Skraal continued his descent deeper into the ancient structure.
The passage widened gradually, until he stepped into another circular room this one larger than any before.
The air was different here. Heavy. Thick with lingering Ghost energy.
A silence loomed, as if the space itself held its breath, waiting for something to begin.
Without warning, the center of the chamber shifted.
A soft grinding of ancient gears echoed across the stone.
A circular mechanism turned, and a section of the floor slid open to reveal a cylindrical shaft of black depth.
From within, a large shape rose in complete silence.
It was a crow.
But not any crow. This one was enormous easily the size of a lion, with feathers that shimmered in ethereal violet hues, laced with silver strands that trailed off like smoke. Its eyes glowed a dull, ghostly blue, and its presence exuded both nobility and threat.
Skraal didn't move.
