Leon stared at the unnatural mark on the archway.
It wasn't just a scratch. It was deliberate. A symbol, crudely etched into the stone, barely visible against the ancient carvings. But what sent a chill down his spine was the darkness clinging to it.
Not a stain. Not a shadow.
Something alive.
Something watching.
Kaelen stepped beside him, his gaze narrowing as he, too, noticed the corruption. "This was done recently."
Rhun's jaw tightened. "Then we are not the first ones here."
Leon traced his fingers near the mark, careful not to touch it directly. A faint hum of energy pulsed against his skin.
It was familiar.
Too familiar.
Back in his past life, this kind of corruption had only appeared in Devia after the game's world started to unravel—after the real world began merging with it.
But that event was supposed to be fifteen years away.
So why was it here now?
---
A Warning Left Behind
Jarek, standing a few steps back, shuddered. "Okay, I don't know what that is, but I hate it. Can we just agree that ancient ruins plus ominous symbols equals 'bad idea' and go back?"
Leon ignored him. He studied the ground near the entrance. The soil was disturbed. Someone had been here not long ago.
Kaelen crouched, his fingers brushing against the dirt. "Tracks. A single set."
"Beastman?" Leon asked.
Kaelen shook his head. "Too light-footed. And the stride is unnatural, almost... disjointed."
Rhun's expression darkened. "Then it was no ordinary traveler."
Leon exhaled. He already knew what the others were thinking.
Whoever left this mark wasn't just passing through. They had a purpose.
And if corruption had already spread here—
Then the trial waiting inside the Stone Maw would be far more dangerous than they had anticipated.
---
The First Step Inside
Despite the unease, they had no choice but to proceed.
The Stone Maw was massive. The entrance tunnel stretched deep into the earth, the stone walls narrowing as they walked. The further they ventured, the colder the air became.
Jarek wrapped his arms around himself. "Great. Just great. Not only is this place creepy, but now it feels like a tomb. Which, by the way, is exactly where we're headed if we keep walking."
Leon stayed silent, his mind focused.
He had to be ready for anything.
Then—
A flicker.
At the very edge of his vision, a faint movement in the darkness.
Leon stopped. "Did you see that?"
Kaelen's daggers were already in his hands. "Yes."
Jarek groaned. "I didn't, but I'm assuming it's something awful."
Rhun took a deep breath, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "We are being watched."
Leon knew it too.
The corruption wasn't just inside the Stone Maw.
It was waiting for them.
---