The twenty-four of them gathered, casting glum gazes at the wooden board hanging on a rope from the ceiling.
A few sentences were carved onto it, as if someone had hurriedly scratched on it with a sharp object.
{Twenty-four guest for twenty-four door,
You may visit one another,
But stay alert, and guard your belongings.
The ones who aren't given keys are given boxes.
Twelve keys. Twelve boxes.
Only those who retrieve both a key and a box can leave.
Beware the monsters that roam the corridor,
Beware of knockings that sounds irregular,
It's them, so don't open the door.}
The board collapsed and everyone who had gathered backed away.
The red lights flashed crimson, and the smaller bulbs lit up, giving off an electric blue hue.
An invisible object carved into the wood on the floorboards in a frenzy,
{Head to your rooms, your time starts now.}
Novem turned to his right to choose a room when he suddenly felt several hands clutch at his clothes.
"Lord Novem!"
"Please, help me!"
"I have family waiting for me at home…!"
"Fourth Master, I'm begging you, please help me" they sobbed
All twenty of them, aside Novem, Ayrene standing by the side, and two others at the back.
"Anyone here named Morim?" Novem asks
"That's me!" A middle aged man with glasses quickly raised his hand and shoved himself to the front. He laughed nervously, feeling like he has a much better chance of surviving now.
"Really?" Novem felt the load get lifted off his shoulder.
"Yes! I reside in the fourth empire Sir" he grinned,
"Can you mention seven of my agents" Novem asks again
"Of course! Sir Damien, Lady Isla, Lady Ophelia, Lady Mary, Lady…" he counted with his fingers, "Lady Grace, Lady Bridget, Lady-"
"He's mentioning all the ladies!" Another man complained
"I'm mentioning them am I not!?" Morim shouted back
"I also reside in the fourth empire my Lord…!" A shy woman said, "In Azraq kingdom, I can mention the agents there too" she said shyly
Novem glances at the woman, "Who is the lead Agent in the Azraq kingdom?" He asks
"Sir Oliver" the woman immediately answers
"I'm also from the fourth empire my lord" three more people churused
"Your wife asked me to bring you to her" Novem said to Morim
The middle aged man clenched his chest and sighed happily, "I'm happy to hear that sir!" He laughed
He took the man by the shoulder and led him to the room beside his, "You'll stay here"
"I'll be staying here!" Ayrene took the room beside Novem's and enters,
Novem then led the shy woman to the room beside Ayrene's
"Who else is from the fourth empire" he asks
The three other people waved their hands furiously.
"How many ministers do I have" he asks the woman
"How am I supposed to know that!?" She freaked
Novem laughed, "You are from which kingdom in my empire"
"Rosé" she said
Novem slightly frowned, he's always had a problem with the royals In that kingdom. At least it doesn't have anything to do with the commoners. "The lead Agent-"
"The lead Agent is Sir Maximilian" she answered
"The room after Morim" he gestures, and she ran there with relief
There's only so much I can do, what's making them so relieved? His eyes followed the woman as she ran.
All of your fate is in God's hands.
"You two" Novem said to the remaining two who were also from his empire, "Just fill two more rooms after that woman"
"Yes sir!" The two ran ahead
Now Novem was left with the scrutinizing gazes of those who weren't from his Empire.
"What?" He asks
"Just because we're not from the fourth-" a man tried to argue
"Why should I risk my life for people who aren't from my empire?" Novem couldn't understand
"Emperor Novem" a deep voice had called from behind the crowd
It was a Royal with deep red hair. In his hand was a cane which he used to support his balance. "I am from the seventh empire, I don't suppose-"
"Of course not!" Novem plastered a fake smile on his face, "Please,"
He led the Royal to the room opposite his. "So I can watch you better"
"Very well" the royal said, entering the room
'If I decide not to help this man, and he somehow makes it out, the first thing he'll do is run straight to HQ and report me to the Supreme Emperor. Punishment from HQ is never light, that's why I always try to keep myself composed.
There was another blue-haired Royal, likely in her early thirties. She didn't speak much and simply turned her head, entering the room next to the red-haired Royal.
She glanced at Novem. He glanced back.
Not a word left her mouth. She just rolled her eyes and went in.
"This one and that one…" Novem's expression turned neutral.
Probably from the Second Empire.
I'm not a nice guy. If I manage to save them, good for them, and if I don't that's not my problem.
