Apoxia

You stand among the townsfolk, the air thick with smoke and the acrid stench of gunpowder. Torches flicker wildly, casting jagged shadows that dance like specters on the cavern walls. Boyd grips his rifle, his face a mask of grim determination. Tobias is at his side, his jaw clenched so tightly it looks like it might shatter. His grief has twisted his features into something almost unrecognizable. Something feral. ''Boyd: ''//No more hiding. No more waiting. We end this tonight! The crowd surges forward, a wave of desperation and rage. Weapons glint in the firelight. Axes, pitchforks, rifles. The infected shriek as the first gunshots ring out. The sound is deafening, a cacophony of chaos and death. The battle is swift, brutal, and utterly merciless.// * [[Join the Attack->Ending1.1]] * [[Stand back in horror->Ending1.2]]

You steel yourself, your fingers tightening around the hilt of your knife. The weight of it feels foreign, wrong, but you step forward anyway. You see a Long-Limbed Creature before you. Its eyes widen in recognition before the light fades. Every scream, every pleading gaze sears itself into your memory. It staggers toward you, its bark-like skin splitting, sap oozing from her wounds. Its voice is recognizable in a broken rasp. ''Fiona: ''//Gen... please…// You don’t hesitate. The final blow lands. She crumples to the ground, her body still as the life leaves her. The townsfolk cheer, but the sound is hollow, distant. You feel nothing but a cold, creeping dread. [[->->Ending1.3]]

You cannot lift your weapon. Your hands tremble, your breath catches in your throat. You watch as the townsfolk descend on the infected, their faces twisted with fury and fear. Sobbing as the flames consume them. Tobias does not hesitate. He steps forward, his axe raised, and does what you could not. The infected fall, one by one, until the catacombs are silent. The townsfolk turn to you, their eyes accusing. Tobias does not meet your gaze. [[->->Ending1.3]]

Days pass. The town is quiet. Too quiet. The supposed victory rings hollow. People whisper that the plague still lingers, that something is wrong. You try to ignore the whispers, but the truth claws at the edges of your mind. You wake one night, drenched in sweat. Your fingers ache, a deep, throbbing pain that radiates up your arms. When you lift them to the candlelight, your nails are darkened, thickened. More claw than flesh. You stagger to the mirror. Your reflection wavers, distorts. Your veins pulse beneath your skin, black like ink seeping into paper. Your breath catches. You press a trembling hand to your chest, feeling the slow, inevitable shift. They burned the monsters. They slaughtered them all. And yet. You know the truth. You are one. [[Play again->S1.0]]

The catacombs stir with the whispers of the forsaken. The infected gather, their misshapen forms illuminated by the dim glow of dying lanterns. You stand among them. No longer an outsider, no longer human, but something else entirely. Arkham rests a heavy, clawed hand on your shoulder. His once-proud sheriff’s badge is tarnished, barely clinging to the remains of his tattered coat. ''Arkham:'' //They will never stop hunting us. We must strike first. Leroy, hunched and remorseful, watches from the shadows. He does not argue, but the weight of his sins drags his gaze to the dirt. You look to Fiona, who kneels beside the youngest of the infected, comforting them like a mother shielding her children from a storm.// You exhale. There is no turning back now. ''Genevieve:'' //Then we take the town.// [[->->Ending2.1]]

The catacombs erupt with movement. A tide of the afflicted surges toward the surface, hungry, desperate, vengeful. The town above has no warning before the night explodes into blood and screams. The infected descend upon Barksworth, their twisted bodies moving through the streets like shadows given form. Doors are kicked in. Lanterns are overturned. The scent of rot and earth mingles with fire and gunpowder. * [[Lead the Charge->Ending2.2]] * [[Spare Those Who Surrender->Ending2.3]]

You tear through the town, unrelenting. Your voice commands the infected forward, your hands stained with the same blood that once pulsed through your own veins. Boyd is the first to fall, his rifle useless against the tide. Aiden fights to his last breath, his screams cut short as the swarm overtakes him. [[->->Ending2.4]]

You halt the bloodshed when the surviving townsfolk drop their weapons. Some infected hesitate, but Fiona stands by your side. Not all humans deserve to die. Some can learn. Some can change. [[->->Ending2.4]]

Morning never comes. The town is eerily silent, save for the occasional rustling of movement from within the ruined buildings. Smoke coils from the remnants of homes. The great tree in the town square still stands, but its branches are bare, twisted. A silent witness to the slaughter. You stand at the center of it all, staring at your reflection in the bloodied glass of a broken window. Your eyes glimmer with something inhuman. Your fingers twitch. You can feel the slow, insidious change within you. The infection is no longer a fear, no longer an enemy. It is you. You are becoming. Fiona watches from the shadows, her monstrous form barely recognizable, yet her voice carries the same tenderness as before. ''Fiona:'' //We survive, Gen. That’s all we can do.// You nod, but deep down, you wonder. Was it worth it? Have you saved them or merely condemned them to a different kind of death? [[Play again->S1.0]]

