Chapter 24: The missing piece [2]
The answer to my solution was right under my nose.
The more I thought about it, the more likely it felt that this was the missing piece to my game.
And yet...
I desperately wanted to be wrong.
"I feel like puking already."
Taking a deep breath, I stood up and walked towards the door of the room, opening slightly and peeking my head out.
There was no one outside. The office space lights were off, leaving everything submerged in an oppressive darkness. The silence felt heavy, stifling the air. Clearly, everyone had already gone home, and when I checked the time, I realized it was already 1:07 a.m.
....I was the only one left at the Guild.
"Hoo."
I took a deep breath and looked back at my desk.
My lips quivered as I tried my best to think of other ways to solve my situation, but the more my thoughts lingered over the solution I had found, the more I felt that it was the only way for me to move forward.
"....Alright."
Every part of me wanted to refuse the situation.
To look for another solution.
However, I didn't have the luxury to think of another solution. This felt like the most likely solution, and I had no other choice but to commit to it.
It was just that...
"I might die."
Indeed, there was a very real chance that my actions could lead to my own death.
And yet...
Remaining passive would also lead to my own death.
I had no other option but to go through with my plan. At the very least, this was better than just waiting for an inevitable death.
"There are a few things that I need, first."
I stepped out of the 'office' and into the Field Agent area, weaving my way through the cubicles, the shadows seeming to stretch and shift with every corner I turned. The eerie emptiness made the space feel like it was closing in on me.
"Here."
Eventually, I found what I had been looking for.
"This should do."
It was a long and thick rope.
I pulled it a couple of times to make sure it was durable enough. It was only after a couple of tries that I nodded in satisfaction.
"...Okay."
Though I felt a little guilty for taking the rope, I planned to return it later. Even at a glance, I could tell this was no ordinary rope.
This was probably what the field agents took with them during their gate missions.
"This place sure does look creepy at night."
The silence alone was unsettling, but what truly disturbed me was the absence of anyone in such a vast, empty space. The stillness made it feel like the entire building was somehow... growing. Expanding, as if it were alive.
The longer I stayed, the more uneasy I became.
Once I'd gathered everything I needed, I hurried back to my office.
Click!
I locked the door behind me, the metallic click echoing louder than it should have. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for what was to come.
"...Here goes nothing."
I pushed the table away from the chair and placed my hand over the light switch. Taking a few deep breaths, I turned off the light.
Click.
My hands tingled as the darkness swallowed me from all sides.
Turning on my phone, I made my way towards my seat and sat down. After which, I opened the recording device on my phone and set the recording to last for five minutes.
"...This should be enough time."
I took a nervous breath while setting the phone down.
The plan was simple.
I planned on recording the conductor's music in order to then attempt to use the soundtrack for the game.
This was the solution that I had come up with after a lot of thinking.
Thinking back to the cab ride a few days ago, it hit me—if I could channel that music and weave it into the game, I could create something truly remarkable.
The thought made my heart race, but at the same time, it was incredibly risky.
Not only was I unsure if I could record the effects of the music onto my phone, but I was also unsure if I could even survive the entire ordeal. It was for this reason that I set a five-minute time limit.
That would be enough for me to work on the game.
"Okay, I think I'm ready."
I glanced down at my wrist and pressed on my arm.
A cold wind swept past as a dark figure appeared before me. I quickly handed it the ropes I'd gathered just moments earlier and rested both hands on the armrests of the chair.
"Tie me up and make sure I can't harm myself."
The shadow obeyed without question, moving silently to my side and securing the ropes around each of my wrists and ankles.
By the time it was finished, I gave a few tentative tugs—but quickly realized I could barely move my body at all.
It was very secure.
'...Okay, this way I don't have to be afraid of harming myself.'
I still felt chills recalling the scenes from the first scenario.
Lowering my head, I stared at the phone resting on the armrest. With a few swipes, I connected the music app to my computer. At the same time, I chose a song that lasted for approximately five minutes while turning off the 'continue play' feature.
The phone was like the last source of light in the dark room.
It felt like the only thing keeping me grounded and in place.
"Everything is ready..."
I licked my lips while shifting my attention towards the Nightwalker. A part of me was scared it might affect it as well. If that were the case, recalling it now was the safest choice.
And so I did.
The silence deepened, thickening in the air until it felt suffocating.
"....."
I looked at my phone and took a deep breath. Then, after what felt like an eternity, I pressed play and started the recording.
Ting, Ting—
It wasn't long before the music started playing.
The melody from the song I was so familiar with reached my ears as I sat in silence, my limbs bound to the chair.
I was waiting.
Waiting for the inevitable shift that only occurred when I was present.
The wait felt like an eternity, each second stretching into what felt like hours. It was scarier than death itself, knowing that something was coming, but never knowing when.
But then—
Tiiii—!
It came.
The inevitable shift.
...And the start of my five-minute-long nightmare.