The moment the explosion shook the ground, chaos spread everywhere. Screams filled the air, people running, pushing, shoving — the world had turned into panic.
Rian didn't hesitate for even a second. He sprinted toward the collapsing building where the sound came from, ignoring everyone's shouts.
"Rian!" Yunho yelled behind him, already ready to follow — but before he could take a step, a hand gripped his shoulder. It was his father.
"What are you doing here?! Move back!" his father shouted, pulling him away from the crowd.
"Let me go!" Yunho tried to push him off, but his father's grip only grew tighter.
Not far from them, Yurim stood frozen. Her eyes followed the direction Rian ran toward, but her feet wouldn't move. Her heart was beating too fast, her mind blank. The screams around her sounded distant, like she was underwater.
What should I do?
If I go there… I might die too.
She couldn't move — not because she didn't care, but because fear chained her body. The heavy sound of falling metal made her flinch, and all she could do was stare in shock.
Minutes passed like that. Her hands trembled, her legs refused to work.
Then, as her mind slowly cleared, she saw something else — movement far above the buildings.
Her gaze lifted.
A person was standing on the rooftop of a nearby building, right at the edge.
Her stomach dropped. She squinted — the distance was far, but she recognized the shape of that body, the curve of those shoulders.
Grandmother…?
She blinked, unsure. For a moment she thought she was imagining it. But no — that person was really there.
Her eyes shifted again toward Rian's direction — he was already gone inside the building. Her throat tightened. She didn't know what to do.
Her fear told her to stay away from everything. But another small voice inside her whispered that she couldn't just stand there anymore.
Without thinking further, Yurim ran toward that building.
---
Inside, Rian was coughing from the smoke. The hallways were filled with dust and half-broken furniture. Then, he saw someone — a man pinned under debris, blood dripping from his arm.
Rian stopped. He wanted to rush ahead, but the man's faint groan pulled him back.
"Hold on," Rian said quickly, pushing the wooden pieces off him. He grabbed the man's arm and helped him stand. The man was too weak to walk, so Rian half-carried him toward the door.
"Stay here, don't move," he told him, leaving him safely near the exit.
Then he turned back — and that's when he noticed something strange outside through a broken window.
On the rooftop of the opposite building, one figure.
His eyes narrowed. Grandmother?
---
Meanwhile, Yurim climbed the narrow stairs of that building, breathing heavily, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. The top floor was open, dusty, and half-destroyed.
And there — standing near the edge — was grandmother.
"Grandmother!" Yurim called out, her voice shaking.
The woman didn't turn. Her shoulders were shaking, tears running down her cheeks. "Yes… yes… I understand…" she whispered weakly, nodding to something no one else could see.
Then a voice—dark, heavy, and commanding—echoed in her head:
"You failed to sacrifice an innocent soul. Now, you must offer your own."
Her eyes widened in horror, but her lips moved without control. "Yes… I will…" she murmured softly, tears mixing with sweat.
Yurim couldn't hear that voice; all she saw was her crying, whispering "yes" to empty air.
Confused and panicked, she stepped forward. "Please don't do that! Grandmother, stop! Step back!"
But grandmother didn't move. Her expression turned empty, almost calm, like her body had stopped belonging to her.
"Grandmother!"
Yurim's voice cracked as she ran forward—just as grandmother's feet left the ground.
Yurim lunged, grabbing her wrist at the very last second. The sudden pull nearly tore her shoulder apart.
"Ah—please—!" she gasped, holding on tightly as her shoes scraped against the edge. Her arms trembled violently under the heavy weight.
The woman dangled in the air, motionless, tears still streaking her face. Yurim tried to pull her up, but her hands were slipping, her body shaking.
"Don't let go—!" she whispered desperately, but her strength was fading.
Her fingers loosened. The edge cracked beneath her shoes.
And then—her own feet slipped.
A sharp gust hit her face as her body lurched forward into open air.
But before she fell completely, someone caught her hand—gripping so tightly it hurt.
"Yurim!"
It was Rian, his voice echoing in the open air as he struggled to pull her up.