Two Strangers, One Apocalypse: A Forbidden Love Born from Chaos
The Meeting in the Ruins
The sky was stained with the remnants of ash, turning a once vibrant blue into a perpetual twilight. Abandoned buildings stood like forgotten tombstones, crumbling beneath the weight of time and destruction. The world had long since fallen to chaos after "The Cataclysm," an event so horrific that no one dared speak of it anymore. Those who survived no longer had the luxury of reminiscing about the past; they were too busy trying to survive in the present.
And that’s where Eli found himself—scavenging through what was left of a half-demolished grocery store on the outskirts of what used to be a bustling city. The shelves were almost bare, the last remnants of canned goods scattered about, as though someone had already been here. He wiped sweat from his brow and let out a sigh, knowing well enough that finding food in this place was a long shot.
But today was different. Today, the silence of the abandoned world was broken by a sound he hadn’t heard in what felt like a lifetime—a voice.
"Don't move."
The voice was sharp, yet soft—a contradiction Eli couldn't wrap his mind around. He froze, his hand halfway into a box of stale crackers. His heart pounded as his gaze shifted toward the source of the voice.
Out from the shadows stepped Sasha, her eyes cold but her hands trembling slightly as she aimed a crossbow at him. Dirt and grime clung to her worn-out clothes, but there was a fierceness about her—a survivor’s instinct honed by years in the wasteland.
"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice steady, though her hands betrayed her nerves.
"Eli," he replied slowly, keeping his movements deliberate and non-threatening. "Just looking for food, same as you, I guess."
Sasha didn't lower her weapon. "There’s nothing left here. This place was cleaned out weeks ago."
"I figured." He exhaled, standing up slowly, showing her his empty hands. "But sometimes, you just hope."
Sasha’s lips tightened. Hope was dangerous in this world—perhaps more dangerous than the marauders who roamed the wasteland looking for anything or anyone to exploit.
"What's your angle?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. "You alone?"
Eli nodded. "Been alone since… well, since everything went to hell."
There was a moment of silence as the weight of their circumstances settled between them. Sasha’s crossbow didn’t waver, but her eyes softened ever so slightly.
"I’ve heard that before," she muttered under her breath before slowly lowering her weapon. "If you’re lying, I won’t hesitate."
"Not lying," Eli assured, though he was painfully aware of how quickly she could change her mind.
With a grunt, she slung the crossbow over her shoulder and turned away. "Come on," she said. "If you’re lucky, you’ll survive another day."
They walked in silence for a while, navigating through the debris and ruins that now defined the landscape. Despite the tension between them, there was an unspoken understanding: survival in this world was impossible without some degree of trust.
"Where are you heading?" Eli finally asked, his voice breaking the awkward silence.
"Nowhere in particular," Sasha replied, not bothering to look at him. "Just away."
"Away from what?"
Sasha shot him a glare, but it wasn’t full of the same malice as before. "From them."
He didn’t need her to clarify. He knew exactly who she meant—the Scavengers. A group of lawless individuals who’d taken advantage of the world’s collapse, ruling over the weak, destroying anything that stood in their path.
"You don’t look like someone who runs," Eli commented carefully.
"I don’t," Sasha said curtly. "But sometimes, you have to."
Eli could sense the conflict in her words. She wasn’t a runner by nature. She was a fighter, but something had spooked her enough to make her flee. He didn’t pry further, but curiosity gnawed at him.
As dusk fell, the pair reached an old, abandoned apartment complex. Sasha led them inside, knowing well enough that staying out in the open at night was asking for trouble. They found an empty room on the second floor, the walls stained with time and sat across from each other in silence.
"You haven’t told me your story," Sasha finally said, her gaze fixed on the small fire Eli had built between them.
He poked the flames absently with a stick. "Not much to tell. I was a nobody before the world ended, and now I’m just a nobody trying to survive."
She raised an eyebrow, the barest hint of a smirk playing on her lips. "That’s a cop-out. Everyone has a story."
Eli sighed, leaning back against the crumbling wall. "Alright, fine. I used to be a mechanic. Lived a pretty uneventful life before… you know, everything. Family’s gone. Friends too. Been on my own for a while now."
Sasha nodded, her eyes flickering with some unreadable emotion. "It’s the same for all of us, I suppose."
For a moment, they simply sat there, the crackling of the fire the only sound between them. It was strange, the feeling that came over them—a sense of comfort, fleeting but undeniable. In a world where every day was a battle for survival, companionship was a rare luxury.
