Glitches in the Shadows

Elliot pressed himself against the damp stone wall, his breath shallow as footsteps echoed down the corridor. The cultists were still looking for him, their hushed voices blending into a chilling murmur of prayers. He clenched his teeth. If they found him, it would not be pretty.

Sahir, still gripping onto his jacket, let out the softest exhale. His small fingers clutched the fabric tightly, as if he understood the danger but did not quite know how to be afraid of it yet.

Then, something strange happened.

A tiny beep, a sound that had no business existing in this ancient, candlelit ruin, cut through the silence. The cultists froze mid-step. One of them jerked forward, their foot catching on an uneven stone, and before Elliot could even process it, the entire group stumbled into the adjacent room.

The heavy wooden door slammed shut behind them.

Elliot blinked. What just happened?

[System Notification: Glitch detected. Spatial coordinates shifted by external interference.]

Elliot almost choked on air. "Wait. What."

[Further analysis required. Please remain calm.]

"Oh, I am sorry, should I schedule my panic attack for later?" Elliot hissed under his breath.

The corridor was silent now, the cultists effectively locked away. Carefully, he turned his head to look at Sahir, who was staring at the door with unsettling stillness. His large, dark eyes reflected the flickering torchlight.

"Sahir?" Elliot whispered. "Did you do something?"

The boy tilted his head slightly. "Accident."

Accident. Right. Because accidents usually came with a system notification about a glitch in reality.

Elliot did not have time to question it further. He took a cautious step forward, peering into the open doorway ahead. The room beyond was different from the rest of the ruin. It was not just another crumbling stone chamber with occult symbols scrawled on the walls. No, this place felt wrong.

The air was dense, pressing against his skin like it had weight. The walls were smooth, too smooth, as if they were not made of stone but something else entirely. And in the center of the room…

A pedestal.

Elliot hesitated. His instincts screamed at him to turn back, but he was already stepping forward. He barely noticed the way Sahir followed, eerily quiet.

[Warning: Unknown data detected. Proceed with caution.]

"Oh, now you decide to warn me?" Elliot muttered, keeping his voice low. "Where was this energy when I was almost sacrificed ten minutes ago?"

[User did not request assistance.]

Elliot's eye twitched. "So I have to file a formal complaint before you do your job?"

[That is incorrect. The system cannot assist with personal incompetence.]

He was going to strangle this thing. If it even had a neck.

Shaking off his frustration, he focused on the pedestal. It was covered in ancient engravings, spiraling patterns that seemed to shift when he was not looking directly at them. A deep, unsettling hum filled the air. Whatever this was, it was powerful.

Elliot exhaled slowly. This was a terrible idea. A really terrible idea.

Behind him, Sahir's gaze lingered on the air . His lips parted slightly, as if he could see something.

Elliot stared at the pedestal for a long moment before shifting his gaze to Sahir, who was watching him with that same eerie stillness.

"Um… maybe we should go another way," Elliot suggested, stepping back. He had seen enough horror movies to know that mysterious, humming artifacts in ancient ruins were never a good sign.

He turned, moving deeper into the tunnel, the damp air clinging to his skin. The flickering blue lanterns cast long, twisting shadows against the stone walls, making the engraved symbols seem like they were shifting when he was not looking directly at them. Every step echoed unnervingly.

[Mission: Explore the area, the Sarekre]

[Reward** Disguise Clothes

Punishment** Sacrifice]

Elliot nearly tripped over his own feet. "Wait, what? Sacrifice?" he hissed.

[Mission must be completed. Good luck.]

"Good luck? That's it?" Elliot tried to summon the system's sloth-like presence, but for once, it was completely unresponsive. Figures. The one time he actually wanted the lazy thing to talk, it decided to ghost him.

As he grumbled under his breath, Sahir nuzzled against the nape of his neck, his tiny arms looping around Elliot's shoulders. The warmth of his breath sent an unexpected shiver down Elliot's spine.

"You are really attached, huh?" Elliot muttered, sighing. But Sahir remained silent, his dark eyes quietly observing as they ventured further down the passage.

The walls became more fractured, with ancient scriptures scrawled haphazardly across them. Some were worn away with time, while others seemed freshly etched, glowing faintly beneath the lanterns' light. Elliot ran a hesitant finger over one, but the moment his skin made contact, a whispering voice brushed against his ear—too faint to understand, but enough to make his blood run cold.

Elliot yanked his hand back.

"Yeah, nope. Not touching that again."

Continuing forward, they eventually stumbled into a hidden chamber. Unlike the damp, decayed tunnels behind them, this room was strangely pristine. The air was laced with the scent of something rich and unfamiliar—spiced incense, perhaps. Ornate wooden furniture lined the walls, intricately carved with curling designs. A large, plush mattress rested on the floor, covered in silken fabrics of deep blues and reds, embroidered with gold thread.

[:You have entered the Sarekre—a sacred resting chamber. This space belonged to a high-ranking figure within the cult. It was used for both ritualistic meditation and personal respite.]

"So, basically, a fancy bedroom," Elliot deadpanned.

[Correct]

And then, as if the system had been waiting for the perfect moment—

[Mission Reward Obtained: Disguise Clothes]

A bundle of fabric materialized in front of him in a flash of light.

Elliot reached out cautiously, unfolding the garment—only to choke on air the moment he saw what it was.

A sleeveless, open-front robe of sheer silk, so translucent it might as well not exist. The edges shimmered with golden embroidery, intricate celestial motifs swirling like constellations. Beneath it, a chest harness of leather and gold-plated chains crossed over where his shirt should have been, adorned with small dangling charms.

The lower half was somehow worse. A low-slung dhoti-style wrap in a deep midnight blue, draped elegantly over his hips, with a slit that ran scandalously high up his thigh. A thin golden belt rested just above his waist, the loose fabric doing little to hide his legs.

There was even a sheer veil, arm cuffs, and delicate golden jewelry meant to drape across his hands and ankles.

Elliot's face burned.

"What the hell is this?!"

[Disguise Clothes: Traditional ceremonial attire. Designed for elegance, comfort, and seduction.]

"Seduction?! What kind of disguise is this?!"

[You must blend in, Wear it.]

"I would rather be sacrificed!"

Sahir, still holding onto him, blinked once before slowly tilting his head. His gaze flickered—not at the outfit, but at something in the empty air beside Elliot. His lips parted slightly, as if he could see something

And then, as if nothing was out of the ordinary, he murmured, "Wear it."