The air in the ancient corridor felt colder as the group ventured deeper into the ruins. Erwin's every step echoed faintly, the oppressive silence amplifying his unease. Vai led the group with her usual swagger, her fiery red hair flickering under the dim light like a warning flare. Alric, as calm as a predator in waiting, trailed behind her, his eyes scanning their surroundings with a calculating gleam.
Erwin lingered at the back, his instincts urging him to stay away from the others. His System Initiative had been quiet since the last cryptic warning: "Danger is closer than it appears." He couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in his gut, as though the ruins themselves were holding their breath, waiting for something to happen.
Ahead, the passageway narrowed, forcing the group into a single file. The walls were covered in ancient carvings, their meanings obscured by centuries of wear. Erwin traced a finger over one as he passed, noting the image of a hand clutching a glowing orb surrounded by shadowy figures.
"Stay close," Vai muttered, her tone devoid of her usual mockery.
Erwin glanced at her. For once, she seemed tense. Her fiery confidence hadn't dimmed entirely, but there was a guardedness in her movements that he hadn't seen before. Alric, on the other hand, moved with deliberate ease, as if he had already mapped out every step ahead of them.
---
The group halted as the corridor opened into a wide chamber. The floor was lined with rows of pressure plates, each one adorned with intricate symbols. At the far end of the chamber stood a massive stone door, its surface shimmering faintly with an otherworldly light.
"A trap," Alric said, his voice cutting through the silence.
Vai crouched near the edge of the chamber, her sharp eyes scanning the layout. "No kidding. Step on the wrong one, and we'll probably end up as ash."
"Good observation," Alric said dryly. "The question is, how do we get across?"
The group fell silent, their eyes fixed on the deadly puzzle before them. Erwin studied the symbols on the plates, his mind working furiously. They seemed to match the glyphs from earlier chambers, but the sequence was unclear.
"It's a logic game," Vai said, standing up. "The symbols probably correspond to a safe path. We just have to figure out the right order."
"And if we don't?" Erwin asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Then you'll get to see how fast I can turn a mistake into charcoal," Vai said with a smirk, though her eyes remained sharp.
---
As the group began debating their next move, Erwin's System Initiative flickered in the corner of his vision. A new message appeared:
"Trust no one. The shadows hide more than danger."
His heart skipped a beat. He glanced at Vai, then Alric, their faces impassive as they discussed the puzzle. The warning couldn't be more explicit. Someone was playing their own game, and Erwin had a sinking feeling he knew who it was.
"I'll go first," Alric said suddenly, cutting through the conversation.
Vai raised an eyebrow. "You volunteering to be the guinea pig?"
"Someone has to," he said with a shrug. "I've got a knack for puzzles."
Erwin watched Alric closely as he stepped onto the first plate. The symbol beneath his boot glowed faintly, but nothing happened. He moved to the next, his steps confident, each one lighting up in turn.
Vai followed after him, her movements cautious but deliberate. Erwin hesitated at the edge of the chamber, his mind racing. The warning played over and over in his head. Trust no one.
---
As they neared the other side of the chamber, Erwin felt the air shift. A faint whisper brushed against his ears, too soft to make out but chilling nonetheless. He glanced behind him, his hand tightening on the Vesperfangs.
The carvings along the walls seemed to ripple, the shadowy figures within them twisting and writhing. Erwin's breath quickened. He didn't know whether the others could see it, but the chamber itself felt alive, watching them with silent malice.
"Rookie," Vai called, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Keep moving. We don't have all day."
Erwin nodded, stepping carefully onto the first plate. It glowed faintly, just as it had for the others. He moved cautiously, following the path they had traced. With each step, the whispering grew louder, the voices indistinct but persistent.
By the time he reached the others, his skin was clammy with sweat. Alric and Vai stood in front of the stone door, their faces illuminated by its faint glow.
"It's a locking mechanism," Alric said, gesturing to a series of runes etched into the door. "Same symbols as the plates. Probably another sequence."
Vai rolled her eyes. "Of course it is. This place is nothing but puzzles and traps."
Erwin frowned. Something about the door felt wrong. The symbols seemed too obvious, too neatly arranged. He stepped closer, his eyes scanning the carvings for any inconsistencies.
---
Before he could speak, Vai stepped forward, reaching for the runes. "Let's get this over with," she said, her fingers tracing the symbols.
Alric moved suddenly, his hand darting out to grab her wrist.
"What the hell are you doing?" Vai snapped, yanking her hand away.
Alric's face was calm, almost too calm. "You were about to trigger something. These runes aren't just for unlocking the door. They're linked to another trap."
Vai narrowed her eyes. "And how would you know that?"
Alric smiled faintly. "Because I've seen it before."
Erwin's stomach twisted. The warning from the System Initiative blared in his mind. Alric wasn't just confident—he was rehearsed. This wasn't his first time in ruins like these.
Before Erwin could voice his suspicions, Alric stepped forward, placing his hand on one of the runes. The door rumbled, the symbols glowing brighter.
"There," he said. "That should—"
The floor beneath them shook violently, cutting him off. Shadows poured from the walls, their forms coalescing into humanoid shapes that flickered like smoke.
Vai's sword ignited instantly, the flames casting sharp shadows across her face. "What did you do?" she demanded.
Alric didn't answer. Instead, he stepped back, his hand drifting to the hilt of his blade.
Erwin's pulse quickened. Alric's smirk had returned, more sinister than before. Vai's stance shifted, her fiery weapon poised between them.
"Don't tell me," she said, her voice cold. "This was your plan all along."
Alric chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You always were quick, Vai. Too bad quick won't save you this time."
The shadows lunged, and chaos erupted.
---