Leo staggered forward and equipped his wine cask, which materialized strapped across his back with a dull thud. In his current state, even standing upright was a struggle, let alone bearing its weight. His knees buckled slightly, and he would have collapsed if Ethan had not stepped in, bracing him from the side and helping him lift the cask into position. Together, they slid it carefully into the carved depression at the front of the stone coffin.
Clunk… Clack… Clunk…
Ancient mechanisms groaned as they awakened after ages of dormancy. The iron staff embedded in the coffin lid shuddered, then began spinning rapidly, its motion growing faster with each passing second. With a deep, grinding roar that vibrated through the chamber floor, the massive stone lid slid downward like a vertical gate retracting into the earth.
ROOOAR!
A thunderous bellow burst from the widening gap, followed by a thick crimson mist that surged outward like a living thing.
