The fog cleared, and what unfolded before William was a scene of pure desolation. A crimson moon hung motionless in the sky, bleeding red light over a field littered with rusted crosses. At its center, a single black pillar jutted into the heavens like it was accusing the gods themselves.
A shiver crawled down William's spine.
"No... this place..."
He knew these ruins. These broken homes. His heart pounded as memories surged. This was the village where he'd first arrived in this world. The home of the original William's family.
"What the hell is going on...?"
He started walking through the village, opening doors, peeking into abandoned buildings. Everything was frozen in time. The red moon warped the colors, making the wood, the sky, even his skin look alien.
"No one's here... nothing's out of place... except that damn moon..."
Frustration simmered. He thought of Caerlin. Maybe if he retraced his steps—through the forest—
The moment he turned toward it, his body screamed. A wave of dread slammed into him like a wall. His chest tightened. His instincts roared:
Death. Turn back.
He didn't hesitate. He spun and ran the other way, heart racing.
Redvale was the closest place now. The name alone made his blood boil. The ones who had murdered the original William's family... He didn't want to go there. But he had no other choice.
He ran.
Using his enhanced stats, he tore across the land, a blur through a blood-tinted world. After nearly a hundred kilometers, he paused atop a rocky hill to catch his breath. In the distance, he spotted a small farmhouse.
"Please... let there be someone."
He pressed forward—but then he heard it.
A sound. Wet. Crawling. Chittering. Like something slithering and clicking at once.
He turned.
His face went pale.
"Oh no..."
A wave of black insects was pouring down the road. Twisted, chitinous things with far too many legs and mandibles designed for tearing flesh.
"SHIT!"
He bolted, full sprint. He didn't look back again.
They were fast—but he was faster. Still, they never stopped.
The farmhouse grew closer. A large mansion, a stable, and a water well. No fences, no weapons, no people.
He reached the front door and yanked it hard.
Locked.
He kicked it. Once. Twice. Three times.
"OPEN, DAMN YOU!"
Nothing.
He looked back. They were almost on him.
His mind screamed, RUN! FIGHT! HIDE! But there was nowhere to go.
Then—
"GET DOWN!"
A voice exploded in the air, followed by a blast of fire. The front line of insects exploded in a splash of goo.
From the smoke, a hooded figure appeared and grabbed his arm.
"Come on! Move!"
They ran together—no time to talk. They sprinted for hours, dodging shadows and twisted trees, until finally reaching a pile of leaves and tangled vines.
The figure swept them aside, revealing a hidden door. With a small key, they unlocked a rusted padlock and pulled William inside.
"Down here. Quick."
They descended into darkness.
William gasped for air, soaked in sweat and fear. He could barely see a thing.
"Where... where are we?"
"A hideout," the voice said. "Hold on, I'll light it up."
There was something odd in the voice. Slightly muffled, like it was filtered through an oxygen mask. Lamps flickered to life, revealing a small bunker—just a bed, a table, and a few dusty cans of food.
"Thanks..." William muttered, still breathless. "You saved my life out there. I was about to be bug food."
The figure turned to him. Slowly, they pulled back the hood—and then the mask.
Psssshhh...
It was a girl. Twelve, maybe thirteen. Pale gray eyes, ghost-white hair, and cheeks slightly sunken from hunger.
"It's nothing," she said softly.
William blinked. Her voice was small, but calm. Too calm.
"You say that like it's normal," he said. "You just blew up a swarm of nightmares."
She lowered her gaze.
"I've gotten used to seeing people die."
His chest tightened.
"What's your name?" he asked, gentler this time.
"I don't remember."
"You... don't remember your name?"
"My dad called me 'Little Star.' But I don't think that's my real name."
William felt something crack in his heart.
"Where is your dad now?"
She shook her head.
"I don't know. He left a long time ago. Said he'd be back. Said it wouldn't take long."
"Did he tell you where he was going?"
"No... just that the world was broken. That something was terribly wrong, and he had to fix it. He left me food, a blanket... this mask. Told me not to go out if the moon turned red."
William stared at her. The silence weighed heavy.
"And... you went out anyway?"
"I was hungry..." Her voice cracked a little. "I couldn't take it anymore. I thought maybe... maybe he'd be out there waiting."
William swallowed hard.
"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to go through this alone."
She looked up, locking eyes with him for the first time. Her gray eyes shimmered with a sadness no child should carry.
"Are you scared too?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Yes. I am. But I'm not leaving you here alone. Not a chance."
She didn't answer. Just curled up on the bed, like she'd done it a hundred times before.
William sat down with his back to the wall, watching her in the dim light. Outside, the blood moon stared down at the world without mercy—its silence louder than screams.