Chapter 8

Chapter 8

“Run.”

The word hit Lena like a slap.

Cold.

Sharp.

Commanding.

For half a second, she just stared at Riven Cross.

At his unreadable face.

At those dark eyes that looked completely calm while something behind her growled like it was starving.

Then the sound came again.

Closer.

Wet.

Violent.

Lena’s entire body locked.

“I—I can’t move…”

The growl exploded into a scream.

Not human.

Something slammed into the wall behind her.

The black stone shattered.

Lena turned—

and her breath died in her throat.

The creature crawling out of the darkness looked wrong.

Its limbs bent in impossible directions.

Its jaw hung too wide.

Its skin looked torn open, exposing black veins that moved beneath it like worms.

Its eyes—

completely white.

It smiled.

Lena screamed.

And ran.

Her legs nearly collapsed beneath her.

She heard the creature slam into the ground behind her.

Fast.

Too fast.

Its claws scraped the floor.

Sharp.

Metallic.

Hunting.

“Oh God—!”

“Keep moving.”

Riven’s voice was behind her now.

Still calm.

Still controlled.

Like he wasn’t being chased by a nightmare.

Lena looked back.

Big mistake.

The creature was inches away.

Its claw stretched toward her face—

She cried out.

Then—

Riven moved.

Fast.

His scarred hand grabbed her arm and yanked her hard against his chest.

The creature missed her by inches.

Its claws sliced through empty air.

Lena gasped.

Her body slammed into Riven’s.

He felt solid.

Warm.

Real.

And for one dangerous second—

that terrified her more.

Because everything about him felt wrong.

He pushed her behind him.

“Stay there.”

Lena’s breathing shook violently.

“What is that thing?!”

Riven didn’t look at her.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It’s trying to kill me!”

“Yes.”

His answer was so flat that Lena nearly choked.

“What do you mean yes?!”

The creature screamed again and launched at him.

Riven moved sideways.

Clean.

Precise.

No panic.

No wasted movement.

His hand shot forward—

and the creature froze mid-air.

Lena stared.

“What…”

The creature began shaking violently.

Its body twisted.

Its mouth opened wider—

then it vanished.

Just like that.

Gone.

Silence crashed down.

Lena stared at the empty space.

Then at him.

Then back at the empty space.

Her breathing became uneven.

“You…”

Riven turned and walked past her.

Like none of that mattered.

Like almost dying was normal.

“Wait!”

He kept walking.

Lena stumbled after him.

“Wait!”

He stopped.

Slowly turned.

And looked irritated.

“What?”

Lena stared at him in disbelief.

“What do you mean what?!”

Her voice cracked.

“That thing almost killed me!”

“It didn’t.”

“Because of you!”

“Yes.”

He said it like stating the weather.

Lena nearly laughed from pure shock.

“Are you insane?”

Riven stared at her.

“No.”

“You told me to run!”

“You were supposed to.”

“I almost died!”

“You didn’t.”

Lena looked at him like she wanted to scream.

Or cry.

Or hit him.

Maybe all three.

“What is wrong with you?”

His expression didn’t change.

“A lot.”

That answer stunned her into silence.

Before she could respond—

a scream echoed through the walls.

Human.

Male.

Desperate.

“No! PLEASE!”

Lena froze.

“That’s someone—”

She ran toward the sound.

Riven grabbed her wrist.

Hard.

“Don’t.”

She yanked against him.

“Someone needs help!”

“They’re already dead.”

“You don’t know that!”

Riven’s jaw tightened.

For the first time—

he looked annoyed.

“You want to survive?”

“Yes!”

“Then stop running toward every scream.”

Lena’s eyes burned.

“That’s a person!”

“And?”

She stared at him.

Horrified.

“What do you mean and?!”

Another scream echoed.

Closer now.

“PLEASE HELP ME!”

Lena ripped free and ran.

“Lena.”

She ignored him.

The screaming got louder.

Then she saw him.

A player pinned beneath broken stone.

His leg trapped.

Blood covered his hands as he clawed at the ground.

A creature was slowly dragging itself toward him.

Its body broken.

Its movements jerky.

But it was getting closer.

The man saw Lena.

His face twisted with desperate hope.

“Please!”

He sobbed.

“Please help me!”

Lena rushed forward.

“I’m here!”

She grabbed the stone trapping his leg.

It wouldn’t move.

She pulled harder.

Nothing.

“Please hurry!” he cried.

“It hurts—it hurts so bad—”

“I’m trying!”

The creature crawled closer.

Its jaw clicking.

Its white eyes locked on them.

The man began screaming harder.

“No no no no—please don’t let it touch me!”

Lena looked around wildly.

“Help me!”

Riven stepped into the room.

Slow.

Calm.

The trapped man sobbed in relief.

“Oh thank God!”

He reached toward Riven.

“Please help me—I don’t want to die!”

Lena looked at Riven desperately.

“Help me lift this!”

Riven looked at the trapped leg.

Then at the approaching creature.

Then at the man.

And said nothing.

“Riven!”

The man cried harder.

“Please! Please—I can still survive!”

The creature got closer.

Closer.

Its claws scraped the floor.

The trapped man started shaking uncontrollably.

“Please don’t leave me!”

Lena grabbed Riven’s arm.

“Do something!”

He looked at her hand on him.

Then at her face.

His voice was quiet.

Cold.

“He’s slowing us down.”

Lena felt sick.

“What?”

“He won’t make it.”

“No—”

The trapped man screamed.

“I CAN SURVIVE!”

Riven moved.

Fast.

Lena thought he was helping.

Thought he was finally saving him.

Then—

he drove his hand into the man’s chest.

Everything stopped.

The scream died instantly.

The man’s eyes widened.

Then emptied.

Gone.

Clean.

Quick.

Emotionless.

Lena stumbled backward.

Her stomach twisted violently.

The dead player collapsed.

Silent.

The creature reached the body—

and vanished with it.

Gone.

Like both had never existed.

Lena couldn’t breathe.

She stared at Riven.

At his expressionless face.

At his scarred hand.

“What…”

Her voice broke.

“What did you do…?”

Riven wiped blood from his hand on his shirt.

No anger.

No regret.

Just silence.

Lena shook her head violently.

“No…”

Tears filled her eyes.

“No.”

“He was already dead.”

“You killed him!”

“I ended it quickly.”

“He was begging for help!”

“He was begging because he was afraid.”

Lena stared at him in horror.

“He was alive!”

“For seconds.”

Her breathing turned ragged.

“You didn’t even hesitate…”

Riven’s face remained unreadable.

“Hesitation gets people killed.”

Lena backed away from him.

Slowly.

Like she was finally seeing what he truly was.

“You’re a monster.”

Silence.

For one second—

something dark flashed in his eyes.

Pain.

Gone too quickly to understand.

Then his face turned cold again.

“Maybe.”

Lena’s tears spilled.

“How do you live with yourself?”

His voice dropped lower.

“You survive long enough…and you stop asking that question.”

Before Lena could answer—

a loud mechanical hum filled the air.

The walls shook violently.

The white screen appeared above them again.

Cold letters flashed.

PHASE TWO ACTIVE

ELIMINATE OR BE ELIMINATED

Lena’s stomach dropped.

“No…”

The floor cracked open beneath her feet.

She screamed as the ground split apart.

Riven lunged forward—

but he was too late.

Lena fell into darkness—

and the last thing she saw before she disappeared was Riven reaching for her…