Level !-!

## Level !-!: "Hotel Chase"

### Description:

**Level !-!** consists of a series of hotel hallways, with doors lining the walls. The material the walls are made out of varies—some sections are constructed out of a highly reflective material, whereas other sections are built out of wood. The length of **Level !-!** is unknown, but it is currently believed to be somewhere between 10 to 15 miles.

Like its parent level (Level !), **Level !-!** is lit in a neon shade of red. However, whereas the light in Level ! is provided by "EXIT" signs (the uneven spacing of which resulting in some areas being darker than others), the light in **Level !-!** is provided by regular lightbulbs of varying size and shape, all mounted on the ceiling.

While an alarm similar to that in Level ! can be heard loudly blaring almost all the time in the level, one can also hear faint traces of elevator music, especially near the exit. However, the alarm sound in **Level !-!** has a source—it appears to come from smoke detectors which line the ceiling (though the alarm does not resemble the sound of a smoke detector at all).

The second one enters **Level !-!**, they will glimpse a horde of entities pursuing them rapidly, forcing them to run for their life. The entities run extremely fast with inhuman stamina, and the only feasible means of avoiding them is making sharp turns and efficiently maneuvering throughout the complex. Even so, escape is often up to chance, due to the unpredictability of the horde. Interestingly, however, the entities seem to run at a fixed speed, meaning that if one can simply run faster than them, they can escape (though due to the length of the level and the stamina of the entities, this is almost impossible).

**Level !-!** is also infamous for its mental effects on those who enter, which are known to seriously harm those who visit and can even cause mental illness and the Insanity Cycle in those who survive. It is unknown what causes these effects, but it is believed that the intense red lighting, the strobing alarm, and the fact that many people who come to this level entered it by escaping Level !, only to find themselves in a similar situation, all play parts. However, the strength of the mental effects suggests a much more anomalous origin. Indeed, it is even doubted if the horde of entities is real and if they are not merely a construct of one’s own anguish-addled mind.

The “objective”, for lack of a better word, of **Level !-!** is to escape the horde by running to the end of the hallway, similar to its parent level. Due to the aforementioned length of the hotel (over twice as long as Level !), however, this is a great challenge. Fortunately, like Level !, bottles of Almond Water and energy bars can be frequently found scattered across the level, the former being incredibly useful in counteracting the aforementioned mental effects.

Every so often, one of the doors lining the walls of **Level !-!** will be unlocked. These doors often lead to other levels (see the exit list for more information), however, some lead to what have been termed “trap rooms” containing blinding lights, stunning the wanderer and allowing the entity horde to catch up. Often, such a trap room will lead to a hallway instead of a single room, with another horde coming from the opposite direction, guaranteeing a horrible death.

### Blue Hallways:

The Blue Hallways are a series of long hotel hallways (like the main part of **Level !-!**), although the Blue Hallways are lit by blue lights rather than red lights, giving them a calming, relaxing feeling. The walls and doors (all made out of wood or metal) are also painted blue, hence the area’s name.

The Blue Hallways are rather famous for providing a safe space for those in **Level !-!** to rest and regain their energy and sanity. Bottles of Almond Water can frequently be found here, along with energy bars, regular water, and minuscule amounts of other food and drink (along with miscellaneous items such as calculators). Furniture such as chairs and beds can also be found here, although they are rare to come across.

It seems to be impossible for entities to enter the Blue Hallways, allowing those who enter to rest without fear. In addition, the severe mental effects of **Level !-!** are negligible here.

One will often find windows with shades over them and doors along the walls of the Blue Hallways. The doors are simply connectors between the many hallways within the Blue Hallways, albeit those marked “EXIT” will lead one back to **Level !-!**. The windows, on the other hand, are a different matter. Although they seem to be regular windows, removing the shade on one of them will reveal a blinding white light powerful enough to knock one unconscious and, in rare cases, blind them permanently.

Although the Blue Hallways are undoubtedly very safe, it should be noted that they are not paradise. There is only a limited supply of drink (and an almost complete lack of food), forcing one to leave eventually. There are four main ways this can be accomplished.

