The group continued deeper underground.
The corridor had changed once again.
Gone were the rough stone walls.
Smooth blocks of dark stone now lined the passage.
Soft blue crystals embedded at regular intervals illuminated the tunnel with a steady glow.
The air was cool.
Dry.
Almost unnaturally clean.
Their footsteps echoed quietly through the corridor.
After several moments—
Draven glanced toward Ryke.
His voice remained calm.
"...It doesn't look much different..."
"...from where you used to work."
Ryke stiffened.
A cold sweat immediately formed across his forehead.
"...Yeah..."
"...I guess."
Before he could say anything else—
Kaelira's wolf ears suddenly stood upright.
She slowly turned toward him.
"...That's right."
Her eyes narrowed.
"...I almost forgot."
"You were one of the bastards who captured me."
Her gaze became noticeably colder.
"...And threw me into that death game."
Ryke instinctively avoided meeting her eyes.
"...D-Don't look at me like that."
"I wasn't the one making those decisions."
"I'm just a nobody in the business."
Draven's voice interrupted him.
"...You controlled one of the ships."
"...The ships used to transport those who were captured."
Ryke's heart skipped a beat.
More cold sweat rolled down the side of his neck.
"...Y-Yeah..."
Kaelira's killing intent slowly filled the corridor.
"...I was angry..."
"...that I never got my revenge."
She took another step.
"...I didn't expect one of them..."
"...to be standing this close."
Ryke hurriedly raised both hands.
"...Calm down."
"I was just—"
Draven cut him off.
"...Just a worker."
"...Not involved."
"...Only following orders."
His blue eyes met Ryke's.
"...Whatever excuse you choose..."
"...it's still an excuse."
Silence filled the corridor.
"...You weren't forced."
A brief pause.
"...And even if you had been..."
"...you still chose to do it."
His voice remained completely emotionless.
"...Don't comfort yourself by repeating whatever lie helps you sleep at night."
"...To those who died..."
"...and to those whose lives were destroyed..."
"...you were part of it."
"...Your hands are stained alongside everyone else's."
"...Don't pretend otherwise."
Ryke froze.
His mouth opened slightly—
before slowly closing again.
He found himself unable to answer.
*...What's this...?*
*Does he actually hate me...?*
*Or...*
*Is he simply stating the truth...?*
The silence lingered.
Aldric finally let out a sigh.
"...Cool it, Doggy."
He looked directly at Kaelira.
"...He's my servant now."
"...Remember?"
Kaelira's glare remained fixed on Ryke.
After another moment—
she reluctantly looked away.
Aldric folded his arms.
"...Besides..."
"...it's not like anyone here is a saint."
His grin slowly returned.
"...Every single one of us has done worse than most people could imagine."
His crimson eyes shifted toward Draven.
"...Including you."
He smirked.
"...So you're one to start preaching."
Draven didn't even look at him.
"...I don't give a damn..."
"...what he's done, or whether he lives or dies."
His voice remained as calm as ever.
"...I've got far too much occupying my mind..."
"...to waste time judging him."
For a brief moment—
even Draven found himself thinking.
*...Why did I even say anything...?*
*...Strange.*
He had no answer.
The conversation ended there.
No one spoke again.
The group continued walking through the brightly lit underground corridor.
Ahead—
Pythia had quietly pulled the familiar black cloak over herself once more.
The dark fabric concealed nearly her entire figure.
Without slowing—
she continued leading them deeper into the hidden passages beneath Dresvalle.
The group continued onward.
Stone corridors stretched endlessly ahead.
One turn.
Then another.
Then another.
Yet everything looked exactly the same.
The same walls.
The same blue crystals.
The same perfectly smooth floor.
After several more minutes—
Aldric finally clicked his tongue.
"...What is this?"
He glanced around with an irritated expression.
"...A ruin..."
"...or a damn maze?"
He spread one hand.
"...All I've seen are corridors."
Pythia answered calmly.
"...That's because we've been walking in circles."
Aldric frowned.
"...What?"
She continued forward without slowing.
"...We aren't choosing the path."
"...The ruin is."
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"...We're being guided."
Kaelira's wolf ears twitched.
"...Guided?"
She instinctively looked around.
"...You mean..."
"...someone's watching us?"
Pythia nodded.
"...Yes."
"They're observing our movements."
"...Every step."
Her fingertips lightly brushed against the smooth stone wall as she walked.
"...This ruin is more than ancient architecture."
"...It can be controlled."
"...Those within can alter its pathways."
"...Open new passages."
"...Seal others."
"...And observe everyone inside."
Kaelira glanced around once more.
"...That's..."
"...kind of creepy."
Pythia gave a slight nod.
"...They're likely observing us right now."
"...Trying to determine whether we're intruders..."
"...or guests."
Ryke subconsciously glanced over his shoulder.
"...I don't like that."
Pythia continued.
"...Ordinarily..."
"...if one of our members returned with an outsider..."
"...they would be stopped."
"...Questions would be asked."
She paused briefly.
"...The outsider might simply be someone wishing to join."
"...In that case..."
"...they would be evaluated."
Kaelira blinked.
"...Then..."
"...why haven't they stopped us?"
Pythia remained silent for a moment.
Then—
"...Because we don't appear to be in that situation."
Aldric let out a short laugh.
"...So what you're saying..."
"...is that your little group of rats..."
"...doesn't trust you anymore."
Pythia didn't deny it.
"...I'm afraid that's the case."
She lowered her eyes slightly.
"...And..."
"...I believe I know why."
Aldric's grin faded.
"...Go on."
Pythia answered quietly.
"...I'm the only one..."
"...who returned from the mission we were assigned."
"...Everyone else disappeared."
Aldric folded his arms.
"...You mean..."
"...opening the Abyssal Crack."
She nodded.
"...Yes."
Silence filled the corridor.
"...From their perspective..."
"...the situation is highly suspicious."
She continued walking.
"...An entire expedition vanished."
"...Only one person returned."
"...Then that same person disappeared for weeks..."
"...before suddenly returning..."
"...accompanied by several powerful strangers."
She glanced back at the group.
"...If our positions were reversed..."
"...I would be suspicious as well."
Aldric scratched the back of his head.
"...Can't really argue with that."
Kaelira tilted her head.
"...So..."
"...they're deciding whether to welcome us..."
"...or kill us?"
Pythia's expression remained calm.
"...Something like that."
The words had barely left her mouth—
when the corridor ahead rumbled.
**Rumble...**
The walls shifted.
Stone ground against stone.
A section of the passage slowly rotated aside.
Revealing an entirely new corridor that hadn't existed moments before.
Pythia looked toward the opening.
"...It seems..."
"...they've finally reached a decision."
Without hesitation—
she stepped toward the newly revealed passage.
The others followed in silence.