The dark, winding hallways of the second floor were eerily silent, broken only by the soft padding of boots against cold stone.
Creed, Lilith, and Tierra moved cautiously, every muscle tense, every sense on full alert.
At the very front of their little group was Emerald—the shadow girl they had battered into submission not too long ago.
Her real name suited her perfectly, considering her vibrant green eyes that still glowed faintly even under the dim lights.
She was walking ahead like a reluctant sacrifice, mumbling under her breath every few steps and glancing nervously over her shoulder to make sure Creed and the girls weren't about to skewer her for fun.
Occasionally, she'd point down a hallway and mutter something useful, like, "Left here, unless you want to get chopped into meat cubes" or "Right here unless you enjoy spontaneous combustion."
