The moment hung heavy in the dimly lit tunnel, each of them knowing the risks of splitting up. Leila looked at Axel, the flashlight casting a shadow over his face, making his expression unreadable.
“Meet me at the north exit,” he said, his voice calm but urgent. “If we’re not both there in an hour, we have to assume the worst.”
Leila’s heart skipped a beat at the thought, but she nodded her resolve firm. “I’ll be there. Just… don’t do anything reckless.”
Axel flashed a brief, reassuring smile, and then he was gone, his footsteps echoing as he disappeared into the darkness. Alone now, Leila steeled herself, her senses heightened as she carefully moved forward through the narrow passage.
The tunnel was eerily quiet, save for the distant drip of water. Each sound seemed magnified in the s
