Simon sat against the wall, watching the dance of shadows on the ceiling. Fatigue gripped his body, but sleep refused to come. Over the past few hours, he thought he heard whispers from the depths of the tunnels. He tried convincing himself it was just his imagination, but the feeling of a foreign presence lingered.
"Everything okay?" Victor asked as he approached and sat down beside him.
"Hard to adjust," Simon admitted, his gaze fixed on the darkness. "The whispers, the shadows... The Abyss doesn't let go, even here."
Victor nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Adjusting doesn't mean surrendering. It's just the new reality."
Simon wanted to reply, but their conversation was interrupted by a scream from the far end of the tunnel. Victor leapt to his feet, his hand instantly moving to his knife.
"Stay here," he ordered over his shoulder, heading toward the sound.
But Simon didn't listen. He stood and followed Victor, his legs moving faster than his mind could command them to stop.
---
They arrived at a scene of panic, where a group of survivors had gathered. A young woman was trembling, her face pale as chalk.
"What happened?" Victor asked sharply.
The woman pointed with a shaking hand toward the tunnel.
"I… I saw something. It… it was watching me."
Victor frowned.
"What did it look like?"
"Black eyes," she whispered, hugging her shoulders. "Like the Abyss."
Simon felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He exchanged a quick glance with Victor, worry flickering in his eyes.
"Everyone, back to the main hall!" Victor commanded. "Simon, help them."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to check it out."
But Simon stepped forward.
"If it's something from the Abyss, you can't face it alone."
Victor sighed but didn't argue.
---
They moved cautiously, every sound in the tunnel amplified. The flickering light from their torches cast wavering shadows that couldn't penetrate the dense darkness.
"Are you scared?" Victor asked as they paused momentarily before a branching path.
"I learned to be scared long before this all started," Simon replied. "Fear means you're alive."
Victor nodded.
"Good answer."
They continued. The tunnel grew narrower, and the air heavier. Finally, they reached a dead end, where a dark, wet trail lay on the floor, resembling oil.
"She was right," Victor whispered. "It's a creature's trail."
"What kind of creatures?" Simon asked.
"Servants of the Abyss. They come where there's fear."
Simon clenched his fists, feeling the black flames begin to stir inside him again.
"We need to stop them."
---
When they returned to the others, Victor gathered everyone around.
"Listen!" His voice was firm. "We're facing a new threat. These creatures feed on fear. If you want to survive, you must stay calm."
"How can we stay calm when monsters are literally beyond the wall?" one of the survivors shouted.
Simon stepped forward.
"We're all afraid. But fear doesn't have to control us. We have to control it."
His words stirred murmurs among the crowd, but no one objected.