Into the Abyss

The air thickened as they moved deeper into the stone labyrinth, every step echoing with a dull, resonant thud that seemed to be swallowed by the darkness. Shadows danced on the walls, flickering like spirits, whispering like secrets. The path, once merely a descent into the forgotten depths, now felt alive, pulsating with unseen energy, with a hunger that matched the cold malice of the city above.

Adrian stumbled, his breath hitching as the pressure around him intensified. His fingers grazed the rough stone walls, each touch sending a shiver through his body as though the path itself was feeding on his despair.

"You feel it, don't you?" Jakob’s voice was gruff, strained as if he, too, was fighting the same invisible weight that pressed upon them. "It’s like this place wants to tear us apart."

Adrian didn’t answer. He couldn't. The whispers, louder now, clawed at his mind, pulling him between past and present. The faces of those he'd lost&mdash