Leaving Silas in the midst of his pointless sales pitch, I ventured deeper into the building.
With every step, the strange pull within me grew more distinct.
The feigned luxury and perfumed air of the upper floors faded, giving way to something older, more primal.
It was like the ache of a thorn sinking into my heart; an echo of an ancient void in my soul, one I had forgotten for centuries.
That feeling, now heavier than ever, guided me.
It led me to a section of the building hidden from normal customers, to a simple iron door that opened to the ground floor.
A lone guard stood before it, his drowsy eyes scanning the surroundings.
Bypassing him was child's play.
I blended into the surrounding shadows like a whisper, my presence all but erased, and slipped past him like a breeze and through the door.
The ground floor stood in stark contrast to the garish brightness of the floor above.
