Vaelix stood a short distance away, his golden shield still glowing faintly around him and the unconscious princess in his arms. His eyes were fixed on the newly lit path ahead, the same way the rest of us stared.
I watched him carefully, my staff still in hand.
Part of me wanted to attack him right there and end it before he recovered his strength. But another part of me hesitated. We didn't know what this place was or what was waiting for us beyond that path. For all I knew, fighting here could trigger something far worse.
Before I could decide, the ground shook beneath our feet.
A deep rumble echoed through the chamber, and the lamps along the walls flickered wildly. Then, with a grinding sound, the stone floor split open ahead of us.
Three massive stone steles rose slowly from the ground one in front of the other,
Their surfaces were smooth and crimson, shining faintly in the lamp light. Golden letters glowed across them.
