"We can't go there!"
The words hung in the air.
Arthur's excitement dimmed slightly, though the hunger in his eyes remained. "Why not?"
Nero wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his hand, leaving a dark smear across his skin. His breathing was still uneven, his pupils dilating and contracting.
"Because whatever is in those ruins..." He paused, searching for words. "It's underground. Deep underground. And it's covered in fungus."
Jacob's brow furrowed. "Fungus?"
"Not normal fungus. It is glowing with strange blue spores everywhere, coating the walls, the floor, everything. The whole place was saturated with it." Nero's hands trembled as he spoke. "And there's something in there. Something ancient and evil that should have died eons ago."
Arthur exchanged a glance with Jacob, then turned back to Nero. "How far underground?"
"I don't know. But it seemed deep."
"And you're certain it's nearby?" Arthur pressed.
