I Live In Isekkai

Darkness

Michi, Thelma, Appolo, and Henu ventured into the dead city, their footsteps echoing off the abandoned buildings. The city seemed like it had been abandoned for mostly a hundred years, with vines crawling up the walls and dust covering everything. They walked for hours, but found nothing but emptiness. As they turned a corner, they stumbled upon a old, broken fountain. Thelma, being the curious one, decided to investigate. She found a small, hidden compartment in the fountain, containing a cryptic message etched into a stone. The message read: "Time is not what it seems."

Appolo, being the skeptic, dismissed it as mere nonsense. But Michi and Henu exchanged a knowing glance. They knew that in this strange place, anything was possible. As they continued their journey, they came across a massive city square, with an old clock tower standing tall in the center. The clock tower seemed to be the only thing that was still intact in the city.

Suddenly, the clock tower started to move at 12 am, its gears whirring to life. Long pillars began to raise from the ground, separating Michi, Thelma, Appolo, and Henu into three different sides. Each group found themselves teleported to a different location. Appolo and Henu materialized in front of an old, broken statue of a king with seven eyes. They took defensive positions, ready for anything.

But to their surprise, two people approached them, hands raised in peace. "Wait, wait, we're not going to harm you," one of them said. "We're just researchers." Appolo and Henu were shocked. "Researchers?" Appolo repeated. "What are you doing here?"

The researcher, Joyce, explained that they were from Azais city, and had come to research the strange occurrences in the dead city. Appolo and Henu exchanged a disbelieving glance. "How did you get here?" Appolo asked. "No ship or boat dares to come near this place."

Joyce looked at them. But then, Tanush, Joyce's assistant, spoke up. "Professor, the statue is not that old. Only fifty years old from now." Joyce pulled out a diary and started writing. "Okay, year 571, we have discovered the age of the statue."

Appolo's eyes widened in horror. "Wait, what did you just say? Year 571?" Joyce looked up, confused. "Yes, it is year 571." Appolo shook his head. "No, it's year 998." Joyce dismissed him. "Don't joke around."

But Appolo and Henu started to tell them about Azais city, about the virus, and the fear that gripped the city. Joyce and Tanush listened, their expressions changing from skepticism to disbelief. Appolo showed them his diary, proof of the year 998. Joyce's eyes widened. "This place feeds on time!"

Tanush spoke up, "But how is this possible? We've been studying this place for years, and we've never seen anything like this." Joyce nodded. "We need to get to the bottom of this. Let's work together to uncover the secrets of this place."

As they started to discuss their plan, they heard a strange noise coming from the distance. It sounded like footsteps, but they were light and cautious, as if someone was trying not to be seen. Appolo and Henu exchanged a glance, ready for anything.

Thelma found herself teleported to a place that looked eerily familiar. It was her own village, where she was born and tortured by the people she once called neighbors. The memories came flooding back, and she felt like she was reliving the nightmare all over again.

As she walked through the village, she noticed that everything was exactly as it was when she was a child. The same houses, the same streets, the same eerie atmosphere. But something was off. The villagers were all gone, replaced by an unsettling silence.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching. The villagers, now zombie-like creatures with deadly weapons and sinister smirks, closed in on her. Thelma was paralyzed with fear, unable to move or defend herself.