496: DEPTHS OF DESPAIR

LUKE'S POV My heart leaped into my chest, a surge of hope and dread coursing through me like a wave. It was Ariel; there was no doubt in my mind. I knew her voice, the sound of her pain and terror, and the sound of her fear. "Ariel!" I called, my voice echoing through the halls like a cry for help. "Ariel, I'm coming! Hold on!" I broke into a run, my feet pounding against the concrete floor as I raced toward the source of the scream. "Ariel! Ariel! Where are you?" I screamed loudly, still looking around. My voice echoed through the halls like a desperate plea, each repetition more desperate and urgent than the last. The halls stretched on, an endless maze of darkness and silence, mocking my efforts to find her. And then, somewhere in the distance, I heard a faint reply. "Luke!" The voice was faint, barely a whisper, but it was unmistakably Ariel's. "Ariel!" My heart raced as I screamed. "Where are you? I'm coming!" Walking closer, I frantically looked everywhere. I stirred c