Duke noticed that in certain areas, especially at the ends of rarely traversed corridors and near abandoned rooms, the barely perceptible remnants of spirit, mingled with a hint of dust and deathly silence, were slightly more noticeable than in the living quarters.
But it was only a subtle difference, as if some influence was slowly spreading.
Finally, they reached the underground area of the castle.
It was even colder and damper here than above, the light dim. They first entered the wine cellar, where huge oak barrels were lined up, and the air was filled with a mixture of wine aroma and mustiness. Next was the storeroom for preserved foods and root vegetables.
As they passed through a narrower passage leading deeper down, Ossen explained, "Inside here are mostly old storerooms that are no longer used and some foundation structures, opened very rarely, so it might be a bit damp."
The end of the passage was marked by a heavy, old wooden door, with an iron lock covered in rust.
