Seren gently helped her stand and straightened her disheveled tunic.
She swallowed hard, tasting bile.
"Are you okay, Anne? Can you travel?"
Her blue eyes narrowed. "Yes, yes, I'm fine."
Seren could feel the tension in the air as they silently slipped through the dense foliage, each breath held tightly inside their chests. The earth beneath their feet was warm and soft, muffling their steps, but the occasional snapping twig sent shivers down his spine.
A soft breeze swept over them, causing the leaves above their heads to rustle slightly. As it grew in intensity, a feeling of dread washed over them, filling his gut with icy apprehension and fear.
"Lana said there was a lab 6 or 7 miles west of here; we have to get there. There has to be something there." Anne urged them forward, her voice cracking slightly with desperation.
"Wait," Seren gasped, out of breath, and doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"How can we trust her? What are we even supposed to be looking for?" Marcus asked, skeptical, his brow creased.
"Those two men—one of them displayed something that we have yet to see in this world. There is a possibility that the Erojium that Lana speaks of, has to do with whatever we just saw."
Marcus paused, gazing intently into her eyes, searching for something, and then nodded slowly in agreement. "Death was an inevitability in this apocalypse."
The voice was rough, harsh, and carried a deep sense of regret. Anne felt a shiver run through her body, and a cold sweat broke out across her skin. Her mind drifted back to a week ago, when they had first arrived on this dying world.
"Just know in this world, Anne, there is absolutely nothing you can trust. The only thing that awaits all of us... is a grim landscape, with no future tied to it." Seren stated bitterly.
He shifted his gaze to her, and in the dim light, he could see the faint traces of tears running down her cheeks, glistening softly. Her lips quivered, and she took a shaky breath.
As she leaned against a nearby rock, she stared out into the murky darkness. "Ser." She whispered weakly. "We still have each other, and... that's enough for me."
As they pushed their way through the dense forest, the silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves or the snapping twigs underfoot. Anne felt her senses heightened, every muscle tensed, ready to flee or fight.
But there was no indication that they were being followed, so she slowed her pace.
Her mind raced, searching for answers. Who or what were they facing, and what were they running toward? She was filled with a desperate sense of urgency, a longing to find the answers and overcome their fears, no matter how great or terrible the consequences.
As the darkness enveloped them, she could barely make out the silhouettes of the trees ahead, their gnarled branches twisted and twisted, reaching for something beyond her comprehension.
It was only when they finally emerged on the other side, breathless and exhausted, did she realize what it was that had drawn her in. The sight before her was breathtaking, a vast expanse of rippling water that seemed to stretch endlessly towards the horizon, and in the center, stood the laboratory that Lana had told them about.
"There it is." Anne breathed, barely able to comprehend what she had seen.
Seren nodded and gestured to a narrow path leading towards the facility. The pathway was overgrown, barely visible beneath the thick layer of vegetation.
Their boots crunched the dirt beneath their feet, and they struggled to keep their balance in the darkness. She couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at what she was about to uncover.
As they approached the laboratory, Anne was awestruck. The structure was massive, built with a sleek design, towering above them. She gazed up in wonder at the rows of windows, glinting like obsidian in the moonlight.
Seren smiled and gestured towards the entrance. "This way." He murmured. "We have arrived."
The laboratory was eerily quiet, with no sign of life within it. Anne shivered as a chill ran up her spine, and she found herself hesitating as they made their way into the facility. It was almost as if a veil had been draped over her consciousness, and she could sense that they were walking towards a dangerous fate.
She noticed a faint light pulsating through the glass, beckoning them inside. She could only imagine what horrors awaited them beyond these walls, and she found her throat tightening with fear.
"There's nothing else we can do." Anne replied softly. "We have to move forward."
She glanced back at the facility, hesitating for only a moment. She knew what she had to do, and she wasn't going to waste any more time.
Before they could enter, an ominous presence began to emerge from the shadows.
The three of them turned towards the darkness, their heart pounding and their throats dry. The stranger was hunched over, his body cloaked in shadow.
"WHO ARE YOU?!" They demanded fiercely.
The stranger chuckled darkly and raised his hands, revealing the pulsating glow of crystals embedded into the metal plating of his arms.
"If you choose to continue on this path, there is no coming back from this."
Anne shuddered and took a step backward, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. "What do you mean?"
"That isn't the answer we are looking for." Seren urged him, his voice thick with panic. They didn't get a response from the strange individual; he crept back into the shadows and left them with even more questions.
Anne found herself rooted to the spot, her feet frozen in place. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the figure's flickering form as he disappeared back into the darkness, leaving them alone with their thoughts and worries.
Seren let out a gasp and gripped her shoulder. "His words mean nothing; it's time for us to get to this lab." His voice was thick with frustration and urgency.
As they crept silently towards the entrance, Anne could sense something had changed. She could sense a shift in the atmosphere, as if the world around her was beginning to fade away.
"Something is wrong," she murmured, glancing over her shoulder.
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew down from above, forcing them back a few paces. Anne took a deep breath and rushed towards the door, yanking on the handle. It was locked tight, refusing to budge.
She slammed her shoulder into the heavy steel door, over and over, grunting in pain and frustration as she struggled to force it open. Finally, the door gave way, and they stumbled through, tripping on the rough ground and slamming their knees hard.