The dimly lit corridors echoed with the distant roars of demons, their guttural cries reverberating off the walls as the group sprinted down the stone passageways. Their footsteps pounded against the uneven floor, the oppressive darkness ahead of them broken only by the flickering sconces casting erratic shadows. The air was thick with tension, each second punctuated by the sound of claws scraping somewhere too close behind them.

Hovan's voice was sharp as a blade, cutting through the chaos. "Folainn... that bastard! I'll kill him myself if we make it out of this!"

"This is my fault!" Raelyn gasped, her voice tight with guilt. "I risked everything. Everyone."

Benji, running just behind her, shook his head vehemently. "We don't have time for that now! Focus on getting out alive."

Ahead of them, a shadow shifted. A demon lunged into their path, its elongated limbs reaching hungrily for the group. Hovan surged forward, his sword flashing in the dim light. With a powerful, practiced swing, he cleaved through the creature's chest. It let out a strangled cry, collapsing into a heap as black ichor pooled around it.

"Keep moving!" Hovan barked, wiping the blade against his cloak as he turned to run again.

Benji unsheathed his sword, the sound ringing faintly against the chaotic backdrop. His jaw was set, his expression hardened as he kept pace. "No more surprises," he muttered, scanning the path ahead.

"Famous last words," Danio quipped, his eyes darting nervously around the corridor. As they rounded a corner, he grabbed a broom propped against the wall, snapping off the straw end with a sharp crack. He held the makeshift weapon at arm's length, giving it an experimental twirl that was more awkward than elegant. "This... this'll have to do," he said, his voice tinged with uncertainty as he adjusted his grip. "Really hoping demons have a fear of housework."

The group barely had time to react as two more demons burst into the corridor, one snarling from ahead and the other barreling in from a side passage. The creatures' glowing eyes locked onto the group, their guttural growls reverberating in the narrow space.

Raelyn's acted immediately, her fingers tracing glowing symbols in the air. A Glyph Trap flared to life beneath the feet of the first demon. The runes burned brightly, rooting the creature in place. Its movements slowed, then stopped entirely as the magic held it captive.

"Hovan!" Raelyn called, her voice urgent.

Hovan wasted no time. He lunged forward, embedding his sword into the demon's chest with a powerful thrust. The creature let out a final, choked snarl before collapsing, its body disintegrating into ash-like remnants.

Benji stepped in to engage the second demon, his movements steady but forceful. The creature's claws raked toward him, but he parried the blows with precise strikes, his sword sparking as it clashed against the demon's unnatural hide. He gritted his teeth, his footwork keeping him just out of reach as he held his ground.

Behind them, a guttural snarl sounded too close for comfort. Another demon had managed to sneak up on Danio, its claws swiping at him with deadly intent. Danio yelped, but his instincts kicked in. He twirled his broomstick like a seasoned fighter wielding a staff, the broken end deflecting the creature's attacks with surprising dexterity.

"Oh, you want a piece of me?" he shouted, his voice rising in mock bravado as he spun the stick. Danio ducked just in time, the claws missing his head by mere inches. He spun the broomstick, the hollow whistle of air accompanying the motion, and brought it up to deflect a second strike. The sharp claws clashed against the wood, the impact jolting up his arms, but he managed to redirect the demon's momentum. With a sharp jab, he struck the creature in the torso, forcing it back a step.

The demon lunged again, its movements erratic and feral. Danio pivoted to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack, and used the broomstick to sweep the creature's legs from beneath it. The demon hit the ground hard but immediately twisted its body, its claws slashing upward. Danio jumped back, the sharp tips grazing the air where he'd just stood.

"Persistent little bugger," he muttered, his tone somewhere between exasperation and adrenaline-fueled determination.

Regaining its footing, the demon charged a final time. Danio held his ground, gripping the broomstick like a seasoned fighter. He twirled it once more, the motion sharp and deliberate, before sidestepping the charge. Using the demon's momentum against it, he spun around and drove the jagged end of the stick into its chest with a forceful thrust.

The creature let out a strangled, guttural cry, its body convulsing as black ichor spilled from the wound. Danio held the broomstick steady, his arms shaking slightly as he met the demon's wild, fading gaze. With a final, shuddering twitch, the creature collapsed to the ground, its body crumpling into stillness.

Danio stood frozen for a moment, his chest heaving as he stared down at the lifeless demon. The broomstick was still clutched tightly in his hands, the broken end slick with dark ichor. Slowly, his grip relaxed, and he let out a shaky breath.

Hovan and Benji, standing over another defeated demon, turned towards him. Hovan's brows furrowed and Benji tilted his head.

Danio's lips twitched into a triumphant grin. He gave the broomstick a casual spin, as if to emphasize his point. "Never underestimate the power of a cleaning tool," he quipped, the cockiness returning to his voice.

"Keep moving!" Hovan shouted, his tone brooking no argument. The group didn't hesitate, their collective focus returning to the urgent need to escape. Their footsteps echoed harshly against the stone floor as the ominous growls of demons seemed to multiply, reverberating from the dark depths of the mansion.

