SURVIVAL DIFFICULTY:
Class Ψ
- Unsafe
- Unsecure
- Mental Hazard
Image taken of a semi-stable room in Level 789.
Level 789 is the 790th level of the Backrooms. At a glance, it resembles a mathematical art museum, with the unstable properties becoming more pronounced as the level progresses.
Description
The physical appearance of Level 789 is that of a modern art museum specializing in mathematical pieces. These pieces include models of complex geometric polyhedra, fractal art, mathematical optical illusions, artistic curves, tessellating planes/demonstrations of planar symmetry, as well as other depictions of various mathematical constants such as the golden ratio.
Some of these pieces are present as 3-dimensional models that are either placed upon tables or encased in glass boxes for viewing. 2-dimensional pieces can be seen as pictures hung on walls, embroidered into carpets, or even making up the entire wall/ceiling/floor of a room.
Certain art pieces are created using very specific materials, whether it be paper, wood, rope, wires, or beads. These pieces range from a few inches in size to several meters large, with many requiring their own room. Some pieces are entire digital exhibitions that span across multiple rooms.
In addition to the art pieces, several strange objects have been observed floating around the various rooms. These objects visually match depictions of 4-dimensional objects existing within a 3-dimensional space. Due to these features, these objects can pass through solid matter, shrink and grow in size, and even disappear and reappear in different locations. These higher-dimensional shapes also emit very specific radio frequencies which have been detected to match the digits of mathematical constants such as pi or the square root of 2.1
An example of an extremely unstable hallway. Camera quality drops when photographing these areas.
The majority of the level operates under the standard properties of space and physical mathematics, but certain areas are more "unstable" than others. These areas are referred to as "mathematically incorrect spaces" and are believed to be the result of faults or deviations in basic laws of mathematics (e.g. the commutative, associative and distributive laws). Very little information is known about these areas as documenting them is extremely risky; spending long amounts of time in one of these spaces will result in incredibly deteriorative effects, both physically and psychologically.
Entities
Entities, while present, are rarely seen within Level 789. The majority of these entities are strange variants of their more common counterparts, with many examples including Smilers that appear as a ring of teeth surrounding multiple eyes, Clumps with appendages that clip through or fuse with each other, and a variation of the Memory Worm.2
Logs and notes have also shown that a native entity will occasionally show themselves to people within the level. This entity, whose name was found to be "Telatrix", will attempt to manipulate those he encounters via a variety of methods. What exactly happens after is unknown, but those returning from an encounter have undergone a drastic physical and mental change.3
Bases, Outposts, and Communities
There are no known communities or outposts on Level 789, as the level's properties make long-term inhabitation almost impossible.
Entrances and Exits
Entrances
Known entrances into Level 789 include Level 4, Level 12, Level 287, and level-903. Various notes and other pieces of evidence within the level also point to possible entrances from Level 256 and Level √2, but these entrances have not been observed.
Exits
Exiting the level in different areas will lead to different levels. Tearing open large paper structures has a chance of leading to Level 440 or Level 137. Certain digital exhibitions can lead to Level 522 or Level 25. Exiting within an MIS is risky, but has the possibility of leading to Level √2 or Level 263.
BEGIN LOG
- Expedition Log "Pacioli"
The following transcript (referred to as "Pacioli" on its file) was retrieved from a video device found on Level 9 along with several video recordings, showing an attempted exploration of Level 789. The purpose of the expedition is unknown, and the only people present are labeled as 003, 006, 007, and 009. Information regarding their true identities and the group they work with, if any, are scarce.
007: Alright, everybody here?
003: Six and Nine are still catching up; too busy looking at the stuff in the beadwork room, I guess.
007: Figured. Let me know when they're-
006: Fuck!
007: …here.
009: We're here, we're here, just-
006: There was so much cool shit! God, you should've seen it.
003: Well, we did, but that's not what we're here for.
006: I know, I know, it's just… so beautiful.
009: That it is. Now, any updates?
007: [He clears his throat.] Alright, nothing back from Homestead, but we are getting closer. The peak should be just past this room — if anybody reaches it, don't go any further until the rest of us are there.
003: And remember: this is a threshold, stay aware and be prepared for anything.
006: Right. Now, does anybody have any objections to splitting up?
007: We can cover more ground quicker if we go in pairs. Nine, you with me?
009: Sure, whatever. Three and Six, you're going in together.
003: Fine by me.
006: I'll keep an eye on zir.
003: Right, like I need you to anymore. [Ze chuckles.]
007: Alright, let's move on out. [He leads Nine through a corridor, with Six and Three following behind.]
[Seven and Nine take a turn at the end of the corridor, with Six and Three continuing forwards. The two enter what looks like an exhibition for glitch art.]
003: Whoa, this is trippy.
