David kept his back against the wall.
He didn’t move.
Neither did Rliqs.
The narrow passage stretched ahead of them, barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. There were no torches, no glowing symbols, no obvious source of light.
And yet, they could see.
A faint blue glow seeped through thin cracks running along the walls.
THUMP.
David’s chest pulsed.
THUMP.
Something beneath the floor answered.
He swallowed.
"Tell me that’s normal."
Rliqs didn’t answer.
David turned his head.
"Rliqs."
"I’m thinking."
"That’s usually what people say when they don’t know."
Rliqs ignored him and crouched beside the floor.
He pressed two fingers against the stone.
Nothing happened.
Then the stone beneath his hand vibrated.
Rliqs immediately pulled away.
David noticed.
"Feel something?"
"Yes."
"What?"
Rliqs looked down the passage.
"Movement."
David’s expression tightened.
"From below?"
"Everywhere."
That was not the answer he wanted.
David pushed away from the wall and looked ahead.
The passage wasn’t completely straight. It curved slightly after several meters, disappearing into darkness.
No footsteps.
No voices.
No creatures.
Just that pulse.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
David’s hand tightened around his weapon.
"Then we keep moving."
Rliqs stood.
"You heard the creature."
"Run?"
"Yes."
"Then let’s run."
They started forward.
Their footsteps sounded unnaturally loud in the cramped passage.
David kept glancing at the walls.
The symbols here were different from the ones in the chamber. They weren’t circles or inscriptions describing whatever had been imprisoned beneath the ruins.
These were lines.
Hundreds of them.
Thin silver markings carved directly into the stone.
Some were broken.
Others had been scratched over.
A few looked fresh.
David slowed.
"Rliqs."
"What?"
"These marks."
Rliqs glanced over.
His expression changed.
He stepped closer.
"What?"
"You recognize them."
"I recognize the style."
"That’s not what I asked."
Rliqs ran his fingers over one of the markings without touching it.
"This passage was made after the prison."
David looked at him.
"How do you know?"
"The stone."
Rliqs pointed toward the floor.
"These blocks aren’t part of the original structure. Someone built this passage into the ruins afterward."
David looked ahead.
"So someone knew about the prison."
"Apparently."
"Someone who also knew about the thing underneath."
Rliqs didn’t answer.
David gave him a sideways look.
"You’re getting really predictable again."
"I don’t know who built it."
"That wasn’t the question."
Rliqs continued walking.
David followed.
After another few steps, something caught his eye.
A symbol.
Three lines through a circle.
David stopped.
The same symbol appeared on the wall.
Unlike the others, this one wasn’t carved.
It looked burned into the stone.
His chest responded immediately.
THUMP.
The symbol lit up.
David jerked his hand back.
"Don’t touch it."
"I wasn’t going to."
The glow spread.
One line.
Then another.
Then the circle.
The entire wall vibrated.
Rliqs stepped back.
"David."
"I know."
A thin crack appeared beneath the symbol.
Then another.
The wall split open.
Not outward.
Inward.
A narrow doorway revealed itself.
Cold air rushed through it.
David stared into the darkness.
A faint sound came from inside.
Someone breathing.
He raised his weapon.
"Someone’s in there."
Rliqs moved beside him.
They listened.
Breathing.
Slow.
Uneven.
Human.
David looked at Rliqs.
"You hear it?"
"Yes."
"Could be Sophia."
Rliqs immediately shook his head.
"We don’t know that."
"But it’s worth checking."
"No."
David frowned.
"Why?"
"Because this passage is responding to you."
David looked back at the glowing symbol.
"Everything down here is responding to me."
"Exactly."
That stopped him.
Rliqs studied the doorway.
"If something wants you to enter, don’t."
David sighed.
"That’s becoming a very inconvenient rule."
A weak voice came from inside.
"David..."
His blood ran cold.
He knew that voice.
Sophia.
David stepped forward.
Rliqs grabbed his arm.
"Wait."
"Sophia."
"That could still be an imitation."
The voice came again.
"David."
This time, it sounded weaker.
Almost frightened.
David stared into the doorway.
"Sophia, if that’s you, say something only you’d know."
Silence.
David waited.
Then—
"Your first sword broke because you tried to cut through the iron gate."
David froze.
Rliqs looked at him.
David’s grip loosened.
Nobody here should know that.
It had happened years ago.
Sophia had been there.
David stepped through.
"David."
Rliqs cursed under his breath and followed.
The room beyond was small.
A single stone platform stood in the center.
Sophia was sitting against it.
Her clothes were torn.
Blood covered one side of her face.
Her breathing was shallow.
David’s expression changed immediately.
"Sophia."
He rushed toward her.
She lifted her head.
For a moment, relief crossed her face.
Then fear replaced it.
"Don’t."
David stopped.
"What?"
Sophia pointed behind him.
"Don’t let it see you."
David slowly turned.
Nothing.
Just the doorway.
Rliqs stepped inside.
His eyes immediately moved to the ceiling.
"Where is it?"
Sophia shook her head.
"I don’t know."
David crouched in front of her.
"What happened?"
She looked at him.
"I woke up here."
"When?"
"I don’t know."
"Did something bring you here?"
Sophia hesitated.
"I heard you."
David frowned.
"My voice?"
"No."
She swallowed.
"I heard you calling me."
David exchanged a glance with Rliqs.
Sophia continued.
