The tunnel opened into another chamber, this one smaller and less ornate. The walls were bare stone, slick with moisture, and the air here carried a faint, acrid scent. At the center of the room stood a single stone column, its surface glowing faintly. Surrounding it were what looked like statues—figures frozen in mid-motion, their faces twisted in expressions of fear and pain.
Simon's stomach turned as he realized they weren't statues at all. The figures were too detailed, too real.
"What the hell…" Kayla muttered, stepping closer to one of the frozen forms. "These… these were people."
Daniel's voice was tight. "They still might be."
A low growl echoed through the chamber, and Simon froze. The sound came from the shadows at the far end of the room, where the blue light didn't quite reach. Slowly, something moved—a shape shifting and uncoiling, its eyes glinting like embers.
"Get back," Kayla hissed, stepping in front of Simon as the creature emerged.
It was massive, its body a grotesque blend of muscle and sinew, its limbs too long and its movements unnervingly fluid. Glyphs pulsed along its skin, glowing in time with the light from the column.
The creature tilted its head, studying them. Then it lunged.