Chapter 3: The Trap

The air was thick with an unsettling stillness as Lumine, Heizou, and Scaramouche pressed on through the maze-like corridors. The dim light from their flashlights barely cut through the suffocating darkness, casting long shadows on the walls. It was becoming harder to ignore the creeping sense of dread that hung over them.

"I don't like this," Lumine muttered under her breath, her pace slowing as she scanned the surroundings. "There's something here. I can feel it."

Heizou shot her a concerned glance. "What do you mean? This place is messed up, sure, but-"

Before he could finish his sentence, Lumine's eyes locked onto something ahead. Her heart skipped a beat as she motioned for them to stop.

"Look," she whispered, her voice tight.

The trio approached cautiously, their flashlights illuminating a dark corner of the hallway. A body. A person. At first glance, it seemed like just another grim, lifeless figure, but as they got closer, they could see the bloodstained clothes, the brutal wounds-stabs-that were etched into the person's torso. The body had been left to rot in this forsaken place, a victim of some twisted trap.

Lumine's breath caught in her throat. "This... this person's been trapped here for too long. It's... disturbing."

Heizou looked away, his expression one of discomfort. "Who would do something like this?" he asked, his voice almost lost in the oppressive silence of the building. He carefully moved closer, inspecting the body. "It's strange. There's something clutched in their hand."

Scaramouche stepped forward, his face unreadable. "What are you waiting for? Take it."

Lumine hesitated but reluctantly moved closer as Heizou reached down to gently pry the key from the person's grip. As soon as the cold metal touched Heizou's fingers, a soft hum began to echo throughout the corridors, a sound that seemed to vibrate in the very walls around them.

Lumine froze, her eyes widening in alarm. "That noise... it's too familiar."

A shadow flickered in the corner of her vision, and before anyone could react, the same lady in the white dress-her face pale, her eyes dark and haunting-materialized in front of them. The haunting melody from her wailing seemed to grow louder, more insistent, as she lunged toward them with terrifying speed. Her face twisted in anguish, her movements unnaturally jerky, as if driven by some malevolent force.

"Run!" Heizou shouted, grabbing Lumine's arm and pulling her along as they all sprinted in the opposite direction.

Scaramouche's footsteps echoed beside them as they darted through the twisting hallways, the sound of the lady's cries growing closer, each step more frantic. The key in Heizou's hand seemed to hum louder, as if reacting to the danger that pursued them.

Lumine's heart pounded in her chest, adrenaline surging through her. "We can't outrun her forever," she gasped, her voice ragged.

"We don't have a choice!" Heizou gritted out. "Keep moving!"

But as they rounded a corner, disaster struck.

Lumine glanced behind them, her breath catching in her throat. The lady was closer now-so close, her ragged breathing audible behind them. But in the chaos, Lumine's foot slipped on the uneven floor. In an instant, she lost her balance and stumbled, her grip on Scaramouche's sleeve slipping from his arm.

"No!" she shouted, reaching out as she tumbled to the ground.

Scaramouche skidded to a halt, his expression sharp with anger. "Lumine, move!" he barked, but it was too late. Before he could react, the lady lunged at him, her hands grasping at the air between them.

Lumine scrambled to her feet, panic flooding her senses. She reached out for Scaramouche, but in the disorienting rush of footsteps and flickering lights, the lady's figure blurred, and Scaramouche was suddenly gone from her sight. The next moment, she was alone in the hallway, the sound of the lady's wails echoing in the distance.

"Lumine!" Heizou's voice cracked through the air, distant and faint. "Where are you?"

Lumine's pulse raced as she frantically searched for a way to reunite with the others. Her eyes darted through the twisting maze of corridors, but the labyrinth seemed endless, a twisting web designed to keep them apart.

Panic clawed at her chest as she realized something terrifying: She had lost sight of both Heizou and Scaramouche. The dark labyrinth, the relentless wails of the lady, and the oppressive weight of the maze began to close in around her.

And in the silence, only her own shaky breath answered.