Working With Phantoms

Descent Into Madness

August 6th

Elia's birthday the previous day had went well, with everyone sharing gifts with her and having an overall fun time. However, underneath it all was Madran's sense of guilt, since she had discovered Elia's palace. Due to that, she found herself in the Velvet Room with her group assembled.

"Ok, so... well, I bet that you all want to know why we're all here today and not enjoying our summer vacation."

"Yeah, uh, what happened? Did you find another palace?"

"Yep."

"Oh, that's fine, I'm sure that-"

"It's mom's palace."

Sheila quit talking and stared at Madran with shock.

"Elia... Elia-chan has a palace?"

"Yeah."

"How did you...? Where did you..."

"I was just messing around with Akira and Futaba while she put in random names into the Metanav. Then, I, as a joke, put in mom's name."

"So, then, you filled in the address and corruption... did you get to the palace?"

"Yep. It's a sanitarium."

Rosana looked towards the Metaverse door.

"Well, let's get this over with. I don't want whatever's been plaguing Elia to plague her any longer."

"Well said. Marie, are you ready?"

"Yep."

"Wait, Marie's coming with?"

"Yeah, she decided to join the team. Her codename's Sagiri, by the way."

The group then got up and went to the Metaverse door, where Madran found herself back in the courtyard.

"Ok, everyone, last time, I went in through that window."

The group then, one by one, went in the window, with the last one in being Chicory. Then, Madran stepped out with everyone into the main hall, which looked all sorts of dilapidated.

"Goodness, what happened to this place?"

"This must relate to Elia's mental state in a way... we'll have to see if or when we meet her shadow."

Madran, upon hearing Philemon's remark, grew worried for her mother. Then, she began a scan.

"Well, the treasure appears to be on the top floor. Goodness, this place is massive. There's only one actual way up, because the other staircases are false."

"How do you know this from one scan?"

"Well, the books had a map of the entire palace in it."

"Ah. Well, let's continue."

The group then began to walk down the main hall as lights flickered on and off and Madran heard odd voices up ahead. She felt as if a ghost could jump out at her any moment, so she kept on guard.

"So, when are we going to split up?"

"Well, after we get done with this first exploration, then we start doing two groups."

Madran then scanned a few shadows up ahead.

"Ok, look out, shadows!"

The group then hid behind a few scattered wall turns and odd containers as a shadow that appeared to be dressed in a white hospital gown walked down the hallway. Madran then jumped the shadow, which caused it to turn into two Biyarkies and one new shadow that appeared to be a spider with the head of a pig, bull-like horns, and a spiked abdomen. Madran then scanned it.