Deep beneath the city of Lavien…
Theo's boots splashed through ankle-deep water, each step echoing off the damp stone walls. Droplets trickled from the ceiling, striking broken debris scattered along the passage edges. Shadows danced with every flicker of his lantern. He glanced left, then right—ancient stone corridors branched off endlessly into darkness.
Alone.
Cautious.
Searching for the comrades he'd "lost".
Theo's grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. The silence was suffocating—until movement flickered in the far dark.
He snapped forward.
"You!" he shouted, voice cutting through the echoing gloom. "Stop right there!"
A giggle—feminine, mocking—echoed back.
THUD—SPLASH—THUD—SPLASH—THUD—SPLASH.
Footsteps. Heavy. Louder. Closer.
Theo skidded to a halt, boots sliding across slick stone.
"What?!" he gasped.
The corridor ahead—gone. A wall stood where an open path had just been.
His chest heaved. He jerked his head back, stunned. He'd seen it. He was sure.
He propped the torch into the damp wall, its flame flickering wildly.
He stepped forward and raised his sword overhead. With a loud exhale, he slashed vertically across the stone.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Sparks flew. Stone chipped. Gravel spilled through.
He staggered back, confused. That path was real—he hadn't imagined it. There had been a corridor there. Now, nothing but damp, cold wall.
He picked up the torch
He stepped back, glanced back in disbelief. Something wasn't right.
No time to think.
A sudden blur—
A kick aimed straight for his ribs.
Theo pivoted just in time, intercepting the blow with ease, torch flying at the debris, A massive THUD echoed as their clash sent a blast of air surging through the corridor. Water sprayed across the walls. He caught a figure by the ankle, hoisting them up, holding them close, blade poised.
"Who are you?" he questioned.
The figure—cloaked in black, rags torn and clinging to a too-thin frame—answered with violence. No hesitation. He reached up, swung his arm at his own leg, snapped the bones, and spun midair—flesh tearing free with a sickening rip., he made a run for his existence
Fast. Powerful. Desperate.
But not fast enough.
Theo lunged. Steel flashed.
Impaled.
The blade sank deep into the figure's torso.
Theo crouched low, his obsidian-black helmet reflecting the dim torchlight. "I said—who are you?"
The man didn't speak. His face hidden beneath a veil, body trembling. Without warning, he reached up—
—and snapped his own neck.
CRACK.
Theo reeled back, heart hammering. Silence fell again.
Then—movement. Theo knelt beside the corpse, peeling away the veil.
A half-rotten face stared back. Jawbone exposed. Skin peeling. One eye missing, the other cloudy and dead.
"Tch," Theo hissed through his helmet. He stood, disgust rolling off him in waves. "Damn necromancer…"
He reclaimed his torch, its flame still flickering.
He didn't wait. He ran.
THUD—SPLASH—THUD—SPLASH—THUD—SPLASH.
The corridor trembled with each step, the torchlight stretching farther into the darkness.
Suddenly—
Caw.
Theo's head snapped left.
A massive raven, wings outstretched, human-sized, ripped through the air like a thrown spear. Black feathers screamed through the damp tunnel, eyes glowing crimson.
Theo raised his sword—but it was too late.
CRASH!
The raven slammed into him with earth-shaking force, the impact hurling him through the air.
A hidden passage opened to his right—an invisible seam sliding apart just as his body was flung through.
SLAM.
The door sealed behind him, leaving no trace. A smooth, unbroken wall. No passage. No way back.
Silence returned to the passage.
Falling through the square shaft, Theo's body slammed against the narrow stone walls—once, twice—before he regained control mid-air.
The ground rushed up to meet him.
CRACK—THUD!
He crashed down feet-first, knees bending with the impact. Dust burst around his boots. For a moment, he crouched, steady—then slowly straightened.
"...Huh," he muttered, eyes narrowing.
Darkness.
No torch. No walls. No ceiling. Only a faint patch of ground visible around him—and black stretching endlessly in every direction.
Silence. Not a whisper. Not a breath.
Just ankle-deep water, rippling softly around his legs.
Then—
tchtchtchtch—tchtch—tch—
Quick. Light. Scattered footsteps.
From everywhere at once.
Theo crouched slightly, planting his feet. His hand tightened on his sword's hilt, knuckles white beneath the armor. Head swiveling, eyes scanning the black void.
Closer.
Faster.
Surrounding.
Then—
Silence.
A sudden, absolute halt. As if the very air had been strangled.
Unnatural.
Theo didn't move. Breath held. Muscles tense.
Sweat trickled down the back of his neck beneath his armor.
Something was out there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Back behind him Theo heard, "Splash—echo—splash—echo…"
he turned instantly towards the sound
he heard a soft feminine voice, a sound of a chuckle entangled him then followed her saying " Who could be here?" - emerging from the darkness a girl head shorter than Theo
Her wolf-like ears, sleek and pointed forward, framed her face, while her deep white hair cascaded down her figure to her hips, flowing like a silken waterfall. Her eyes—pure white with a hint of blue in her pupils and sharp—pierced through the air with an eerie intensity, their long, dark lashes accentuating their chilling beauty. Her face, childlike yet curvaceous, radiated an otherworldly allure, with semi-wide eyebrows that arched gracefully, adding a touch of fierceness to her delicate features.
With each step, her platinum-colored garment swayed gracefully, the fabric shifting with her movement. A daring slit ran along the middle, revealing her legs, while a deep triangular cut on the back gave the garment a touch of mystery. The lower half of her attire was adorned with intricate, embroidered snowflakes that shimmered faintly as they caught the light.
The upper portion of her outfit was a full-body cloth that clung to her torso, its soft texture etched with delicate wool patterns. Across her chest, a wide snowflake was stitched in fine detail, as though frozen in time. Her sleeves fit snugly at her shoulders but grew progressively looser as they cascaded down her arms, the fabric flowing like winter's chill, offering both elegance and ease in her movements.
Theo flinched, instinctively dropping into a defensive stance, uncertain of what was about to come.
She met his gaze, a mocking grin spreading across her face. "Cold here, isn't it?" she teased, her voice dripping with amusement.
Theo couldn't argue—cold was an understatement. He gave a short nod in silent agreement.
With a soft splash, she took a single step forward, the sound of water barely noticeable as her presence grew closer. Then, in the blink of an eye, she was right in front of him.
Before Theo could react, she drove a swift kick into his helmet, the impact sending him flying backward, tumbling through the darkness.
She stood there, her gaze fixed on the spot where he had fallen, a wicked smirk playing at the corners of her lips.