The sky above the courtyard churned with unnatural storms, casting violet shadows across the cobblestones. Lee Sung, freshly eighteen and a recent high school graduate, stood among a sea of thousands, all yanked from Earth and thrust into this strange, daunting world — Tenebrous.
The line of summonees shuffled forward, a weary chain of confusion and terror. Boys and girls in pajamas, businessmen in suits, a few barefoot, others clutching cell phones that no longer worked — all wore the same stunned, hollow-eyed expression.
Then, a voice — impossibly deep and resonant — thundered in their minds.
"Welcome, Chosen of Earth. You stand at the gates of Tenebrous, summoned by the decree of the Four Divine Pillars. Prove yourselves worthy — or be unmade."
Before questions could bubble to the surface, a blinding light washed over them. Lee Sung staggered, shielding his eyes, but when he blinked, the courtyard and the others had vanished.
He was alone — or so he thought.
A figure stood before him: a girl, perhaps a few years older, slight and sharp-eyed, an enormous backpack hanging from her narrow shoulders. Her dark eyes locked onto his with unsettling focus, and in her presence, the surrounding mist thickened — swirling into half-shapes of serpents, daggers, and wings.
"Hello?" Lee Sung croaked, his voice thin and uncertain.
"We have no time," the girl said curtly. Without ceremony, she seized his hand — her fingers were ice-cold and trembling. She dragged him through the living fog, which curled and twisted as if whispering threats in a forgotten tongue.
"Where are the others?" he gasped, struggling to match her frantic pace.
"Scattered into their trials," she replied, never slowing. "The gods prefer to test mortals alone. Fewer survivors that way."
"But... you're with me."
"For now."
Shapes danced in the mist — a wolf with a skeletal grin, a tower crumbling into dust — and Lee Sung shivered. The air felt heavier with every step.
They burst into a clearing where ancient trees loomed, their gnarled branches knitting together into a darkened sky. The girl finally released him, dropping to her knees and rifling through her pack.
"What are you doing?" he asked, breathless.
"Finding our only chance."
She spread a roll of parchment across the dirt. Symbols etched in gold shimmered as she muttered under her breath. A line, glowing like molten fire, traced itself across the map.
"This path leads to Sanctuary," she said grimly. "If we don't get there before the trials truly begin... we won't get there at all."
Before Lee Sung could answer, a low growl rumbled through the clearing.
From the shadows emerged a creature — massive, lupine, and wrong. It prowled forward on four limbs, its eyes burning with a hungry, unnatural light.
"What the hell is that?" Lee Sung whispered, taking a step back.
"Our first test," the girl said, her voice steeled with a calm that seemed impossible.
The beast lunged. Lee Sung stumbled, heart hammering, legs quaking.
"Stay with me!" the girl shouted, grabbing the map and flicking her fingers across its surface. The golden line projected itself onto the ground, leading into the dark forest. "Follow the light — don't stop!"
They ran.
Branches clawed at them, roots grasped at their ankles, but they raced forward, the growls of the creature growing louder, closer.
Ahead, the trees thinned. Lee Sung caught a glimpse of a vast ravine — a black maw splitting the world apart.
"We're trapped!" he shouted.
Without hesitation, the girl dove over the edge, dragging him with her.
The fall was a blur of howling wind and terror. They landed hard, but the vines below somehow cushioned their impact — though they writhed underfoot like something alive.
Above them, the beast howled, furious and frustrated, pacing the cliff edge.
The girl pulled him up, not giving him time to collapse. "Move! Sanctuary's close!"
Lee Sung staggered after her, muscles burning. Through the thrashing vines, past the twisting shadows, and finally — finally — they emerged into a clearing bathed in golden light.
There, surrounded by towering stones carved with ancient runes, stood the Sanctuary — a beacon of safety in a world already sharpening its claws against them.
But even as they stumbled inside, Lee Sung knew this was only the beginning