006: Whatever it is, I can't exactly make out the math part.
003: Glitch art demonstrates several properties of modern mathematics, actually. For example, a lot of-
006: On second thought, I don't wanna know.
003 and 006. Photographer unknown.
[They both continue forward, entering a room with a moving environment displayed on the walls. The terrain is textured with flashing static.]
006: Kinda hurts to look at the walls.
003: Then just… don't?
006: Great idea, sure wish I'd thought of that sooner.
003: [Ze chortles a little, wandering off into a different room.] It's kinda funny, y'know? Even in a place like this, there's still plenty of Frontrooms entertainment to look back on.
006: [She follows.] Tell me that when you find a bar level, I could go for a drink after this.
003: If we make it out of here unscathed, I'll personally be the one to find a bar for you.
006: If we make it out, I'll make the damn bar.
003: [Ze stops for a moment, sighing.] Yeah… that's what we'll do. We'll get out of here and start up a bar somewhere. Surely that's gonna turn some heads, right?
006: What about Homestead?
003: Fuck 'em! All they do is toss us into death traps and hope we come out with something useful. Why can't we get away from all this and start something truly worthwhile?
006: Well… I do wanna start that bar.
003: So it's set! How's 'Thirty-six' for a name?
006: [She laughs a little.] Sure, sure.
009: We've been walking for ages, where the hell are we even going?
007: To whatever's at the end of this corridor.
009: Can we at least take a break, I need to ask you something.
[The two stop walking.]
007: Hit me.
009: If you hate me so much, why did you decide to pair up with me?
007: When did I ever say I hate you?
009: You don't need to, I can tell. You've always been pissed that I was Nine while you were just Seven.
007: Yet you never act like a Nine, do you? I have to be the one to drag the rest of us off our asses. Some leadership wouldn't hurt, you know.
009: Oh I do, I do, but you never complained up until now. You like that superiority, don't you? A taste of what could've been.
007: Pick your next words carefully.
009: Maybe if they killed her sooner, then-
[The two of them appear to scuffle for a moment, with Nine grunting as Seven pushes her against a wall.]
007: Keep my mother out of your goddamn mouth.
009: [She chuckles, struggling to speak.] Point taken, asshat.
[Seven lets go and Nine falls to the ground, coughing. Seven walks further down the corridor.]
009: You were always a jealous bastard!
[Seven continues to walk along the hall, leaving Nine to catch her breath. The recording device picks up a specific frequency that Seven doesn't seem to notice.]
007: I hope whoever the fuck is listening to this knows that I did that for a reason. Don't get on my ass, Homestead, you did this to m-
[Seven is cut off by the sound of scraping stone.]
007: What the fuck…?
First visual of Telatrix.
[The video recording shows streaks of color that Seven reacts to.]
007: Fucking Christ!
[The unknown person speaks in a voice that sounds distorted at first, but slowly gains clarity.]
Telatrix: Hello, Seven. Having a bit of a tough time, are we?
007: Don't get any closer.
Telatrix: Oh, I wouldn't dare trespass your personal space.
007: Tell me who… what the hell you are.
Telatrix: [He chuckles and resumes speaking.] Forgotten already? The fuck did they even teach you at Homestead?
[Seven remains silent.]
Telatrix: No matter, you were always an idiot.
007: You don't know anything about me.
Telatrix: Au contraire, mon ami; I know quite a bit about you.
Visual of Telatrix after transformation.
[The figure morphs into a more humanoid form and struts closer to Seven.]
Telatrix: I know you were born on January 2nd, 2001, at 14:23 pm. I know your mother was killed eleven days later by the people who ended up raising you. I know you hid almost every part of yourself from everyone you ever met, and I know how much that hurt. [He reaches out his hand.]
007: [Seven hesitates for a moment before taking his hand.] Who are you? How do you… know so much?
Telatrix: That's the beauty of reality, isn't it? Every moment shifts into the next; all you need is the information of a single second to get a slideshow of all of history. Allow me to show you.
[The high-pitched frequency gets louder and louder before both of them fall through the floor, ending up in a place that violently shifts and changes. Seven lets out a distorted and echoed scream before being brought back to where they were.]
Telatrix: Breathe, breathe, you're alright.
007: W-What the fuck was that!?
Telatrix: The language of reality. It's hard to decipher, I know, but I feel as if you've earned to learn it.
007: No… no! Enough of your goddamn freak show!
Telatrix: No need for that kind of obscenity, Seven. After all, I'm giving you freedom.
[He takes Seven's hand again.]
007: Freedom…? You call… that freedom?
Telatrix: What I'm saying is that you don't need to hide anymore, y'know? Let me show you what it's like to tear your shell open. [He tightly embraces Seven, wrapping his arms around his back and resting his head against his shoulder.] Spare a moment with me, will you? And, please… call me "Telatrix".
