The tunnels echoed with the distant sound of dripping water, each drop a quiet reminder of the weight of the earth above them. Liam’s boots scraped against the stone as he followed Kaelin’s sure-footed steps. Her torch flickered, casting long shadows that danced and twisted along the damp walls. The air grew cooler, carrying with it a metallic tang that made his skin prickle.

“Careful,” Kaelin said over her shoulder, her voice taut with an edge that had nothing to do with the uneven ground. “The deeper we go, the more unstable these tunnels become.”

“No kidding,” Liam muttered, catching himself on the wall as a loose rock shifted underfoot. His glowing mark pulsed faintly, a slow, rhythmic beat that seemed almost alive. He glanced at it uneasily, wondering yet again what it meant.

They rounded a corner, and the tunnel widened abruptly into a vast chamber. Liam stopped short, his breath catching at the sight before him. Two paths stretched ahead, each marked by ancient carvings etched into the stone.

On the left, the carvings depicted dragons, their serpentine forms coiled in intricate patterns. Flames licked along the edges of the etchings, frozen in time, while gemstones embedded in the rock glinted faintly in the torchlight.

On the right, the stone was darker, its carvings subtler, almost hidden. The lines flowed like liquid shadow, the shapes shifting in the dim light as if alive. Liam shivered, an inexplicable chill running down his spine.

Kaelin’s torch wavered as she turned to study the paths. “The Way of the Dragon,” she said, nodding to the left. “And the Path of Shadows.” Her tone carried a hint of respect, even reverence. “Legends speak of these routes - trials for the marked to prove their worth.”

“Great,” Liam said, his voice tinged with sarcasm. “Which one’s the express lane?”

Kaelin shot him a sharp look, but her lips twitched. “Neither. Both paths are fraught with danger. But the Dragon’s Way is said to test courage and strength, while the Shadowed Path…” She trailed off, her gaze darkening. “It tests something deeper.”

Before Liam could respond, a deep rumble shook the ground. His heart leapt into his throat as the stone beneath his feet shuddered violently.

“Get back!” Kaelin shouted, grabbing his arm and yanking him toward the wall.

A deafening crack split the air as part of the ceiling collapsed, raining down chunks of rock and debris. Liam coughed, shielding his face from the cloud of dust that filled the chamber. When the tremor subsided, he lowered his arm, blinking through the haze.

“Kaelin?” he called, his voice echoing eerily.

“I’m here!” she yelled back, her voice muffled. A pile of rubble now separated them, a jagged wall of stone that had fallen between them. “Liam, stay where you are! I’ll find a way around.”

“Yeah, about that -” Liam began, but his words were cut off by a sound that made his blood run cold. A low, chittering noise, like nails scraping against glass, echoed from the tunnel behind him.

Kaelin cursed loudly. “Burrowers.”

“Burrowers?” Liam repeated, his voice rising. “What the hell are Burrowers?”

As if in answer, a creature emerged from the darkness. It was a nightmarish amalgamation of worm and reptile, its segmented body covered in gleaming stone-like scales. Rings of razor-sharp teeth circled its maw, grinding together with a sickening sound.

“Those,” Kaelin said grimly. “Take cover, I’m coming!” She shouted, putting action to words.

Another tremor shook the ground, and Liam stumbled. He turned to follow her advice, but the earth beneath him shifted again, tilting dangerously. Before he could react, the ground gave way entirely, and he was swept forward, sliding down a smooth, sloping chute.

“Liam!” Kaelin’s voice faded as he was carried deeper into the earth. The chute was polished and slick, its surface unnervingly smooth, as if crafted by something - or someone.

He tried to slow his descent, clawing at the walls, but the angle was too steep, and the walls of the tube were too slick. Panic clawed at his chest as the world became a blur of shadow and motion. Then, just as suddenly as it began, the chute spat him out into a new chamber. He landed hard, the impact knocking the wind from his lungs as he tumbled to a stop.

For a moment, he lay still, staring up at the jagged ceiling far above. His heart hammered in his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, wincing as he tested his limbs. Nothing seemed broken, though his knees and elbows throbbed where they’d hit the stone.

System Alert: New Quest: The Third Path. Objective: Survive.

The words flashed in his peripheral vision, a cold, impersonal reminder of the stakes. He swallowed hard, his throat dry.

“Well, that’s comforting,” he muttered, his voice echoing in the empty chamber. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, System.”

The room was dimly lit by a faint, eerie glow emanating from the walls. Strange markings covered the stone, their lines shifting and twisting when he tried to focus on them. He turned in a slow circle, his pulse quickening as he realized there were no obvious exits.

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He glanced up at the chute, which loomed high above. It was smooth and featureless, offering no handholds. He considered trying to climb it anyway, but the memory of the Burrowers’ chittering made him hesitate. If those things were still up there…

His glowing mark pulsed again, drawing his attention to a narrow opening at the far end of the chamber. The faint light from his mark seemed to echo off the walls, illuminating the passage beyond. It was dark, foreboding, and undeniably dangerous.

Liam clenched his fists, his mind racing. What would Kaelin do? he wondered. The answer came immediately: She’d charge ahead, blade drawn, ready to face whatever came next. But Kaelin wasn’t here. It was just him, alone in the dark.

“You’ve got this, Liam,” he said aloud, his voice steadier than he felt. “You survived dying. You survived Stonehenge. Hell, you even survived Kaelin’s death glare. This? This is just another test.”

He took a step toward the opening, then hesitated, glancing back at the chute. A small part of him wanted to try climbing it, to find Kaelin, to cling to the safety of her experience and strength. But the mark on his arm pulsed again, insistently, and he felt a strange pull toward the shadowed path.

