Chapter 5: Faye’s Mistake

The group stared at Faye for a moment, before glancing back to the slumbering beast.

"What is wrong with you Faye!?" Maya asked in a desperate whisper.

Faye grew timid, quieting down in an instant.

The group looked back towards Riley, knowing he was the smartest in the group, and only he could get them out of the mess they had found themselves in.

"The entrance we came from doesn't seem to exist anymore, and the only possible exit is on the other side of this room…" He said nervously.

"The hallway on the other side looks like it's too small for the… monster, to fit through. I think we could save the girl and still escape." He finished, turning his gaze away from the slumbering ogre, and looking at his party.

Before anyone could speak, he quickly continued.

"But of course, it is best to keep quiet and avoid awakening the demon…" The party agreed, Faye staying quiet, her head drooping.

"Let's do it." Lucas said, brandishing his sword just in case it came down to it.

"[Light Footsteps]."

"[Erase Smell]."

"[Silence]."

"[Erase Presence]."

Riley cast multiple magics on the group, Lucas leading the way as they all crept towards the demon.

"[Silence]." Riley cast again, a bead of sweat falling down the side of his face.

Lucas carefully lifted the chain attached to the woman's neck, Maya going under her and lifting her body.

It was all done in a few seconds, and Maya walked towards the hallway, Lucas by her side carrying the chain, ensuring no sound leaked through Riley's spells.

"That was so easy!" Faye spoke, her voice clearly breaking through Riley's spell.

"[Silence]!" His whisper was briefly heard as everyone stopped their movements, not even breathing.

Only Faye stood up with full posture, a bright expression on her face.

"Hmm, unexpected." A deep, raspy voice spoke, making all those present feel shivers in their bones.

"No! Run!" They heard a soft feminine voice scream, attention being brought to the girl that forced herself out of Maya's arms, sprinting towards the corridor ahead of them.

"Go!" Lucas yelled, running after her as everyone else complied.

"I will have you all eventually. One is enough for now." The demonic creature voiced, rising from his spot as he stepped towards the hallway, watching as Faye, Maya, Lucas, Leah, and even the mysterious woman…

They all seemed to have safely made it into the corridor, though none of then stopped running.

"You can use magic? That will be something pesky to deal with." Having walked quite a few steps, the beast stopped for a moment, tapping a foot onto the ground.

"[Earth Wall]." It spoke, the ground directly before Riley rising, blocking his only entryway into the corridor that seemed to lead out of this accursed hellhole.

"How unfortunate." Just as everybody had turned, staring at the way they had just come from, a scream resounding.

"AHHH!" Riley yelled, Faye and Leah both collapsing to the floor as they heard his cries for help.

"I'm… I'm so sorry!" The remaining four turned their attention to the small woman who had fallen to her knees, tears streaming from her face.

"If you all hadn't tried to save me… No one else would have had to suffer!" She cried, tears continuously falling down her face, her head limply staring at the ceiling while her arms sagged by the sides of her nude body.

"No! No, it's not your fault." Maya said, an overwhelmed and pitiful expression on her face.

She knelt on the ground next to the woman, putting her within her embrace.

"I'm so sorry for dragging you all into this mess!" She screamed, gripping onto Maya's back, releasing endless tears into her shoulder.

"N-Now he knows you all are here! I don't know what to do!" She yelled, Lucas walking over and putting a hand on her back.

"What's your name? What even is this place?… Do you know… what that thing was?" Lucas asked, Maya shooting him an intense glare, though he did not stop.

"I-I'm Tully…." The girl stuttered, backing away from Maya and wiping her tears.

"I don't even know what this place is… I just know that there's the ogre that dwells within that room… and-and…" She stuttered even more, making Lucas' wonder sky rocket.

"A-And?" He asked nervously.

"There's that… that, thing! I don't know what it is…. I just know that the ogre back there worships it like a god! It's the creator of this place, and probably what brought you all here! Even me!" The woman confessed, bringing immense fear to everyone.

"A god?" Lucas whispered anxiously.

"I have no idea! I just know… I just know that it's present everywhere. I can feel it sometimes. There are times when it's present and things… things change." She whispered crazily.

"When it's there… it's like. You can't even think straight anymore… You lose your ability to reason, you can barely even feel your own body!" With each word she spoke, more fear was induced into the others.

"It's terrible but… the feeling is incredible." She said, clearly frightened beyond belief.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you all!" She quickly snapped from the small trance she was in, Lucas taking the reign, trying to steer the conversation into a different direction.

"Come on, let's get moving. Faye has some extra clothes in her rucksack, you can wear those." He said, beckoning Faye to come, quelling the anger he held with her.

After all, it was her fault they had lost a friend.