The spiral path wound downward, the oppressive silence broken only by Shi Yan's steady breathing and the faint crunch of his boots against the stone. The dagger's glow was a fragile defiance against the overwhelming darkness.
The Flame of Dominion pulsed faintly within his chest, like a second heartbeat. It provided strength, but also unease. The presence he felt earlier had not left. If anything, it grew closer with each step.
Ahead, faint whispers began to bleed through the silence, too soft to distinguish but persistent. They grew louder, not in volume but in weight, pressing against his mind like a thousand tiny claws scraping at his thoughts.
Shi Yan clenched his teeth. "Not real," he muttered to himself. "Just another trick."
---
The whispers seemed to mock his denial, twisting into warped laughter that echoed through the narrow tunnel. He kept moving, his grip tightening on the dagger.
The path opened into a massive cavern, the darkness swallowing its edges. His flame illuminated only a small circle, revealing broken pillars and jagged stone. The walls were covered in carvings of monstrous figures, their features warped into cruel expressions of agony and ecstasy.
At the far end of the cavern, an immense door loomed, etched with glowing runes that pulsed faintly in sync with his sigil.
A voice, ancient and layered, reverberated through the chamber.
"Seeker of the Path… you tread where none should. Turn back, or be consumed by what lies beyond."
---
Shi Yan's eyes darted to the shadows that writhed at the edges of his light. "Show yourself," he demanded, his voice steady despite the chill that ran down his spine.
The shadows responded, pooling together and rising into a form that was both humanoid and grotesque. Its limbs twisted unnaturally, ending in jagged claws. Its face was an empty void, save for a single, unblinking eye that glowed with malice.
The whispers coalesced into words, each syllable vibrating with ancient power.
"We are the guardians of what lies ahead, the echoes of those who failed the Path. Will you join their number?"
Shi Yan's grip on the dagger tightened. "I don't plan on dying here."
The creature's form shifted, tendrils of darkness extending toward him with unnatural speed.
---
Shi Yan dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the lashing tendrils. His blade flicked out, slicing through one of the appendages. The severed tendril dissolved into black mist, but another quickly reformed in its place.
"They're endless," he muttered, backing away.
The sigil on his arm burned brighter, sending a jolt of energy through him. The Flame flared within, and a faint whisper of instinct guided his eyes toward the door.
The runes.
The creature lunged again, its tendrils forming jagged blades that arced toward him. Shi Yan dropped into a roll, coming up just in time to deflect a strike aimed at his chest.
He darted toward the door, dodging another swipe that tore through the air behind him. Pain shot through his leg as one of the tendrils grazed him, leaving a searing cold that spread through his limb.
Gritting his teeth, Shi Yan pressed his hand against the door. The sigil on his arm flared, resonating with the glowing runes. The creature howled, its form convulsing as the light grew brighter.
---
The cavern filled with a blinding radiance as the runes activated, releasing a surge of energy that rippled through the air. The creature screamed, its body unraveling into wisps of shadow that dissolved into nothingness.
When the light dimmed, the cavern was silent. Shi Yan collapsed to one knee, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His leg throbbed where the tendril had struck, but the pain was fading, replaced by a soothing warmth from the Flame.
The voice returned, softer now but still carrying its unnatural resonance.
"You are persistent, seeker. The Path demands resolve, and you have shown a fragment of it. Beware, for the trials ahead will weigh heavier on your soul."
The door creaked open, revealing another staircase spiraling downward into the abyss.
Shi Yan pushed himself to his feet, the dagger's glow steady in his hand. He looked back at the carvings on the walls, their twisted faces seeming to watch him as he moved forward.
The whispers had ceased, but their echo lingered in his mind.
He took a deep breath and stepped through the door, descending further into the labyrinth and into whatever awaited him below.