The staircase twisted downward in complete silence.
Only the soft glow of Felix's lantern guided their way through the darkness. The stone steps were narrower than the previous ones, forcing them to descend one after another.
Felix led the way.
Harvey followed behind him.
Ella remained close to Salvador, refusing to let go of his hand.
The air grew colder with every step they took.
A faint smell of damp stone lingered around them, mixed with the scent of burning oil from the lantern.
No one spoke.
Even Harvey, who usually found something to joke about, remained unusually quiet.
The silence itself felt alive.
After what seemed like several minutes, the staircase finally ended.
A circular chamber opened before them.
Felix raised the lantern higher.
The light spread slowly across the room.
Ella stopped walking.
"This..."
She whispered.
"...is beautiful."
Unlike the passages above, this chamber had been carved with extraordinary craftsmanship.
