I didn’t get the girl’s name. However, whenever I looked at her, I didn’t see a young woman, just a scared girl in need of help.

  Was that an issue? Should I have thought of her differently? The old me, would have done the same without question. Only, was it still appropriate with my new body? My new form?

  It was a dumb question to ask, but so many of the people I’ve met so far hardly feel like grown women. They were lost, unsure, uncertain. Much like I was. Yet, in the same way, they all held this conviction deep inside. This desire to keep living on in spite of the difficulties. It didn’t help that each of us had youthful bodies, I surmised we were easily in our early twenties at best, but with how we looked, it was hard to say. We may have even been in our late teens. It wasn’t like I had a birth certificate on hand…

  More complicated was knowing my own age before all of this, I had been in my late thirties when everything happened… So, it was just weird overall.

  This girl was a reflection of that. I couldn’t imagine a normal girl her age being in the absolute dark. Surrounded by horrors with no food or water. Knowing that even the slightest sound might attract them and cause my death without her even realizing it and remaining sane. Yet, this girl still held something inside her, a singular spark that just wouldn’t die.

  In that, I knew we had something in common.

  As we walked with the lantern in hand doing it’s very best to light the path before us. A light that was still severely impeded by the red haze surrounding us. A haze that seemed to lighten up, before thickening with seemingly no rhyme or reason. However, the deeper we went, the more oppressive the beating became. It filled our being, further pulling us in.

  We passed through a few crowds of monsters. Turning and moving through tunnels that all looked and felt the same. I didn’t know where I was going, but the smell grew ever sweeter as we went, as did the guiding beat. The moss grew warmer and seemed to pulse underfoot with each thumping beat.

  Time was running out. We didn’t have long until midnight and our pace reflected it. No doubt we were being driven deeper inside. We were very much alone, but my mind couldn’t help but wonder… just how many had tried the sewers like me? Looking to get ahead, only to get caught in this nightmarish maze. It felt unfair. It felt like we were trapped with no way out. Doomed to die.

  When midnight strikes, I had no idea how this situation would change. If the same rules would still apply.

  Even then… I could only do one thing. Move forward.

  The girl clung to my hand, seeking comfort and security. My hand was covered in ice, and yet, she clung to it tightly, even as her hand burned with heat. It made me rethink my options, reconsider what I was even doing, but all I had was going forward, so forward I went.

  Mere minutes before the clock ticked midnight, we arrived.

  A short set of stairs led down, further into the depths. Our way forward was barred by a metal gate. I stepped up to the gate, the sound of the sole of my shoe touching stone met my ears. The sound felt so alien, wrong…

  I hesitated, paused midstride as it felt the thumping beat dull, just so. The sickening sweetness in the air seemed to slightly abate as well. The area around us, was oddly lacking in moss and the haze. The air was heavy, but moist and cool. A shocking difference compared to the heavy, oppressive heat of the tunnel we came from.

  Taking stock of my surroundings, I saw nothing of note and continued forward. The wrought iron gate was shut. It looked brand new, almost. It was also locked. Not just that, but it seemed to hum with an unknown power.

  I looked at it. Considered. I lacked the control necessary to make a key out of ice. Not without Serenity providing the form. If I froze the lock, I’d need to wait for it to melt before freezing it again. I would have to repeat until the lock gives way… assuming it does.

  That would take far too long…

  Just as I was lost in thought, I felt the girl’s hand tug at my own. I turned to face her, and she pointed. Odd lights were coming out of the thick haze. I braced myself, but… I almost didn’t need to.

  The first to come in, was a young man. He was wearing a hoodie, simple black clothes. His medium length hair pulled back into a ponytail. He looked between me and the girl holding my hand, said nothing and walked to the side. Soon, others followed.

  A girl came up just behind him. She was wearing an oversized letterman jacket, and in her hand was a metal pipe. On her head was a cap that hid her eyes. She too walked over and leaned against the wall. Seemingly taking the moment to rest.

  A final person came in. They looked to be in the worst shape. Bits of dirt clung to their clothing. Her hair wild and untamed.

  “Shit…” she muttered. Everyone jolted at the first words spoken. “Those creepy fuckers just don’t quit.” She eyed each of us in turn and nodded. “Seems I wasn’t the only one who had this idea, and who made it.”

  Nobody spoke up. and she clicked her tongue in response. “Spoilsports.” And settled down on the ground. Each of them rested, but their eyes kept falling on the door, keen to move forward. I glanced down at my watch.

