{$title}Languages:
Info
Story concept by Frost Wick.
Originally co-written by Frost Wick and
Praetor3005.
Translated by ReyDay
Critics/Reviewers:
Positive123
Frrixy
AlwaysWandering
Praetor3005
| Page Type | Articles |
|---|---|
| Author Page | ReyDay |
| Levels | Level 986 |
| Unnumbered Levels | Death’s Door, The Celestial Cathedral(translated) |
| Sub-Layers | Level 800.1 |
| Entities | Coming Soon! |
| Unnumbered Entities | Coming Soon! |
| Objects | Object 48 - “Liquid Pain”, Object 33 - “RoboPets”, Object 64 - "Whisperers", Object 5-FR - “Anemophosis”(translated) |
| Phenomena | Coming Soon! |
| Tales | Echo of Creation, Five Years Since You Went Missing, Knight’s Gambit, For Christmas(translated) |
| Groups | Ariane Circle(translated), The Black Knights(owned) |
| POIs | Nyx(translated) |
| Canons | Black Knights(owned) |
| Joke Pages | Coming Soon! |
| Tech | Enchanted Forest Theme, Music Theme, Deep Sea Theme, Tesseract Theme, Ariane Circle Theme(translated) |
| Guides/Essays | Coming Soon! |
| Art | Diana Evelynn, Fia, Tess Welcome Banner |
— Charlie, can you find the garlands?
Katya Hall and Charlie Drake were busy in the reserve of the Hippocrates-1 base of the Habitable Zone, trying to find the necessary decorations for the Ariane Circle's annual Christmas Eve Party. Team Hippocrates had given their approval for her presence at this event, though it hadn’t been an easy task for Katya. She had to use her influence in the team to get those in higher positions to agree to participate. Despite the notable tensions between Hippocrates and Hermes, like Ares, who was also present, the team of war doctors had responded. That gave Charlie and Katya access to the Christmas decorations that the Hippocrates collectors had been able to find in the crates of Level 1, which were stored in their base.
— Aren't they in the area over there? Questioned Charlie, pointing to a small area between two shelves. I'm pretty sure I saw the box there earlier when I was picking up the plates.
— Nope, nothing. Replied Katya, who had already approached it. Just footprints on the ground.
— FOOTPRI- Charlie began, almost dropping the box of plates on the floor. He put the plates down and moved closer to Katya.
— Strange, I was sure the box was there. Did someone take it without us realizing it?
— These footprints aren't human. Katya grumbled, observing them more closely. We're dealing with a thief, probably an entity.
— Well, that’s just great. Charlie says sarcastically and sighs. I guess we'll have to follow the trail and save Christmas.
—It's not worth it. Katya disapproved. We'll do without it for this year.
Charlie flinched at his friend's response.
— You definitely don't have the Christmas spirit. A tree without garlands? Unimaginable! We have to go find it.
— I still think it's a waste of time. Continued Katya, rolling her eyes. But hey, as you wish. She shrugged her shoulders.
— Come on, lighten up, Katya! For the tree and for Christmas! Added the Hermes scout, cheerfully, as he was already heading towards the door to follow the small footprints.
— If you say so. Added Katya, concerned yet following suit.
For what seemed like forever, the duo followed the footprints on the ground, which took them out of the Hippocrates-1 base and into the halls of the Habitable Zone. Suddenly, when the path so far showed only monotony, Katya signaled to stop.
— Something is following us.
Charlie wanted to turn around to observe the object of this impromptu pause, but Katya stopped him in his tracks.
— It's a Stalker. Don't look at it, don't think about it, just keep walking, and above all: don't look back.
— Very smart to tell me not to think about it when I hadn't even noticed, Katya. Charlie sighed disapprovingly.
— We have to find someone else to lure it. With any luck, that will allow us to slip away into a hallway. But above all we do not d-
Katya was stopped in her thoughts by Charlie, who pointed out a figure in the distance who seemed to be walking with difficulty. Katya narrowed her eyes to recognize the being in question. She grimaced.
— Damn, a Skin-Stealer. Just our luck. We're caught in a pinch.
— The Stalker might lose interest if we're quick enough. Charlie suggested.
— Too risky; we must be sure of our eventualities. She retorted.
Charlie rolled his eyes.
