Chapter 18: Awakening the Shadows

Alex hit the ground hard, their body aching from the impact. They groaned, rolling onto their side. The cold, hard surface beneath them was unyielding, and for a moment, they were disoriented—confused, shaken, unsure of where they were or what had just happened.

But as their senses returned, the dread crept back in.

The world had changed. They weren't on the strange platform anymore. Instead, they lay in the middle of a vast, open space, the ceiling so high it was barely visible in the dim light. A faint mist clung to the ground, swirling around Alex's hands and feet like smoke. There was no horizon here, no discernible walls or landmarks. Just an endless expanse of darkness stretching in every direction.

They weren't alone.