23.3

February 12, 2070, 0719

Sixth Street, Underground Bazaar, Tunnel Eight-Two-Seven

Through the haze of the bustling market and artificial mist, the scent of fried goods wafted prominently. "Stop acting like you've never seen a chicken nugget before," Crystal communicated over her spiritual link with Fluffyfeathers, her tone a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Fluffyfeathers, a cybernetic ninja Netrunner hen, recently shapeshifted into an adorable baby chickling, redirected her gaze from the food vendor. The yellow downy fluff fur on her body shimmered in iridescent bright yellow, painting an ethereal mini-bulb glow in the neon-lit bowels of the Underground Bazaar. "Can't help it, those nuggets seem... different," she replied, her hungry voice echoing softly in Crystal's mind.

Crystal, now donned as a statuesque woman with obsidian hair cascading down her back, smirked. The eerie lighting accentuated her sharp features. "We need to find Lucy's contact, not drool over suspiciously created fast food."

As a sprawling subterranean world, the Underground Bazaar mimicked Noir City above. An antithesis to the futuristic metropolis, it throbbed with illicit trade. From coveted chrome upgrades to peculiar pets, it harbored everything imaginable. But neither Crystal nor Fluffyfeathers were there for commerce. Their focus was on a relic that had emerged from the shadows, throwing the fragile balance of power into chaos. The artifact's appearance had enabled the NUSA to contemplate an audacious move to unite Noir City under its flag. President Rosalind Myers eyed this opportunity greedily, waiting for the right moment to annex the corporate territories.

A tip-off from their resourceful ally, Lucy, had pinpointed their destination to Tunnel Eight-Two-Seven. Hidden within its labyrinthine turns was an informant who held coveted knowledge about the artifact.

“The data pollution is nauseating," grumbled Nota, the eldritch AI integrated with Crystal. "Secure that artifact quickly so I can take a much-needed respite. Everyone else but me is sleeping. This is so unfair!”

“With the corporate sharks circling? Easier said than done," Crystal mused, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

The deeper they delved, the denser the air grew with tension. Paranoid glances shot at them from every corner. Crystal’s Shroud wrapped them in a cloak of optical invisibility. Technology or regular sight, neither could penetrate the Shroud woven from vampiric talent and eldritch magic. She glanced among the stalls lined with cybernetic enhancements, vendors peddling glowing concoctions, and traders of arcane artifacts all blended into a chaotic tapestry. Stopping briefly at a stall, Crystal's eyes lingered on a collection of glowing vials. A soft pulsation of mana emanated from them, hinting at the vendor’s concealed arcane prowess.

A sharp alert from Fluffyfeathers jarred Crystal from her musings. "We've got a tail."

Crystal smirked inward, her vampiric senses sharpening in a flash. She could sense the heartbeat of their pursuer, muffled but distinct. With every footstep echoing their own, a mental image of the stalker formed in her mind.

Without warning, a side alley beckoned them. Crystal swiftly navigated through a bead-laden doorway, immersing herself in an obsidian abyss. A gradual luminance illuminated their surroundings, revealing an ethereal and translucent figure standing poised in the room's epicenter.

"You're the informant Lucy spoke of?" Crystal inquired, her voice betraying a hint of suspicion.

The specter-like figure responded with a nod. "Yes, I am. You're here for the Old Net Artifact?"

Both Crystal and Fluffyfeathers exchanged wary glances. The term 'Old Net Artifact' was generic and unassuming, almost too generic for the specific item they sought.

“One thousand silver blades carved a path…” Crystal said without missing a beat.

“…through the Badlands, the Blackwall, and the Corporations.” The floating figure replied without missing a beat.

Crystal sighed with relief; this code phrase confirmed the informant's authenticity. "Tell us what you know."

