Marvin jolted awake.
A faint vibration ran through the floorboards. Not loud. Not violent. But enough to make him sit upright in bed.
"…Not again," he muttered, rubbing his eyes.
He looked around the room. Everything appeared normal—no flickering lights, no floating objects, no glowing puddles of water. Yet, the sensation persisted. The floor hummed beneath him, subtle but undeniable.
Then he heard it.
A voice.
Soft. Faint.
Not the system. Not any of the guests. Not the Veilwalker.
It came from below. Beneath the foundation of the Guest House.
"…Host…"
Marvin froze. "…Who's there?"
The voice was distant, echoing like it had traveled through stone and time itself.
No answer.
Just the faint hum beneath his feet.
"…Seriously, stop doing the creepy thing," Marvin muttered.
The hum grew slightly stronger, vibrating through the soles of his feet. The voice whispered again.
"…Not ready…"
Marvin swallowed hard. "…Not ready for what?"
The whisper faded, replaced by silence. The hum remained.
He stood slowly, heart racing. "…Okay… definitely not normal."
Marvin tiptoed toward the source—the floor beneath the main hall. He leaned close, pressing a hand against the polished wood.
The hum pulsed in response.
DING!
Hidden Condition Progressing…
Unknown Influence Detected Beneath Guest House.
Marvin's mind raced. "Beneath the house? Like… a hidden level? A secret dungeon? Or something worse?"
The Whisper returned, softer this time.
"…See what lies below…"
Marvin jumped back, stumbling over a chair. "…Why do all mysterious voices want to make me investigate?"
He glanced around. The guests were asleep, or at least still. The Prism Entity's light dimmed in its room. The Verdant Caller's vines relaxed. Tick-Tock had stopped moving entirely. Even the Veilwalker was nowhere in sight.
"…Okay," Marvin whispered to himself. "Looks like I'm the only one getting this 'welcome' treatment."
He took a deep breath, calming himself. "…Fine. If something's under the house, I'll find it."
He grabbed a small Stabilization Crystal from his pocket—just in case.
As he descended the narrow staircase hidden behind the wall panel in the East Wing, the hum grew stronger. His pulse quickened.
The deeper he went, the colder the air became, yet it carried a faint energy… like the house itself was alive, waiting for him.
Finally, he reached a vast chamber below.
Stone walls stretched in every direction, etched with faint symbols that pulsed softly. Shadows danced along the surfaces, even though no light source existed.
The whisper came again, now echoing throughout the chamber.
"…Not ready… but you must try…"
Marvin swallowed hard, gripping the crystal tightly.
"…Try what? Survive? Lead? Control reality?!"
No answer.
Only the hum… and a faint, distant feeling of something moving… watching… waiting.
Marvin exhaled. "…Yeah. This is officially beyond normal. I'm definitely going to need all my powers for this."
He took a cautious step forward. The floor beneath him pulsed with energy, guiding him… or warning him.
"…Alright," he muttered. "Time to find out what's really under this house."
The shadows shifted. The hum intensified. And somewhere deep beneath the Guest House… something stirred, curious—and not entirely friendly.