The silence that descended was a heavy, suffocating thing. A stark contrast to the cacophony of battle. The last echoes of the Templars' shouts and the beasts' shrieks faded. Leaving only the soft, rhythmic drip of water. Edward stood alone in the center of the chamber. Surrounded by the detritus of his survival.
The monstrous mutations began to recede. The black scales dissolved. The fangs shortened. The cold light in his eyes faded. Leaving the weary, haunted gaze of a boy who had just seen his last bridge to the world burn.
He was human again. At least on the outside. But inside, he felt hollowed out. The echoes of the souls he had consumed were a new, discordant choir in his mind.
He knew he couldn't stay here. The Templars would be back. They would bring reinforcements. The entrance was a death trap. His only option was to go deeper. To lose himself in the labyrinthine depths. To embrace the darkness.
