Chapter 81 - EPISODE EIGHTY-ONE- The Breathing Walls

The silence that followed a slaughter was never truly peaceful; it was simply the heavy, suffocating sound of survival demanding its toll. The blinding rush of adrenaline finally crashed, leaving the thick air inside the First Vault perfectly still, save for the ragged, uneven breathing of the few humans who had managed to outlast the nightmare. Darius, Mira, and Megan collapsed near the base of the black stone blood altar, their bodies shaking uncontrollably from the sudden drop in temperature and their minds completely spent. The metallic smell of melted iron, old dust, and burning rot clung to the back of their throats, a constant reminder of the monster that had just torn through their sanctuary.