The silence that followed the old man's death hung like a heavy weight over the group. The air in the tunnel felt colder, the darkness around them pressing in from all sides as they continued their journey deeper underground. Yeon-ah could feel the tension radiating from Juna, her quiet sobs having faded into a bitter, painful silence. Each step Yeon-ah took felt heavier than the last, the guilt of her decision weighing on her shoulders like a lead blanket.
The woman led the way, her posture still rigid and unyielding, her movements efficient as always. She hadn't spoken since they left the old man's body behind, and Yeon-ah wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. The woman's cold demeanor had always unsettled her, but after what had just happened, it felt like an unspoken judgment hung in the air between them.
Juna trailed behind, her footsteps dragging, the occasional sound of her sniffles breaking the oppressive silence. Yeon-ah's heart twisted painfully with every sound, knowing full well that Juna would never look at her the same way again. But it had been the only choice—the right choice. They couldn't afford to be slowed down, not with the Devourers hunting them. And yet, despite knowing that, the guilt gnawed at Yeon-ah, a constant reminder of what she had done.
The tunnel stretched out endlessly before them, the darkness thick and impenetrable. The faint light from their lanterns barely illuminated the walls, casting long, eerie shadows as they moved. Yeon-ah's hand stayed close to her sword, her muscles tensed and ready for any sign of danger.
"We need to find a way out of these tunnels soon," the woman said quietly, her voice cutting through the silence. "Staying underground for too long is a risk."
Yeon-ah nodded, though she wasn't sure if the woman saw it in the darkness. "Do you know how far the exit is?"
The woman hesitated for a moment before answering. "There's a maintenance shaft about a mile from here. If it's still intact, we can use it to get back to the surface."
A mile. Yeon-ah's body ached with exhaustion at the thought, but they didn't have a choice. Staying underground was dangerous—there were too many unknowns, too many risks. The Devourers could follow them into the tunnels, or worse, other creatures could be lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike.
Juna's voice broke through the silence, soft and strained. "Why did you do it?"
Yeon-ah froze at the sound of her voice, her heart skipping a beat. She knew this conversation was coming, but she wasn't ready for it. She turned slightly, her eyes meeting Juna's in the dim light. The younger girl's face was pale, her eyes red and swollen from crying.
"I…" Yeon-ah's voice faltered, the words sticking in her throat. She didn't know how to explain it, how to make Juna understand the decision she had made.
"He was going to die, Juna," Yeon-ah said quietly, her voice thick with guilt. "There was nothing we could do for him. Staying behind would have put all of us in danger."
Juna's eyes flashed with anger, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "So you just killed him? Just like that?"
"It wasn't like that," Yeon-ah said, her voice rising slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "I didn't want to do it, but it was the only way. He was suffering, and we couldn't save him."
"You didn't even try!" Juna shot back, her voice trembling with emotion. "You just—just ended it. Like he didn't matter."
Yeon-ah felt her stomach churn at Juna's words, the guilt twisting inside her like a knife. "I know it's hard to understand," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But in this world, sometimes we have to make choices like that. Choices we don't want to make."
Juna shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes again. "I hate you," she whispered, her voice breaking.
The words hit Yeon-ah like a physical blow, knocking the breath out of her. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. What could she say? How could she defend what she had done when even she wasn't sure it had been the right choice?
Before Yeon-ah could say anything else, the woman's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Enough. We don't have time for this."
Yeon-ah's eyes snapped back to the woman, her jaw clenched tightly. The woman's cold, emotionless tone grated against her, but she knew she was right. They couldn't afford to fall apart now.
"We keep moving," the woman said firmly, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at both Yeon-ah and Juna. "Emotions will get you killed in this world. If you want to survive, you need to focus."
Juna wiped at her eyes, glaring at the woman but not saying anything. Yeon-ah sighed, the guilt still heavy in her chest, but she knew they had to keep going. There would be time to deal with their emotions later—if they survived.
They continued down the tunnel in silence, the tension between them thick and unspoken. The darkness seemed to press in closer with every step, the faint sound of dripping water echoing through the cavernous space. The air grew colder the deeper they went, the stale scent of decay filling their lungs.
As they neared the supposed location of the maintenance shaft, the tunnel suddenly widened, opening up into a larger underground chamber. The ceiling arched high above them, and the faint glow of their lanterns barely reached the edges of the room. It was vast, and something about the space made Yeon-ah's skin crawl.
The woman paused, her eyes scanning the chamber carefully. "This doesn't feel right," she muttered, her hand moving instinctively to the hilt of her sword.
Yeon-ah felt it too—a strange, oppressive energy that seemed to hang in the air. Her grip tightened on her own sword, her senses on high alert. Something was wrong.
Before they could react, a low, guttural growl echoed through the chamber, reverberating off the walls and sending a chill down Yeon-ah's spine. She spun around, her heart pounding in her chest as her eyes searched the darkness for the source of the sound.
"Devourers," the woman hissed, her sword already drawn.
Juna let out a small gasp, her body going rigid with fear as the growls grew louder, closer. Yeon-ah's pulse quickened as the first Devourer emerged from the shadows, its grotesque form illuminated by the faint light of their lanterns.
"There's more," Yeon-ah whispered, her eyes darting around the chamber as more of the creatures began to appear, their eyes gleaming with hunger.
The woman didn't hesitate. "We fight."
Yeon-ah's sword was in her hand before she even realized it, her body moving on instinct as the first Devourer lunged at her. The creature's claws scraped against the ground, sending sparks flying as it charged forward, its jaws snapping hungrily.
With a quick, fluid motion, Yeon-ah sidestepped the attack, her sword slashing across the creature's side. Black blood sprayed from the wound, but the Devourer barely seemed to notice. It spun around, its many eyes locking onto Yeon-ah as it snarled in fury.
The woman was already engaged with another Devourer, her movements swift and deadly as she dodged its attacks with practiced precision. Juna, though clearly terrified, had drawn her small knife, standing her ground despite the fear that gripped her.
The battle was chaotic, the sounds of snarling beasts and clashing steel filling the air as Yeon-ah fought to stay on her feet. Her muscles burned with exhaustion, her body already pushed to its limits from the previous battles. But she couldn't stop now—not with Juna and the woman depending on her.
With one final, powerful strike, Yeon-ah's sword pierced the Devourer's chest, the creature letting out a wet, gurgling sound as it collapsed to the ground. She barely had time to catch her breath before another Devourer lunged at her, its claws aimed for her throat.
The woman was there in an instant, her sword flashing as she struck the creature down, her breathing heavy but controlled. "We need to get out of here," she said, her voice tight with urgency.
Yeon-ah nodded, her eyes darting to Juna, who was still struggling with her own opponent. "Juna, now!" she called, her voice sharp.
Juna's eyes snapped to Yeon-ah's, fear and determination battling in her gaze. With a final, desperate slash, she managed to wound the Devourer enough to push it back, giving her the chance to run.
They regrouped near the entrance of the chamber, their bodies battered and bloody but still standing.
"We need to move," the woman said again, her eyes scanning the tunnel ahead. "More will be coming."
Without another word, they sprinted toward the tunnel exit, the growls of the remaining Devourers echoing behind them as they fled into the darkness.