Yeon-ah's chest burned as she ran, the world around her dissolving into chaos. Her legs ached, but she couldn't stop—not with those things hunting them. The air was thick with dust and smoke, and her vision blurred as she tried to keep up with Ji-hoon. Every muscle in her body screamed for rest, but the panic in her mind pushed her forward.
They darted through the crumbling streets, dodging debris as more buildings gave way under the stress of the tremors. Behind them, the guttural roars of the creatures reverberated through the air, sending waves of fear coursing through her veins.
"This can't be real," Yeon-ah whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the cacophony of destruction. It felt like a nightmare, but the pain in her lungs and the terror in her heart reminded her that this was all too real.
As they rounded a corner, Ji-hoon suddenly skidded to a halt, pulling Yeon-ah back just in time to avoid colliding with a massive crack that had split the road in two. The ground had opened up, revealing a dark abyss beneath the city's surface. Smoke and ash billowed from the chasm, and the sounds of distant screams echoed from within.
Yeon-ah's heart pounded in her ears as she stared at the gaping hole. "What... what is happening?" she stammered, her voice shaky.
Ji-hoon didn't answer. His eyes were fixed on the destruction ahead, his mind racing as he tried to find a way out. The creatures were closing in—she could feel it. The oppressive weight of their presence loomed over them, and there was no escape in sight.
"We need to move, now!" Ji-hoon snapped, grabbing Yeon-ah's arm and pulling her toward the edge of the street. They had to find another way through, another path that wasn't blocked by the cracks or the debris.
But as they turned to run, Yeon-ah's foot caught on a piece of rubble, and she stumbled forward, crashing to the ground. Pain shot through her ankle as she tried to push herself up, but the panic in her chest froze her in place.
Suddenly, everything went still.
The world around her seemed to slow, the distant sounds of chaos fading into the background. Her vision swam, and a strange, cold sensation washed over her. It felt like something was crawling under her skin, an unnatural chill spreading through her body.
And then she heard it.
"Program activation in progress..."
The voice was soft, almost a whisper, but it cut through the silence with eerie clarity. Yeon-ah's breath hitched as the words echoed in her mind, repeating over and over like a broken record.
"Program activation in progress..."
She clutched her head, her thoughts unraveling as the world around her seemed to twist and blur. The buildings shifted, their edges warping as if reality itself was breaking apart.
"No... no, this can't be happening," Yeon-ah muttered, trying to ground herself, but the words wouldn't stop. They drilled into her mind, pulling her deeper into the unknown.
Her body felt heavy, her limbs refusing to obey her commands. She was trapped, unable to move, unable to think clearly. The cold sensation continued to spread, reaching every corner of her consciousness.
"Program activation in progress..."
The words wrapped around her like chains, binding her to something she couldn't understand. Something dark, something powerful.
And then, as suddenly as it had begun, the voice stopped. The world snapped back into focus, and the pain in her body returned with full force.
Yeon-ah gasped, her chest heaving as she struggled to breathe. Her vision cleared, and she found herself lying on the ground, the cold pavement pressing against her skin. Ji-hoon was crouched beside her, his face pale with worry.
"Yeon-ah! Are you okay?" he asked, his voice urgent.
She blinked, disoriented, as the events of the last few moments rushed back to her. The creatures, the cracks in the ground, the strange voice... it was all too much.
"I... I don't know," she whispered, her voice shaky.
Ji-hoon helped her to her feet, his grip firm but gentle. "We need to keep moving. Whatever those things are, they're getting closer."
Yeon-ah nodded weakly, her mind still spinning. She could feel the weight of the unknown pressing down on her, but there was no time to process it. They had to survive.
They moved quickly, weaving through the shattered streets, but the strange feeling from before lingered in the back of Yeon-ah's mind. Something had changed. She didn't know what, but she could feel it—a shift deep within her.
As they turned another corner, the ground trembled beneath their feet once more, but this time, it wasn't the result of the creatures. Yeon-ah's heart raced as she looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the tremor.
And then she saw it.
A figure standing in the distance, half-shrouded in shadow. The faint light of the setting sun cast long shadows over the figure's form, but there was something familiar about it. Something unsettling.
"Who is that?" Ji-hoon asked, his voice low.
Yeon-ah's eyes narrowed as she stared at the figure. They weren't moving, just standing there, watching. But even from this distance, she could sense the power radiating from them.
Suddenly, the figure took a step forward, and in that moment, Yeon-ah felt a surge of energy rush through her. It was the same feeling from before—the cold, unnatural sensation crawling under her skin.
And then, everything went black.