The instant Theo twisted the key, a guttural, grinding rumble tore through the oppressive silence, a sound so profound it didn't just emanate from the room, but *seeped* into the very foundations, echoing with an almost menacing resonance down the long, shadowed hallway. It was the sound of ancient gears awakening, of a slumbering beast stirred from its century-long slumber.
And when that chilling, mechanical groan reached the ears of the expectant group, a jolt of pure, unadulterated adrenaline surged through them. Their eyes, mere moments before filled with a cautious hope, now blazed with an incandescent, feverish excitement. The air crackled with the undeniable truth: the treasure hunt, the legendary quest whispered about for generations, had *truly*, irrevocably begun!
"YES!" A shout erupted from the throng, a tsunami of pure elation.
"This is INSANE!" another voice exclaimed, breathless with exhilaration.
"A treasure hunt! It's REALLY happening!"
