The corridor narrowed further as Max pushed deeper into the ancient structure. The air carried a cold bite now, sharper with every step, and the once-dim whispers grew louder, taking on a cadence that gnawed at his sanity.
He gripped the locket around his neck as though it could anchor him, its faint pulse oddly comforting. The ouroboros symbol flickered faintly, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance along the twisting walls.
The passageway ended abruptly, opening into a chamber bathed in a dim, violet glow. The source of the light was a massive crystal structure at the room's center, its jagged surface radiating energy that hummed faintly in the still air.
Max approached cautiously, drawn to the crystal despite the unease clawing at his gut. Strange markings encircled its base, different from the symbols he'd seen so far—less orderly, more chaotic. They twisted and writhed as though alive, refusing to stay still when he looked at them.
The closer he got, the heavier the air became, pressing down on his chest and making it hard to breathe. His flashlight dimmed, its beam swallowed by the violet light.
Then the whispers stopped.
The silence was sudden and absolute, broken only by the faint hum of the crystal. Max exhaled shakily, taking a tentative step closer.
Don't touch it.
The voice was inside his head, sharp and commanding. Max froze, spinning around to find the source. The chamber was empty.
"Who's there?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the stillness.
It watches.
The voice wasn't his own, but it felt familiar, like a memory dredged up from the depths of his subconscious.
Max turned back to the crystal. The violet glow had intensified, and for the briefest moment, he thought he saw something moving within its depths—a flicker of shadow, a shape that didn't belong.
Before he could react, the locket around his neck flared with heat, and the ouroboros symbol shone brightly. The crystal pulsed in response, its glow shifting to a deep crimson.
The ground beneath him trembled, and the markings around the crystal began to burn with fiery intensity. A deep, resonant voice filled the chamber, vibrating through Max's very bones.
"The intruder seeks the forbidden."
The voice wasn't like the whispers. It was something else—something ancient and full of malice. The crystal's surface cracked, and from within its depths, a form began to emerge.
Max stumbled back, his heart hammering. The thing that stepped from the crystal wasn't human. It was tall and gaunt, its body composed of the same shifting, molten material as the construct he'd encountered earlier. Its eyes were empty sockets, yet Max felt its gaze pierce him.
The creature raised a skeletal hand, and the air around Max grew heavier, pinning him in place.
"You are not worthy of the path. Leave, or be unmade."
Max struggled against the unseen force, his mind racing. The locket around his neck pulsed again, sending a wave of cold through his body. He gritted his teeth and held it up, the ouroboros symbol shining like a beacon.
The creature recoiled slightly, its molten form rippling. "You bear his mark," it hissed, its voice sharp and venomous. "Why have you come, blood of the betrayer?"
"I don't know!" Max shouted, the locket trembling in his grip. "I don't even know what this place is! I'm just trying to find my father!"
The creature paused, its head tilting slightly. The chamber grew silent again, save for the faint hum of the crystal.
"Your father trespassed where none should tread. His sins have awakened the Void."
Max's breath caught in his throat. The Void. The word sent a chill down his spine, resonating with something deep and primal.
"What do you mean? What did he do?"
The creature's form began to dissolve, its body merging back into the crystal. "The path is not yours to walk. Turn back, or you will share his fate."
The chamber trembled violently, and the crystal's glow intensified, filling the room with blinding light. Max shielded his eyes, his body trembling as the creature's voice echoed one last time.
"Beware the shadows. They remember."
When the light faded, Max found himself alone. The crystal was dark now, its surface cracked and lifeless. The markings on the floor had vanished, leaving only faint scorch marks in their place.
Max collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving. The locket in his hand was cold now, its light extinguished.
"What the hell did you do, Dad?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
The answer felt closer now, but so did the danger. Whatever Viktor Kron had done, whatever secrets he had uncovered, they weren't meant for human hands.
Max rose unsteadily to his feet, his flashlight flickering back to life. The only way forward was through another passage, its entrance marked by faintly glowing symbols.
He took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness, the echoes of the creature's warning following him like a shadow.