Chapter 5

"What are the rules of your game?" Tyler asked, his voice laced with fear. The Mistress chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down their spines. "The rules are simple," she said, her voice a low murmur. "You must find the way out of my castle before the time runs out. If you fail, you'll remain here, trapped forever in my domain."

"And how much time do we have?" Olivia asked, her voice shaking. The Mistress chuckled again, the sound making their hair stand on end. "Oh, you have plenty of time," she replied, her eyes gleaming in the dim light. "You have exactly one night to find the way out."

The friends exchanged fearful glances. One night to survive in this nightmare castle. It seemed an impossible task. The Mistress observed their expressions, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Of course," she added, her voice a menacing whisper. "There are... other creatures in the castle. They are not as... hospitable as I am."

The friends felt a fresh wave of fear wash over them at the mention of these "other creatures." They looked around the room, their eyes darting to every shadow, every dark corner. The Mistress chuckled, her laughter echoing off the stone walls. "Don't worry," she said, her voice dripping with sadistic amusement. "You'll meet them soon enough."

With that, the Mistress vanished, her form blending into the shadows. The friends were left alone in the throne room, the silence thick and ominous. They huddled together in the center of the room, their eyes darting around, their bodies taut with terror.

"What have we gotten ourselves into?" whispered Jack, his voice barely audible. "This is insane." The others didn't respond, their faces pale and etched with fear. A soft noise, like a shuffling in the shadows, caught their attention. They tensed, their hearts skipping a beat.

They waited, their breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. Another soft noise echoed through the room, this time from a different direction. The friends' eyes darted towards the sound, their bodies so taut they were almost shaking. A low, hissing sound filled the air, cold and ominous.

The friends clutched each other tighter, their eyes scanning the room, looking for any sign of the creatures the Mistress had mentioned. Shadows danced in the corners, their forms grotesque and nightmarish. Another sound, like a deep, rumbling growl, echoed through the room. It was closer now.