Dark Academy, Soulful Students

First Day

"Then, from the Slums, They came,

And found their Instructors within the Academy."

- An excerpt from some rambling old lady

"Not to sound like a wimp, but why are we here again?"

A voice sounds from the darkness of the empty hallways. Loud enough so his companion would hear it, but hushed enough that unseen listeners would have a hard time eavesdropping on them.

"What's wrong Neo? Maybe you changed your mind..."

Neo, that was his name, or at least the one he went by at this point. He wasn't really bothered by the lack of a last name in his own memory, most people didn't use last names anyways. Regardless, it was nice to hear his own name coming from someone else's voice.

He didn't care much for this person though, he was an exception. That annoying voice of Neo's compatriot answers, the thread of thought leading somewhere Neo didn't like.

"Don't even try to make me sound like I'm bailing. I'm just curious."

There was more to his concerns than just looking like a wuss though. Neo knew well that the two of them shouldn't be there, in that part of the building, but something made him follow that morally ambiguous man.

The two of them reach a door at the end of the corridor. Not a common door made out of fine wood like the many others, or at least most others. This one was heavy and metallic and had a large locking mechanism in it, but that safeguard was rusted and chipped, useless in the current age, clearly not intended for the public.

"Here we are. Right after you, chief."

"Wait, wait, wait..." Neo starts. "Before anything, what am I getting roped in and how much is he paying me again?"

"Three thousand. As for the task... let's head inside. Together."

Neo nods. Yeah, 3k works for him. Ping, being coward that he is, wouldn't have him do anything actually dangerous. That much Neo knew and took heart in.

Opening the door they are met with an even darker room, with a soft glow emanating from behind a thick curtain.

"After you, good sir." Neo offers.

"Very well, chief." He walks inside, pointing his long index finger at the curtain. No, not the curtain, rather what was behind it. "All you have to do it pull the lever, then I'll give you this and we'll go back. No issues, I take?"

He pulls out a bundle of that glowing white currency, definitely big enough for the amount claimed. Neo closes the door behind them for safety while looking at his reward, then moves past the man holding it and reaches for the curtains.

"Gods, you make everything sound so sketchy with that perpetual smile of yours."

He pulls them to the side a bit and spies further inside, his narrowed eyes widen a bit at the sight of the glowing light held inside a large metal contraption, the number 1 painted on the surface in black ink old enough to be fading slightly. A lever, its body twisting into a coiled shape, laid connected to the base of the contraption in the upright position.

Neo looks back to Ping's handyman, his worry washed off and replaced with confusion.

"The boiler? You want me to turn off the boiler?"

"Yes."  The two of them move further inside, Neo closing the distance to the lever and his companion moving off to the side. "Is that a problem for you?"

"No. But you do realize that even if I turn it off, someone else will turn it back on right?"

In return, the man only stares at Neo with that unfaltering smile he always has. Neo shrugs, and steps forward.