Story 480: The Keeper’s Trial

The chamber quaked violently as dust and debris rained down from the stone ceiling. The red eyes in the shifting painting glowed brighter, and the once serene artwork transformed into a dark, swirling vortex. A chilling howl echoed through the room, reverberating off the stone walls.

“Form up!” Rook commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos. The team immediately took defensive positions, weapons aimed at the painting.

The vortex expanded, and a figure began to emerge—a tall, cloaked being with elongated limbs and a face obscured by shadows. Its presence exuded an oppressive aura, as if the air itself had turned to ice.

“That’s the keeper?” Bulwark muttered, gripping his heavy weapon. “Looks like a nightmare.”

The creature stepped forward, its claw-like hands gripping the edges of the painting’s frame as if pulling itself into reality. The whispers from the walls coalesced into a single voice, deep and guttural.