"You do not belong here," the voice echoed, a soundless force pressing into their minds. "Turn back, or be consumed."
Jude stepped forward, the crystal burning in his grasp. "We can't turn back. We need answers."
The figure regarded them in silence, the storm raging around it. Then, slowly, it extended one massive hand, and the sea itself parted.
"You seek truth," it intoned. "Then face the price of knowing."
The world twisted, and the team was no longer on the ship.
They stood within a vast chamber, impossibly ancient, carved from stone that pulsed with an eerie light. The walls were lined with immense doors, each sealed with chains of glowing energy. The air was thick with the weight of something unseen, something waiting.
Mira cursed under her breath. "Where the hell are we now?"
Eldara closed her eyes, her senses reaching out. "A memory," she whispered. "Or something older than memory."
