Gormiti Human AU Continued!

The Sliding Doors

Finally updated a chapter.

Little game: guess the line this screenshot's from!

The corridors of the building had long fallen into nameless identical walls, all blending into the same thing, with the occasional door- most of which were locked and useless anyway- being the only change of scenery. They took turn after turn trying to find the godforsaken elevator, or at the very least some stairs, but this particular floor continued to prove itself a maze.

Riff was not about to say it out loud, and his guts told him Ikor wouldn't either. They'd seen the lift, they'd used it and it couldn't be more than a few lefts and rights from the white room. Why was it so damn hard to find? Whether it was the stupid pride they were both hanging on or utter desperation for a way out of here- they both seemed to pointedly avoid voice what they know. Almost like admitting defeat.

We're lost, aren't we?

No, who said that? They're fine.

'This is pointless.' Ikor grumbled as they turned away from another dead end of a door.

'Pfft, no it's not. Pretty sure we're making... progress.' He stopped at another cross-section. Far ahead was an all too familiar metal door. 'Dammit. Um...' He muttered under his breath. His resolve was waning, and Riff actually started to second guess what even got them there in the first place. Maybe if they trace back their steps from this point, they can...

A sound echoed through the empty, hollow halls, making them both flinch. His eyes met Ikor's for a second, realizing that the even though it was loud, it felt a little distant. It came again in a reversed manner. Like machines sliding metal on metal-

An elevator.

Soon as the realization dawned on him, Riff broke into a sprint in the direction (he thought) the noise came from. He didn't have to look back to see the other was right behind him. HE could hear his footfalls a bit behind, as if he was a little hesitant.

They rounded a corner and came face to face with what did look like an elevator for the first split second. Almost immediately, Riff started to see it was not. There were no buttons on the side or arrows pointing up and down, instead a small card-reading device, supposedly for security. Similarly, it lacked the typical red light at the top that showed which level it was at. The doors were too large and a little rusty, leaving a small opening between them, rendering the card-reader useless. Through the opening, they saw silhouettes of grey.

Riff found himself already stepping closer.

'No wait!' Ikor whisper-yelled, grabbing his shoulder. ' We can't do it, someone's inside.'

'And how do you know that?' He replied in a similar hushed tone.

'We didn't hear anyone come out.'

'From so far, I'm sure we didn't.'

He yanked his shoulder free and stepped to the door, pushing apart the small gap. It yielded with surprising ease. Then Riff looked up and froze in his place. He could practically feel Ikor leaning to see in a similar trance.

The room was occupied with a few rows of round table-like objects, each hosting several pipes and other machines on, around or connected to them. Riff could count at least a dozen them, all giving out a steady, repeating hum. He could see small conveyor belts peaking out in each of them, even when the things on it were not clear. Cottles and cylinders of clear liquids lined the walls, arranged into selves. The entire room smelt of paint thinner, fertilizers and something burning.

He found the guts to step in, away from the door. No one was in sight, but the view was more than unsettling on its own. Ikor muttered something, as if he realized exactly what was going on.

'This looks illegal...'

'These are drugs!'

'This is something you two should've stayed out of.'

They both turned at the new sound. A tall (ageing, may he add) man stood between them, and the door. Did he just come in? Or where they too entranced to notice. His suit was a midnight black, and his hair was tied low. Two blood red eyes threatened to tear them apart.

He smiled, somehow looking even more unnerving. 'But who am I to deny guests.'

He closed the distance to them in a blink, a gloved hand stretching out. Riff hand less than a moment to glimpse the transparent liquid smeared on them- headed straight at Ikor- before he threw himself in the middle.

.... Hi.