He nodded once, sharp and tight, then turned toward the dark stretch of corridor ahead.
Junjio's portal Ikona hovered shakily at his side, the ring of light trembling in rhythm with his hands.
"Hurry, Elias. Please," Junjio whispered, voice cracking under the strain. "He's all I have left."
The desperation behind those words lingered even after Elias pushed forward, boots striking the steel floor in steady, hollow beats.
The overhead pipes blurred past, their slick reflections scattering across the walls, but Elias barely noticed. His focus tunneled ahead, drawn tighter with every step.
The air was heavier here, steeped in oil and something harder to name. His shard thrummed in his chest — insistent, urgent.
Who am I supposed to save? he thought
The thought dug in deep, refusing to let go.
The corridor stretched longer than it should have, clean and sterile in a way that didn't belong.
