Hallways of death 1

As Akai and Ali were yanked into the portal, the world around them blurred and twisted.

A powerful force dragged them through a vortex of swirling colors and disorienting lights.

The sensation was dizzying, as if they were being torn apart and reassembled at the same time.

When the disorienting passage ended, they found themselves in a dimly lit hallway of an unfamiliar building.

The walls were lined with cold, paint less walls, and the faint, flickering light from old-fashioned sconces cast long shadows that danced eerily along the corridor.

The air was musty, carrying a faint echo of distant, indistinguishable noises. The hallway seemed endless, stretching out in both directions with no clear indication of where they were or how they might escape.

"Where are we?" asked Ali as got up from his place.

"Not sure but I guess in one of the old abandoned buildings in the area", Akai looked around the in the both directions, "no windows and the hallway seemed stretch for ever. This must be the demon's work"

"I wonder why he'd attack us first", he narrowed his eyes. "It's laughable to come after the weak"

"Removing the weak first is the best course of action to not hinder their fight", she said while taking out her sword from its sheath, "Remember what he said, the demon? When he grabbed?"

"He said 'you should be eliminated first?"

"The demon saw me as a threat which he had to remove first from the battlefield", akai glanced at the either sides, "I don't why they see me, a mere human, as a threat but, right now we should figure out where are the others who were pulled along with us. They might be in danger"

"I did notice few were taken in", he said, "doesn't that the demon invaded the station already?"

"I will explain on the way", she said. And Ali nodded and as they ran to the front Akai explain the reason to his earlier question, "Mr. Caligo, explained me how the barrier works. The barrier is powerful enough, that even the demons can't stand inside for more than two minutes. The demon outside must have taken quite the risk to last for even few seconds" 

As they ran, the echoes of battle grew louder, mingled with desperate screams that cut through the chaos. Akai and Ali exchanged worried glances.

Then they saw her—Maria, surrounded by a monstrous creature.

The beast was towering and grotesque, its form shifting unnaturally as it lashed out at her.

Maria was fighting back fiercely, but it was clear she was struggling.

"Maria!" Akai shouted, charging forward without hesitation.

Ali followed closely, his eyes locked on the monster. "We need to get her out of there!" he called, readying his weapon.

The creature roared, a sound that reverberated through the air. Maria's eyes met Akai's, a flicker of relief evident despite her dire situation.

She swung her weapon in a desperate arc, barely managing to deflect the beast's attack.

"Hang on, we're coming!" Akai yelled, closing the distance as she prepared to engage the monster.

In the next moment, Akai and Ali rushed to Maria's side. The monstrous creature snarled and swung its massive claws, but Akai was faster.

With a decisive swing of her sword, she beheaded the beast in one clean motion.

The head tumbled to the ground, and the body collapsed with a final shudder.

Ali and Maria stood stunned for a moment, watching as the creature's remains disintegrated into dark smoke. Maria's eyes widened in amazement and relief.

"Thanks," she said breathlessly, still catching her breath from the fight. "I didn't think I'd make it out of that one."

Akai nodded, her expression serious. "We need to move quickly. There's no telling how many more of us might have been dragged through."

Ali offered Maria a hand to help her up. "Are you hurt?"

Maria shook her head. "Just a few scratches. I'll be fine."

"Where you alone?" asked Akai.

"No" she answered looking worried, "I was dropped here with few children"

"Children?" Akai exclaimed and worried at the same time, "Where are they?"

"Because the monster was coming after us I stayed behind to distract it", she hurriedly, "and they moved forward"

"Shit" Akai cursed under her breath, "we must move quickly. These hallways must be filled with monsters to wipe us out"

"Maria", Ali called, "can you run?"

"I won't lag behind so don't worry", she said nodding her head.

"Ali can you use sword?" Akai randomly asked.

"I don't have experience but I know the basics", he with a thoughtful expression.

"That will do, here", she said and handed him her sword, "you use this, and Mari, you can have the gun", she took out GLOCK 17 Gen5 MOS from under her shirt, "it has a laser so it's easy to shoot but your shoulders will hurt a lot"

"I can't shoot!" Maria exclaimed.

"What about you?" asked Ali seeing that Akai was had no weapons with her, "you are going to fight bare handed?"

"how did you know?" Akai laughed breaking the tension. Seeing that Ali wasn't too proud of it akai assured him, "don't worry I have a gun too but that's for emergency and I am very good with my hands"

"you are over confident", he said finally.

As they got ready to move on, Akai looked at both of them and said, "And if anything were to happen to me", she paused, "don't look back, continue to move forward"

Neither of them could speak a word after what they heard from her. They only hopped, that would never happen. 

Without wasting any more time, they set off again. The sounds of the monsters roaring continued to echo around them, a grim reminder of the urgency of their mission.

The monster kept coming from the both sides. Akai fought with her bars hands just as she said and Ali fought alongside her, with the sword. Maria stood on the side lines and watched them fight.

But they couldn't yet find anyone else in the hallways.

"Where could have all gone to?" akai sighing, "Did the monsters get them already?" 

"There is no point in being negative about it", said Ali, "with should move on"

Not long after they came in front of the corridor. Akai and Ali nodded to each other and opened the door together.

They came into sudden halt.

Maria was trembling to her core. Both Akai and Ali froze in their places, cold sweat ran down their spine because of what they were looking at.

In the battle field, all of Kairos's efforts to even scratch the demon went in vain. They fought in the midair.

The demon effortlessly dogged all of his attacks. He laughed in between too, having fun as he dogged.

Then he came to a halt, "you know I was wondering won't you go and help that little red bitch", he said giggling.

Kairos immediately turned to look at the station, "that's where you sent those clones earlier? To kill her? Just a little girl?" all he was the loo of shock in his pale white face.

"I wonder what will happen when she is faced with a real beast?" the demon said again laughing. 

Rayden supposedly hearing their conversation looked up at them while hardening his grip to his Halberd.