Their footsteps echoed in the dark void of the tunnel, their breathing mingling with the creaking rocks beneath their feet. The further they advanced, the darkness grew until it seemed to swallow them up.
Suddenly, a formidable sight unfolded before them… an entire city plunged into darkness. Corroded stone bridges, towering, misshapen buildings, and silent ruins that smelled of dampness and decay.
Hana and Saya stood on one of the bridges, studying walls bearing strange fossils, while Taeko and Hiro Shin rummaged through the rubble, searching for any trace of life or a resource they could tap into.
Kaito, meanwhile, walked slowly through the wreckage, his eyes scanning over every detail, as if he were seeing the place for the second time… but with different eyes.
Deep down, he knew… he had passed by here before. But the image in his mind was entirely different. In his fading memories, this city was like a jewel in the darkness, its lights glittering, its streets teeming with life, and the sounds of laughter mingling with the sound of water flowing from fountains.
Now, all that glow has turned to heavy silence and cold ruins.
Tsuki approached him, her eyes taking in his sorrow-stained features, and said in a low voice, "What happened here, Kaito? What destroyed all this?... Don't you remember anything else?"
He remained silent for a moment, watching the darkness as if he feared it would swallow his memory. Then he answered in a low voice, "If I tried to remember... I might recover something I've tried to forget."
Tsuki raised her hand and gently ran her fingers through his hair, trying to dispel the weight of the moment, and whispered, "Don't worry... We're with you."
At that, a faint smile appeared on Kaito's face, barely visible, but enough to remind him that... he wasn't alone.
Somewhere behind the dark walls, something seemed to be silently watching them.
After everyone had gathered in the middle of the dark city, Taiko said, dusting off his gloves:
"We only found the corpses of insects and monsters… They look ancient, perhaps this city was abandoned a long time ago."
Hana and Saya were sitting near a stone wall covered in strange inscriptions. Hana studied them with sharp eyes, saying:
"These symbols… They've become more complex than before. We can't read them easily anymore."
Minamoto approached Kaito, looked at him for a long time, and then said in a low voice:
"Don't you remember anything?"
Kaito answered coldly:
"Nothing clear…"
But before anyone could say anything, a heavy rustle echoed in the surrounding tunnels, followed by the thump of many fast footsteps. Everyone turned, and out of the darkness emerged swarms of twisted creatures: distorted humanoid bodies, long white feet, and black teeth gleaming in the darkness.
Taiko whispered, "The problem is... they are numerous, and darkness is on their side."
He clenched his gloves tightly, a faint smile spreading across his face. "We can't delay this."
At the same moment, Minamoto unleashed his massive metal chain, which struck the ground with a terrifying metallic clang. Tsuki unsheathed her long spear, the one she had acquired from the facility, and Hiro Shin grabbed his short sword.
Hana and Saya exchanged quick glances before retreating into the shadows, observing the battle and analyzing the creatures' weaknesses, as they always did.
Kaito didn't move a step. His eyes were fixed on the black slits extending across the monsters' backs, staring at them silently, as if they were stirring something deep within his memory.
The first scream from one of the monsters rang out, and the battle suddenly erupted. But amid the clatter of chains and gauntlet strikes, Kaito stood still, watching... not fighting.
In the depths of the darkness, a shadow larger than the others moved, slowly approaching them...
End of chapter.