The boy was somewhat tired. The staircase within the spiral corridor seemed endless, as though it had no end. He leaned against a column, clutching the Secret Sword in his hand.
The sweeping gale blew away the scent of blood from the tip of his nose as the boy looked down at the stairs below. Many corpses lay sprawled across the staircase; they had all been slain during their escape by sword strikes from behind. Judging by the wounds, the sword strikes seemed something beyond what any human could achieve, effortlessly severing limbs as though people were as fragile as a thin sheet of paper.
From the distant ground came tremorous sounds, and the cries and wails of the people grew ever clearer.
The survivors had evaded the monster's pursuit, descending the spiral corridor to the ground. They wanted to escape this Pillar of Death, but only then did they realize all exits were sealed shut.
