Into the unknown.

The clock, which had previously come to a halt as it struck five and Reith collapsed on his platform, now ticked audibly once more. It echoed through the room like a metronome, pulling each of them back into the world.

Sai was the first to stir. With a groan, he braced his hand on the altar and pulled himself to his feet. His gaze instinctively shot forward—and for a brief second, he caught a glimpse of something different. The wall behind the clock had changed. But he didn’t linger on it. Instead, he turned quickly to his sides, scanning the others with growing concern as they began to wake.

“What happened?” Eira muttered, scratching her head as she sat up on the cold stone floor.

“You gotta be kidding me…” Corvin groaned, holding his arms around his torso. “Why does it feel like I belly-flopped into a concrete pool?” He winced and hugged himself, pain etched across his face.

Sai turned at the sound of heavy breathing—Mira, still on her knees, was struggling to catch her breath. He felt it too, a racing heart pounding in his chest like an alarm bell. The lingering effects of something unnatural.

Meanwhile, Reith rose to his feet with ease. He stretched his arms and wiped his mouth, clearing a small streak of blood. Compared to the others, he seemed eerily calm—unaffected.

He glanced up at the ticking clock. “It worked, huh?” he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.

But before he could even register the moment as a victory, a fist slammed into his face. His head snapped to the side, and his eyes met Corvin’s.

“You bastard!” Corvin shouted as he delivered another brutal punch, this time into Reith’s gut, followed by an uppercut that did nothing more then snap his head back.

“Come on, then! React!” Corvin yelled, throwing a third punch.

But this time, Reith dodged it easily and drove his knee into Corvin’s stomach.

Corvin coughed violently as saliva flew from his mouth. He stumbled back, breathless.

“You done now?” Reith asked, brushing imaginary dust from his shoulder.

“No—I’m not done,” Corvin coughed, straightening slowly. “You see this? You big freak? That’s called a human reaction—something you seem to be missing.”

He raised his fists again.

Reith crossed his arms. “You think I’m the reason for all this, don’t ya?” he said coldly.

“Guys!” Sai’s voice snapped through the tension like a whip.

Everyone turned toward him. Sai was pointing toward the far wall—where the massive clock used to be.

“That’s a door,” he said. “That’s our way out.”

Sure enough, the wall was no longer just a clock. It had split in two, parting down the middle in a massive archway. At the center was the clock. As Sai looked down at the altar he saw something embedded into it. looks like a handle.

Sai’s hand hovered uncertainly over it. With hesitation, he gripped the handle and pulled.

The altar shuddered. Its sides fell open with a mechanical hiss, releasing what was not just a handle—but the hilt of a sword encased in a scabbard. Sai lifted it out carefully. He drew the blade halfway, just enough to catch the gleam of metal, before sliding it back in.

“Whoa,” Eira breathed, wide-eyed.

Mira stepped closer, eyes fixed on the sword.

As she did, the stone floor beneath them shifted. Sections around each of their platforms clicked and opened, revealing compartments embedded in the ground.

Mira knelt beside the one nearest her, the very platform she’d awoken on. She reached in and pulled out a bow—and beside it, a full quiver of arrows.

The others followed suit.

Reith drew out a scythe from his compartment, the curved blade long and glinting. Corvin reached into his and pulled out a heavy two-handed axe. He held it in his hands, testing the weight, while Reith watched him closely.

“What?” Corvin asked, noticing the stare.

“You’re not going to try and hit me with that one, right?” Reith asked, narrowing his eyes and gripping the long handle of his weapon tighter.

Corvin gave a crooked grin and bounced the axe handle in his palm. “Who knows?”

The only one who hadn’t yet picked up her weapon was Eira. She stood over the compartment, staring into it.

Sai noticed and stepped over. “Hey… everything okay?”

Eira met his gaze. “Yeah, yeah. Just… it feels weird. You know? Picking up the thing that killed you.”

Sai looked down at the sword in his hand. For a moment, he hadn’t even thought about it like that. “Yeah… I guess it does.”

“I can hold onto it, until you’re okay with it,” Mira offered, placing a comforting hand on Eira’s back. Her quiver was now strapped across her shoulder, bow slung over it.

Eira nodded. “Okay. Sounds good.”

Mira knelt and picked up the weapon on her behalf. Sai fastened the scabbard to his waist. Corvin looped a strap diagonally across his torso, securing his axe to his back. Reith let the long handle of his scythe rest across his shoulders, arms draped casually over it.

“So… what now?” Corvin asked.

As if answering his question, the enormous door before them began to move. The split widened down the middle, the clock face above it tearing apart as the door rumbled open. With it, all the clock hands twisted until they pointed to five—then stopped.

The group moved closer together, naturally forming a line. Mira stepped forward, drawing an arrow and aiming toward the opening. Reith held his scythe forward, standing opposite side of their line.

A golden light poured in through the widening gap.

Evening sunlight bathed the room. Outside was not a hallway or another puzzle—but trees, open sky, and the chirping of birds. The sound of wind through leaves. Wilderness.

Mira didn’t lower her bow immediately. Reith’s grip tightened. But nothing emerged. No threat. No final test.

Only the world.

Corvin took a hesitant step forward. “So once again… what now?”

Reith didn’t answer. He simply began walking toward the doorway, scythe held with both hands behind his back ready to strike.

Mira gave him a confused glance, but then followed him. They each stopped at opposite sides of the archway and stood, waiting.

The others joined slowly. Awe and disbelief were written across their faces as the scent of pine trees and fresh air wafted through the door.

Eira and Corvin ran out first, laughing. Corvin threw himself into the grass, arms wide, face to the sky. Mira lowered her arrow, finally convinced they were safe—for now.

Sai stepped out with caution, one hand resting on his sword’s hilt.

Mira and Reith exchanged a puzzled glance. Mira shrugged and took a few steps forward, then joined the others outside.

Only Reith lingered, standing at the threshold. He turned, casting one last glance into the dark, silent room they’d just escaped.

“Hey, Reith,” Mira’s voice called gently from outside. He turned.

“Come on,” she said, pointing toward the setting sun. “It’ll be night soon. We’ll need some sort of shelter.”

Reith nodded. Then, with slow, deliberate steps, he finally crossed the threshold—out of the nightmare and into the unknown.