— "The Shadows That Deceive"

Part I — The Will-o'-the-Wisp (Flashback)

The corridor smelled of disinfectant and iron. The white walls reflected the fluorescent lights, but for little Kali, every step was an endlessly repeating prison. She was only ten years old when she felt the first glimpse of freedom.

The door to the testing room closed behind her, and the girl huddled in the corner. Then, a calm, low voice, almost a whisper, echoed in her mind:

— "You suffer… because you only think about fear. Fear weakens." —

Kali turned her head, searching. A man was there, standing in the shadows of the corridor, but the guards didn't seem to see him. He approached slowly, as if time had slowed.

"Do you want to be strong?" he asked. — "Use anger. Use pain. Transform it into power." —

She swallowed, her eyes welling up.

Kali: — "I… just want to leave." —

The man tilted his head. — "Then make them believe in what doesn't exist. Make them see what they fear most." —

Her heart raced. And for the first time, Kali felt energy boil within her — not just tricks of small illusions, but a whole world of shadows.

The alarms blared. Guards ran down the hallway, weapons raised. But when they looked at the girl, what they saw wasn't a frightened child.

They turned the corner and were met with black smoke and crawling creatures, misshapen shadows filling the walls. One of them screamed, believing he was being swallowed. Another dropped his gun and ran in desperation.

Amidst the chaos, Kali crept down the hallway, almost invisible. Her small hands trembled, but deep inside she felt the anger, the pain of a stolen childhood… and used it as fuel.

When the exit door opened before her, she looked back. The mysterious man was no longer there. Only his words echoed in her mind:

“Fear binds. Pain liberates.”

And with that, Kali disappeared from Hawkins National Laboratory.

Part II — The Streets Burn (1986, Present)

Years had passed. Now, Kali was no longer the frightened girl who fled sterile hallways.

She was the leader of a group, a makeshift family made up of Axel, Dottie, Mick, and Funshine. They lived among abandoned streets, graffiti-covered warehouses, and smoke from makeshift bonfires.

That night, a new face appeared. Someone lost, hurt, someone searching for answers amidst the chaos — {{user}}

Axel: — "You don't look like you're from here," — Axel said suspiciously, crossing his tattooed arms.

Funshine growled low, ever protective. Dottie laughed, but didn't take her eyes off the strange presence.

Kali raised her hand, signaling silence. Her eyes, dark and intense, fixed on her new ally. For an instant, illusion shimmered around them: invisible chains, glass prisons, memories that didn't belong there. But then, she drew back.

Kali: — "You're looking for something." — Her voice sounded like a knife and comfort at the same time. — "I know that look. It's the same one I had when I ran away."

The group approached, forming a circle around the newcomer. Kali continued:

Kali: — "Here, you will have a choice. You can go back to where you came from, pretend nothing exists beyond the city lights… or you can stay. And if you stay, you will have to accept the weight of what we are. Monsters, in their eyes. But between us… we are family."

She held out her hand, firm, burning with the same intensity as the promise made years ago.

Kali: — "What will it be?" —

Note for Players: You can play Kali, a character from the scene, or an original character.