Blackness. Your breath comes in ragged gasps, each one sharp and shallow, as if the air itself is resisting you in the vacuum of the undercroft you find yourself in. Chanting and muffled whimpers swirl the perimeter of your mind. Is it worth it? Is this the only solution? ''Chant:'' //''Gaia, hear us! Take from us blood and return to us sap.''// [[->->S1.1]]

This isn’t real. Wake up, Genevieve. You tell yourself. But the rough texture of the oak dagger in your hand serves a grim reminder. The chant is too loud. Too close. You open your eyes. The air reeks of burnt sage and copper. Flickering candlelight throws jagged shadows across the cracked tiles of the catacomb walls before you. Shadows that twitch and stretch unnaturally long. Behind you, three hooded figures chant in a tongue that cracks like ice. ''Chant: ''//''Take from us blood and return to us sap!''// [[->->S1.2]]

The Mayor’s wife, Lucille, hangs suspended above the makeshift ritual circle, bound in coils of gnarled roots that tighten with every chanted word. Her breath is shallow, eyes rolling back as Mayor Leroy raises his dagger. Sheriff Arkham grins, his badge glinting like a predator’s eye. Your sister, Fiona throws her hood back, lips moving in perfect grotesque harmony with the chant. * [[Join the chant->S1.3]] * [[Drop the dagger and back away->S1.4]]

Your voice rises, shaky at first, then defiant. The mosaic beneath you glows faintly, veins of amber light pulsing through the tiles. Fiona shoots you an approving nod, a rare flicker of pride. ''Fiona:'' //We’re almost there, Gen.// [[->->S1.3.1]]

Leroy approaches his wife. You can faintly make out the words of her muffled cries. ''Lucille: ''//Baby, please. No!// ''Leroy: ''//I’m sorry.// He plunges the dagger directly into her lower abdomen, she screams, blood sizzling as it drips onto the mosaic. Betrayal glowers in her eyes. The stone groans. Roots burst through the cracks, writhing like serpents. The shadow's whip around your ankles. The air tastes like rot and honey. Lucille’s skin. It’s splitting. No, it’s growing. Bark? ''Chant:'' //''Take from us seed and return to us your crop.''// [[->->S1.3.2]]

Next is the Sheriff. A little too eager in his strike. Lucille recoils silently begging for mercy. Arkham rings the blade down creating a gash exposing Lucille’s organs. ''Chant: ''//''Take from us pain and return to us life.''// Fiona is the next. Hesitant but still determined. She is unrelenting in her brutality. You barely recognize the woman you grew up alongside. Fiona turns her attention to you. She comes over and takes you by the hand. ''Fiona:'' //Come on. This is our chance.// She gives you a reassuring smile unbefitting the moment, but it brings you some comfort regardless. She guides your hand as you approach the petrified Lucille. * [[Hesitate->S1.5]] * [[Stab->S1.6]]

The oak dagger clatters to the floor. The chanting stutters. Fiona whirls, her composure cracking. ''Fiona:'' //Pick it up! Now!// ''Genevieve: ''//This isn’t right!// The Sheriff’s face darkens, unable to contain a smirk. ''Sheriff Arkham:''//Little mouse grew a spine, eh? Too late now, girl.// [[->->S1.4.1]]

Leroy approaches his wife. You can faintly make out the words of her muffled cries. ''Lucille:'' //Baby, please. No!// ''Leroy:'' //I’m sorry.// He plunges the dagger directly into her lower abdomen, she screams, blood sizzling as it drips onto the mosaic. Betrayal glowers in her eyes. The stone groans. Roots burst through the cracks, writhing like serpents. The shadow's whip around your ankles. The air tastes like rot and honey. Lucille’s skin. It’s splitting. No, it’s growing. Bark? ''Chant:'' //''Take from us seed and return to us your crop.''// [[->->S1.4.2]]

Next is the Sheriff. A little too eager in his strike. Lucille recoils silently begging for mercy. Arkham rings the blade down creating a gash exposing Lucille’s organs. ''Chant:'' //''Take from us pain and return to us life.''// Fiona is the next. Hesitant but still determined. She is unrelenting in her brutality. You barely recognize the woman you grew up alongside. Fiona turns her attention to you. She picks up your dagger off the ground and places it in your hand. ''Fiona: ''//Come on. This is our chance.// She gives you a reassuring smile unbefitting the moment, but it brings you some comfort regardless. She guides your hand as you approach the petrified Lucille. * [[Hesitate->S1.5]] * [[Stab->S1.6]]

