"Move back!" Karmeen shouted, yanking Selene by the arm just as a massive stone slab crashed down in front of them. The impact sent a burst of dust and debris through the air, scattering faint light from the glowing symbols around them.
"Zed, look out!" Seul's voice cut through the chaos.
Without thinking, he lunged forward, shoving Zeddy out of the way just as another chunk of the ceiling slammed into the ground behind them.
They both hit the floor hard. Seul coughed, waving away the cloud of dust as he scrambled upright. "You okay?"
Zeddy brushed himself off, breathing heavily. "Yeah… thanks. If you hadn't pushed me, I'd be a dead toast right now."
"Don't mention it," Seul muttered, still catching his breath. His eyes shifted to the newly collapsed wall of stone between them and the others.
On the other side, Selene's muffled voice echoed faintly through the cracks. "You guys alive over there?"
"Yeah, we're fine!" Zeddy shouted back. "Just… kinda trapped!"
Seul sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Now we're split up."
Karmeen's voice came through, steady and commanding despite the muffled distance. "Listen, we can't waste time trying to dig through this. Selene and I will take the path ahead of us. You two do the same. We'll find another way around and regroup."
Zeddy frowned, glancing at the rock pile. "You sure about that?"
"Positive," Karmeen replied firmly. "Just be careful. We don't know what else is down here."
Zeddy gave a lopsided grin and saluted toward the wall, even though she couldn't see it. "Alright, alright. You two don't get yourselves cursed or eaten by ghosts, yeah?"
A faint, amused laugh echoed back—Selene's. "No promises."
The sound faded, replaced by the low hum of the ruins around them. Seul adjusted his backpack, staring down the dark tunnel ahead.
"Well," he murmured, voice quiet but steady. "Guess it's just us now."
Zeddy cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Then let's make it count."
The two of them stepped forward into the shadows, the faint glow of the runes guiding their way.