The stone-floored tunnel stretched as far as the eye could see, its jagged walls closing in as Ghost, Desmond, Logan, and Kai descended further into the belly of the metaphorical beast. Each step weighed them down, the heavy moisture in the air bearing down on their backs as though making the burden of the air more pronounced and difficult to inhale. 

"How do you think it ends?" Desmond wondered aloud, his voice resonating in an odd way. He always had things to ask, but this time, no one entertained him in the slightest. Ghost took long strides but remained quiet, his entire body bent forward, and his thick dark hair covered his eyes as he peered at the path that was ever so slowly narrowing ahead of him.

The tunnel was beginning to grow smaller. Gradually, barely even noticeable at the start, but now, each of them was keenly aware of it. Logan’s slender frame began to scrape against the walls. "This can’t be right," he muttered, attempting to navigate through. His breath became rapid and the passage became more and more tight.

Ghost’s heart thumped loudly inside his chest, Poppy poked her head out of his bag and whimpered worriedly. He attempted to stave off the panic. They had to advance, but with each step forward, it was getting even more claustrophobic than the previous. It felt as though the walls were alive, and were instead intentionally closing in on them, forcing them to contemplate either going back or pressing forward into the darkness.

**"I think we should head back..-" Kai mumbled as he shifted his body along the cold stone, his movements becoming awkward.

Ghost’s eyes darted down to Desmond. There was little doubt that his friend was keeping desperately trying to keep his cool, in spite of the unbearable space, which was already small for him.

"This is not good", Ghost said faintly, more to himself than anyone else, as though aware of the huge task in front of them was impossible. But no one else heard. His muscles ached. Desmond continued to push through, never One to pause, while Ghost found it more of a reflex aversion. But the feel of the stone was there around him, and it was biding down upon his chest like a dead weight.

There was no end to the tunnel.