Darkness swallowed us.
For a brief moment, I felt neither my body nor my Soul Force. It was as though every sense had been stripped away before the world quietly returned around us.
The first thing I noticed was absolute silence.
Not the silence of an empty room, but the kind that seemed to absorb every sound before it could fully exist.
The second thing I noticed was the floor.
Smooth grey stone stretched endlessly beneath our feet, polished to such perfection that it reflected our figures like still water. Massive pillars disappeared into darkness on either side, their true height impossible to determine, while countless ancient lanterns floated overhead, illuminating the enormous hall with a pale silver glow despite possessing no visible flame.
The hall itself seemed endless.
There were no windows or decorations.
Only a single path leading toward the far end, where two stone monuments stood waiting.
Nobody spoke.
