The air was colder than before, thick with the smell of damp earth and something metallic, like blood that had been left too long. The walls of the underground passage seemed to lean inward, as if the very rock wanted to trap them inside. Lena walked close to Kai, her heart beating fast, her eyes scanning the darkness ahead. The Zero Child clung to her hand, his small fingers trembling. Mira followed just behind them, her new abilities still humming through her like a restless storm.The tunnel twisted again, and that’s when they heard it—soft footsteps, too light to belong to a soldier, too slow to be human. It was a shuffling, almost dragging sound. The hair on Lena’s neck rose instantly.Kai stopped, his hand going to the hilt of his blade. “Something’s here,” he whispered. His voice was calm, but Lena could hear the steel underneath it, the warning.The Zero Child stiffened. “She’s watching us,” he said quietly. His voice was not afraid—more curious, almost sad.“She?” Lena repeat

The sound of the footsteps was faint but steady, like someone walking just far enough behind to keep out of sight. Lena’s stomach tightened. She didn’t look back right away—sometimes it was better not to let whatever was following you know you’d noticed.Kai noticed too. She could tell from the way his shoulders tensed, his steps slowing slightly. His voice was low, meant only for her.“Keep the boy close. Don’t stop moving.”The Zero Child didn’t seem scared, just curious. “It’s her again,” he whispered.Lena felt her heart skip. “The woman?”He nodded. “She’s not gone. She’s waiting.”Kai’s grip tightened on his sword hilt. “If she’s waiting, then she wants something. And that’s worse than if she just wanted us dead.”The tunnel ahead sloped downward, the walls closing in until they were walking single file. The air smelled damp and metallic, and their footsteps made soft splashes in the thin film of water covering the ground. Every so often, a drop would fall from above and echo in

The silence after the battle felt heavier than the fight itself. Dust floated in the stale air like drifting ash, settling over broken walls and shattered metal. Lena’s lungs burned as she tried to catch her breath, but the pounding in her chest didn’t come only from exhaustion—it came from the way Kai still hadn’t let go of her wrist. His grip was firm, almost too tight, but it grounded her.The Zero Child stood a few steps ahead, still staring down the corridor they had just come through. His eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, scanning for movement. He didn’t speak. He didn’t even seem to breathe. It was as if he could sense something they couldn’t.“Is it over?” Mira’s voice was low, almost afraid to break the stillness.“No,” Kai said, his voice a deep rasp. “It’s never over down here.”His words seemed to hang in the air. Lena looked around at the shadowed hallways stretching in different directions. The place felt older than the other tunnels they’d been in—walls cracked and

The tunnel shook behind them as Lena ran. Every step echoed, mixing with the pounding of her heart and the scraping of claws against stone. The air was colder now, sharp enough to sting her throat when she breathed.“Faster!” Kai’s voice cut through the noise.Lena pushed herself harder, ignoring the burn in her legs. The Zero Child stayed at her side, light on his feet, but his eyes darted over his shoulder every few seconds.Behind them, the creature’s voice slid through the dark. “You will not leave me… not when I have waited this long.”Lena didn’t dare look back.The tunnel forked ahead. Kai didn’t hesitate—he veered right, pulling Mira by the arm. Lena and the Zero Child followed, but the narrow path made them slow. The walls closed in, brushing their shoulders.A roar split the air, so loud it made the stone vibrate. Dust fell from the ceiling. Somewhere behind them, claws scraped harder, faster.Lena’s breath came out in short gasps. “What… is that thing?”The Zero Child didn’

The creature’s words hung in the damp air like a curse. Its voice was deep and smooth, almost human, but filled with a cold amusement that made Lena’s skin crawl. Water streamed down its long, sinewy body as it pulled itself fully out of the pool.Its skin glistened—pale, almost translucent—stretched tight over long muscles. Sharp ridges ran along its forearms, ending in claws that glimmered wet in the dim light. Black eyes, cold and depthless, shifted from Kai to Lena, then to the Zero Child standing behind them.Lena’s heart pounded so hard it hurt. She wanted to move—anything—but her legs wouldn’t listen.Kai shifted slightly, placing himself between Lena and the creature. His weapon—an old blade scavenged from one of the underground caches—was steady in his grip, though blood dripped steadily from his wounded arm.“You’ve been following us,” Kai said, his voice low but steady.The creature tilted its head. “Following?” Its lips curled into something that might have been a smile—or