Chapter 27: The Spiral Beneath

The cavern swallowed the sound of his voice, leaving only the drip of water and the slow, rhythmic pulse of green light. Ryu Jin stood at the edge of a vast chamber, his breath misting in the cold air, and felt the presence pressing against his skin like a held breath. The spiral on the floor glowed beneath his feet, its lines turning, slow and patient, as if it had been waiting for him all along.