The sound of footsteps grew closer.
It wasn't just one or two people.
There were many of them.
Raven stood frozen, staring into the fog where the figures were beginning to emerge. She was still trying to make sense of what was actually happening.
Just a moment ago, she had been on the bus, overcome by unimaginable pain. After that, for some reason, her body had carried her outside, following a feeling she couldn't even understand.
And now...
The sound of screams and the approaching footsteps made her whole body tense up again.
"RAVEN!"
This time, William's voice sounded much louder.
Raven finally snapped out of it.
She turned and saw that Karin was already dragging Hana toward the bus, while other students were crowding into the vehicle.
"Raven, hurry!" William shouted.
Raven clenched her jaw.
Without wasting another second, she turned and ran. Behind her, the footsteps of her pursuers grew louder.
And for the first time since they'd arrived in that strange place, Raven realized one thing.
They weren't looking for a way out—they were being chased.
The bus door slammed shut.
The engine roared as the driver stepped on the gas pedal. The rear tires spun on the wet ground, flinging mud backward before the bus began to move.
"Turn around! We have to get away from here!" William shouted from the front seat.
"I'll try, sir!"
The driver gripped the steering wheel tightly and forced the bus to turn. The large vehicle shook violently as it drove over the uneven ground. Several students who hadn't had time to sit down immediately grabbed the seats in front of them to keep from falling.
The first bus had already pulled ahead.
The second bus followed behind, trying to maintain a safe distance amid the increasingly thick fog.
For a few seconds, no one spoke. All they could hear was the sound of the engine and their own breathing.
Then—
"Uh… wait."
A student's voice rang out from the back.
He pointed toward the window with a trembling hand.
"That shadow…"
Several heads turned immediately.
"They're actually a group of people!"
The student's face grew even paler.
"They're chasing us!"
Instantly, panic spread once more.
"What the hell are they?!"
"How can they run that fast?!"
"Sir, don't stop!"
William immediately stood up and turned around.
"Calm down! Everyone stay where you are!"
But his voice was almost drowned out by the panic inside the bus.
Raven didn't say a word.
He stood by the window, his eyes piercing through the swirling fog behind them.
Those figures were indeed in pursuit.
They were running at a speed that should have been impossible for ordinary humans. The distance between them was slowly closing, even though the bus was already traveling as fast as it could over the muddy ground.
But there was one figure that caught Raven's attention.
He was at the front of the group.
His body was much larger than the others'. His shoulders were broad, and his frame was covered in muscles that tensed with every step he took. The tattered clothes he wore fluttered in the wind, revealing patches of skin covered in scars. Hanging from his back was a long spear with a black shaft that appeared nearly as tall as he was.
Raven narrowed her eyes.
It wasn't his appearance that made her feel uneasy.
There was something else.
An invisible pressure radiated from the man's body.
Raven didn't know how to explain it. She didn't see anything, but her body could feel it clearly. It was as if something sharp were pointing at her from a distance.
Her heart was beating faster.
"What is this…?"
Raven unconsciously held her breath.
The man suddenly slowed his pace.
Then he stopped.
While the other figures were still running behind him, the man stood alone in the middle of the fog. His head was slightly raised, as if to confirm the position of the bus that was continuing to drive away.
Then his hand moved behind him, his fingers beginning to grip the spear's shaft.
Raven's eyes widened instantly as she watched the man pull his spear from his back.
In an instant, the air around his body changed.
Raven could feel a chill piercing her skin, as if something sharp had just been aimed directly at them.
Her instincts screamed.
Danger.
Extreme danger.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
Raven's scream startled the driver.
"What?!"
"TURN!"
The driver didn't have time to ask any more questions. He immediately jerked the steering wheel.
The bus shook violently. The students were thrown to the side, and several of them nearly fell out of their seats.
At that very moment, something cut through the fog.
Its speed was so incredible that Raven's eyes could only catch a black flash slicing through the fog.
SWOOOSHHH!
The weapon whizzed so close to the second bus that the air around it vibrated violently. Several students immediately screamed and ducked, while William reflexively gripped the seatback in front of him.
Up ahead, the first bus which had been traveling several dozen meters ahead—suddenly shook violently.
The spear, which had previously been hurtling toward the second bus but had been deflected thanks to Raven, now changed course and shot straight toward the first bus.
CRAAASH!
The spear pierced the rear window of the first bus. Shards of glass rained into the cabin, followed by panicked screams from the students, who immediately ducked for cover.
Without losing momentum, the spear continued its flight until it pierced the body of the coach who was holding the steering wheel.
The man's body jerked violently. Blood spurted out, and his hands slipped off the steering wheel.
"Sir!"
"AAAAHHH!"
The first bus immediately lost control.
The steering wheel, still locked by the coach's body, caused the vehicle to swerve wildly from side to side. The rear tires struck a large rock, causing the entire bus to lift off the ground for a split second before crashing back down with a loud thud.
CRASH!
"BRAKES! BRAKES!!!"
Someone shouted from inside the bus.
But no one could stop it.
