The Academy.

Chapter 7: Tunneling Deeper

As they walked right in, numerous thoughts came to Noella as she thought about these tunnels. First, the Library connected to a strange locker room, that was still being used... And the tunnels from the cafeteria connect to... Wherever this is going to lead.

A part of her wonders that maybe the tunnels connect on where you found them, and since the library was already proven by her encounter... Oh god, her stomach churned when she thought about where this could lead.

Trust me, out of all the things she ate from the cafeteria... She's hoping that she didn't eat what remained of those poor ghosts. May that be the firm reason she brings her own lunches from now on. 

Regardless, they continued on, but the corridor doesn't seem to end any time soon, almost like it's looping, or never-ending. 

It just made her anxious... It's like the place is learning about her. If the building was alive all this time, and knows about what's going on, she became concerned that she could have signed all of their death warrants just by poking the bear. 

But they're also here for Raymond. If more than anything, maybe they can bargain with whoever's running the show, and leave them alone after that. Surely even they can be understanding about that, right? Hopefully?

Noella only gulped when she felt that might not be the case. Yet, they're too deep in, and they can't just pull out. 

"I'm starting to think this could be a trap.... We should stick together." An said with worry... and all of them had the same idea by huddling up together as close as possible.

However, it didn't solve the unease, the hall was starting to feel like it was endless, and looping. Noella felt herself getting nauseous from the thought, but she pressed on. Not a moment of weakness to her friends, and to keep on going. If they're going this far, it'll be all for Raymond. 

Unfortunately.... Fate has... other plans for them. As they kept on going, Noella felt the floor starting to give way, but it felt strange as it didn't feel like it was crumbling, it was going soft and malleable! 

But she couldn't spend another second pondering it, as it opened through, and all three of them screamed as they plummeted down. 

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Noella groaned, feeling limp and drained. She slowly opened her eyes as she overcame the grogginess of what felt like hours of being blacked out. Unfortunately for her.... her glasses are missing. 

It's not like she needed them per say, but it truly does help sometimes when she had to read something and the letters could be too small for her to see properly, but that's mostly on the book for the most part.

Regardless, she had to get them, much less find them. She started to feel around in where it could be, surely it can't be far off, it's should be around where she is. However, that's easier said than done when it's hard to see anything because of the dim lighting, and the distracting scent of coppers, bronzes, and iron. Wait, what?! 

She felt herself be concerned when it fully registered in her head. What room would smell like that? Is this some sort of engineering room, a lab, or a manufactory of... something. Maybe robots, or would it be dangerous weapons? 

She can worry about that later, and speak of the devil, she found them. The glasses not landing too far away from her, but not close enough where she felt them with her hands. With a swift hand, she picked them up as she got to her feet and putting it on. With her glasses on, she looked upon the room once more, and to her dread, it confirmed her theory. 

It was a dimly lit room, the lights low, and the room was tiled with bronze. Why was it in bronze? Surely, steel would be better aesthetically, but bronze just doesn't make sense other than the fact if you want to go antique, you go for something old fashioned. But her biggest concern would be are the many workbenches, workstations, and even industrial tools that machinery that make it clear that if something needs to be mass produced, they have the means to do it.