The chamber breathed smoke. Heat rolled faintly from the cracks in the floor, where red embers pulsed like the last heartbeat of a dying fire.
Jae let the glow guide his steps as he entered, Yuna following close behind. The air was thicker here, almost heavy enough to cling in his lungs.
The bear was waiting.
Its shape dominated the center of the room, massive shoulders hunched forward, each breath rising and falling with the slow rhythm of a predator at rest.
Fur bristled with a faint sheen, dark and coarse, and when it raised its head, its eyes caught the ember light? pale orange, rimmed with something unnatural.
The low growl in its throat built quickly, swelling until it rolled into a full roar that rattled the walls. Loose grit shivered from the ceiling, scattering around their boots.
