I held my breath and squeezed my eyes shut, both from the discomfort of the water and from fear of what might be surrounding me now. As soon as I fell, I mentally prepared myself to have to fight whatever I had seen before, or at least the lizard woman, but nothing appeared. Only the cold and the loud sound of the current. 

My lungs burned from the lack of oxygen. 

I couldn't bear it any longer and exhaled the air I was holding, enveloping myself in a cloud of bubbles. 

—¿Why did you do it?— A familiar voice whispered in my ear. 

I opened my eyes exalted and the water had disappeared. I gasped desperately, hunching my body kneeling on a floor that didn't exist before. Once my lungs were replenished, I admired the dark hallway around me. 

«This isn't the sewers, where am I?»

—I thought you loved me.— The same voice from before invaded my ears. 

From the shadows came a person for whom I have given everything and fought until today. Brown hair and blue eyes that I have seen day after day for most of my life and for which I would do anything. 

—¿Liam?-- I gasped in amazement.—¿How did you get here? 

He stood still just looking at me from above. His eyes were cold and empty, but they were the eyes of my younger brother. 

—W-we have to go before she comes back or else... 

—¿Why did you abandon me Aisha? 

–W-What? 

—You abandoned me, I thought you loved me. I thought I was the only important thing for you.—Tears ran down his cheeks and his expression showed sadness. 

I shook my head confused by his words. 

–You are. What are you talking about? I never abandoned you. 

—You did it. And because of you I died.— A shiver ran down my spine when I heard him.— I was so scared, I was alone and I waited for you. But you didn't get there in time. 

—N-no, no, no. I... I'm close, I'll be there soon.— My voice broke and a huge lump in my throat made it even more difficult for me to say those words. 

He's not Liam, he can't be my Liam. My brother isn't dead. No. He can't be dead. The simple idea that what he's saying is true makes my heart hurt like never before. 

– I died because you abandoned me for being a coward. Just like them. 

I opened my mouth to ask him who he was referring to. But just at that moment four people came out from behind him. I opened my eyes wide and my body began to shake uncontrollably. 

—We all died because of you, Aisha.—Liam's voice became thicker and darker. It was a voice I no longer recognized. 

Three women and a man were staring at me with hatred. I could recognize the two women I had abandoned to their own fate just a couple of hours ago. But they didn't matter to me at all right now. The ones I cared about the most were the man and the third woman. 

Regret and guilt made their way through causing a huge whirlwind of emotions inside me. 

–There it is. Just what I wanted to find. 

The raspy voice of a woman behind me made me turn around in fear. I did just as the scaly hand of the lizard woman embedded her sharp nails in the old wound on my shoulder. 

A cry of pain came out of my throat. 

When she pulled them back out it hurt as much as before and blood soaked my new set of clothes. I touched my shoulder, as if that would ease some of the pain, and watched as the woman tasted the red liquid left on her fingers.

Her eyes sparkled and a huge, sinister smile appeared on her grotesque face.

—You taste better than I thought. You will be an excellent delicacy.

I thought about running away but before I could do so my back hit something. More like someone. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the figure of my younger brother preventing me from escaping.

—Oh, no no no honey. You can't leave before dinner. It will upset my babies.

When she looked back at me I couldn't have felt more foolish. It wasn't them. All of these people were products of this monster. None of them were real, therefore the story of Liam being dead wasn't real either.

«He's still alive, Liam is still alive. I have to find a way and get out of here.»

—Come on, let's take her to mom's room. –He had barely started to walk away when I felt hands on my shoulders.

With nowhere to escape but past her accomplices, I had no choice but to keep up with her. I still have my backpack with things but I had lost my katana and that was a big disadvantage right now. 

We walked a long way until we came across some huge dark metal doors. The woman disappeared inside the room a few moments before us. 

