Apocalypse: The echoes of Madness

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-Voices in the Void-

-Seoul-

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They walked along a desolate road that seemed to

stretch endlessly into the horizon, flanked by the remnants of a once-bustling world. Abandoned vehicles littered the cracked asphalt, their exteriors dull and rusting, some covered in vines creeping in through shattered windows. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional gust of wind that whistled through the emptiness.

On either side of the road, buildings loomed like forgotten giants—towering offices with shattered glass panes, their interiors dark and foreboding. Shopping malls stood eerily still, their neon signs faded and flickering weakly, a reminder of a liveliness that no longer existed. A stray mannequin stared blankly out of a smashed storefront window, its cracked face and awkward pose adding to the unsettling atmosphere. The farther they walked, the more it felt as though the world itself had been swallowed by despair.

It was August, the heart of summer, yet the sky hung heavy with dark, churning clouds. The air was thick, the kind that clung to the skin, carrying the faint metallic tang of rain that had yet to fall. Shadows stretched unnaturally long, giving the sense that they weren't alone—that something unseen watched from the windows of those abandoned buildings or lurked in the darkened corners of the empty street.

"By the way, where are we even going?" Cale asked, his voice cutting through the oppressive silence.

Emily, walking ahead, glanced back at him with an irritated frown. "What were you doing during the meeting?"

"Sleeping," Cale replied nonchalantly, as though they weren't in the middle of a nightmare.

Zane snorted and muttered, "Losers die first."

Cale bristled instantly. "What did you just say?" he snapped, stepping toward Zane, his tone sharp.

Before the brewing argument could explode, Lily stepped in. She grabbed Cale by the collar and yanked him back with a firm tug, her expression calm but unyielding.

"He started it first!" Cale protested, twisting to face her.

Lily silenced him with a cold, piercing glare. Her voice was low and steady. "Stop acting like a child and focus."

"Yes, ma'am," Cale muttered, his rebellious tone vanishing as he straightened his posture.

The others couldn't help but laugh, their chuckles echoing faintly against the hollow walls of the abandoned buildings.

Rose glanced at Yuri, her curiosity piqued. "Why does he suddenly act so obedient around Lily?"

"Maybe he likes her," Yuri teased, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Arthur shook his head, smirking. "No, it's not that. He once picked a fight with some kids at a hospital, and Lily beat him up for it. He's been terrified of her ever since."

Their laughter lingered, momentarily pushing back the oppressive gloom. But as it faded, the silence returned, thicker than before. The dark sky above seemed to press down on them, and the

abandoned buildings, with their gaping windows and shadow-filled corridors, loomed like silent witnesses to their journey, promising that the worst was yet to come.

Suddenly, a low, guttural growl echoed through the air—grrr... grrr...

"Stop," Zane commanded sharply, his voice cutting through the growing unease.

The group halted, their eyes following his gaze. Emerging from the shadows ahead, hundreds of grotesque figures shambled toward them. Twisted, decayed, and misshapen, the zombies moved with unnatural jerks and convulsions, their lifeless eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. The sound of dragging feet and wet, guttural groans filled the air, sending chills down their spines.

Yuri's hand shot out, grabbing Rose's arm. She quickly ducked behind her, trembling. Rose felt her heartbeat quicken, each thud reverberating in her chest like a drumbeat of panic. Her breath came in short gasps as fear coiled tightly around her.

Arthur turned to Yuri, his voice steady but tinged with irritation. "Don't be scared.They wont do anything to us.we are mutant"

"I am scared!" Yuri snapped, her voice trembling. "They're ugly!"

Emily let out an incredulous scoff, her tone sharp. "Are you serious right now? Ugly is your concern when they're right in front of us?"

As the zombies closed the distance, their twisted forms more horrifying up close, Rose froze. The sight overwhelmed her—gnarled limbs, flesh hanging in tattered strips, jaws gnashing hungrily. She squeezed her eyes shut, her body trembling.

Zane's gaze flicked to her, his sharp eyes narrowing as he studied her reaction. There was something intense, almost calculating, in the way he looked at her, as though searching for something beneath the surface.

Then, James's voice cut through the rising panic. "Look! There's a barrier!" he shouted, A faint shimmer surrounded the group, barely noticeable at first, but then it became clear—a translucent wall of light encasing only their immediate area. It pulsed faintly, almost alive, its glow casting eerie shadows on their faces. The zombies stumbled forward, their clawing hands smacking against the invisible wall, unable to breach it.

"Who put it there?" James asked, surprisingly.

Nobody answered.

The sound of the zombies' hunger pressing down on them. Rose's heartbeat thundered in her ears as her mind raced.The creatures passed by the barrier's edge, slipping closer and closer. Their snarls grew louder, their jagged teeth gnashing as they dragged their broken limbs forward, now unrestrained by the shimmering shield

Zane's gaze lingered on her, sharp and questioning. "Rose…" he muttered under his breath, too low for anyone else to hear.

Suddenly, Rose staggered, clutching her head with both hands as a deafening noise erupted in her mind. It was an unrelenting, piercing sound that felt as if it were tearing her skull apart from the inside. The agony was unbearable. She screamed, the sound raw and desperate, echoing through the eerie silence around them.

