The very instant we crossed the threshold of the cavern, my boot came down upon something brittle and unyielding. A sickening c***k echoed through the gloom, and I recoiled in horror to discover the shattered remains of a human skull beneath my heel. The sight sent a chill down my spine, and dread gnawed at the edges of my resolve. Was this grim place the final resting ground of King Albert’s men? Given the tales of their disappearance, I found the thought all too plausible.
All around us, the putrid stench of death hung heavy in the air, so thick and foul it seemed to pierce the nostrils like a blade. Each breath was a struggle, and even the most stalwart among us could not suppress the urge to gag. The oppressive darkness pressed in, broken only by the flickering glow of our torches, wh