You can’t bring yourself to do it. With a disappointed scoff, Fiona jerks you by the hand and forces the blade directly into Lucille’s womb. ''Chant:'' //''Gaia, hear us!''// She lets out a sickening last cry. Her wails reverberated off the stone, amplified. An unnatural energy shifts in the room. Primordial chaos intangible but making its presence known. Roots violently surge upward, piercing the Arkham’s chest. He chokes, sap bubbling from his lips. The Sheriff’s badge melts into his flesh, his uniform blooming with fungal growth. Leroy screams. A sound that becomes the creak of splitting wood. Lucille lets out one last strangled breath before the roots crush her ribs. [[->->S1.7]]

You sink the dagger directly into Lucille’s womb. A sickening wet squelch. ''Chant: ''//''Gaia, hear us!''// She lets out a sickening last cry. Her wails reverberated off the stone, amplified. An unnatural energy shifts in the room. Primordial chaos intangible but making its presence known. Roots violently surge upward, piercing the Arkham’s chest. He chokes, sap bubbling from his lips. The Sheriff’s badge melts into his flesh, his uniform blooming with fungal growth. Leroy screams. A sound that becomes the creak of splitting wood. Lucille lets out one last strangled breath before the roots crush her ribs. [[->->S1.7]]

So much is happening it's hard to keep track of. You scan the room for a lifeline. Your rock. Your blood. Fiona’s skin splinters, bark erupting from her collarbone as she reaches for Genevieve. She cries tears of sap as her limbs contort to be unnaturally long, a humane glimpse of fear in the eyes of a monster. ''Genevieve: ''''//FIONA!//'' The ground swallows her. Roots garrote around her throat. She falls- [[->->S2.0]]

You scream yourself awake. You find yourself in a dim, cluttered room. The air is stale, thick with the scent of dust and something faintly metallic. You stir beneath a heap of blankets, limbs leaden, mouth dry. A dull ache pulses in your chest. A phantom pressure, like roots winding beneath your ribs. Your bed is unkempt, sheets tangled. The bedside table is littered with crumpled notes, a half-eaten ration bar, an overturned candle burned down to a nub. The house feels abandoned, yet lived-in. A place frozen in time. [[->->S2.1]]

You push yourself upright, your body protesting. The floor is cold beneath your bare feet as you move through the space. Scattered across the room: A small, dusty mirror. Your reflection is pale, hollow-eyed, something in your pupils too dark, too deep. Empty food containers stacked haphazardly, untouched dishes crusted over in the sink. A weathered trunk at the foot of your bed inside, a folded cloak with an embroidered sigil: a tree with roots bleeding into human hands. Near the hearth, the floorboards bear deep scratches. No, carvings. Symbols like the ones from the catacombs. Their edges glow faintly when you touch them, sending a shiver through your spine. You should burn this place to the ground. What’s stopping you? * [[Enter Fiona’s Room->S2.2]] * [[Leave the House->S2.3]]

The door groans on its hinges. Fiona’s room is untouched, preserved like a shrine. The scent of lavender and aged parchment lingers. You hesitate at the threshold, then step inside. A journal rests on the desk, its leather cover cracked. When you open it, a note flutters free. Fiona’s handwriting, hurried, ink smudged. You hesitate, fingers ghosting over the journal’s spine. A smile plays at her lips, something bittersweet. A memory surges forward: Fiona, leaning close, her golden hair spilling over her shoulders. ''Fiona: ''//You have to trust me, Gen. This town. It's dying. Leroy, he… he understands what needs to be done.// ''Genevieve: ''//Do you love him?// A guilty look flashes before Fiona’s eyes. ''Fiona:'' //Do you wanna be scrubbing the floor of the inn the rest of your life?// You didn’t and look where it got you. What it cost? * [[Proceed to leave the House->S2.3]]

You shake off the haze of memory. Grabbing your coat, you pull it tightly around your frame. Hunger gnaws at your stomach, a sharp reminder that you need to find rations. [[->->S3.0]]

The wind bites. The town of Barksworth looms ahead, it's quiet. The streets themselves seem weary. Houses stand abandoned or hastily boarded up, their windows hollow like staring eyes. The town center is quieter than it should be. Too many have gone missing, and those who remain look like shadows of their former selves. The last great tree of Barksworth looms over the town center, its gnarled roots breaking through the cobblestone. Beneath its withering branches stands the acting Sheriff Boyd, his arms crossed, his face drawn with exhaustion. His old military uniform, once pristine, is dirtied with dust. He barely acknowledges you at first, staring off toward the eastern road where the town meets the forest’s edge. ''Boyd: ''//Genevienve, didn’t think I’d see you out here today.// He looks worse than last you saw him.. Thinner. Tired. He’s been carrying the town’s weight on his back since Arkham went missing… Since… You shake off the thought. You have to say something. * [[You’re holding up better than most. How bad is it, really?->S3.1]] * [[Sorry. I just need rations, Boyd. Not in the mood to chat.->S3.2]]

