Samuel's breath was ragged. His legs burned. But he didn't stop.
Couldn't stop.
The girl was barely keeping up, her limbs jerking awkwardly like a ragdoll caught in a storm. He could hear her gasping for air, but he couldn't afford to slow down.
Not when it was still behind them.
The Warden.
Samuel's stomach twisted at the sound—the heavy, deliberate footfalls, the sickening crack of bones being shattered as the axe swung through the corpses littering the halls.
He risked a glance back—just for a second.
And he regretted it instantly.
The Warden wasn't running. It didn't need to.
It was closing the distance anyway.
It didn't step over the corpses in its path—it swung through them. The back of its axe sent shattered skulls flying, ribs snapping like brittle twigs. A pile of bodies meant nothing to it. It was like watching a machine clearing debris—except the debris used to be people.
Oh God.
Samuel's grip on the girl tightened. She was still staring at nothing, running on autopilot.Her voice echoed in his mind.
"You'll die. You'll die. You'll die."
That guy in the Echo—the one who had been in his exact position, holding onto hope—
He had died. Horribly.
Samuel could still feel the moment—the pure, paralyzing terror of being caught, the horrific realization that no one was coming to save him, the sheer pain of being torn apart—
"No—NO, FOCUS!"
Samuel shook his head violently, trying to push the thoughts away.
He had one job.
Do not reach a dead end.
Do not be that guy.
Victor was right.
God, Victor was actually right.
This wasn't a normal phase. This wasn't like anything they had encountered before.
They weren't meant to leave.
The Warden—it wasn't chasing them.
It was herding them.
And Samuel realized, with ice settling in his veins—
It already knew where he would run.
Samuel furrowed his brows, his breath still coming out in ragged gasps.
"We made it. We actually fucking made it."
The Warden was gone—for now. No more echoing footsteps, no more bones cracking under the weight of its axe. The sound of chains dragging had faded into silence.
Samuel swallowed hard, his adrenaline still refusing to settle. His body was screaming at him to keep running, but they didn't have to. Not anymore.
Because he knew this path.
"We're gonna meet up here… with the others."
Relief crashed into him like a wave, mixing with the raw tension still gripping his muscles. He turned to the girl beside him—ready to tell her, ready to snap her out of whatever trance she was in.
But she wasn't listening.
She wasn't even reacting.
Samuel's stomach twisted.
She was still staring at nothing.
Completely blank.
The same empty look in her eyes, like she was somewhere else entirely—trapped in some horrible memory he couldn't see.
Samuel stepped closer, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. We're safe."
Nothing.
Not even a flinch.
Her lips parted slightly—her breath coming out in slow, shallow exhales.
Samuel gritted his teeth. "HEY—WE ARE SAFE!"
Still.
Nothing.
His jaw clenched, his relief starting to fade.
It was like she hadn't run at all. Like she was still stuck there.
Still standing in front of the Warden.
Samuel wiped the sweat off his forehead, still catching his breath. His legs ached, his lungs burned—but right now, none of that mattered.
What mattered was her.
She was just standing there.
Completely still.
Staring at nothing.
"Hey." His voice was softer this time, less panicked, more... concerned. "You with me?"
No response.
Samuel took another step closer, keeping his hands up like he was approaching a wild animal. "Listen. We're okay. The Warden's gone. We made it out."
Still nothing.
His jaw clenched.
He snapped his fingers in front of her face. "Come on—wake up. You're freaking me out here."
No blink. No reaction.
Just that same distant, hollow stare.
Samuel ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Shit, man. I don't know if you can hear me, but we don't have time for this. We need to keep moving. We—"
He stopped.
Her hands were shaking.
Not violently, not enough for someone else to notice.
But Samuel did.
And suddenly, he realized—this wasn't her ignoring him.
She was still there.
Just… stuck.
Lost in whatever nightmare she had just survived.
Her voice barely made a sound.
It was fragile.
So soft—so broken—that it almost got lost in the air between them.
But Samuel heard it.
"Please kill me."
His breath caught in his throat.
The words were spoken so gently, so empty of life, that it made his stomach turn.
Like she wasn't even begging.
Like she had already accepted it.
Like she had no reason left to fight.
Samuel had seen fear before. He'd seen panic, desperation, terror.
But this?
This was worse.
This was someone who had already died inside.
His chest tightened. His throat felt dry. He opened his mouth to speak—but nothing came out.
Because what the hell do you say to that?
His fingers twitched. His breath came out shaky.
And for the first time since they started running—
Samuel felt like he was losing.
As Samuel slowly decided to give her time to get herself together.
"What's your name?" Samuel asked.
The girl didn't respond right away.
She just stood there—motionless, empty, as if she hadn't even heard him.
Samuel hesitated but tried again, his voice softer this time. "Hey… What's your name?"