1. One can no-clip through one of the many windows found here, which will return them to the main level. However, due to the possibility that the window is in fact hostile, this is not recommended.
2. Similarly, if one no-clips through a door in the Blue Hallways, they will enter Level -!.
3. If one travels far enough (the necessary distance varies between accounts) in the Blue Hallways, they will come across a blue-tinted staircase leading upwards. This is known as the “Blue Exit”, and, if one climbs it, will take one to a random safe level. However, the Blue Exit is rather difficult to get to due to the lack of food within the Blue Hallways.
4. If one exits the Blue Hallways through any door marked “EXIT”, they will return to the main level. This is by far the easiest and most common exit.

If one exits the Blue Hallways and travels back to the main level, they will find themselves at the start of a second, longer hallway almost exactly similar to the first hallway. However, this hallway, unlike the first one, has dead-end passageways of varying lengths branching off of it.

Notably, upon returning to **Level !-!**, one will find that the entity horde has dispersed and is no longer pursuing them. However, the members of the horde are still hunting for the wanderer who escaped them earlier, forcing one to make themselves small or to duck into a side hallway to remain undetected. If one is found, however, the horde will begin to reform and the chase will resume.

At the end of the hallway and the level, one will find a staircase leading upwards and out of the level. The level this staircase leads to is unknown, though most have reported it leads to a so-called “Promised Land” resembling a pink mall. However, certain elements of the description (such as the presence of large amounts of video games) suggest that this is a sublevel of Level 399.

### Colonies and Outposts:

Although there are recorded instances of wanderers being in **Level !-!** or the Blue Hallways at the same time, the lack of contact between them suggests that the level creates different copies of itself for each person who enters. As a result, creating any sort of outpost or colony is impossible.

### Entities:

As previously mentioned, this level is infested with entities, such as Wretches, Hounds, Deathmoths, Skin-Stealers, hostile Facelings, and more. However, at least three unique entities also are known to exist here, which are described in detail below.

One should remember that it is unknown if any entities in **Level !-!** are real.

#### Altered Entities:

There are at least two entities within this level which are significantly different from similar entities elsewhere, including:

* "The Mother of All Fear" - An entity whose traits have been changed on this level. In this level, being close to the Mother of All Fear will make voices appear in one’s head telling them to follow her, and to never leave her side. If not dealt with, these thoughts can take control of one’s head, turning them into a slave. (It has been speculated that this entity is related to the "Mother" entity)
* "Liquid Slimes" - A gooey-like entity which is seemingly made of different liquids one can find in the Backrooms. In **Level !-!**, these entities are made of Liquid Pain.

#### Exit Signs:

**Exit Signs** take the appearance of exit signs one would normally find in buildings, though one key difference between them and their non-sentient counterparts is that they can manifest as both standard American exit signs as well as the typical green exit signs common found throughout the rest of The Frontrooms. These entities will induce an extremely strong false sense of security and safety when one is nearby them, causing them to stop (allowing the horde to catch up) or to have their senses dulled. The latter can be very dangerous, as it has the tendency to cause people to try using fake or dangerous exits.

### Entrances and Exits:

#### Entrances:

* One can enter by going through an unlocked door in Level !.
* There is a small chance one can enter **Level !-!** by no-clipping through the floor of Level 2.
* No-clipping through a red, rusty door in Level -1 will bring one here.

#### Exits:

* The most common exit is running to the end of both hotel hallways and climbing the staircase. According to most of the people who have escaped, this leads to what is known as the “Promised Land”—a level resembling a pink mall where one can experience “true peace”. However, it should be noted that the “Promised Land” has not been confirmed to exist, and that the level accessed through the staircase is likely Level 399 instead.
* Going through the Blue Exit (located at the end of the Blue Hallways) will lead to a random safe level.
* No-clipping through a door in the Blue Hallways will lead to Level -!.
* Going through an unlocked door on the side of **Level !-!** will lead one to The End.