Liam

As we proceeded down the new hallway, I couldn't help but shudder at the sight of skeletal decorations adorning the walls.

Skeletons, both mounted and protruding from the walls, cast eeire shadows and lent the entire corridor a gruesome atmosphere. A chill ran down my spine, and I felt the fire of my soul flicker and fade. 

As we halted before the wide door at the far end of the hallway, a sense of nervousness washed over me as I heard the sound of shattering glass from within.

The loud shout that followed reverberated through the walls, causing my heart to race with anxiety. It was then that I recognized the growl, familiar yet chilling—it was the sound of someone in excruciating pain.

Alexa's gaze softened as she looked at me. "Are you ready?" she asked gently, her calm demeanor in contrast to my own anxious state.

"I... I think so," I replied hesitantly, meeting her gaze with uncertainty.

She paused, her expression thoughtful. "You can back out," she offered, her voice filled with softness and concern. "There's still tomorrow if you don't want to face him today. You decide."

Her words resonated with a kindness that touched me. I realized that after all, I still had a choice in this daunting situation.

I wrestled with my conflicting emotions. I knew I should be wary, suspicious, and fighting tooth and nail to escape this godforsaken place. Yet, despite my instincts screaming at me to flee, I found myself paralyzed, unable to take action. It was as if a heavy weight had settled over my mind.

Despite the overwhelming sense of helplessness gnawing at me, I refused to succumb to despair. With a steely resolve burning in my eyes, I nodded in agreement. 

"Let's do this, now," I declared, my voice firm and resolute.

As Alexa shrugged her shoulders and pushed open the door, the muffled roar from within erupted into a thunderous growl, echoing through the corridor. Overwhelmed by the deafening noise, I instinctively closed my eyes and covered my ears.

The noise subsided into a serene silence, leaving me feeling strangely relieved instead of frightened. Breathing in the fresh, nourishing air surrounding us, I sensed a calming presence, as if the very winds themselves were cradling and pacifying me.

As I opened my eyes once again, I was met with the sight of an empty, damaged room. Stools and wooden tables lay broken and irreparable, scattered across the floor in shattered pieces. Nearby shelves, once filled with books, had collapsed, their pages torn and caught in flames, scorching the ground with their remnants.

Surveying the burnt and desolate surroundings, my imagination conjured images of the recent chaos. I scanned the room, but there was no sign of anyone except for me and Alexa. The man in the black cloak, who had seemed so menacing just moments ago, was nowhere to be found.

"Where's he?" I asked, my voice trembling slightly. "I thought he was here?"

When I glanced at Alexa, she was peacefully sitting in the corner, calmly munching on her food.

"Where's he?" I pressed.

"Gone," she replied simply.

"That fast?"

As I surveyed the room, I realized there was no other means of escape besides the door we had entered from and the arched window nearby. It seemed impossible for him to have escaped through the door, leaving only the window as a possible exit.

I approached the window and peered down, my eyes widening in disbelief as I realized that we were somehow suspended above the clouds.

"No way," I whispered, my mind struggling to comprehend the impossible sight before me. 

Peering through the clouds, I strained to see if there was anyone or anything below, but there was no sign of life. Instead, all I could see were vast fields of green bushes, patches of grass, and colorful flowers stretching across the horizon.

"Let's go," Alexa's voice broke through from behind.

I was unsure of where else we could possibly go in this surreal landscape. She stood and began to walk, casually munching on a golden berry this time.

"What about the fire?" I asked, my voice covered with concern as I glanced back at the burning room. I couldn't understand how she could remain so calm in the face of such destruction.

"Leave it to Liam," she replied cryptically before disappearing through the doorway. 

Without hesitation, I followed suit.

After what felt like endless and silent wanderings, Alexa and I found ourselves inside a grand chamber. Dominating the room was a huge table fit for monarchs, adorned in the soft glow of shimmering gold. More than twenty seats surrounded the table, but they appeared untouched and neglected, covered in a thick layer of dust. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, as if it had been left untouched for centuries.

Passing through a golden-clad door, we entered a room filled with plates, cups, pots, and various other cookery tools, also covered in a thick layer of dust.

Alexa reached up and opened a wooden drawer overhead, producing another fruit resembling a banana from seemingly out of nowhere. 

As my stomach growled with hunger, I couldn't help but feel a pang of resentment as Alexa continued to eat cheerily without offering me anything. Despite my hunger, I remained silent, standing in a corner and watching her. 

Suddenly, the room rumbled ominously.

"Not again," she muttered between bites. "Stay here," she instructed, not even sparing me a glance as she mounted a magical broom that suddenly appeared before us.

Long minutes passed with no sign of Alexa's return, and my hunger gnawed at me relentlessly. So I cautiously began to explore the room, opening drawers one by one in search of food. To my dismay, every drawer I opened was empty, not even a small fruit spared. It was evident that Alexa had already consumed everything.

I sighed, frustration welled up within me.

"Sneaking around is one thing, but sneaking into Alexa's food is another, and not a good one." 

My heart leapt into my throat as a voice spoke behind me. I whirled around, expecting to see someone there, but the room remained empty, filled only with silence.

Almost instinctively, I looked up, and to my surprise, I saw a man with unruly hair floating above me, enveloped in a brown blanket. He seemed to have just awakened, his presence unexpected yet strangely familiar.

His sleepy eyes met mine. He was dressed in long black trousers and a white long-sleeved shirt. 

Despite his outward appearance of normalcy—pale, long blond hair, flawless skin, and nut-brown eyes—there was an undeniable abnormality to his presence.

He lacked the typical features of a supernatural being and therefore almost human—no horns, no strange body parts—yet he defied the laws of gravity, hovering midair before me.

"What the hell are they, really?" I whispered to myself.