“Of course we’re in one of the worst ones,” I muttered mainly to myself, “So what do we need to know?”
Our five minutes were counting down fast. I hope Jae-Hyun’s concise with his explanations.
“We’re in a unique Trial,” he explained as he took out some pads of paper and began to scribble something on them fast, “I don’t have enough time to explain how to clear the stage, but I need you two to do some tasks I’m writing down. I’ll give you further instructions later on, but for now, read these over when you have time. We won’t have access to most system functions here, so don’t bother trying to communicate with the chat. If it’s you two then I know you’ll be able to get them done somehow.”
Marcus and I nodded and allowed the Regressor to speak.
“The important part is the special rules you’ll have to follow here,” he said quickly, “The nurse will give you a handbook once you’ve established your roles here; make sure that you never, ever break those rules. You are safe if you do things according to the regulations.”
“Roles?” I asked quickly, “What do you mean?”
“I was getting there,” Jae-Hyun said as he checked how much time was left, “Once we talk with the nurse to start the Trial, we will be assigned roles in this hospital. Normally we would all be patients undergoing treatment, but that can be changed.”
“I see,” Marcus said calmly, his smile never leaving him even in this situation.
The Regressor continued, “If you two introduce yourselves to the Nurse at the reception with a strong role in mind, then we can manipulate the Trial and have you become that person. The Nurse is the key, she is the one who determines what or who you will be here, but you need to make a very strong impression to solidify that persona.”
“Make a strong impression of a particular role, got it,” I repeated, “So what roles do you want us to take?”
“One of us will have to work as a patient for this Trial, I’ll do that. If we’re in the corrupted version then we’re here later than the others, I’ll take care of the things needed on the patient side of things,” Jae-Hyun answered with a grimace, “I need you two to work in areas that I won’t have easy access to. Marcus’ role is easy, he can be a priest here to give the dying their last rites. He’ll have access to all the patient wings that way.”
“Easily done,” he replied, “I have done so many times already.”
“And Walter,” the Regressor spoke as he turned to me, “I need you to present yourself as a doctor.”
Now I knew nothing about doctoring, but I don’t think this particular hospital worked the normal way. I’m sure I can figure something out.
“Any particular doctor?” I asked.
“Anything that you think will work best, but make sure it’s a doctor,” he answered, “I trust your judgment, but make sure you strike the strongest first impression on that nurse. Your disguise will be stronger if she firmly believes that you are who you say you are. Just know that your tasks will require you to move a lot and skirt around the rules and access the various staff areas, so it’ll be ideal if you can think of something to help with that.”
“I can think of something,” I said quietly.
The little countdown timer showed that we had a little over a minute left.
“One last thing,” he said, this time slower, “Once you are assigned your roles, make sure that you stick to that disguise until this Trial ends, even if you meet with me or the others. Marcus won’t have any issues here, but Walter, you will not survive if you’re seen through do you understand?”
I almost smiled. My disguise failing? I think I have a lot of experience making sure something like that never happens.
“I’ll manage,” I answered simply.
“I trust you,” he said, “And remember when I said that things will go very badly if you break those rules or if people doubt who you say you are?”
Marcus and I nodded.
“It works both ways,” he continued, “Everyone in this hospital has to live by the rules, Aspirants or not, and you can make them break those rules or have enough people doubt their identity. Use that to your advantage if you face difficulties.”
“Other Aspirants?” I asked, “We’re not the only ones? I thought we’re only in this mess because of the error.”
“Yes and no, this is one of the Trials used to punish Aspirants who break the rules, but we’re in the worst version because we came from Tartarus,” he replied cryptically, “Just… just know there will be other parties who have already started this Trial, maybe for a few days already, but they will be in slightly different situations. Being late won’t matter if we follow my plans. I’ll explain when we have more time; all you have to know right now is that this place is dangerous even without it being corrupt.”
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
“Alright… so we’re late and we get the special treatment here,” I answered, “I think I get the gist of it.”
“I as well,” Marcus added, “Is that all we need to know?”
“For now, we don’t have time left, let’s go,” the Regressor started to walk back, “And I’m sure that I don’t have to say this, but this is not a normal hospital, so don’t react to anything that seems strange here.”
“Naturally,” Marcus stated, “Shall we introduce ourselves?”
The Regressor passed us the notes he wrote and nodded. I could see a tiny hint of nervousness on his face, which was an expression I had never seen from him before. Just how bad was this Trial for it to make even this man on edge? Thankfully this was a Trial that played to my strengths, which was a godsend because I still didn’t have access to the Absolute Luck Skill. It's not like I can do anything about it since we’re all stuck here, I just hope the other members of the Abyss guild had easier trials.
