𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, luke castellan

ꜰɪꜰᴛʏ

Monsters and Mortals.

🌎

    THE NEXT MORNING, the trio packed up their makeshift camp with the grim efficiency of people who had become far too accustomed to a life without a home. The small fire they'd carefully tended the night before had long since died out, leaving nothing but cold ashes and a faint, lingering smoky scent that clung to their clothes. The damp chill of the labyrinth seeped into their bones, as if the stone walls around them were sucking out whatever warmth remained. It was the kind of cold that made your joints stiff and your thoughts slow.

    Rory pulled her sword from its resting place and adjusted the strap across her back, the familiar weight a small comfort in the midst of the overwhelming uncertainty. The labyrinth stretched out in every direction, an endless maze of shadow and stone. Its silence was all consuming, broken only by the occasional distant drip of water echoing through the vast, unseen depths.

    But Rory couldn’t afford to show hesitation. Not now. Not when the others were watching her, depending on her to lead them. She wasn’t just responsible for herself anymore—Chris and Mary were following her, putting their trust in her to guide them through this nightmare. They shouldn't. But she could feel their trust with every step she took, every decision she made. One wrong move, one moment of indecision, and it could mean the end for all of them. Rory knew the stakes. And Rory wasn't a coward.

    She led the way, her movements careful but deliberate, her posture tense and ready. Every muscle in her body was tense, her senses heightened as she strained to listen for any sign of danger lurking in the shadows. Every step felt precarious, like walking along the edge of a cliff in the dark, one misstep away from disaster.

    Her heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn’t let them see her fear. Not Chris. Not Mary. And especially not the monsters who would doubt her abilities. They needed her to appear strong, to know what she was doing—even if she didn’t. Even if every part of her was screaming that she was in over her head. If they saw doubt in her eyes, it would only make their own fear worse. And fear was dangerous here. Fear clouded judgment, made people reckless. And recklessness would get them killed.

    Ahead, the passage twisted sharply, leading them to a crossroad where two branching tunnels stretched off into the unknown. Both paths were shrouded in thick, impenetrable darkness, their ends disappearing into a void that seemed to swallow all light and sound. Rory halted, her breath catching as she stared into the gloom. There was no way to tell which direction was the right one. No clues, no signs, nothing. Just more darkness, more uncertainty. The choice was hers to make, but how could she make it when the consequences were so steep?

    Standing still for too long wasn’t an option. She could feel the tension rising, not just within herself, but in the others as well. The monsters would get restless if they stopped to think for too long.

    Rory’s mind raced, her thoughts colliding in a blur of possibilities and risks. Left or right? There was no telling where either path would lead, and yet she had to choose.

    Finally, she made her choice. “We go left,” Rory said, her voice steady but carrying an edge of finality. It surprised her how sure she sounded, even when she wasn’t.

    Without waiting for a response, Rory stepped forward into the left passageway, her boots echoing softly against the stone floor. The others followed closely behind, their footsteps quiet but tense. The air seemed to grow colder the deeper they went, a biting chill that settled into their skin and made their breath puff out in faint clouds. The narrow corridor seemed to close in around them as they moved, the walls pressing tighter and tighter.