As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the makeshift execution site, Knox stood frozen in shock and horror. The air was thick with tension, each moment stretching agonizingly as Timmy and Sara were led to the gallows.

Timmy's young face, usually filled with laughter and mischief, now bore the weight of impending doom. His eyes darted nervously as the noose was placed around his neck, the rough rope stark against his pale skin. The executioner's hands trembled slightly as they tightened the knot, the sound of his labored breathing echoing in the silence. “Why?! Knox, please save me!” He started sobbing uncontrollably. Knox struggled against his father's grip, but the level difference was too much. He couldn’t do anything but watch.

Sara stood beside Timmy, her jaw set in a steely resolve that belied the fear flickering in her eyes. Her hands were bound behind her back, the ropes digging into her flesh with each strained movement. “Thanks for everything, Knox. Before I go, just know that I love you.” The words hit Knox like a sledgehammer, each syllable driving deeper into his shattered heart. He stood there, frozen in disbelief, as the weight of their meaning crashed down upon him with crushing force. Despite the terror coursing through Sara’s veins, she held her head high, refusing to show weakness in the face of death.

Knox's heart pounded in his chest as he watched helplessly, his mind reeling with disbelief. The scene before him felt like a nightmare, a cruel twist of fate he couldn't wake up from. He wanted to scream, to lash out against the injustice unfolding before him, but his voice was trapped in his throat, choked by the overwhelming sense of despair.

Knox's breath caught in his throat as the lever was pulled and the trapdoor swung open. He seemed to slow to a crawl as he heard the sickening snap of Timmy's neck, the sound echoing in the stillness like a thunderclap. Timmy's lifeless body hung limply from the rope, a haunting testament to the brutality of their captors.

Next came Sara, her footsteps echoing loudly in the silence as she walked to her fate with measured steps. Her gaze met Knox's momentarily, a silent exchange of shared pain and sorrow. Then, with a final defiant glare at their executioners, she too was gone, her body disappearing from view as the trapdoor closed with a hollow thud.

Timmy... Sara... dead. The realization was like a dagger to his soul, tearing through him mercilessly. Their faces haunted him, their laughter echoing in his mind like a cruel mockery of the silence that now enveloped him.

Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

He wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all. But the words caught in his throat, choked by the overwhelming grief that threatened to consume him whole. Tears streamed down his face unchecked, mingling with the dust and dirt that clung to his skin.

At that moment, Knox felt utterly and completely alone. His friends, companions, and family were all gone in an instant, leaving nothing but emptiness in their wake. And as he stood there, broken and empty, he vowed to carry their memory with him always, to honor their sacrifice with every breath he took.

But for now, all he could do was mourn. Mourn the loss of his friends, the loss of his innocence, the loss of everything he held dear. And as he sank to his knees, the weight of their absence pressing down upon him, Knox knew that he would never be the same again.

"Take him away," Jake commanded, his voice cold and devoid of remorse. "Throw him somewhere in a level 8 zone."

Knox remained on his knees, the weight of his grief and despair bearing down on him like a leaden cloak. He offered no resistance as the soldiers approached, their faces masked by shadows as they grabbed him roughly by the neck and began to drag him away.

The world blurred around Knox as he was pulled from the execution site, his thoughts consumed by a numb sense of resignation. He knew what awaited him in the unforgiving depths of a level 8 zone - danger, uncertainty, and the constant threat of death lurking around every corner.

But as the soldiers dragged him further and further from the only life he had ever known, Knox felt a flicker of defiance ignite within him. He would find a way to make his father pay for the betrayal that had cost him everything.

The next few days passed in a blur of exhaustion and despair as Knox, accompanied by the soldiers, journeyed through the wilderness of the level 5 and 6 zones. The landscape was unforgiving, with rugged terrain and treacherous obstacles at every turn.

Knox's body ached with every step, his muscles protesting against the relentless march forward. The soldiers showed no mercy, driving him forward with cruel efficiency, their eyes cold and indifferent to his suffering.

A whirlwind of emotions consumed Knox's mind as they traversed the hostile terrain. Anger, grief, and fear waged war within him, threatening to overwhelm his resolve with their relentless assault.

But amid the darkness, a spark of defiance burned brightly within Knox's heart. He refused to give up. He refused to be broken by the cruelty of his circumstances. With each passing mile, his determination grew more robust, his spirit unyielding in the face of adversity.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of endless marching, they reached the edge of the level 8 zone. The air crackled with tension as Knox gazed out into the forbidding wilderness that stretched before them, the horizon disappearing into a haze of uncertainty.

With a heavy heart and a sense of foreboding weighing heavily upon him, Knox took a deep breath and braced himself for the challenges that lay ahead. Whatever awaited him in the level 8 zone, he knew that he would face it head-on, with courage and resilience as his weapons against the trials to come. Knox considered turning back but knew the soldiers would catch him quickly. He decided to enter the level 8 zone and attempt to survive.