Nycteris' breath came in ragged gasps as he stumbled after the silver-haired knight, his thoughts racing. His pulse thundered in his ears, the horror of what had just happened still sinking in. He wasn't just running from those things—they were running toward something unknown, something even more terrifying.
Julian's face was tight with tension as he kept pace beside him. His usual sharp wit was gone, replaced with grim determination. Luke lagged slightly behind, his breathing uneven, eyes darting wildly through the misty, crimson-lit trees. He was scared—Nycteris could feel it in the way his friend's hands trembled at his sides.
The knight barely spared them a glance as she moved ahead with inhuman grace, her sword still slick with black ichor. There was something about her presence that demanded silence, that made even the chaotic storm inside Nycteris' mind pause. He swallowed hard, forcing himself to speak.
"Who… who are you?" His voice came out hoarse.
The knight didn't stop, but she did answer. "Call me Seraphine."
Julian exhaled sharply. "Alright, Seraphine. You clearly know what's going on. Mind explaining why we're in the middle of a twisted nightmare?"
She glanced at them briefly, her violet eyes glinting with something unreadable. "The Void Heart has chosen you."
Luke let out a hollow laugh. "Yeah, you said that already. What does that even mean?"
Seraphine slowed, finally turning to face them. "It means you are bound to the game. You don't get to leave until it's over."
The words hit like a hammer to the chest. Nycteris felt the weight settle over him—something cold, something final. Julian cursed under his breath. Luke ran a hand through his disheveled hair, looking as though he wanted to be anywhere but here.
"We didn't choose this," Nycteris muttered.
Seraphine's expression darkened. "No one ever does."
A low, rumbling growl echoed through the trees, cutting through the moment. The forest itself seemed to shift, the gnarled branches bending as if listening. Nycteris felt the hairs on his arms rise. They weren't safe.
Seraphine's grip on her sword tightened. "We need to move. Now."
As they ran, Nycteris' mind spiraled. There was something off about the way Julian moved—sharper, almost predatory. Luke, on the other hand, was too quiet. No jokes, no sarcastic remarks—just that unsettling calm. Something was changing them. Had changed them.
Was it the game? Or something worse?
The mist thickened around them, the trees seeming to stretch taller, their skeletal limbs twisting impossibly. Then Nycteris noticed something—whispers. Faint, indistinct murmurs slithered through the air, like voices just beyond the veil of reality.
He clenched his jaw. "Tell me there's a way to win this."
Seraphine didn't answer immediately. When she finally did, her voice was colder than before.
"There is."
Nycteris' heart leaped. "How?"
She hesitated. And that terrified him more than anything.
"The game ends when the Void Heart is satisfied."
Luke barked out a bitter laugh. "Satisfied? What the hell does that mean?"
Seraphine didn't reply. Instead, she stopped suddenly, raising her blade. "Quiet."
The wind had shifted again. The forest was no longer just awake—it was watching.
Nycteris followed her gaze, his stomach twisting into knots.
Deeper within the trees, something moved.
Something ancient. Something hungry.