"It sounded exactly like you."
"Then what happened?"
"I followed it."
Her fingers tightened around her sleeve.
"Then I realized it wasn’t you."
A low vibration passed through the room.
Sophia’s eyes widened.
"That’s it."
David stood.
"What is?"
"The thing that’s been calling me."
The walls trembled.
Rliqs raised his weapon.
"We need to leave."
David nodded.
He helped Sophia stand.
She nearly collapsed.
David caught her around the waist.
"You hurt?"
"My leg."
"Can you walk?"
"Probably."
"That’s not convincing."
"I’m fine."
"Everyone down here says that."
Sophia gave him the faintest smile.
Then her eyes moved to Rliqs.
She froze.
"Who is he?"
Rliqs looked at her.
"Rliqs."
Sophia’s expression tightened.
"You know him?"
David looked between them.
"You two have met?"
Sophia shook her head.
"No."
Rliqs didn’t respond.
David noticed the silence.
He filed it away.
There were too many things nobody wanted to explain.
Another vibration passed through the floor.
This one was stronger.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
Rliqs pointed toward the doorway.
"Now."
They moved.
Sophia leaned heavily against David as they entered the passage.
David adjusted his grip around her.
"You sure you can keep going?"
"I said yes."
"You’re limping."
"I’m aware."
"Good. Just checking."
She glanced at him.
"You’re still annoying."
David almost smiled.
"You’re still alive."
"I noticed."
For the first time since they’d entered the ruins, the tension between them eased.
Then something scratched against the wall.
Right beside David’s head.
He stopped.
Sophia went still.
Rliqs turned.
The scratch came again.
Slow.
Deliberate.
From inside the stone.
David stared at the wall.
A thin black line appeared.
Then another.
The markings around it began to glow red.
Rliqs’ expression hardened.
"Keep moving."
David didn’t argue.
They hurried forward.
Behind them, the wall cracked.
Something pushed against it.
The stone bulged outward.
Sophia looked back.
"David."
"I see it."
The wall exploded.
A black limb punched through.
Rliqs turned and swung.
His weapon struck the limb.
The impact sent a shockwave through the passage.
The creature withdrew.
Rliqs grabbed Sophia.
"Run!"
They ran.
The passage suddenly sloped downward.
David nearly lost his footing.
"Where does this go?"
"Down," Rliqs answered.
"That was obvious."
They reached the bottom.
A massive circular door blocked the passage.
No handle.
No lock.
Only the familiar symbol.
Three lines through a circle.
David stared at it.
"You’ve got to be kidding me."
Rliqs looked behind them.
The passage shook.
The creature was coming.
"Touch it."
David looked at him.
"You’re the one who said not to touch things."
"We don’t have time."
David placed his palm against the symbol.
Nothing.
Then his chest burned.
THUMP.
The door answered.
A pulse of blue light traveled through the entire circle.
THUMP.
The door opened.
Cold air blasted across them.
Rliqs pushed Sophia through first.
David followed.
The door slammed shut behind them.
Silence.
David bent over, breathing heavily.
Sophia leaned against the wall.
Rliqs stared at the sealed door.
Then he looked ahead.
David straightened.
The chamber beyond was enormous.
Much larger than anything they’d seen before.
Rows of stone pillars stretched into darkness.
At the center stood a circular platform.
And on that platform was a throne.
Someone sat on it.
David’s hand slowly tightened around his weapon.
The figure was human.
At least from a distance.
Long dark hair.
Black clothing.
A pale face.
His head was lowered.
Motionless.
David took one step forward.
The figure raised its head.
Two eyes opened.
Silver.
Not red.
Not blue.
Silver.
Sophia whispered.
"Who is that?"
Rliqs didn’t answer.
David looked at him.
For the first time, genuine fear crossed Rliqs’ face.
"Rliqs?"
The figure on the throne smiled.
Not at Rliqs.
At David.
Then it spoke.
"Finally."
David’s chest stopped.
The figure stood.
Chains emerged from the floor around him, snapping one after another as he moved.
David stared.
There was something horribly familiar about him.
Not his face.
Not his voice.
Something deeper.
The figure stepped down from the throne.
"You took your time."
David raised his weapon.
"Who are you?"
The man smiled.
"You really don’t remember."
David frowned.
"Should I?"
The man tilted his head.
"No."
He took another step.
"But you will."
Rliqs moved in front of David.
The man’s silver eyes shifted toward him.
"Move."
Rliqs didn’t.
The man’s smile disappeared.
"You always were stubborn."
David looked at Rliqs.
"Always?"
Rliqs’ jaw tightened.
The man continued.
"You brought him here."
Rliqs said nothing.
"You knew what he was."
Still nothing.
David’s eyes narrowed.
"What am I?"
The man looked directly at him.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he pointed toward David’s chest.
"The opening."
David felt his pulse quicken.
THUMP.
The man smiled.
"Do you feel it?"
THUMP.
"That’s not your heart."
David’s blood ran cold.
Another pulse came from beneath the floor.
THUMP.
The man opened his arms.
And every pillar in the chamber lit up.
Thousands of silver markings appeared across the walls.
All of them formed the same symbol.
Three lines through a circle.
Sophia stared around the chamber.
"What is this place?"
The man answered without looking at her.
"The place where your world was sealed."
David’s expression hardened.
"Sealed from what?"
The man looked at him.
"Me."
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