The music box's melody grew clearer and more distinct as they walked further down the corridor, filling the air with an atmosphere somewhere between sweet and sinister. Laura felt a strange fascination mixing with unease , as if the music were drawing her irresistibly toward its source, despite the danger she sensed .
The trail of gold coins continued to lead them , winding through the maze of corridors, confirming that the music and the gold were connected, part of the same trap set by Greed.
But what was the purpose of the trap? What did Greed expect to find at the end of the golden, musical path?
The corridor led into a larger room , a sort of circular hall , with walls covered with dusty old mirrors.
The dim, reddish light reflected infinitely off the mirrored surfaces, creating an illusion of depth and confusion , a visual labyrinth that disoriented the senses.
In the center of the room , on a crimson velvet table , rested the source of melody : a small , carved wooden music box adorned with gold filigree and glittering gems. It revolved slowly , emitting its childish, mournful melody , mesmerizing the room with its haunting charm.
The gold coins swirled around the table, forming a shiny, tempting circle , as if they worshipped the music box as a sacred object, as if treasure itself were concentrated in that small musical artifact.
Laura and Ethan entered the living room cautiously, scanning their surroundings for signs of Greed , ready for any ambush. But the living room seemed empty , apart from the table, the music box , and the golden glow of the coins. Silence fell again , broken only by the music box's steady, repetitive melody .
" Where is he ?" Laura whispered , looking around, " Where has Greed gone? "
Ethan shrugged , his chair upright, watching the shadows behind the mirrors. "I don't know ... maybe ... he 's waiting for us . Maybe ... this is part of the game. Luring us here ... to this ... hall of mirrors ... "
Marty , who had been hanging back in the hallway, joined them in the living room , camera in hand, surveying the room with a mixture of curiosity and fascination . "Wow ... check this out ... it 's incredible ... a room full of mirrors ... and a haunted music box ... This is prime material for my ghost documentary."
He began photographing the room with enthusiasm, oblivious to the palpable tension surrounding Laura and Ethan.
" Marty , be careful," Laura warned him , her tone growing impatient. "This isn't a game.
We're in danger. Greed is somewhere , and this could be a trap."
Marty dismissed his words with a wave of his hand, continuing to snap photos with his camera .
"Come on, Laura, don't be a party pooper. It's just an old house and a bit ... theatrical. There's no green monster waiting for us . Relax and enjoy the show . "
Ethan frowned , annoyed by Marty 's carefree attitude , " Marty 's right about one thing, Laura," Ethan said, "It's very theatrical.
Too … prepared. As if Greed wanted to … put on a show for us. As if … he wanted us to play his game.
Laura pondered Ethan 's words, looking again at the hall of mirrors, the music box , the circle of gold coins.
I was right . Everything seemed ready for a theatrical act, for a macabre performance designed by Avarice . But what was the act ? And what was your role in it ?
Suddenly, the music box's melody changed. It became faster and more frantic , more tense and threatening . The reddish lights in the living room flickered violently , creating dancing, distorted shadows in the mirrors.
The atmosphere was charged with static electricity , heralding an imminent change.
And then the image reflected in the mirrors began to distort. The mirrored walls seemed to ripple and warp, as if reality itself were bending and twisting around them.
Their own reflections became grotesque and menacing, staring at them from the glass with empty eyes and cruel smiles.
Laura felt a sudden vertigo, a feeling of disorientation and confusion that made her dizzy. The hall of mirrors seemed to spin around her, reality faded and fragmented into a thousand reflective pieces, and the melody of the music box became a deafening, maddening sound .
"Ethan … Marty … " Do you see it?" Laura cried , her voice breaking, "The mirrors ... are changing ... something is happening ... "
Marty finally seemed to realize that something strange was happening. He lowered his camera slowly , his eyes wide, watching in wonder and fear as the hall of mirrors transformed before his eyes.
Even Ethan, with his unwavering optimism, seemed gripped by panic , the chair shaking in his hands.
And suddenly, from among the distorted reflections of the mirrors, Greed emerged . Not a single figure, but multiple Greeds, infinitely reflected in the mirrored surfaces, multiplying to infinity, creating a grotesque and menacing legion that surrounded them on all sides .
Greed's game of mirrors had begun . And the nightmare was only intensifying .
.
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