367 Goralpri part two (1/2)

/Hotness: Bali: A dozen guards are closing in on... Eleven guards are... Nine guards- HEY!

/Hotness: Ronnie: What?

/Hotness: Bali: Could you stop shooting long enough for me to report properly?

/Hotness: Ronnie: Sure, sorry, Bal.

/Hotness: Bali: Six guards are closing on our position from the courtyard.

Nix nodded and searched the nearest body. A quick cut through the dead guard's melted armor confirmed his suspicion. He held up the dragon scale that had been covering the heart of the corpse.

/Hotness: Semmi: Tainted.

/Hotness: Ronnie: We'll check the courtyard bodies.

Ronnie and Bal disappeared through the broken windows while Alpha team spread out and started searching.

[Dragon Eyes]

Nix's eyes turned deep orange as he started scanning the interior of the warehouse. The person that they had followed inside was no longer present.

One side of the warehouse was stacked to the ceiling with wood crates Nix wrestled one of the insanely heavy containers to the edge before pushing it off with a loud crash, causing bright metallic ingots to spill everywhere.

Nix picked one up; it was bright silver and very heavy. \”Fajii?\”

The Aquarion alchemist knelt on the floor while removing a small kit from her bag. \”Give me a few minutes.\”

/Hotness: Nix: Search a few more of the crates. How's it look outside?

/Hotness: Ronnie: Eerily quiet. Nothing is moving out here but us. All bodies are tainted so far.

/Hotness: Nix: Back in a bit.

Nix stepped away from the group and focused his thoughts on Leva and her office in Chyanama.

[Nether Walker]

Nix appeared in the tidy office a moment later; Leva did not seem surprised by his sudden appearance.

The fallen chancellor smiled at Nix; her fanged expression wasn't quite able to convey the warmth of friendship. \”Hey, Nix!\”

Nix walked around the desk and took her hand \”Come with me please.\”

[Nether Walker: Return]

Alpha team was waiting when Nix returned a few seconds later. Several more crates had been pulled out and opened in that short period.

Leva has joined Hotness.

Nix whistled when he saw the ingots on the floor.

An apologetic Fajii shook her head slowly. \”It's a metallic element that I'm not familiar with. Compared to normal steel, it's much stronger and has a higher resistance to other elements.\”

Nix grabbed an ingot and motioned toward the huge stack of crates. \”There must be an exit in there, find it, and I'll be right back.\”

Nix activated Deep Blue and chose a binding point that he had labeled as 'Grove.'

*************

\”That person reminds me of someone.\” Glory waited until the rest of the students and Marshal left the classroom. Director Obrien was still looking at her personal hud.

Sahara smiled at the comment. \”Really?\”

Glory nodded slowly, \”I use to call him Nix.\”

Sahara's face seemed to freeze suddenly, her brown eyes darting toward the door. \”Come with me.\”

The Director escorted her to an office that had \”Director Sahara O'Brien stenciled on it. She closed the door after they entered and gestured toward the couch.

Glory suddenly grew quiet; Nix was dead. It had been all over the news.

\”Tell me everything you know. Starting with Nix.\”

\”No.\” Glory stood suddenly, making up her mind.

Sahara stared at her for a few moments. \”I love this man, anyone who deep dives will tell you that VR love is real. I'm the reason his account wasn't deleted before this expansion. I only wish to protect him.\”

Glory considered the words for few minutes before sitting down again. \”The person I know was a felon, I broke the rules and made sure he became part of the Gladis Work program.\”

Sahara swore under her breath. \”The Nix I know, escaped from the Gladis Hub while still in their holding area.\”