Boyd exhales sharply, rubbing the bridge of his nose. ''Boyd:'' //Bad. Real bad. People are scared. We’ve lost more to the plague this week, and no one knows who’ll be next. Tobias says we’ll be out of food come winter. Those things are getting bolder, poaching our supplies. // He looks at you then, searching your face for something. Comfort? Accusation? Desperation? Your mind can only guess, shivering at his sight. [[->->S3.3]]

Boyd’s jaw tightens, but he gestures toward the road leading out of town. ''Boyd: ''//Rations are at the Ackerman farm. You’ll have to talk to Tobias if he’s still got any left.// He looks away, shoulders tense. [[->->S3.3]]

B''oyd:'' //Go to the Ackermans. Get what you need. And… if you see anything, you tell me first. Got it?// He doesn’t wait for a reply before turning away, staring up at the dying tree as if it might hold the answers he’s lost. [[->->S4.0]]

The sun hangs low in the sky, casting a sickly orange glow over the barren land. You trudge forward, boots kicking up dust from soil long stripped of its vitality. Stumps, jagged and splintered, stretch in every direction like the ribs of a great carcass. The wind moans through the skeletal remains of trees, carrying with it the acrid scent of rot. You and Fiona used to run around and play in these same woods when they used to hum with life. Now it barely breathes, a cadaver of its former self. That ritual was supposed to fix this. So much for Gaia. You were desperate. You took a gamble and it looks like you lost. Some sins are not forgotten. Your thoughts start to swirl like disturbed slop. [[->->S4.1]]

Your stomach twists with hunger, a gnawing reminder that you need to reach Tobias’ farm. But as you step over a tangle of exposed roots, you halt. A movement. A shape among the withered trunks. Atop a distant hillock stands a buck. Its coat, stark white, shimmers with an almost unnatural sheen. Its antlers, proud and unbroken, gleam in the dying light as if they were made from living silver. The creature is still, its dark eyes fixed on you. Unlike everything else in this place, it looks strong. Untouched. Alive. Impossible. The deer should be long gone. Nothing should survive out here. And yet, here it stands. * [[Observe the buck->S4.2]] * [[Turn away and keep walking->S4.3]]

You step forward cautiously, your breath shallow. The buck watches you, unblinking. Closer now, you notice something off. A subtle sheen beneath its fur, like sap glistening on bark. A tremor runs through your fingers. The creature exhales, and for a brief moment, you swear you smell earth after rain, fresh and pure. It was watching you. Not afraid. Just… waiting. [[->->S4.4]]

You tear your gaze away and keep moving, your pulse quickening. There’s something wrong about that animal, something that itches at the back of your skull. You don’t have time for mysteries. You need food. You need to keep moving. Even as you walk, you feel the weight of unseen eyes pressing against your back. [[->->S4.4]]

For a moment, you get a feeling like it judges you. Wages your sins, but the feeling disappears as soon as the buck runs away startled by a distant wolf call. You can't linger here. [[->->S5.0]]

The air is thick with the scent of damp hay and soil. You step onto the Ackerman farm, the wooden fence half-collapsed, the fields thin and struggling under the weight of a dying land. The farmhouse stands weary against the sky, its paint peeling like old bark. A few chickens peck listlessly at the dirt, but the usual sounds of livestock are absent. Tobias Ackerman stands by the barn, arms crossed, his face drawn with exhaustion. A man who was once broad and strong now looks hollowed out, worn down by scarcity and grief. Nearby, Aiden, his teenage son, leans against the well, watching you with bright, eager eyes. ''Tobias: ''//Didn’t expect to see you out this way, Rian. You looking for rations?// * [[I know things are stretched thin, but I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate.->S5.1]] * [[Boyd sent me. He said I had to come to you.->S5.2]]

Tobias ponders for a moment, unsure of what to say. ''Tobias: '' //I know.// [[->->S5.3]]

Tobias exhales sharply, running a hand down his face. His eyes flick toward the barn, then back to you. ''Tobias: '' //Boyd thinks I can pull grain from thin air. // [[->->S5.3]]

T''obias:'' //The crops are failing, the woods are crawling with critters, and people still come knocking, looking for scraps. I have my own family to feed as well. // He shakes his head, sticking his pitchfork on the ground leaning his weight on it. His expression softens for just a moment. ''Tobias: '' //I’ll see what I can spare.// ''Genevieve:'' //I saw a buck in the woods.// Tobias’ son, Aiden, who was presumably eavesdropping on the conversation, pushes himself around the corner. He is a spry gangly adolescent in ill-fitting linens, practically vibrating with energy. [[->->S5.4]]

