Chapter 71

The Heart of the City

The red emergency lights flickered ominously as Lara and Margot hurried down the dimly lit corridors, their shadows stretching unnaturally along the walls. Every step echoed loudly in the silence, amplifying the tension that clung to the air like a suffocating fog.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Margot asked, her voice low but strained with doubt.

Lara didn't answer immediately. The whispers—soft, persistent, and almost melodic—seemed to guide her steps, pulling her toward an unseen destination. She could feel them in her bones, an unnatural vibration that sent chills down her spine.

"Yes," she finally said, her voice firm despite the fear coiling in her chest. "This is it. It has to be."

They stopped abruptly when the corridor opened into a wide, circular space. The floor was cracked and uneven, and the walls were lined with faded, peeling murals depicting grotesque figures—beings with too many eyes, their faces twisted in torment.

At the center of the space was a staircase. It spiraled upward into the darkness above, its steps old and worn, each etched with faint, indecipherable symbols.

Margot's breath hitched as she took in the sight. "This… This is the staircase from my memories," she whispered.

Lara nodded, a sense of dread settling over her. "It matches what I saw, too."

The staircase had thirteen steps, just as Margot's mother had described. But the night was so heavy, so oppressively still, that it was impossible to tell how close they were to midnight.

"Do you think… the fourteenth step will appear?" Margot asked, her voice barely audible.

Lara tightened her grip on the railing, her knuckles white. "Only one way to find out."

The two women began their ascent, their footsteps slow and deliberate. Each step groaned under their weight, as if the staircase itself were alive and resisting their passage.

The whispers grew louder with each step, their tone shifting from melodic to menacing. They spoke in fragmented sentences, repeating phrases that made no sense but still sent a chill down Lara's spine.

"The heart must beat."

"The mirror cracks."

"Two keys—one forward, one back."

Margot stumbled on the eighth step, catching herself on the railing. She gasped as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her.

"Margot, are you okay?" Lara asked, her voice filled with concern.

Margot nodded weakly, her face pale. "I'm fine. Let's just… keep going."

They reached the thirteenth step and paused. The air grew colder, and the whispers turned into guttural growls.

"What now?" Margot whispered, clutching the railing for support.

As if in response, the space around them began to shift. The walls of the staircase dissolved into darkness, and the floor beneath them rumbled.

Lara gripped Margot's arm as a new step materialized above them, glowing faintly with an unnatural, pulsating light.

"There," Lara said, her voice steady despite the terror clawing at her insides.

The fourteenth step led to a narrow hallway bathed in crimson light. At the end of the hall was a massive iron door, its surface etched with intricate carvings of eyes and hands reaching out as if begging for release.

Lara and Margot exchanged a glance, their fear mirrored in each other's eyes.

"This is it," Lara said.

Margot hesitated. "Should we wait for Elias?"

Lara shook her head. "We don't have time. He's buying us a chance. We have to take it."

With trembling hands, Lara pushed the door open.

The chamber beyond was vast, its walls lined with what looked like veins—pulsing, glowing veins that stretched upward into darkness. At the center of the room was the Heart.

It was massive, suspended above the floor by thick, black tendrils that anchored it to the walls and ceiling. It beat slowly, its surface wet and glistening, the sound echoing like a drum. The whispers were deafening now, swirling around them like a storm.

Margot took a shaky step forward, her eyes wide with horror. "This… This is what my mother created," she said, her voice breaking. "This is the Heart of the City."

Back in the corridor, Elias's barrier shattered, sending shards of light scattering across the floor. The shadows surged forward, their monstrous forms twisting and writhing as they lunged at him.

Elias stood his ground, his green eyes blazing as he summoned a blade of pure light. He swung it in a wide arc, cutting through the first wave of shadows.

The Architect watched from a distance, his expression calm but his glowing eyes betraying a flicker of irritation.

"You're stalling," the Architect said, his voice carrying over the chaos. "But it won't work. They'll never make it to the Heart."

Elias smirked, blood dripping from a cut on his temple. "You don't know them like I do."

The Architect's eyes narrowed, his composure slipping. "You think this is a game, Elias? This is my design. My City. And I will not let you destroy it."

Elias's smirk widened. "You're scared," he said, his tone mocking. "You know they'll reach it. And you know what happens when they do."

The Architect's fury erupted. He raised his hand, and the shadows surged toward Elias with renewed ferocity.

In the chamber, Lara and Margot approached the Heart cautiously. The whispers had grown incoherent, overlapping into a cacophony of voices that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

Lara's gaze was drawn to the base of the Heart, where two keys were embedded in the black tendrils. One was silver, and the other gold.

"The keys…" Lara murmured, her hand instinctively reaching for the silver one.

Margot grabbed her wrist. "Wait. What if it's a trap?"

Lara hesitated, her fingers trembling. But the whispers grew louder, almost pleading.

"Two keys. One forward, one back."

Margot looked at her, fear etched into her features. "What does that mean?"

Lara met her gaze, her own fear reflected back at her. "I don't know," she admitted. "But we have to try."

She gripped the silver key, pulling it free. The chamber trembled, and the Heart let out a deafening roar.

Margot screamed, covering her ears as the room shook violently. The tendrils writhed, and the whispers turned into shrieks.

"What did you do?" Margot shouted.

"I don't know!" Lara yelled, clutching the key tightly.

The walls of the chamber began to crack, streams of light pouring through the fractures. The Heart thrashed, its pulsating surface rupturing as black ichor spilled onto the floor.

In the distance, a guttural roar echoed through the hospital—a sound of pure rage and desperation.

The Architect's voice boomed through the chamber:

"You've made a grave mistake!"

Lara and Margot turned toward the door, their faces pale with terror. The shadows were coming.