The Three Levers Of Inferno

The hellscape blurred out as I slammed the white, metal door shut behind me. Even through the barrier, the heat was suffocating, the kind that pressed into your skin and made you feel like you were burning alive. My hand was red and sore from just touching the door handle.

The Inferno Beyond Hell's Mercy.

How could I forget this floor? It wasn't the kind of thing you'd expect to slip your mind. The design was simple, yes. But simplicity didn't mean easy. This floor wasn't actively hunting you like the others. It didn't need to. Here, one wrong move was all it took for the flames to swallow you whole.

"T-This is impossible," Min-seok stammered, his voice trembling as he backed away from the door.

"Scared already, Mr. Coward?" Eun-jin's tone dripped with sarcasm, her arms crossed as she shot him a look.

"Of course I'm scared!" Min-seok snapped, his hands shaking. "Didn't you see the lava in there? This is suicide. Absolute death."

Eun-jin opened her mouth, probably to hurl another insult, but I raised my hand, cutting her off before the argument could escalate.

"One thing about these games," I said, keeping my voice firm, "is that they're designed to look like death sentences. They're brutal, they're merciless—but they're never impossible."

Min-seok still looked ready to bolt, his gaze darting between the door and the rest of us like a cornered animal. Eun-jin, on the other hand, stood her ground, though her glare hadn't softened.

"The task is straightforward," I continued. "There are three hidden levers. Flipping them opens the gate to the next floor. That's it."

Eun-jin frowned, her arms dropping to her sides. "Lava releases toxic fumes. We should've felt disoriented the moment you opened the door, but we didn't. That means the fumes are either minimal or controlled." She paused, her gaze distant, thinking. "It's hot as hell, but the lava's not actively flowing. It won't cause blisters and burns as long as we don't touch it."

I blinked at her, surprised by her analysis. How did she know this much about lava?

"Safe?" Min-seok cut in, his voice cracking. "Those rocks are glowing red-hot. You think our shoes won't melt the second we step on them?"

"That's a valid concern, the rocks will probably be super heated" Eun-jin muttered reluctantly, her tone still laced with irritation as she reluctantly agreed.

"The rocks will be hot," I said, my voice sharp, "but not enough to melt our shoes. The point of this trial isn't to stop us—it's to make us think we can't cross. It's psychological as much as it is physical."

Min-seok didn't look convinced, but he didn't argue further.

I clapped my hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Listen up. I don't remember exactly where the levers are, but they weren't particularly well-hidden. Running around blindly in there would be suicide, and sending one person to flip all three isn't an option. We'll split up."

Eun-jin's expression darkened. "You want us all in there at the same time? Are you insane?"

"It's the only way," I said firmly. "I'll open the door for a few seconds. Everyone take a good look and memorise the locations of the levers. Once we know where they are, me, Eun-jin and Min-seok will split up and each flip one. Quick, precise, in and out."

"What do you mean me? I am not going in that hell hole." Min-seok snapped back.

"You wanted to prove your loyalty? Well now's the time. Plus no one else is in the condition to go anyways, Da-on is a kid and Jae-hyun is injured."

Min-seok turned to look at them, his face clearly showing fear, a second later he straightened up and spoke out, his voice trembling "How quick are we talking?"

I met his eyes, my expression cold. "Quick enough to not die."

I grabbed the searing hot handle again, wincing as it burned my palm. Turning back to the group, I gave them a nod. "Everyone ready?"

Min-seok adjusted his glasses, his lips pressed into a thin line. Eun-jin stood with her shoulders squared, though I could see her jaw clenching. Da-on clung to her mother's side, her wide eyes darting nervously between us.

I pulled the door open.

A wave of heat slammed into us, stealing the air from my lungs. It wasn't just hot—it was oppressive, wrapping around me, squeezing the life out of me with every breath. Sweat pooled on my forehead instantly, and it felt like the air itself was burning my throat.

The hellscape stretched out before us.

Lava churned and bubbled across the floor, the molten surface spitting sparks and heat into the air. Jagged rocks jutted out like islands, their surfaces glowing faintly red.

"Left corner! Back wall! Near the lava surface!" Eun-jin's voice rang out, clear and decisive. She was pointing to the far left of the room, her eyes locked onto something I couldn't quite see through the haze.

"Got it!" I shouted back.

A few seconds passed before Min-seok chimed in. "There! On the right! That floating rock!" He jabbed his finger toward a cluster of jagged rocks surrounded by bubbling lava.

I squinted through the shimmering heat, trying to make out the lever. The area he pointed to was alive with activity—the lava bubbled and hissed violently, almost as if it was alive.

The air was becoming unbearable. My lungs felt like they were being roasted from the inside out, and my vision started to blur. I wiped the sweat from my brow, but it didn't help.

And then, through the haze, I saw movement.

Da-on wobbled next to Eun-jin, her tiny legs unsteady. She clung to her mother's pants but slipped forward, the heat disorienting her. Before anyone could react, her foot caught on the edge of the landing.

She stumbled, pitching forward.

Straight toward the lava.

"Da-on!"

My body moved before my mind could process what was happening. I lunged, my hand grabbing the back of her pink t-shirt just as her body tilted over the edge. My heart slammed into my ribs as I pulled her back, her tiny frame dangling over the bubbling inferno.

Eun-jin screamed, rushing forward to snatch her daughter from my grasp. She pulled Da-on into her arms, tears filling her eyes as she kissed Da-on's forehead, whispering reassurances.

Jae-hyun grabbed me by the collar of my coat, yanking me away from the edge as Min-seok slammed the door shut. The world fell silent as the oppressive heat vanished, replaced by the relative coolness of the landing.

We collapsed against the walls, panting and trembling. A few minutes passed before I could even regain the strength to speak.

"Anyone… see the third lever?" I asked, my voice hoarse.

The group shook their heads weakly. My heart sank. We didn't have time to spare.

"I saw it!" Da-on piped up, her small voice cutting through the heavy silence.

Everyone turned to her.

"It's on the other side of the wall," she said, pointing to the front wall.

Relief flooded my chest.

"Are you sure, Da-on?" Eun-jin asked, her voice shaky as she stroked her daughter's hair.

Da-on nodded firmly, her wide eyes meeting mine. "I saw it when oppa saved me from falling. It was a little high up."

I exhaled deeply, standing and brushing the dust off my pants. "Alright," I said, standing up.

"Get ready," I continued, glaring at the door. The faint red light from the small gaps at edges around it bathed us all in an ominous glow.

Time to walk through hell.

[Time Left: 21 minutes, 4 seconds.]