The air felt heavier as they ran, the cold dampness of the underground tunnel clinging to their skin. Yeon-ah's breath came in sharp, ragged bursts, her body aching from the relentless fighting and the weight of the recent choices she had made. Behind her, Juna's soft, muffled sobs were a constant reminder of the tension that now hung between them.
The woman—still nameless in Yeon-ah's mind but increasingly significant in her survival—led the way, her movements precise and steady despite the exhaustion that surely gnawed at her. The only sounds that filled the tunnel were their footsteps, the echoes of their breaths, and the distant, fading growls of the Devourers they had barely escaped.
Yeon-ah's yellow eyes flicked toward Juna, her heart heavy with guilt. The younger girl was still visibly shaken, her shoulders slumped as she ran, her gaze focused on the ground. The silent accusation in her posture cut deep into Yeon-ah's core, but there was nothing she could say to make it right. Not now.
"We need to keep moving," the woman said, her voice low but firm. "There could be more of them nearby."
Yeon-ah nodded in agreement, though her body screamed for rest. The fight with the Devourers had drained them, and while they had survived, it was clear they were reaching their limits.
"How far to the exit?" Yeon-ah asked, her voice hoarse from exertion.
"Close," the woman replied, her gaze fixed ahead. "Another two hundred meters, maybe less."
Juna said nothing, her eyes focused solely on the ground as they continued forward. The silence between them felt suffocating, the weight of everything that had happened pressing down on Yeon-ah's chest. She wanted to say something, anything, to ease the tension, but the words refused to come.
The tunnel began to slope upward, a sign that they were nearing the surface. The air grew colder, and the faint scent of earth and decay filled their lungs as they moved closer to the exit. Yeon-ah's muscles tensed, her grip on her sword tightening as the anticipation of what awaited them above ground grew.
Finally, they reached the base of an old maintenance ladder that led up to a rusted metal hatch. The woman tested the ladder cautiously before ascending, her movements quick and precise despite the weariness that must have been setting in. Yeon-ah followed, with Juna lagging slightly behind, her eyes still clouded with the events of the last few hours.
The woman reached the top and pushed the hatch open, revealing the darkened sky above. A blast of cold night air hit them as they emerged, the ground beneath their feet damp and uneven. They were outside now, but the sense of safety was fleeting. The world beyond the tunnel was just as hostile, if not more so.
They stood in what remained of an old courtyard, surrounded by the skeletal remains of buildings long since abandoned. The night sky above was filled with thick, dark clouds, casting the area in an eerie, shadowed gloom. Faint fires flickered in the distance, the last vestiges of a city now in ruins.
The woman surveyed the area quickly, her sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of movement. "We should find shelter for the night," she said quietly, her voice cutting through the silence.
"There's an old building over there," Yeon-ah said, pointing toward a structure in the distance, its roof partially collapsed but its walls still standing.
The woman nodded, her expression unreadable as usual. Together, they made their way toward the building, their footsteps crunching softly against the debris-covered ground. Juna remained silent, her eyes still downcast, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
As they approached the building, Yeon-ah's instincts flared, a sense of unease creeping up her spine. The structure looked abandoned, but in a world like this, appearances could be deceiving. She signaled for the others to stay back as she crept forward, her sword drawn and ready.
The air around them felt thick with tension, the silence too perfect, too still. Yeon-ah's yellow eyes scanned the darkness, searching for any sign of movement, but there was nothing. No sound. No sign of life.
But then, a flicker of movement caught her eye—just for a second, a shadow darting between the collapsed walls. Yeon-ah's heart pounded in her chest, her muscles tensing as she prepared for whatever was coming.
"Something's here," she whispered, her voice tight with anticipation.
The woman moved beside her, her own weapon at the ready. "Stay alert."
The silence dragged on, the minutes stretching into what felt like hours as they waited, every muscle in Yeon-ah's body coiled like a spring, ready to strike. But nothing happened.
Juna's voice trembled as she finally spoke. "Do you think it's…?"
Before she could finish, the sound of footsteps echoed from the shadows, soft at first but growing louder with each passing second. Yeon-ah's grip tightened on her sword as a figure emerged from the darkness—a lone man, his face hidden beneath a hood, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender.
"Wait," he called, his voice rough and strained. "I'm not a threat."
Yeon-ah's instincts screamed at her to remain on guard, but the man's posture was non-threatening. He moved slowly, carefully, his hands still raised as he stepped into the dim light cast by the moon.
"I've been watching you," the man said, his voice cautious but steady. "You've been fighting the Devourers. You're not like the others."
Yeon-ah's yellow eyes narrowed as she studied him, her mind racing. "Who are you?"
The man hesitated for a moment before lowering his hood, revealing a face marked with scars and wear, his eyes sharp and calculating. "My name's Calen," he said slowly. "I've been surviving out here for months, scavenging, hiding. I saw what you did to those creatures… and I want to help."
The woman beside Yeon-ah said nothing, her gaze cold and unreadable as she studied the newcomer. Yeon-ah, however, felt a flicker of suspicion gnaw at her. In this world, help was rarely offered without a price.
"Why?" Yeon-ah asked, her tone sharp. "Why would you want to help us?"
Calen's expression tightened slightly, though he kept his hands raised. "Because I've seen what the Devourers are capable of. And I know what's coming next."
Yeon-ah's pulse quickened at his words, her mind racing with possibilities. There was more to this man than he was letting on, but if he had information that could keep them alive… they might not have a choice but to listen.
The woman spoke at last, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife. "What do you know?"
Calen's gaze shifted to her, his expression hardening slightly. "I know where they're coming from. I know why they're hunting us."
Yeon-ah's grip on her sword tightened as she exchanged a glance with the woman. This information could be exactly what they needed to survive, but trusting a stranger in this world was dangerous—perhaps more dangerous than the creatures themselves.
"We don't have much time," Calen said urgently. "If you want to live, you'll come with me."