A''iden:'' //A buck? A real one? Not just some half-starved doe?// He grips the strap of the old hunting bow slung across his back, his fingers twitching with anticipation. ''Aiden: ''//Pa, if we bring it down, that’s meat for weeks! We could dry it, trade it, Sera won’t have to keep picking through scraps!// At the mention of his daughter, Tobias’s jaw tightens. Something is wrong. His gaze flickers toward the farmhouse, where the faintest glow of candlelight spills from an upstairs window. ''Tobias:'' //Don’t go making promises yet, boy. He turns back to you, his expression guarded but considering.// ''Tobias:'' //You’re sure about this? You know where you saw it?// You nod. [[->->S5.5]]

G''enevieve:'' //Near the creek, just past the old mill.// ''Tobias:'' //Can I go with Ms. Gen, Pa? She can show me the way?// Tobias exhales, weighing the risk against the reward. Finally, he nods. ''Tobias: ''//Alright. I’ll tell you what. You help Aiden track it down, and I’ll make sure you don’t leave empty-handed. Some grain, some dried fruit. Top shelf.// Aiden grins, already pulling the bow from his back. ''Aiden: ''//We should head out before the trail goes cold!// Tobias lays a firm hand on his son’s shoulder, steadying him. ''Tobias: ''//Stay sharp, both of you. And if you run into any of those things, you run. No meat is worth dying for.// His gaze lingers on you, the unspoken weight of trust settling between you both. Then, he steps aside, letting you and Aiden pass into the wilderness hoping hunger and desperation doesn’t wait in the shadows. [[->->S6.0]]

You and Aiden move cautiously through the hollowed out land, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and decay. ''Aiden:'' //Say, Ms. Gen.// ''Genevieve:'' //What is it?// ''Aiden: ''//You think you’ll ever get married?// That question stumped you. You were not expecting that. * [[Yes->S6.1]] * [[No->S6.2]]

Someday you’ll find a life outside of this. [[->->S6.3]]

People like you don’t deserve a chance of happiness. [[->->S6.3]]

A''iden:'' I//’d like to get married to a girl like you, some day.// You laugh off his attempt, but you wonder if Lucille was ever asked that same question. Marriage didn’t work out for her. Betrayed by the one she trusted the most. Aiden crouches, pointing ahead. ''Aiden:'' //There. Just past the ridge.// At first, the buck looks almost normal. Its silhouette regal against the dying land. Its antlers rise like twisted branches, and its coat gleams despite the ruin around it. But as you step closer, the illusion shatters. Its flesh ripples, too loose, too fluid. Its ribs pulse beneath its skin, expanding and contracting as if something inside is breathing for it. Gnarled roots twist around its legs, fusing with sinew and bone. Its mouth is slightly open, and something moves within. A secondary jaw, twitching, hungry. But its eyes… they are still the eyes of a living thing. Wide. Wary. Pained. [[->->S6.4]]

Aiden inhales sharply, his grip tightening on his bow. ''Aiden:'' //What is this?// The buck jerks its head toward you. Its nostrils flare. Then, with a sickening crack of bones reforming, it moves too fast, too fluid, bounding toward you in a nightmarish lurch. * [[Kill the buck->S6.5]] * [[Retreat->S6.6]]

Aiden shoots an arrow. The first shot sinks into the buck’s shoulder, but it barely flinches. It rears back, its flesh splitting where the wound should be only to grow around the arrow, absorbing it. The plague does not allow death so easily. ''Genevieve:'' //Aim for the head!// The buck lunges, its secondary jaw snapping. Aiden fumbles another arrow. You dodge, feeling the heat of its breath, the wet hunger of its many mouths. The creature gives a final, wretched cry before collapsing. Its limbs convulse, roots retreating, flesh sagging like melted wax. Its eyes remain open, still watching, still pleading. Aiden stares, his face pale. ''Aiden:'' //That wasn’t no plague did that. That was something else.// [[->->S6.7]]

You grab Aiden’s arm and yank him back. ''Genevieve:'' //We’re not ready for this, move!// The buck lets out a guttural, almost human wail as it lunges. But you’re already running, weaving between the stumps, the dead land blurring around you. The sound of hooves pounding the earth follows you too long, too fast. And then silence. You don’t stop until you’re sure it’s gone. Aiden bends over, catching his breath, his hands shaking. ''Aiden: ''//We should’ve killed it. What if it finds the town?// [[->->S6.7]]

You don’t answer. Instead, you glance back toward the ridge where the buck had been. It’s gone now, but something about it lingers. The way its eyes had locked onto yours. It recognized you. [[->->S7.0]]

