The chains rattled. Not from an external force—but from something within.

  Kael's pulse pounded in his ears as the whispers grew louder, slipping beneath his skin like icy tendrils. He staggered back, forcing himself to breathe.

  Elysia pressed a hand against the door, her brow furrowed in concentration. "The magic in these chains… it's breaking."

  Phantom gripped his rifle. "That’s usually when we leave."

  Aldric kept his weapon raised, his stance tense. "But we don’t even know what’s inside."

  Lyria scoffed. "Whatever it is, someone went through a lot of trouble to keep it locked up."

  The chains groaned, pulsing with unnatural energy. The whispering voices layered over one another, forming something almost intelligible. Kael strained to make sense of them, but all he could grasp was a single word.

  "Release."

  Before Kael could react, a sharp crack echoed through the chamber. One of the chains splintered, its glowing symbols flickering out like a dying ember. The moment it broke, the air grew heavier, charged with something primal.

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  Elysia’s eyes widened. "The seal—it's destabilizing."

  Kael clenched his jaw. He didn’t know if breaking the chains would unleash a savior or a nightmare. But if they left it as it was… would it eventually break on its own?

  Phantom shifted uneasily. "We need to decide. Either we back away now or—"

  Another crack. The second chain snapped.

  A blast of cold air rushed from the door, as if the void itself had exhaled. Shadows bled through the cracks in the stone, writhing like living smoke.

  The whispers turned into a single, guttural voice.

  "Who… dares… disturb me?"

  A presence filled the chamber. Heavy. Ancient. A force that had been sealed for centuries—perhaps even longer.

  Kael fought against the pressure crushing his chest. "We don’t want trouble."

  A deep, chilling chuckle vibrated through the air. "Then why do you stand before my prison, Outsider?"

  Elysia’s grip on her staff tightened. "Who are you?"

  The entity did not answer. Instead, the remaining chains trembled, their light dimming further.

  Then came the warning.

  "Do not set me free… unless you seek the end."

  The door pulsed, shadows writhing violently now. The presence behind it stirred, its sheer weight pressing against their minds.

  Kael hesitated. If they left it alone, would someone else come along and unleash it? Or had they already come too close to stop what had begun?

  The final chain splintered.

  The door creaked open.

  And from the darkness within, something stepped forward.