The descent to the twentieth floor felt heavier than the others. The walls, once rough stone, were etched with faint runes that pulsed like veins of light, feeding some hidden power deeper below. The staircase ended in a vast chamber that made the students halt in collective awe.
The place resembled a ruined cathedral buried underground. Jagged pillars leaned at broken angles, the cracked floor inscribed with strange glowing carvings. The air was thick with an ancient weight, almost humming with mana.
But what made their stomachs knot were the statues.
Dozens of them—stone warriors, hulking beasts, grotesque humanoid figures—lined the hall, every surface inscribed with glowing blue runes. Their blank eyes stared ahead, frozen in place.
"Statues…" one boy muttered. "Creepy, but harmless."
A laugh followed. "Relax, they're just stone."
Samuel's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. He simply rested a hand on his blade, gaze scanning the room.
Then came the grinding noise.