“A hero wouldn’t hesitate,” he muttered. “And the supposed inheritor of an ancient immortal legacy? He’d probably make a joke about it first.” He smiled faintly, the thought giving him a flicker of courage. “Okay, then. Let’s do this.”

He adjusted his grip on a shard of broken stone he’d grabbed from the debris, took a deep breath, and stepped into the shadows.

The faint glow of the mark on Liam’s arm barely lit the tunnel around him, but it was enough to see a few steps ahead. He moved carefully at first, his fingers brushing against the rough stone walls for guidance. The air was damp and heavy, carrying an earthy scent mixed with something metallic that made his stomach churn.

Behind him, the faint chittering noises began again. His pulse quickened as he turned to look, but the tunnel behind him was empty, swallowed by darkness. The sound didn’t stop, though. It was faint and intermittent, like claws scraping against stone, echoing from somewhere he couldn’t pinpoint.

“They followed me,” he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own breathing. A shiver ran down his spine, and he forced himself to move faster. The smooth soles of his boots slipped on the slick stone, and he stumbled, catching himself on the wall. “Of course they did. Stick around and face off against a warrior princess, or chase after the wannabe champion?” No contest.

“Stay calm, Liam,” he muttered, trying to steady his breathing. “You’ve dealt with worse… Wait, no I haven’t!” Liam slapped his cheeks. “Enough of the dark thoughts. All I have to do is just keep moving, and I can stay ahead of them.”

The tunnel sloped downward, the incline slight but unrelenting. The farther he went, the colder it became, the chill seeping into his bones. The glow of his mark grew weaker, or perhaps the darkness around him grew stronger. He wasn’t sure which. His hand brushed over something smooth, almost polished, and he jerked back as though burned. It felt like glass, cold and unyielding, but when he reached out again, it was gone, replaced by the coarse texture of stone.

The chittering grew louder, closer. His heart pounded in his chest, and he quickened his pace. His foot caught on a loose stone, and he nearly fell, managing to catch himself at the last moment. He pressed forward, the narrow tunnel twisting and turning like a living thing. His breath came in short gasps, the oppressive air clawing at his lungs.

A sudden noise -something skittering across the floor behind him, like scales on ice- made him freeze. He turned slowly, straining his eyes against the darkness. Nothing.

The chittering stopped.

The silence that followed was worse. It pressed down on him, heavy and unnatural, as though the tunnel itself was holding its breath.

“Keep going,” he whispered to himself. His voice strained, but he pushed forward, his hands trailing along the wall for balance.

The faintest sound of water reached his ears - soft and rhythmic, like waves gently lapping against a shore. Relief flooded through him, and he pressed on, drawn toward the sound. The darkness began to lighten, a soft, bluish glow illuminating the path ahead. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to see by.

The tunnel opened into a cavern, and Liam stopped short, his breath catching at the sight before him. A still pool of water stretched out in the center of the chamber, its surface as smooth as glass. The faint blue glow emanated from the water itself, casting dancing shadows on the cavern walls. Stalactites hung from the ceiling like jagged teeth, their tips glistening with moisture.

He approached the water cautiously, the sound of his footsteps muffled by the damp stone. Kneeling at the edge of the pool, he stared into its depths. The glow seemed to come from far below, a soft, pulsating light that called to him in a way he couldn’t explain.

His reflection stared back at him, distorted by the rippling surface. He looked pale, his features gaunt, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion. The mark on his arm glowed faintly, its light mirrored in the water.

“What are you trying to show me?” he murmured, his voice barely more than a breath. He dipped his fingers into the water, and the cold shocked him, sending a jolt up his arm. The ripples spread outward, distorting the reflection until it dissolved into a blur.

A noise from behind made him freeze. The chittering was back, louder now, and accompanied by a wet, slithering sound that turned his stomach. He scrambled to his feet, his eyes darting to the tunnel he had come from. The glow of the water illuminated the entrance, but nothing moved in the shadows beyond.

He took a step back, his heart hammering in his chest. The sound grew louder, closer. He glanced at the pool, then back at the tunnel. Whatever was coming, he didn’t want to face it here, cornered and unarmed.

“Think, Liam,” he whispered, his mind racing. “What would Kaelin do?”

The answer was immediate: she’d stand her ground. But Kaelin had a blade. Liam had nothing but his wits and a glowing mark he didn’t understand.

The first Burrower emerged from the tunnel, its segmented body glinting in the faint light. It moved with a disturbing fluidity, its ringed teeth grinding together as it sniffed the air. More chittering followed, and Liam realized with a sinking feeling that it wasn’t alone.

“Not good,” he muttered, taking another step back. His heel met the edge of the pool, and he glanced down at the water. The glowing light pulsed again, stronger this time, almost as if it were reacting to the creatures’ presence.

Another Burrower appeared, then another, their grotesque forms filling the entrance to the cavern. Liam’s breathing quickened, panic threatening to take hold.

The glow on his arm flared suddenly, bright and urgent, like a warning. Without giving himself time to think, Liam turned and plunged into the pool. The cold enveloped him instantly, stealing his breath. He kicked out, fighting the shock of the water, and dove toward the light below.

The Burrowers hissed in frustration, their grinding teeth echoing in the chamber. Liam felt the vibrations of their movements as they approached the water’s edge, but they didn’t follow. He risked a glance upward and saw their distorted forms circling the pool, their movements agitated.

His lungs burned, and he forced himself to keep going, the glowing light below growing brighter with each stroke. The water grew warmer as he descended, the pressure building in his ears. He reached out, his fingers brushing something solid.

A surge of energy pulsed through him as he closed his fingers around the object, and the light enveloped him completely.

Then the world went dark.