For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn't answer. But then—
"…Ava."
Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was there.
Samuel gave a small nod. "Ava." He tested the name, grounding it in reality. She was real. She was here. Not just some broken shell, even if she felt like one right now.
Ava's gaze stayed distant, unfocused. She didn't ask for his name in return. She didn't ask anything at all.
Samuel sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wanted to say something—anything—to make this less awful. But what the hell could he say?
"You're not alone anymore," he muttered, half to her, half to himself. "So… let's just keep moving, okay?"
Ava didn't react at first. But after a long pause—
She nodded. Just barely.
It wasn't much.
But for now, it was enough.
—
As they started walking again, Samuel clenched his fists, glancing behind them. The Warden wasn't in sight. For now.
But something told him this wasn't over.
Not even close.
Samuel walked forward, guiding Ava with careful steps. His body ached, his breath was still uneven, but they had made it.
After what felt like an eternity of running—of barely surviving—he finally saw them.
Victor.
Owen.
Four unfamiliar girls.
Relief crashed over him like a burning man thrown into cool, soothing water.
"I… survived?"
The thought was almost foreign. His mind had been bracing for the worst for so long that the idea of safety—however temporary—felt unreal.
He exhaled sharply, trying to shake off the weight crushing his chest. Then, forcing a weak grin, he raised a hand in greeting.
"Yo."
Owen was the first to react, waving back with a mixture of relief and surprise. Victor, on the other hand, simply stared—his expression unreadable, his posture eerily still.
Samuel didn't have time to dwell on it, because then—
Owen's gaze flickered past him.
His expression shifted.
Confusion.
Uncertainty.
Samuel followed his eyes, realizing who he was staring at.
Ava.
Her face was pale, her movements sluggish, her eyes—empty.
Samuel glanced between Owen and the others.
And just like that—he knew.
They were wondering the same thing.
Who the hell was she?
Samuel barely had time to catch his breath before the introductions started.
Sierra, the leader, crossed her arms and gave him an appraising look. "You're Samuel, right?"
Samuel nodded. "Yeah, that's me."
She smirked. "Gotta say, I'm impressed. Surviving out here with that thing lurking around? You must be quick on your feet."
Riley, the redhead, grinned. "And not bad to look at either."
Samuel blinked. "Uh—"
Evelyn, the tall blonde, chuckled. "Ignore her. She flirts when she's nervous."
Noa, the dark-skinned girl with braids, gave him a nod. "Still, you handled yourself well. We need more people who don't just freeze up and die."
Samuel rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a little flustered. "I mean… I just ran."
The reaction was a stark contrast from Victor's introduction.
With Victor, the girls had immediately been put off, their instincts screaming that something was wrong with him. With Samuel, however, their tension eased.
They trusted him.
Samuel glanced to the side, feeling a bit flattered—but then his eyes landed on Ava.
She was seated against the cold stone wall of the hallway, her knees drawn up, her arms loosely wrapped around them.
Her back pressed against the wall like she was trying to disappear into it.
She hadn't said a word.
Hadn't reacted to anything.
Samuel's stomach twisted. She's still in shock.
And for some reason…
He didn't know how to pull her out of it.
Samuel finally shook off the lingering tension and turned to Owen, his brow furrowed. "Wait… where's Jace?"
Owen's expression darkened. He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "He still hasn't come back."
Samuel's stomach dropped. "What? You mean he's still out there?"
Owen nodded. "Yeah." He paused, glancing back toward the dimly lit corridor behind them. "…Jace should've been here by now."
Samuel's hands clenched into fists. "Shit. What if something happened?"
Owen let out a frustrated sigh. "That's what I'm worried about. You saw what's in this place, Samuel. You know what's hunting us."
Samuel swallowed hard. The Warden.
He couldn't stop picturing that monstrous figure—the slow, deliberate steps, the suffocating presence, the sound of bones shattering under its axe like they were nothing.
And Jace… Jace was strong, but he wasn't invincible.
"He wouldn't just get lost," Samuel muttered. "He's too good at navigating."
Owen nodded grimly. "Exactly. Which means something's keeping him from coming back."
Silence stretched between them for a moment.
Samuel finally exhaled. "…Damn it. We can't just leave him."
Owen looked away, his jaw tightening. "I know."
Samuel studied his face for a moment. "You're really worried about him, huh?"
Owen scoffed. "Obviously. He's my teammate, dumbass." But after a pause, his voice softened. "…And my friend."
Samuel smirked slightly. "So you do care."
Owen shot him a glare. "Shut up."
But Samuel wasn't smiling for long. His mind was already racing, thoughts tangled with worst-case scenarios.
Jace was out there, alone.
And in a place like this… being alone was a death sentence.
The tension in the air was suffocating. The group had been waiting, nerves frayed, eyes constantly flicking toward the hallway Jace had disappeared into.