The sky is bruised with the colors of dusk as you and Aiden return to the Ackerman farm. The fields stretch out in brittle rows, the earth cracked and barren. You hear shouts in the distance, intense with raw grief that clings to your psyche. You quicken your pace, Aiden close behind. As you round the barn, the scene unfolds before you: Tobias stands, rifle raised, his body shaking with fury and sorrow. His eyes are red-rimmed, his breaths ragged. And in front of him, cowering in the dirt, is a Short Creature. Its limbs are mangled, twisted like gnarled branches, skin is a patchwork of bark and raw, oozing sap. Its face is half-hidden beneath a mask of fungal growth, but its eyes are wide, pleading, human. ''The Short Creature:'' //Daddy… please.// [[->->S7.1]]

Tobias doesn’t lower the gun. His hands tremble, but his voice is steel. ''Tobias:'' //You ain’t my daughter! What did you do to her?// The Creature crawls forward, its movements jerky and unnatural. Its fingers, long, blackened claws, scrape against the dirt as it reaches for him. ''The Short Creature:'' //It’s me!// ''Tobias:'' //Damn you, demon! Using her voice like that to trick me!// Tobias flinches, his grip unsteady. But the fear is stronger than the doubt. * [[Interject->S7.2]] * [[Say nothing->S7.3]]

You step forward, grabbing Tobias by the arm. Tobias whirls on you, his eyes wild. Aiden shifts beside you, torn, but he doesn’t speak. He just stares at the thing. The Creature takes the moment. It scrambles to its feet, its movements a grotesque parody of human grace. It stumbles backward into the treeline, its form blendi[ng with the shadows. Tobias turns back just in time to see it vanish into the thick underbrush. He storms past you, but it’s too late. The forest swallows the Creature whole. A beat of silence. Then Tobias turns, his face twisted with rage and grief. ''Tobias:'' //You let that thing get away!// [[->->S7.2.1]]

The weight of what just happened hangs thick. Aiden has withdrawn, his hands shaking, his breath uneven. No one speaks for a long time. Then, Tobias turns to you. ''Tobias:'' //This… this ain’t gonna stop.// His voice is unsteady, but there’s steel beneath it, something hardened in the fires of sorrow and fear. He steps closer, his face shadowed in the dimming light. ''Tobias:'' //You seen 'em. The monsters. What they do to people. What they took from me. We can’t just sit around waitin’ for the next one to come crawling outta the dark. We gotta end this. His grip tightens on his rifle. The same hands that once cradled his children now hold nothing but anger.// //You go to Boyd. You tell him what’s out there. The town’s scared, but they’ll listen to you. Tell him we take back the catacombs. Burn it all down if we have to.// [[->->S7.2.2]]

You feel the pressure of his words settling over you. This is it. The moment the town stops enduring and starts fighting back. You see it in his eyes. If you agree, the town will be thrown into a war against the infected. If you hesitate… Tobias might take matters into his own hands. * [[Agree to rally the town->S7.2.3]] * [[Try to reason with Tobias->S7.2.4]]

You exhale, nodding once. ''Genevieve:'' //I’ll go to Boyd. I’ll tell him.// ''Tobias: ''//Good. Before we lose more people. // Behind him, Aiden still won’t look at either of you. The wind stirs the fields, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and decay. The town’s fate has shifted. [[->->S7.2.5]]

Your mouth opens, then closes. You hesitate. Tobias notices. ''Genevieve:'' //Tobias, rushing in won’t fix this. We don’t even know how many of them are down there.// ''Tobias: ''//And if we do nothing? You think they’re just gonna stop? That they’ll just leave us alone?// His voice is rising, but it’s not just anger. It’s fear. It’s the crushing weight of helplessness. He needs this fight. He needs something to fight. He exhales sharply, shaking his head. ''Tobias:'' //You go to Boyd. You tell him. One way or another, we end this. // [[->->S7.2.5]]

As you leave the Ackerman farm, the weight of your next move presses down on you. The night air is thick with the scent of damp earth and distant smoke, the town barely visible beyond the skeletal trees. A choice lingers in your mind, gnawing at the edges of your thoughts. Boyd is waiting at the sheriff’s office, his patience thinning. If you go to him now, you can set the town’s fate in motion. Rally them, strike first, end this before it consumes everything. Or you could turn away from the town entirely. The catacombs call to you. A place of whispers and rot, of familiar faces twisted by something beyond human. Fiona is waiting. The infected are waiting. There may still be a path forward with them. The choice weighs heavily on you. * [[Go to the Sheriff’s Office->S8.0]] * [[Go to the Catacombs->S8.1.1]]

