Owen turned to look at the door where the stranger came from and realized it hadn't even opened...all he saw was an illusion yet the things behind him weren't.
His mind raced, but panic clouded his thoughts. All he could focus on was his urge to run or whatever could help him escape or distract him from the pain in his chest as he grappled with the bizarre scene, wondering if this mysterious illusion was a trap or perhaps his unexpected ally in disguise. With each passing second, Owen's looked at the unpredictable nature of this situation might just work in his favor—if he could stay calm enough to figure out what was real and what was not.
"Yeah no fuck it" he ran towards the opposite door and pulled on the handle and ran deeper into the building he wasn't having any kind of this shit.
Why bloody him of all people while he thought Like this his right arm went up in red flames mixed with black and he unconsciously clenched his palm tightly as if something was condensing within it.
At current all his negative emotions were being burned by the flame which then condensed them thoroughly after they were cleansed of the negativity.
Welp our stupid friend didn't notice that he kept running for his life, he jumped where he needed to jump and turned where he needed to.Each turn was chosen at random why sit down and decide when you might die at any moment.
" screeeeech!!!!" " GwAHAHAHAHAH"
"SCREE-MAN" "scee-not"
The creatures behind slowly started forming words with every screech they made.In the dim passages, flickering shadows of the abandoned beings followed owen before entering his flame covered arm and were purified then condensed, the air was thick with tension and the lingering scent of the chaos,in simple a high amount 9f confusing smells were smelt by him sometimes it was sweet then rotten or worse. His heart pounding in his chest, eyes darting between the grotesque creatures behind him. Their screeches echoed like nails on a chalkboard, piercing the silence with unearthly shrieks that seemed almost deliberate, almost mocking.
With more screeches which were followed by sane proper words amidst the chaos "thought scree...you could escape?" "hissedacing." ( if you can't read it just take it as random unintelligent sounds made by some of the creatures)
"Foolish thing," rumbled another, deeper and more guttural.
"The trap is set, and you are the prey," said a third, its tone rough with each word, the illusions, the unpredictable behaviors—their unpredictability now seemed less like random madness and more like strategic deception. The creature's words formed a narrative, here.
He remembered the stranger and things he'd encountered earlier—a fragment of a shattered mirror, a glowing rune etched into the wall, symbols that shimmered with an unnatural light. Could these be clues? Perhaps they were hints to the creature's true nature or weaknesses.
The monsters' collective voice grew louder, clearer, as if feeding off each other's energy:
"We are the guardians of the threshold,"one declared.
"Only those who understand" suppressing the rising panic. the flickering image of the glowing rune he remembered. It flickered in his mind, a whisper of hope amid the darkness.
"Alright," Owen muttered under his breath, "if this is a test, then I need to see beyond the illusion." with his clenched hand into his pocket, fingertips brushing against the small, cross he'd kept since the arrival of the flame in this dark place, It pulsed faintly, resonating with the strange energies here.It was still condensing further .
The screeches intensified, morphing into a chorus of riddles and warnings:
"Find the truth within the lie,Find me ..find us ...we are one yet many ...we are ... we are" echoed a voice, frantic.
*"Trust what you see, yet question all,"* countered another.
Owen realized that the key wasn't in brute force or cunning alone, but in perception. The creatures' words were trying to confuse him, warp his sense of reality, pull him into despair But beneath the chaos, there might be core truth that would allow him to discern the proper path.
He looked around at the forming words—each a fragment of a larger puzzle. The language was arcane, layered with meaning, but perhaps it was also a code. gate shall trick but also a literal barrier. Maybe the creatures were guarding something—a doorway, a portal—that could only be accessed by understanding the deception.
He shifted his gaze to the surroundings, noticing the subtle shifts to flicker or distort differently than others. Spotting a faint crack in the wall near a twisted pillar, he moved, the screeches increased as if sensing his intent. He knelt and examined the crack, noticing an inscription engraved just faintly as he his palm against the cracked wall. The symbols flared brilliantly, illuminating the entire chamber with a spectral light. A section of the wall shimmered and slid open, revealing a narrow passage beyond.
The creatures let out a collective roar of frustration, their distorted voices warning:
*"You think you can escape the illusion?"*
But Owen, understanding now that their power lay in deception, stepped through the opening, leaving the chaos behind. As he moved into the darkness, the words from the what seems real, and the key to freedom is to question everything—trust in oneself and seek the hidden truths amid the chaos. With each step forward, he that the illusion was merely a shadow of....
"Huh? "
"Owen....OWEN!" mia was shouting and waving her hand infront of him.
"You okay?"
"The moon...THE MOON!" before he could continue mia slapped him squarely in the face before looking at him as he was deranged.
" I don't what kind of sick joke this is but stop it it's weird " she said while looking at up and down then rolling her eyes
" But you saw that red moon right!?" He grabbed her by the shoulders as he asked at which he received another slap to the face which pulled him back to reality.
" You okay or should I give you another one ?"