Claire stumbled back, the lunar crystal clutched tightly in her hand. The darkness felt suffocating, the only sound the frantic thudding of her heart against her ribs. Another guttural growl, closer this time, echoed in the chamber.
The air grew thick with a feral stench, sending a primal shiver of fear down her spine. Panic threatened to consume her, but the image of Ethan, pale and vulnerable on the hospital bed, spurred her on. She had to get out of there, for him.Clambering over fallen stones, Claire fumbled for the hidden entrance on the map. Her fingers brushed against rough brickwork – the secret passage. Relief flooded her momentarily, until a cold, wet muzzle brushed against her leg.A monstrous whine ripped through the darkness. The glowing eyes of the creature, likely a tomb guardian awakened by the disturbance, materialized out of the gloom. Its massive form, a hulking silhouette in the inky blackness, towered over her.Claire fumbled for her flashlight, its weak beam barely penetrating the oppressive darkness. A deafening snarl filled the chamber, the sound of razor-sharp teeth gnashing together. She had to act fast. With a desperate cry, she shined the light directly into the creature's eyes.The beast recoiled, momentarily startled. Taking advantage of the distraction, Claire squeezed through the narrow opening of the hidden passage, scrambling on her hands and knees. The air was stale and thick with dust, but it was an escape, a chance.Behind her, the monstrous growl echoed again, a sound tinged with frustration. The passage twisted and turned, forcing Claire to crawl blindly. Claustrophobia threatened to suffocate her, the walls seeming to close in with every desperate crawl.Suddenly, the passage ended abruptly. A dead end. Despair threatened to engulf her, the weight of her failure crushing down. She was trapped, and the creature knew it.A deafening thump reverberated through the passage, the ground shaking as the guardian slammed its massive body against the wall. Dust rained down around Claire, the sound growing closer with every horrifying impact.With a surge of adrenaline, Claire noticed a loose stone in the wall. Grasping at a sliver of hope, she clawed at it with all her might. The stone gave way, revealing a small opening behind it. It was tight, barely big enough for her to squeeze through, but it was a chance.Taking another deep breath, Claire pushed herself through the opening, scraping her skin on rough edges. She tumbled into a dusty chamber, landing with a gasp on the cold stone floor. Above her, a sliver of moonlight filtered through a small crack, offering a glimpse of salvation.But before she could celebrate her escape, a bloodcurdling scream pierced the silence. It was high-pitched and filled with pain. Claire's heart hammered against her ribs. The guardian had found Ethan.