I tire of this place. This creature masking as a furniture store is only proving itself to be an annoyance more than anything. It also has to have some sort of plan for me if it decides to keep me alive and transport me to this place. It has a similar layout to when I first entered the complex. The furniture makes more coherent sense and has a layout I can understand. Perhaps it transported me to or near the entrance. But I need to figure out what the creature is doing.
It wants to kill you.
Escape, survive!
Why not finish yourself off so it doesn’t get the pleasure.
There are other survivors, find them.
Silence! I do not need interruptions from… no… they are not real. They are just in your head. I wish I have my medication with me, it’ll make focusing a lot easier.
Put that gun in your mouth, reptile.
They are close, be careful.
Pull the trigger!
You are low on supplies, but you can make it.
You want to do it, we all do.
It’s going to be okay.
I shake my head, trying to get them to stay quiet. I don’t want to be interrupted or distracted in this sort of location. To recall, I have killed what I believe to be the creature responsible for the creation of the monsters in this complex. But I doubt it is the same or related to the colossus I saw from before. Perhaps there is a hierarchy of some sort, something that separates the creatures from one another. Explains the hounds and those bugs, as well as the tendril beast I managed to kill. Even if I had to sacrifice the data slate.
It isn’t ideal to have a gun with three bullets and a lousy pocketknife. This situation compromises my abilities, and I must find a way to escape this facility at any cost.
I doubt anyone else is alive here besides me. If there are any survivors, I don’t have the means to successfully reach them without risking my own health and knowledge of this place.
They won’t accept it, Jackson.
You know enough, it can save lives.
You failed, might as well give up!
Keep pushing, you will make it out.
That knife, cut your wrist with it. Save yourself the shame.
Never give up. Not when there is a chance.
I shake my head once more while I journey deeper into the facility. They are starting to get louder, unbearable even. I need my pills. I’m not sure how bad it will get without them.
To my surprise, I find a wall that appears endless. In front of me is a wooden door. It seems the core is solid after a few taps of my fingers. Some sort of trick? No, more like a gateway. Makes sense. This seems like the realm is hastily made and perhaps some areas are sectioned off as to not prematurely burn up the realm. Or, due to its size, I believe it is done in a way to limit magical consumption during the development of this realm. Either way, this indicates the creature has thought of a design and purposely made the realm to reflect its needs. If I have to make a guess, it is so they can use the majority of magic to focus on the construction of monsters. Moreover, if there is a section of the realm dedicated to the creation of monsters, there might be a section where they design them.
The door swings open as I rush in, barging into the room with my revolver at the ready. The area seems empty, I’m not smelling anything either. There is nothing here, no furniture, gore or meat, nothing. It is like the world is a blank slate, left unfinished for a time being. For what purpose, I’m not sure. Though the winds of magic here are… potent. It is hard to tell.
Yet something is here, an energy that lingers. Must be leftover residue, or a byproduct of creating a realm. Somewhere to vent their magical waste? If that is the case, this shows the creature is making the realm insufficiently. It’ll only be a matter of time before the realm collapses unto itself and shatters, which means the best way to kill the creature is a well placed MMC Bomb. It doesn’t need to be set on the third charge. If my calculations are right, they only need to set it on the second, perhaps the first charge, depending on the magical readings. Enough juice to destroy this realm in its entirety.
As I stalk deeper into this world of darkness. A sense of calm washes over me, like I don’t need to fight. A side effect of magical exposure. Shouldn’t be too bad. I doubt I am at risk of corruption or other magical related illnesses and diseases. It is… good. I like the calm, it is safe. Soothing.
No! Enough! I need to focus and find my way out of this realm. Regardless of what it makes me feel, I will not stay here, not if this place is created by a horror dedicated to the annihilation of humanity.
‘Or perhaps, you just need a place to catch your breath.’
I shift my body to face where the voice spoke, fighting every fibre in my body to pull the trigger to fire my revolver at them. They appear human, male, their skin dark, their clothing casual yet dirty, and their hair short and dark as well. They also wear orange goggles that hide their eyes. The creature can fool anyone, but I know it doesn’t smell or appear human.
The bullet stops by their face, the creature turns to it and chuckles before grabbing it midair. ‘I didn’t expect that to happen. Though I suppose you know a thing or two about fighting in a pacified state.’
I frown, keeping my aim as I examine the strange creature. There is something with them, a power I can’t imagine. It is wrong. It needs to die!
The creature smiles, putting the bullet down as it untangles a marionette on the table. From a glance, the humanoid puppet has skin like a tree, its chest open to reveal an open yellow heart inside. This is the designer!
‘No need to show hostilities. I come in peace.’ It says in an ethereal tone.
It is a friend!
It is a monster!
Talk to them.
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Kill yourself!
Learn from them!
Put that gun in your mouth, end it before it starts!
