The staircase spiraled upward into darkness, each step heavier than the last. When George finally reached the third floor, a dim red light washed over him. The chamber was vast and alien, its walls alive with veins that pulsed with a crimson glow. Pools of blood dotted the floor, their surfaces eerily still.
A voice, cold and authoritative, echoed through the chamber.
"Welcome, aspirant. To ascend, you must master the Aspect of Blood Renewal. Within you lies the power to regenerate from a single drop of blood, but this power demands sacrifice. Make your enemies bleed, claim their essence, and fuse it with your own. Only then will you transcend."
George's breath hitched. The chamber was silent now, save for the rhythmic thrum of the blood-veined walls.
"Fusing with blood… Sounds as twisted as it does necessary," he muttered, gripping his sword tightly.
