The corridor didn't stay stable for long.
It shifted the moment Sarai stepped into it.
The walls tightened slightly, panels sliding just enough to redirect the path ahead. The lighting flickered, then steadied into a dimmer tone that made every shadow feel deeper than it should have been.
Sarai slowed her pace, her breathing controlled but her senses sharp.
"…okay," she muttered, glancing back once. "So we're still doing this."
The path ahead curved left.
She followed it.
Her steps stayed light, deliberate. Not rushing, not hesitating. Just moving with intention.
Then—
footsteps.
Not behind her.
Ahead.
Sarai's shoulders tightened as she slowed, her eyes narrowing toward the bend in the corridor.
"…please don't be another one," she said under her breath.
The figure stepped into view.
She froze for half a second—
then exhaled.
"…wow," she said, relief slipping into her voice before she could stop it. "You look terrible."
Virek didn't stop walking until he was right in front of her.
He scanned her quickly, his eyes moving over her shoulders, her arms, her stance.
Checking.
"You're fine," he said.
Sarai blinked.
"…that's it?" she asked. "No 'are you okay,' no concern, just—confirmation?"
"You're standing," he replied.
She stared at him for a second.
"…wow," she said again. "You're actually ridiculous."
But she didn't move away.
Virek's gaze lingered a second longer than necessary.
"You handled it," he added.
Sarai's expression shifted slightly.
"…yeah," she said. "I did."
A beat passed between them.
Not comfortable.
Not resolved.
But not distant either.
"…you're bleeding," she said suddenly, pointing at his side.
Virek glanced down briefly.
"It's nothing."
"That's never true when people say that," she replied, stepping closer without thinking.
He didn't stop her.
She reached out, her fingers brushing lightly against the edge of his shirt before pulling back slightly.
"…it's not bad," she said, more to herself now. "But it's also not nothing."
"I'll manage," he said.
Sarai looked up at him.
"…I know you will," she replied. "That's not the point."
Before he could respond—
the lights flickered again.
Both of them stilled.
The hum returned.
Stronger.
Keller's voice cut through the space, closer now.
"You find your way back to each other quickly," he said.
Sarai rolled her eyes.
"Do you have anything else to do?" she asked.
"No," Keller replied calmly.
Virek's posture shifted immediately, his attention snapping back to the corridor.
"What are you setting up," he said.
A pause.
"Something simpler," Keller said.
The walls shifted.
Not gradually.
All at once.
Panels dropped.
Paths closed.
The corridor split again—but this time, there was no clear route forward.
Sarai stepped slightly closer to Virek instinctively.
"…I don't like this one," she said.
"You shouldn't," Keller replied.
From the far end—
multiple footsteps.
Not two.
Not three.
More.
Sarai's jaw tightened.
"…okay," she said. "Yeah, no, I definitely don't like this one."
Virek stepped slightly in front of her without thinking.
"Stay close," he said.
She gave him a look.
"…I was already doing that."
The first group stepped into view.
Then another behind them.
Then more.
Sarai exhaled slowly.
"…this feels personal," she said.
"It is," Keller replied.
Virek's grip tightened slightly.
"Then come handle it yourself," he said.
A pause.
"I am," Keller said.
The first wave moved.
Fast.
Sarai shifted immediately, her stance tightening as she moved with Virek instead of beside him.
This time—
they didn't hesitate.
They moved together.
The first attacker came straight for Sarai—
Virek intercepted instantly, redirecting the strike and driving the man off balance.
Sarai followed up without thinking, striking clean and stepping back before the next one could reach her.
"Okay," she said under her breath. "We're doing this again."
Another attacker came from the side—
She saw it before it landed.
"Left," she said sharply.
Virek adjusted instantly.
The attack missed.
He finished it.
They didn't speak after that.
They didn't need to.
Every movement lined up.
Every shift matched.
Cleaner.
Faster.
Like they'd done this before.
The last body hit the ground.
Silence followed.
Sarai exhaled slowly, her chest rising as she glanced around.
"…okay," she said. "That felt—better than it should have."
Virek didn't answer immediately.
Because he felt it too.
Different.
Keller's voice came back.
"See?" he said.
Sarai frowned slightly.
"See what?" she asked.
A pause.
"How easily you become what you were designed to be."
That landed.
Sarai's expression tightened.
"…yeah," she said quietly. "I'm going to ignore that."
But her eyes flicked to Virek for just a second.
Then away.
Virek didn't miss it.
And Keller didn't either.
"Let's see how long that holds," Keller said.
The lights dimmed further.
And this time—
they didn't just prepare.
They braced.