“Marcus, you go first,” Jae-Hyun said, “I don’t think you’ll have any issues here since you’re not really playing a role, but be careful in any case.”
The priest nodded and walked up to the reception desk with a calm purpose. The Regressor and I stayed just a few steps behind, observing how this would play out. I was also a little curious about the exact rules that this Trial plays by.
The Regressor said that we had to make a strong impression on the Nurse so that she believes that you were some kind of personnel working in this creepy hospital, but that would require her to have prior knowledge of you at the very least, or at least some kind of pre-established connection with the hospital. This is especially the case if you’re trying to convince her that you work here as a doctor. I doubt even a new intern or med student would just show up one day without any warning.
If that were the case, how would that work? If I said that I was Doctor Smith who’s worked here for 15 years, then would she just fill in the inconsistencies herself? Would she “acquire” memories of this random doctor? I’m sure that wasn’t the case, the Regressor wouldn’t have stressed the importance of the first meeting if I could just say a role that wanted. Most likely only small pieces of inconsistencies would be filled in.
“Hey,” I whispered to Jae-Hyun while the Father was approaching, “how does choosing the roles work? Will the nurse make up memories of my persona if I hint that we’ve met before?”
“To a limited degree, yes,” he whispered back, “If what you’re saying is plausible enough, she will make up the background information for your role to work, and once your role is fully realized, the others here will also inherit those memories. She’s the key to this Trial. But if you say something unreasonable then you’ll default to a patient again, so be careful.”
I acknowledged and quieted down once the priest reached the receptionist nurse. I had no worries at all that Marcus would fit in; if I didn’t know better, I could have sworn he was another Central worker assigned for this gig.
“Greetings,” the Father said warmly, “I am here to cleanse the souls of the dying and ease their journey into the embrace of the Lord. I heard that my services are needed here.”
The nurse stared at Marcus for a long while, her stare unblinking, before something clicked in her mind and she returned the welcome with a warm smile.
“Thank you Father,” she said with a small bow, “Our facility is in desperate need of your services. Do you know which ward you are headed to?”
Oh, it seems like she’ll ask questions as well. Was that to make sure that our identities were solid?
Marcus replied with a soft ease that showed no hint of worry, “All souls are under my care, Sarah.”
And he obviously knew the name of the creepy nurse as well, just like how he knew mine. God, I could never get used to the man.
“Of course,” she answered back with a bigger smile; it looked like she was visibly easing up to the man. Marcus was giving her the right answers it seems.
“I feel much suffering here,” the Father continued, “and I feel that I will be busy, but I am a man of devotion, and I will help any who needs my services. I am sure that I can guide the unwilling into the afterlife.”
The nurse’s smile grew wider, “Yes, you will find that many here do not understand that they are already bound for death, I hope you can do as you say and help them transition. One more question, Father, but you will find that our hospital houses unique patients.”
“All souls are unique, Sarah,” he added.
“Of course, Father! But many under our care will resist your help, they will deny our treatment and insist that they are not fated for the grave; what would you do in that case?
“Many poor souls are unable to understand the end of their own mortal coil, and it is my job to make them understand even if they are in denial. It is not my place to neglect my duties because of the delusions of the sick,” he replied, “Now I must attend to the dying and dead, if you will please send someone to assist me, that would be most helpful.”
“I understand, Father,” she answered, “and please take your guidebook with you.”
He did so and thanked the woman. I felt an intangible wave of energy now the smile on the nurse’s face was genuine, Marcus must have passed whatever test was in place and was accepted as a proper priest for this weird hospital.
The nurse said something incomprehensible into an old intercom system, and within moments another Priest - equally creepy as Marcus - came to get the man. I couldn’t see his full features since he was wearing one of those old-fashioned, raven-shaped plague masks. Marcus didn’t seem to even notice that.
They communicated something so quietly that I couldn’t make out what they were saying, even with Noe’s help, but the two seemed to be chatting happily after a while as they left into the unusually dark corridor. Marcus gave us one small nod before disappearing into the depths of the hospital for good.
“Good,” Jae-Hyun said in relief, “He’s through, it’s our turn now. My part is easy, I don’t have to say anything special to get the default role, so I’ll take your lead. Do what you think is necessary.”
“Got it, I’ll introduce you as a new patient and go from there,” I said as I immersed myself into the role I would have to soon play, “Let’s get this over with.”