But just as the tension between them seemed to ease, the silence was shattered by a distant noise. A low rumble. It started faintly but quickly grew louder—a distinct, unnatural sound that both Eli and Sasha recognized immediately.
"Scavengers," Sasha whispered, her eyes wide with fear.
Eli stood quickly, grabbing his backpack and dousing the fire in one swift motion. "How many?"
"Too many," she replied, already moving toward the window to peer out.
The familiar black armored trucks of the Scavengers were rolling down the street, their engines revving ominously as they scoured the area. Sasha’s heart pounded. They’d been hunting her for days, and now they were here.
"We have to move," she hissed. "Now."
But just as she turned toward the door, the sound of splintering wood echoed from downstairs. They were inside the building. Panic surged through her chest, and she glanced at Eli, who was already gripping his knife.
"We can't fight them," he said, his voice low but urgent. "Not head-on."
Sasha’s mind raced, thinking of all the possibilities, but nothing seemed viable. They were trapped.
"We need to find a way out," Eli added, his voice steady, despite the fear gripping them both.
Sasha met his gaze. In that moment, an unspoken decision passed between them. Whatever happened next, they were in this together.
"Follow me," she whispered, her voice trembling as she led Eli toward the only possible escape route—the roof.
But just as they reached the stairwell, a loud crash came from the other side of the door. Someone—or something—was coming.
They had seconds to react.
Sasha’s hand tightened around her crossbow as the door burst open.
Escaping the Shadows
The door splintered as a heavy boot crashed through it, sending jagged shards of wood flying into the room. Sasha's heart hammered in her chest as the world seemed to slow for a brief second. Time had a cruel way of wrapping itself in moments of danger—stretching out the inevitable, just long enough to make you believe you had a chance.
Eli’s hand instinctively shot out, grabbing Sasha’s arm and pulling her back behind a crumbling pillar. In that fleeting moment, she could see the determination on his face, his eyes scanning the room for any possible escape. But there was no time to strategize, no time to think. They were trapped, and the Scavengers were closing in.
Three of them entered the room, all clad in black, their faces hidden behind masks that gave them an almost robotic appearance. Their leader, a towering figure with broad shoulders, barked an order. "Search everywhere. They’re close."
Sasha’s grip tightened around her crossbow, but Eli’s hand was firm on her wrist, silently urging her not to shoot. They were outnumbered, outgunned, and any wrong move would mean certain death.
From their hiding spot, Eli’s mind raced. The rooftop exit was mere steps away, but with the Scavengers swarming the building, any attempt to flee would draw immediate attention. He glanced over at Sasha, who was breathing hard, her eyes locked on the intruders.
Then, through the chaos, Eli saw it—a rusted metal grate embedded in the floor near the far corner of the room. It was small, barely noticeable, but it might just be big enough for them to slip through unnoticed.
He leaned in close to Sasha and whispered, "There’s a grate by the wall. It could lead us out. We need to move fast."
Sasha’s eyes followed his gaze, and she gave a quick, barely perceptible nod. The tension between them was palpable, each of them trusting the other in this moment of desperation.
The Scavengers were still searching, overturning furniture and scanning the shadows with their flashlights. Eli could feel the seconds ticking by each one closer to discovery. He took a deep breath and counted silently—three, two, one—before motioning for Sasha to follow.
They moved as quietly as they could, staying low to the ground, their bodies hugging the broken walls. The grate was old, its edges jagged and rusted, but it was the only shot they had.
Eli carefully pried it open, wincing at the creaking sound that filled the room. The Scavengers froze, their attention snapping toward the noise.
Sasha acted quickly. She pulled a small piece of rubble from the floor and tossed it across the room. The loud clatter echoed through the space, drawing the Scavengers’ attention away from the grate.
"Over there!" one of them shouted, charging toward the sound.
It bought them just enough time.
"Go!" Eli whispered urgently, motioning for Sasha to crawl through the narrow opening.
She hesitated for only a split second before sliding into the dark tunnel, Eli right behind her. The passage was cramped, barely wide enough for them to move, but it stretched out below the building, leading into the unknown. The sounds of the Scavengers’ search echoed above them, distant but terrifyingly close.
"Where does this go?" Sasha asked, her voice a low whisper.
"I don’t know," Eli admitted, his voice strained from the tight space. "But any where’s better than where we were."
The tunnel twisted and turned, snaking through the foundations of the abandoned complex. It was cold and damp, the air heavy with the scent of rot and decay. The farther they went, the darker it became, until the only sound was the faint dripping of water and their shallow breathing.