— Katya, it’s approaching us, and it is clearly hostile. Replied Charlie, with a serious look that surprised Katya. It's cool to strategize, and I know you like to be sure of yourself, but we don't have time. Forget the academic approach for once and improvise. It's supposed to be our fucking specialty! You're with Hermes now, not with Hippocrates. Think like a Hermes. For our tree, Katya. For Christmas!
— Don't stress me out. I'm sure I can find something to-
— LAST ONE TO GET TO THE SKIN-STEALER IS A DEATH RAT!! Charlie suddenly shouted as he rushed in the direction of Entity 10.
Katya had a split second of incomprehension, but as she sensed the Stalker approaching dangerously, she had no choice but to follow Charlie. She was certainly from Hippocrates, but her training at Hermes had allowed her to adapt to the improvisations of her new colleagues. Although she disapproved of their methods, she could not operate differently here.
— CHARLIE WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IT’S TOO DANGEROUS! Katya shouted as she caught up to her teammate. She felt the Stalker behind them, chasing the duo. WHY CAN'T YOU BE FUCKING SERIOUS FOR ONCE??
— I'm serious, Katya! Charlie assured her. Trust me for once. For the tree! For Christmas!
— As if I had a choice! Retorted Katya, knowing the Stalker was after them.
As they approached the Skin-Stealer, Charlie retrieved a Christmas ornament from his coat pocket. Suddenly, when they were almost level with the entity, Charlie threw the ornament to his left, which crashed into one of the pillars of the hall. As he had expected, the Skin-Stealer, who had been watching them until then, lost interest in them and focused his attention on the broken object. The Skin-Stealer's low intelligence was its undoing, and both Charlie and Katya could hear the Stalker behind them attacking what the creature thought was human.
The two friends continued running for a few minutes so that the Stalker would not chase them again. Finally stopping in front of a double metal door opening onto a corridor, they were able to catch their breath.
— You're insane, Charlie. Katya lectured between breaths. That could've been a disaster. Why can't you be serious when we're in this kind of situation?
— I was serious, Katya. Charlie paused. Listen, I know that sometimes I don't take missions seriously. I know I tend to rush into things, all that, but that doesn't make me insane. Not completely anyway.
Seeing that Katya did not respond, he continued.
— You taught me a lot. I understand that in a world like the Backrooms, you have to be careful and measure your chances and opportunities. You already saved my life with this. That said… if there's anything Hermes taught me, it's that sometimes you don't have time to think. What you need to do is come up with an idea quickly and not wonder if it's going to work, because it's exactly by wasting time that you'll get killed.
Katya seemed to think. Snippets of her training at Hermes resurfaced in her mind. She certainly didn't like improvisation, but she had to see that it had its advantages. She knew it. The Stalker was already about to attack when she noticed it. Charlie had made the right choice.
— Well… I understand. She admitted. Sorry for doubting you. I thought… I just thought you didn't know what you were doing.
Charlie shrugged.
— At least we got away with it, right? We make a good team after all! For Christmas and for our tree! He smiled.
Katya smiled in turn.
— Certainly… but we still don't have the garla-
Katya was interrupted by a sort of small humanoid figure wrapped in a cape who began to hop in front of her.
— A Collector? Interesting… Her smile persisted. She had an idea.
Katya removed her Ariane Circle badge from her coat. The little creature approached her, attracted by the shiny object, which she handed to it. The Collector snatched it from her hands and began to dig around in his cape, stamping its feet, before bringing out five purple garlands, which it handed to the duo.
— How did you guess he was going to give you the garlands? Questioned Charlie, impressed.
— I didn't guess anything. She laughed. I just improvised.
Adler, fists clenched and bleeding, stood frozen and impassive with his chest out, facing his enemy. A voice on his radio shouted to him, "We're coming! Hold on a little longer! We're coming, chief!" to reassure him and maintain contact. He turned off the radio, he didn't want his death to be broadcast live. He had found himself in such a situation thanks to (or because of) Arianne. The Diplomat had briefed them on a neutralization mission requested by one of her friends, the Ambassador. He never imagined having to fight against his greatest nightmare for the success of the mission. His greatest enemy, for his part, had his fists clenched and bleeding, was frozen and impassive with his chest out, facing Adler.
