Chương 52: ****Sneak Peek**** Ch. 2 Re - Descent

The text on the screen flashed, and it was gone. Stefano stared at the blankness of his HUD in complete disbelief. Anxiety? Worry? He didn't have the correct term to define what was rummaging through his mind. On his first shoot, on his dead father's old mech, he found a message addressed for him. It was like he just saw a star for the first time. Or he breathed air after holding his breath for years. His mind couldn't wrap around the text that disappeared into a puff of smoke. How did it get there?

When was it sent? Did uncle Wilhelm know? Is that why he made the suggestion to use the old machine. He had more questions than his mind could keep up with. Each one a slap in the face and with no way of showing, or proving what he just saw. Messages from within the Dungeon were impossible after all. The feeling in his hands were gone. His arms tensed with fear and possibility. No one had ever reached the last floor. No one. Had his father reached it? Could he actually, still be alive somewhere in there?

His mind kept spiraling. Turning and turning with inner turmoil. It was to the point that he hadn't moved his thrusters. Not a single iota of muscle movement for twenty solar minutes.

"I thought he was supposed to be good," said Eric over the comms.

"He can't even fly straight."

"Cut him a break," said Jacob.

"He's new. And it's his first day. You don't remember your first time?"

"With Phil's sister," snorted Eric.

"I am not the butt of your jokes, Eric. Stay on mission," said Phil.

"Rook, you can still turn back, if this is too much for you." Stefano shook his head loose, pulling his focus back in. He had questions. And he would get answers.

"I got a message," he said.

"From my dad."

"There he is," said Eric.

"Finally awake?"

"Like a letter?" asked Jacob.

"That's nice. Just try not to read it while we are hurtling towards an enigmatic entity that is trying to kill you for obtaining FIL."

"No," said Stefano.

"On my HUD. From the scan. It flashed and then went away."

"Impossible," said Phil.

"Did you hit your head?" asked Eric.

"Wait. Did you take my spare flask?"

"No one took your spare flask," said Phil.

"You know you're supposed to be sober when we are Delving."

"You're not my Boss!" yelled Eric.

"No, but I am," said Jacob.

"So cut the crap and stay sober." Eric grumbled on the comms before Jacob continued.

"I'm sorry, kid. I have never heard of a message leaving the Dungeon. Especially during a scan. Maybe you're just nervous and thought you saw something. Is he a Delver?"

"Was…" said Stefano.

"Oh. I'm sorry," said Jacob.

"Don't you feel like a jerk," said Eric.

"Not the time," said Phil.

"Whatever," said Eric.

"I have to play babysitter today, anyway. This day, literally cannot get worse."

"I hate you," said Phil.

"Enough," said Jacob.

"When we get back home, I'll ask around for you, Stefano. But I need you focused. I'm not going to be the one to talk to your next of kin on your first day."

"We're not going deep are we?" asked Phil.

"No. He doesn't have any augmentations and his Gatherer doesn't have equipment that can level up. It's a shallow dive this go around," said Jacob.

"Just enough so he can get his feet wet with a real Delve."

"Why do they put rookies with squads? Only Academy people do this. I didn't go to the Academy and got thrown to the wolves. I really needed FIL," said Eric.

"We can go again once he is safely back home," said Jacob.

"And you know why. It's a rotation and we got picked. Z-Block privileges and all that."

"I don't live in Z-Block," said Stefano.

"Don't lie," said Eric.

"I hate liars. Only Z-Block can afford the Academy."

"Or people that sacrifice everything," said Phil.

"Don't worry about him, rook." Stefano tilted the controls to the center of the column. The armor shook in protest as they kept pushing forward. They passed the storm clouds. Stefano's throttles shook violently in his palms, straining his muscles to keep the direction steady.

"Alright, nearing the pull," said Jacob.

"No chatter until we're through to the other side. Stefano, stay on Phil, he'll act as your shield for entry." How he kept his voice steady was a testament to the modern day Frames. Stefano's teeth clattered as every bone and muscle shook like a maraca.

"Yes," said Stefano through chattering teeth.

"Sir." He pushed forward moving to behind the massive Vanguard Frame. The shaking lightened, but didn't stop. The armor creaked as it heated.

"You're armor will hold," said Jacob. What he meant to say is it SHOULD hold. Gatherer units were about as rare as a vinyl record now. But even when they were the only option, one in five hundred had a critical failure involving the cockpit. The odds were low, but they were never zero. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Stefano forced a breath. He closed his eyes and felt the movement, but it was like controlling a leaf in a wind turbine.

If it weren't for the harness, he would've been a rag doll. His helmet that was required with each launch, banged against the metal walls of his unit. His stomach hit other organs. His brain bashed against his skull. Then it stabilized. The harness wasn't squeezing his shoulders. His head stopped beating against the wall. He let out a breath, having survived the first and arguably easiest part of the entire endeavor. And there it was. The barren planet. Paved all throughout in raven colored sheets.