Sasha's mind raced as they crawled, the adrenaline from their narrow escape still surging through her veins. She had always been a loner, choosing to fight her own battles, but something had shifted when she met Eli. She had survived this long by not trusting anyone, yet here she was—putting her life in the hands of a stranger.
After what felt like hours, the tunnel finally opened up into a wider underground chamber. Sasha pulled herself out, collapsing onto the damp ground, her muscles aching from the cramped crawl.
Eli emerged behind her, panting heavily. "We should be safe down here for now," he said, though his voice lacked certainty. They both knew that in this world, nowhere was truly safe.
Sasha stood, brushing dirt from her clothes as she surveyed their surroundings. The chamber appeared to be part of an old sewage system, the walls lined with thick pipes and rusting metal beams. It was a far cry from safety, but at least they were out of immediate danger.
"What now?" she asked, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing at Eli.
Eli didn’t answer right away. He was still catching his breath, but more than that, he was thinking. His mind wandered back to the Scavengers—why they had been hunting Sasha, and what had driven them to this relentless pursuit.
"We can’t stay here," he finally said. "We need to find somewhere more secure."
"Secure?" Sasha scoffed. "In case you haven’t noticed, nowhere is secure anymore. The world’s gone to hell. What makes you think we can outrun them forever?"
Eli met her gaze, and for a moment, the raw vulnerability in her words struck him. She was right. The world had collapsed into chaos, and survival was a day-by-day battle. But despite the hopelessness in her voice, Eli wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet.
"There has to be something—somewhere we can go. A place they don’t know about."
Sasha shook her head, her anger flaring. "You think I haven’t tried that? You think I haven’t been running, searching, for years?"
Eli took a step toward her, his voice firm. "You’re not alone now."
The words hung in the air, an undeniable truth that neither of them could avoid. For better or worse, they were in this together.
Sasha’s resolve wavered. She had spent so long shutting people out, surviving on her own, but in this moment, standing in the depths of the forgotten world, she realized something terrifying—she didn’t want to be alone anymore.
Before she could respond, a sudden, high-pitched whine echoed through the chamber, cutting through the silence like a knife. Eli froze, his head snapping toward the source of the sound. Sasha’s heart skipped a beat as her hand instinctively reached for her crossbow.
"What is that?" Eli whispered; his voice barely audible.
The sound grew louder, closer, filling the space with an eerie mechanical hum. The faint glow of red lights flickered in the distance, illuminating the far end of the chamber.
Sasha’s blood ran cold. She recognized that sound—drones.
"They found us," she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and fury.
Eli’s eyes widened in disbelief. "But how? We covered our tracks…"
"Doesn’t matter now," Sasha snapped, pulling her crossbow from her back and readying it. "We need to move. Now."
The drones, sleek black machines with glowing red eyes, descended from the darkness, their mechanical limbs whirring as they scanned the chamber. They were the Scavengers’ most dangerous tools—relentless, precise, and deadly.
Sasha and Eli sprinted toward the far exit, their footsteps echoing against the cold stone floor. The drones followed, their movements swift and unyielding. There was no room for error.
As they neared the tunnel leading out of the chamber, Sasha turned to fire a shot. Her crossbow bolt struck one of the drones, sending it spiraling into a wall in a burst of sparks. But more were coming—too many to fight off.
"Keep going!" she yelled at Eli, who was just ahead of her.
But before they could reach the tunnel, a deafening explosion rocked the chamber. The force of the blast sent Sasha and Eli crashing to the ground, dust and debris filling the air.
Sasha’s ears rang, her vision blurred as she struggled to push herself up. Eli was beside her, coughing and disoriented, but alive.
Through the haze of dust, the silhouette of a figure appeared—a tall, imposing figure clad in black armor, the leader of the Scavengers.
"You didn’t think you could escape us, did you?" the leader’s voice echoed through the chamber, cold and merciless.
Sasha’s heart raced. This was it. They were out of time, out of options.
Eli glanced at Sasha, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and determination. There was no way out.
The leader stepped forward, raising his weapon, aiming it directly at them.
Sasha’s breath caught in her throat as she reached for her crossbow one last time. But before she could react, a gunshot echoed through the chamber.
The world seemed to freeze at that moment. Sasha’s hand trembled as she stared down at her bloodied side, realizing all too late that the shot had hit its mark.
Eli screamed her name, but it was too late.
