The Watchers in the Dark

The passage was narrow, its walls carved from black stone that gleamed faintly in the dim light of their surroundings. The air was cooler here, but it carried an oppressive weight, as if the very space they walked through was alive and watching. Each step echoed, the sound swallowed almost instantly by the oppressive void.

Daniel walked ahead, his Fragment casting a pale, steady glow. Mira followed closely behind, her blade drawn and her eyes scanning their surroundings with a wariness born from experience.

"Do you feel that?" Mira asked, her voice hushed as though speaking too loudly might awaken something lurking in the shadows.

Daniel nodded, his eyes narrowing. "Yeah. It's like the walls are… vibrating. It's subtle, but it's there."

The deeper they went, the more the sensation grew. A faint hum reverberated through the stone, harmonizing with the rhythm of their footsteps. At first, it was barely noticeable, but soon it became impossible to ignore.