The staircase descended deep beneath the labyrinth.
Each step Aether took echoed softly through the ancient stone corridor, the faint sound traveling far into the darkness below. The staircase spiraled downward with a slow, almost ceremonial curve, as if it had been designed not merely as a path, but as a descent into something sacred—or forbidden.
The deeper he went, the colder the air became.
Moisture clung to the stone walls, and the faint scent of ancient dust filled the corridor. Purple runes carved along the walls glowed faintly, illuminating the path ahead with a dim, mystical light that pulsed gently like a heartbeat.
Beside him, the Flame Sovereign Pup walked quietly.
Its crimson flames flickered steadily, casting dancing shadows along the walls and ceiling. Every few steps, the firelight revealed new carvings hidden within the stone—ancient symbols and strange beast-like figures that seemed to watch silently as the pair descended deeper into the ruins.
