The air hung heavy with unspoken tension as the group made their way through the ruins. Lianna led the way, holding Mel's hand and trying to make sure she wouldn't have another episode, her footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence that enveloped them.
They were all packed together in these narrow halls, but the gap between them seemed wider than the passages themselves.
Lianna hesitated, glancing between her two friends. Enverna's gaze was fixed forward, a steely determination in her eyes, while Mel's expression wavered between guilt and unease. It was as if the very atmosphere echoed the strained emotions that pulsed beneath the surface.
"Look," Lianna finally spoke, breaking the silence. "I know things got... pretty bad back there, but we need to focus on getting out of here. There's a mechanism up ahead that should release the barrier blocking our way out."