The oppressive silence of the Abyss was unlike anything Daniel and Mira had faced. It pressed down on their thoughts, like a weight that couldn't be shrugged off, and yet the faintest noises—an echo of dripping water, the scuff of their steps—felt deafening. The path twisted and climbed as they ventured further into the abyssal maze, the glowing violet mists now swirling with flecks of darkness, like ash suspended in the air.
Daniel couldn't help but feel uneasy. The Fragment of Insight, usually a comforting presence, flickered erratically, almost as if unsure of itself.
"What do you think is waiting for us up there?" Mira's voice was calm, but Daniel caught the tension in her tone.
"Something worse than the Sirens," he replied. "That much feels certain."
