Kaelan plumted into the darkness, his screams fading into the void—
Thud!
His fall broke with a sudden impact. Lying on the cold ground, wide-eyed, Kaelan blinked at the dim light above. Slowly, he sat up and ran his hands across his arms, legs, chest, and face.
"I’m... alive?" he said, half in disbelief.
Then it hit him.
"I’m alive! I’m alive!" he shouted, laughing uncontrollably.
Thud.
A sound echoed nearby. Kaelan froze and looked around.
He was in a narrow corridor—tall black-grey stone walls stretched high into an abyss above, barely lit by a strange, dim yellow light. The floor beneath him was smooth and cold. Just ahead, two figures lay sprawled out, stunned.
It was Rina and ika.
ika sat up first, eyes still wide, and looked at Rina, who had frozen mid-scream on the floor.
"I think we’re alive...?" ika said uncertainly.
"WE’RE ALIVE?!" Rina shrieked. She scrambled up, touching her face, arms, legs, chest—everywhere. Realization dawned in her eyes, and a grin spread across her face. Tears welled up as she jumped and laughed.
"We’re alive!"
ika gave her a relieved nod. But her gaze sharpened—there was movent ahead.
A silhouette approached.
Imdiately, she crouched down, unsheathing the daggers at her waist, every muscle on alert.
Rina caught on and joined her, drawing her katana from its sleek black sheath.
The air thickened with tension.
Footsteps echoed.
Then, from the shadows, a familiar figure erged—brown-skinned, blue-eyed, black-haired.
ika relaxed with a sigh. "It’s you."
Kaelan grinned. "You guys are alive too."
Rina sheathed her blade. "Yeah. But... where are the others?"
Kaelan shrugged. ika scanned the corridor. "Where are we?"
Kaelan frowned. "No clue. I landed just before you two."
Rina glanced up. "Where’s this yellow light coming from?"
ika turned, trying to locate the source—but there was none. "It’s just enough to let us see nearby, but not beyond that. Like it’s hiding sothing."
Kaelan nodded, expression turning serious. "Yeah... like it’s ant to keep us blind. We need to stay alert."
"Where should we go?" Rina asked.
ika checked both directions. The path stretched into shadows in either direction.
Kaelan pointed forward. "Let’s try that way. If there’s a dead end, we’ll co back."
ika agreed. "Alright. Lead the way."
The three walked in eerie silence.
After what felt like an eternity, Rina finally spoke. "I’m exhausted... It feels like we’ve been walking for days."
Kaelan nodded, his face pale. "Yeah... I feel the sa."
But ika stopped, eyes narrowing. "No. It’s only been half an hour."
She turned to them, but both Kaelan and Rina were slumped against the wall... asleep.
A chill ran down ika’s spine.
She stepped back slowly, eyes darting in every direction.
"This... isn’t normal," she whispered.
Rina saw it again—the mory that haunted her soul.
A woman stood tall, regal in her bearing, holding a katana identical to Rina’s. Her long golden hair cascaded like silk, her eyes glowing with warmth and strength. She looked down at the small child beside her with a gaze full of motherly affection. Leaning down, she pressed a gentle kiss to the girl’s cheek.
"Goodbye, my daughter. I’ll be back soon," she whispered.
The little girl, clad in a white frock, her long golden hair and radiant eyes mirroring the woman’s, clung to her.
"Mother... don’t go," she pleaded softly.
The woman only smiled, gently patting her daughter’s head before turning away.
The scene shifted.
Now the girl was playing in the garden, laughter echoing—until a servant rushed to her, eyes brimming with tears. Without a word, the girl followed, silent and numb. As they approached the gathered crowd, the air turned heavy.
She pushed through the adults, past murmured prayers and weeping voices, until she reached the center.
There, laid upon a blood-stained cloth, was her mother’s severed head—eyes closed in peace—and the katana, motionless beside it.
The girl froze.
Her legs gave out beneath her. She collapsed, breath caught in her chest. Then ca the scream—raw, primal, a sound of agony so deep it made thunder roar above and rain pour from the heavens.
Back into reality...
ika squatted down, checking both Rina’s and Kaelan’s carotid pulses. They were alive—but in a deep, unnatural sleep. Her face twisted with anxiety as she began chewing her nails.
"What should I do? I have to wake them... We need to move away from here."
