The mycelium network flickered. The star-like nodes dimmed and flared in rhythm with the chant, as though the entire underground world was breathing in unison with the ancient voice. Kaelen's blood continued to flow, but now it moved in slow, measured pulses, each beat matching the cadence of the impossible words rising from the stone. Every thread beneath his feet shimmered with crimson light before fading into pale silver. The cavern itself seemed alive. The walls expanded and contracted so subtly he questioned whether it was an illusion or whether the mountain truly breathed.
"Yth-ka vorn, yth-ka dras. The stone remembers, the stone eats."
The words echoed from every direction. They did not bounce from the rock. They emerged from it. The ancient altar vibrated beneath Kaelen's hand, sending a dull ache through his bones. The sound settled inside his chest, replacing the rhythm of his own heartbeat.
