Chapter 42: Echoes of Despair

The oppressive darkness of the temple enveloped Nathan and King as they ventured deeper into the labyrinth of hallways. Every step felt like a descent into something unspeakable, as though the walls themselves whispered forgotten agonies into their minds. The grotesque carvings along the stone walls seemed to writhe under the flickering light of their dying flashlight.

King kept his gaze forward, his grip on the knife growing tighter with every passing moment. "I don't like this place, Nathan," he muttered, his voice barely audible, as if afraid to wake whatever lay dormant within the shadows. "We should turn back."

Nathan swallowed hard, his thoughts torn between the overwhelming fear gnawing at him and the image of Angel—lost somewhere in this nightmare. "We can't," he replied, his voice trembling. "Angel's still out there, and if we leave, she'll die again. For good this time."

A sudden shuffling sound echoed down the hall, making both of them freeze in place. The shadows in the corners seemed to shift, like they were alive, watching. Nathan's pulse quickened as he reached for a rusty pipe he had strapped to his side. The sensation of being hunted became almost unbearable.

King took a deep breath, his eyes flicking toward Nathan. "Whatever happens, we stick together, alright? I'm not losing anyone else to this place."

Nathan nodded, though fear gnawed at his resolve. The darkness here felt different, more menacing—like it was alive. And the whispering... it was growing louder. The more they walked, the more distorted the voices became, as if the very air around them carried the agony of forgotten souls.

Suddenly, a shrill, distorted scream pierced through the silence. Nathan whipped around just in time to see something slithering out from the corner—a twisted figure, its body mangled and contorted in ways that defied logic. Its hollow eyes locked onto them, and the thing let out a guttural growl as it lunged.

King reacted first, swinging his knife wildly, catching the creature's arm. But the thing barely flinched, its broken jaw hanging open in a silent scream as it reached out with long, gnarled fingers. Nathan swung the pipe in panic, the metal connecting with a sickening thud. The creature staggered back, but it didn't fall.

"Run!" King shouted, pushing Nathan forward. They bolted down the hall, the creature's unearthly screeches echoing behind them.

Nathan's heart pounded in his chest as they raced through the twisting hallways. The walls seemed to blur around them, and the carvings on the stone began to pulse with a faint red glow. Everything felt wrong—like the very structure of the temple was shifting, warping to trap them inside.

"This way!" King barked, grabbing Nathan by the arm and pulling him down a side passage.

They burst into a large, circular chamber, its center dominated by a massive stone altar. The air here was thicker, heavier with the stench of rot and blood. At the far end of the chamber, a doorway loomed, barely visible in the dim light.

But they weren't alone.

Standing before the altar was another figure, much larger than the one they had encountered in the hallway. This one had wings—tattered, leathery things that drooped down its back like the remains of something that had once been majestic. Its skin was pale, almost translucent, and its face was a twisted mockery of human features. Its eyes, deep and hollow, radiated hunger and madness.

Nathan froze in place, his grip tightening on the pipe. "What... what is that?"

King stepped forward, his knife raised, but there was a tremor in his hand. "I don't know. But whatever it is, it's blocking our way."

The creature let out a low, rumbling growl, its wings twitching as it shifted its gaze toward them. Slowly, it began to move, its skeletal frame creaking as it dragged itself forward. The air around them seemed to grow colder with each step it took, and Nathan could feel the weight of its presence pressing down on his chest, suffocating him.

King gritted his teeth. "We can't fight this thing, not head-on."

But before they could move, the creature let out an ear-piercing shriek and launched itself at them, its wings snapping open like a pair of grotesque claws. Nathan barely managed to dive out of the way, the force of the creature's attack sending him sprawling to the ground. He scrambled to his feet, heart racing, just in time to see King dodge a swipe of the creature's clawed hand.

King lunged, aiming his knife at the creature's side, but it was too fast. With unnatural speed, it lashed out, knocking King aside like he weighed nothing. King crashed into the wall with a sickening thud, his body crumpling to the ground.

"King!" Nathan cried out, panic flooding his mind.

But before he could reach him, the creature's gaze turned to Nathan, its hollow eyes locking onto him. It let out a low, menacing growl, advancing slowly, savoring the moment. Nathan stumbled back, his mind racing, desperate for a way out. The pipe in his hand felt useless, like a child's toy against this monstrosity.

Just as the creature was about to strike, a blinding flash of light erupted from behind it. The creature screeched in agony, its form writhing as the light tore through its flesh. Nathan shielded his eyes, barely able to make out the figure standing at the entrance to the chamber.

Angel.

Her body was surrounded by a faint, ethereal glow, her eyes blazing with an otherworldly fire. She raised her hand, and another pulse of light shot forward, slamming into the creature and sending it crashing into the altar. The thing let out one last, pitiful shriek before collapsing, its body dissolving into ash.

Nathan stared in disbelief as Angel floated toward them, her expression cold and distant. "We need to go," she said softly, her voice barely more than a whisper. "This place is crawling with them. If we stay, we'll all be dead by sunrise."

Nathan rushed to King's side, helping him to his feet. King groaned, blood dripping from a gash on his forehead, but he managed to stand, leaning heavily on Nathan for support.

"Thanks, Angel," Nathan muttered, still in shock from what had just happened.

But Angel didn't respond. She was already moving toward the door at the far end of the chamber, her eyes fixed on something only she could see.

Nathan exchanged a worried glance with King. Angel had saved them, but something was different. The light inside her was flickering, fading. And the darkness around them was growing stronger, more oppressive with every passing second.

As they stumbled out of the temple and into the cold, barren wasteland beyond, Nathan couldn't shake the feeling that their journey was far from over—and that the worst was yet to come.