I stepped on solid stone, the same as in the previous corridor. A faint light falling from the ceiling bathed the room in a flickering blue. The chandelier above me was filled with candles, the flames of which burned in an eerie blue.
The walls were made of the same black stone, and along the path that ran from the gate was a black railing. Behind it gaped a deep, dark abyss, whose violet light seemed to come faintly out of nowhere—as if the darkness down there had a life of its own. "Creepy," I murmured softly, my gaze fixed on the mighty columns that spiraled up from the abyss and wound up to the ceiling. Along the pillars snaked purple tentacle-like thorns, glowing a faint purple as if they were alive. I looked along the path that lay ahead of me and stared at the end. "A staircase!" My voice sounded hollow in the silence.
The spiral staircase stretched down like a coil. Only the faint light of the chandelier illuminated her. It was enormous, and in some places the stone was torn open and hovered in the air, held together by violet energy. The room was rectangular, and the staircase ran along the walls. It was so big that two giants could easily walk side by side. A shiver came over me. This place was far from welcoming.
Hesitantly, I stepped on the carpet and ran my hand over the railing of the path. It was unusually clean, as if dust had never existed here. A creepy idea. Who would clean here? The creatures that hunted me? Certainly not. I leaned over the railing and looked into the abyss. Only a faint violet light could be seen, getting darker with every inch – as if I was staring into nothingness. Hastily I backed away and continued on my way.
"Someone wanted me to come here," I thought. It could be a trap, but I had no other choice. It felt like this place was playing with me, like I was just an amusement.
I looked around restlessly, scanning the room for creatures, but it was quiet. No signs of danger. Only my breath broke the silence. It was just too quiet.
When I arrived at the stairs, I stopped. The railing was as smooth as marble or obsidian, and that purple power was just uncanny. Hesitantly, I took the first step on the first step, took a deep breath and began to follow down the stairs. With every step, the room darkened, as if I were descending into the darkness.
"What would be waiting for me down here?" I murmured. "Certainly nothing good." Suddenly, small purple points of light flew over me, accompanied by a flickering sound that echoed through the room. "What was that?" A shiver ran down my spine. I stopped in the middle of the stairs and turned around hastily. But it was too dark to see anything. Silence followed, no creature was to be seen. Whatever it was, it hadn't noticed me. Hesitantly, I continued on my way.
I had already descended several meters when the columns, which rose from the top down to the floor, took up the whole room in their enormous size. Slowly, out of the darkness, a new room built up in front of me – a corridor, but not as long as the one above. The columns stretched in an avenue to the end of the corridor, where there was a gate.
I reached the last step of the stairs and stepped onto the cold, black stone floor. The gate at the end of the corridor was just as imposing as the one to the throne room, but something was different: a large, black IX was engraved on it, like a symbol or a number. In front of me stretched another purple carpet, similar to the one above.
But this corridor was wider, and the walls leading to the gate were covered with huge windows through which the faint, blackish violet light from outside shone – the darkness itself seemed to shine through. Torches flickered on the walls, their blue light illuminating the corridor. The vines that had wound around the pillars had not penetrated here—as if something were keeping them away. Demonic figures were engraved in the pillars themselves—ugly, vicious faces that seemed to haunt me with their blank eyes.
I took a step on the carpet and let the gloomy surroundings work their magic on me. I moved towards the gate as I nervously searched the corridor. The demonic figures in the pillars reminded me of the creatures that had chased me. A shiver ran down my spine, but they were only chiseled images.
I tried to calm myself down and forced myself to avert my gaze and look back at the gate – when suddenly a paw stepped out of the shadows. A figure hiding behind a pillar, followed by two other creatures hiding between the adjacent pillars. My heart skipped a beat. I stopped, recognizing the black figures before me—how could I not recognize them? They were the same creatures that had hunted me.
My eyes widened, my mouth formed a silent scream, but no sound came out. I was too shocked to scream.
The creatures approached me and formed a menacing wall in front of the gate, as if they wanted to block my way. Their claws twitched, and the sinister light that fell through the windows threw itself on their gloomy figures. Her violet veins pulsed with dark energy. I took a step back. The foremost of the creatures, the two-legged, insect-like figure, built up in front of me. His limbs were scrawny, and his face resembled a twisted helmet with two horns sticking out of it.
The two six-legged creatures at his side slowly came closer, their shells shimmering black, the violet light penetrating through their limbs. They crawled across the ground like scorpions, their lizard-like faces opening, and their teeth gleaming in the eerie light. The image of the monsters that presented itself to me made my heart beat faster.
I backed away further, step by step, until I felt the step behind me. Without thinking, I turned around and ran up the stairs. The creatures screamed, their voices echoing through the hall. I put my hands to my ears. "That can't be true. This is just a dream. They are not here. That's not real."
The creatures jumped on the walls and crawled along them like insects. One of the six-legged creatures jumped in front of me, I stumbled and fell. I caught myself just in time and wanted to run down the stairs, but another six-legged creature raced up the steps and came towards me. They had surrounded me.
I threw myself to the side, and fell down the stairs and landed the cold stone. A pain shot through my back, but it was nothing compared to the fear of the creatures. Hesitantly I got up, my leg hurt, I had twisted it. "Continue. I have to move on," I murmured as I straightened up again and suppressed the pain. I lifted my head and met the eyes of the two-legged creature. Her slit-like eyes twisted into a grinning sparkle. She enjoyed the moment, my despair.
Then she rammed her claw-like hand into my shoulder, breaking through fabric, skin and flesh. Pain burned into my body as blood spurted. The force pulled me to the side, I slid across the floor. My head was pounding, the world blurred in swirling colors. When I finally came to a stop, I was lying on my back, staring into the darkness above me—endless and deep as an abyss. With trembling fingers I pressed on the wound, feeling the warm blood running down my arm. My shirt was tattered, my hands soaked red, as I desperately tried to suppress the pain.
Slowly, I rose, trembling with pain, leaning on my legs and facing the creatures that were coming towards me. My vision was still blurred, but I could still clearly see their sneering expressions.
The two six-legged creatures rushed towards me. My leg hurt, but I gritted my teeth and kept running. A pillar towered in front of me. Desperately, I raced towards it and threw myself behind her. I hid, hoping that they would forget me. My breathing was fast and restless as I clutched the torn spot on my shoulder.
They would come any moment. But then there was silence. Only my breathless panting could be heard.
Slowly I put my hand on the pillar, the blood on my fingers leaving dark traces on the cold stone. Cautiously, I peeked around the corner. The corridor lay silent and empty. They were gone. Or had I just imagined it?
A feeling of hope and relief rose in me. I exhaled, let my hand slide from the pillar, and the blood swept over the stone. But then a sound broke the silence – a drop. Something fell directly on my shirt. "What is that?" I asked myself as a thick liquid slowly ran down my chest. I looked up the pillar to find out where the drops were coming from. And then I saw it: One of the six-legged creatures crawled quietly down the pillar, its mouth wide open, while saliva came out of it and dripped to the ground. My eyes widened. Panic gripped me, and I ran away from the pillar. But behind the corner, the two-legged creature was already shooting forward.
I turned around and ran in the other direction, but the third creature was already blocking my path. In panic, I looked around. Behind me was only the wall of the corridor. I was surrounded. That was the end of me. My teeth chattered with fear. I had fallen into their trap.