The chamber fell into a pregnant silence, broken only by the rhythmic drip of water from the stalactites above and the low hum emanating from the ancient disk.
Lyerin stood motionless before it, his hand still hovering just above the engraved metal.
His eyes darkened, reflecting the pulsing light as if he were peering into a bottomless abyss.
The air grew heavier with each passing moment, making it hard for the soldiers to breathe.
Without warning, Lyerin lowered his hand and touched the disk.
A wave of energy exploded outward—WHOOOOM!—like the tolling of a massive bell, shaking the walls and sending vibrations through the stone floor.
The soldiers stumbled, their knees buckling as they grabbed onto anything within reach to steady themselves.
One of them cried out, his voice swallowed by the overwhelming sound.
The glow of the murals intensified, casting the chamber in a ghostly, flickering light.
