Kael's torch flickered as he led the group down the spiraling stone steps, the flame casting long, eerie shadows on the damp walls. The deeper they went, the colder the air became, tinged with an unsettling, metallic scent that filled their lungs with each breath. Morgana followed closely behind, her hand clutching her own torch as her other hovered near the hilt of her dagger, ready to strike at any threat that might appear from the darkened depths.
They had ventured into the Abyssal Caves—a network of ancient tunnels that lay beneath the Sanctuary. These caves were rumored to hold secrets of dark magic and forbidden knowledge, but it was not the allure of power that had drawn them here. Instead, it was a series of recent tremors that had rocked the Sanctuary, leaving cracks in the walls and whispers among the villagers of something stirring below.
