Love is War

Chapter 32

This underground room that I entered earlier is pretty eerie as the blood markings on the walls are much more common than outside of this room. Also, the faint light from the scattered candles is giving the place a creepy vibe.

In here I can only the whispers of that unaware player of my presence but I also heard a growl, definitely coming from the other monsters that roams this church. There is a possibility that he or she might go inside and follow me here, or the monster follow me here. I don’t know what lies beyond this area, might be another note but who knows. The stairs going down is pretty long.

I hope that this is not a dead end for me because if it is one, I am doomed. I am here right now and there is no turning back especially when that monster is outside of this room. Going back means sure death, that’s why I need to stay here. Besides my eye logo stays colorless and that means that the monster is not aware of my presence.

I am pretty sure that the developer put some hiding spots in here. I reached the basement, I guess if it is, and there I saw many tables with journals and candles. Also, an altar with a star in a circle that’s been drew with blood. I guess they really worship demons instead of God. How ironic of them.

I immediately went to one of the tables inside this room to find a note lying above it. My steps caused a creaking on this old flooring and a tip appeared once again on my screen saying that noise draw the ghosts to me, that’s why I need to press shift to sneak.

A noise meter appeared on my right, my normal step causes a green meter and it stacks as I move forward without sneaking. Once it reaches the red part it means that I am loud enough and if the monsters are nearby, they will probably check the area.

Another tip appeared on my screen telling me that I can make noise by throwing objects to distract the ghosts, which helped me to develop a strategy avoiding those monsters. They are not blind so that means that once they are chasing me, even I distract them, they won’t stop. So, by hiding in a corner and I saw a monster that’s the most logical thing to do.

I picked up a can, which can be tossed around which will help me and my inventory seems to have no limit that’s why I am not worrying to fill up my bag. Also, I got a key from one of the tables that I searched earlier.

Oh, before I continue since the monster did not enter this room, I remembered that I have notes that has not been read yet. I pressed tab which pops up the inventory menu and I clicked on the 3 pieces of note. It’s stacking up which means that these are lore notes probably.

I don’t know if there are other kind of notes scattered around this place but I will find out soon. I clicked on it which materializes the first letter that I had read earlier, I also noticed that there are pages on top right now since I am holding more than one letter now. This one is the first out of 13 notes scattered inside the church. I pressed the next button which takes me to the next letter that I got earlier. It’s sad that it is the fifth out 13, it’s impossible to get them all since the others must have got the other letters. I guess I need to maximize as much information that I will get.

“Dear Mother,” as usual it’s Nina who wrote the letters and it is sad to think that she might be dead.

“Dear Mother,

It’s been a month of stay here and I just recently found out that there is something dark happening inside the church, but I am keeping strong with my faith as you once taught me when I am by your side. Night by night, I am praying before I sleep. Don’t worry the higher priests still don’t know that I know what they are into.

They are trying to summon Lucifer the prince of hell, I don’t know why but I am losing faith with the people here. I don’t know who to trust anymore and Elizabeth the friend that I told you on my earlier letters, is acting strange right now and I am afraid that she might be one of them or worse, a victim of them. Don’t worry I am finding a way to escape this place and don’t call the authorities it will not work. They can bribe them money and they will not let go of me once they find out.

May the God bless me with strength and protection.

Love Nina”

That’s sad to hear that Nina has been struggling with her life inside this church and I felt like that she is real. Yes, I am easily touched by the characters inside the game. I don’t know why but who cares anyway. I pressed the next button to see the next letter and I am glad that this is the sixth out of the 13 in overall maybe I got both letters from the same area. Still, it’s sad for the mother that she did not had the chance to read the letters of her daughter.

“Dear Mother,

The priests might have found out that I knew their secrets and I am afraid that they might do something bad to me. Elizabeth is nowhere to be found and now I still remain in this room and they interact with me as usual but I have the feeling that they are keeping an eye to me. It bothers me and I can’t sleep at night especially knowing my roommate disappeared and the priests here seems to does not care about her disappearance or maybe they have something to do with it.

I am more afraid right now just by thinking it and scared that they might do the same thing that they did with Elizabeth. I have a strong feeling that it will happen. P- please help me. Get me out of here mother. I’m afraid. I don’t want to be here anymore.

Nina”

Tragic. She did not get any help from her mother since the letters are still here, damn mail man. He only has one job! My poor Nina.

I noticed that Nina is not putting a “Love Nina” anymore at the end of her letters, only her first name. But it is still sad, I did not waste any more time as I saw that the time is about to hit the 16-minute mark meaning 4 more minutes away before the game add difficulty.

I went to the remaining tables inside the church and grabbed another note and a couple of pills and a medkit to heal a great amount of my health. Also, another key, might be a key to another locked door and might contain other important items in the game since it is still safe here, I decided to read the note that I recently got from the table.

It’s the ninth note out of 13 scattered around this church.

“Dear Mother,

I don’t know if this letter is reaching you, I need help here. They locked me in a cage and I saw... I saw... I saw Elizabeth dead hanged by a chain. They said that they will offer her body to Lucifer and they will do the same to me. Please mother send help immediately. I am afraid.

I also saw some kind of monster appeared. It’s scary and it eats anything that crosses its path, also the members of the cult are killed when they come across with that monster. I don’t know what to do anymore mother. The cage is the one keeping me safe away from that monster.

Nina”

That might be the monster that growled earlier, I am getting hooked by the lore of this game and it is sad that I didn’t get to read all of it. I guess I am going to buy this game once the competition is over and I have that card already in my hand.

They must have other features added like a long campaign and not like this so they can have a positive review and long-time players that will play their game. For a game that’s been developed for this competition, it’s pretty damn good. I am starting to forget that there is something that is in line for it.

Well, it’s too important for me to forget and I am confident that I will not forget my objective. I roamed the room more and I did not find any useful items, but I got more throwable items that I might use to distract the monsters.

I went back to the stairs and once I reached the top door, the bell rang once again and that means it hits the twenty-minute mark of the game. A bloody text appeared on my screen and it says, “Lucifer will come for you!” this means bad news.

The demon itself will come hunting for us. I must hide when I tried to open the door a warning appeared on my screen. The monsters might be waiting for you, as the text says and a tip appeared.

Press K to peek on the door, and I pressed K and my character slightly opened the door and peeked outside. I am thankful that a warning appeared because the ghost nun earlier, must be Nina is standing still facing the opposite side of the door. It turns around and when it faced me, I experienced a mini heart attack but she doesn’t seem to notice me as the eye logo remains colorless.

A tip appeared yet again on my screen. Press T to throw an item to distract the monster and so I pressed T and it showed a line which shows the direction where the item might drop. I pointed it towards the direction where I came from earlier. The nun lets out an eerie moan and immediately walks towards the direction where I threw the can and I used this as a chance to sneak away from her.

I must be wary of opening doors next time and I knew that the warning will appear once and I wonder what will happen if I open it with a monster waiting for me on the other side. Either way, I don’t want to know.