— Hurgh… You hit hard, I say. But not as strong as me. He spits on the ground in provocation.
— Arf… You hit hard too, I say. But not as strong as me. He, in turn, spits on the ground by provocation.
— Your time is running out. The trap worked; they are coming. I won't let you go anywhere.
— Your time is running out. My trap worked; they are coming. You can't run anywhere.
— You tire me. We're going to put an end to this now!
— You're making me sick. We're going to put an end to this filth right away!
The two took off simultaneously. Adler was looking to hit the head to give him a quick knockout with a jam. The other, for his part, sought to strike his opponent's liver. Seeing the jam coming to the head, the latter countered him, then grabbed his arm to have support for a moment and thus kneed Adler in the liver. The latter preferred to fall with his opponent rather than take this fatal blow.
On the ground, the blows made the wind whistle with their power and speed. The ground was gradually stained blood red. It was not a clean fight, nor a street brawl, but a violent and shocking fight to the death.
As Adler took hits, flashes appeared in his head. Memories of Christmas, reminders of gifts, familiar little voices shouting in unison, “For Thanatos. For Christmas.” He repeated the phrase to himself each time, so as not to lose hope. Even a man of his type needed hope to live, no matter how small and ridiculous it was.
One of the two fighters managed to propelled themselves from the ground to gain the upper hand over the other. Adler absolutely had to survive. He decided to put himself in a defensive position, counting on the help of Thanatos. But hasty, crowded footsteps paused the fight for a fraction of a second. One of them tried to escape from the duel but was shoved and fell to the ground. The fight resumed with full force.
The footsteps stopped and were followed by resounding blows against wood. Adler was beginning to lose track of time and his consciousness. The only words that passed through his bloody skull were "For Thanatos. For Christmas!" with a cheerfulness totally contrasting with the catastrophic situation in which he found himself. He felt a rib break, he let out a cry. Despite his confused thinking, he understood that something was blocking Thanatos. He had to hold on a little longer. All he had left was his rage to fight.
— Arf… Are you going to snuff it or not?! Blood flows from his mouth, staining his camouflage t-shirt. You'll never be able to surpass me… Give up, and maybe I'll take pity on you! Maybe.
— Arf… Are you going to snuff it or not?! Blood flows from his mouth, staining his camouflage t-shirt—
Like an interruption, Adler, with his two linked hands, hit his opponent brutally in the jaw. He staggered backwards, twirling his hands in search of a hold to avoid the fall. As he regained his balance, he was hit in the chest with a frontal blow from a martial technique.
There is a rumor about the origins of the ruler of Thanatos, also known as the Man-Bear. It is said that he was a Russian special forces soldier, the KGB perhaps. Others think the GRU or even the Spetsnaz. There is a half-truth behind all that, his frontal chase. He did indeed learn it in the Russian special forces, but not as a soldier. Rather as an heir. During the Cold War, it was common to doubt others and go on a witch hunt. So for the higher-ups, often the people they trusted the most were their own children. So it's fitting that from a young age, Adler was predestined and indoctrinated to follow his father's path and join the ranks of the GRU. Unfortunately or fortunately, he didn't, and now found himself here, in the Backrooms.
For Christmas, for Thanatos. The fight was coming to an end. Both were on the ground, and the door blocking the "Adler Rescue Group" had given way to the rage of Iris Tziak, fueled by the frustration of having to once again go to the aid of her leader. The lamps illuminated the bloodied faces of the fighters. But one of them got up from behind, each of these movements producing a crunching sound and compressed blood.
— Adler…
One could admire the wounds that this fight to the death had just inflicted on him, but his face remained hidden in the darkness. The silence that followed was oppressive. He broke the ice by leaving in a monotonous and dead voice, still without turning around.
— I won. Let's go home.
The group remained silent; Iris was the only one to respond.
— Go home?!-… You're right. Let's go home. For Thanatos…
— For Christmas.
A bullet passed through his skull just after his response. As the fake Adler's skin evaporated into an amalgam of smoldering black molecules coalescing to form a barely humanoid silhouette, he fell abruptly to the ground with a sound of boiling, living metal. Iris ordered the squad to check on the creature and ran to the real Adler to pick him up and wake him up with nice slaps.
— Oh, you old moron! Wake up!
