The streets stretched out like an endless maze of debris, broken glass, and twisted metal. The city, once filled with the sounds of life, had been reduced to nothing but silence, punctuated only by the occasional gust of wind that sent dust swirling through the air. Yeon-ah followed closely behind the woman, her mind a tangle of thoughts.
Each step they took felt like a reminder of the world they had lost. And yet, they moved forward. There was no other option. Every now and then, Yeon-ah would glance at the woman ahead of her, still composed, always moving with purpose. Yeon-ah's own body was screaming for rest, her legs aching from exhaustion, but she couldn't stop. Not yet.
"How much further?" Yeon-ah asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.
The woman didn't turn to look at her. "Not much."
Yeon-ah swallowed, her throat dry. She didn't know where they were going, only that they couldn't stay where they had been. The danger wasn't just the Deborers anymore—there was something worse out there. Something neither of them could name, but both felt.
The buildings around them grew taller as they moved deeper into the city. The broken skyline loomed above, casting long, jagged shadows across the ground. Yeon-ah felt a chill run down her spine as she took in the sight. It wasn't the city she remembered. This place, whatever it had become, was nothing like the world she had known.
As they rounded a corner, the woman came to an abrupt stop, her body tensing. Yeon-ah froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She followed the woman's gaze to the end of the street, where a small group of figures stood huddled together, their forms barely visible in the dim light.
"People?" Yeon-ah breathed, her voice tinged with disbelief.
The woman's hand went to the hilt of her sword. "We'll find out soon enough."
They approached cautiously, keeping to the shadows as much as possible. The figures didn't move, didn't react to their presence. It wasn't until they were close enough to make out the details that Yeon-ah realized something was wrong.
The figures were too still. Too quiet.
The woman was the first to step forward, her sword drawn. Yeon-ah stayed close behind, her heart racing. As they neared the group, the horrible truth became clear.
These weren't people.
"Deborers," the woman said, her voice low.
The creatures were standing in a crude mockery of human posture, their twisted bodies slumped against the ruined walls. Their skin, once human, had been warped into something monstrous, their faces contorted in a permanent state of agony.
Yeon-ah's stomach turned at the sight. She had seen Deborers before, but never like this. These ones weren't moving, weren't attacking. They just... stood there.
"What happened to them?" Yeon-ah asked, her voice trembling.
The woman didn't answer. She moved forward, inspecting the creatures with a wary eye. There was something unnatural about the way they stood, as if they were frozen in time. She stepped closer to one of them, reaching out cautiously to touch its arm.
Before her fingers could make contact, the creature twitched.
In an instant, its head snapped toward the woman, its eyes wide and empty. The others followed, their grotesque faces turning in unison.
"Back!" the woman shouted, her sword flashing in the dim light.
Yeon-ah stumbled backward, her heart hammering in her chest. The Deborers let out a low, guttural sound as they began to move, their bodies jerking and twitching with unnatural speed. The woman was already in motion, her sword slicing through the air as she cut down the nearest creature.
Yeon-ah's hand went to her own weapon, but her mind was racing. She wasn't ready for this—she had barely caught her breath from the last battle. But there was no time to think, no time to hesitate. She drew her sword, her hands shaking as she tried to steady herself.
The woman was a blur of motion, her blade cutting through the creatures with precision and speed. But there were too many of them. For every one she cut down, two more seemed to take its place.
Yeon-ah gritted her teeth, forcing herself to move. She swung her sword at the nearest Deborer, her muscles screaming in protest. The blade connected, but the creature barely reacted. It turned its grotesque face toward her, its eyes filled with something that looked like hunger.
"No!" Yeon-ah shouted, stumbling back.
The creature lunged at her, its twisted arms reaching out. Yeon-ah barely had time to react. She swung her sword wildly, more out of desperation than skill. The blade struck the creature's neck, and for a moment, it hesitated.
Then, with a sickening crack, its head snapped to the side, and it collapsed to the ground.
Yeon-ah stood there, her chest heaving, her mind reeling. She had killed it. She had survived.
But it wasn't over.
More of the creatures were closing in, their movements erratic and unnatural. The woman was still fighting, her blade flashing in the dim light as she cut through the horde. But Yeon-ah could see it in her eyes—there were too many. They couldn't win this fight.
"We need to go!" Yeon-ah shouted, her voice barely carrying over the sound of the battle.
The woman didn't respond, her focus entirely on the creatures in front of her. But Yeon-ah knew they couldn't stay. If they didn't leave now, they wouldn't make it out alive.
Without thinking, Yeon-ah grabbed a piece of debris from the ground and hurled it at one of the creatures. It struck the creature in the side, knocking it off balance just long enough for the woman to finish it off.
"Now!" Yeon-ah shouted again, her voice stronger this time.
The woman glanced at her, her eyes narrowing. But she didn't argue. With one final swing of her sword, she cut down the last of the creatures in front of her and turned to run.
Yeon-ah didn't hesitate. She followed the woman, her legs burning as they sprinted down the ruined street, leaving the creatures behind. The sound of their footsteps echoed through the empty city, but Yeon-ah didn't look back. She couldn't. All she could do was run.