The world wasn’t always this way. Once, magic-users and non-magic folk lived in uneasy peace, their lives ruled by the Old Laws that forbade both to cross certain boundaries. But that was before the government began implementing the Escape Rooms, a dark solution to a world growing ever more divided by crime and power. For centuries now, criminals—or those deemed criminals—were sentenced not to prisons but to the Escape Rooms: complex mazes, each with a lethal combination of puzzles, creatures, and magical traps. These rooms were scattered across the world, dark testaments to human ingenuity and cruelty. Survival rates were abysmal. Most who entered never returned, spending what remained of their lives clawing through level after level, some of which grew so deadly only three in every hundred would survive.

Rumors had grown around these rooms, feeding a quiet mythology: that they fed on their victims' fears, that they could shift and adapt, that they could consume a person’s magic itself. To be sentenced here was to face certain death, or, if you were lucky, endless wandering and pain. And yet, in rare cases, a survivor would emerge—half-ghosts, haunted by what they had seen and done.

One such survivor was Li Wei. Platinum-blonde hair, eyes tinged with a faint purple glow, he had become something of a legend in the underworld. He’d been sentenced to five escape rooms over his life, and though he hadn’t committed any of the crimes he was accused of, he had still survived, even besting a room that went over level 100. People called him the Reaper; they said he was untouchable, unstoppable. And though he bore the scars of his journeys—both mental and physical—he returned every time, wounded but unbroken.

But this time was different.

---

The cell was a cold, unforgiving space, just like every other time. The air smelled damp, tinged with iron and rot. The dim light flickered overhead, casting shadows that stretched long and sinister along the walls. Li Wei sat against the wall, head tilted back, platinum-blonde hair falling over his closed eyes. His lean frame showed signs of recent battle: scratches marred his cheeks, bruises blossomed along his jaw, and blood-stained bandages wrapped around his arm and shoulder. He hadn’t even had the chance to heal properly since the last time they’d thrown him in.

Five times now, he’d been hurled into these so-called escape rooms. Five times, and he’d survived, each time emerging battered but unbroken. It was a miracle, they said, that he had survived level 100—one of the highest, most lethal traps anyone had ever seen. Most people never made it beyond level 30, let alone level 100. But then again, Li Wei had a lot of reasons to survive. He had been falsely accused, framed every time, and he was determined to find the people responsible.

A creak of the heavy iron door echoed through the cell, snapping Li Wei’s focus. He cracked an eye open and immediately tensed. In the doorway stood a tall figure, wild red hair catching the light, eyes a deep, smoldering red that almost seemed to glow. This new arrival looked around with an easy smile, as if the cramped, death-ridden cell amused him. He’s definitely not from around here, Li Wei thought.

The newcomer extended a hand toward Li Wei with a grin. “You’re the one they call the Reaper, aren’t you? I’m Xia Ren. Signed myself up for the challenge. Thought I’d finally get to see what this ‘escape room’ is all about.”

Li Wei stared at him, incredulous. “You… signed up?”

Xia Ren’s smile widened. “Yeah. Thought it’d be fun.”

Li Wei shook his head, sighing as he slowly rose to his feet. His own purple eyes narrowed in disbelief. “No one signs up for this. They throw criminals and so-called criminals into these levels. Each room is a deadly puzzle, and you… signed up?”

Xia Ren shrugged, his confidence radiating from him like a furnace. “Everyone kept talking about it. I got curious.”

Li Wei had been through enough of these rooms to know that curiosity in this place was a death sentence. But he also knew that fate had thrown them together. This time, he wouldn’t face the horrors alone. Not that it helped his nerves any—every escape room he’d been in had tried to break him, each deadlier than the last. And now, he would have to bear the responsibility of getting this madman through them too.

“I’ve done this alone every time,” Li Wei muttered, taking a deep breath as he sized up his new partner. “But if we’re paired, you’d better listen to everything I say. This place isn’t a game.”

