My arms flailed as I fell, the wind roaring in my ears like a wild beast. Just before the ground rushed up to meet me, I remembered—I could do something. I tried to cast Shield.

[Insufficient mana]

"Great," I thought bitterly. "Just when I need it most."

I slammed into a shallow pool of reddish-orange liquid, the impact jarring every bone in my body. It felt like landing on a bed of jagged rocks rather than anything remotely soft.

[You take 15 damage. Health Critical!]

A sharp, searing pain shot through me as I groaned and dragged myself out of the viscous fluid. The air was thick with a fishy, salty stench that clung to my nostrils and coated my tongue. The so-called 'water' had broken my fall just enough to keep me alive—a small mercy. Still, it was frustrating to take so much fall damage.

I looked up into the abyss above. The bridge loomed high, a distant silhouette against the dim glow. "Three stories," I muttered. "Lucky me."

I considered asking Elisabeth for guidance, but whatever had addled her mind lately made her next to useless. Crystal might be more helpful, but could I rely on her now?

"Hey, Liz, can you pull up the map?" I called out hesitantly, my voice echoing off the damp walls. I closed my eyes and offered a silent prayer—not that I had much faith in the so-called gods anymore.

To my surprise, when I opened my eyes, the holographic map materialized before me, its soft blue light casting eerie shadows on the pulsating walls. Relief washed over me like a cool breeze on a scorching day.

The map showed four levels, intricate pathways weaving like a spider's web. I was at the bottom—Level One—and the bridge I'd fallen from was on Level Four. "Survived a three-story fall inside a giant beast," I mused. "Add that to the skills list."

The reality of being inside this colossal creature pressed down on me. The walls around me throbbed rhythmically, echoing the beast's heartbeat—a constant, unsettling reminder of where I was.

Reaching into my inventory, I pulled out my second-to-last healing potion. The crimson liquid swirled inside the glass vial like a captured flame. I hesitated. Mana potions were scarce, and I couldn't regenerate mana inside the beast. Best to save them.

"Looks like it's you and me," I said to the healing potion.

I uncorked it and downed the contents in one gulp. A warm sensation spread through my body, the pain in my limbs subsiding to a dull ache. I flexed my fingers and took a deep breath, the salty air filling my lungs. The small chamber at the bottom of the pit had two pulsing doorways, their membranes shimmering like the surface of a disturbed pond. The floor beneath me was slick, each step making a squelching sound—like walking on raw flesh.

"Which way now?" I wondered aloud.

I glanced back at the map hovering before me. It wasn’t much help, really—just a series of lines and dots, but it gave me a vague idea of where I was. Not that it mattered much. The room ahead was either my ticket forward, or another loop back. Either way, I’d have to push through.

I had two choices and decided to do the smart thing and just pick a path. I could always go back later if I had to. With my stats as topped off as they could be, I went through the door on the right. As soon as I pierced the membrane, the ‘doorway’ stretched open with a wet slurp, allowing me to step into the next room.

The change in atmosphere hit me instantly. Cold, damp air clung to my skin, and the dim torchlight that followed me flickered against high stone walls. I was immediately stumped. Before me stood three massive statues, each towering over me like silent sentinels.

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The figures were carved out of dark, mossy stone, but there was something unsettling about them—they weren’t like the ancient, weathered statues I’d encountered before. These statues felt alive. Their eyes, particularly, glinted with an unnatural sheen, as though they were watching me.

In the center was a woman, or at least, a figure that looked like one. Her long, green hair spilled over her shoulders, and her cat-shaped eyes seemed to pierce through the gloom. Pointed ears framed her face, and the way she was clothed—a flowing gown made of actual fabric—seemed out of place, given that the rest of her was stone.

I took a step forward. Her eyes, glowing faintly with a greenish hue, flicked toward me.

[Beware beware Malasare] Elizabeth said in a singysong voice.

"Malasare?" I muttered under my breath, trying to recall if I’d heard of her before. Some kind of goddess, maybe. Definitely not one I’d studied or seen before.

Beneath the statues, I could make out pressure plates set into the stone floor. Classic puzzle room setup: statues on switches. Easy enough.

Or so I thought.

As I approached the nearest statue, the room seemed to grow colder. The eyes of the statue blinked—blinked—and tracked my movement. The stone figure tilted its head ever so slightly, like it was observing me. I froze, heart thudding in my chest.

Great. Moving statues.

I sized up the room, careful to avoid Malasare’s stare. The statues were huge, each easily ten feet tall, made from thick slabs of marble-like stone. Getting them onto the pressure plates wasn’t going to be simple, but I could make it work. I’d handled weirder.

I took a cautious step forward. The moment my foot touched the floor, a loud grinding noise echoed through the chamber. The statue closest to me jerked forward, its stone limbs creaking unnaturally. Then, it moved—on its own.

“Oh, fantastic,” I muttered, backing up instinctively.

The statue’s eyes burned with that eerie green light, and I realized with growing alarm that it wasn’t just observing me. It was tracking me. Wherever I went, its gaze followed, cold and unblinking.

I moved to the left, and so did the statue’s eyes.

I moved to the right, and its head shifted to follow.

Beam-like light shot from its eyes, sweeping across the room in measured, deliberate motions. Whatever that light touched seemed to shimmer, like it was charged with some sort of energy.

"Well, that’s new."

Carefully, I edged my way toward the nearest pressure plate. The other statues remained still, but their eyes burned just as brightly. I had the uneasy feeling that if I got too close, they would spring to life as well.

I positioned myself behind the first statue and gave it a tentative push. It didn’t budge. Of course. I pushed harder, straining against the stone, and felt it shift slightly under my weight. The whole time, Malasare’s glowing eyes followed me, that beam of green light skimming the room in slow, deliberate circles.

With a grunt, I managed to push the statue onto the pressure plate. There was a low, echoing click, and I felt a small pulse of energy ripple through the floor beneath my feet.

One down.

I moved to the second statue, wary of the eyes. As soon as I stepped within range, the green beam swept toward me, forcing me to duck out of the way. The light scorched the ground where I’d been standing, leaving a faint burn mark on the stone. This statue wasn’t just watching—it could attack.

Carefully, I maneuvered around it, dodging the green beams as they tracked my every movement. Each step was a gamble, each breath a tense moment of hoping I didn’t trigger something else.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I got the second statue into place. Another click echoed through the chamber.

Two down.

I turned to face the final statue. It hadn’t moved yet, but I knew the moment I approached, it would. Malasare’s eyes seemed to glow brighter, the green light intensifying as though daring me to take the final step.

When the last statue clicked into place, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.

But just as I was about to relax, the entire room shuddered. The statues, now all aligned on their pressure plates, began to tremble violently. I stepped back, heart racing, unsure of what was happening.

And then, something absolutely bizarre occurred.

The statues bent forward at the waist, like they were bowing to me. And from the mouth of the Malasare statue, a voice—a soft, melodic voice—echoed through the chamber.

"You have proven yourself, but this is only the beginning."

Before I could react, the floor beneath me gave way, and I was plunged into darkness.