Pain.
That was the first thing Kain felt.
A dull, throbbing ache spread across his body as he forced his eyes open. The world around him was blurred, shapes twisting in the dim light. His ears were ringing—probably from the explosion.
For a brief moment, he couldn't remember where he was.
Then it all came back.
The creatures. The chase. The detonator. The collapsing tunnel.
He sat up fast—too fast. A sharp pain tore through his ribs, forcing a grunt from his throat. His body protested, but he shoved it down.
Where was The Wraith?
His eyes adjusted to the flickering red lights around him. A metal room. No windows. One heavy, reinforced door.
He wasn't in the tunnel anymore.
---
The Prison Cell
A groan came from the side. Kain turned his head, spotting The Wraith slumped against the wall. Their suit was scorched from the blast, and blood dripped from a gash on their forehead.
Kain crawled over, shaking their shoulder. "Hey. Wake up."
The Wraith stirred, eyes flickering open. They blinked, groggy, then flinched.
"Shit. We're alive?"
Kain exhaled. "For now."
The Wraith sat up, wincing. "Where the hell are we?"
Kain shook his head. "No idea. But someone pulled us out of that rubble. And I doubt it was out of kindness."
The heavy door ahead had no handles. No keypads. No visible way out.
They were locked in.
And whoever put them here… was watching.
---
A Voice in the Dark
A crackling sound filled the room. Speakers.
Then, a voice—calm, amused.
"You two are hard to kill. That's good. That means you might be useful."
Kain's muscles tensed. Male voice. Older. Confident.
He exchanged a glance with The Wraith. Neither of them recognized it.
The voice continued.
"You're trespassing in a restricted sector. And normally, that means you'd be dead already."
A pause. Then, almost mockingly—
"But… I'm feeling generous. So let's make a deal."
Kain clenched his fists. A deal?
The Wraith spoke first. "Who are you?"
The voice chuckled. "I think a better question is… how badly do you want to get out of here?"
Silence filled the room.
Then, the locks on the door clicked.
It was opening.