Kael skillfully descended ahead into the darkness, with the stench growing stronger at every step; it was a terrible mix of dampness, rust, and human waste. Arin silently followed, trying to ignore the thudding noises from above. When they finally reached the ground, Kael pressed a button on his bracelet, and a light spread from its screen. It was clear Kael’s eyes quickly adjusted to the dimness, but Arin’s steps were cautious; the uneven, slippery ground was covered by a murky layer of waste water that muted the light and made even breathing difficult. The tunnel’s stone walls were damp, and patches of moss hung like ominous shadows in some places.

“This place… smells cursed,” Arin said, wrinkling his nose. “Not even a jinn would want to stay here.”

Kael said, “But rats do,” ignoring Arin’s disgusted sigh as he looked right then left down the tunnel. According to the map in his mind, they had to turn left four times, right three times, then right twice, and then left five times. After that, the only thing left was to climb upwards. He glanced back at the path they came from and quickly moved forward in the direction they were supposed to go.

After a few steps, Arin stumbled and fell on the slippery floor. Kael turned reflexively but only managed to grab his arm. Arin’s hands sank into the mud; he frowned and looked at them. “Great. Now I really feel cursed. At this rate, I’ll get sick and die before that thing reaches us.”

Without turning, Kael said, “I told you to be ready.”

“I was ready. At least once,” Arin muttered, looking down at his mud-covered feet. “By the way… the noise stopped? Maybe the creature left us behind?”

Kael exhaled patiently. “I don’t think so.”

When Arin tried to stand up, he fell again. But before he could understand what was happening, Kael turned, bent down, and lifted him onto his shoulder.

Arin tried to protest, but Kael silenced him. “Please don’t get used to this,” he said with a dry expression.

"Well, you sure know how to sweep someone off their feet, don't you?" Arin chuckled, then cleared his throat. “I mean… efficiency-wise…”

Kael walked on beside the dirty water with a faint smile. “Efficiency is my job, of course,” he said, but there was a strange warmth in his voice.

***

Every tunnel connected to another, and Arin had begun to lose track of time. He was only aware of Kael’s warm skin and the rhythm of his steps. He was almost used to the smell. Almost. The darkness deepened, and although the map was still in Kael’s mind, still…

“I think we’re lost,” Arin finally broke the silence.

“We’re not lost, the tunnels just look too similar,” Kael said, unwilling to admit they were lost.

As they turned a corner, a strange clanging noise came from behind a wall; it was like something crawling inside metal. Kael suddenly stopped. Arin slid off his back and quietly landed.

Kael listened to the wall. He checked his bracelet, hoping the evacuation team would track its signal, but he wasn’t sure it worked properly here. They should still be near the Archive building, and signal devices were specifically blocked in this area.

Slowly, he turned to Arin.

“When exactly did you realize you lost contact with your jinn?”

Although he knew the answer, Arin hesitated for a moment. “The moment we stepped into the Archives.”

Kael glanced briefly at his bracelet, then looked back at Arin.

“Some military zones use narrow magnetic fields to block signals. Communication resumes once you exit. Probably something similar here. But… maybe it’s designed for magic. Is that possible?”

Arin frowned. “A kind of magical barrier. Area-based. It isolates you completely inside… even your spiritual bonds. I’ve never heard of anything like that.”

Kael nodded. “Think systematically. It’s just a theory, but if we get out of the area, the connection might resume.”

Arin sighed, looking at his ring. “A theory, but why not?”

Kael squinted; his handsome face wrinkled with concern. “Then we must follow the exit route on the map because it leads straight near the Archive building.”

Arin tilted his head. “How will we get lost when we can’t even find the right way?”

Kael smiled slyly. “By going back. If we walk back the way we came, then walk in the exact opposite direction from where we started, we’ll get away from the Archive and eventually out of the magic barrier.”

Arin looked at him in surprise. “And do you remember the way back?”

