The Ancient Key’s Call

Chapter 18

The Secret of the Small Room

The door slammed shut with a force that rattled the walls, and Isla and Jason pressed their backs against it, breath heavy and quick. Outside, the roar of the monsters shook the ground, causing the door to tremble violently. Every shudder felt as though the world itself might collapse. They exchanged glances, silently confirming that silence was their best option for now.

“Can we at least be quiet for a moment?” Isla gasped, her eyes still fixed on the door.

Jason nodded, almost instinctively, then turned to examine their surroundings. It was clear that he was already adjusting to this temporary refuge.

Suddenly, he chuckled low and pulled several heavy golden objects from his coat, letting them fall onto the ground with a soft clink, the bright gold pieces catching the faint light in the room.

Isla stared at him, wide-eyed. “You… you’re actually stealing gold? This could be sacred, possibly used in rituals! How can you just take it?”

Jason looked at her with a grin, his carefree attitude not changing. “Steal? Nah, we’re on an adventure of a lifetime here! We can’t come all this way and not grab a little something, can we?”

Isla’s face went pale with disbelief. “You’re insane.”

Jason just laughed, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. He kept admiring the golden pieces, turning them in his hands. “Look, Isla, we’re already risking our lives. No one’s going to give us a refund if we don’t make it out. Might as well get a bit of treasure for the effort.”

Isla felt her patience snap. She rolled her eyes, not even bothering to argue further. She turned away from him, looking around the small room they had locked themselves in.

The room was smaller than most of the others they’d seen in the temple, the stone walls rough and covered in damp moss, and the air smelled musty, almost suffocating. A few broken stone fragments and what appeared to be the remnants of some wooden objects lay discarded in the corners. It was cold and unsettling, yet strangely quiet, as though time had forgotten this place.

She began to carefully examine the room, moving cautiously towards one corner. Using her flashlight, she discovered an odd-shaped stone slab, half-hidden under some debris. With a slight effort, she managed to turn it over, revealing a narrow c***k in the wall beneath. From within the c***k came a faint, eerie green glow, almost as if something ancient was concealed within.

“There’s something here,” Isla whispered, her voice tinged with awe as she stared at the c***k. Her fingers brushed against the edges, feeling the strange energy that pulsed from it. There was an unmistakable sense that something important was behind that narrow opening.

Jason glanced over at her discovery, his usual smirk vanishing into a more serious expression. “This place is… off. It’s like a door, or maybe a hidden passage.”

Isla nodded silently. She could feel the hidden power emanating from within. She quickly retrieved a small knife from her backpack, attempting to pry open the c***k, but the edges were too firm. She stopped, thinking carefully, then began to look around for any other possible clues.

From the other side of the room, a faint sound broke the silence—a soft, sliding noise, almost imperceptible. Isla turned, her eyes narrowing, and followed the sound. She spotted a frayed rope hanging loosely from the wall in the corner. It seemed out of place, but upon closer inspection, she realized it might be connected to some sort of mechanism.

“We need to try that,” Isla said quietly, excitement creeping into her voice. She moved quickly toward the rope, pulling it with a swift motion. As soon as she tugged on it, a section of the stone wall next to her slid open with a low grinding sound, revealing a hidden passage.

Jason’s eyes lit up, and he hurried over to her, speaking in a hushed voice. “Looks like we’ve found a new way out.”

They exchanged a glance full of silent understanding, then moved swiftly into the passage without a second thought. As they proceeded further into the darkness, the air grew cooler and more oppressive. Their footsteps echoed in the narrow corridor, and the further they went, the darker it became, the beam of the flashlight barely piercing the blackness ahead.

Yet, despite the discomfort, they continued forward. Something about this place urged them to move deeper, to uncover its secrets.

But then, just as they were getting deeper into the passage, a low, rumbling growl echoed from behind them, vibrating through the walls.

“Run!” Jason hissed, his voice strained.

Isla’s heart skipped a beat as she felt a surge of panic. She glanced back at him, but there was no time to waste. The growling was getting closer. Whatever was behind them, it was coming fast.

Without hesitation, they sprinted ahead, their feet pounding the stone floor, their breaths ragged. Every instinct screamed at them to flee—to escape the creatures that had haunted this cursed place.

But with every step, Isla could hear the growls growing louder, closer, as though the monsters were right on their heels.