I was running. My mind was foggy. I had seen something terrifying looking at me. Something dangerous. I had acted quickly, perhaps the fear of dying gave me wings. I had shattered the thin wooden partition through which I had been observing the path to the tower, then I had jumped from the floor using my chains to cushion the fall. I had no idea how fast whatever was following me was. Hell, I wasn't even sure that thing was following me.

I heard a strange noise, a kind of bird noise, but metallic, punctuated by small throat clicks. It sounded like a creature in pain. The scream was distant, but I refused to look back to check the distance.

"Yav, what the fuck is that?!" I asked, panting.

The ghost's eyes were wide open, staring back.

"I... I'm not sure," he replied.

What do you mean 'not sure'? Is it so hard to put into words what he sees?

I was only a few yards away from the large wooden door, but I was exposed. Then I heard another of those screams, then another. To my left, to my right. They were everywhere. This time I couldn't help but look.

I turned my head slightly and saw, perched on the building to my left, a massive silhouette that glowed slightly under the rays of the giant crystal. The shape moved, then jumped and landed two yards from me.

I saw it up close now. It was a creature that resembled the metallic gorilla under the Merchant's command. But something was wrong, part of its head was open and revealed a bunch of gears and lights. The same was true for its torso and arms; it was like it was damaged. And there, behind and even inside it, roots!

They were moving and seemed to control the beast.

I didn't stop and continued to run towards the wooden door. The animal took the time to let out a deafening scream before it moved.

"Oko, it's going to attack, move to the left!" Yav yelled.

I kept looking straight ahead and shifted to the left. Something powerful still hit my right flank and tore off part of my hip. I was unbalanced and had trouble breathing.

I caught myself on my right foot and moved as if I was whole. A quick glance at my floating profile next to me showed I had 2 EP left. My eyes instantly slid over to Yav.

He looked worried; I might die before he could possess me. In order, I'd rather die... No. I'd rather he disappear, then I die rather than him possessing me. The pain mixed with exhaustion was starting to make me delirious.

The thing that had hit me was near. It was this killing machine horror, in the form of a gorilla. It seemed to be charging up for a new attack, it had its back hunched, both fists against the ground. It was pushing against the earth, ready to release its fist like a spring, at me. Its arms were abnormally long and the measly yard distance I had on it wouldn't save me.

I threw one of my chains at it and had it tighten around its two fists, like handcuffs. Then I leveled up. My body regained its wholeness and energy, I saw my screen flash.

I felt a great relief, but also a certain bitterness. I had just used a wild card. I only had one left.

I resumed my run, this time with renewed vigor. Behind me, I heard the creature let out a powerful cry. The feedback from the chain binding its two fists indicated that my plan had worked. I had managed to limit its movements by tying its arms, but in doing so I had given up my chain.

Losing a wild card and a chain at the same time was far more painful than the blow that had ripped off my hip.

Finally, I touched the large metal circle that – theoretically - only needed to be pulled to open the door.

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I pulled hard, while casting a quick glance back.

A gorilla was still struggling with my chain, and two others were slowly advancing towards me, I could see the roots right behind them, giving them life.

I pulled at the door, again and again, but it didn't move.

"Yav! Can you pass through the door and tell me what's blocking it?!" I almost yelled, so panicked I was.

Immediately, he passed through the door.

I turned my head again and saw the two gorillas approaching, trying to help the third free itself from its chain.

Great, that buys me some time.

"There!" I heard through the door, Yav's voice.

Looking near the metallic circle I was holding, I could see the ghost's hand.

"Slide your small chain through the slot, there's a little latch to pull!" He was also shouting.

Almost instantly, my small chain detached from my neck and slid down my arm, towards the slot. Then it moved to the other side of the door.

I turned around again when I heard another one of those disgusting cries.

There behind me, a few meters away, the three gorillas were thumping their chests with their fists. They had managed to break the chain.

"You held up well, thank you." I whispered, paying homage to my chain.

"A bit lower!" Said Yav.

"A bit higher, again, again. No, that's too high, lower!" He said next.

He was directing what to do with the chain. But I didn't have time to waste.

If only I had invested points in the perception of my chains…

I realized that it was an excellent idea, I had points that I hadn't yet allocated.

"I'm putting 4 points into it!" I said.

It felt like regaining the use of a finger.

The little chain, which I received some discontinuous impressions from, had come alive.

It was now very much part of my nervous system.

It became child's play to find the latch, I could now feel it touching the metallic skin of my links.

I grabbed the piece of metal and pulled, the door made a high-pitched creak, which excited the gorillas who were very close.

I pushed the door open, entered, and closed it right away, locking it with the latch.

I felt a powerful vibration right behind, the gorillas were hitting the door.

I didn't know how much time I had before it gave way, I turned around to see where I could run, but everything was too dark.

"At the back, there's a ladder, hurry!" Yav told me.

His perception was excellent, much better than mine. Had he improved it during his life, or was it an invisible stat?

I started running in the direction indicated by the ghost and as I got closer, I saw the ladder.

I grabbed the cold, rusty metal bars and climbed with all my might.

As I climbed, I took a glance at my profile. To my great surprise, I wasn't poisoned. The air in the center was pure.

My joy was short-lived, I heard the ladder starting to sway slightly, it was about to fall, and so was I.

Down below, I heard another unsettling sound, the door was cracking under the violent blows of the gorillas.

I used my chain to glide up to the next floor. It wrapped around the first solid and heavy object it found.

The ladder fell almost immediately after. I was hanging several yards from the ground, then I felt myself ascending. My chain quickly hoisted me up to the floor.

I was now seated on stone, and in front of me was a spiral staircase.

Before the entrance door could crack, I started running to climb up.

I had almost reached the top floor when I heard a noise indicating that the door had finally given way.

I ran to a new door and pulled it. Once again, it was locked.

I hardly heard any noise behind me, the gorillas must have been looking for me.

If I make no noise, I won't have any problems.

I signaled to Yav to pass through the door with a nod.

He nodded in agreement. A few seconds later, his hand indicated that the path was clear, then where the latch was.

I passed my chain which quickly unlocked the door. I was getting good at this.

I carefully opened the door. It made hardly any noise. I stepped in and closed it just as gently. I then lowered the latch to lock the door.

Turning around, I saw that this time the room I was in was a little more lit. Small windows placed here and there let in the light from the crystal above the building.

I moved cautiously into the room.

"Yav, do you see anything?" I asked the ghost.

"Dust, papers, and stone." He said.

I felt like I was in a room that had been used to store documents. So, it was an administrative building.

I saw a small wooden desk at the end of the room and wanted to see if it contained anything valuable. That's when my foot crushed a piece of glass.

"Who's there?" Asked a voice echoing through the room.