And then—
Footsteps.
Fast, steady, and growing louder.
Owen and Samuel immediately turned toward the sound, their hands instinctively reaching for their weapons. Sierra, Riley, Evelyn, and Noa tensed, ready for anything. Even Victor, who had been leaning lazily against the wall, straightened ever so slightly.
And then—Jace emerged.
Relief crashed through them like a wave. Jace was here. He was alive.
But before anyone could celebrate, they noticed something else.
He wasn't alone.
Three unfamiliar young men walked behind him, their eyes wary, their bodies tense as if ready to fight or run at any given moment.
Jace exhaled, rubbing the back of his head as he stopped in front of them. His usual stoic expression was in place, but there was a weight in his eyes.
"Took you long enough," Owen muttered. "You had us worried."
Jace glanced at him, then at Samuel. "Yeah… I ran into some trouble." His gaze flickered toward Victor for a brief second before moving on. "But I also ran into them." He stepped aside, motioning toward the three strangers.
The first one, a young man with sharp, calculating eyes and dark brown hair, crossed his arms. He looked composed, but there was an unmistakable tension in his posture.
"Lawren," he introduced himself with a nod.
The second one, slightly taller with messy black hair and a scar across his cheek, rolled his shoulders as if shaking off stiffness. His expression was guarded but not hostile.
"Callen."
The last one, the youngest-looking of the three, had wavy blond hair and an anxious look in his eyes, like he was still processing everything.
"Wesley," he said quickly.
Silence settled between the groups, thick with unspoken questions.
Samuel finally broke it. "…So, Jace. You wanna tell us what the hell happened?"
The group stared at Jace in silence, waiting for him to explain.
Jace exhaled, his voice deep and unwavering.
"I ran into some Crawlers." His eyes darkened. "A lot of Crawlers."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
The three boys behind him—Lawren, Callen, and Wesley—remained silent, but their expressions spoke volumes. There was a strange look in their eyes—a quiet respect.
Jace rolled his shoulders. His voice was calm, but there was an undeniable weight to it.
"I fought them with a flashlight."
Owen blinked. "…What?"
Jace lifted his flashlight slightly. "They weakened when I shined the light on them. And with my baton…" His fingers curled slightly, recalling the sensation. "…I smashed their skulls, beat them up, and gave them hell."
Samuel raised an eyebrow. "How many?"
Jace thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I think I killed like thirty or forty of those weird shits."
Silence.
Victor let out a low whistle. "Damn."
Owen's jaw dropped slightly. "You took on that many with just a flashlight and a baton?"
Jace simply nodded.
Callen finally spoke, his voice gruff. "It was the craziest thing I've ever seen."
Lawren crossed his arms. "The moment he started swinging, it was like watching a beast rip through them. No hesitation. No fear. Just raw instinct."
Wesley, still looking slightly shaken, added, "…I thought we were dead. But he just—he just kept going."
The group exchanged glances.
For a long moment, no one said anything.
Then, Riley broke the silence with a low chuckle. "Damn, Jace. Didn't know you had it in you."
Jace simply looked at her, expression unreadable. "…Neither did I."
A sudden clap echoed through the hallway.
The group turned toward the source—Victor.
He stood there, a smirk tugging at his lips, his mismatched eyes gleaming under the dim light. The atmosphere, tense from Jace's brutal survival story, shifted as Victor spread his arms dramatically.
"Now, the plan… Hear me out, lads."
Silence.
Some of them instinctively braced themselves. It was Victor, after all.
Owen pinched the bridge of his nose. "Here we go…"
Sierra crossed her arms. "This better not be one of your weird puns"
Victor gasped, mock offense dripping from his tone."Sierra, darling, have a little faith. I only talk nonsense seventy percent of the time."
"Eighty." Evelyn corrected flatly.
"Ninety." Noa added.
Victor placed a hand on his chest, shaking his head. "Tragic. No respect for a man of strategy."
Samuel sighed, rubbing his temple. "Victor. Just. Get to the point."
Victor grinned. Then, his entire expression shifted.
The humor in his face faded, his smirk dropping just slightly. His eyes sharpened.
And suddenly, everyone felt it.
The shift in tone.
Jace tensed. Sierra's expression hardened. Even the new guys, Lawren, Callen, and Wesley, straightened slightly.
Victor's voice, lower now, smoother, eerily calm, echoed through the corridor.
"We're trapped in here, and we don't know how long this phase will keep us before it spits us out—or worse, keeps us here forever."
A quiet chill ran through the group.
Victor continued.
"We have two main threats—one, the Warden. Two, the Crawlers. Both of them will kill us if we let them."
Jace exhaled. "Tell us something we don't know."
Victor's eyes flickered toward him. "Oh, I will."
And then, Victor's smirk returned.
"Here's the real fun part."