The battle between Yeon-ah and her mentor had taken its toll. The woman she had once trusted was now a twisted, violent puppet of the fortress, her humanity slipping away with each strike. Yeon-ah's muscles ached as she blocked another fierce blow, barely managing to keep herself from stumbling back into the dark pool behind her. The ground beneath her feet seemed to pulse, vibrating with the energy of the fortress, as if it, too, was alive and hungry.
"Yeon-ah!" Juna's voice was shrill with panic, but there was no time to comfort her. Not now.
Yeon-ah gritted her teeth, holding her sword steady. The woman's attacks were erratic but powerful, her strength inhuman, her movements jerky and unnatural. The fortress had taken her and reshaped her into something monstrous, something that no longer resembled the cold, calculating woman Yeon-ah once knew.
But somewhere, deep within those hollow eyes, Yeon-ah believed there was still a flicker of humanity left. She had seen it—just a glimpse—but it was there. I can save her, Yeon-ah thought, determination hardening her grip on her weapon. I won't give up.
With a swift movement, Yeon-ah twisted her body, using the momentum of the woman's next attack to push her off balance. The woman staggered back, her movements slow and disoriented. Yeon-ah saw her chance and swung her sword low, striking the woman's leg just enough to force her down to one knee.
The woman let out a guttural growl, her body twitching violently as the fortress's control tightened around her. But there, for just a moment, her eyes flickered again—pain, recognition, and desperation.
"Yeon-ah... run..." Her voice was ragged, barely more than a whisper, but it was undeniably hers.
Yeon-ah's breath caught in her throat. She's still in there. She's fighting it.
But the moment passed too quickly. The woman's body stiffened, her expression twisted into something monstrous once more as the fortress regained its hold. She lunged at Yeon-ah again, but this time, her movements were slower, less coordinated.
"Mentor, stop!" Yeon-ah shouted, her voice filled with both desperation and resolve. She didn't want to hurt her, but if the woman didn't stop... if the fortress had consumed her entirely... Yeon-ah knew she'd have no choice.
The woman's lips curled into that grotesque smile again, her voice hollow. "You cannot save her."
Yeon-ah's heart clenched. I have to save her. But the fortress's hold was strong, and the woman's body continued to move against her will, driven by the dark forces that now controlled her.
In that moment, Yeon-ah made her decision. She couldn't defeat the woman—not like this. Not when there was still a chance, however small, that she could be saved. She needed more time.
With a quick, decisive move, Yeon-ah spun around and dashed toward Juna, grabbing her by the arm. "We're leaving. Now."
Juna's eyes were wide with fear, but she didn't hesitate. Together, they sprinted toward the exit, the whispers of the fortress growing louder, more frantic, as though the walls themselves were trying to trap them.
Behind them, the woman—Yeon-ah's mentor—let out an inhuman roar, the sound echoing through the chamber like the howl of a wounded animal. Yeon-ah forced herself to keep running, even as her heart ached at the thought of leaving her behind.
"We can't leave her like that," Juna gasped as they ran, her voice shaking with fear and exhaustion.
"I know," Yeon-ah said, her voice tight. "But we'll find a way to save her. I just need to figure out how."
They raced through the dark, twisting corridors of the fortress, the walls seeming to shift and warp around them. The oppressive weight of the whispers followed them, pressing in on their minds, trying to slow their movements. But Yeon-ah's determination was stronger. I won't leave her behind.
After what felt like an eternity of running, they finally reached a small alcove, hidden deep within the fortress's many corridors. The air here was still heavy with the weight of the fortress, but it was quieter, and the whispers were fainter.
Yeon-ah collapsed against the wall, her breath ragged, her muscles burning from the exertion. Juna slid down beside her, clutching her knees as she struggled to calm her breathing.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The only sound was their labored breathing and the faint, distant hum of the fortress around them.
"I thought… she was going to kill us," Juna finally whispered, her voice small and trembling.
Yeon-ah swallowed hard, trying to push away the pain in her chest. "She almost did."
Juna turned her wide, tear-filled eyes toward Yeon-ah. "What… what happened to her? Why did she change like that?"
Yeon-ah shook her head. "I don't know… but it's the fortress. It's controlling her, using her like a puppet."
"But… why?" Juna asked, her voice breaking. "Why would the fortress do that?"
Yeon-ah stared at the ground, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't yet piece together. The fortress wasn't just a building. It was alive—conscious, somehow. And it was powerful, more powerful than Yeon-ah had realized. But why was it doing this? What did it want?
"I don't know yet," Yeon-ah said, her voice low. "But I'm going to find out."
She clenched her fists, her determination hardening. She wouldn't let the fortress take her mentor—not completely. There had to be a way to break its hold, to free the woman from whatever dark forces controlled her.
And Yeon-ah was going to find it. No matter what it took.