The Ascent Begins
They opened the safe-room door.
The hallway was dark—but quiet.
Nothing waiting.
Nothing moving.
For the first time, the bunker felt… empty.
“Keep close,” Toady said softly.
“Stay together.”
They moved through the corridors, following the map’s twisting route.
Left.
Up a ramp.
Through a long passageway lined with rusted pipes.
Every distant drip of water made someone flinch.
Cornball pointed ahead.
“There. Stairwell.”
A single metal door stood half open, staircase visible beyond.
The Spiral Staircase
The staircase stretched upward, vanishing into shadows.
Norther tested a step with his boot.
It creaked dangerously.
“Old,” he muttered.
“But it’ll hold.”
One by one, they started to climb.
The metal groaned under their weight
Dust fell like snow
Mewo nearly slipped twice and screamed every time
The cat rode on Randomiser’s shoulders like a tiny furry general
Halfway up, Goober froze.
“Wait,” they whispered.
“Does anyone else hear that?”
Everyone stopped.
Listened.
Silence.
Then—
faint static… like a far-away radio trying to tune in…
Yoshi checked his backpack radio.
“It’s not mine.”
Toady swallowed hard.
“…keep climbing. Don’t stop.”
They moved faster.