006: So, how do we go about getting out of here?
Image taken of the hallway exiting the ditial art exhibit.
003: Nine's the only one with the exit list, so I say we find her and get 'em to spill.
006: And what makes you think she'll tell us?
003: Well… I haven't thought that part through yet, but I can't imagine it being too difficult. Worst case scenario, we just… take it.
006: Sure, taking a hidden slip of paper from the highest-ranking fielder — brilliant idea.
003: Got any better ones?
006: Maybe something that wouldn't involve Homestead getting on our asses as soon as we leave.
003: We can just hide somewhere, right? There are like a billion places we could go.
006: If they found us once, they can do it again.
003: Look, I get you feel like you gotta be my big sister all the time, but can you at least have some faith in me? I'm gonna make sure we both get out of here in one piece.
006: …For the bar?
003: For us.
[Seven walks back out into the hallway where Nine is sitting on the floor.]
009: Had fun in your little timeout corner?
007: [Seven remains silent, looking at Nine.]
009: …Geez, alright, guess you're still kinda pissed. [They stand up, leaning against a wall.] You at least gonna keep going?
[Seven says nothing, just walking down the corridor. Nine follows him, sighing.]
009: Guess so.
007: We're getting close.
009: To…?
Photo taken of the MIS. The ground is still stable on the other side.
[Seven grabs Nine's arm and shoves her in front of him. Nine gasps as she sees the state of the hallway.]
009: F-Fuck!
[Seven tips Nine over the distorted floor, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt. She stammers as she tries to speak.]
009: S-So this was your plan from the start, yeah? Drag me along all this way just to kill me?
007: Don't be so quick to assume, Nine. After all, you're far too valuable for me to kill.
[Seven lets go of Nine's shirt, sending her falling back into the distorted floorboards. She yells as her microphone and video feed cut off. On the other side of the MIS, Three can be seen watching Seven before screaming loudly.]
003: What the fuck!?
006: Three? What's going on? [She sees Seven, whose body has become a mess of pixels on the video feed.]
003: What the fuck did you do to her, you fucking psycho!?
007: Gave them the extra push they needed. [Seven slowly begins to levitate a few inches off the ground, floating across the corrupted floor without moving. Three and Six both take a few steps back before sprinting away.]
003: [Ze cries as ze tries to speak.] What was that!?
006: I don't know, I don't know…
[They keep running back through the glitch art museum before Seven appears in front of them. Without hesitation, he grabs Three and holds zir against the wall.]
006: Let go of zir!
003 being apprehended by 007.
007: I'm afraid I can't do that. [Seven holds up his hand and pushes it against the back of Three's head, phasing through it. Three goes silent, only able to move her eyes around.]
006: Stop it!
007: All this time I never realized what I was truly meant for. I see it now, Six: there are many things that need to be erased.
[Without warning, Three's upper body shatters into thousands of glass-like shards, the rest of her slumping onto the ground. Seven shakes off the fragments on his hand. Six lets out an anguished, pained scream, falling to her knees.]
007: Hey, I'm sorry, but things must be corrected.
006: Get the hell away from me!
[Seven grabs Six by the throat, holding her up against a wall. He shouts, sounding more disoriented.]
007: It's torture here, you understand? Everything is crooked, nothing lines up, shit doesn't add or subtract like it's supposed to. Telatrix promised — he fucking promised — that we could fix this place together, and you're not getting in the way of that!
006: Have you lost your goddamn mind!?
007: On the contrary; I've found its second hal- [Seven suddenly yells in pain, a pale arm jutting from his chest. He lets go of Six, falling to his knees.]
An attempt at photographing 009.
006: Ugh… fuck…
[Six gasps for air, looking up at the attacker. A heavily mangled figure stands in front of her, their head floating off inches to the side of her body before snapping back and repeating. Their face shifts and contorts with blocky fragments splitting off. Six screams again as Nine stares at her, laughing. The laughter sounds almost digitally altered, with it sounding delayed and reversed overlayed atop their normal laughter.]
007: There you are… [He slowly stands up, the hole in his chest closing up.] I told you, Nine: you're valuable.
009: You left me to die — don't think I've forgotten about that.
007: Still so quick to judge, I see. Well, I'm surprised he left that part of you standing. Rest assured, we can find our average — and from that, we'll plot our functions.
Unity.
[He approaches Nine with multiple sets of arms opening for an embrace. Nine returns the favor, hugging Seven with rapidly-twitching limbs. Six is still screaming, her voice noticeably straining as she pushes herself back. As the two of them embrace, their bodies phase into each other until all that can be seen is a mass of black and white shapes and textures.]
007 & 009: Worry not, Six; your strength is real, your fear is imaginary, your essence is complex. What's the point of being if you can't be added to something greater?