The staircase seemed endless.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The further they descended, the colder everything became. Purple crystals jutted from the walls and ceiling, casting strange shadows across the stone corridor. The deeper they traveled, the less it felt like they were beneath Albeit Village.
It felt like they were entering another world entirely.
"How deep does this go?" Olivia whispered.
"No idea."
"That's not reassuring."
"It wasn't meant to be."
Aiysha remained silent, her hand resting on the handle of her weapon. Unlike Olivia, she wasn't focused on the surroundings.
She was focused on the sounds.
Every little sound. Every little movement. Anything that could signal danger. Cassien noticed immediately.
"Something wrong?"
"Mhm."
"What?"
"I hear breathing."
The three stopped.
Then...
They heard it. A very faint yet distinct type of noise… but it was definitely there. Someone was breathing. And it didn't feel like only one, but multiple.