Xia Ren chuckled, the sound deep and oddly reassuring. “Then I’ll follow your lead, Reaper. But I didn’t come here to be scared.”

Li Wei wasn’t reassured, but there was no time for second-guessing. The lights in the cell flickered once more, and with a groaning creak, a section of the wall slid open, revealing a dark corridor leading into the unknown.

“The levels,” Li Wei said, gripping the hilts of the weapons hidden in his clothing, “get more complex the deeper we go. And at any point, one wrong move can kill you.”

Xia Ren smirked, his hands resting casually at his sides. “Sounds like fun.”

As they crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut behind them with a harsh finality, plunging them into a maze of narrow stone corridors. Li Wei’s heartbeat thrummed in his chest as he stepped cautiously forward, Xia Ren keeping pace beside him, seemingly unfazed by the dark.

In the quiet, Li Wei whispered under his breath, the first incantation to light their way. A gentle, ghostly glow illuminated his hand, lighting the stone walls with a dim, purple hue. As they proceeded, Xia Ren looked over at him, eyes shining with newfound respect.

“Magic, huh?” Xia Ren grinned. “Guess we’re in good hands.”

Li Wei ignored the comment. This wasn’t a time for conversation. His senses were sharp, honed from years of navigating these deadly rooms. He knew the traps here were less about brute force and more about clever illusions, riddles, and snares that preyed on the mind. Each room was a puzzle layered with dark magic, and the penalty for failing was often swift and brutal.

They entered the first room: a vast chamber lined with mirrored walls that distorted and twisted their reflections. Li Wei stopped Xia Ren with a firm grip on his shoulder.

“Don’t touch anything,” Li Wei warned. “This room tests perception. One wrong move, and we’ll be torn apart.”

Xia Ren looked around, his eyes narrowing as he took in the room. He took a step back and nodded. “Lead the way, Reaper.”

Li Wei inhaled sharply, drawing on every ounce of his strength. He guided Xia Ren around each corner, carefully sidestepping the illusions that haunted every mirror, whispers clawing at his mind. Li Wei fought them off with the sheer force of will he had cultivated through every escape, every impossible battle he’d faced before.

Finally, they emerged from the mirrored hell, untouched but shaken. Xia Ren’s cocky grin had softened, respect filling his gaze. “You weren’t kidding,” he said, breathing heavily. “This place really doesn’t pull any punches.”

They moved through level after level, each more treacherous than the last. Traps and beasts lay in wait, magical puzzles twisting their reality into deadly riddles. Each time Li Wei faced down another trap, another beast, his body protested, weakened from his previous escape. But each time, he pushed forward. This wasn’t just about survival—it was about justice, about proving himself.

By the time they reached the tenth level, Li Wei felt the weight of fatigue pressing down on him. They stood in the center of a massive room, fire crackling in pits around them, casting an eerie glow over the metal gears and chains lining the walls. An enormous creature loomed above them, an iron beast fueled by the dark magic that permeated every corner of the room.

“Take the right,” Li Wei instructed, voice firm despite his exhaustion.

Xia Ren shot him a brief look of concern but didn’t question him. As Li Wei flung himself into the fray, magic flaring in his hands, he realized that for the first time, he wasn’t fighting alone.

They fought in perfect tandem, Xia Ren matching his every move, his reckless confidence balanced by Li Wei’s calculated precision. Together, they brought the beast down, its metallic limbs collapsing to the ground in a shower of sparks.

When the room finally fell silent, Xia Ren glanced over, panting, with a slight grin on his face. “Maybe this isn’t so bad with a partner, huh?”

Li Wei managed a faint smirk, adrenaline and fatigue warring within him. “Don’t get too comfortable. We’re only just getting started.”

The room before them was a cavernous space with walls lined in glinting racks, each holding weapons that seemed to hum with latent energy. These were not ordinary tools; every blade, every staff, every spear was infused with magic of its own, powers that aligned with elements or concepts—fire, ice, shadows, even illusions. Each weapon resonated with an enchantment so strong it almost vibrated, waiting to be wielded.

