Finally, the folder popped open. Inside was the expected NSP file for his emulator, but there was something else—a text file titled READ_ME_BEFORE_THE_SUN_SETS.txt .

Elias laughed, a dry sound. "Nice touch. Very gothic." He opened it.

A dialogue box appeared at the bottom of the screen. No character portrait, just text: “The archive is not a copy, Elias. It is a vessel.”

Elias didn't run. He couldn't. He watched as his own hands began to square off, his skin turning into a palette of sixteen distinct shades of tan and brown. He felt the weight of a leather whip manifest in his grip.

The bar hit 100%. The "Complete" chime sounded like a silver bell in the silence. Elias right-clicked the file. Extract Here.