The cold, mechanical voice demanding the "Red Boy" turned Nikos's fear into a sharp, focused determination. He realized the chalk map on the floor, detailed in Elara's journal, was more than a drawing—it was a dynamic puzzle. While the Shadow Collectors swept the vast floor with their sickly pale blue light, Nikos crouched low, the vibrant red of his hoodie a surprising camouflage in the shadows and rust. He quickly flipped through the journal, correlating the moonbeams streaming through the high windows with the chalk symbols.
He carefully took the glowing red box and tilted it. The still-projecting beam of light moved, creating a third line that intersected two specific chalk runes. With a quiet click, a section of the concrete floor right next to the pedestal slid open, revealing a dark shaft leading downward.
The Shadow Collectors were getting closer, their heavy footsteps echoing. This was his only chance. Nikos slipped into the darkness, the maroon journal clenched between his teeth. His sudden descent caught the attention of the tall, masked figure, who yelled, "He's in the center! The floor opened!" As heavy footsteps pounded toward the hole, Nikos pointed the red box upward. The beam shot out, causing the section of floor to grind shut with a heavy, earth-shaking thunk, sealing his escape. He was now alone in the dark, guided only by a faint, encouraging red glow emanating from the box, leading him deeper into the subterranean tunnels.