Kael’s smile faded. “Partly. But I can find it.” His face darkened further. “Though while we’re wandering back and forth, the evacuation team might lose hope and cancel the operation. That creature could find us. We might die of thirst. Or illness–”

“Enough, I get it,” Arin said impatiently. “Let’s try.”

***

Kael’s steps were no longer as steady; even he had his limits. Fatigue was setting into his muscles, but there was no time to stop. In the dark, Arin touched his ring and desperately called Azimushan. The creeping feeling of hopelessness was threatening to overwhelm them.

Kael’s steps grew slower and more erratic. Arin watched in amazement. “So you can run out of power too.”

Without turning, Kael replied, “I don’t run on batteries. I have a biologically supported power circuit integrated into muscle tissue. It provides resistance to fatigue, not fully mechanical. But ultimately limited by human metabolism.”

Arin wrinkled his nose. “So you still sweat, still get tired, and still complain.”

Kael shrugged lightly. “Only when it’s reasonable.”

Suddenly he stopped; Arin nearly ran into him, looking around fearfully for the creature but noticing Kael raise his bracelet. They had finally reached the stairs.

“I told you I could find it,” Kael said proudly.

But their sense of victory evaporated when they heard something moving in the filthy water in the middle of the tunnel behind them. They slowly turned that way. Kael directed the light from his bracelet there. At first, they weren’t sure; maybe something jumped into the water, maybe a rat, maybe a leak from a pipe… but no. Whatever was in the water was bigger than a rat and moving. It was coming straight toward them.

Kael quickly looked at Arin. “Your jinn still isn’t around, right?”

Arin called Azimushan again, but there was no answer. He shook his head fearfully.

A bead of sweat ran down Kael’s handsome face, and Arin panicked, sensing his worry.

Then suddenly the movement stopped. They both stared intently as it surfaced halfway.

It had a body but couldn’t be called humanlike. Its shoulders were uneven, its joints twisted the wrong way. It looked patched with rusted metal plates, with rotting flesh hanging in places, and skin stretched tight as if peeling off. Its fingers weren’t hands but crooked extensions made of cables and nails. Where its face should be was a broken mask with flickering red lights.

A strange chill ran through Arin. “This… this thing…”

Kael’s voice was cold. “Semi-synthetic.”

Arin swallowed. “Like you?”

“I’m better than that.”

The thing moved very slowly in the water. Its movements were irregular; one leg was longer than the other, causing it to limp and splash. Sparks flew from the mechanical parts on its body with each movement. But those parts didn’t look manufactured; they seemed forcibly attached, as if someone had glued scrap metal onto a lifeless body.

Arin shuddered. “Was this… thing once human?”

Without looking away, Kael said, “Definitely not anymore.”

The creature turned its head strangely toward Kael. Its joints cracked, emitting a muffled vibration, like a machine with something stuck in its throat trying to start.

“Target… acquired.”

The voice was more like a distorted command from a broken speaker than a human voice.

Arin held his breath. “What’s it doing?”

Kael’s voice was cold. “It’s studying and classifying us.”

The creature suddenly moved, like an upside-down insect, swinging its limbs in an irregular rhythm as it rushed underwater toward them.

Without hesitation, Kael grabbed Arin’s arm and before he could react, threw him over his broad shoulder.

As Arin realized what was happening, he was upside down, filthy water splashing his face. He angrily lifted his head and shouted, “You’re fighting like a real hero!”

“Fighting… is useless… you’re the target,” Kael said slowly.

Arin looked at the creature moving through the dark water. Kael used his glowing bracelet to light their path, but the creature was lit only by sparks coming from its body. Its inhuman movement was sickening, but it kept coming closer.

“Kael! You have to speed up!” Arin shouted in horror.

“I’m trying but I’m running out…” Kael said, turning to enter another tunnel. “It’s been… a tough day.”

The creature suddenly leapt from the water to the wall, bounced, and dove back in. It was getting closer.

Arin watched its movements with fear and disgust, doing the only thing he could.

Azimushan?

Azimushan?

Azimushan?

Azimushan!

AZIMUSHAN!

AZIMUSHAN!!