As Li Wei moved forward, his experienced eyes quickly picked out his usual arsenal. He reached for a pair of short swords, their obsidian-black blades etched with runes that pulsed in time with his own heartbeat. These were the Whisper Blades, capable of shrouding the user in shadow and muffling sound—a necessity in the many rooms where silence was the only way to survive. Alongside them, he took his long dagger, Phantom’s Edge, a weapon that could phase in and out of existence, slipping past any defense. He slid two small throwing knives into his belt, each embedded with a minor lightning spell that would paralyze an opponent upon contact.

Xia Ren watched him with an eyebrow raised, clearly impressed. “Nice collection you’ve got there.”

Li Wei ignored him, heading to the final rack where he claimed his Shade Cloak, a woven garment embedded with nightstone that allowed him to merge with darkness itself. With his weapons secured, he turned, watching Xia Ren pick up a longsword, inspecting it with a thoughtful frown.

Xia Ren’s chosen weapon, the Inferno Blade, was wrapped in red flames that flared with every movement. He hefted it, testing its weight, and grinned. “Perfect.”

Beside it, he selected a short spear known as Scorching Wind, enchanted to create powerful gusts of hot air with each strike. Xia Ren twirled the spear, flames licking up the metal with every move.

Li Wei watched him critically, still baffled that Xia Ren had signed up for the escape rooms willingly. “If you’re done,” he said flatly, “let’s keep moving.”

Xia Ren sheathed his weapons, though the flames around his sword dimmed, a faint glow still burning within the hilt as they moved through the arched corridor.

---

The corridor opened up into the first level—a dark, cavernous chamber where shadowed columns loomed overhead, their heights vanishing into the darkness above. The stillness was broken only by a low, ominous hum, and the faint scrape of something clawed moving in the depths of the room.

As Li Wei cast a faint, purple-tinged glow over his hand, he whispered, “Whisper Blades, meld me to shadow.” The shadows around him deepened, embracing him and dimming the soft glow of his magic.

“Silent,” Li Wei murmured to Xia Ren. “Or the creature will be on us in seconds.”

Xia Ren nodded, gripping his Inferno Blade and following Li Wei in silence. It wasn’t long before the creature emerged—a massive, sinewy form with limbs twisted like gnarled tree roots, its skin almost translucent, covered in pale veins. The creature sniffed the air, its clawed fingers trailing along the stone floor as it moved with eerie precision, nearly sightless but hyper-sensitive to sound.

They moved in perfect silence, Li Wei guiding Xia Ren in a slow, soundless path along the edges of the room. Every few steps, Xia Ren glanced over, eyes wide with something between wonder and tension. The creature roamed, restless but unaware, circling as if it could sense their presence but not pinpoint them. Just when they reached the far side, the creature froze, its head snapping toward them.

Li Wei barely had time to react before he murmured, “Shroud.” The shadows around them thickened, and they slipped past the creature, who clawed at the air, confused. When they crossed the threshold into the next corridor, Xia Ren exhaled with a shaky grin.

“You weren’t kidding about being quiet,” he whispered, adjusting his grip on the Inferno Blade, though the glow of flames had dimmed. “First room, and they’re already tossing us to the wolves.”

Li Wei just shook his head. “They want us rattled. The further in we go, the worse it’ll get. Get used to it.”

Xia Ren shot him a grin, though Li Wei could see the edge in his eyes. “Fine by me.”

---

The next room forced them to think fast. It was a latticework of raised tiles, each carved with an ancient symbol that radiated magic. Li Wei’s experience told him immediately what this was—a trap that triggered at the slightest misstep. Each tile had to be stepped on in the correct order to avoid a deadly backlash.

As they began, Li Wei stepped first, whispering a binding spell over his Whisper Blades. Each step they took, the floor reacted, shimmering under his feet as he moved precisely along the path. Xia Ren’s Inferno Blade was sheathed, but he moved swiftly, careful to step in sync with Li Wei.