The ghostly informant gestured towards a holographic screen next to him, displaying intricate diagrams, pictures, and cryptic codes. "The Old Net Artifact is no ordinary relic. Its origins trace back to the pre-cyber era when the virtual world was still primitive. Legends claim that it can transcend time and space within the virtual realm. Rumor claims it was what allowed Bartmoss to cause the DataKrash."

Fluffyfeathers, ever the skeptic, cocked her head. "Legends? That's the intel we're banking on? Bartmoss was just a human hack who got lucky. I still can’t see why Netrunners deify him. He was a bad egg."

The informant remained unfazed, "Given the recent technological leaps we've seen Arasaka make, those so-called legends now appear more plausible. It’s believed that whoever holds the artifact can manipulate and control data streams beyond our current understanding."

Crystal’s obsidian eyes narrowed, "And President Myers wants this power for herself?"

The ethereal figure nodded, "That’s the understanding. With the artifact, she could control Noir City's virtual infrastructure and venture beyond into other territories, unraveling their virtual barriers. It would let her crush the Corporations in their strongholds and hold hostage their servers with a flick of her mind."

Nota chimed in impatiently, "Enough of the history lesson. Where is it now?"

The holographic screen shifted, displaying a multi-tiered building, ornate in design yet daunting in size. "The Church of the Eternal Network. A cult that worships the digital domain. Rumors suggest they possess the artifact, safeguarding it from the world, believing it to be a divine manifestation."

“Maelstrom, it had to be them, didn’t it?” Crystal said, annoyed.

Fluffyfeathers squinted at the image, "Breaking into a well-guarded cult headquarters? One run by psychotic cyborgs that believe the AI outside the Blackwall are their friends? That's just another day at work for us, right?"

Crystal’s mind rapidly formulated a plan. "We’ll need a diversion. Nota, can you create a digital mirage to distract the defenses?"

Nota's voice rippled excitedly, "Oh, I have some ideas. The devout are so predictable. Especially the crazies."

Fluffyfeathers, hopping onto Crystal's shoulder, ruffled her bright feathers. "After this, I want my nuggets. Proper ones, not... you know. With real meat, like the ones from the farm."

Crystal smirked, "You'll get your wish. If we get the artifact, I’ll stuff you full of the fattening things."

The hustle of the Underground Bazaar soon became a distant memory as Crystal and Fluffyfeathers made their way to the entrance of the Church of the Eternal Network. The imposing structure seemed to throb with a subtle, digital energy. Arrayed around the building were various defense mechanisms, digital barriers, arcane wards, and physical sentinels that clarified their protection intent.

"We need to tread carefully," Crystal whispered, her vampiric senses on high alert. "The defenses here aren’t just for show."

Fluffyfeathers looked up, noticing a few guards performing a ritual. "Looks like they're trying to channel the energy of the Old Net. Maybe that’s their way of communing with the artifact. I doubt there are anything but AI flesh puppets left inside."

Nota's voice, tinged with mockery, added, "Or maybe they're just chanting away, waiting for a software update."

The building was a tapestry of old-world stone masonry intertwined with neon circuitry patterns. The entrance was a giant portal, glowing symbols etched onto its surface, illuminating a pathway. It was bizarre how something like this had remained hidden below from the surface world.

Fluffyfeathers turned to Crystal, "I can scout ahead, sneak past the guards, and maybe get a sense of what's inside. Without a Shroud, though, it’ll be risky."

Crystal nodded, "Be careful. Remember, we don't fully know what powers this artifact holds. Best to assume it is just short of the Lord’s right hand if everyone and their goat wants it."

As the cybernetic chickling shifted the color of her fur, she stealthily moved forward. Moments later, Nota began weaving a digital mirage, feeding the church’s sensors false information and diverting attention from the poultry.

Fluffyfeathers used her compact size to her advantage, nimbly maneuvering past the guards and slipping inside. Crystal was left stunned at what she saw through the spirit link. The main hall was filled with thousands of servers, each glowing a soft blue. Data streams visibly flowed around, converging at a central altar. Suspended above the altar was the Old Net Artifact – a crystal cube with an intricate circuitry pattern that pulsed with a life of its own.