It stretched as far as the eye could see. Nothingness that expanded past the horizons of the barren plains. Except for the glaring radiance that extended from the pillars of light, touching the very storm clouds that blanketed above. The blue hue of the portals hummed as they awaited use. Impossibly large, they could fit ten frames, loosely clustered together at once. They were scattered throughout, moving slowly as the world below rotated counter-clockwise.

It would never be the same portal twice for the squads that entered. It would never be the same entrance for each subsequent Delve. The circle that formed the portal, rotated like a clock. Gems adorning each point of the intricate markings glistened with anticipation.

"You have thirty seconds once the first person enters," said Jacob.

"Then this entrance goes away."

"Yes, sir!" said Stefano.

"Thirty seconds." Eric was the first to land, galloping towards it. He launched himself into it. Yet, Stefano wasn't even on the ground yet.

"Damn him!" yelped Phil. His thrusters roared louder as he accelerated towards the pillar of light. Jacob was already by the entrance, prowling around it, like a panther stalking prey. He waited for Phil and would wait for Stefano. But he wouldn't wait too long. This was the first test. THIS was the point of no return. There would be no hand holding. It was life or death in there and he wasn't going to risk his squad with a guy that couldn't keep up. To his credit, Stefano didn't miss a beat.

If he landed first, he'd miss the window. So he opted for the only way to make it. He centered onto light pillar that the portal shined. It was like a beacon towards the purple clouds above. He looked at Phil's Frame that was still circling the portal. Each step a second off the clock. Stefano's Gatherer was slow. It was bulky. It was old. But he didn't let that bother him. These were the cards he was dealt. This was his legacy he was piloting. He was going to die trying.

He lined himself up, taking a precious moment to ensure he was centered atop the rotating circle. Then corrected himself slightly to the right to account for the rotation. He turned off the thrusters and let gravity take over. The shaking returned. The throttles wobbled and his back sank to the cushion. His Gatherer was careening down to the ground and Phil looked up in horror. If his gambit didn't work the portal would disappear before he could land. He'd become paste on the barren planet.

But all Stefano had to do was put anything that was attached to his Gatherer's main body and touch the circle. He aimed the forearm that had the Grapple Hook attachment and lined his shot. The screen shook so violently that the reticle kept wildly missing the center. Erratically moving in any direction that wasn't at the portal. His thrusters were pushing him down faster and faster. He was in a full dive. His head unit would be the first to splatter the grounds if he missed.

The grapple hook fired, slamming down onto the surface. Stefano knew that wouldn't count. Although it was attached to his Gatherer unit. It wasn't his mech that was touching the surface. He closed his eyes and retracted the rope that was firmly anchored to the ground. Phil's eyes were wide. He had hoped this would've scared the kid away. That a mediocre pilot would've gotten the hint. He didn't plan on Eric being a jerk from the beginning. But it would've been a good lesson for the new pilot. No.

What was surprising was that Stefano was launching himself towards the ground with reckless abandon. If he didn't step in the velocity would be too great, even if he made it. The inertia didn't just magically disappear. In his panic to save the new pilot, his Frame took a wide stance, licking the portal. He cursed at himself as the screen turned blue and he vanished along with the rest of his squad. Stefano saw his squad leader disappear in a flash of blue light just as he was nearing the ground.

He took a breath through pursed lips, holding as much as he could into his lungs, until his diaphragm couldn't relax anymore. He yanked on the controls, righting himself feet first. He twisted and released the hook and yanked the throttles. The thrusters screamed as they burned through the fuel. Stefano couldn't even yell. Slowing himself down just enough to reach the portal. His thrusters overheated, turning themselves off to stay alive. His Mech's foot landing deftly on the ground.

[Integrity: 100/100] [Fuel: 458/500] [Ammo: 100, 000] The world went blue. It was so bright, he covered his eyes, unable to keep them open. The light went through his eyelids. The glow practically burning his pupils. His helmet tinted to protect his vision. He opened his eyes as he traveled to wherever the portal was taking him.

[INVENTORY DRONE ASSIGNED TO PARTICIPANT: STEFANO REYES] [NOTE: INVENTORY DRONE IS DNA LOCKED] A small metallic disk flew in front of the cockpit, beeping and chirping, as if it was waiting for Stefano. It gave a slight head butt and latched itself atop the Gatherer. His HUD flashed through the blue light of the portal. [Brute Force Integration: Subroutines] [New Menu Option:] [Inventory] Just like that, the HUD was filled with an inventory screen. A simple swipe was all that was needed to switch between menus.

Stefano cheered, exhaling the sigh of relief when he saw the next message pop up on his HUD. [1st FLOOR] [BOSSES: 3]"He made it," said Jacob.

"Now the hard part."