The voice calling my name grew louder, cutting through the oppressive atmosphere of the chamber. I struggled against the hands that held me, every fiber of my being focused on that one distant sound. It was my lifeline, my one chance to break free from this nightmare.
"Who's there?" I shouted, my voice trembling with a mix of fear and hope. "Help me!"
The hooded figures tightened their grip, their chant growing more frenzied, as if they were desperate to drown out the voice. But it was too late. The moment that voice had pierced the darkness, the power it held over me began to wane.
"You can't escape," my doppelgänger hissed, its voice filled with venom. "You're ours now. There's no going back."
I fought harder, thrashing against the hands that pulled me toward the altar. The voice outside the chamber grew more insistent, and I could feel a strange energy building within me, pushing back against the cold grip of the doppelgängers.
"Hold on!" the voice shouted, closer now, and I recognized it. It was James, the one person who had stood by me through everything, who had believed in me when I had nearly lost all hope. His presence gave me strength, a renewed determination to fight.
"James!" I called out, my voice cracking under the strain. "I'm here!"
The chamber began to tremble, the walls shaking as if they were being torn apart from the outside. The torches flickered wildly, casting erratic shadows that made the doppelgängers seem even more grotesque. I felt the cold hands loosening their grip, the figures beginning to falter.
"No!" my doppelgänger screamed, its voice laced with panic. "You can't leave! You belong here!"
But I didn't listen. Instead, I focused on James's voice, using it as an anchor to pull myself out of the darkness. I tore free from the hands that held me, stumbling backward as the doppelgängers lunged at me in a last desperate attempt to drag me back.
The walls of the chamber cracked, splintering as beams of light burst through, piercing the darkness. The doppelgängers shrieked, recoiling from the light as if it burned them. I shielded my eyes, blinded by the sudden brightness, but I could still hear James's voice, steady and determined.
"Follow the light!" he shouted. "Don't let them take you!"
I turned toward the source of the light, feeling its warmth wash over me, driving away the cold that had seeped into my bones. The doppelgängers screeched in agony, their forms dissolving into shadows as the light consumed them.
"Come on!" James's voice urged, and I stumbled forward, reaching out blindly. My fingers brushed against something solid, and I grasped it tightly, feeling a familiar warmth and strength in the grip.
"I've got you," James said, his voice reassuring. "You're safe now."
I opened my eyes, blinking against the light, and saw James standing before me, his face etched with concern. We were no longer in the chamber, but in a small, dimly lit room that looked like it had been untouched for years. Dust hung in the air, and the walls were lined with old, faded portraits that seemed to watch us with hollow eyes.
"Where are we?" I asked, my voice hoarse from the struggle.
"I don't know," James replied, his brow furrowing as he glanced around. "But we need to get out of here before they come back."
He pulled me to my feet, and I realized that my legs were trembling, barely able to support my weight. The ordeal had taken more out of me than I had realized, but I knew we couldn't afford to stay here any longer.
"We have to keep moving," I said, trying to steady myself. "We can't let them catch us."
James nodded, his expression grim. "Whatever that was… it's not over. They're still out there, waiting."
We made our way to the door at the far end of the room, the old wooden boards creaking under our weight. I could feel the oppressive atmosphere pressing down on us, the sense of being watched, hunted.
As we reached the door, I hesitated, a sudden fear gripping me. "What if this is another trap?" I whispered, glancing at James. "What if they're waiting for us on the other side?"
James looked at me, his eyes filled with determination. "We can't stay here," he said firmly. "Whatever's out there, we'll face it together. But we have to keep moving."
Taking a deep breath, I nodded, and together, we pushed open the door.
The door creaked open, revealing a long, narrow corridor shrouded in shadows. The air was thick with tension, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. We stepped into the corridor, the door closing behind us with a soft click. For a moment, there was only silence, broken only by our labored breathing. Then, from the darkness ahead, came the unmistakable sound of footsteps—slow, deliberate, and drawing closer. My blood ran cold as I realized that whatever had been hunting us wasn't finished yet. It was coming, and this time, there would be no escape.