He coughs —… Shut up.
— Come on, we have to move! They're waiting for us! You know. For Thanatos, for…
— Stop with that childish phrase— arf, damn, I’m sick!
— Hahaha! It really is you! I see you’re getting beaten?
— Naaaaaah… I had planned this, hahaha…
The unmasked Screamer was well and truly dead, if he could really be called alive in the first place. Thanatos hastened to transport the body to the meeting area where the Diplomat and the Ambassador were waiting for them. The Ambassador was the link between Arianne and the Screamers; he had asked her for a service that only Thanatos could fulfill. Adler, with a menacing breath, dropped the body of his fellow man in front of the man in the vantablack 3-piece suit. He laughed ironically at the sight of the dead man; his expressions were not human, and Arianne did not yet understand him enough to know the mystery behind his hysterical reactions. However, he released an enigmatic sentence before leaving with the body.
— So this is what it means to die.
Arianne said goodbye to the Ambassador, not hoping to see him again soon as she and Thanatos headed to Level 11, where a Christmas meal worthy of the greatest fantasies awaited them. Iris gave him a small, reassuring smile as she helped the lame Man-Bear put his feet one in front of the other, telling him again that he should continue "For Thanatos, for Christmas" while laughing at him. However, she seemed slightly dismayed by Arianne's state and asked her:
— Did something happen? You look weird. Did everything go well on the way?
— Oh. It's nothing. I just encountered something.
Despite several attempts, Anthony Kelvin, historian of Team Hermes, struggled to make Nyx understand the concept of the end-of-year celebrations and Christmas. Whatever he tried, this type of purely human notion remaining incomprehensible to the alien. Describing themes as basic to humanity such as gender or history of civilization was already difficult, but Christmas was seemingly on a whole new level. Despite his research, the historian was simply unable to present this very important event to Nyx. However, the fateful date of the holiday was fast approaching, and Anthony refused to leave them in the dark for their first Christmas in the Backrooms. To explain and make them understand this celebration, he needed all the context. He needed to be able to describe in detail the origins of customs, but how could he find the Christmas story in a dimension that was not its source? Unfortunately, even the GPD1 or the M.E.G. database, like the Ariane Circle, did not have this kind of information. They made it possible to read articles on its adaptation in the Backrooms, but its source seemed to have never gone beyond the Frontrooms internet, to the historian's great despair.
Anthony almost gave up when a last hope took shape in his mind. Within the Promethean Library, the Lost Hall Society had been able to store enormous knowledge in the sub-level of the Terror Hotel, using its unique properties to their advantage hundreds of years ago. The library had been able to revel in the memories of the group members, taking them and transcribing them into its books. Perhaps this ancient community had been able to report the origin of Christmas to the library in one of its countless works? Of course, to be able to take this book, he would also have to deposit one of his memories to the Promethean Library. Such was the arrangement he had made with the place: knowledge of the present for knowledge of the past.
But that wasn't what Anthony feared most. After all, he had already completed this contract several times to quench his thirst for historical knowledge. No, the problem was entirely different. Although he had gained courage since his first mission, he still remained a coward. He knew that Katya wouldn't allow him to go there. She was too busy at the moment, and would forbid him from going alone. How could he blame her? He didn't know how to fight and panicked easily. Just meeting a single entity was enough to make him lose his temper. Yet Anthony knew he had to do it. For Nyx. For Christmas. After all, how could he become a better person if he didn't try to move beyond his fears? He had overcome his cowardice during the initial meeting between Hermes and Nyx; he could control his emotions again.
He had decided to leave the Hermes-5 base at night in order to escape Katya's surveillance. Although he had spent the day mentally preparing himself, he remained anxious at the idea of encountering one of the dangerous species living in the Terror Hotel, or worse, one of the staff members who ran the place. Despite everything, he persisted with his plan. He was not the same person he was a few years ago, and his meeting with Nyx had proven to him that he was capable of overcoming his fear. So, he traversed the dimly lit corridors of the seventh floor alone, skimming the walls and hoping not to be spotted. He knew the way to the library by heart now, so the journey had only taken a few minutes. His heart soared at the sight of the wooden door he now recognized so well. It all seemed almost too easy for a hotel infested with entities while the lights were out, but he wasn't going to complain.
