The stair spat him into a chamber lined with red runes. The air reeked of iron.
At the far end, a man fought a nightmare.
The creature was all ribs and teeth. Every strike split it open, birthing new mouths that snapped hungrily. The man's blade gleamed with blood and sweat as he hacked, cursing under his breath.
Kael froze. He hadn't expected anyone else alive.
[Room: Maw of the Forsaken]— Rule: A blood-price must be paid to leave— Condition: Feed the maw, or be fed to it
The warrior snarled, driving his sword deep into its chest. Teeth bloomed along the wound, clamping onto steel. He struggled to tear it free.
His eyes locked on Kael. "Move it!"
Kael's instincts flared. He drove the Key of Low Tide into a glowing rune underfoot and twisted. The red light flickered.
The monster faltered, its mouths snapping shut in confusion.
The warrior ripped his blade free and struck in a brutal arc. The sword tore through bone and teeth. Black ichor sprayed across the floor. The creature shrieked without sound before collapsing into dust.
The runes guttered out.
[Trial Complete]— Tokens +2— Echo +1— Title Seed: Blood-Bound
Kael's hand trembled around the Key.
The warrior leaned on his sword, chest heaving, blood streaking his arm. His eyes, sharp despite exhaustion, studied Kael.
"Another Walker," he said.
Kael swallowed. "Kael."
"Riven."
His gaze dropped to the Key. His jaw tightened, unreadable. "You've touched the tide. Figures."
He wiped the blade clean on the dust and jerked his chin toward the wall. A scrap of parchment was nailed there. Kael pulled it free.
If you hear the bells, hide. If you cannot, find the healer. She carries silence inside her. —S.
Kael's chest clenched. Another note. Another ghost. But this one spoke of someone alive.
Riven snorted. "Healer? Or bait. Either way, nothing's free here."
The chamber rumbled. The monster's remains dissolved into the stone. The runes faintly re-lit, hungry again.
Riven spat. "Come on. It never ends."
At the far wall waited a door of bone, carved with an eye in a palm. Its lid twitched like it was dreaming.
Riven started toward it, sword ready. He glanced back. "Coming?"
Kael followed.
[New Ally Detected: Riven Blackthorne]— Status: Walker— Echo: High— Title: Shadow-Bound (latent)Warning: Shadows grow with him. Be wary.
The bone door groaned open. From beyond, faint as if underwater, a bell tolled—
Once.
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