  The seconds ticked. I glanced back at the gate, but nobody seemed keen to jump at the chance to break it open. Not yet at least. Each of them was focused entirely on one action. Resting.

  The girl with the jacket pulled her jacket off. Her shirt soaked through with sweat. The young man simply hung to the side without moving, his eyes closed, but his body was tensed. The other girl, the loudmouth was splayed on the ground.

  I looked back to the watch and counted the seconds. Watching it close, closer and closer… The moment it hit midnight… nothing happened. Nobody seemed too surprised, but… none of them had watches. Was my time off?

  I glanced back at the door and looked it over. The iron was thick, and I wasn’t sure I could break it open. I motioned for the girl clinging to my hand. She stepped forward and eyed the lock.

  After a moment she looked at me as if asking for permission. For what, I didn’t know. I looked back to the group; they were all looking over. None of them seemed ready to stop us. Not yet.

  I went ahead and gave her the go ahead.

  She leaned in, putting her cupped hands over the lock. Then, I heard it. A low hum that grew in intensity with each passing second. The sound growing higher and higher, until I couldn’t hear it anymore. The metal lock jangled and quaked. A sharp piercing sound ripped through the silence.

  Everyone tensed. All eyes were on the mist behind us. Then… we heard it. A loud clack. The iron door swung open. We rushed in without a thought. Not a moment later, we saw them. They were running with all they had with long loping steps.

  The young woman with the iron pipe shut the door and did something with a grunt. In front of my eyes, it looked like the metal door had been welded shut. The creatures crashed against the door to no avail. Yet, metal groaned against the assault. Announcing that it wouldn’t hold for long.

  We all released a sigh and turned. The young man was already looking ahead, his mouth wide open. I looked over and stopped short as well.

  A throbbing beat ran through each and every one of us, then echoed up and down.

  We were in a large cylindrical chamber. Along the walls were stairs that spiraled down further into the abyss and also far up above. However, what caught our eyes was what sat at the center of the chamber, hanging above the abyss below, suspended by countless pumping veins that dug into the walls and barred our way up. It was a massive throbbing heart. Each beat reverberated through the space and into the stone, it thumped back, an echo, beating into us.

  Furthermore, along the walls... Along every surface, were corpses. Corpses were bound into the walls, blood vessels running along them and through them. Each thumping beat pulsed essence into them, their pale bodies twitched in rhythm. On closer inspection, the wall had many wounds along it, where other corpses had been, many of them still dripped crimson syrup-like ichor and were slowly scabbing over.

  The sound of metal groaning ripped us out of our horror. All of us exchanged glances, a consensus made. Kill the heart, end the threat… probably. After all, there was nowhere else to go, unless we wished to venture deeper into the abyss.

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  The young man started first. An open palm shot out a massive beam of energy. It scored a bloody wound on the heart, and the space came alive. Suddenly, the countless bodies imbedded into the walls woke. Their eyes shot open; screams ripped out of their throats. The freakish creatures trying to break down the gate pushed with ever greater fervor. A constant tremor and rattle of the metal gate met our ears over the screams.

  The girl with the pipe shot forward, down a flight of stairs with incredible speed. The corpses started ripping themselves out of the walls, making themselves known as zombie variants of various kinds. Each of whom were swiftly dispatched with a single whap of her pipe, the blows echoed out, carrying over the sound like an aluminum bat.

  The other girl, the one with disheveled hair simply jumped over the edge, chunks of rock ripped out of the walls, thrusting her right for the heart. A huge chunk of the rock speared into the heart with her riding just behind the tip. She laughed as more rocks jutted out of the walls, piercing into the heart, leaving weeping wounds.

  The girl at my side, the one that I had led here grabbed my shoulder and signed.

  She said, take me closer. And motioned at her voice, throat. I nodded and picked her up and slung her on my back, then took the path of least resistance. I shot forward, right past the young man that kept shooting beams of energy out and leapt out into the abyss. For a moment I hung in the air, but I crashed down on the pillar of rock just below, the same one that the woman with disheveled hair had used to propel herself forward.

  The spike of earth shook ominously, it was made up of barely condensed rock and stone, its structure both fleeting and insecure nearly throwing off the cackling madwoman at the front when I landed.

  She looked back, ready to bite out a comment, but I was already on the move. Ice spikes at the bottom of my soles anchored me, propelling me forward. I shot past her and as we closed, I felt the girl on my back shift and climb my back, and I shifted in turn. I grabbed her legs now that they were wrapped around my neck. She cupped her hands in front of her mouth just as I stopped right before the massive heart.

