, overshadowed by the unsettling perfection that surrounded them now.

Turning a corner in the hallway, the team came to an abrupt halt. Blocking the way forward was a solid metal door. Glancing back at the team, Xander gestured to the rest of the team before moving to open the door. Xander pushed open the heavy metal door. Despite the clean and sterile nature of the hallway, the door's ancient hinges creaking in protest.

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A large, intricately designed control panel dominated the room, now dark and lifeless. Scattered around the room were the remains of what appeared to be humanoid creatures of short stature, their bones brittle and yellowed with age. Xander's heart sank at the familiar sight. The two skeletons here had sacrificed themselves in the final days of the original Simulation.

"This is just like the last one we found," commented Zoey as she made her way around the room. "What do you think? Some type of Dwarf or Gnome?"

"Could be," Xander mused.

He moved cautiously toward the control panel, noticing a thick manual resting on it. Flipping it open, he saw pages filled with diagrams and instructions, all written in an old, formal script. In the margins, handwritten notes caught his eye. Someone had written it shakily and in a rush. Something about a fail-safe and an admin key.

"They've done it, we don't know how, but they've crashed the Simulation… The admin control key is in the panel...needed to access the Simulation settings… AI Engines not responding to…"

Xander's fingers traced the words, struggling to contemplate the window into the past before him. Glancing at the control panel, he saw where someone had pried it open. Wires and gears lay exposed, broken and twisted. The key slot was empty.

"Damn," he said. "Did these guys tear up the control panel or was it someone else? The door doesn't look like it was forced. What does it mean to access the Simulations settings?"

His eyes scanned the rest of the room. On a nearby table, he found more notes, some hastily scribbled on scraps of parchment. They detailed various operations of the control room, but one phrase stood out.

"...stasis chamber...still active...fail safe…"

Xander turned, following the direction the notes seemed to point. At the far end of the room, partially obscured by debris, was another metal door. Like the one they entered from, but larger. Strange symbols and runes adorned its surface, and a faint blue light seeped from the edges.

He approached the door, feeling the cool air emanating from it. A panel beside the door glowed softly, showing the chamber's active status. Xander pressed a few buttons experimentally, but the interface was unfamiliar.

"Stasis chamber... What were they keeping in here?" he wondered aloud.

His gaze fell back on the remains scattered around the room. The dwarves or gnomes had clearly been working on something important, something worth defending to the death. The thought made his resolve harden.

Returning to the manual, he scoured the pages for any mention of the stasis chamber's control mechanisms. In one of the last sections, he found a more detailed diagram of the main control room. The room's functions were indeed integrated into the stasis chamber, and the notes described an emergency override.

"Emergency override," Xander repeated, looking at the broken control panel. "It has to be here somewhere."

He carefully examined the panel, pushing aside the broken components until he found a hidden compartment beneath it. With a bit of effort, he pried it open, revealing a small, intricate key.

"This must be the admin control key," he said, his voice tinged with curiosity as he pocketed the small device no bigger than a flash drive. "That answers that question, I guess. These guys must have been trying to hide the control key."

Having found the control key, he moved back to the stasis chamber's control panel. It took several tries, but he finally found the keyhole and insert the key. The panel lit up, and the door to the stasis chamber slowly creaked open.

Inside, bathed in a soft blue glow, was a figure suspended in a crystalline pod. Xander's breath caught in his throat. The frosted pod door prevented a completely clear view, but the figure appeared to be a timeless woman with serene features. What really stood out, though, was the horns extending from her head to curl around like that of a ram.

"Who are you? What are you?" Xander whispered, stepping closer.

A small data panel sat embedded on a pedestal next to the pod. Reaching out, he touched with lightly with one finger, and as he did, the screen flickered to life, displaying a message.

"Stasis Protocol Initiated. Admin Access Required for Awakening."

Xander's mind raced. Whoever this was, someone had preserved her here for a reason. The notes, the key, the broken panel. It all pointed to something far more significant than they had imagined.

"Do we want to open that?" Jo questioned. "Just playing devil's advocate here, but we don't know why she's actually in there. This could be a prison for all we know."

"She's obviously not human. I mean, the horns are a dead giveaway. Plus, take a step back. She's probably a good seven and a half feet tall," Zoey mused. "What fantasy species had horns and were tall? Anyone remember?"

"Demons," responded Jo.

"If she had red skin and a tail, I might agree with you," Zoey quipped back in an amused tone. "but her skin is pitch black."

Echoes of the Valdren
Quest Notification! The Valdren, an ancient race of unparalleled warriors and engineers, vanished from history, leaving behind nothing but legends and forgotten relics. Before you lies a stasis chamber containing one of their last survivors, suspended in time. Will you awaken this relic of the past?
Difficulty: Easy
Reward: Experience, Knowledge.

Accept Quest? Yes/No

"I guess we're going to find out," Xander said, his voice filled with determination as he selected yes for the quest notification.

With the key in hand and the enigma of the stasis chamber before him, Xander could feel the weight of history pressing down on his shoulders. They were on the brink of uncovering something that could alter the fate of their world more than the steam engines that roared above. Was this discovery connected to the Simulation's return? More importantly, was this the right decision?

"Alright, everyone, stand ready. We have no idea what's going to happen," Xander said.

Inserting the control key into the pod's interface, Xander selected the admin override. A pulse of energy surged through the chamber, the soft blue light shifting to a stark white that gradually dimmed. As the last glimmer of light faded, the door hissed open, releasing a breath that the chamber had held for eons.

A woman staggered forward, her long limbs trembling as she collapsed to the floor. The frost from the glass had concealed much, but now they could see her clearly. She was tall, muscular, and entirely exposed. Xander quickly averted his gaze, his face flushing with a mix of embarrassment and respect as the woman coughed violently.

