The caverns stretched on endlessly, their jagged walls lit faintly by bioluminescent moss clinging to the stones. The eerie green glow cast elongated shadows, making every corner and crevice look more menacing than the last. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional drip of water or the crunch of loose rocks beneath their boots.
Mallory gripped the orb tightly as she led the group, its soft glow providing some comfort in the darkness. The map etched on the cavern walls had been deciphered enough to suggest a path forward, but every step felt like a gamble.
"So," Greg began, his voice echoing awkwardly in the cavern, "what's the chance this map is leading us to treasure and not, you know, certain doom?"
Alex, walking just behind him, shot him a glare. "Do you ever stop talking?"
Greg smirked. "Not when I'm nervous. And right now, I'm about two bad puns away from a complete meltdown."