The air was thick with tension as we fell into the hidden chamber, the oppressive weight of dark magic wrapping around us. Instinct kicked in as I gathered my mana mid-air, sending a shockwave out through my sword, softening our fall. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to avoid being broken into pieces on the stone floor below. As I straightened, surveying the area, the sight before me made the ache in my bones seem irrelevant.
We had dropped at least a hundred meters, far too deep for an easy escape. The chamber was massive, with walls etched in pulsing, ancient runes that thrummed with an ominous energy. The runes were far more intricate than what we saw above, but the same dark magic was woven into every line. This was no ordinary summoning altar.