Everyone froze, their eyes snapping to her in shock. For a moment, even the zombies seemed to fade into the background as her cries filled the air. Her knees buckled, and she began to collapse, but Zane darted forward, catching her before she hit the ground.

"Rose!" he called, his voice sharp,his grip was firm and steady, but there was a subtle, almost imperceptible shift in the air around him. His energy began to flow.

Behind her, Yuri was trembling. Her wide, tear-filled eyes were fixed on Rose's convulsing form. Something about Rose's pain seemed to awaken a deep, buried terror within Yuri. She covered her face with her hands, her body shaking as she began to cry uncontrollably.

"Stop crying," Arthur said firmly, grabbing Yuri's shoulders and pulling her close. His voice was meant to reassure, but it wavered with his own fear. "She's going to be fine. She has to be fine."

Rose's screams only grew louder, her voice raw and hoarse, her nails digging into her scalp as if she could claw the noise out of her mind. Lily ran toward her without hesitation, kneeling beside her. She grabbed Rose's hands, stopping her from striking her head again.

"Rose, stop!" Lily commanded, her voice urgent but steady. "You're going to hurt yourself!"

But Rose couldn't hear her. Her eyes were squeezed shut, tears streaming down her face as the sound inside her head grew louder, sharper, more unbearable. It felt like something was breaking.

A cold shiver ran through Rose's spine as she suddenly heard it—a chorus of voices, faint but unmistakable, crying out in pain and desperation. It wasn't just one voice—it was many, a cacophony of screams, each one more agonizing than the last. Help me... help us... the voices begged, their cries reverberating in her mind, clawing at her sanity. The sound was so intense, so raw, it felt like her very soul was being torn apart.

She gasped, clutching her head, her body trembling with the weight of the anguish she was hearing. But just as suddenly as it had started, the noise stopped. A suffocating silence fell over them, and the pain that had been consuming her vanished, leaving only a hollow emptiness in its place.

He wasn't just holding her up—he was subtly manipulating the energy that surged within her, drawing it into his own power. The agony that had consumed Rose began to fade as Zane's energy resonated with hers, calming the violent storm of noise in her mind.

For a brief moment, no one else saw what was happening, only sensing that the pain had somehow lessened. Rose's body stopped trembling, her breaths slowing, the intense strain on her features easing as the power inside her was quietly absorbed by Zane.

Slowly, Rose opened her eyes, her breath shallow, her skin pale from the ordeal. She looked around, her gaze meeting the worried faces of her friends. Their eyes were filled with concern, confusion, and a flicker of fear.She wiped her tears away, her hand trembling slightly as it brushed her cheek.

"I... I heard someone calling for help," Rose whispered, her voice shaky. She pointed in the direction of a nearby underground subway station, its entrance dark and foreboding. "From there."

Zane, his expression tight, frowned. "Do we have to go there?" he asked, the weight of his words heavy.

Rose nodded, her heart pounding as she locked eyes with him. "Yes."

As she spoke, she noticed that Zane's hand was still gripping her arm. He hadn't let go. For a moment, the world seemed to still around them, the noise of the horde of zombies distant in her mind, fading into nothingness.

"You can let go," Rose said softly, though the words felt strange as they left her lips. Zane didn't hesitate. His grip loosened, and he helped her to her feet, his eyes scanning her face for any sign of pain.

When she stood, her gaze found Yuri, still standing behind her, eyes wide and filled with silent tears. Rose walked over to her, and gently patted her head.

"Don't cry," Rose whispered, her voice warm yet steady. "If you see something like this again... it's not your fault."

Yuri looked up at her, her lip trembling, but she nodded, the tears still staining her cheeks.

James voice cut through the tension. "Rose, are you okay?"

Rose nodded, "I'm fine."

The group fell silent for a moment, the weight of what was happening sinking in, the horror of the unknown pulling them toward that dark underground station.

With one last glance toward Yuri, who was trying to wipe away her tears, Rose turned and began walking toward the subway entrance. Each step felt like a journey into the unknown, each shadow darker than the last. But she couldn't ignore the voices that had called out to her, and she couldn't leave them behind.

They followed, their footsteps echoing in the emptiness, the air thick with dread.

When they reached the entrance of the underground subway station, a broken banner hung limply above the door, its faded letters spelling out "Irwon Station." The sight of it felt like a cruel reminder of a forgotten world.

Suddenly, the sky cracked open, and rain began to pour down in torrents. They stood under the shelter, watching the downpour, the cold raindrops streaking down their faces. The world outside was soaked in darkness, the storm casting an oppressive shadow over everything.

As they turned their gaze toward the subway entrance, a wave of unease washed over them. The station was swallowed by an impenetrable blackness, so thick that not even the faintest hint of light could penetrate it. It felt like the darkness itself was waiting—watching—hungry for their arrival.

The rain pounded relentlessly, but the eerie silence of the station felt deafening. No sound came from within, only the oppressive weight of the unknown that seemed to stretch endlessly before them.

There was no light. No sign of life. Just an abyss that beckoned them forward, as if the darkness inside had a life of its own, and they were its next victims.

Then, suddenly They heard a noise.

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(to be continued)

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