As the heavy stone door shut behind Xavier and Aji, a thick silence fell upon the room, broken only by the faint flicker of torches casting ominous shadows. The air was so dense, Xavier could feel the weight of it pressing against his skin, making the room feel smaller than it actually was.
There was something peculiar on this particular floor. One corner of the room was piled with a mountain of mixed grains—so many shapes, colors, and sizes that it made their heads spin. On the opposite side stood an obsidian dark bowl absorbing the lights around it.
Aji groaned loudly, breaking the tense silence. “Oh, come on! First riddles, now this? What is this, some kind of weird cooking show challenge?”
Xavier’s expression remained serious. His eyes swept over the room, his gut telling him somet