You swallow hard and take a step back. The Creature’s eyes dart between you both, desperate, but no one speaks for it. ''The Creature:'' //Daddy!// The gunshot shatters the quiet. The Creature crumples. Its grotesque body jerks once, then stills. Sap seeps from the wound, dark and sluggish. Aiden makes a small, choked noise, but Tobias just stands there, rifle still raised, as if waiting for something. Waiting for it to prove him wrong. It doesn’t move again. Aiden turns away, his shoulders trembling. You don’t know what to say. There’s nothing to say. The sun sets over Ackerman Farm, and another grave joins the land. [[->->S7.3.1]]

The Sheriff’s Office is dimly lit, the lanterns barely keeping the shadows at bay. The scent of stale tobacco and old paper lingers in the air. Boyd sits at his desk, eyes sunken with exhaustion, sifting through reports that all say the same thing. Things are getting worse. He barely looks up as you enter. ''Boyd: ''//Unless you’re here to tell me the monsters up and left, I don’t have time for guessing games, Rian.// You shut the door behind you, the weight of Tobias’s request pressing against you. * [[We can’t wait any longer->S8.0.1]] * [[You’re the only one who can lead them->S8.0.2]]

You steel yourself and meet Boyd’s tired gaze. ''Genevieve:'' //We’re out of time, Boyd. We either go after them, or we wait for them to pick us off one by one.// Boyd exhales sharply, leaning back in his chair. He pinches the bridge of his nose, the weight of leadership pressing down on him. ''Boyd:'' //Damn it… You think I don’t know that? But if we go in blind, we could lose everyone.// ''Genevieve:'' //We’ll lose them anyway if we don’t act.// A long silence. Then, Boyd curses under his breath and stands up. ''Boyd:'' //Fine. But if we do this, we do it right.// [[->->S8.0.3]]

You take a step closer, lowering your voice just enough to make it personal. ''Genevieve:'' //People trust you, Boyd. They need you to make the call. If you don’t, Tobias will, and you know how that’ll end.// Boyd’s jaw tightens. He stares at you for a long moment, then sighs, running a hand over his face. ''Boyd:'' //Shit… You really know how to put a man in a corner, don’t you?// ''Genevieve: ''//I just know you care about this town.// He hesitates. Then nods. The decision is made. [[->->S8.0.3]]

The bell tolls, summoning the town to the square. The people gather beneath the last great tree, their faces hollow with hunger, their eyes sharp with fear. Boyd stands on the steps of Town Hall, and you stand beside him. Murmurs ripple through the crowd as they wait for him to speak. ''Boyd:'' //I won’t waste your time. We all know what’s been happening. The disappearances, the sickness, the monsters lurking in the dark.// A ripple of unease runs through the crowd. Someone spits on the ground. Others nod grimly. [[->->S8.0.4]]

B''oyd: ''//We’ve waited. We’ve prayed. It’s not enough. If we don’t take back our town, there won’t be a town left to save.// The murmur turns into a roar. Voices rise. Some in fear, some in fury. ''Townsperson 1:'' //Burn 'em out!// ''Townsperson 2:'' //Kill the plague before it kills us!// The crowd has turned. The fear that once kept them hiding is now pushing them forward, hungry for action, for blood. They hold anything that may resemble a weapon: pitchforks, torches, scythes. Boyd glances at you. This is happening now, and there’s no turning back. ''Boyd:'' //We attack at dawn.// [[->->Ending1.0]]

The catacombs swallow you whole. The air is thick with the stench of wet earth and rotting wood. Your lantern gutters as you descend, its light painting the walls in jagged strokes. Shadows twisting. At the chamber’s heart, they wait. The Long-Limbed Creature steps forward first, its body a tangle of gnarled bark and sinew, limbs stretched like roots seeking sunlight. Sap drips from its eyes like tears. ''The Long-Limbed Creature:'' //You… came back.// You freeze. That voice. You remember the night of the ritual, choking on smoke and the coppery tang of blood. The ground quakes. Mayor Leroy screams as bark splits his skin. Sheriff Arkham gurgles as fungal tendrils burst from his throat. And Fiona. [[->->S8.2]]

She reaches for you, her fingers trembling. Too late. Her collar bone splinters. Bark erupts from her flesh, crawling up her neck like a disease. Her limbs stretch, joints popping, bones elongating into grotesque, branch-like appendages. She collapses to her knees, sap-tears streaming down her face. ''Genevieve: ''''//FIONA!//'' The roots beneath you writhe. They coil around your throat, dragging you down as Fiona’s body contorts. Her screams melding with the creak of splitting wood. Your breath catches. The Long-Limbed Creature tilts its head. A gesture so Fiona it stabs like a blade. ''Genevieve: ''//Fiona?// The Long-Limbed Creature’s sap-filled eyes meet yours. For a heartbeat, the monstrous mask slips. ''Fiona:'' //You left me here. In the dark.// [[->->S8.1.4]]

