With rough steps, I pant heavily. There isn't much time left. Perhaps I'm already too late.

The labyrinthine alleys, stretching out in jagged lines at will, grew more unfamiliar every time the engraved memories that had guided me were erased by panic.

Every street corner looks awkward. Every straight path looks longer.

The bell is calling me.

I bit harder onto the remaining morning, barely held by this end. While I look around frantically, it barely hangs on, swaying. I dream that even at the end of burning my memories, at least a few fragments remain, so I can find a familiar sight and move toward salvation.

By now, the main gate must be closing. A few must have barely made it in. For the rest of us, no chance remains.

Suddenly, a figure appearing from a blind spot collides with me. Since there was no time to react, I had no choice but to fall onto the cold, hard ground.

I tried to sharpen my senses, if only to see what kind of fate my own end would manifest as. However, even in this abyss of infinite fear, my mind could never have imagined the shocking sight currently before my eyes.

???: Ugh, ow, damn it, that hurts.