  Then, she let loose. The air shook and vibrated. The heart before us quivered for a moment. Suddenly, veins burst, blood gushed everywhere. My own hearing quickly cut on and off with a pop and snap. Everyone huddled down, holding their ears as the scream echoed, reverberated through the space. Growing in intensity as it bounced off the walls.

  Then, the heart thumped. A powerful, singular beat that sent us flying towards the wall and completely drowned out the scream, beating it back. The rocky spike disintegrated under the heart’s thump. The madwoman was sent flying, but quickly saved herself with a series of spikes that shot out of the walls to catch her. The first broke on impact, the second and third only succeeded in throwing her off towards the stairs far below. Even that, however, barely saved her life as she crashed into the stone steps with a wet wheeze.

  I managed to shift while I flew back, having taken the brunt of the thump, I felt all the ice coating my body explode and crack. Above me, I felt my charge stiffen, her legs relaxed. I tightened my grip at the last moment, shifted her leg, twisted my core, and after all that my shoulder slammed into the opposite wall. I felt something jolt, but the ice kept it in place.

  After hitting the wall, I began to fall. In doing so, I twisted my body, the ice took hold entirely, seemingly slowing the world, enough that I managed to kick off the wall, towards the series of spikes the madwoman had left behind.

  I crashed into the base of the first spike, again, my body jolted from the trauma, what ice had managed to coat itself over my form crackled, as the damage was done. My descent was slowed enough, that I lashed out with my free hand, attempting to grab the remnants of the second spike, only for my hand to grasp it, the force of my fall jolting my arm, nearly ripping it out of its socket.

  However, I managed to cling on and follow through, throwing myself into the stairwell, just above where the cackling madwoman had fallen. The earth under us shifted, I immediately let go of my charge and pushed her off.

  “Go!” I yelled, my ears still ringing, everything felt like it was underwater and yet, she heard me. She managed a few steps up, just as the steps under me gave way.

  Claws formed at the tips of my fingers, sharp and cruel. I stabbed it into the stone, ice chipping away, but stuck fast. Cleaving through stone. I kept my grip, knowing that if I relented, I could miss the lower step. The Ice coating my fingers wore away as I slipped downward. My descent was measured, but my ice couldn’t keep up. Soon, the ice failed me, the stone dug into my fingers, shearing away flesh, nearly reaching bone.

  Ice cooled the pain. Strengthened the flesh. I held on, bloody smears were left in my wake, along with rent stone.

  I crashed onto a lower step with a heavy thud that I felt through my whole body. My fingertips on my right hand a bloody mess, but… the hand was usable still. The ice kept the pain away as I clenched and unclenched them.

  Above, I heard a sound. Veins were ripped out of the walls and were smashing into the upper stairs. Beams of energy slammed into them, spattering boiling blood everywhere. Flashes of iron flickered in my vision, briefly catching the girl with the pipe swinging, only for the pipe to extend to ludicrous lengths before exploding into dust as it impacted a flailing blood vessel.

  Furthermore, the zombies were ripping themselves off of the walls. Joining the fight.

  Nearby, was the cackling madwoman, she was groaning, blood dripping from her mouth. I helped her up, and she gave me a wide smile, and a thumbs up. With a shared nod, we pushed upwards to rejoin the fight. All the while, the undead came rushing forward, the heart throbbed and beat, each instance pushing us against the wall with the force of the sound.

  Flailing blood vessels smashed into the walls, making our footing tenuous, but the madwoman firmed up what she could with her magic, and sent spikes of earth to shunt away encroaching undead.

  She didn’t seem bothered by me having used her earth spike earlier, if anything, it only made her that more invested. She used me as a shield, and I didn’t mind. I didn’t slow either. Using my body coated in ice to liberally smash through all obstacles like a bull. I didn’t stop. Brushing aside whatever lay before me. A loud screech ripped through the hall ahead and above. We passed by where the stairs had fallen apart, a ledge of rock formed just as I stepped forward.

  Ahead, my charge was being assailed, undead pressing in. A series of spikes shunted them into the abyss, killing them and on reaching her, she looked at me, our eyes locked.

  Her eyes flickered. Her focus clear. Her intent, clearer. I had to get her close to the heart. The pipe girl was leaving long gashes wherever her pipe swung, the laser kid was doing little to no real damage to the main body, but was eviscerating the flailing blood vessels. The madwoman, the rock girl, she did damage, but not near enough.

