The air in the ghoul's chamber was thick enough to taste like rotten meat and something worse, maybe magic. It made Null's stomach twist hard. The shadowy chains holding him buzzed with this cold, draining power that felt like it was eating him from the inside.
The ghoul leaned closer, and Null could see every crack in its gray skin. Its breath hit his face, and it smelled like something dead that had been left in the sun too long.
"Your soul will be a fine meal," it rasped, grinning with a mouth full of broken yellow teeth.
Null's mind spun. Stella. He needed to call her. That was his only way at this moment with his hands locked. Once he summons her, She'd blow this whole room apart, but that was fine better that than die here. He started focusing, trying to reach through their bond. He didn't even realize it, but he was already depending on her too much.
And then, a voice broke the silence.
"Stop."
It wasn't loud, but somehow everything just... froze. Even the air felt still. The ghouls turned, their glowing eyes snapping toward the doorway.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, soft and calm.
A girl walked in.
She looked around Null's age, with long silver hair and pale skin that almost glowed under the green light. Her eyes were this soft lilac color strange but kind of beautiful. She didn't look like she belonged in a place like this at all. Her robe was dirty and ripped, but she walked like she didn't notice. Definitely not a ghoul.
"Anya," the ghoul hissed, its voice full of hate. "You do not belong here."
"The Master sent me," she said, voice flat and calm like she was just reading off a list. "I'm here to take the prisoner."
Null blinked. Master? Oh great of course there is someone worse.
The ghoul tilted its head. "You lie. The Master gave no such order."
Anya didn't even blink. "Would you like to ask him yourself? You remember what happened last time someone interrupted him."
That made the ghouls shuffle nervously. Even the one holding Null looked like it wanted to back away. After a tense pause, the ghoul snarled and stepped aside.
"Fine. Take him. But if this is one of your tricks"
"It's not," she said quickly, brushing past him like he was nothing.
The black chains on Null's body just… vanished. Turned to smoke. His knees almost gave out when blood rushed back into his arms.
"Follow me," she said, not even looking back.
Null hesitated for a second. Could be a trap. But she just saved his life, so whatever — he followed.
They walked for what felt like forever through long, wet tunnels. The usual sounds of the dungeon — chains clanking, whispers, groans — slowly faded away until all that was left was the sound of their steps.
Finally she stopped in a small broken hallway. The ceiling had half collapsed, and blue glowing fungus clung to the walls.
"We can talk here," she said quietly. "The walls don't listen well in this part."
"Okay," Null said, leaning against a chunk of broken stone. "So... why lie for me? What do you want?"
Anya looked down, fiddling with her sleeve. Her voice was small but steady. "Because I didn't want you to die. And... maybe you can help me."
He frowned. "Help you with what?"
She hesitated, then spoke softly. "The Master keeps me alive because of my soul. He says it's pure. But he's not protecting me... he's waiting until it's strong enough to eat."
Null's jaw tightened. Monsters killing people was one thing. Treating someone like food waiting to ripen that was something else entirely. Null felt bad for her and kind of reminds him of himself being trapped in the hospital.
"When you came here," Anya continued, glancing up at him, "I felt something warm. Like sunlight. The ghouls call it divine energy, and they want to devour it. But to me... it felt like hope. So I thought maybe... maybe you could destroy this place."
Null sighed through his nose. "I'll help you. But not now. I'm not strong enough to take on your Master yet."
Anya's eyes fell. "You can't leave anyway. The Larder's sealed by a barrier. No one escapes without his will."
That made Null grin a little. "Yeah? I've got some experience breaking rules." No one as a clue about his trait and he will keep it that way
"Show me the exit."
She looked unsure but finally nodded and led him to a cracked archway half-buried under rubble. A red barrier shimmered across it, runes pulsing like veins. Even standing near it made his skin crawl.
"This is it," she whispered. "It's impossible."
Null pressed his hand against it. The surface felt alive, humming under his palm. He didn't use magic just his will. He wanted to erase it and it did
The runes started flickering. Then twisting.
And with a sound like shattering glass, the whole barrier exploded into smoke.
Anya gasped. "You... you broke it! How did you"
"Trade secret," Null said with a tired grin.
Her eyes filled with tears. "You should go. Don't worry about me. My fate's already decided."
Null's face hardened. "Don't say that. Don't ever let someone else tell you what your fate is. I was supposed to die helpless too. Screw that. I'm not leaving you here forever."
For the first time, she looked at him like she really believed him.
Then a system message blinked in front of him.
[Quest Acquired: "The Soul in the Cage" (S-Rank Difficulty)]Objective: Return to the Ghoul's Larder and rescue Anya.Failure Condition: Anya is consumed by the Ghoul Master.Reward: ???
Null whistled. "S-Rank, huh. Of course." He looked at her. "Guess that makes it official then. I'll be back for you."
Anya nodded, a single tear cutting down her dusty cheek. "I'll wait."
He gave her one last look, then stepped through the archway.
The air outside was cold and clean real air. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel like he was running from something. He had a promise now.
And a reason to keep going.