The sensation was suffocating. It felt like drowning—water all around, seeping into places it didn’t belong, filling her lungs until every breath was a struggle. But this was different. The liquid was too thick, clinging to her skin and dragging her down with a relentless weight. The scent was unmistakable—metallic, sharp, suffocating. Blood. Tsukina’s limbs felt numb, the resistance of the liquid making every movement slow and futile. She couldn’t see—something was covering her eyes, leaving her in complete darkness. Panic clawed at her chest, but even that felt distant, her senses dulled as if wrapped in layers of suffocating cotton. The more she struggled, the deeper she sank, the blood filling her mouth and nose, threatening to choke her if she dared to inhale.
It was endless—an ocean of crimson pulling her into the abyss. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, yet even that sound seemed muffled, distorted, as if she was miles away from her own body. Her lungs screamed for air, but there was none to take. The warmth of the blood was sickening, heavy and cloying, weighing her down until her limbs grew weak and unresponsive. She stopped fighting. There was no use. Exhaustion wrapped around her like chains, dragging her deeper into the dark. Her mind was hazy, slipping in and out of consciousness with each passing second. Her body was sinking, surrendering to the depths—until suddenly, the world tilted. She fell.
The thick warmth was gone in an instant, replaced by the sharp, cold slap of solid ground. The impact sent a shockwave through her, driving the air from her lungs. Tsukina gasped, but her voice was mute, her body refusing to obey. Darkness clouded her mind, and before she could comprehend what was happening, consciousness slipped away.
When she finally stirred, it was to the sensation of something—no, someone—shaking her. Gentle, but insistent. Her eyes fluttered open, vision blurred and unfocused, catching glimpses of a dimly lit ceiling above. The air was heavy, saturated with the stench of iron and damp stone. “Hey! Wake up!” The voice was distant, muffled, as if heard through layers of water. Tsukina’s head lolled to the side, barely able to process the small figure above her. Her limbs felt weighted, her senses dulled to the point where she could barely distinguish up from down. Familiar eyes met hers—pale and wide with fear. The boy. The one from Lilith’s lab. But his words were lost to her, nothing but a garbled hum beneath the deafening silence in her ears. She tried to focus, to move, but even that was beyond her. Everything was slow, heavy. Wrong. Then, suddenly, pain—sharp and blinding. The boy’s claws tore through her gut, not deep but enough to force a reaction. The shock jolted through her nerves, snapping her mind into clarity with brutal efficiency. She gasped, the sound raw and desperate, and for a moment, the world spun. But strangely, the pain was muted—more like a dull ache than the searing agony she expected. Tsukina stared down at the shallow wound, breath hitching, but the sight of her own blood barely registered. What did register, however, was the other blood—the one soaking her clothes, her hair, her skin. Her eyes widened in horror. She was drenched in it. The thick, dark liquid clung to every inch of her, still warm and sticky, dripping from her fingers in heavy rivulets. The metallic scent was suffocating, filling her lungs with every breath, and her stomach twisted violently at the sight. Panic flared. Tsukina scrambled back, desperate to rid herself of it, clawing at the soaked fabric and smearing the blood further in her frantic attempts. Her hands trembled, breath hitching with each motion. It wouldn’t come off. No matter how hard she tried, the blood remained, staining her pale skin and pooling beneath her. Her gaze darted around, desperate for anything— anywhere—to escape the horror clinging to her. That’s when she saw it: a river, not far off, its surface glinting faintly in the dim light. The water looked cold, clean—an escape from the suffocating warmth and the crimson staining her vision. Without thinking, she staggered forward, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste. The idea of the cold water washing away the blood was all that filled her mind. She didn’t care about the unfamiliar cave walls or the ominous red crystals that pulsed dimly from the jagged stone. All she could think of was clean—she needed to be clean. But then— “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
