Garcia let out a long, heavy sigh. Outside the thick curtain of vines, the distant, glitched growls of the Chitin-Stalkers echoed through the trees, moving with a restless, hungry rhythm.

"I stay here," Garcia said, his hollow eyes staring blankly at the concrete floor, "to examine the one we worship. The one we call The Guide. Being here gives me the chance to study his divinity. Even if I chose to leave... I would only get to meet him once. And once you're back in reality, you will never meet him again."

David’s stomach dropped. The initial wave of relief evaporated, replaced by a cold chill. He stared at the caked filth on Garcia's face and the manic glaze in his eyes.

"So, you’ve gone insane," David said, his voice dripping with sudden suspicion. "Being in this place for a long time has completely broken your mind."

Garcia let out a low, unsettling chuckle. "You’ll understand soon enough. That is, if you survive long enough to see him. When you witness how glorious he is, your doubts will vanish. He is hard to find, but our Lord, The Guide, is both our Savior and our Destroyer. He can save you... or he can doom you."

David’s brow furrowed, his confusion turning into fear. "What the hell do you mean by that? Is he evil?"

Garcia burst out laughing, a dry, raspy sound that echoed off the damp bunker walls. "Evil? No. He isn't evil. He loves humans. He loves the outside world with a desperate passion, even if he has never been there himself. And that love is the very reason he will help you escape."

"How?" David asked, his voice rising. "How will a monster's love help me get out of here?"

"A simple exchange," Garcia explained, leaning closer. "If you possess an item from the real world, pristine and untainted, he will save you. If you have information, a vivid memory, or a story to share about the Frontrooms, he will open the path."

A fragile spark of hope flared in David's chest. He gripped the straps of his backpack tightly, thinking of the wet flannel sleeves inside. "That’s... that’s amazing news. Since I got here, all there’s been is absolute despair. I’m just glad there’s finally a light at the end of this tunnel."

Garcia’s smile instantly vanished, his face hardening into stone. "Don't celebrate yet, carpet cleaner. There is still the Ghost Syndicate. They are the most dangerous threat in this maze, and they will be a massive problem for your escape."

"Who exactly are these people?" David asked, the dark warnings from earlier flashing through his mind.

"Terrorists," Garcia spat, his scar twitching violently. "Greedy bastards who steal the entities' powers and use them as their own. Instead of using what they find to help the world, they only care about whatever profit they can gain on the black market. They will kill anyone who sees them, leaving absolutely no trace behind. They wear military-grade equipment, and their technology is stolen directly from the code of this maze. But that's all I can tell you for now."

Garcia stood up, drawing himself to his full height. He looked down at David with a chilling, fanatic pride.

"My name is Garcia Martinez," he declared, his voice echoing with absolute authority. "And I am the leader of the Worship of The Guide."