As we passed through the door, the temperature dropped, and a damp, musty smell filled the air. The faint light from the phosphorescent lichens barely illuminated the space ahead, revealing an expansive cavern. The ceiling was so high that it disappeared into darkness, and the floor was uneven, covered with jagged rocks and shallow pools of murky water.
The moment we were inside, the stone door slammed shut behind us with a resounding thud. We all turned back, but there was no handle, no way to open it from this side. We were committed now, and the only way out was forward.
“Stay alert,” Zara warned, her voice low and serious. “The worst might still be ahead.”
We moved cautiously through the cavern, our footsteps echoing in the vast emptiness. The ground was treacherous, and more than o
