Duncan quickly followed Edgar through the gate. He closed his eyes, expecting a swift transition to the "World of Doors," but nothing happened. He opened them in confusion and asked:
"Why... didn't we transfer?"
Edgar raised the wristband he had removed and said with strange firmness:
"We need to explore this place before diving into its depths. Entering blind is death itself."
"I went in blind one day and look where that got me: next to a talking donkey and inside a haunted hospital."
Duncan slumped in frustration as they stood inside the gate. Before them, a staircase split left and right, flanked by numerous doors lining a long corridor whose end was swallowed by darkness, as if the passage devoured light.
Edgar said:
"We'll go right."
He walked with confident steps, while Duncan followed, eyeing the walls as if they were watching him. Edgar opened the room doors one after another. Each room contained a single bed, chained to the floor as if its former occupant had been... a prisoner, not a guest.
The smells were cold, dust hung in the air, and the silence felt like waiting.
As Edgar pushed each door open,he whistled in short tones. Duncan thought he was trying to suppress fear and began to imitate him, but the truth was, Edgar wasn't scared; he walked with a confidence whose source he didn't know.
Duncan suddenly interrupted him with a trembling voice:
"Stop... Edgar, damn man stop right now."
Edgar turned and said indifferently:
"What is it?"
Duncan pointed to a slightly ajar door on the right, his voice barely audible:
"There... look behind us."
Edgar turned.
And saw it.
Behind the door, something was standing... or resembled a person. Its face wasn't visible because its legs alone filled the entire height of the door. Legs covered by a black robe, motionless... breathless.
But suddenly, the thing began to move.
Not outward...but walking inside the door, as if the door was a cage it couldn't cross. Its feet moved in place, but its body didn't advance.
Edgar stepped back and whispered:
"Duncan... quickly. We have no advantage here."
He took out the wristband, ready to put it on, but—
"Waaaaah..."
A baby cried.
Edgar froze.
Duncan shouted:
"Why did you stop? Come on! Put on the wristband and let's be done with it!"
Edgar said, his voice hoarse with astonishment:
"There's a baby... can't you hear? The sound is coming from below."
As they argued, the entity's footsteps stopped at the door. Edgar and Duncan looked towards the opening.
It was looking at them.
Small eyes, like narrow nostrils... and long hair reaching Edgar's shoulders, and a smile... created to be terrifying. Worst of all: it had no nose,Now that's scary.
Then—It crossed the door.
It came towards them with swaying steps, its head hitting the broken lamps, producing a dull, repetitive sound.
Thud... thud...
Edgar screamed:
"Run!"
But when he turned, he found Duncan... wasn't beside him.
He had already fled.
Edgar cursed and ran after him, hearing the sounds of shattering lamps and a soft laugh behind him, as if from an empty throat.
Bam... bam...
Duncan entered one of the rooms, Edgar followed and slammed the door shut. They both pressed against the door as the wood shuddered under the entity's blows from outside. It repeated a broken, frightening phrase:
"Come to Mama... beautiful child... come... You seem cold... I'll take you somewhere warm."
It repeated it over and over, in a tone as if its vocal cords had rusted.
Duncan panted:
"Put on the wristband... put it on now!"
But after a few moments... it fell silent.
And its shadow receded.
Edgar stepped away from the door with measured steps. Then he said with strange coldness:
"Since you've annoyed me so much... I'll have my left hand hold the wristband next to my right. And when it returns... I'll put it on immediately."
He sat on a chair and tried to steady his breathing.
He said:
"Isn't this supposed to be an E-level mission? Why is its effect on the external world this strong?"
Duncan, still leaning against the door, replied:
"The effect isn't just related to the level... but also to the place. If the place has a dark history, and is abandoned and large like this... the effect will be greater than a house inhabited by people."
Edgar stood and said:
"I see... I understand now."
He approached the door to tease Duncan:
"It seems we're leaving now."
Duncan screamed:
"No! Over my dead body!"
They struggled briefly until Duncan pushed Edgar onto the chair, causing him to stumble and fall. Duncan said:
"Sorry, I didn't mean—"
But Edgar raised his hand for silence and said:
"Shut up... there's something here."
He bent down and touched the floor.
"Here's a passage... a secret passage."
Duncan:
"Great... you explore it. I'm fine here... next to this door."
Edgar said:
"Fine... as you wish."
And he went down through the opening.
The tunnel was wide and easy to traverse,indicating it was used frequently, not just occasionally. He continued until he reached an underground room, arched and empty except for a small metal incinerator.
He opened it... nothing but pale ashes, something strange but unclear.
He turned to leave...then stepped on something under his foot.
He bent down...
Picked it up.
His pupils dilated.
He hurried back to the incinerator, opened it with a trembling hand... and when he realized what was inside, his breath caught in his chest.
It was... worse than he expected.
And Duncan's voice from the top of the tunnel screamed:
"Edgar! Edgar! Please put on the wristband! Now! I don't want to die here!"
Edgar didn't lift his eyes from the incinerator.
And with an automatic movement,he put on the wristband.
To end the matter... Finished before it even began.