She first tried calling out to them loudly. No response. She shook them by the shoulders—still nothing. Desperate, she pinched Rina.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
A gut-wrenching scream tore from Rina’s lips. She began crying, her voice trembling, gasping,
"Mother! M-Mother..."
ika had instinctively backed away in shock. But she stepped forward again and said urgently,
"Rina, snap out of it! This isn’t the ti to—"
Before she could finish, Rina raised her head.
Her eyes glowed—burning gold, ringed with red veins. Tears streaked down her cheeks, but they weren’t clear. They were crimson—tears of blood.
ika staggered back, fear gripping her chest.
"R-R-Rina... are you okay?" she asked, voice trembling.
Rina seed to return to her senses. She tried to smile, but it twisted into sothing more broken—a grimace soaked in pain.
"Let’s go," she rasped. "I never want to sleep again."
ika nodded and turned to Kaelan, repeating the sa thod. When she pinched him, he jolted awake and burst into tears, sobbing like a terrified child.
ika steadied her breath and called out softly,
"K-K-Kaelan!"
He blinked at the sound, eyes wide. Slowly, he stood and looked around.
"I’m back," he whispered, a note of fragile relief in his voice.
ika took in their haunted faces and said firmly,
"We shouldn’t stay here. Let’s go."
They moved quickly, no longer wasting ti. The corridor around them felt suffocating. The dim yellow light clung to their skin like leeches, and the surrounding darkness seed to choke the very air.
Elsewhere..
Thud, thud
Alex and Hati fell nearby each other.
Alex opened his eyes and stood up looked around, and saw Hati breathing, his breathing relaxed , eyes close tongue out sprawled on the floor on his back.
Alex rolled his eyes .
Went near the beast and gave a light kick, Hati jumped and stood on his legs looking around and saw Alex near he growled toward him
" We are alive Hati".
Hati tilted his head head confused and narrowed his eyes.
Alex crossed his arms and waited.
Then Hati’s eyes widened in realization and he circled around and then jumped toward Alex started licking his face.
Alex laughed and said trying to pull away the massive wolf from his face " Calm down, Calm down Hati".
Hati backed away grinning with his fangs.
Alex wiped the drool from his face and sighed " Let’s go, And try to find others"
Hati and Alex side by side moved in one direction.
Little away from there landing they saw a girl with black hairs, closed eyes, tears dripping from them lying on the floor.
They ca near her they recognized her imdiately.
Lyra was lying on the floor motionless.
Alex said scratching his cheek " H-Hello, What are you doing there".
Lyra hearing the voice opened her eyes, and looked at Alex " Even after death I don’t get my wish, I want to seen Riven’s face, not the face of a dog?"
Hati got offended and growled toward her.
Alex stopped Hati with his hand gesture and crouched down " Miss.Prey you are not dead, may be you’ll die at the hands of your predator but right now you’re quite alive".
Lyra opened here eyes and stood up and checker by pinching her face, " ouch" sound ca from her mouth. And pinch leaving red mark on her cheek.
Hati and Alex were sitting and watching quiet amused.
Lyra saw them and turned red embarrassed cleared her throat " Ahem, where are we?"
Alex replied with amused smile " We are in hell".
Lyra scread " WHAT"
Alex replied laughing " Just joking ".
Lyra glared daggers at Alex.
Then with serious face Alex replied " We don’t where we are but we fell here like you".
" Let’s move, I don’t think sitting around will be right choice.
on the side of ika, Kaelan and Rina...
Eventually, they ca upon a fork—three narrow paths leading in different directions. Sa walls. Sa light. No signs. No difference.
ika didn’t hesitate. She turned and took the rightmost path.
They walked in silence, fear gnawing at their bones. Exhaustion clawed at ika’s eyes, her lids growing heavy. But she didn’t dare sleep. Drawing her dagger, she pierced her own palm. The sharp pain kept her conscious.
Behind her, Rina and Kaelan staggered forward, their eyes bloodshot and wild. Too terrified to fall asleep, they channeled elental power into the tiny muscles around their eyes, freezing their blinking reflex entirely.
At last, they entered a circular chamber. A vast space, unlike the narrow corridors behind. Dozens of tunnels opened into it like hungry mouths.
In the center stood a towering statue of an eagle—its stone wings spread wide, beak angled to the heavens, as if commanding the skies themselves.
Its talons were buried into the backs of kneeling human figures, carved in agonizing detail. Upon their spines was engraved:
"Prostrate thyself, for I am the one who reigns beyond ti."
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