The transition was silent.
One step forward—and the ruins vanished.
Aelric and Elara found themselves standing in the middle of a deserted street. The sky above was bruised purple, neither night nor day, a stagnant twilight that never shifted.
Rows of buildings stretched endlessly, all identical, all lifeless. Windows gaped like hollow eyes. Doors stood open, but beyond them—only darkness.
There was no wind. No birds. No sound. Just silence so heavy it pressed against their chests.
Elara clutched Aelric's sleeve, whispering:
"…Where are we?"
Aelric scanned the street, eyes sharp.
"The Hollow City. Trial says: 'Endure seven nights.' Which means…" He crouched, touching the cracked pavement. "…whatever hunts here comes with nightfall."
---
A faint chime echoed.
The System's voice cut through the stillness.
> [Trial Commenced: The Hollow City]
Survive for 7 Nights.
Daylight Duration: 6 Hours.
Nightfall begins in: 05:59:57.
A glowing countdown appeared in the sky, like a cruel sun.
Elara's eyes widened.
"Six hours… until night."
Aelric straightened, gripping his bent pipe.
"Then we use the time to prepare."
---
They moved cautiously through the empty streets. Every building they entered was the same: dust, broken furniture, walls stained with something dark. No food. No water. No sign of life.
Yet everything felt… lived in. Chairs pulled out. Half-broken cups on tables. Bedsheets messy, as if someone had just risen.
Elara shivered.
"…It's like everyone just vanished."
Aelric frowned, running his fingers along a wall. The paint was peeling, but warm to the touch.
"No. Not vanished. Consumed."
She froze. "By what?"
He didn't answer. His eyes were on the shadows pooling in the corners. Shadows that twitched slightly, as though listening.
---
Hours passed. They gathered scraps—broken chair legs, torn curtains, a half-working lantern. Nothing substantial, but better than nothing.
Finally, as the countdown reached [00:10:00], they found a building sturdier than the rest. A library, its tall doors still intact.
Inside, rows of shelves stretched into darkness. Dust choked the air, but the structure felt solid. Aelric dragged a table against the door, barricading it.
Elara whispered:
"Will this… really keep us safe?"
He shook his head. "Nothing keeps you safe. Only buys you time."
---
The countdown hit zero.
[00:00:00]
And the city breathed.
From every window, every alley, every crack in the walls—shadows spilled out, coiling like smoke. They slithered along the ground, pooling together until they formed… figures.
Dozens. Hundreds.
Human shapes. Faceless. Hollow. Their bodies were empty outlines of darkness, flickering like broken film. They stood silently in the streets, all facing the library.
Elara's breath hitched. "Aelric…"
He gripped his pipe, forcing calm.
"Don't make a sound."
---
The hollow figures didn't move for minutes. Just… watched.
Then one twitched. Its head jerked violently, snapping to the side. Another followed. Soon, the entire horde shuddered like puppets tugged by broken strings.
A low hum filled the air. Not a voice. Not language. Just static.
Elara clamped her hands over her ears, trembling. "It's… in my head—!"
Aelric pulled her close, whispering sharply.
"Focus on me. Don't listen. It's interference—psychic pressure."
But even he felt it. A crawling noise under his skin. Words that weren't words, forcing into his thoughts:
JOIN US. HOLLOW. EMPTY. JOIN US.
His corruption pulsed, answering the call.
> [Corruption Surge: +2%]
Current: 54%
His jaw clenched. Damn it. Even standing here, they're feeding on me.
---
The figures began moving.
Slowly at first. Then faster.
Clawing at walls, tearing through windows, slamming their bodies against the library doors.
BOOM.
BOOM.
BOOM.
The barricade shook violently. Elara cried out, backing away.
"They're going to break in—!"
Aelric's mind raced. If I fight them head-on, corruption spikes. If I stay still, we're crushed.
He grabbed the lantern, smashing it against the floor. Fire erupted, crawling across the wood. The flames cast sharp light across the shelves.
The hollow figures recoiled at the glow, their bodies flickering violently. They hissed—static tearing louder in their heads.
Aelric's eyes narrowed.
"Light… they can't stand it."
---
He ripped down curtains, breaking more furniture, feeding the fire until it spread into a wall of flame between them and the door.
The hollow things screeched but didn't retreat. They pressed closer, some throwing themselves into the fire, bodies sizzling into smoke.
But each one that fell… another emerged outside.
Elara gripped his arm, terrified.
"We can't last like this! There's too many—!"
Aelric stared at the flames, his mind calculating.
The objective isn't to kill them. Just endure. Six hours of daylight. Six hours of night. Seven cycles. That's the rule.
He tightened his grip on the pipe.
"Then we endure. Whatever it takes."
---
The night stretched on, endless.
Screams. Static. Firelight.
Elara clung to him, whispering prayers, tears streaking her face.
Aelric stood at the barricade, pipe in hand, eyes unblinking as shadows slammed again and again.
Every second felt like a year.
And yet, beneath the fear, a strange calm settled over him.
This city… it's a game of attrition. They want to wear us down. But games have patterns. And patterns can be broken.
---
Finally—
A faint chime.
The countdown reappeared in the sky, glowing above the burning library.
> [Night 1 Survived.]
Remaining: 6 Nights.
The hollow figures froze. Then, like smoke in wind, they dissolved into nothing.
Only silence remained.
---
Elara collapsed to the floor, sobbing in relief.
Aelric dropped against the wall, sweat dripping, lungs burning. His corruption pulsed painfully, but he ignored it.
One night survived. Six to go.
He whispered to himself, eyes cold and sharp.
"…If this is how it starts, what the hell is waiting on the seventh night?"