The air shifts the moment I stepped onto this floor. The cold, metallic scent of the lab is still there, but something darker, more primal, fills my nostrils. It's like the air itself is alive, breathing in time with the strange sounds echoing through the tunnels ahead. The walls seem to pulse with a low, rhythmic hum, and the dim lighting barely illuminates the twisted shapes and jagged edges of this new level.
I check the map again, but it's of little use here. The lines of the floor twist and tangle, a mess of pathways leading to nowhere. It's like the mapmaker gave up on trying to make sense of this floor. It's a maze, a labyrinth designed to trap, confuse, and kill anyone foolish enough to wander too far.
The tunnels stretch out before me, long and narrow, the walls close enough to feel suffocating. The light is barely there, flickering from old, malfunctioning bulbs that cast the floor in faint pools of yellow and red. Shadows dance along the walls, and I can hear the sounds—the faint scrapes of claws on metal, the soft growls of something lurking just out of sight.
I take a deep breath, tightening my grip on the dagger in my hand. Every nerve in my body is on high alert, my senses heightened by the threat of whatever is hiding in the darkness. This floor feels different from the others. More dangerous. More alive.
And I'm not alone.
I move slowly, carefully, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. The tunnels twist and turn, some leading to dead ends, others curving so sharply that it's impossible to see what lies ahead. Every step I take feels like a risk, every breath a gamble.
Then I see them.
In the distance, a pair of glowing eyes stares back at me from the shadows, unblinking and predatory. They're too high off the ground to belong to anything human, too bright to be natural. The eyes shift slightly, and I catch a glimpse of movement—something large and fast, slipping into the darkness as soon as it sees me.
I freeze, my heart hammering in my chest. The creature doesn't make a sound, but I know it's watching me. Waiting.
And then I hear it.
A low growl, deep and guttural, echoes from the tunnel behind me. I whip around, my eyes searching the darkness, but there's nothing there. Just shadows and the soft hum of the lights.
But the growl comes again, this time closer.
I take a step back, my mind racing. They're surrounding me. I can feel it—the tension in the air, the sensation of being hunted. There's more than one of them, and they're not going to let me leave this floor alive.
I have to act.
I press myself against the wall, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I listen for the sound of the creatures moving in the tunnels. The glow of their eyes flickers in the darkness, appearing and disappearing as they shift positions, circling me like wolves hunting prey.
I know I can't take them all on at once. I'll be torn apart before I even get the chance to fight back. But I've learned how to survive in this place—how to use my surroundings, how to turn the environment into a weapon.
I inch forward, my eyes locked on the nearest tunnel opening. It's narrow, barely wide enough for one of the creatures to pass through at a time. Perfect.
I move quietly, sticking to the shadows, my heart pounding in my chest. The tunnel walls feel cold and damp beneath my fingertips as I edge along them, my footsteps soft and deliberate. The creatures' growls grow louder, more agitated, but they don't attack. Not yet.
I reach the tunnel opening and slip inside, my back pressed against the wall. The space is tight, the ceiling low, and I can hear the soft scraping of claws on the floor behind me. One of them is coming.
I grip the dagger tighter, my muscles coiled, ready to strike. I need to make this fast—silent. If I alert the others, I'm dead.
The glow of the creature's eyes appears at the mouth of the tunnel, and I see it clearly for the first time. It's a twisted fusion of wolf and something else—its body long and lean, its fur patchy and matted, its jaws lined with sharp, uneven teeth. Metal plates are embedded in its skin, and its eyes glow with an unnatural, almost mechanical light.
It moves slowly, cautiously, its head low to the ground as it sniffs the air. It doesn't see me yet.
I wait, my breath held, until it's close enough. Then, with one swift motion, I lunge forward, driving the dagger into its throat.
The creature lets out a choked snarl, its body convulsing as it thrashes in the tight space. I twist the blade, cutting deeper, and the light in its eyes flickers before going out.
I yank the dagger free, the creature's body slumping to the floor in a pool of blood. I drag it deeper into the tunnel, hiding the body in the shadows before slipping back toward the main corridor.
One down. But there are more.
I crouch low, waiting for the next move. The creatures are getting restless. Their growls are louder now, their movements more erratic. They know something's wrong. I can feel the tension rising, the air growing thick with the scent of blood and fear.
Suddenly, the glowing eyes reappear—three sets this time, moving in unison toward me. They're coming for me, faster now, their claws scraping against the metal floor as they close in.
I can't fight them here, not in the open. I need to get back to the tunnels.
