As the trio stepped into the dungeon entrance, the swirling blue frame slid across their bodies, brushing past them like water.
For a brief second, their outlines were traced in light—then it was gone, snapping shut behind them like nothing had ever been there.
Zachary paused.
Not because something attacked.
But because something felt… wrong.
The space in front of them wasn't what he expected.
Not a cave.
Not ruins.
Not even a forest.
It looked like a city.
An abandoned one.
Street lights stretched along the road in uneven rows, flickering weakly as if they were barely holding on.
Some stayed on for a few seconds, then cut out completely.
Others buzzed faintly, casting a dim, yellowish glow that barely reached the ground.
The buildings stood tall—but empty.
No lights inside.
No movement behind the windows.
No signs of life.
Just space.
…Way too much space.
Cole slowly turned his head, scanning everything around him.
His steps slowed without him even realizing it.
"…This is weird," he muttered, his voice quieter than usual.
He rubbed the back of his neck, a small habit when something didn't sit right with him.
"It's like… I've seen something like this before."
He paused.
Then exhaled lightly.
"…Like a liminal space or something."
Zachary didn't respond immediately.
But he got what Cole meant.
—Liminal spaces: empty, in-between places that feel familiar, yet completely out of place—
Eleora stood still for a moment.
Her eyes moved slowly across the empty streets.
The flickering lights.
The silence.
Her breathing changed.
Subtle.
But noticeable.
"I feel…" she started quietly.
Her hand lifted slightly, pressing against her chest, fingers curling faintly into her shirt.
"…I don't know…"
She hesitated.
Then—
"…nostalgic."
Zachary looked at her immediately.
That wasn't the kind of word you just used randomly.
He stepped closer without thinking, placing his hand gently against her back. Not forceful—just enough to let her know he was there.
"Don't worry, Eleora…" he said, his voice calmer than before.
He gave a small pat, almost awkward but genuine.
"You're level 15, remember?"
Eleora blinked.
Then looked at him.
For a second, her expression softened.
"…Yeah," she said, smiling slightly.
Not wide.
Not confident.
But real.
They started moving again.
Slower this time.
More careful.
Eleora walked beside Zachary, their shoulders only a few inches apart. Not touching—but close enough to feel the presence of the other.
Cole walked just a bit ahead, but not far enough to be separated.
No one talked.
The silence stretched longer the deeper they went.
Their footsteps echoed faintly against the empty ground, sounding louder than they should.
Even breathing felt noticeable.
Then—
CCCRREEEKKKK—!
The sound dragged through the air.
Long.
Sharp.
Unnatural.
All three of them froze.
"What was that!?" Cole said immediately, his voice snapping the silence.
His body tensed, shoulders tightening as his eyes darted around.
Zachary didn't speak.
But his stance shifted.
Feet planted.
Fists clenched.
Eleora stepped back slightly.
Not out of fear—
But instinct.
The sound stopped.
Too suddenly.
The kind of silence that felt… oddly wrong.
Like something was waiting.. lurking
Then—
LUNGE!
Something burst out from the darkness.
Fast.
Way too fast.
Zachary barely caught a glimpse of it.
A body made of twisted metal wires, coiled and tangled together, moving in ways that didn't make sense.
It didn't run—it pulled itself forward, snapping and stretching as it launched toward them.
Eleora moved first.
No hesitation.
No warning.
Her body shifted instantly.
One step.
Then—
She jumped.
Her foot hit a nearby light pole—
Then pushed off it.
Her body lifted higher, twisting mid-air as she repositioned herself.
"…Not using my hands," she muttered under her breath.
More to herself than anyone else.
"Interim—Kick!"
Her leg came down hard, aimed directly at the creature's head.
Clean.
Precise.
Fast.
Impact—
But—
It didn't react.
Not even slightly.
Eleora's eyes widened mid-motion.
"…What?"
Then—
The wires moved.
Fast.
They snapped upward, wrapping around her leg instantly.
Cold metal coiled tightly, twisting around her ankle and calf like it had been waiting for that exact moment.
"Gnt—!" Eleora gasped, her body jerking slightly as the pressure tightened.
The grip wasn't just strong—
It was unnatural.
The wires twisted more.
Pulling.
Locking.
And not letting go.