I place my left hand on the cold metal, and my fingers wrap around the chilled handle.
(...Should I wait for Kotori?
My stomach growls again.
No. I need to find Lenah.
I twist the handle and pull the door open.
Beyond lies a hallway, swallowed by darkness, stretching endlessly into the unknown.
"Ah..."
I squint, trying to see through the shadows, but it's like looking into a bottomless hole.
My Ki isn't detecting anything.
"Hello?" I call out, my voice echoing strangely in the oppressive silence.
No response.
I take a cautious step forward, my bare feet making no sound on the cold floor.
The door whispers shut behind me with a soft click.
I'm alone... And the darkness of the hallway seems to deepen around me.
*shiver* I hug myself, trying to shake off the sudden chill that tingles through my skin.
I take another step. Then another.
My hand rises instinctively, hovering near the smooth, cold wall.
It's too dark. Too quiet. My Ki isn't picking up any presence, which is unsettling in itself.
It means either nothing is here, or whatever is here is beyond my ability to perceive.
...
I continue walking forward, my anxiety growing with each step.
"Is anyone there?" I ask again. The darkness seems to swallow my voice, leaving only a hollow echo.
I quicken my pace, my heart beginning to pound in my chest. The silence is deafening, pressing in on me from all sides. It feels endless, suffocating.
I'm tired... So tired...
Each step makes my legs ache, and my heavy eyelids threaten to close.
The lingering effects of whatever happened in that park are still clinging to me.
...
A faint light appears in the distance.
"Finally!" I gasp, pushing myself to move faster.
My legs protest, but I ignore the burning in my thighs, keeping my gaze fixed on the light ahead.
It grows ever brighter, casting long, twisted shadows that dance around me like mocking specters.
It's just ahead. Almost there. And then—
The light explodes into a blinding flash, forcing me to throw my arms up to shield my eyes.
*FLASH*
When the brilliance fades, I slowly lower my hands.
"...What?"
I'm standing in a large, open space.
There's nothing here but two passageways before me, both stretching into darkness.
One on my left, and another on my right.
I glance between them, frowning.
Which way do I go?
I close my eyes, trying to sense any Ki, any presence, anything that might guide me.
Nothing.
Just the same heavy silence.
I open my eyes, a sigh escaping my lips.
"Left or right… It doesn't matter. I just need to find my way out of here."
Suddenly, however▬
I hear a faint thump from the passageway on my left.
Continuous "whoooooooo" sound fills the air.
"...Something is there..." I mutter, my gaze fixed on the left passageway.
My muscles tense.
I take a deep breath, pushing the lingering fatigue from my mind.
If there's something there, I'll face it. I won't let myself be caught off guard again.
Whatever is there will be here soon.
It sounds like a giant insect flying around. The whooshing grows louder, closer.
Then, three flying creatures emerge from the darkness.
...Insects? No.
It's just like in the park. They're like—
The three of them look at me, and one of them speaks.
"TARGET_ACQUIRED,"
"PURGE."
The voice is cold and synthetic; it sends a shiver down my spine.
These… things… They're like the one who attacked me.
Corruption.
Before I can even think, something flashes from the left creature's hand.
My eyes widen.
No time to think.
Instinct takes over.
I leap to the right, but I fall to the ground.
My legs… they're still weak.
The corruption's influence on me... It's not completely gone yet.
The cold returns to my arm.
*Hnnngh!*
The shot flies past my head, hitting the wall behind me with a sickening *thud*.
...I can't move...
(Not again)
My vision blurs, and the edges of the room dissolve. The cold... no way... It's spreading again. It wants to consume me.
Two more shots are fired.
I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for the impact.
But it never comes.
Instead, I hear a small explosion.
Before I open my eyes, I hear a familiar voice.