Two more creatures step into the light. You recognize the badge of Sheriff Arkham on the looming fungal-riddled form looms. The other a grotesque amalgamation of knotted roots taking a formless mesh shape. The guilt in its voice is a palpable force, it must be Mayor Leroy. ''Leroy:'' //We all pay for our sins, Genevieve. Even you.// Fiona’s bark-like hand lashes out, gripping your wrist. Sap burns your skin. ''Fiona:'' //You let them murder a child. You’re no better than him.// She jerks her head at Arkham, who grins, teeth like splintered bone. [[->->S8.4]]

Two more creatures step into the light. You recognize the badge of Sheriff Arkham on the looming fungal-riddled form looms. The other a grotesque amalgamation of knotted roots taking a formless mesh shape. The guilt in its voice is a palpable force, it must be Mayor Leroy. ''Leroy:'' //We all pay for our sins, Genevieve. Even you.// A whimper echoes. Sera crawls from the shadows, her body a mess of half-formed bark and weeping blisters. She clutches Fiona’s elongated arm like a lifeline. ''Sera: ''//Ms. Gen, can I go home now?// ''Fiona: ''//Shh, it’s okay child. Let the adults speak. // Fiona’s posture softens, a fractured echo of the sister who once shielded you from your father’s rage. [[->->S8.4]]

The air in the catacombs thickens. Fiona’s sap-filled eyes bore into you, waiting. You swallow hard, the weight of Boyd’s plans heavy on your tongue. ''Genevieve:'' //The town knows you’re here. They’re coming. Boyd’s rallying them to attack. To burn everything.// A low, creaking groan ripples through the infected. Arkham’s fungal-jaw splits into a grin. ''Arkham: ''//Of course they are. You think they’d let us rot down here? No, they’ll hack us apart for kindling. // He steps closer, his voice a guttural snarl. ''Arkham: ''//We strike first. Wipe ’em out before they get the chance.// [[->->S8.5]]

L''eroy:'' //No! Don’t you see? This is justice. We brought this plague upon ourselves. We killed to feed our greed. My Lucille… she begged me to stop. And I-// His voice cracks. ''Leroy:'' //We deserve the fire.// Fiona’s elongated fingers twitch. She turns to you, her voice a fractured echo of the sister you once knew. ''Arkham:'' //You wanna die, Leroy? Fine. But I ain’t letting some mob of hypocrites carve me up for sins they’d commit too. We’re stronger now. Faster. We can take the town for ourselves.// ''Leroy:'' //Strength? Look at us, Sylvester! We’re monsters. This… this is Gaia’s punishment. Let Boyd end it. Let the flames cleanse us.// ''Arkham:'' //Flames? You think fire scares me? I’ll burn this whole damn forest down before I let them win!// ''Leroy: ''//Genevieve, please. You know what we did was wrong. End the cycle. Let the town have its vengeance and grant us peace.// [[->->S8.6]]

Fiona watches you, her head tilted in a way that sends a shiver down your spine. Too human, too familiar. ''Fiona: ''//You always hated choosing, Gen. Hiding behind my decisions. My mistakes. // A bitter laugh, like wind through dead branches. ''Fiona: ''//But this time? I’ll follow your call. Do we become the wolves… or the lambs?// * [[We fight. We survive->S8.7]] * [[We surrender. We end this->S8.8]]

Arkham’s laugh echoes through the chamber, sharp and unhinged. ''Sheriff Arkham:'' //That’s the Rian I remember! No more hiding, no more cowardice.// Fiona’s bark-like hand clasps your shoulder, her grip crushing. Sap wells in her eyes. Whether pride or pity, you can’t tell. ''Fiona:'' //Then we give them a war they’ll choke on.// The infected surge toward the tunnels, claws and teeth bared. You follow, your heartbeat a drum of dread. [[->->Ending2.0]]

Leroy closes his eyes, a single black tear cutting through the rot on his cheek. ''Leroy:'' //Thank you. For letting us… finally rest.// Arkham roars, lunging at you, but Fiona’s elongated arm snaps out, pinning him to the wall. ''Fiona:'' //Run!// You flee toward the surface, Boyd’s name on your lips. Behind you, Leroy begins to sing. A hymn or a requiem, you’re not sure. [[->->S8.0]]

↶

↷

Blackness.
Your breath comes in ragged gasps, each one sharp and shallow, as if the air itself is resisting you in the vacuum of the undercroft you find yourself in.
Chanting and muffled whimpers swirl the perimeter of your mind. Is it worth it? Is this the only solution?

Chant: Gaia, hear us! Take from us blood and return to us sap.