  Whatever the voice girl had, it should be enough to actually kill the heart. She was our ace in the hole. Unfortunately, we need to get higher and closer.

  I looked back at the girl following in my wake. Her eyes glistening with madness. One look was all she needed, her mad smile growing even more unhinged.

  I didn’t question it.

  I bolted up. Continuing my ascent. Nothing stopped me with the rock girl literally paving the way. When we got high enough, I didn’t ask for consent or an answer, I just picked up my charge, the girl with the voice, and jumped. With no prelude, with no hint of what was to come, I leapt fully believing help would come. The rock girl answered in turn. A large spike shot out just in time to meet my falling form. It didn’t slow as I continued forward, if anything, it picked up speed. Writhing veins continued to slam into the walls, threatening to bring down the whole place on top of us. The walls cracked and shook ominously. The metal door groaned and screeched as the entities behind it beat and bashed their way in.

  Over it all, we pressed on, voice girl and I. But just before we could re-enact our last attack. The heart thumped. It was explosive. Yet, I braced, doing my best to cover the girl with my body. The impact hit, the stone under my feet shuddered and vaporized, but not before I shot myself forward against the wave. My entire body churned. The ice coating me all cracked and burst off, like shed skin. Whatever momentum I had gained, leaping off the vaporizing stone spike, gone…

  I hung in the air for what felt like an eternity. My feet hanging over oblivion. The center of the heart right before my eyes, just barely out of reach. Then, my feet found solid ground. A single instant, a single moment before it shattered under the force of a single final leap. My eyes glanced at the flash of grey, the pipe girl standing near the top, her pipe extended downward for a moment, our eyes meeting, right before she continued to strike at those nearby.

  My wounded hand shot forward, sharp spikes tipping them, imbedded into the heart just barely. It shuddered, we slid, very nearly slipping off, but at the final moment, it held. Boiling hot blood sizzled and melted the ice, charred the flesh underneath, the girl clung to my chest, my other hand shot out and pulled us up. Ignoring the pain as my fingers dug in. Nails drawing boiling blood that made my frozen flesh crack and hiss.

  I felt no pain. I was far beneath it all. No, if anything, all I felt was a burning heat. Like I was truly alive. I was under the frozen lake again. Seeing the world through a sheet of ice. I continued to climb. The girl clinging to my body, up until I managed to reach midway through where a gaping wound lie.

  The heart sensing the threat pulsed again, I braced. Covering the girl in ice, that immediately shattered but protected her just enough. I pulled myself up, ready to throw myself in, when a smaller vein shot out towards me, only to get shot by the young man above.

  I didn’t hesitate to throw myself in.

  “NOW!” I cried and did my best to shield her as blood poured over my body. As every thrumming beat of the heart pounded into me body and soul.

  She didn’t question. She screamed. A single loud note that rose in octave. It continued to rise and rise. The heart thrummed and beat. Sending out pulse after pulse. Yet, I endured. Ice cracked. Frozen flesh and frigid bones cracked. The still blood in my veins thrummed and flowed.

  Under the ice, none of that mattered. Even imminent death didn’t matter as I felt more alive than ever. Heat coursed through my body giving me one last burst.

  Then, my hearing went. I felt it, the scream digging into me. Ringing and resonating until it felt like I was tearing apart. Still, I endured. Even as I felt my own body rebel, since I knew. I could endure. The heart, couldn’t.

  It began to disintegrate. Its own body battling itself. Ripping itself apart due to the vibrations caused by her scream. Her lips were bloody, her throat raw, yet she did not stop. Using every ounce of her being, every trauma, every bottled emotion, and let loose with all she had.

  The heart, failed. It stopped. It withered. It ripped apart. Disintegrated. The flailing roots fell away, the countless zombies fell inert and fell over. Falling into the abyss below.

  As did we. As the warmth faded. As the yawning abyss greeted me. As I felt ever closer to death… A rock spike shot out, catching me. Us.

  On it, was the cackling madwoman. A certain gleam in her eyes. Her mouth moving, yet her words went unheard.

  I tried to work my way up, only to falter. Hands shot out to guide me to the stairs.

  It seemed like we had won, but…

  Even with my hearing shot, I heard it. A voice. A voice belonging to something I knew all too well.

  Sheep.

  “Baa~! Baa~! Baa~! Seems we have some overachievers here! Splendid work!”

  And the world went still.