Halfway across, the symbols began to shift beneath their feet, rotating in complex patterns. Xia Ren swore under his breath, his steps wavering.

“Stay focused,” Li Wei muttered. “Follow my movements exactly. No hesitation.”

They moved forward, the floor trembling beneath them as the trap reset, causing the tiles to rumble and shift in a final, dangerous rotation. Just as they reached the end, the floor collapsed behind them, tiles dropping into an endless void as the door shut with a heavy thud.

Xia Ren whistled softly, eyeing the place where the floor had vanished. “I’ll give it to them—they’re not subtle.”

Li Wei only grunted, already moving on. “And that was just level one.”

---

When they reached the third level, Xia Ren seemed almost impressed by the escape rooms’ relentless design. They entered a chamber split by a deep crevasse that spanned the entire width, disappearing into a sea of flames far below. A thick rope bridge hung above the gap, old and fraying, swinging gently from the force of hot winds rising from the lava below.

Xia Ren smirked, raising an eyebrow. “What? Too easy?”

“Not quite,” Li Wei replied, his voice tense as he spotted several pairs of red eyes in the shadows. “There are creatures in the dark that hunt anyone crossing.”

With his Whisper Blades ready, Li Wei stepped cautiously onto the bridge, gripping the ropes as the creatures—their forms like a cross between shadow and flame—crept from the walls. He murmured another spell, cloaking himself in shadow, while Xia Ren stepped behind him, casting a faint protective flame over the bridge with his Inferno Blade.

As they inched across, the creatures lunged, fiery claws slashing through the air. Li Wei sidestepped, his blades flashing as he parried, each strike slicing cleanly as the shadows bent to his will. Xia Ren joined in, his spear sending bursts of flame toward the creatures, the Scorching Wind amplifying each strike into a searing gust.

One creature leaped at them, claws poised, and Li Wei reacted instinctively, casting a dark shroud around Xia Ren. The creature passed through the illusion, confused, and in that split-second, Xia Ren struck with a powerful sweep of his spear, knocking it off the bridge and into the flames below.

They reached the other side, breathing heavily, the faint glow of their weapons illuminating the otherwise pitch-black space. Xia Ren looked at Li Wei with newfound respect, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Nice teamwork,” he said, his usual bravado softened by a hint of awe. “You’ve done this alone every time?”

Li Wei only nodded, though he allowed himself a small, tired smile. “Yeah. But it wasn’t this bad, the first time around.”

They continued on, moving through increasingly complex levels. Some rooms forced them to think, deciphering riddles carved into stone, while others pushed them into battles with deadly, enchanted creatures. Level seven had them racing against walls closing in, each blow they dealt buying them precious seconds. At level ten, they faced a vast cavern with a monstrous creature of metal and shadow that roared with rage, nearly pinning Li Wei against the wall before they defeated it in a flurry of flame and shadow strikes.

---

After hours of relentless challenges, they finally entered a quiet chamber—a resting room. In these rooms, they could let down their guard, recuperate, and take whatever respite they could before moving on. Li Wei collapsed onto a low cot, his weapons resting by his side. Xia Ren joined him, lying back and staring at the stone ceiling with a tired grin.

After a few moments of silence, Xia Ren spoke up, his voice soft. “You know, this is my first time in one of these. Figured it’d be interesting, but…” He trailed off, glancing over at Li Wei.

Li Wei looked back, an edge of curiosity in his tired gaze. “Why did you volunteer? You can’t have known what you were walking into.”

Xia Ren shrugged, running a hand through his red hair. “Maybe not, but it’s the only place I could think of to… test myself.” He laughed, though it was tinged with something darker. “People have been throwing me into one fight after another my whole life. I figured if there was a way to prove myself, it’d be here.”

Li Wei nodded, understanding a piece of that darkness. “Then this place is perfect for you,” he said dryly. “But don’t underestimate it. It has ways of digging deeper than you think.”