The bus continued speeding toward the increasingly narrow road. Trees and fog on both sides rushed past the windows, while the students' screams mingled with the loud screech of metal.
Then—
The first bus plowed through the wall of fog and vanished.
The second bus, several dozen meters behind it, suddenly lost control when the road ahead appeared empty.
The driver slammed on the brakes with all his might.
SKRIIIIIT!
The tires screeched against the wet ground, causing the bus to shake violently. The students' bodies were thrown forward, and some nearly fell out of their seats.
"Watch out!"
"Hold on!"
The bus swerved sharply.
The driver struggled to control the vehicle, which was on the verge of skidding. His hands trembled violently as he turned the steering wheel in the opposite direction.
"Don't let it tip over… don't let it tip over…"
William clung to his seat, staring straight ahead with a pale face.
"Keep going! Don't stop!"
"I know, sir!"
The driver stepped on the gas pedal again.
The bus began to speed away again, entering a narrow path flanked by dense trees. Branches struck the windows and sides of the vehicle, while the fog grew thicker, obscuring their view.
Some students were still crying. Others just sat silently with pale faces, as if their minds hadn't yet been able to process what had just happened.
No one spoke about the first bus or dared to ask if they were still alive.
Everyone already knew the answer.
From a distance, a faint sound could be heard.
DUUUUMMM!!!
A massive boom shook the air.
The second bus shook as well.
Several students turned around, their faces filled with fear.
Behind the fog, not far from the road they had just traveled, a reddish light suddenly appeared.
It lasted only a moment.
But that flash was enough to illuminate the area around them.
The students' heads snapped toward the source of the light. None of them expected what they were about to see.
Through the fog, a massive ravine was clearly visible right beside the path they had just traveled. The road the first bus had taken ended there.
And in the direction of that ravine...
Nothing could be seen clearly.
But everyone already understood what had just happened.
The first bus had fallen.
No one said a word.
Raven was still standing by the window, her gaze fixed on the reddish light that was slowly fading behind the fog.
His hands were clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms.
A few seconds passed.
No one moved or dared to speak.
Everyone looked desperate, because they had just seen a bus carrying their friends plunge into a ravine. And they didn't even know if anyone was still alive inside.
Raven slowly turned his gaze backward; fog still filled the road they had just traveled.
But the figures that had been chasing them were no longer in sight.
There were no footsteps or human shadows behind the fog. Even their voices had vanished, as if the group had never been there.
Raven narrowed his eyes, trying to catch even the slightest movement.
"Did they lose our trail…?"
For some reason, Raven didn't feel relieved.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
The sudden silence felt far more unsettling than the sound of their footsteps earlier.
In the front seat, William sat stiffly. His face was pale, his eyes staring blankly at the narrow road stretching out before them. As their leader, he should have been the first to give directions.
But for a moment, even he couldn't find a single word.
"Are they… human?" Karin's voice cracked hoarse and trembling—breaking the suffocating silence.
That whisper was like a spark, setting off a chorus of other voices. The panicked discussion turned into screams. They talked about the spear that had been thrown at an abnormal speed, about the first bus that had plunged into the ravine and been destroyed.
Some students began to cry. Others asked each other questions without getting any answers. Still others simply sat in silence, staring at the floor, as if still hoping that everything that had just happened was just a nightmare.
"Oh my God…"
Lisa bowed her head. Both her hands trembled as she clutched the hem of her shirt.
Next to Raven, Kyle no longer had his usual cheerful expression.
His body was shaking violently. Both hands were clutching his own hair while his lips kept moving.
"What's happening…?"
He took a shallow breath.
"What really happened…?"
Hana, who had been sitting quietly all this time, finally lost her strength. She slumped against the chair, her face pale and her eyes vacant. Her gaze was still fixed on the road behind them, as if hoping to see the first bus reappear from behind the fog.
Raven glanced at her briefly.
There was such obvious fear on Hana's face that even Raven felt something clench in her chest.
Not far from them, Kevin also no longer looked like his usual self.
His hands were clutching his own shoulders.
"I… I don't want to die…"
His voice was barely audible.
"I don't want to die…"
Tears streamed down from the corners of his eyes. He didn't even realize it.
Meanwhile, Theo stood in the middle of the bus aisle.
Usually, he was the one who could most easily calm the other students down when trouble arose. But now his own hands were shaking.
"We… we have to stay calm."
He tried to sound firm.
"Don't panic. We're still here together, so—"
His voice trailed off.
Theo swallowed hard.
Even he knew those words sounded hollow.
Raven turned back toward the window.
The fog behind them was receding. Only the dark trees and the white fog were slowly swallowing the road they had just traveled.
"Keep going."
William's voice suddenly rang out from the front.
All conversation gradually died down.
William stared straight ahead. His face was still pale, but this time there was a forced firmness in his voice.
"Keep going."
The driver, who had been gripping the steering wheel with trembling hands, immediately nodded.
"Y-yes, sir."
He pressed the gas pedal harder.
The bus's engine roared. The tires once again churned through the wet ground, causing the entire vehicle to shake as they entered a narrow road flanked by trees.
