The catacombs had become even colder.
The smoke from the torches on the walls hit the ceiling and fell back down, as if the air itself was afraid to breathe here.
Ryu was walking at the front. With every step, the faint thud of his feet echoed — and every echo returned as if answering him.
"Ryu…"
"Ryu…"
Elira said from behind, "This voice… it feels like someone is calling us."
Kael raised his torch, "It's just an echo. Stone breaks sound like this."
Saren spoke from behind, with a slight laugh under his mask,
"Or… maybe someone is playing with your name."
Ryu just looked at him, then moved forward without saying anything.
His face was as calm as stone — but something stirred inside.
---
The path slowly narrowed. The symbols on the walls were glowing more intensely.
Under one inscription were some red stains — as if old blood were still alive.
Elira stopped.
"Ryu… it says 'The soul remembers even when the body forgets.'"
Ryu stared at the line for a moment.
A flash hit his mind — a child, a small hand… and a voice.
"Do not go…"
He closed his eyes.
"Come on. It's just an inscription."
But the confidence in his tone wasn't the same as always.
---
A few steps ahead, the catacomb opened into a large chamber.
In the center was an old well — without water, but cold air was coming out of it, as if something alive was below.
Saren peered down and said, "Seems like the path is here."
Kael shone his torch, but the light disappeared halfway.
Ryu leaned down and said softly,
"There is something here. Breathing."
Elira said from behind, "Breathing? But this is just the ground…"
And then —
A faint hum echoed from the well.
As if thousands of voices were speaking at once:
"Ryu… return…"
Ryu stepped back, but his face remained calm.
He looked at Elira, "Stay back."
Then he drew his dagger and approached the well.
For a moment, the air stopped —
And then a hand emerged from the well.
Dry, black, and only bones… but with red tendrils clinging to it, moving.
Elira screamed, "Ryu!!"
But Ryu stopped her with his hand.
He touched the skeletal hand with his dagger — and as soon as the blade touched it, the entire well lit up suddenly.
The torches went out.
Now there was only a red light — and in that light, every symbol on the walls began to move together.
Saren fell back.
"This inscription… this… it's alive!"
Ryu bent slightly for a moment, then said with a cold smile,
"Seems like we've triggered an alarm."
---
Hundreds of whispers came from the well —
each different, but all the same.
"Master is waiting…"
"He knows you, Ryu…"
"He remembers…"
Ryu closed his eyes.
Every voice penetrated deep inside him.
Then suddenly he opened his eyes and shouted,
"I remember too."
At that moment, the red light went out.
The torches lit themselves again, and the chamber returned to darkness, silent and dead.
Saren, catching his breath, said,
"What was that, Ryu?"
Ryu stood upright,
"Warning. The Master knows we are coming."
Kael grabbed his sword and said,
"So we go back now?"
Ryu shook his head slowly.
"Going back is no longer possible. Now we are part of his game."
And they moved forward again —
the air cold, and the writings on the walls now seemed to follow them as if watching.
To be continued…