The tunnel narrowed as Rondan pushed forward, the air turning colder with each step.
Moisture dripped from the ceiling in slow, deliberate drops, each one echoing in the silence like the ticking of an unseen clock.
His fingers traced the rough wall for balance. Here, the stone was different—older, darker, almost… alive. Veins of faint blue light pulsed under the surface, like a heartbeat trapped in rock.
He had no torch, yet the passage seemed lit by that ghostly glow.
The second seal.
The words Leina had spoken refused to leave his mind.
What could be so dangerous that even a monster like that was afraid of it?
The path opened into a vast chamber. In its center stood a monolith—black as night, carved with spiraling runes that seemed to move when he wasn't looking. The air vibrated around it, heavy with ancient power.
He approached cautiously. The closer he came, the louder a whisper grew in his head.
"We remember you…"
He froze. The voice was not Leina's. Not the beast's.
It was older—vast, like the echo of something that had existed long before the arena, before the kingdoms, before memory itself.
"The seal holds the Door. Break it… and the flame will burn the skies."
Rondan's breath caught. His crimson eyes reflected the faint blue glow of the runes. His hand reached out on its own, drawn by the pulse. The cold against his skin was sharp enough to hurt, yet he could not pull away.
Suddenly, a tremor ran through the floor. Dust fell from the ceiling.
A deep roar echoed from the way he came.
The creature was here.
But this time… it wasn't alone.
The sound of armored boots approached from the shadows opposite the tunnel.
Rondan turned—three figures in black cloaks stepped into the light, their faces hidden. The one in front spoke, his voice like steel scraping stone.
"Step away from the seal, Northern Plainsman. It is not yours to touch."
Rondan tightened his grip on his sword.
"And if I don't?"
The figure tilted his head, and the others drew blades that shimmered with the same blue light as the runes.
"Then you won't live long enough to regret it."