Just as they rounded a corner, the corridor trembled violently. A deep, resonant rumble shook the walls, and with a thunderous crash, a demon smashed through the stone, sending a cascade of splintered wood, dust, and crumbling stone in every direction. The impact reverberated through the hallway, throwing the group off balance as debris rained down around them.

"Back!" Hovan barked, shoving Benji behind him just as the monstrous creature emerged from the rubble. Its hulking, grotesque form seemed to swallow the dim light. Jagged claws raked the stone walls as it snarled, glowing red eyes locking onto its prey. The air filled with the acrid stench of sulfur and decay as the demon's heavy, uneven breathing echoed through the fractured corridor.

The creature's massive bulk effectively split the group, cutting Hovan and Benji off from Raelyn and Danio. It stepped forward, its weight causing the floor to groan under the strain, the monstrous tail swinging ominously and blocking any chance of reuniting the group.

Raelyn's voice cut through the chaos, sharp with urgency. "Hovan! Benji!"

"Move! Now!" Hovan shouted, lunging forward to intercept the creature. His sword flashed in the dim light, meeting the demon's claws with a sharp clang. The force of the clash reverberated through the corridor, driving the others into action.

Raelyn reached for Danio's arm, her heart pounding in her chest. "We have to help!"

But another tremor rippled through the floor as the demon's massive tail swung, smashing into the wall and sending cracks spidering through the stone. The resulting collapse forced Raelyn and Danio down a side corridor, a cloud of dust and debris cutting off their view of Hovan and Benji.

"Go!" Hovan's voice rang out through the chaos, muffled but commanding. "We'll meet at the courtyard!"

Danio didn't wait to be told twice. He grabbed Raelyn's wrist, pulling her forward with surprising strength. "You heard the man! Let's go!"

Raelyn dug her heels in for a moment, glancing back at the indistinct shapes of Hovan and Benji locked in combat with the demon. "But—"

"There's no time!" Danio snapped, tugging her harder.

The urgency in his voice jolted her into motion. She stumbled after him, her boots skidding slightly on the debris-strewn floor as they dashed down the unfamiliar corridor. Each turn seemed to twist tighter, the shadows looming heavier with every step.

The narrow passage eventually gave way to a wide-open courtyard. The transition from the dark halls to the open space was jarring. Moonlight spilled across the cracked stone tiles, illuminating overgrown weeds that had forced their way through the ancient masonry. The air was still, the oppressive silence replaced by a faint, unnatural hum that made Raelyn's skin crawl.

"Finally," Danio muttered, his pace quickening as he spotted the exit at the far end of the courtyard. "We're almost—"

His words cut off abruptly as his foot crossed an invisible threshold. A shimmering, pale light flared beneath him, forming a web of glowing runes that encircled his legs and rooted him to the spot. The Glyph Trap flared brighter, locking his limbs in place.

Danio's arms flailed uselessly as he let out a strangled groan. "I knew this mansion hated me!" He glanced over his shoulder at Raelyn, his eyes wide with panic. "A little help here, princess?"

Raelyn rushed forward, skidding to a stop just outside the trap's perimeter. She crouched, her fingers hovering over the glowing runes, her expression tight with concentration. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she muttered under her breath, attempting to decipher the intricate spellwork.

"I... I've never disabled one before," she admitted, a note of panic creeping into her voice. "I learned how to cast a Glyph Trap, not how to break one. This is... complicated."

Danio's eyes widened, his frustration mixing with panic as he gestured dramatically toward his immobilized legs. "Complicated? That's not exactly reassuring! Can't you, I don't know, undo your own magic?"

Raelyn shook her head sharply, her fingers moving hesitantly over the glowing lines. "It's not that simple. It's—"

A sharp, crackling sound interrupted her. A bolt of energy streaked toward her from the shadows on the far side of the courtyard. Instinct kicked in, and Raelyn raised her hands, summoning a Shield of Light just in time. The translucent barrier shimmered as the bolt struck, the impact sending ripples of energy across its surface.

Raelyn stumbled back, her shield flickering under the strain, its glow casting faint, wavering light across the courtyard. She squinted toward the source of the attack, her breath catching as a figure stepped into the moonlight. Folainn's face—the same face she had once dreamt of, the face she had fantasized about kissing—was almost unrecognizable. The familiar features were twisted into a menacing sneer, his lips curled with disdain, and his once-bright eyes now glowed with an unnatural intensity.

Her heart clenched painfully. That face, which had once been a symbol of warmth and charm, now exuded cold malice. The way he moved felt different, deliberate and predatory, as though every step was meant to unsettle. The air around him seemed to grow heavier with each footfall, as though the mere sight of him carried a weight she could no longer bear.

Danio's eyes widened, his jaw tightening as he took in the sight. "Oh great," he muttered, his usual sarcasm tinged with disbelief. "It's Prince Charming—now with added evil."

Raelyn barely heard him. Her gaze was fixed on Folainn. Her voice cracked with a mix of anger and heartbreak, the words spilling out before she could stop them. "Folainn, why?" she demanded, the anguish in her tone cutting through the stillness. "Why betray us? Betray Unevia?"

She wasn't just asking for answers. She was pleading for understanding, for some trace of the man she thought she had known to emerge from the twisted figure before her. But as his sneer deepened, she felt her hopes crumble like fragile glass.