Shadows of the Fallen
Sasha’s body hit the ground with a sickening thud, her blood seeping into the cracks of the cold stone floor. Her vision blurred, and for a terrifying moment, she thought it was all over—her fight, her survival, her chance at redemption. Everything she had fought for now seemed to slip through her grasp like sand in the wind.
Eli dropped to her side, his face contorted in panic, shaking her with trembling hands. "Sasha! Stay with me!" His voice wavered, desperate and filled with a fear he hadn’t known he was capable of.
Sasha blinked up at him, her breath shallow. "I’m… fine," she managed, but the blood pouring from her side told a different story. She had taken worse hits before, but this one was different. This one felt like it was pulling her deeper into the dark void, inch by inch.
The towering leader of the Scavengers watched from a distance, a smug grin on his face. "You can’t outrun death forever. You two never should’ve tried."
Eli's heart pounded in his chest as he glanced between Sasha and the imposing figure. They were cornered, wounded, and out of options. But he refused to accept this as the end. Sasha wasn't going to die—not like this.
In a flash of adrenaline-fueled determination, Eli scooped Sasha up into his arms, her body limp against him. She winced but didn’t fight him. The pain was too much, the blood loss making her lightheaded. Her hand instinctively gripped the front of his shirt as though holding on to life itself.
"Eli," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You… can’t carry me. Leave me… and run."
But Eli wasn’t listening. His mind raced, searching for a way out, his survival instincts kicking in. There had to be another exit, some hidden path they hadn’t noticed before. He wasn’t going to lose her. Not now. Not after everything.
With a guttural cry, Eli bolted toward the far end of the chamber, ignoring the shouts of the Scavenger leader behind him. The drones buzzed overhead, their red eyes scanning the area with lethal precision, but Eli dodged them, weaving through the debris and ducking under broken pipes.
Sasha’s consciousness flickered in and out, the world around her shifting between reality and the black void threatening to consume her. She could feel Eli’s arms around her, strong and warm, but she could also feel the weight of her own mortality closing in. It was a strange sensation—knowing you were alive but feeling like you were slipping away.
"You’re not… alone," she murmured, her voice barely more than a breath. It was as much a statement for herself as it was for him. For so long, Sasha had convinced herself that survival meant isolation, that trust was a liability. But now, with Eli’s heartbeat echoing in her ears, she realized how wrong she had been.
Eli pushed forward, his legs burning, his lungs screaming for air. He couldn’t let her die. Not here. Not now.
But just as they reached the end of the chamber, a sudden blast of light exploded in front of them, blinding and deafening. The force of the blast threw them both backward, and Eli’s grip on Sasha loosened as they tumbled to the ground.
When Eli looked up, his vision swimming, he saw them—more Scavengers, stepping out of the shadows, their weapons drawn, their eyes cold. They had been waiting for this moment, herding them into a trap.
Eli struggled to his feet, his body aching from the impact. Sasha lay motionless beside him, her face pale, her breathing shallow. Panic seized him as he crouched beside her, his hands trembling. He could feel the life draining from her, and it terrified him.
The leader of the Scavengers approached, his boots echoing in the silence. He towered over them, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "Did you really think you could escape? You’re nothing but insects. And insects get crushed."
Eli’s fists clenched, rage bubbling up inside him. "What do you want from us?" he spat, his voice thick with hatred.
The leader tilted his head, as if amused by the question. "It’s not about what I want, boy. It’s about what she is." He nodded toward Sasha.
Eli’s eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"You don’t know, do you?" the leader said, his voice dripping with condescension. "The girl you’ve been protecting all this time isn’t just some random survivor. She’s the key to the future—the key to reclaiming this ruined world."
Eli stared at him, confusion and disbelief warring in his mind. "What the hell are you talking about?"
The leader chuckled darkly. "You think this apocalypse was an accident? The world didn’t end on its own. It was taken. And she"—he gestured to Sasha—"is the only one who can stop it. Or bring it all back."
Eli’s mind raced, trying to make sense of the words. Sasha? The key to the apocalypse? None of this made any sense, and yet, deep down, he felt a gnawing truth to it. Sasha had always been different—stronger, smarter, more capable than anyone else he’d met in this broken world. But this?
"You’re lying," Eli said through gritted teeth, though doubt flickered in his voice.
The leader stepped closer, crouching down so that he was eye level with Eli. "You’ve seen it, haven’t you? The way she survives, the way she fights. She’s not like the others. She was engineered for this."