He was now in the Promethean Library. Although he didn't feel anything, he knew the place had noticed his entrance, as it always did. The sublevel knew the reason for his arrival, and Anthony knew that it would not be long before he took its payment from his memory. Knowledge of the present for knowledge of the past.
But that wasn't a problem. He could acquire the knowledge of the present anew. He was there to discover the past. For Nyx. For Christmas.
Knowing only too well that the work would not appear before his eyes until the library had decided so, Anthony decided to stroll through the gigantic shelves as usual.
Who was Partygoer Zero again? He shrugged his shoulders.
Wandering between the shelves, he began to look at the few books on his way out of curiosity: a work on the morphology of Skin-Stealers, a notebook listing the ancient safe paths of Level 8, a cookbook with the theme of Wall Meringues. Suddenly, he discerned a green book bound in red leather edged with silver. He approached it to check the title. “Christmas and Advent Traditions Through the Ages.” The historian smiled. He had succeeded.
Suddenly, as his quest drew to a close, Anthony suddenly became aware of his surroundings. Anxiety overcame him again. He had walked too long and had sunk into the depths of the sublevel, much further than usual. He began to tremble. What if entities were lurking around this place when the lights were off?
He must not give in to panic; he must remain calm. For Nyx and for Christmas. He started running to retrace his steps towards the entrance to the library. He knew he should make as little noise as possible, but he also knew he should stay here for as little time as possible. The library itself was not the threat, but the creatures that might lurk there were.
— It's a bit late to indulge in a book.
A voice pierced the darkness. A hoarse, almost stifled voice, which tore away the little courage that the historian had been able to retain until then. Anthony turned around slowly, trembling like never before. Breathless, he discerned a few meters from him a humanoid silhouette looking him straight in the eyes. A sort of businessman in a suit, with a squid face replacing a human skull.
— You… You He began to stutter, realizing with horror what was happening. You… You are the Beast.
The entity seemed to frown with what served as its eyebrows.
— You humans never change, do you? You and your vile nicknames. Please call me the Gentleman of Level 5. Let's not start off on the wrong foot, shall we?
Anthony couldn't answer, his throat tight with fear. Not him. Not now. He knew enough about this monster to know what awaited him. He should never have ventured into the library at night. Even this could not protect him from the fury of the true master of the place.
— I see you have become a… loyal visitor to this place, Mr. Kelvin. replied the Beast. It’s unfortunate, you see, because your species should never have found this place. He sighed. It always happens the same way. First, knowledge brings pride to our residents. It makes them grow wings while they imagine themselves understanding and grasping everything. Then this pride is followed by distrust. As if you could control your destiny better than us. As if my staff were not capable of making you have a pleasant stay.
The Beast paused again.
— If only you knew how much I hate this library. He almost seemed to spit with disdain.
In response, a shelf collapsed to the right of the humanoid, who remained stoic despite the books at his feet. Anthony, for his part, remained paralyzed, already imagining the horrible punishments that the Beast could inflict on him. The historian was breathing and shaking so hard that he couldn't even respond to the entity in front of him.
— And you, Mr. Kelvin, represent the apogee of all the faults of your species. Replied the creature. Without this curiosity or even this arrogance when it comes to knowledge, you would make a fantastic employee, you know. An opportunity to seize.
Anthony thought he would faint at this mention. So this was the end for him. He was condemned to see his soul annihilated and his body reformed to, in turn, torment those who were his comrades.
— Unfortunately for both of us, we find ourselves in a time of… restrictive circumstances. "Christoween", whatever you call it, I think.
Anthony's fear turned into incomprehension. Christowhat? He still couldn't speak.
— Hmm… I guess you're not one of those city slickers. But that doesn't matter; this hotel prevents me from taking a vacation, and I'm not in the festive spirit anyway.
The Gentleman paused.
— But certain ethereal figures would like to open me up to your pagan customs. Quite tiring, in fact, considering the annual nature of these unwelcome visits. But so be it. This year, the contract has been signed, and the spirit of Christmas or whatever must be preserved. I suppose it's Christmas in your "base," given the book you came to pick up.
Anthony tried to nod, without success. He couldn't tell if it was due to fear or incomprehension, but he remained paralyzed by the situation.