Next to William, the female guide sat silently. Her face was pale, her gaze vacant as it stared through the windshield. She was still trying to comprehend how an ordinary field trip could turn into a nightmare in a matter of minutes.
"Slow down a bit, please," she finally said in a weak voice. "The road is too—"
"I know."
William cut her off.
"But we have to keep moving."
The driver nodded and focused his gaze ahead. But fear had made his hands too tense.
The fog was growing thicker.
The road ahead was barely visible.
"Sir…" the driver's voice sounded nervous. "I can't see the road."
"Just keep going. Follow the path."
"But—"
"Keep going!"
The driver could only nod quickly and press the gas pedal again. The bus sped along the dirt road, which was growing narrower; its wheels repeatedly hit mud puddles, causing the entire vehicle to shake.
The fog ahead grew thicker, reducing the driver's visibility to just a few meters. He squinted, trying to make out the faint road behind the white fog.
But just as his eyes began to adjust to the conditions, a dark shadow suddenly appeared right in front of them.
A large log lay across the middle of the road.
"AH—!"
The driver jerked the steering wheel.
The bus jolted violently as its front wheels struck the side of the log. The students' bodies were thrown to one side.
"HOLD ON!"
The driver tried to correct the vehicle's course, but the bus's wheels lost traction on the wet mud.
The steering wheel spun wildly in his hands.
"No… no, don't!"
The rear of the bus began to slide sideways.
The tires spun out of control, spraying mud in all directions. Having lost its balance, the bus continued to slide sideways toward lower ground.
"EVERYONE, HOLD ON!"
William's shout was drowned out by the students' screams.
The bus tilted further and further.
Then—
CRASH!
The entire bus lifted off the ground for a moment before finally rolling onto its side. The windows shattered, the seats shifted, and the passengers were thrown about before the vehicle came to a stop on its side.
For a few seconds, there was no sound other than the engine still roaring faintly and the gasping breaths of the people inside.
Then groans could be heard from various corners of the bus.
"Ouch…"
"My head…"
"Is anyone hurt?"
Raven slowly opened her eyes. Her body ached from the impact, but she could still move. She immediately freed herself from the seat that was holding her in place and looked around.
Hana was sitting nearby, still conscious though her face was pale.
"Hana, are you hurt?"
Hana shook her head slowly.
"I'm… okay."
Raven nodded, then looked in another direction.
"What about the others?"
Kyle raised his hand from between the shifted seats.
"Still alive..."
Theo also began helping several students who were having trouble getting up.
"Let's get out first. The bus might shift again."
Several students nodded. They began moving toward the emergency exit, which was on the upper side of the bus after it had rolled over. One by one, they crawled out, some with help from their friends.
As soon as they stepped outside, the cold air hit them.
Several students collapsed onto the ground, taking deep breaths after managing to escape from the cramped, chaotic cabin. Some checked for injuries on their heads or arms, while others helped friends who were still having trouble walking.
"Are we… safe?"
Someone's voice sounded faint.
But before anyone could answer, a moan was heard from inside the bus.
"Ah…"
Raven immediately turned his head.
The sound was coming from the front.
William, who had just gotten out with a few students, immediately turned around and crawled back into the bus.
"Sir! Sir, can you hear me?"
There was no clear answer.
The driver was still conscious, but his body was pinned behind the steering wheel. His face was pale, and he was breathing in short, shallow gasps.
"Help…" he whispered.
William crouched down beside him.
"Let's get you out of here."
He tried to pull open the dented door.
It wouldn't budge.
"Everyone who can still stand, help out!"
Several students immediately sprang into action.
Raven joined Kyle and Theo in helping.
They worked to lift the part of the seat that was pressing down on the driver's body. After several attempts, they finally managed to create enough space to pull him out.
As soon as his body was laid on the ground, William immediately noticed blood flowing from a wound in his abdomen.
"Apply pressure to the wound! Quickly!"
A student immediately took off his jacket and pressed it against the wound.
The driver grimaced, breathing heavily.
William knelt beside him and helped apply pressure to the wound.
"Sir... hang in there for a moment. We'll go get help."
But his gaze fell on the blood that kept seeping through the gaps between his fingers.
His thoughts drifted back to a few minutes earlier.
When he'd forced the driver to keep his foot on the gas pedal, paying no heed to the fog or the road conditions ahead.
William's jaw tightened.
"I'm sorry…" he muttered.
The driver opened his eyes with great effort.
"Sir…?"
"I shouldn't have told you to keep driving."
The driver tried to offer a faint smile. But before he could say anything, his breathing suddenly stopped.
His eyes, which had been open all along, slowly lost focus.
His body went limp.
William fell silent.
"Sir…?"
There was no answer.
He immediately checked for a pulse.
There wasn't one.
William was still kneeling beside him, his hand slowly slipping away from the man's wrist. For a few moments, he simply stared at the driver's face, unable to say a word.
The fog drifted slowly among the trees, while the cold air continued to blow past them.
No one spoke.
And at that moment, in a place they didn't even know the name of, the first member of their group had lost his life.