Reika's head throbbed as she pressed her forehead against the cool, jagged wall of the fissure. Her surroundings had shifted violently only moments ago, the neutral gray world of "limbo" exploding into a nightmare of fire and ash. She had fallen through the ground before she could even scream, her body tumbling down into this suffocating chasm.
The searing heat made every breath a labor. Sweat poured down her back, and her palms stung from scraping against the stone as she tried to steady herself.
[Floor 0: Limbo → Transformed (Infernal Rift)]
[Objective: ???]
The glowing text hovered in front of her again, just like before, mocking her with its lack of clarity.
What the hell is happening? she thought, her hands curling into trembling fists. Everyone else had been just as clueless back in limbo. Did they all fall into cracks like hers, or had something worse happened to them?
Reika swallowed the lump in her throat, her chest heaving as she fought back the rising panic. Her screen pulsed softly.
[Hint: Remain where you are. The surface is unstable.]
"Remain where I am?" she whispered. Her voice sounded hoarse, almost foreign in her own ears. She looked around at the narrow fissure enclosing her. Is this even safe?
Above her, the faint glow of the fiery world seeped through the thin sliver of an opening far above. The air shimmered with waves of heat, and the occasional pebble or ember fell through the cracks, bouncing off the walls.
Minutes passed. Or was it hours? Reika couldn't tell. The oppressive heat was draining her energy, her thoughts growing sluggish as if her brain were cooking in the heat.
Her screen flickered again.
[Time Remaining: 19:42:12]
The sight of the timer jolted her. Less than 20 hours remained on the clock, and she still didn't even know what the goal was. She clenched her jaw, trying to ignore the growing ache in her body. The system wasn't going to explain itself, and she didn't have the luxury of sitting here until she passed out from dehydration.
[Hint: The fissure leads to a safe area below. Movement attracts attention.]
Her breath caught.
"Below?" she muttered, glancing down at the uneven stone floor beneath her. There wasn't an obvious path forward—just jagged rocks and darkness.
But if staying put was dangerous, she had no other choice.
Cautiously, Reika began to descend. She moved slowly, her fingers gripping the rock wall for support. Her sneakers slipped on the uneven surface, and every step sent a jolt of fear through her. The last thing she needed was to fall again.
The heat intensified as she went deeper, and the light from above grew fainter. Soon, the only illumination came from her floating GUI, its faint glow casting eerie shadows across the narrow walls.
Her foot dislodged a small rock, and it tumbled into the abyss below, the sound of its impact lost in the distance. Reika froze, her heart hammering in her chest.
The silence stretched on for what felt like an eternity. Then, a low, guttural sound echoed from somewhere below her.
She bit back a gasp, her body tensing. The growl was faint but unmistakable—a warning that she wasn't alone.
[Hint: Keep moving. Do not stop.]
Reika forced herself to keep going, her breathing shallow. Her hands ached from gripping the rough stone, and the soles of her shoes were wearing thin from the constant friction. She didn't dare look back.
Finally, the fissure widened into an open cavern, and she stumbled onto solid ground. The space was massive, the ceiling arching high above and disappearing into darkness. The walls glowed faintly with streaks of molten rock, casting an orange hue across the chamber.
Her screen updated.
[Safe Zone Detected.]
Relief washed over her, and she sank to her knees, gasping for air. Her whole body was trembling, her muscles screaming from the effort of the climb.
[Hint: Prepare yourself. This safety will not last.]
Reika's relief was short-lived. Her chest tightened as she read the message, her mind racing.
The ground beneath her began to rumble, and the glow of the molten rock intensified.
What now?
A crack split the air, and she scrambled to her feet, her eyes darting around the cavern. One of the walls was shifting—no, crumbling. Something massive was moving behind it, its shadow stretching across the chamber.
Her screen flickered violently.
[Warning: Apex Predator detected.]
[Hint: The safest path is the most dangerous. Trust your instincts.]
Reika's legs tensed, her instincts screaming at her to run. But there was nowhere to go. The cavern stretched wide, yet the paths out of it were unclear. The molten glow of the walls flickered, distorted by the massive shadow moving behind the crumbling stone.
Her screen updated again.
[Hint: Observe carefully. Apex Predators rely on sound and vibration.]