— So then, I must let you go. Enjoy your festive decadence, Mr. Kelvin. Celebrate this holiday like your life depends on it, because this is the only year I will spare you despite the disrespect you show towards this establishment.
The historian went from fear to incomprehension then to hope in just a few seconds. How was this possible? The Level 5 Beast never let wanderers he encountered escape.
— But don't get your hopes up, Mr. Kelvin. I don't do this out of joy. This place should never have manifested itself again. And you, the library, and your Ariane Circle represent a potential threat to this establishment that I intend to monitor. So I advise you not to cross my path again.
The entity cast a quick glance at the shelf still at its feet before returning its attention to the historian.
— Now leave before I change my mind. My patience, like my contract, has its limits.
Finally regaining control of his body in the face of his terror, Anthony turned and ran, rushing out of the Promethean Library until he was out of breath. He ran through the corridors, he ran into the Circle's base, and into his room.
Collapsing on his bed, not knowing if he would ever get rid of the trauma he had just experienced, Anthony Kelvin, with tears in his eyes, contemplated the book that the Library had given him. The story of Christmas in both Frontrooms and Backrooms was finally in his hands.
Exhausted and relieved, his mind only had time to formulate one last sentence before falling asleep:
For Nyx. For Christmas.
— Poor girl, you're always running, always fleeing. Is this how you deal with your problems? Be more original in your escape, please, because I'm starting to get bored. Right now! Right now! And even if you run away, I will find you thanks to your footprints, the footprints you leave in the Wi-Fi. You make me laugh. To think that it is only a banal and dated network! You don't even realize that you've been part of Wi-Fi since you first connected. You are in the Wi-Fi, and I will track you all. But for now, I'm interested in you. Do you hear me? ARIANNE! IT'S YOU I WANT!
My legs were on fire, a divine fire that pushed me to go faster than I ever thought possible. The 40% theory seemed real even in hell. So I run! How he shouts to me! I'm running at 50%! I'm running at 70%! 90%! 100%?! No, I fall. I caught my face because of the filthy floor of this shitty level. I gave up the race and decided to hide behind a small wall that ran alongside one of the swimming pools. I felt him approaching; his metallic steps made the pipes dance, and the water trembled with fear as he approached me.
— I heard someone fall! Are you alright? I don't want to find you drowned in one of those dirty swimming pools. It would damage your beautiful face, and water is not my friend. I don't want anything to come between your absorption and me!
He entered the room, smashing the white metal door. His size terrified me, especially because of his human form. I don't have the exact words to describe this thing. To be concise, I will describe him as a “skeleton of metal and electronic flesh.” His height exceeded 2 meters and his build seemed massive, although difficult to confirm because of his deformed anatomy. He reminded me of the old Terminators, but mixed with decomposed corpses and human eyes both in the eye sockets, but also scattered all over his body. Long, torn cables trailed down his back like a gown. He didn't run, but still managed to constantly catch up with me as if my frantic escape had done nothing.
— You're lucky this room is big. We'll have time to talk- Oops, haha, I almost fell! I need to be more careful. This body was way too expensive.
His voice was that of an electronic devil; it resembled the terrifying interference that attacked us from the defective machines of the time. Every word coming out of his mouth made my whole body tense, as if his voice was piercing me.
— You're not starting to get tired? You must have been running away from me for several hours, right? Well, as long as it entertains me.
I discreetly changed my position to take cover behind a wooden cabinet, placed there for seemingly no reason. It risked him discovering me by changing the angle. He was right: I had already been trying to escape my predator for 2 to 3 hours. My destination was supposed to be a meeting point. A friend of mine asked me to “calm down” one of his friends, except I was the only one. So I asked Iris, as always—it's starting to annoy me, actually, I'm tired of depending on her—and now I have to meet her somewhere to sort all this out and celebrate Christmas together. Christmas… I had totally forgotten about the holiday, and it-… it would be the perfect time to chat with Iris! But for that, I was going to have to get rid of this stalker! For Christmas, for Iris!
— I gave you a chance to surprise me, my little one. I wasn't expecting anything, but I'm still disappointed. Okay, the hide and seek is over.
