The staircase spiraled down into darkness, carved from the same ancient stone as the chamber above. Each step seemed to echo endlessly into the void below. A strange warmth emanated from the depths, mixed with the same low hum that had filled the air since they entered the tomb.

Raj led the way, his lantern illuminating only a few feet ahead, leaving the rest of the passage in shadows. His breathing was steady, but his eyes were alight with a manic determination. "Deeper," he thought. "The truth is always buried deep."

The rest of the team followed closely, their unease growing with every step. The descent felt eternal, the air growing heavier with each passing moment.

Victor's POV

Victor's grip tightened on his flashlight as he scanned the darkness around them. His instincts were screaming at him again. "This isn't just a tomb," he thought. "It's something else… something worse."

He kept his eyes on Raj, watching his every move. Raj was in his element—too comfortable, too calm. "He knows exactly where we're going," Victor thought grimly. "But he's not telling us everything."

He slowed his pace, falling back to walk alongside Elias.

"Keep your eyes open," Victor whispered. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Elias nodded, adjusting his glasses nervously. "I was just thinking the same thing. This place… it feels wrong. Almost like it's alive."

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Eva's POV

Eva's pulse quickened as the walls closed in around them. The carvings became darker, more violent—depicting not just gods and kings, but rituals of blood and sacrifice.

Her fingers tightened around her notebook. "I should be excited," she thought. "This is the discovery of a lifetime… but why do I feel like we're walking into a trap?"

She glanced at Raj, who seemed unfazed, almost euphoric. His fingers traced the symbols as if he were greeting old friends.

"Raj," she called out, trying to keep her voice steady. "Are you sure this is the right way?"

Raj paused, turning to her with a calm, unsettling smile. "There's no turning back now, Eva. The answers we seek lie just ahead. Trust me."

The staircase ended in a vast underground hall, far larger than the chamber above. Massive stone statues of forgotten gods loomed over them, their eyes gleaming with an unnatural light.

At the center of the hall stood a colossal stone door, covered in runes and symbols that seemed to shift and writhe in the lantern light.

Raj stepped forward, his eyes wide with wonder. "The Final Gate," he whispered. "We've found it."

He turned to the team, his voice steady but filled with barely contained excitement. "Beyond this door lies the artifact—the heart of this tomb. The key to everything."

Victor crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "And what happens when we open it?"

Raj smiled. "We'll finally have the answers we've been searching for. The truth about the gods, the origins of this world… and perhaps something more."

Elias stepped closer to the door, examining the shifting runes. His face paled. "Raj… these symbols. They're not just decorative. They're a warning."

Raj raised an eyebrow. "A warning? Or a test?"

"No," Elias said, his voice trembling. "They're a barrier. Something's sealed behind this door for a reason. If we open it—"

"We'll be the first to witness what was hidden," Raj interrupted. His voice was calm, but there was an edge of impatience. "Do you want to turn back and live the rest of your life wondering what could have been?"

Elias hesitated, glancing at Victor, who gave him a subtle shake of the head.

"We're this close," Raj continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. "If we stop now, everything we've worked for will be for nothing."

The team stood in silence, the weight of Raj's words settling on their shoulders. The hall seemed to hold its breath, waiting for their choice.

Raj turned back to the door, his fingers brushing against the runes. "The past has been waiting for someone brave enough to open the door," he thought. "And that someone is me."

With a deep breath, he pressed his palm against the center of the door. The runes flared with blinding light, and the stone groaned as ancient mechanisms creaked to life.

The ground trembled beneath their feet, dust falling from the ceiling. The door began to split down the middle, revealing a yawning void beyond.

Raj smiled, his heart pounding. "Welcome to the heart of the cradle."