Chapter 594: Old Verynzai (1/2)
Ducky patted Pon on the back, her all-blue eyes filled with humor. ”No real damage was done.”
Pon frowned at the Water Witch, who pretended not to notice. It had taken him and Nix half the night to free the remaining residents from the frozen tombs that their homes had become. The old man had set fire to several buildings over the course of the evening, while Nix showed inhuman control of his flames. Had Ducky not been present with her water abilities, they might have lost those structures. ”I haven't had the dread flames for long...”
Nix grinned at the old man's expression; the two of them sat at a table in the city jail. The prisoners had been set free, and the remaining guards were helping out the residents of Dharta. He checked his hud for the time and promptly stood up. ”With me, old man.”
Pon nodded and followed Nix through the breach he opened up. This time they breached directly into the control room of Old Verynzai. A second breach opened almost immediately as the third member of their party joined them.
/Alpha: Floyd: I'm terrified of this thing! None of my skills can be used.
Nix nodded and accepted the spectrum from the trickster. Having done it on several occasions, he quickly interfaced the new energy source with the city power grid.
/Alpha: Pon: What would have happened if you used the spectrum to revive Dharta?
/Alpha: Nix: Hard to say. The best-case scenario would be an entire city of immortals. The worst case would be the introduction of Colonials' new Overlords.
Pon shook his head slightly. ”If I die, use the spectrum to bring me back.”
Floyd nodded in agreement. ”Same here... I'll give you a good position in the new world order.”
Both Pon and Nix stared at the Naga King; the teen kept a straight face for several seconds before grinning.
”Shit...” Nix chuckled and returned to his task. ”You got me.”
”Same here,” Pon admitted.
Nix used the Verynzai City Master Key to initiate the start-up process, pausing after he received the automated message stating that Bo'raz was being given three minutes to reply.
Pon watched as Nix worked; the Inferno Leader was an old hand at using the City interface. ”Won't the current residents realize that power is being turned on?”
Nix shook his head slightly. ”We're powered up, but nothing has been turned on yet. Let's take a look at the artifact.”
Pon pointed out the obvious redundancy. ”Shouldn't you remove the alternate sub-menu duplicates?”
[Verynzai System Operations]
1. Security
2. Power Grid
3. Transportation
4. Master Key
5. Alternate Menu
a) Artifact Control
b) Power Override
c) Shields
d) Weapon Platforms
e) Gating Platforms
”Maybe. Open Artifact Control.
[Artifact Control: Draconis Khalam Operandi]
1) Neutral Ground
2) Domain
3) Ancestral Interaction
”Display Neutral Ground.”
[Neutral Ground]
1) Create Elemental Dead Zone: Fire.
Pon leaned over Nix's shoulder and read the hud. ”You can remove that?”
Nix nodded but didn't take any action. ”I'll do that after we steal this city.”
”Is this a city heist?” Pon grinned at the Inferno Leader. ”I love how you think, Punk Bastard.”
[Direct Contact: Sinfaya]
Nix only had to wait a moment until a life-sized holo of Inferno's 3rd dragon resident appeared in front of him. Sinfaya's long black hair had been cut very short, leaving only an inch or so remaining. ”I need to open a breach... Big enough for a dragon city to move through.”
Sinfaya's serious face showed the barest hint of a smile. ”Whose city are you stealing this time?”
”Khione's...” Nix paused for a moment as he considered his options. He could have asked either Deidra or Tai to open a breach, but Sinfaya specialized in spatial magic.