The Bony Basement
The blood was smeared all over the walls, and the old human bones were piling up on the plain stone floor. In this lightless expanse devoid of windows or illumination, a shroud of darkness enveloped everything.
A lifeless form, that of a young girl with chestnut locks, reclined against the wall. Her throat bore a grievous wound—the blood gushing out stained her long dress.
Her transparent clone floated about her, its ethereal, ghostly eyes locking with Tia's floating consciousness.
Her raps and faint whispers resounded through the gloomy basement: "Are you a spirit?"
'So this again.'
Tia responded, not even understanding how she could speak without a body, "Yes, what do you want in exchange for your body?"
The ethereal specter quivered ever so slightly, its form maintaining an silence as it floated in proximity to her earthly remains.
Just as Tia's patience began to wane, the deceased girl's voice emerged, a dry and wispy utterance carrying her plea, "I don't want that monster to kill anymore! Please kill it!"
"I will."
"Wait, there is something else!"
A flicker of irritation shook Tia's soul as she felt the ghost getting too greedy. She had no problem fulfilling one wish. However, two?!
In response, the specter recoiled, its presence receding and diminishing.
"I just want you to tell my family I love them."
Ding!
//
Do you accept the contract?
//
The sorrow threaded through the girl's voice tugged gently at her heartstrings, dissolving any remnants of irritation that lingered.
"I will."
'This isn't that hard to fulfill.'
In a split second, Tia's vision became swirling and hazy, pulling her downward as if caught in an invisible whirlpool. Knowledge flooded her mind—the place where she died, the location of her house, almost every bit of information she needed to fulfill her contract.
Tia's eyelids parted, revealing a pair of irises aglow in a vivid shade of purple as she watched the dark world through the eyes of the dead girl. The bleeding wound on her neck sent jolts of pain down her spine.
Ding!
//
New quest: The Death Contract
The original owner of your body has requested that you kill the murderer who took her life and visit her family for one last time.
Rewards: 2 x WP; a new vessel
Time Limit: 10 Days
Failure: You will be kicked out of the world and forced to try again.
//
Tia didn't even change to her own form as she stood up. The rotting bones beneath her shifted and cracked, while the wound on her neck healed seamlessly, every trace of pain dissipating. With a cautious stride, she advanced, her steps marked by a hint of uncertainty as she acquainted herself with her unfamiliar vessel, and the weight of gold she carried, strapped onto her body.
'I will rather keep this appereance for now to avoid trouble.'
Beep!
<<<>>>>
<Warning: An Unexpected time-space anomaly detected, consuming the energy to correct it.
Correction progress: 0.5%
<Error>: Correction blocked!
<<<>>>>
She quickly counted and smiled at the result: 'I have three days here. That should be enough.'
Her gaze descended upon the array of bones strewn across the floor, fragmented and fissuring beneath the weight of her steps. Some were still white and fresh, while others had already dried out and yellowed.
A gulp of unease cascaded down her throat as her mind wrestled with the grim reality, thinking, 'How many people were killed here?'
Even though she had no qualms about killing, she still felt disgust at the scene around her.
Abruptly, weathered hinges emitted a mournful creak, drawing her focus to the ascending staircase. A flood of luminance spilled forth, accompanied by the sound of weighty footfalls steadily drawing nearer.
Tia froze, her eyes already glowing as she prepared to fight. As if guided purely by reflex, her hand gravitated to her waist, where an unexpected jolt of astonishment surged through her when her fingers brushed against the chilly, familiar grip of her firearm's handle.
'So I can access my gun even in this form.'
With measured pace, the advancing footsteps drew nearer, their ominous rhythm punctuated by the click of Tia's raised gun. Her breath was held in suspended anticipation, a testament to her efforts to remain utterly soundless.
"Haha, I can hear your heartbeat, little snack!" The words sliced through the silence like a blade. In an instant, a silhouette cloaked in darkness launched itself with breathtaking velocity down the stairwell.
Tia's finger tightened on the trigger, and a vivid azure brilliance erupted, bathing the entire basement.
The inky black shadow lunged towards her, avoiding her shot that left a mere scorched scar on the stone wall, the molten stone emitting a faint, eerie luminescence amidst the darkness.
The red eyes gleamed by her side, and a shockwave exploded out of her body. The black shadow shot backward and caused fractures that snaked through the stone around her.
'So it really is a monster! It wasn't just a figure of speech!'
Tia's eyes scanned the dark basement; there was no movement or even a sound, except for the cracking of bones below her feet.
'Where did it go?'
Abruptly, a chill raced down her spine, causing the hairs on the nape of her neck to stand on end, while a gust of wind surged at her side.
Reacting swiftly, she pivoted, her senses on high alert, but there was nothing except for the gloomy basement.
'What in the damnation is it?'
Something was down there with her, even though she couldn't see it. Her memories were blurry to her dismay, and she couldn't quickly connect them with any known monster.
'It is fast, can morph into shadows, become invisible, and likes to eat human flesh. What is it?'
Once more, the wind whispered past her, its icy caress grazing the bare skin of her nape.
With a mounting sense of unease, she retreated, each step measured and deliberate, her grip on the gun unyielding, her mind and senses primed for any imminent threat.
'I need a wall against my back. I am too exposed in the open like this.'
Finally, a sigh of relief escaped her lips as the chilly embrace of the stone wall met her back.
'Should I risk it and try to use my telekinetic sense?' She knew that even a momentary grasp in her readiness could cost her life.
'My powers grew, it will be just a split second. Yes, either that, waiting for an opportunity or blowing up the entire basement.' She didn't like any of those options, but she knew she needed to act.
At last, her eyes flashed, and her web of telekinetic tendrils spread out.