They moved as a group, the narrow corridor ahead forcing them into single file. The glyphs continued to light their way, casting shifting shadows on the walls. Simon couldn't help but feel as though they were being watched, though each time he turned his head, there was nothing but the glowing stone and the silent, endless dark.
The first chamber opened suddenly, a wide, circular room with an arched ceiling that stretched into shadows too deep for their light to penetrate. In the center of the room stood a pedestal made of the same glowing stone, its surface etched with a series of concentric circles and runes.
"Looks like a puzzle," Daniel said, already stepping forward to examine it.
Kayla stayed back, her arms crossed and one hand resting on the knife at her belt. "Great. We've been here five minutes, and we're already playing games."
Simon approached cautiously, standing next to Daniel as the other boy ran his fingers over the pedestal's surface. The runes shifted slightly under Daniel's touch, their light flickering like embers.
"It's not random," Daniel said, more to himself than anyone else. "The circles… they're layered. Like a lock."
"Can you open it?" Simon asked.
"Probably," Daniel said. He glanced back at them, his mouth twitching in a faint grin. "Assuming no one interrupts me."
As Daniel worked, Simon looked around the room. The walls here were covered in deeper, more intricate carvings, their patterns curling and overlapping in ways that made his eyes ache. He stepped closer, reaching out to touch one of the designs, but stopped short as Kayla grabbed his wrist.
"Don't," she said sharply. "We don't know what sets this place off."
He pulled his hand back, nodding. "Right. Sorry."
Kayla sighed, releasing him. "Just stay focused, alright? The last thing we need is someone getting fried because they got too curious."