The wind howled across the empty hills. I stood on a narrow dirt path surrounded by endless green fields and checkerboard cliffs that stretched far beyond the horizon. The sky above me was a dull, grayish blue, like the world had forgotten how to be bright. Something about this place felt… wrong. It looked like a game world. Bright grass. Blocky terrain. Looping paths carved into the hills. But there was no music. No movement. No life. I took a cautious step forward. My shoes crunched softly against the dirt path. The sound echoed far longer than it should have, like the world itself was hollow. “Hello?” I called out. My voice carried into the empty landscape. No response. A cold feeling crept up my spine. I started walking faster along the path, passing palm trees that swayed slowly in a wind I couldn’t feel. Monitors sat along the trail, their screens dark and lifeless. Everything looked like it was waiting. Waiting for something to start. Then I noticed the footprints. They weren’t mine. Two long trails of impressions pressed into the dirt ahead of me, like someone had been walking this path long before I arrived. The prints looked strange—almost clawed. I followed them without thinking. The path curved around a tall cliff wall. As I stepped around the bend, I froze. Someone was standing ahead of me. A blue figure. Still. Silent. Watching. Slowly, the figure turned its head. The red glow of its eyes cut through the dull sky like burning coals. The grin spread across its face before it even moved. It was Exeller. My breath caught in my throat. He tilted his head slightly, studying me like a new toy. Then he chuckled. A low, distorted sound that didn’t belong in this quiet world. “Well… well…” His voice echoed across the empty hills. “Looks like my new player finally spawned.” My legs refused to move. The wind picked up, rustling the grass around us. His grin widened. And he took one slow step toward me. “Let’s see how long you last.”