‘Perhaps without interruptions.’ The creature says before clicking their fingers. Leaving my mind to become silent. The voices cease to speak to me. How did the creature know of them? They are my voice… hallucinations. It should only affect me! Something isn’t right.
‘Speak.’ I demand, keeping my revolver trained on the creature. The room is open, there are a few vantage points I can take to kill them if they decide to attack. The revolver will act as a distraction when I get close to it and strike it with my knife and finish it off my Charge-Spike. Not an ideal plan, but one that can work.
The creature chuckles.
It seems to find amusement in my defensive posture. ‘I think introductions are in order, Mr. Abernu. I am what most people would call an observer, someone who watches the world as it changes and evolves.’
A passive creature. Even knows my name. Not ideal, might have knowledge on dangerous topics. I will need to figure out its intentions before engaging.
‘You are an interesting person, Mr. Abernu. In every case, you should’ve died in that cell.’ The creature continues with a soft smile. ‘The universe has changed. You created a divergence from the expected path, and I want to meet you in person.’
‘Point!?’ I bluntly say to them. I don’t desire to talk to them or share who I am. I distrust it and I don’t want to continue this conversation. But why did the complex create this creature? What is its purpose besides acting friendly and knowing more than it should?
Could it… no… it shouldn’t be a hallucination. Mine is auditory, not visionary. It might explain the bullet, why it caught it. What if it is? What if I am having an episode without my pills? That will be bad and I doubt it, I shouldn’t be like this without taking them for an hour.
The creature laughs to itself. ‘My apologies. I forget at times that you are a man of action and not one to talk to strangers. You see, unlike the other people I met. I usually will give them the opportunity to make a choice in how they should continue. But, with you, you always know what you want to choose.’ The creature gestures to the door next to it that wasn’t there before. ‘The world has changed so much, in a way it is destabilised. Fortunately, it is a quick fix.’
‘You fix it.’ I coldly reply.
The creature shakes its head as they continue to untangle the marionette. ‘I’m afraid it isn’t that simple. We all have a part to play, my part is to observe. But I can tell you what they are and how to defeat them.’ The creature smiles at me once more. ‘A show of goodwill on my part.’
A convenient lie, sounds like it is setting me up for a trap. ‘Why me?’
‘Because in every play, only the puppets of the play can shape the events of the story. The universe doesn’t like a deus ex machina, not from one such as I.’
‘You telling me is a deus ex machina.’ I point out. There is something they are not telling me and their logic is full of holes.
‘True,’ the creature chuckles. ‘But you already have the knowledge on how to defeat creatures similar to the ones beyond that door. My interference is more or less a reminder to make things a little easier for you.’
‘Or a trap.’ I groan. This is becoming frustrating.
‘They did prepare a trap when you open the door and the wall and enter this place.’ The creature admits with a smirk as they put their puppet down beside them. ‘They will expect you and they will attack you with their psychic abilities. There are seven in the room, they're collective consciousness makes them a formidable and intelligent opponent. The creatures in the room are the masterminds of this realm, the architects of the complex, and the designers of new horrors. The type of threat you want to finish off.’
‘One dies…’
‘Their collective intelligence dims.’ The creature finishes my sentence. ‘When they attack you, it will feel like they are attacking as one. When in truth they are attacking as individuals. I assume you can figure out the rest, knowing your set of skills.’
I frown as I lower my weapon. The information seems too useful for the spawn of this complex to give up that easily and freely. I suppose they are more friend than foe.But I distrust them. Creature still reeks of something foul that goes beyond magic. They are powerful, I can see that, but it seems they are not a threat to humanity… yet.
It still chose to come to this realm, and to communicate with me. There is an intent behind the words it speaks. And that thing about the universe changing, going off its intended path? Doesn’t sound right, too strange to admit out loud to someone who will gladly kill its kind. I suppose, the only good thing about the creature is it is not a threat.
But it must be a hallucination. It has to be one. The smell, the power, the information. It has to be all in my head. All of it is wrong! Maybe a trick of this section of the realm? Maybe it is worsening my condition? I need to leave.
I head towards the door, not wishing to continue talking to the strange creature if I don’t need to. ‘Before you go.’ The creature speaks out. ‘I want to say it is a pleasure to meet you, being chosen to survive the impossible is no small feat.’
Chosen? I turn to meet their gaze. It shouldn’t know that.I suppose it is just all in my head.
I open the door and walk through it, not looking back as I re-enter the labyrinthine world of furniture. But beyond them, is a large complex. A building that spans the entire realm made of blackened stone. It has to be where the designers are hiding, and it will be there that I will kill them.
You belong there.
It needs to be destroyed.
A good resting place.
End it all!
No one will care if you die there.
You can make it all right again.
Ah, they’re back. I suppose it is comforting to have the return to me once more. Even if it means I have to endure their… my hallucinations.