Suddenly, a deep voice resonated throughout the hall, "Intruder detected."

As alarms blared, Crystal sprang into action, darting towards the entrance. She felt a pulse as something attempted to look past her Shroud to see her true face and form. The previously aloof guards now brandished weapons infused with tech and magic. A digital-net sprang up around the church, sealing it off.

Crystal’s eyes went cold as her sword materialized in her right hand.

The guards were in the way.

So, she cut through them, leaving confused corpses in her wake.

Inside, Fluffyfeathers was cornered by a group of cyber monks, their eyes glowing a fierce blue. But the plucky chickling wasn’t about to give up. With a swift movement, she sent a blinding burst of light, temporarily disorienting the monks.

Fluffyfeather's eyes glowed with eldritch light as soon as attention was diverted.

“Nota, I need an exit!” Crystal shouted, deflecting a guard's laser strike with a reflective shield of blood before removing his head..

“Working on it,” Nota replied, her tone betraying the strain.

Fluffyfeathers tapped into her Netrunner capabilities inside the church, trying to disrupt the communications between the cyber monks. The walls hummed with energy, and glyphs floated around, illuminating arcane sequences.

"I've bought us some time," she broadcasted to Crystal, her voice echoing through their spiritual link.

Crystal, evading another round of laser shots, noticed the energy patterns of the church. The architecture wasn’t merely decorative; it was functional. The very stones of the building resonated with a frequency that seemed to harmonize with the Old Net Artifact.

"They're drawing power directly from the artifact," Nota observed. "If we can disrupt that link, we might be able to weaken their defenses and steal it."

Crystal glanced around and saw a series of conduits running along the walls, glowing brightly and pulsating to the beat of the artifact. "Fluffyfeathers, see if you can create a feedback loop in their system. A resonance that will shatter the ."

The hen nodded and began working her cyber magic, searching for a weak point. She found one in the form of an older server, probably a remnant from the early days of the church. Tapping into it, she sent a barrage of corrupted data packets back up the stream.

The church's atmosphere shifted immediately. The once synchronized hum of energy now became a discordant buzz. The monks, seemingly connected to the church’s mainframe, clutched their heads in pain, their links disturbed.

Seizing the opportunity, Crystal raced through the now semi-transparent digital net and into the main hall. The sight of the Old Net Artifact pulsating and floating in mid-air was mesmerizing and intimidating.

“Quickly, we don’t have much time!” Nota urged.

Crystal felt a wave of energy, memories, and emotions as she approached the artifact. It was as if the artifact was alive, a living record of the ancient internet, filled with the collective experiences of countless individuals.

Fluffyfeathers rejoined her, her baby chickling eyes wide with terror. "This... this is a node heart of the Old Net."

The duo approached cautiously, sensing the enormous potential energy contained within. But as Crystal stretched out her hand to grasp it, a powerful force repelled her.

Having recovered from the feedback loop, the cyber monks now formed a protective circle around the artifact, chanting in unison. The room's energy grew denser, and arcs of digital lightning crisscrossed the space.

“We need to break their link with the artifact,” Fluffyfeathers chirped.

Crystal nodded, forming a plan. “Nota, can you mimic their chanting frequency and disrupt it?”

Nota hummed momentarily, then emitted a frequency that clashed with the monks' chant. The discord created a palpable shockwave, soon breaking the monks' concentration.

In that brief window, Crystal lunged, using her vampiric agility to weave through the monks and get to the artifact. As her fingers closed around it, a rush of information flooded her senses. The weight of the ancient digital realm pressed on her, but she held firm.

“Time to bail,” she shouted, tucking the artifact safely under her Shroud.

As she turned to escape, the circle of monks locked tight, their faces cast with glowing red eyes.