"Fill the other rooms. Work together. Follow the instructions and try to survive. I'll do my best to help," Novem said before entering his room.
The others glumly made their way to their assigned rooms.
…
Novem looked around. The lights glowed red. To his right, a small bed. Behind him, above the door, was a wall clock.
"The time says three o'clock," he muttered. His obsidian eyes drifted upward to the wooden ceiling.
"My head is ringing …"
He crossed the room and peered through the window. It was blocked from the outside. Pounding against the thick, abnormal glass didn't even leave a crack.
"The glass is mixed," Novem noted. "And for some reasons, it's sealed from the outside."
What's out there that we might try to escape to?
Or rather, what's so dangerous in here that they've built safeguards to stop anyone from escaping?
He was too exhausted to figure it out. After a thorough inspection on the harmless bed, he lay down on it.
If I had my abilities, I'd tear this place apart so bad the instance would spit us out.
He shifted positions.
Now that I think about it… everyone who entered this instance, is this all of us?
Plus, Ayrene was probably going through her seventh door, and I was heading through my fourth when a distortion hit, and I ended up here. Maybe it happened to everyone. Maybe we all got pulled in from different levels and ended up here.
Could this be the final door?
"Ugh, and this whole setting feels like an escape room." He scratched his head
Novem sat up and stretched his stiff limbs. "Let's see what I've got."
His eyes landed on the key sitting inside the keyhole.
"They're not even trying to hide it," he muttered.
He pulled the key free.
Now I just need to steal a box from someone, and I can leave.
There's Morim, Ayrene, the shy one from my empire, the other lady, two more guys, two Royals… and me. That's nine.
Nine boxes, nine keys to go.
He paused.
I'd rather not have to take them from others by force…
Novem moves to open the door only for a small rectangular board to tumble right in front of his face.
It spelt,
{Warning: Guest cannot leave room until midnight}
His eyes wondered to the clock above the door. It was five o' clock… How could it be five o' clock so soon. Novem shook his head, it's useless trying to find common sense out of the supernatural.
"Moreover, we can only leave by midnight? That's really shady! Isn't midnight supposed to be the most dangerous?" he raised an eyebrow
An arc formed on the board, as if smiling.
"Creepy stuff" he let's go of the door handle. Kinda fun though
Just as he turned around, he heard knocks on his door.
Knock knock.
Novem paused, silence ensuing from both sides. His eyes layed on the closed door
He picks up the wooden board from earlier to see if there was a peek hole. There was none.
"It should be alright, we only shouldn't open doors to irregular knocks." Novem suddenly felt something lacking, "It isn't midnight yet so how is anyone supposed to-" or our clocks are different? That's a possibility we can't neglect.
"Staying here!" Ayrene grumbled
"Oh, sorry" Novem opened the door,
At the same time,
Knock knock
The person knocked again leaving a few seconds before planting a single light knock.
Novem nearly choked on the ensuing trepidation in his heart. "That's not…"
He immediately pushed the door close but the person on the other side pushed back with incredible strength.
"I wasn't careful enough!" Novem gritted his teeth.
He used every ounce of his strength to close the door but it just wasn't enough to beat the person on the opposite side
Novem broke a sweat when he felt the weight on the door change. The person on the other side switched their hand positions.
Using their other hand, it reached inside the open gap by the door.,
Novem saw a built black arm with red stripes reach inside. His breath quickened, "Crazy stuff" he said, feeling around his coat and pulling out a scalpel which he used in stabbing the arm.
The arm didn't budge. Novem gripped the scalpel tighter and pushed it in deeper. It didn't work, so he pulled it out.
"It's got blood, but doesn't feel pain."
From his position, he aimed the scalpel just outside the door and focused. After two steady breaths, he launched it, the blade pierced the creature right in the eye.
Using that split chance, he quickly slammed the door shut, pulled out the key and locked it. He huffs, "No going out before midnight it is" he said, but he was definitely going to do it again.
They can't come in again… right? he wondered. "What's it matter," he mumbled.
Novem glanced at the time. It was now 6:10.
"Weird," he said, walking over to the desk in the corner and sitting in the chair. "Might as well read a book"
Novem reached out his hand to a pile of books at the corner of the table. He picks up a red book from the three but it stood firm and sturdy atop the others. No, the books were just books and not a book.
It made Novem delve deep into thoughts.
