A man rested inside a chamber carved from ancient monoliths.
The walls were not smooth. They were jagged and uneven, as if the stone itself had been torn open and forced into shape. Old symbols were etched everywhere. Circles of intertwined runes spread across the floor, layered one over another like a web. They pulsed faintly, glowing in dull crimson light.
If one looked closer, thin streams of blood could be seen flowing along the runes. The blood did not drip or pool. It moved through the lines, creeping through the carved paths as if the stone itself was drinking it. From cracks in the floor below, a low humming sound echoed, deep and constant, like a heartbeat buried underground.
The air felt heavy.
CRUNG!
The massive stone door groaned as it opened.
The man lifted his head slowly and turned his gaze toward the entrance.
"Did you bring it?" he asked calmly.
"Yes," a voice replied.