A large space with blue-grey walls, a high ceiling and an infinity of lit torches that gave a sinister atmosphere to the dark room. But that wasn't what scared me, but the pile of bones stacked in a corner and artifacts of dubious origin. 

—Don't worry, little one— the woman hissed as she rummaged through something inside a box. —After a couple of days you won't feel pain anymore. You just have to endure it until then.

—Days?! Are you... planning to torture me?"

I'm not surprised that she wants to hurt me, I'm surprised by the fact that a monster wants and knows what torture is. She's on a completely different level than the creatures I've encountered so far. She has an intelligence similar to humans... too similar.

The fake Liam and I stopped in the center of the place while the man and the girl from the tunnel passed us on their way to her. 

—Oh, I think you'll like this one. It's very funny. — She happily wagged her long tail while passing a strange rusty device to the girl. 

—Are you going to torture me? – I dared to ask after a few long seconds. 

The sound of laughter echoed in the throat of the great lizard. 

—¿Torture you? This is not torture. We are not as primitive as you. – She turned to look at me and her predatory eyes shone. – I'm just preparing food for my little ones. Tenderizing the meat and crushing the bones first helps digest the food better. 

My whole body trembled at the oppressive predatory presence. Suddenly I felt like a small, helpless mouse. 

—Tie her up, the sooner we start the better. 

The woman and the girl behind me took my backpack with my things and my fake brother dragged me to a filthy corner. My eyes traveled from one side to the other in search of something that could help me but there was nothing useful. 

Seeing how we were approaching some chains, anxiety began to grow inside me. If I let them chain me it's over. There will be no way to get rid of them. 

I intentionally tripped over my own feet stopping our step. Despite having fallen to the ground, the grip of the copy did not diminish causing a groan from me in pain. 

–What are you doing? Stand up,—the leader's annoyed voice echoed. —These humans are useless. They can't even walk properly. That's why they're the inferior race.

—Who are you?—I muttered. 

I felt myself being pulled up but I dropped all my weight to keep from being moved. I need answers. 

—Who am I?— She let out a superior laugh. —Even if I told you, your little brain wouldn't be able to understand it.

—Who are you?— I asked once more, this time making sure to use a harsh tone. 

I was scared, terrified. But if that thing knows it will simply satisfy it and amuse it. If I pretend to be calm maybe I'll have a better chance of surviving... or maybe it will kill me faster. I don't know, but it's worth a try.

—Ha, trying to be brave? —She started walking towards us.— Don't even try, humans are weak beings and full of sins. Especially you. 

She left on a stone surface various artifacts whose purposes she didn't want to know. 

—You have a great mind, I can see it. You are clumsy but you don't know when to give up. You are good at hiding your feelings in front of those close to you but as soon as you are alone all the guilt comes out to torment you. You can pretend in front of me, but… —She came closer and took my face with one of her sticky hands.— I know what you are really like. 

My eyes tempered having her face so close to mine knowing that if she wanted she could devour my face with one bite. I swallowed and made a superhuman effort to keep my voice from shaking. 

–Who are you?

Her features furrowed as she didn't have the expected effect on me. She moved away and looked at me intimidatingly before answering. 

– I have many names. Humans know us in different ways. But this time you can call me according to your sins. Just look around. 

«'According to my sins?'»

— Enough talk. Let's get on with the fun. 

She turned around heading towards the chains. I pressed my lips together, annoyed knowing that I wouldn't get any more answers than these. 

Then I started my escape plan remembering the little note left on the object. 

—Always keep her close.

I took advantage of the fact that the fake Liam loosened his grip a little at the moment the lizard approached us to free one of my arms. I brought my free hand to my waist and took the gun that the Nishimura family had left in my luggage. 

I've never used one, so I just had to trust my instinct. 

I took it out, took the safety off as the instructions left behind said, and pointed it at my captor. I squeezed my eyes shut, knowing that if I saw his face, he might hesitate. 

«'It' s not Liam. It's not Liam.»

I pulled the trigger.