'This corridor, this room design is something you see in an inn. Speaking of inns, that's where bad stuff happens in horror-ish movies or stories…. Kelvin would explain better.' He muttered, relaxing further.
'This whole setting like I said earlier reminds me of an escape room…? You would probably see books in the allocated rooms…' Novem pulled on the books but it wouldn't move. 'I'm guessing the Instance couldn't completely copy how this would play out in a person's mind. After all they wouldn't know what is present in a book that was never opened.'
"I'm bored" he said, looking up at the ceiling, "I want to get out of here" it was taking all in him to sit down doing nothing like this. "Let's be patient" he huffed.
Novem raises his hand and uses his ice ability. The tip of his fingers freezes and in two seconds they returned to normal. 'It's not everyday you see an Instance which restricts abilities. Heck, this is is the second Instance I've been to.' he thought, "Who knows, the Instance we might come across in the future could also be like this"
Novem stands up from his seat. "Might as well explore, there could be a corpse in my room"
By the corner of the entrance was a small blue cabinet. November eyes it, "Suspicious" he mouthed
With steady steps, he crossed the room and arrived in front of the cabinet and then crouches.
He opens it…
And closes it..
Then opens it.
"A box". I thought we could only get a key and a box.
As November takes the box out, what followed after it was a wooden board with an emoji head and a crooked smile.
He turned the board to the back and read the words out loud.
"Guest is a problem… leave"
Novem blinked twice, "Why don't you free the others and leave me behind. Does that sound good?"
Then he thought, an instance should have no use for a human unless it wants to overtake their consciousness. But if the whole of this instance is put into the mind of a person, they would just die from brain overload.
November didn't get a reply. He turned the board back to the front and the emoji had a frown now.
"If all instance are the same, they don't want us to leave." He frowned, How do I protect everyone, myself included?
Novem heard distant mumurs of someone talking. The light voice sounded familiar.
"Haa" he laughed, "I could have sworn that was Isla" what would she be doing here in the first place? The agents might have tried to open the rift buh… who knows if it would be successful.
He looked back at the time, "11:11." it's getting closer to 12, let's prepare.
***
Isla and Grace walked down a silent hallway with crimson light where a bold message laid bare on the floor. A distortion occured, and they were walking in a hallway filled with broken puppets scattered around. Another distortion occured, and now they were walking in a hallway filled with bizzare paintings.
"Hm…." Isla hummed, "Oh! Miss Grace see, this painting looks funny!" She laughed
Grace glanced her way and snorted. "We're not here to play"
"I know" Isla responded, a little down. Just as she became lost in thought, a slithering shadowy hand caught her ankle and she nearly fell down, sliding her hand on the wall to keep herself from falling.
She immediately supported herself and got up, looking down at the hand that caught her ankle. The hand slithered into the back of a surreal painting frame. She then looked at her side, where she had slid her palm on to prevent herself from falling.
The part where her hand touched formed an arc, and beyond the arc was another rift, purple and black. "What is this?"
Isla's face twisted when a shadowy arm came out from that rift and grabbed her arm.
"What the-?" She immediately pulled her sword from her side and cut the hand off. "Miss Grace!" She called out, backing away from the rift arc.
"What is it?" Grace asked
"Be careful, there are rifts here too, and who knows where else they lead to-"
Several more elongated arms rushed at Isla and the purple haired sliced them off cleanly before they could get any closer, but the arms continued to grow back, and more kept on coming.
They were getting too much to handle on her own. Two arms got past her and held her ankles,
Isla tried to break free from the hands holding her ankle, so she raised her sword up, but another hand got hold of her arm, another held down her legs, her second arm, her neck, and the next second she was completely overwhelmed.
"Grace!" She shouted in a muffled voice as the hands were now over her face.
Grace hesitatingly pulled out her sickle, and put them back in with a sweat, then pulled them back outside. She took slow steps to where Isla was but was too late as the hands had already pulled her into the widened rift.
Grace watched the rift slowly close and she pockets her sickle. "Isla, where are you?" She asked with a low voice.
No one responded, so she turned around and marched forward.
"If I could just find Novem and get out" she muttered, looking around.
Grace walked down the dark corridor with guilt. "I wasn't always like this, I mean- I mean… it's her fault, and Arie…. I have never hated someone so bad in my life…. So yeah, it's their fault"
She continued her ramblings until she disappeared into a section of the corridor where light couldn't reach.