Story 452: The Spiral Ascension

The team’s footsteps echoed ominously as they stepped into a grand staircase spiraling upward into darkness. The gothic architecture of the chamber was overwhelming—sharp arches loomed overhead, and intricate carvings of grotesque figures lined the walls. A faint beam of light seeped through a small crack at the top, barely illuminating the path ahead.

“This place screams trap,” Viper muttered, her knives spinning nervously in her hands.

Rook nodded, his eyes scanning every shadow. “Agreed. But we have no choice. We need to see what’s at the top.”

The spiral staircase twisted unnaturally, as though it had been designed to disorient anyone brave enough to climb it. The steps were worn and uneven, their surfaces marred by centuries of decay. Ghost, leading the way, moved silently, his suppressed pistol drawn and ready.

“I’m picking up faint thermal signatures above us,” Ghost reported, his voice a low whisper. “Could be sentries. Could be something worse.”