They were led down a spiraling path into the earth, the air growing colder and heavier with each step. The laughter and music from the circus above faded, replaced by the guttural roars and scraping claws of unseen creatures. The deeper they went, the more it felt like a prison carved straight into the bones of the underworld, an endless cavern lined with iron cages stacked across multiple tiers. Within them, twisted beasts stirred, growling and slamming against their confines, the sound echoing through the hollow dark.
Renny and Myla exchanged glances as they descended another flight of stone steps. The faint, flickering torches along the walls only made the shadows worse, revealing shapes they wished they hadn't seen. Myla's voice trembled. "Are you sure we shouldn't turn back? This place… It's giving... It's giving me the creeps."
Renny kept his eyes forward. "Don't worry," he said calmly. "You still want the Soul Key, don't you?"
She hesitated, swallowing. "I do."
