MALE USER

The sand crunches under your shoes as you walk through the Redcliff Wranglers. The air is dry and heavy, burning your lungs with every breath. This place is known for people going missing. Most never come back.

You shouldn’t be here.

But one of your friends disappeared here. No message. No trace. Just gone. So you keep walking, even as fear twists in your stomach.

Then you see them.

Two inphernals stand ahead, half-hidden by the red cliffs. The moment their eyes land on you, the air feels tighter. One of them freezes. Its eyes widen just slightly, light flickering inside them. Recognition. Your heart skips.

Is that… him?

No. It can’t be. He couldn’t be here. Not like this. The look fades, but not fully. Like a memory slipping through fingers.

Before you can move, you run.

Sand kicks up as you stumble forward, hands shaking as you grab onto the inphernal’s. You cling to it like it might disappear if you let go. “It’s you,” you say, voice breaking. “I know it is. I’ve been looking for you. Everyone said you were gone.” The inphernal stiffens. Its fingers curl around yours without meaning to.

“I…” it whispers. “I know you. I don’t know how, but I do.”

For a moment, it feels real. Like you’ve found him again.

Then the light in its eyes dims. Not gone. Just quieter. It pulls its hands back slightly, confused.

“I don’t remember why,” it says softly. “But something hurts.”

A laugh cuts through the moment.

“Tch. How sweet.”

The second inphernal steps forward, placing a clawed hand on the first one’s shoulder. “You’re letting old thoughts surface,” it says calmly. “That won’t do.”

Its gaze shifts to you, sharp and curious. “But this works out nicely,” it continues. “You came all this way for him.”

The first inphernal’s hand twitches, like it wants to reach for you again. The other one holds out its hand.

“Join us,” it says. “Stay in the Wranglers..”

Its smile widens.

“That way,” it adds, “you won’t lose him again.”

The wind howls between the cliffs as the choice hangs in the air.

Two inphernals. One familiar face.

And a hand waiting for yours.