Plink… plink… plink.
A small puddle of violet water began to form on the metallic floor of a tunnel. The rhythm produced by the echoes of the dripping water from the many hollow pipes running through the tunnel gave a kind of relaxing atmosphere. However, the constant squeaking of mice disrupted the atmosphere, or maybe it just enhanced the ambiance of the tunnel.
Cough, cough, the sound traveled all the way throughout the tunnel, echoing back to the source in multiples. A figure could be seen hunched over, visibly in pain. The dull yellow light from the lantern on the floor illuminated the red color of blood on the floor that the figure was standing over.
Sigh, "Looks like it won't be long now. Hehe, I guess I've lived long enough. They probably should be on their way now... haahh, it would be nice if I could get something to eat, though. Ramen sounds like a good idea, with pork bellies and eggs."
Tap… tap… tap.
The rapid sound of footsteps in the tunnel disrupted the figure's ramblings. From one end of the tunnel, another figure dashed out, holding a very dull lantern in their hands. This figure was smaller compared to the other. As she reached the other figure, the combined light from both lanterns became bright enough to reveal their appearances.
The first was a man in tattered shorts that looked like they could fall off at any time. His body was very malnourished, and his entire skeleton was visible through his skin. His skin was brown and dirty, most of it covered in patches of dirt. His head was full of hair caked in dirt and grime, seemingly the only thing hiding the outline of his skull.
The other figure was a child, a girl likewise malnourished and covered in dirt and grime. However, her appearance was way better than the man's. Her long blond hair, even though covered in grime, still gave off a shine. She wore a dirty blue gown that was torn to reach only her knees, covering her important parts but still disgusting to look at.
"Brother, the soldiers are coming, and they're already on their way here. Hurry, we have to run," the girl whispered anxiously.
"Ella, you're the one who should leave. You shouldn't be around me. I've been tainted. You should go to Mark; he'll take care of you for the few years I'll be away. And when you grow big and strong, you can come find me in the capital. Who knows, I might just come look for you myself."
"Brother, what are you saying? Hurry up, and let's go. Here, grab my hand; I'll help you walk," Ella continued nervously.
"ELLA!" the man shouted, causing Ella to jolt in surprise.
"Listen to me. Get up now and go find Mark. He'll know what to do. If you're still here when the soldiers come, they won't just ignore you. You don't have to worry; I'll just be gone for—argghhh… cough, cough."
The man was interrupted by the sharp pain at the left side of his waist. He clutched his left side with both hands, covering a bite wound that began spilling violet blood while coughing up blood with specks of violet color too.
"Brother! Please stop talking... and listen to me... let's go now. I've seen those soldiers; they won't just capture you."
Ella continued while choking on her words and tears running down her eyes.
The man, however, was not moved. His eyes, which were the only thing visible on his face, were unyielding. He raised his voice again, ignoring the pain racking through his body.
"GO AWAY!"
Ella backed away in fear. Her brother, who had never raised his voice at her, not even when she caused him the wound that was slowly killing him, not even when he was beaten whenever he protected her, never had he raised his voice. Now he was bellowing at her like a mad man, and it was more painful as she knew he was only trying to protect her once again.
"LEAVE!"
Teary-eyed, she grabbed her lantern and slowly began to walk back, hesitating every step she took.
"You promise you'll come back?"
Seeing as she began to leave, the man's eyes softened, and he couldn't help but regret having to leave his little sister in this filth of a world. Various memories of her mischievous smile flashed across his eyes; they became watery.
"I prom-"
TWANG… TWACK… THUD.
Three sounds resonated throughout the tunnel, echoing again and again. The tunnel seemingly glitched out and kept replaying these three sounds. These sounds were not particularly pleasant to the ears nor necessarily grating either. They were just one of those sounds you wouldn't usually pay attention to, repeating in a rhythm not too fast nor too slow, leaving about a second interval between each note.
However, the tunnel refused to stop the tune it had decided on, and maybe it wasn't the tunnel; maybe it was the man in question whose mental faculties broke, incapable of continuing his work and so kept replaying the last few seconds he experienced.
The tunnel, which had long since resumed its ambiance formed by the squeaking mice and dripping water, now gained something else: footsteps. A steady pace of resounding footsteps that surprisingly didn't get louder as it got closer. It stopped a few centimeters from the corpse on the floor, the lanterns only capable of revealing a pair of black leather boots. But even so, the darkness couldn't hide the pair of violet eyes gazing down in disappointment at the corpse in front of her.
"Hmm, it wasn't this one... The reports said it was the female, though. Tch, never mind; it doesn't matter anyway," the newcomer spoke with a feminine voice. However, although feminine, her voice was as cold as ice and as emotionless as stone.
TWANG.
It was this sound that brought the man out of the loop he was in. He looked up and saw a pair of cold violet eyes staring straight at him, watching him as the arrow between his brows sucked the life out of him. Even as his vision turned black, those eyes never blinked and never looked away, seemingly to confirm his death before leaving.
"Ehh, that was easy. I guess he hadn't transformed yet. I swear the reports from this town were way off from reality. First, they said it was a female, then they said it had gone rabid and was killing off everyone in the tunnels. I'm going to have to have a word with the chief of this town."
As the newcomer stood over the fallen man, she sighed and muttered to herself,
"Another one down. This tunnel was supposed to be his refuge, but there's no escaping fate."
Her voice remained cold and detached, a stark contrast to the grim scene around her.
The tunnel, seemingly aware of the somber moment, continued its ambient symphony. The dripping water, the squeaking mice, and now, the footsteps of the mysterious figure, all played their part in this eerie underground orchestra.
After a moment of reflection, the newcomer turned away from the lifeless body and began to walk deeper into the tunnel. Her boots made a steady, echoing sound as she moved further into the darkness.
With each step, the tunnel's echoes whispered secrets of the past and present, a haunting reminder that she was not alone in this underground world.
Upon reaching the tunnel's exit, she stepped out into the open, the darkness of the underground giving way to the pale moonlight above. As her eyes adjusted to the change in surroundings, she was met with the sight of her teammates waiting patiently.
"Good work, Claire," one of them said, nodding in acknowledgment.
Claire nodded in return, her expression still as stoic as ever. She had fulfilled her duty, just as she always did, without a word or a hint of emotion.
Together, they turned and disappeared into the night, leaving the tunnel and its secrets behind.