For a moment, Xia Ren’s cocky demeanor faltered

Li Wei and Xia Ren rested in silence, the cool stone floor beneath them a rare comfort after the deadly rooms they had just endured. The faint hum of magic woven into the walls was calming, a low vibration that hinted at the enchantments keeping them safe—temporarily, at least.

Xia Ren broke the silence, his voice carrying an edge of weary humor. “Didn’t think I’d ever be grateful for a stone floor, but here we are.”

Li Wei didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stretched gingerly, wincing as he adjusted himself on the hard cot. The movement pulled his shirt taut across his back, revealing faint crimson stains soaking through the fabric. Xia Ren’s sharp gaze caught the sight immediately.

“Hey, Li Wei,” he said, frowning. “You’re injured.”

Li Wei’s expression didn’t change, but he shifted slightly, his shoulders tensing. “I managed fine until now,” he replied evenly, avoiding Xia Ren’s eyes.

Xia Ren sat up, crossing his arms. “Fine? You can barely sit straight, let alone fight.”

After a beat of silence, Li Wei let out a quiet sigh, brushing a hand over the gash on his back. “These rooms don’t give time to recover,” he muttered, more to himself than Xia Ren. “I was barely out of one escape room when they threw me into another.”

Xia Ren’s eyes narrowed, concern slipping into his usual bravado. “Why do you even keep doing this? You know the death rate here. Most people don’t survive a single run, let alone five.”

Li Wei paused, his gaze darkening. “I don’t have a choice. And since I never volunteered for any of this, I prefer doing it alone.” He finally met Xia Ren’s gaze, his expression unreadable. “Because, if one of us dies, the other is killed immediately.”

Xia Ren’s jaw dropped slightly, his casual grin vanishing. “Wait. So, we’re linked? They didn’t tell me that.”

“Of course not.” Li Wei’s tone was cold, but there was a bitter edge beneath it. “This place doesn’t work like that. It’s all about control, and they want to make sure no one escapes. If one person fails, the entire attempt is over. The stakes are higher with two.”

Xia Ren was quiet for a long moment, the weight of Li Wei’s words settling heavily between them. “So, that’s why you’ve always gone solo.”

Li Wei gave a small nod. “I don’t want anyone else’s death on my hands. This place… it forces you to make impossible choices. And when you’re alone, at least you don’t have anyone else to protect.” He hesitated, glancing away. “But this time, I didn’t get a choice.”

A grim understanding flickered in Xia Ren’s eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, absorbing this new reality. “Guess that makes me lucky you’re around, then,” he said lightly, though his tone held none of his usual levity. He glanced back at Li Wei, nodding to his injuries. “But if we’re both going to survive, you need to patch yourself up first.”

At that, Li Wei gestured to a cabinet in the corner of the room, which bore a faint emblem of healing magic. “The recuperation rooms usually have supplies. Change of clothes, basic healing items, maybe even a basin if we’re lucky. They don’t want us dying too soon.” He stood carefully, wincing as he moved, and headed toward the cabinet. Xia Ren joined him, opening it to reveal fresh linens, basic healing salves, and a small basin with clean water.

They took turns washing off, each grateful for the brief respite. Li Wei winced as he cleaned the deeper cuts on his back, the sting of the water a reminder of how close he’d come to losing control in the last room. Xia Ren, for once, stayed quiet, his usual teasing replaced by a surprising gentleness as he offered Li Wei a clean bandage.

“Here,” Xia Ren murmured, helping him apply the bandage carefully. “After all, can’t have my survival buddy falling apart on me, right?”

Li Wei couldn’t help a slight smirk at that, though it was fleeting. “Keep up that attitude, and we might make it to the end after all.”

Once they’d bandaged their wounds and changed into fresh clothes, the two settled onto the cots, their weapons within reach. Silence settled over them as they each processed the risks and responsibilities they’d shouldered. Neither knew what lay ahead, but for the first time, Li Wei felt a sliver of something he hadn’t experienced in any previous escape room: a hint of companionship. The thought surprised him, almost as much as the fact that, for once, he didn’t entirely mind it.