Chapter 2: The Stone-framed
Gateway
When Rhea
opened her eyes, the world had changed. The air was cool and tinged with the
scent of minerals, sharp and clean. She sat up, wincing as her hands scraped
against smooth, glass-like stone. Around her, massive, crystalline structures
stretched toward a ceiling so high it disappeared into darkness.
“What…
where are we?” Mira’s voice wavered as she clutched her knee, a faint trickle
of blood staining her leggings. Kiran crouched beside her, his protective
instincts kicking in as he inspected the wound.
Rhea
barely heard them. Her eyes were fixed on an archway ahead, formed entirely of
stones that shimmered like liquid under torchlight. The arch stood embedded in
the side of a colossal cavern wall, its surface carved with the same glowing
symbols from above. Beyond the archway, faint shadows flickered, suggesting
movement—or life.
“We’re
underground,” Rhea said, standing despite the dizziness that threatened to pull
her back down. “But this isn’t any cave I’ve ever seen.”
Kiran snorted,
though his voice betrayed his unease. “You think? What gave it away? The
glowing rocks or the fact that we fell through solid ground?”
Mira
winced as she stood. “Less sarcasm, more solutions, Kiran.”
As the
three hesitated at the threshold of the arch, a soft, melodic voice drifted
toward them. It was neither male nor female, a blend of tones that seemed to
bypass their ears and speak directly to their minds.
“Welcome,
surface dwellers,” the voice intoned. “You have answered the call.”
