Lost and Found.
The secret door slides closed behind them as the two look around with curiosity. Various pieces of lab equipment are stationed all around the large room.
"This must be some kind of pre-collapse research lab!" Spark says with excitement in her voice as she swiftly floats around the brightly lit environment
"But why was it hidden so well?" Klutz explores another part of the lab and finds fabrication equipment and a variety of firearm components adorning the many shelves of the lab's white walls. "I don't think this place was just for research," he says as he examines the gunsmith's work.
A number of the work stations in the lab appear to be in the middle of multiple projects, almost as if the people that worked here had every intention of returning to their craft on a later day that never came.
"So it's a secret lab for weapons development?" Spark ponders as she rejoins her friend. "Let's see if they left anything good behind!" she says, flying ahead.
Spark scans a large metal container, housed safely in the back of the lab. "It looks like whoever worked here put something inside for transportation," the curious machine says as her scanning light sweeps over the container.
"Then it's probably in working condition, right?" Klutz asks while he examines the container himself.
"Hopefully. Anything that's kept in a place this secret has got to be pretty impressive!" she says as she narrows her scan for a way to open the box.
Klutz notices a device on the box, not dissimilar from the one on the door they entered through. Holding the black card in front of the device causes the box to pop open with a quiet squeaking hiss. Inside is what appears to be a rifle with a dark chassis and purple accents. Klutz lifts the rifle out of its case to get a better look at it.
Some kind of thick copper wires are tightly packed together, elegantly connecting the weapons firing components to the barrel in a beautiful and seamless fashion. Klutz flips a small switch on the back of the gun and violet energy begins racing through the cold metal of the weapon. The energy rapidly pulses from some sort of replaceable battery behind the trigger system, and travels through the weapon into the barrel.
"I've never seen a gun like that before," Spark says as she focuses her scanner on the weapon. "It seems to contain high amounts of Void energy. VERY high amounts of Void energy."
Klutz readies the weapon in a tactical stance and examines the sights.
"I'm not sure exactly what this thing is capable of, but It has got to be useful, right?" Spark continues
Klutz rests the weapon in his arms and says, "Let's find out," with a smirk on his face.
Entering through an airlock like door in the lab, the pair discover a very well insulated firing range. Klutz gets into position and aims the mysterious firearm down range. After a quick calibration of the sight, Klutz fixes his view on the target and takes a shallow breath. His dominant hand firmly grasps the grip and his finger rests on the trigger. With his off hand steadying the weapon, he gives the trigger one enthusiastic squeeze. Immediately after the trigger is pulled, two shots are fired from the barrel in quick succession as purple light blankets the surroundings. The first of these two rounds meets its target in a manner that would be expected from an energy weapon of this sort. However, the second round glows bright with incredible purple light and seems to warp the space around it. Almost like a mirage, bending the light as it flies through the air, before smashing into the target at the end of the range.
Spark zooms toward the target and joyfully exclaims, "Oh, wow! That was incredible! I almost can't believe it, but according to my readings, one of the shots actually affected the local fabric of space-time! Like some kind of ultra miniaturized singularity!"
Examining the weapon yet again, Klutz replies, "So the gun shoots blackholes?"
"From what I can tell, yes!" Spark answers as she flies back to get a better look at the marvelous gun herself.
"Definitely an upgrade," Klutz declares as he pats the revolver in his holster.
"It's a shame there isn't another way out of this place," Spark says as they return to the entrance of the secret facility. "I'm not looking forward to getting back to that tunnel…" she says before slightly shuddering.
"That makes two of us," Klutz replies while watching the door automatically open itself.
Upon leaving the lab, the door closes behind them. The green light of the device that allowed their entry covers Klutz's back before it returns to a dim red glow. Klutz takes one more step forward before the red glow narrows into a bright beam that focuses on the strange rifle slung over his back. Perplexed by what is happening, Klutz turns to face the device when suddenly he hears a sound that makes his stomach drop. The light begins flashing violently and an ear piercingly loud alarm sounds off continuously.
Klutz covers his ears instinctively before his Ghost gets his attention.
"We need to move, NOW!" she yells as he notices the frightening glow of Hive eyes at the end of the hallway. The glow starts to move toward him and he hears multiple inhuman shrieks cutting through the unstopping alarm.
Without time to react, Klutz sees a bolt of dark purple energy spring forward from the monstrous figure approaching him. The bolt grazes his leg with a loud hiss, leaving a painful burn.
Klutz lets out a quick pained grunt before readying his new rifle for its first field test. With the sights fixed in the middle of the beast's three glowing eyes, he fires the weapon. The shots whizz through the corridor, bending the alarms flashing red light around, before hitting their target with dramatic effect. The creature's head explodes spectacularly before its body is consumed by the purple energy of the weapon and rapidly disintegrates.
With great effort, Spark shines her light on the man's wound and it heals in a matter of moments. The pair quickly move through the passage to find the crevice they entered through. Klutz looks down through the breach to the flooded tunnel below. Even in the near complete darkness, he can see a number of figures moving through the water. The thought of jumping back down into the danger below sends a chill down the man's spine as he hesitates for a moment.
"Don't stop!" Spark insists as she illuminates a clear area in the water for him to land.
Still hesitant, he takes a quick look back and is startled by an almost skeletal creature as it attacks him from behind. The creature viciously claws at the man, forcing them both to fall through the breach and into the water below.
One of the beast's strong bone-like arms holds him under the water as the other fervently swipes at his face and body. Realizing that his Ghost can't do anything to help, Klutz fights back with strong blows to the creature's tough abdomen. The punches are seemingly ineffective as the monster continues to pummel the man. Klutz can feel himself losing as he runs out of air under his foes strong grasp. Desperately fighting for his life, Klutz feels a strange power surge through his body and instinctively he focuses it all into one mighty strike on the creature. Clearly no normal strike, the man's hand is enveloped in a bright glow that meets the beast with supernatural strength. The body of the creature is knocked away some distance before colliding with a support beam and falling to pieces.
Klutz stands up to regain his breath as he looks at his hand in astonishment.
Spark interrupts him, "Looks like you found your Light! No time to celebrate now, more enemies on the way." The Ghost moves her light to show many of the ghastly creatures approaching from in front and behind.
Klutz reacts quickly, using his rifle to blast the nearest enemy with deadly precision. The unfortunate creature's body is torn apart by the weapons force, causing bright projectiles to fly off in multiple directions and collide with other approaching enemies with enough power to kill them instantly. Klutz takes a brief moment to admire his weapon before rushing onward through the space he made in the enemy's numbers.