The door leading to the attic creaked open, allowing the light from our lamp to illuminate the dark corners. The objects arranged there were covered in dust, silent witnesses to years of neglect.
"Wow! It's spacious up here, Mao! There must be something interesting lying around," exclaimed Amelia as she began to explore the room, rummaging through the furniture and suitcases. Old clocks and mirrors were scattered about and we make out ancient ceremonial swords.
"Be careful where you put your hands, there could be sharp or dangerous objects here," Mao cautioned.
Amelia looked at him disappoint, realizing that most of the things seemed to be simple trinkets without value.
"These items must be from Madame Lynda's family, who probably uses this place as storage space," Mao supposed.
Amelia waved her hand towards old paintings concealed under white veils, uncovering and revealing them.
"Look, I think these are the ancestors of this woman. It seems like ugliness runs in the family, haha!" she joked.
"Calm down a bit, you might get us caught. I don't want to be punished because of you," Mao intervened.
Amelia glanced at me and then tried to reassure me, saying that it was very late and everyone must be tired because of the adoption, which reduced the chances of being discovered, and asking me to stop worrying.
After thoroughly exploring the area, we found nothing of interest, except for a chest carefully hidden behind drawers. The chest, black and white, was adorned with several inscriptions in an unknown language. It was obvious that it held some value, but why would Madame Lynda's family leave such a precious object in an old attic?
I tried in vain to open the chest. It seemed to be securely locked, with no visible keyhole for a key.
Mao - "Ugh, there's nothing to do, it refuses to open," I exclaimed, frustrated.
Amelia - "Let me try, maybe you're just too clumsy."
I handed her the small chest, hoping that she would have more success than me.
Amelia took the chest confidently, her fingers tracing the smooth and ornate contours of the object. She seemed focused, her eyebrows slightly furrowed in a determined expression. After a tense moment of silence, she attempted to open the chest.
Mao - "You see, it's not working, stop tryi-"
I was abruptly interrupted when suddenly Amelia opened the chest. A slight creak accompanied the opening, and suddenly, a dazzling light burst from within, illuminating the room with a mysterious glow. We were both taken aback, blinded by the unexpected light.
The view began to gradually restore itself, and my eyes fell upon a black letter, bathed in a yellowish glow, mysteriously hovering in the air next to Amelia. The letter seemed to emanate from the chest, which now lay on the ground. Before we had time to react, a faint voice escaped from this strange letter:
[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN]
Suddenly, an explosion of confetti rained down on Amelia.
[AFTER MANY YEARS OF BRAVERY AND TRAINING, YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO FULFILL ONE OF YOUR DEEPEST WISHES...]
Amelia – "Mao, w-what's happening? What's with this light writing words, why is it talking to me? I don't understand," she said, shocked and worried.
Mao – "I don't know, but we need to get out of here, follow me."
As we tried to retrace our steps, we immediately noticed that the door was closed. We attempted to open it, but it was completely sealed shut as if it were a wall. Turning back, we noticed that the flying letter was following Amelia, continuing to speak and write words in the air.
[YOU WILL SOON BE SUMMONED TO THE SYSTEM...]
[GOOD LUCK PLAYER!]
Shortly after, a strong light resembling a hole formed under Amelia's feet. I grabbed Amelia's hand and tried to pull her out of there.
Mao - "Amelia, hold on! You need to get out of this thing!"
Amelia - "I'm trying! B-but it's not working!"
In a matter of seconds, Amelia's feet were sucked into the hole, so I attempted to cling to her by grabbing onto a wooden plank emerging from the floor. Summoning all my strength, I fought against the portal, trying to save Amelia. But no matter how hard I tried, she kept slipping away, disappearing into the bright light.
I let out a piercing scream, shouting for Amelia not to leave and not to leave me alone. "Amelia!" But suddenly, as if my own legs no longer belonged to me, my body began to follow Amelia into the gaping hole.
Before anyone could notice anything, Amelia and Mao vanished into a hole leading to the unknown in a matter of seconds. The room fell silent again, as it had been for many years.