Eli’s heart pounded in his chest. Sasha? Engineered?
But there was no time to process it. The sound of drones echoed behind them, and Eli knew they were running out of time. The leader stood and gave a mocking salute. "Good luck, boy. You’ll need it."
Without another word, the Scavengers retreated into the darkness, leaving Eli and Sasha behind. But their exit wasn’t a mercy. It was a signal—the drones were closing in, faster and more lethal than before.
Eli’s mind raced. He had to get her out of here. He couldn’t lose her. Not after everything they’d been through.
But as he struggled to lift Sasha into his arms again, something strange began to happen. Her body, limp and cold just moments before, started to glow. A faint, ethereal light radiated from her skin, illuminating the dark chamber. Eli stumbled back in shock, his heart pounding in his ears.
"Sasha?" he whispered, his voice shaking.
Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, they weren’t her eyes. They glowed with an unnatural light, her pupils dilated, her expression distant and otherworldly. She sat up slowly, her wounds seemingly healing before his eyes, the blood drying, the pain vanishing.
"Sasha!" Eli repeated, louder this time, but she didn’t respond.
Her gaze was fixed on something beyond him, something in the darkness, as if she were seeing a world that he couldn’t. Her lips moved, whispering words in a language Eli didn’t understand. The light around her grew brighter, pulsing with each breath she took, until the entire chamber was bathed in its glow.
And then, just as suddenly as it began, the light vanished, leaving them pitch black.
Sasha collapsed, her body falling limp once again, but this time, Eli caught her before she hit the ground.
"Sasha!" He shook her gently, fear gripping his heart. "What just happened?"
But she didn’t answer. Her breathing was shallow, her face pale, but she was alive.
Eli glanced around, his heart still racing. The drones were close, their mechanical hum growing louder by the second. He had to move. He had to get them out of here.
With renewed determination, Eli hoisted Sasha onto his back, gritting his teeth against the pain in his legs and arms. He had no idea what had just happened, or what Sasha was, but he knew one thing—he wasn’t going to let her die. Not after everything they’d been through.
He stumbled through the chamber, his breath ragged, his heart pounding in his chest. The drones were closing in, their red eyes piercing the darkness. Eli pushed forward, his muscles screaming in protest, but he refused to stop.
And then, just as he reached the tunnel’s exit, the ground beneath him gave way.
Eli cried out as he and Sasha tumbled down into the darkness, the world spinning around them. His grip on her tightened as they fell, the cold wind rushing past them, the sound of the drones fading into the distance.
And then, with a bone-jarring crash, they hit the ground.
Eli’s vision swam, his body aching from the impact. He groaned, trying to push himself up, but his limbs refused to obey. Sasha lay beside him, unconscious but still breathing.
For a moment, all was silent. The drones were gone. The Scavengers were nowhere to be seen.
But as Eli lay there, gasping for breath, a new sound reached his ears—a low, rumbling growl that sent chills down his spine.
He turned his head slowly, his heart pounding in his chest.
From the shadows, a pair of glowing eyes stared back at him.
The Fall of Hope
Eli's pulse raced, the low growl echoing in the pitch-black cavern where he and Sasha had crash-landed. Every bone in his body screamed in pain, and the air smelled of damp earth and decay. The glowing eyes in the distance flickered, moving closer, steady but deliberate, as if whatever was stalking them had all the time in the world.
He crawled to Sasha, his hands trembling, barely able to pull himself over the uneven ground. She lay still, her chest rising and falling with labored breaths, but there was no glow this time—no strange, ethereal light to protect her. Eli couldn’t feel the warmth of life emanating from her like before. Something had changed. Something was wrong.
"Come on, Sasha," he whispered, his voice hoarse, panic squeezing his throat. "You can’t leave me now."
But Sasha didn’t respond.
The growl came again, this time closer. Eli’s head snapped up as the glowing eyes loomed just at the edge of the shadows. He gripped the small knife he carried, its edge dull from the countless fights for survival. His fingers fumbled over it, his hands shaking from the cold, from the fear.
Whatever was watching them didn’t attack immediately. It circled, its shadow growing in the dim light, an ancient predator enjoying the game before the final strike. Eli’s breath caught in his throat as the creature stepped forward into the faint glow from the distant chamber—a hulking, monstrous figure, its skin rough and blackened like scorched earth, its teeth jagged and dripping with venom.
It wasn’t human.
It wasn’t anything Eli had ever seen before.
But it was something that had survived the end of the world, just like them—only now, it was hunting the last of the living.
