Tap, tap, tap...
The sound of heavy footsteps, like a hammer striking the ground, echoed through the hallway.
It was Joshua, racing toward the deeper levels of the underground shelter.
He had to find Aylin.
It was an emergency.
If things continued like this, that poor boy might die.
The shelter felt unusually restless today, as though something unknown had been drawn toward it.
But no one seemed to care—or perhaps they were so consumed by the boy's condition that they had neglected the usual caution.
Joshua ran faster, his breath shallow, his pulse pounding. He reached the end of the hallway and thundered out Aylin's name:
"Aylin! Where are you? Hurry—we have to stop Zach… That boy is going to die…"
His words were broken between desperate breaths.
Aylin, who had been crouched in a corner inspecting the tools they'd brought, looked up, confused.
"Hey… calm down. What's going on? Can't you see Karina's sleeping? Why all the yelling?"
Joshua hadn't even noticed Karina in his rush. But he was panicking, and without saying anything more, he grabbed Aylin's hand to pull her along.
The noise startled Karina awake.
She had only just fallen asleep—and now, hearing Joshua's words, she froze in terror.
But she forced herself to move, biting her lip to shake off the numbness, then dashed down the hallway toward Zach's location.
Joshua and Aylin saw her rush past them, startled, and immediately chased after her.
A sharp smell of blood hung heavy in the corridor.
It seeped into the walls and floors of that place.
Joshua and Aylin were breathless, pale.
Karina was trembling, frightened by the metallic scent. Like a small rabbit sensing the hunter's shadow.
Seeing her fragile figure shaking, Aylin rushed forward to embrace her.
She didn't know what Karina had seen—until the child suddenly screamed, a cry of agony and horror.
"Ahhhhh!"
Aylin held her tightly, trying to soothe her.
But the girl struggled, pounding her fists against her own chest, whispering for it all to end.
No one knew why she was reacting that way...
Until they saw the cruel scene before them.
Ice blades pierced the boy's frail body.
His body was covered in them, and a river of blood flowed beneath him.
Bloody tears spilled from his hopeless eyes.
He begged for mercy.
Even Aylin was stunned—she had never seen Zach so brutal.
Was he truly Zach?
Joshua looked furious.
They had dragged an innocent child to the edge of death.
He would never forgive himself.
He charged at Zach, fists clenched, striking him hard and sending him crashing to the ground.
But Joshua didn't stop—he kept going, blow after blow.
Zach's face was drenched in blood.
Aylin panicked. Everything was spiraling out of control.
Karina was terrified, Joshua had lost it, the boy was bleeding out… and Zach…
She stood alone in the darkness of the shelter, without backup.
Billy was out on watch. His absence left a gap in the wall.
Aylin shouted at Joshua, desperate.
"Joshua… stop! Please!"
Finally, Joshua stepped back, dazed, and looked at Aylin with remorse.
"I'm sorry…"
Aylin asked him to check the boy's condition, while she tried to comfort Karina.
"Karina, breathe… I'm right here.
I know seeing something like this hurts—it's cruel and unbearable.
But you have to stay strong.
If you're in pain or scared, tell me. I'm always here for you."
Her words calmed Karina a little, though her small body still trembled.
Once reassured, Aylin turned to Zach.
She hadn't expected this from him.
The events had shattered the image she had built of Zack over the past year.
"Zach… I know you said I should trust you with everything… but I never thought you'd do something like this.
Why… why did this happen?"
She still wanted to trust him, yet her heart trembled—her soul a stormy sea.
Zach said nothing, but there was something strange in his eyes.
He looked uneasy too.
Everyone was searching for answers, but decided to wait until the boy stabilized.
Aylin approached to assess his wounds.
The ice blades had penetrated deeply.
He was barely breathing.
His heartbeat was slowing—he hovered near death.
As if some bloodthirsty shadow was devouring him, pulling him deeper into the darkness.
They had no medicine or proper supplies.
The only solution was to use life energy.
Aylin felt responsible.
She decided to sacrifice a portion of her life energy to save the boy.
Zach, who stood aside, noticed her movement and rushed toward her.
"No, Aylin… you can't do this!"
Aylin glared at him.
"It's my fault. I brought him here—his life is on me. Stay out of this, Zach."
Zach grabbed her arm, insisting.
"No… I'm the one who hurt him.
Let me do it. You know using life energy could endanger you."
But Aylin pushed him away.
"I don't care. If I don't do this, then I'm no different from the ones who take lives."
Zach, seeing her resolve, remained silent.
Aylin took a deep breath and focused, guiding the energy inside her.
She had to deliver it slowly and carefully, as the boy's wounds were severe.
Placing her hands on his shoulders, she began the transfer.
Energy flowed gently from her fingertips into his broken body.
Little by little, his pale face regained color—his lifeless expression softened.
Some superficial wounds healed, and the bleeding of deeper ones stopped.
But Aylin looked exhausted, sweat trickling down her brow.
After thirty grueling minutes, the transfer was complete.
She was finally able to rest.
The boy, now barely revived, stared into a corner—like someone possessed, caught in another realm.
He moved his hands through the air, searching for something unseen… and whispered:
"Ta'hin... Ta'hin... Ta'hin..."
He kept repeating that name.