The voice was smooth, almost amused, cutting through the silence like a blade. Tsukina froze, heart stuttering, and whipped around to face the source. Her breath caught in her throat. In the shadows of the cave, partially obscured by crimson light, stood a figure—calm, composed, watching her with an unnervingly steady gaze. His eyes seemed to glint with the same red hue as the crystals, unreadable and cold. The blood dripped from her fingertips, splattering against the stone floor with soft, wet sounds that echoed in the silence. Tsukina’s pulse thundered, her body tense with instinctive fear. She took a step back, lips parted to demand answers, but the figure only chuckled—a dark, low sound that sent a chill racing down her spine. “Go ahead,” he murmured, tilting his head. “If you want to melt, that is.” Her eyes flickered to the river again, this time noticing the faint, ominous shimmer to its surface—the way the water seemed to ripple with something darker beneath. Not water. Acid. A sickening realization crept over her, cold and paralyzing. The blood on her skin suddenly felt heavier, the scent stronger, making her stomach twist. The figure watched her struggle, amusement flickering in his gaze. “Welcome to my little corner of hell,” he said softly, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. “I hope you don’t mind the decor.” Tsukina’s fists clenched, nails digging into her palms even as the blood made them slick. Her mind raced, pulse deafening in her ears. She was trapped. Covered in blood, surrounded by enemies, and completely, utterly alone. And somewhere deep in the back of her mind, a voice whispered a terrifying truth— she wasn't alone.

Tsukina's breath hitched, heart pounding painfully against her ribs. The sound of blood dripping seemed to grow louder, each drop a cruel reminder of her helplessness. The darkness felt suffocating, pressing in from all sides as the voices slithered into her ears—taunting, mocking, unraveling her composure thread by thread.

For the first time in a long while, genuine terror gripped her heart. "What do you want with me?" she demanded, her voice wavering. A different voice, dripping with malice, replied from the shadows. "You're like a bird, useless when your wings are wet, especially with oil. Lucky for us, blood has the same effect. You're powerless down here without those feathers, girly." Another voice chimed in, its tone mocking. "You're an interesting person. Not like we're in the wrong when you trespassed." Tsukina's senses felt dulled, her body heavy with the weight of the blood and the oppressive atmosphere. The voices seemed to come from every direction, each one exposing a new vulnerability. They reveled in her fear, taunting her mercilessly. "Oh, come on~ you went up against Claudia herself, but this frightens you..? How sad," one sneered. Overwhelmed, Tsukina dropped to her knees, hands clasped over her ears in a futile attempt to block out the haunting voices. Flashbacks of her past torture flooded her mind, vivid and violent, reducing her to tears. She feared enduring that agony once more. Amidst the cacophony, Serenity's voice pierced through, dripping with disdain. "You coat yourself in such a hard shell, but deep inside, you're still a little weakling." Serenity's presence materialized before her, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "Use that dangerous mist of yours. You're in danger, aren't you~ or you can't? Are the crystals canceling out your abilities?" Another voice interjected, its tone sickeningly sweet. "Aren't they pretty~" Irritation flared within Tsukina, and she screamed, "Shut up!" over and over, but her voice emerged as a mere whisper, swallowed by the cavernous space. Serenity crouched before her, gripping Tsukina's face and forcing her to meet her gaze. "Wanna know a secret~ I was behind the death of your disgusting ass sister." Time seemed to freeze. The cave fell into a suffocating silence. In an instant, Tsukina's fist connected with Serenity's face, the impact sending a spray of blood onto the cave floor. The action was so swift that Tsukina barely registered it. Rage consumed her, and the familiar mist tried to seep from her pores, only to burn her from within, restrained by the malevolent crystals. Before Tsukina could react further, Serenity exhaled a thick, lavender-scented gas that rapidly filled the cave. Tsukina collapsed, her body wracked with violent coughs that tore at her throat, each gasp for air more desperate than the last. Her vision blurred, eyes burning and bleeding from the toxic fumes. She felt utterly alone, her suffering prolonged, consciousness cruelly eluding her as the torment continued unabated.