He forced himself to stand, his knees wobbling beneath him. His mind screamed at him to run, but there was no way out of this. They were trapped.
"Sasha…" he whispered again, but she remained still, her body unmoving against the cold ground.
The creature’s growl grew louder, a warning before it pounced. Eli raised his knife, knowing it was useless, knowing this was the end. But even as death stared him down, all he could think about was her—Sasha. How he had failed her. How he had promised to protect her, but now, with no way out, he was about to break that promise.
Just as the creature lunged, a flash of light erupted from Sasha's body, blinding and brilliant, forcing Eli to stumble backward. The creature roared, its eyes narrowing against the searing brightness as it recoiled, retreating into the shadows. Eli shielded his face from the light, blinking rapidly as the world around him was bathed in a radiant glow.
Sasha was levitating, her body suspended above the ground, her eyes glowing that familiar, otherworldly white. But this time, it wasn’t a healing light. This was something more dangerous, more powerful—a force unleashed, raw and untamed.
"Sasha!" Eli called out; his voice laced with desperation. But she didn’t hear him. She was gone, her consciousness buried beneath whatever was controlling her now. Her body twisted in the air, her limbs moving unnaturally, her fingers twitching as if being pulled by invisible strings.
The creature screeched in fear, retreating farther into the darkness, its glowing eyes watching with dread.
But it wasn’t Sasha the creature feared.
It was what Sasha had become.
Eli scrambled to his feet, his body aching, his mind racing. He reached for her, but the heat radiating off her was unbearable, forcing him to pull his hand back. The cavern trembled, the ground beneath them shifting as if reacting to the immense power Sasha was emitting.
"Sasha, please!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "Come back! I need you!"
But the light around her only intensified, the air growing thick with electricity. The energy was too much, too strong. He could feel it suffocating him, pressing down on his chest, stealing the air from his lungs. Sasha’s body convulsed, her eyes rolling back as the light pulsed, brighter and brighter.
Eli’s heart sank. This wasn’t her anymore. She was gone.
In a final desperate attempt, he charged forward, throwing himself at her, wrapping his arms around her glowing form despite the burning heat that seared his skin. He screamed her name, tears streaming down his face, but the light was too bright, too blinding.
And then, with a deafening crack, the world shattered.
The light exploded outward, ripping through the cavern, disintegrating everything in its path. Eli was thrown backward, his body slamming into the stone wall, his head spinning, his vision darkening. The force of the blast tore through him, every bone in his body screaming in agony as he hit the ground hard.
For a moment, everything went silent.
And then, slowly, Eli opened his eyes, his vision swimming in and out of focus. The cavern was in ruins, debris scattered everywhere, the ground split open with jagged cracks. The air was thick with dust and the lingering hum of energy. He struggled to sit up, his body trembling with the effort.
But Sasha… was gone.
Eli’s heart dropped as he scanned the ruins, searching for any sign of her. The glow, the light—it had vanished. There was no trace of her, no sign that she had ever been there. His mind reeled, refusing to accept the truth.
"Sasha?" His voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.
But the only sound that came was the distant echo of his own voice, bouncing off the cold, empty walls of the ruined cavern.
She was gone.
His chest tightened, his hands clawing at the ground as the weight of it all came crashing down on him. Everything he had fought for, everything he had believed in—it had all been for nothing. Sasha, the girl he had sworn to protect, the one he had loved, was gone, consumed by the very power that had kept her alive.
A deep, guttural sob tore from his throat as he collapsed onto the ground, his body shaking with grief. He had failed. He had lost her.
The world around him seemed to close in, the darkness pressing against his skin, suffocating him. There was nothing left. No hope. No future. Only the cold, empty void where Sasha had once been.
But as the silence enveloped him, something stirred in the shadows. A low, menacing growl—familiar and terrifying.
The creature had returned.
Eli’s blood ran cold as the glowing eyes emerged from the darkness once again, its monstrous form stalking toward him. But this time, there was no Sasha to protect him, no mysterious light to save them.
There was only him.
And he was broken.
He scrambled backward, his limbs weak, his breath shallow. The creature snarled, its jagged teeth glistening in the faint light, its eyes locked onto him with a predator’s hunger. Eli’s heart pounded in his chest, fear seizing him as the creature closed in.
But as it lunged, Eli didn’t fight. He didn’t scream. He didn’t run.
Because, in that moment, he knew the truth.
Without Sasha, there was no reason to.
The creature's jaws snapped shut around him, and the world went black.