She swallowed hard, her chest heaving. The growling grew louder, rumbling through the ground beneath her feet.
"Sound and vibration?" she whispered, her voice trembling. She instinctively stopped moving, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
The ground cracked again, a massive claw emerging from the stone wall. It was covered in jagged scales, glowing faintly as if it had absorbed the molten heat of the surroundings. The claw dug into the floor, pulling a hulking creature out of the wall.
Reika bit her lip, forcing herself not to scream.
The creature stood at least twice her height, its elongated snout filled with razor-sharp teeth that glistened in the fiery light. Its eyes glowed a dull orange, scanning the cavern with a predatory focus. Lava dripped from its hide, sizzling as it hit the ground.
It can't see me, she realized. It's using sound to hunt.
Her screen flickered again, her heartbeat quickening.
[Hint: Move only when it is distracted.]
[Optional: Discover the hidden passage behind the Apex Predator.]
Reika's stomach twisted. Her screen clearly wanted her to go toward the monster.
"Are you kidding me?" she hissed under her breath. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but she still froze, terrified the sound had carried.
The creature's head snapped in her direction, sniffing the air.
Reika's pulse raced as she crouched low, pressing herself against the cavern wall. The creature didn't move closer, but its heavy footsteps thudded ominously as it prowled the area. She stayed completely still, her breaths shallow.
[Hint: Apex Predators are distracted by heat sources other than themselves.]
Her eyes darted around the cavern. The molten streaks along the walls glowed dimly, casting flickering shadows across the space. She spotted a small pool of lava nearby, bubbling faintly in the corner.
Heat source… Her mind raced. If I can shift its attention toward that…
She glanced down, her hands trembling as she picked up a small, jagged rock. It was warm to the touch, but not unbearably hot.
[Warning: Throwing objects creates noise.]
Her lips curled into a tight grimace. "Great. Thanks for pointing that out," she muttered under her breath. But it wasn't like she had any better options.
Reika gripped the rock tightly, her arm shaking as she prepared to throw it. She aimed for the pool of lava, calculating the distance. If she could hit it just right…
Three… two… one—
She hurled the rock.
The stone arced through the air and splashed into the lava pool with a loud hiss. The sound echoed through the cavern, and the creature's head snapped toward the noise. It let out a guttural growl, lumbering toward the heat source with slow, deliberate steps.
Reika didn't wait. She darted toward the opposite side of the cavern, keeping her steps as light as possible. Her screen flickered as she moved, and a faint outline appeared on the wall ahead of her.
[Hidden Passage Unlocked: 3 meters ahead.]
Her heart leapt. The "hidden passage" was a narrow crevice, almost invisible against the molten rock. She squeezed through the gap, her breath catching as the sharp edges of the stone scraped against her arms.
The rumbling growl of the Apex Predator echoed behind her, but it didn't follow her into the passage.
[Safe Zone Updated.]
Reika stumbled forward, collapsing onto her knees as she reached a smaller, enclosed chamber. The heat was still oppressive, but the danger felt further away now. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath.
Her screen pulsed softly again.
[Hint: You have gained time. Recover and assess your surroundings.]
Reika leaned back against the wall, letting the tension bleed out of her muscles. She looked around the chamber, noting a faint glow coming from a strange crystalline structure embedded in the wall. It shimmered faintly, almost like it was alive.
She frowned, her screen updating once more.
[Item Detected: Ember Crystal]
[Effect: Enhances fire resistance temporarily when absorbed.]
Reika hesitated, reaching out toward the crystal. "Absorbed? What does that even mean?" she muttered. Her screen didn't provide an answer, but she felt a strange pull toward the glowing crystal.
Her fingers brushed against its surface, and the moment she made contact, the crystal dissolved into a fine mist, swirling around her before sinking into her skin.
Her screen flashed again.
[Effect Acquired: Fire Resistance +20% (Duration: 2 hours)]
The heat around her suddenly felt a little less suffocating, and she exhaled a shaky breath.
One step at a time, she thought, wiping the sweat from her brow. Just survive.
Her timer ticked down silently in the corner of her vision.
[Time Remaining: 17:21:09]
Would you like me to continue the chapter here or start adding dialogue/decisions for Reika to interact with the environment?