If you're enjoying the story, throw some stones and add it to the library since that helps me keep writing
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Crown Complex looked worse up close.
By daylight, it wasn't just abandoned—it was forgotten.
Cracked concrete stretched across a massive parking lot overgrown with weeds that pushed through asphalt like they were alive. The once-glorious glass façade was dulled by grime and spiderweb fractures, reflecting the sky in distorted shards. Faded banners still hung above the entrance, their slogans half-torn, advertising stores that hadn't existed in years.
Tyler stood at the edge of the lot with Mira beside him.
Neither of them spoke at first.
The air felt… wrong.
Not hostile. Not exactly.
Just heavy. Like the building was watching them back.
"Okay," Mira finally said, crossing her arms. "I officially hate this place."
Tyler let out a breath and checked his phone.
The System interface glowed faintly on the screen.
[Property Access Confirmed]Owner: Tyler BrooksLocation: Crown ComplexStatus: UnstableWarning: Dormant anomalies detected.Suggestion: Proceed with caution.
"Yeah," Tyler muttered. "Same."
He adjusted the strap of the small backpack slung over his shoulder. Inside were basic tools, flashlights, and a portable charger—nothing heroic. He wasn't a fighter. He wasn't pretending to be.
Yet.
"You sure you're ready?" Mira asked.
Tyler looked at her.
She wasn't here for money.She wasn't here for power.She was here because she cared.
That mattered more than the System, more than Selene's warning, more than the building looming in front of them.
"I don't think anyone's ever 'ready' for something like this," he said honestly. "But I don't want to keep running forward without knowing what I'm standing on."
Mira sighed, then nodded.
"Fine. But if something tries to eat us, I'm blaming you."
"Fair."
They walked toward the entrance.
The doors were sealed with old metal shutters, rusted but intact. Tyler approached, phone in hand.
The System reacted immediately.
[Owner Authentication Required]Access Level: PrimaryUnlock sealed entrance?YES / NO
Tyler hesitated only a second.
"Yes."
The air shifted.
There was no dramatic explosion, no flashing lights.
Just a deep, mechanical click that echoed through the structure—like something ancient had turned in its sleep.
The shutters began to rise.
Slowly.
Metal scraped against metal, the sound crawling up Tyler's spine. Dust spilled out as sunlight poured into the interior for the first time in years.
Mira swallowed.
"…That's not ominous at all."
They stepped inside.
The interior was vast.
Once a bustling mall, now a hollow shell—escalators frozen mid-motion, storefronts stripped bare, mannequins lying shattered like fallen statues. Dust coated everything, but there were footprints.
Recent ones.
Tyler frowned.
"Someone's been here."
Mira stiffened. "That's not good."
The System chimed.
[Exploration Mode Activated]Mapping incomplete.Unknown zones detected.Primary anomaly source: BELOW.
Tyler followed the direction instinctively.
"The basement," he said.
Mira groaned. "Of course it's the basement."
They descended a service stairwell at the back of the complex. The deeper they went, the colder it became—not physically, but mentally. Like the air carried weight.
Then they reached it.
A reinforced steel door.
Thick. Industrial. Nothing like the rest of the building.
Across its surface, old warning labels had been scratched away. Only one word remained, etched deep into the metal:
RESTRICTED
The System pulsed violently.
[Anomaly Proximity Alert]Dormant state: destabilizingEntry strongly discouraged.Proceed anyway?YES / NO
Mira grabbed Tyler's wrist.
"Tyler… this is where horror movies start."
He didn't pull away.
He looked at the door.
Then back at her.
"I won't open it yet," he said quietly. "Not without knowing what we're dealing with."
The System reacted.
[Adaptive Response Triggered]Unlocking preliminary information…
A new window appeared.
[Anomaly Classification: Partial Data]Type: Unknown HybridStatus: Sealed / Semi-AwareDescription:— Responds to ownership— Feeds on intent, not flesh— Was placed here intentionally
Tyler's chest tightened.
"Placed… here?"
Before Mira could respond, a sound echoed from the darkness behind them.
Footsteps.
Slow.Measured.Unhurried.
Tyler turned sharply.
A figure emerged from the shadows of the lower floor—female, slender, wearing a long coat and boots suited for exploration rather than fashion. Her dark hair was tied back, her eyes sharp and alert.
She stopped a few meters away.
Hands visible.
Non-threatening.
"Relax," she said calmly. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't have heard me."
Mira immediately stepped in front of Tyler.
"Who are you?"
The woman's gaze flicked to the steel door… then back to Tyler.
"You must be the new owner," she said. "Figures. The lock changed."
Tyler frowned.
"You've been inside."
She nodded.
"Several times. Never past that door."
Her eyes softened—just slightly—when they settled on Tyler.
"My name's Lila."
Mira narrowed her eyes. "And why are you here, Lila?"
Lila hesitated.
Then answered honestly.
"Because something in this building is waking up."
The System chimed softly.
[New Individual Detected]Name: LilaAffiliation: UnknownThreat Level: Low (for now)Compatibility: HighNote: Emotional sincerity detected.
Tyler felt it.
That quiet certainty.
She wasn't here for money.
She wasn't here to use him.
She was here because she was afraid—and because she cared about what happened next.
Tyler exhaled.
"…Looks like Selene was right."
Mira glanced between them, then sighed.
"Great. Another mystery woman."
Lila blinked. "…Another?"
Tyler rubbed the back of his neck.
"Long story."
The steel door creaked softly.
Just a millimeter.
As if something on the other side had heard them.
The System flashed one final warning.
[Phase Two Approaching]Team Size: 3Minimum Requirement MetProceeding soon will lock exit routes.
Tyler straightened.
This wasn't just a property anymore.
It was a threshold.
And once crossed—
Nothing would be the same.