I sprint toward the nearest opening, the creatures hot on my heels. Their growls are deafening now, echoing off the walls as they chase me down. My heart races, my legs burning with the effort of running, but I push forward, forcing myself to move faster.
I reach the tunnel just as the first creature lunges at me, its jaws snapping inches from my leg. I dive into the narrow passage, rolling to my feet as the creature crashes into the wall behind me. It snarls, furious, but it's too big to follow me in.
I don't stop. I keep moving, weaving through the tunnels, using the tight spaces to my advantage. I can hear the creatures behind me, their growls growing more distant as they struggle to navigate the narrow passages.
But then, one of them finds another way in.
It bursts through a side tunnel, cutting me off. I skid to a stop, my heart pounding in my chest as the creature bares its teeth, its glowing eyes locked on mine.
The creature lunges at me, its jaws snapping as I dodge to the side. It's faster than the others, its movements more precise, more calculated. I barely manage to avoid its attacks, the dagger in my hand feeling woefully inadequate against its size and speed.
It swipes at me with a massive claw, catching my arm and sending me crashing into the wall. Pain explodes in my shoulder, and I feel something crack. My vision blurs for a moment, but I force myself to stay conscious. I can't afford to pass out. Not here.
The creature lunges again, and I roll to the side, barely avoiding its attack. My arm burns with pain, blood dripping from the wound, but I don't stop. I can't stop.
I spot a heavy piece of rebar lying in the corner of the tunnel. It's long, rusted, and bent, but it's solid. I dive for it, grabbing it just as the creature charges again.
With a roar, I swing the rebar at the creature's head, the metal connecting with a sickening crunch. The creature staggers back, dazed, but not defeated. I swing again, this time with more force, and the rebar slams into its skull, cracking it open.
The creature lets out a final, pained howl before collapsing to the ground, its body twitching as the life drains from it.
I barely have time to catch my breath before another creature appears, its eyes glowing in the dim light as it charges toward me. I raise the rebar, ready to strike, but this one is faster. It leaps at me, its jaws snapping around my arm before I can react.
Pain shoots through my body as the creature's teeth sink into my flesh, tearing through muscle and bone. I scream, the sound echoing through the tunnels, but I don't let go of the rebar. With all the strength I have left, I swing the metal bar at the creature's head, over and over, until its grip loosens and it falls to the ground, dead.
Blood pours from the wound in my arm, pooling on the floor beneath me. I press my hand against it, trying to stop the bleeding, but it's bad. I can barely move my fingers, the pain blinding.
But I can't stop. I have to keep moving.
I stagger to my feet, my body trembling from blood loss and exhaustion. My arm hangs limp at my side, the wound still bleeding, but I force myself to move. The creatures are still out there, still hunting me, their growls echoing through the tunnels. The pain in my arm is blinding, but I grit my teeth and keep pushing forward. My legs feel heavy, every step more difficult than the last. Blood drips from my arm, leaving a trail behind me, but I can't afford to slow down. If they catch my scent, they'll be on me in seconds.
The dark tunnels twist and turn, each corner offering a chance to lose the pack that's been chasing me. I move through them like a shadow, my breathing ragged and shallow, every muscle in my body screaming for rest. But rest is a luxury I can't afford. Not now.
I press myself against a wall, the cold metal biting into my back as I struggle to catch my breath. The tunnels are deathly quiet, save for the distant growls of the creatures. For a moment, I allow myself to believe that I've lost them—that I'm safe.
But the sharp sound of claws scraping against metal sends a surge of panic through my chest. They're close again. Too close. My hand tightens around the piece of rebar, slick with my own blood. It's heavy, but it's all I have.
I glance around, searching for any place to hide, any advantage I can use. The tunnel ahead dips slightly, and I see a narrow gap between two metal panels. It's small, barely wide enough to squeeze through, but it might be my only chance.
Without hesitation, I push myself forward, stumbling into the gap just as the first creature rounds the corner behind me. I hear its claws skittering across the floor as it closes in, the low rumble of its growl vibrating through the metal walls.
I wedge myself deeper into the gap, my heart pounding in my chest. The creature stops just outside, sniffing the air. I can hear it breathing, the low rasp of its breath just inches from me. My hand tightens on the rebar, preparing for the worst.
And then, after what feels like an eternity, it moves on, the sound of its growl fading into the distance.
I exhale, leaning heavily against the wall. I've survived this round. But I know this floor won't let me go so easily. The pack is still hunting me. The blood from my arm is still flowing.
And I still have so far to go.