Kael staggered to his feet, his breath coming in sharp gasps. The numbers embedded in the walls pulsed with a slow, rhythmic glow-each flash bringing the countdown closer to zero.
Liyara groaned, pushing herself up. "What... what happened?"
Kael swallowed hard. "I don't know. But we need to move. Now."
Garran sat up, rubbing his temples. "That voice. That... thing. It said the Cycle never ends." His gaze flicked to the symbols, eyes widening as he realized their meaning. "That's a timer. And it's running out."
Liyara's gauntlet flickered erratically. "I can't get a read on anything. It's like the entire structure is warping reality." She turned to Kael. "What did you see?"
Kael hesitated. The vision still burned in his mind-worlds erased, an unstoppable force consuming everything. He forced the panic down. "It's not just a bunker. It's a trigger."
A deep rumble shook the corridor, dust spilling from above. The countdown accelerated. 00:09... 00:08... 00:07...
Garran grabbed his rifle. "I'm not waiting to see what happens at zero." He turned toward the nearest passage. "We find a way out. Now."
Then, the walls began to shift again. But this time, they weren't opening.
They were closing in.
Liyara cursed. "It's collapsing."
Kael's pulse pounded in his ears. Every instinct screamed that this was more than just a structural failure. This place was designed to seal them in.
Then, the voice returned. Distant. Cold. Final.
"The Cycle must complete."
The countdown hit 00:03...
Kael didn't think. He ran.