"Oof! My bones!" I groaned, the words tumbling out before I could filter them. A complaint. A curse. A reflex. A reminder that I was still—somehow—alive.
Darkness pressed in from all sides—thick and suffocating, like a veil drawn tightly over the world.
A voice cut through the void.
"I'm alive," Ronald said, disbelief hanging on every syllable.
A low grumble escaped me. My whole body throbbed from the fall. "Well, I'll be a goner soon if you don't move."
"Ah! I'm sorry, Llyne. I didn't realize I was sitting on you!"
He scrambled off, his weight lifting from my ribs like a second breath.
I managed a wry smile despite the ache. "You said you'd protect me, but it felt more like you were trying to secretly kill me with your weight."
"No… Really..." His voice was small, drenched in guilt.
I reached out and patted his back lightly. "I was just joking. Don't be so down. We're still in one piece, somehow."
Piece by piece, I forced myself upright. The floor was gritty with dust, the walls cold and slick with moisture. My clothes were a mess, and dirt clung to me like a second skin. But we were alive—and far from the madness above.
The fall had become a temporary salvation.
I scanned the area. Cracked stone. Moss clinging to forgotten corners. A foul, earthy dampness heavy in the air.
"Those zombies aren't following us, huh?" I mused aloud, relief beginning to trickle in through the cracks of fear.
I jabbed a finger upward and called out triumphantly, "We're alive and you all are dead! HAHA!"
Chest puffed proudly, I basked in the silence of our victory.
Ronald gave me a blank stare. "...But... they're dead in the first place."
"..."
'Right. That part.'
A beat passed in awkward silence before Ronald spoke again. "Where are we?"
I scanned the walls—cracked, oozing with moss and moisture. The air felt ancient, steeped in centuries of silence. A foul, earthy scent hung in the stillness, thick enough to chew.
"An underground basement, I think," I offered, squinting into the gloom.
"It's huge. But why is there such a big basement underneath the house?" Ronald's awe and confusion mirrored my own.
"Who knows? Who cares? Adventure awaits!" I said with renewed energy, my grin stretching despite the grime clinging to my face. I wiped a stray line of drool from my lip and stepped forward.
"Hngh… Okay. If you say so." Ronald looked like a man walking into his own doom. But he moved. That was what counted.
Despite his trembling hands, he still followed.
I saw it in his posture—the fear. It lingered around him like a mist. But even so…
I raised my fist high. "No worry, Ronald, for I am here! I'll bash up anyone that comes in our way! Wagagaga!"
Ronald stared at me like I was the cause of all supernatural phenomena in this cursed house. Which, honestly, might've been true.
We moved deeper into the shadows, our torchlight the only truth in a maze of uncertainty. The passage narrowed, pressing closer with each step. The walls felt alive—breathing with mildew, groaning with age.
The ground beneath us was cracked and uneven, every step a gamble. Occasionally, a loose stone made me stumble. The darkness wasn't just an enemy—it was a trial. A gauntlet.
I glanced at Ronald. His face had turned a shade too pale. Something was wrong.
"Are you okay, Ronald? You don't look so good."
He hesitated, then gave a weak, "Yeah, I'm fine."
My brow furrowed. "Your face is kinda pale though. Claustrophobic?"
"Oh… No. It's just…" He grimaced, casting a disdainful glance at the slimy, grime-laced walls. "I'm not really fond of dirt."
I blinked, then burst out laughing. I couldn't help it.
"Well, I guess this place hasn't been cleaned for ages." I nudged him lightly. "Hang in there, bud. We're almost there, I think."
He let out a faint chuckle, covering his mouth as he swallowed down the queasiness. And then—he kept walking. That's what mattered.
We pressed on in silence. Just our footsteps and the occasional drip of water from somewhere unseen.
Time blurred.
No signs. No turns. No destination.
Just endless stone.
"We've been wandering around for quite a while, but we haven't found anything substantial yet," I muttered, the exhaustion catching up with my limbs. Ronald nodded quietly, equally winded.
"Well, I guess we're safe for the moment." The words came with a breath of relief—but I didn't trust it.
Safety was always temporary.
And just like that—
Click.
A mechanical whisper. Followed by a swish.
My heart stopped.
An arrow sliced out from the shadows.
My instincts screamed.
I ducked.
The arrow shot past, close enough that I felt the wind kiss my cheek.
"A trap? All of a sudden? Bruh, that ain't cool," I gasped, the adrenaline still crackling under my skin. Close. Way too close.
Ronald spun around, grabbing me by the shoulders and turning me to face him.
"Are you alright, Llyne? Are you hurt? Any pain? Don't die on me, Llyne!" His hands were frantic, searching for blood, for signs of damage.
I gently pushed him back with a grin. "I dodged it. And even if it was laced with poison, I'll be fine. Did you forget who my Master is? So chill."
He looked down, clearly not entirely convinced.
'Looks like Ronald ain't gonna let it go just like that… Hmm.'
I tilted my head.
A thought sparked.
I glanced at the torchlight in my hand and muttered, "Ah! I feel so tired after dodging the arrow."
Without hesitation, Ronald took the torch from my hand like a knight taking up a holy sword. The light brightened, stretching ahead once more.
He gave me a proud smile. "Want me to carry you, Llyne?"
"Hell no." I laughed.
He joined in, the sound easing the pressure in my chest.
Then his gaze shifted past me, toward the path ahead. His smile vanished, replaced by wide eyes.
"Llyne, look!"
I turned.
And saw it.