The creature decided to activate, but it was too late for him. By babbling nonsense, he gave me time to come up with my plan. A childish plan, a bit like him. It was a sort of joke that I made when I was younger because I watched too many blockbusters. He's going to be surprised, like he's never been before.
— You're here, right behind this low wall. Give up, and I will absorb you without hurting you too much. Promise. You won't feel anything. You'll discover what it's like to give your soul to Wi-Fi, and you'll finally be m-
I came out of my low wall and appeared in front of him, my long jacket accompanying me in my movement as if to show me that I was not alone.
— Hey! DIPSHIT!
— Wha-
I gained momentum, a stone in my hand.
— GREEEENAAAAAAADEEEEE!
I threw it with all my might. I continued to push forward, my survival bag in hand. The monster shifted to try to catch the grenade as best he could, but he did not seem to have good control of his body yet. He staggered backwards a little, losing his balance. He inspected the grenade while trying to regain a stable pose. He discovered the deception of the grenade. Frightened, he looked up at me, running in his direction.
— STEP BACK!
He came to understand what is behind him, but it's too late. I wouldn't back down. For Iris. For Christmas!
— TAKE THISSSSSSS!
With impressive speed and the propulsion of a coordinated movement, I hit him head-on and in the face with my survival bag filled with 3 kilos of resources and survival equipment. The blow resonated like a divine slap in the room. He must've been questioning his whole life. The blow was enough to make him move back the few centimeters that kept him away from the edge of the pool. He fell and tried to grab me. Instead, he grabbed the bag and dragged it with him in his descent into hell. The pool must've been tens of meters deep.
He cried. He begged for forgiveness, my forgiveness. He called me by my nickname.
— Diplomat, you can't do that! You are as sweet as an angel.
It's been several months since I decided to take revenge. I would not let anyone play me through fear. He was not the first and will not be the last. I slowly approached the edge, lying down, because my technique had exhausted me. I admired him, suffocating, struggling. Electrical spasms. It's a magnificent view. I saw his human eyes, filled with hatred towards me despite his lack of facial expression. I then whispered to him with a smirk.
— From the Diplomat.
Still displaying my mischievous little smile, A little sliver of honor escaped me despite myself. The hatred in his eyes was a delight. Not that I'm particularly sadistic, but it felt so good to finally fight back. I'd tell Iris about this, that's for sure! I had to keep moving forward. For Iris. For Christmas.
After this adventure, it only took me an hour to reach my destination. So I found myself alone in front of the Ambassador, the friend who had asked me for a favor. We could only speak for a few moments before Iris emerged from the darkness to bring us the Ambassador's Christmas present—that's what I had nicknamed him. He left, thanking me. All we had to do was go home, where the Christmas spirit awaited us. Just before leaving, I made a simple remark about the deplorable state of Adler, leader of Thanatos. He answered me:
— Pfff… It's nothing, I just discovered what it was like to confront myself.
The tree, the snow, the laughter, the meal, the garlands, friends, family, love, the Christmas spirit. Everything was perfect. Not even the smallest thing was missing. Everyone came, in turn, placing gifts near the tree and sitting down to chat, meet, and catch up. Everyone's present has gone through difficult ordeals and traumatic moments. Yet, all together, they manage to enjoy this magical moment. Speeches are eloquently delivered, anecdotes told with humor, and light-hearted confessions revealed. The meal was now served, and people began to chat while enjoying the buffet.
In all this excitement, Arianne was looking for Iris's beautiful red hair. When she found her in all this mess, she allowed herself to sit near her, greeting her shyly. She trembled in front of so many people. Iris was used to taking care of Arianne. She took both of her hands before reassuring her.
— We are all together to enjoy this magical moment. Look around, everyone here is here to have fun, no one means you harm.
— I already know that. You don't need to play mother hen all the time. I can already feel the warmth of Christmas.
— Did I say something wrong?
A heavy silence between the two young women ensued. Arianne, who was looking the other way, sighed before slowly turning around, frustration on her face.
— Listen, Iris. I really appreciate your help from the beginning. But I'm not a child. I would like to feel more control over my life. Do you understand…?
— Arianne… It makes me so happy to hear you say that! You have evolved so much. I would never have imagined these words coming out of your mouth.
— Wh-What?
