"The last time I was there, there was a crazy freak incident! One of the air sharks just came swooping down and ate one of the faceling vendors like they were nothing! Want to know what I managed to notice though? The lights flickered off for a moment when it happened. With that in mind, here's our plan…"
—
Our old base was about to be lost to light, the night cycle nearing its final days. None of us were willing to deal with the Argos, and god knows they would not be willing to take us in with what we were about to do.
We didn't know if the infection could be spread here with the way it was powered. We weren't willing to find out and we weren't willing wait for it to happen. They tried their best to frame it as us saving them from the potential agony. I knew this was out of desperation. How else would we have all successfully clipped here at once?
Fifty people, all with makeshift weapons and blackout gear, readied within the thickets of the forest. Eyes lowered to the grounds, only those with the eye-gear to look up for brief periods scoping out all the staff. We would go in small groups — at least one eye-shielder to distract the faceling and guide them elsewhere, and around two or three with them to attack from behind.
I had the gear to be the distraction, but I refused to partake in killing. The leaders disapproved, but decided it was fine, electing to place me on watch duty and act as the meeting point for all the groups. From thereon, all I could do is watch as the end began.
The first attack was successful, one of the so-called janitors sweeping closeby to the forest making for a quick pick. I watched the lights only dim for a moment before returning to their original brightness. Minimal progress, but a hypothesis proven correct, at least.
One by one, the facelings were guided away. Others proved successful, while some found themselves no-clipped away as the faceling bled out. If all went well, they would be back in a matter of minutes — 148, 365, 345. So long as they remembered the path, we could continue our work.
I should have brought it up when I noticed the stalls deteriorating and the lights were still as brilliant as ever. They were all too far and spread. All I could do was watch as the plan crumbled and decayed with every attack.
It truly fell apart when one of the teams slipped through the cracks of the ground. There were only a few facelings left, but the park was completely breaking at the seams. The stalls were breaking down, memories seeped out of the chamber and house, the air sharks were either dropping like flies or simply dissipating into nothingness, and everyone was panicking.
The screams. The calls of pain and terror as they all began to fall away. It was unbearable. I kept my head down to the ground and prayed to something I hadn't followed since I got here.
It felt even worse when it all began to fall quiet. I peeked my head out for a single moment.
There was one faceling left, stood under one last lamppost looking my way. Everything else has fallen away but the path between it and me. Not even the sky looked the same, a vast empty void instead of the star-lit sky it was before.
We really were the only thing left now.
I stood up and approached. The faceling did the same. I couldn't find the words to say to it.
'Why?'
I couldn't answer the question.
'Why?'
Why did we do this? Why didn't we just test the peaceful option? For all we know, we could have finally had one haven from the darkness again.
'Why?'
… desperation made us all blind.
My knife was in its hands. The blade was pointed at itself. It reached out for my hand, pulling it to the handle. It was asking me to end it… god, it wanted me to kill it. I knocked the blade from its hands, screaming that I wouldn't do it.
For a moment I thought it had listened to me when it began to walk away. But as it neared the lamppost once more I only noticed it then - beyond that point was a drop into nothingness.
It sent me back home with a simple wave as it began to tip back. When I came to, I was back in the twilight sands, a guilty wanderer who allowed a whole level to die out of doing nothing.
—
| Level 345 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Classification: N/A | ||
| Status: Non-Existent | Density: Unknown | Accessibility: None |
What we called Level 345 — a.k.a. Liminal Forest, has ceased to exist. Due to the negligence of a group of wanderers adamant on finding their own safe haven, they have ensured the complete removal of this level from this realm of existence. Wanderers are strongly advised to not seek out this level, as we are unsure as to where the entrances here will take you — we can only theorise this to be The Void or somewhere far worse.
We thank the wanderer who informed us of the situation - the last known survivor of the case, who now resides within the monastery, however, we use this as a reminder to all wanderers. We understand the need for safety is strong within what remains of us; to escape the lights and find shelter in the dark. We remind you — all those who read this, that above all else you must maintain your humanity where you can. Safety does not come from the loss of innocent lives and beings.
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Oh, the gods tried their best to hinder me :]
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P.S. There's a few secret offsets in a few of the cases, go find them :]