[RL with Birkin and Adachi]
Stein's wing of the dungeon he used to share with Birkin had become, if anything, darker and more terrifying since Birkin left. The lower floors were thick with shadows that were creepy, stitched monstrosities or tottering, jittering clockwork robots. The walls crawled with cracked mirrors and stitching, and were marked at intervals by terrifying three-eyed faces with wide, snaggle-toothed mouths. Yet arrows pointed the way accurately from the entrance of each level to the next elevator that would take Birkin and Adachi to the next floor - almost as if Stein wanted them to penetrate to the centre of his laboratory.
At the apex of the tower was a single room, lit by a single naked bulb high in the ceiling. Stein sat in a rolling office chair, his arms draped over the back of the chair. On either side of him were two operating tables, stainless steel and bearing channels to collect the blood. Thick leather straps lay open, ready to receive prisoners for experimentation.
He hadn't been idle while he waited. Several people sat in small cages against one wall, whimpering or muttering to themselves. Some had been turned into shadows on Stein's operating table, and then released to block Birkin and Adachi's way, but these were the failed experiments. One woman sobbed piteously, clutching at her arm which had turned inky black and dripped a noxious substance onto the floor that was slowly converting her feet and legs to shadow as well.
"Glad you could make it," Stein greeted them. "Now if you'll each take off your clothes and lie down, we can begin the operation."
At the apex of the tower was a single room, lit by a single naked bulb high in the ceiling. Stein sat in a rolling office chair, his arms draped over the back of the chair. On either side of him were two operating tables, stainless steel and bearing channels to collect the blood. Thick leather straps lay open, ready to receive prisoners for experimentation.
He hadn't been idle while he waited. Several people sat in small cages against one wall, whimpering or muttering to themselves. Some had been turned into shadows on Stein's operating table, and then released to block Birkin and Adachi's way, but these were the failed experiments. One woman sobbed piteously, clutching at her arm which had turned inky black and dripped a noxious substance onto the floor that was slowly converting her feet and legs to shadow as well.
"Glad you could make it," Stein greeted them. "Now if you'll each take off your clothes and lie down, we can begin the operation."