— It saddened me a little to see you behind, always sheltered, hidden behind the others or in your room. For some time now, I've been told that you've been walking alone more and more often. But there, hats off. I understand you, my dear. You are no longer a child. You still have a way to go before you have “control” over your life. Let’s take advantage of this moment to celebrate New Arianne! To the Diplomat!
Arianne blushed at Iris' words full of love. Her eyes widened with reassurance. She finally felt safe. As Iris downed her glass, Arianne leaned in to enjoy every beat of her heart and the background noise of the party as she drifted off to sleep.
— Arianne?… Pfff, it's going to become a habit to use my shoulder as a pillow. Rest well, my Arianne.
At the other end of the room, Anthony Kelvin quietly waited for Charlie and Katya to arrive.
— So you're the history guy, huh? People from Hermes told me about you.
Suddenly, he heard a loud voice, with a strong, cunning accent, coming from behind him. He jumped, his experience with the Level 5 Beast still too close to him for him to put aside his fear. He turned around and noticed a strongly built man, whose build seemed to have been through dozens of battles. The man had so many scars that the historian wondered if he had served in a Frontrooms War.
— H… hello sir. Anthony Kelvin, I am indeed a historian, sometimes in the field. Who do I have the honor of? He asked in an unsure voice.
— Adler, Thanatos team. Adler shook the historian's hand. It's not every day that I come across Hermes scrapbooks. They look like an endangered species. So, life in the Backrooms doesn't bother you too much?
— It's not easy, but I learn quickly. Anthony found himself retorting. For fear of having offended the giant of Thanatos, he added:
— I-I go on expeditions from time to time, sometimes on my own. The historian paused, unsure whether to speak about his latest escapade. I encountered the Beast of Level 5 on my last outing. It was… special.
— Ah, that little clown in a suit? You're a champion for running away from him. I would have beaten him up, he needs to clear his head. Added Adler, taking a sip of his drink.
— Let's say that it's this kind of encounter that… builds character. Added Kelvin. This is how we evolve. He continued as his interlocutor made him feel more confident. I like to think that my past self would be proud of me. But on the other hand, isn't change to our detriment?
— Honestly, don't bother with it. It's Christmas, it's your time! So don't let anyone ruin this kind of moment for you, yourself included.
Anthony nodded, not really knowing what the context of this statement was.
— Anthony! The historian heard the voice of Charlie Drake calling him towards the buffet.
— Excuse me, someone is calling me. Added Kelvin. It was an honor to meet you, Mr. Adler.
The giant returned the greeting before walking away towards the other guests.
— How are you? Asked Charlie, accompanied by Katya.
— Calmer, these days haven't been easy, but I'm getting through it. Replied Anthony, happy to see his friends again.
— Isn't Nyx here? Katya seemed surprised by the absence of the alien.
— Unfortunately, no. Too many people for him, and explaining Christmas to him is quite complicated. I got him a book from the Promethean Library, but it's still taking a while.
Katya frowned.
— Did you go… without telling me? Do you even have any idea what lurks around the Terror Hotel at night?
— The Beast of Level 5, for example? Anthony retorted with a half-defiant breath.
— Don’t tell me that… Charlie began.
— It was pretty traumatic, but I'm here. Assured the historian.
— I don't know whether I should yell at you for the reckless danger you took or applaud you for your courage. Katya replied. Maybe a little of both.
Charlie gave Anthony a friendly pat.
— Come on! We're proud of you, it's not every day that our favorite nerd comes out on his own! Come on, Katya, keep smiling! Will it only ever be the second person in our trio to prove a point to you?
— What have you been doing these past few weeks? Anthony questioned, eager to change the subject.
— Oh, you know, not much. Preparing the decorations, improvising with Katya to save Christmas, all that. Charlie winked at Katya as he spoke. She nodded back.
— You definitely don't give me any respite. She scoffed, smiling.
They were interrupted by Aurore Adelot from the Pytheas team, who asked all the guests to pose for the big Christmas photo. Anthony was able to observe Arianne, who was waking up painfully as she moved towards the stage with Iris and Adler, who was approaching while chatting with another member of Thanatos. There was something magical about Christmas: a time when all the tensions disappeared, a time to celebrate with your loved ones.
— Smile! Aurore asked once everyone was settled.
— For Christmas! He shouted as the flash came on, capturing this wonderful moment.