Lena walks deeper into the tunnel.
Fearless.
The others follow.
Carefully.
Jonas whispers.
"Remind me why we're following the creepy girl?"
Mira would have answered.
But Mira is gone.
The silence feels heavier.
Aria notices.
Kael's hand brushing hers.
Slowly.
He holds it.
Aria doesn't pull away.
Her voice soft.
"…thank you."
Kael"For what?"
Aria"For not letting go."
A faint smile touches his face.
Brief.
Then Lena stops.
Suddenly.
Lena"We're here."
A steel door stands in the tunnel wall.
Rusty.
Old.
Elias steps closer.
Elias"This wasn't here before."
Lena places her hand on the metal.
The door unlocks.
On its own.
Jonas steps back.
Jonas"Nope."
The door creaks open.
Inside—
A massive room.
Filled with clocks.
Thousands.
Every wall.
Every ceiling.
Ticking.
At different speeds.
Aria whispers.
"…what is this?"
Lena answers quietly.
"The place where time listens."
Kael stares at the clocks.
Something in his expression shifts.
Recognition.
Elias sees it.
Elias"You've been here before."
Kael doesn't deny it.
Aria looks at him.
"…Kael?"
He whispers.
"Yes."
Jonas sighs.
"Of course he has."
Then one clock stops.
Tick.
Silence.
Another stops.
Then another.
Soon—
Every clock freezes.
Lena smiles faintly.
"It noticed us."
Aria feels the air change.
Pressure building.
Kael whispers.
"…run."
Too late.
A voice fills the room.
Deep.
Ancient.
"You woke me."