The Catacombs of the First Summoned

The ruins loomed ahead — a sprawling, crumbling maze of ancient stones and collapsed corridors, half-buried by shifting sands. A heavy stillness hung in the air, broken only by the distant whisper of the cursed winds.

Lee Sung tightened his cloak around him and glanced back once. Jin followed a few paces behind, his face shadowed, unreadable. Though they'd called a truce, Lee Sung could feel the tension between them — a wrong note in the melody of survival.

He made a silent decision: Trust no one. Not even Jin.

As they reached the entrance to the Catacombs, a chill ran down Lee Sung's spine. Symbols older than memory were carved into the stone — sigils of summoners long forgotten, twisted by the passage of time.

According to Akane's journal, hidden deep within these ruins was the Sigil of Warding — an artifact that would be crucial for surviving the third test.

But the Catacombs were a tomb for a reason.

Without a word, Lee Sung pulled ahead, stepping alone into the darkness. Jin hesitated at the threshold, then followed reluctantly.

The air grew thick with the scent of dust and decay. Their footsteps echoed unnervingly, the sound swallowed by the oppressive silence. Flickering torches lined the walls, but their flames burned an unnatural green, casting eerie shadows that danced and shifted like living things.

As they pressed deeper, the Catacombs revealed their horrors.

Corpses lined the walls — ancient summoners, still clad in rotting armor, their bodies frozen in postures of agony and despair. Some clutched weapons, others clutched at unseen wounds. Their faces were twisted in terror.

This is what happens to those who fail, Lee Sung thought grimly.

A sudden scuttling noise made him freeze. Out of the shadows came creatures — skeletal beings with long, jagged claws and hollow, burning eyes. Guardians of the Catacombs, awakened by the presence of the living.

"Split up!" Jin hissed, not waiting for a response as he bolted down a side corridor.

Lee Sung cursed under his breath. Coward.

Summoning his shadows, Lee Sung conjured skeletal warriors of his own, sending them crashing into the enemy. Bones shattered and shadows shrieked as they clashed in the narrow halls.

Lee Sung moved like a ghost, slipping through the chaos. His focus was absolute: find the Sigil, survive, and get out.

---

Meanwhile, Jin ducked into a hidden alcove, his breath ragged. He pulled out a small, glowing stone from his pocket — a communication crystal.

Helios's voice hissed through it, cold and commanding.

"Report, Jin."

Jin gritted his teeth. "He's inside the Catacombs, moving toward the Sigil. He's strong — stronger than I thought. But he's alone."

"Good. Lead him to the Antechamber. The trap is ready."

Jin hesitated. "And my reward?"

"You'll be blessed in the Sun God's light," Helios promised. "Greater power than you can imagine."

Jin nodded once, a dark resolve hardening inside him.

---

Lee Sung, unaware of the betrayal brewing behind him, pressed on into the heart of the Catacombs. Strange murals lined the walls now — visions of summoners raising armies, forging empires, and finally falling to hubris and ruin.

At last, he reached a great stone door marked with intricate carvings. It pulsed faintly with a magic older than any he had felt before.

The Sigil of Warding must be behind this, he realized.

As he approached, the torches along the corridor flared violently, and the temperature plummeted.

He placed his hand on the door — and instantly, a massive thunderclap shook the entire Catacomb.

The stone split open, revealing a dark chamber beyond — and a shadowed figure standing at its center.

Helios.

Waiting.

Grinning.

Behind Lee Sung, the corridors shifted and sealed, trapping him inside.

And somewhere in the echoing darkness, Lee Sung could hear Jin laughing.