Princess Yuna stepped past the edge of the barricade and into the yawning mouth of the dungeon. The moment she crossed over, the temperature shifted.
The sunlight that had warmed her shoulders disappeared, swallowed by the dark, and a chill rolled across her arms as if the cave itself exhaled on her.
She tightened her grip on the wind‑etched staff she carried and pressed forward, letting her mana hum faintly around her.
For a while, she walked alone, her boots crunching on the gravel floor and her breath a soft rhythm in the silence.
The torches fixed to the walls at random intervals flickered weakly, throwing uneven light that left gaps of pure shadow. Yuna's eyes darted into every one of them, half expecting something to crawl out.
It took some time, but eventually, she spotted movement further down the winding path. A soft glow flared briefly, fire magic, and then died down again. Relief bloomed faintly in her chest. At least she wasn't completely alone.