Zoey and Jo lowered their weapons and rushed to her side.

"Xander, give me your coat," Jo requested, her tone leaving no room for argument. Though he was reluctant to part with his armor, Xander shrugged it off and handed it over without protest. Draping the coat around the woman's shivering form, Jo helped her to her feet as the coughing subsided.

"Are you alright? Is there anything we can do to help?" Jo asked softly, her voice soothing and maternal. "Take your time. You're safe here."

The woman's eyes were wild as she drank in her surroundings. "I… I'll be fine… just give me a moment," she rasped, her voice raw from centuries of silence. She cleared her throat and took a sip of water from the canteen Jo offered. "Who are you… and what solar cycle is this?"

Xander hesitated. "We were hoping you could tell us something similar. The return of the Simulation has thrown humanity into chaos, and trust is in short supply these days." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But here's what we know. When the Simulation restarted, a notification said it had been 13,000 solar cycles since the error. No idea how long you were in stasis before that. The Simulation's been active for about four months now."

"As for who we are. My name is Xander, these are my friends. We're here recovering some lost technology in the ruins above this dungeon," Xander said, trying to answer the question and be vague at the same time.

"Thirteen thousand cycles?" The woman's voice cracked as she spoke, her eyes widening in horror. "No… that's impossible. And… humanity? What do you mean by that? Are the other species preparing to fight for themselves? Have we fallen so far?"

Xander swallowed hard. "You misunderstand. There are no other species. The level zero protocol notifications were clear. The only sapient beings left are humans."

The woman's breath hitched, and she staggered back as if struck. "No… no, that can't be. The Valdren… the Kael… all gone?" Her voice rose with each word, trembling with disbelief, anger, and despair. "I was supposed to protect them! I… I failed…"

Xander stepped forward, his voice gentle but firm. "I hate to rush you, but we really need to get back to the surface. We've got people waiting for us, and it's safer there. You're welcome to join us. We can figure this out together. I know it's a lot to take in, but you're not alone in this."

"Xander! I little empathy, please," Jo admonished.

The woman's eyes burned with a fierce determination as she straightened, her composure returning. "Yes, we'll talk more. I stored a few things here; I need to see if they're still intact. And… my name is Thalindra, though I suppose I'm the last of the Valdren now." Her voice wavered on the last words, but she turned to the wall, pressing her hands against two specific points. A soft click echoed in the chamber as a panel slid open, revealing a hidden compartment.

As Thalindra dressed in the armor she retrieved, Xander stepped outside with Jo, who whispered, "So I'm just a friend now? Is that how you introduce me?"

Xander smiled, though his mind was still racing. "Just playing it safe. There's too much we don't know."

Jo nodded, her expression serious despite the teasing. "Good call. I swiped the Admin Key from the stasis chamber panel, just in case. We'll keep our cards close for now."

Moments later, Thalindra emerged, now clad in sleek armor that seemed both ancient and advanced. Her eyes softened as they fell on the skeletal remains in the chamber. "My friends… I'm so sorry. May the Simulation watch over you."

She turned to Xander, her expression unreadable. "Were the controls like this when you arrived? It's alright if you caused the damage. I just need to know how things stand."

Xander shook his head. "No, it was like this. The door wasn't forced, so we assume they destroyed the equipment themselves rather than let it fall into the wrong hands."

Thalindra nodded slowly. "Yes, when it became clear that dark forces were trying to corrupt the Simulation, there was a directive to destroy anything that could be used against us. They succeeded in shutting down the outposts, but at what cost?" She paused, her gaze distant. "The main control room still holds the key to everything."

Xander glanced at his team. "We'll need to talk more about that, but it can wait until we're back at the safe zone. Is there anything else we need to do here?"

Thalindra's eyes flicked to the remains once more. "We should sanctify them. Too many unsanctified player remains can lead to catastrophic world events."

Xander grimaced, triggering the sanctification process as a golden light enveloped the skeletons, reducing them to dust. "We've already seen the consequences of that," he replied.

As they prepared to leave, Thalindra took one last look at the chamber before nodding to herself. "Thank you for your kindness," she said, her voice now steadier. "And for the use of your coat. It's a fine piece of armor. I would've liked to keep it," she added with a small, wry smile.

Echoes of the Valdren
Quest Completion! Congratulations, you have successfully returned the Valdaren to active status within the Simulation.
Rewards: Experience Points, Knowledge

Xander returned her smile, though his mind was still churning. Thalindra was a survivor, like them, but the weight of a thousand years of missed history was a burden none of them could fully comprehend. For now, all they could do was move forward, one small step at a time.

Global Announcement: The Valdren Awaken!

Researchers have found the ancient Valdren race, long thought lost to time! Their legendary knowledge and skills are now part of the world once more! Celebrate this monumental moment as the Valdren joins us in the Simulation's reemergence!

"Crap, that's not good!" Xander barked suddenly at the simulation announcement, causing everyone around him to jump. "Dammit, I was hoping to keep a lid on this instead of painting a target on our back."

"We need to get back to Harvey!" Jo agreed. "Thalindra, is there a faster way back to the start of the dungeon than walking through everything? There are a couple of obstacles along the way that would slow us down a lot."

"This room shouldn't have been attached to a dungeon. So I can't speak to there being a faster way out via the dungeon. However, there is an emergency exit in this room. Not sure where it is going to lead us, though." Thalindra said as she walked over to a bank of panels lined up against the wall. With a press of a few buttons, the panel slide back to reveal stairs leading up.

"Let's hustle up! These stairs can't be any worse than trying to figure out how we get across the sink hole back in the dungeon." Xander barked to get everyone moving. While the discovery of a pre-simulation crash individual was great, Xander was extremely concerned that their already difficult mission of getting the trains back to Starlight just got even harder.