The tunnel beneath the church was pitch black, the air damp and stale. Ethan led the way with a lantern they had found near the altar, its flickering light casting long shadows on the walls. The others followed close behind, their footsteps echoing in the narrow passage.

  The walls of the tunnel were carved with symbols—some familiar, like the broken-rayed sun, and others more intricate and alien. The deeper they went, the more the carvings seemed to pulse faintly, as though alive.

  “This place feels...wrong,” Mia whispered, hugging herself as she walked.

  “No kidding,” Damien muttered, glancing over his shoulder. “I feel like we’re being watched.”

  Lucas, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, stopped suddenly. “That’s because we are.”

  The group froze.

  “What do you mean, ‘we’re being watched’?” Ethan asked, gripping the lantern tighter.

  Lucas didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was fixed ahead, where the tunnel widened into a cavern. The faint glow of the carvings grew brighter, illuminating what lay ahead: a massive door, carved from black stone and covered in intricate patterns. At its center was the symbol of the broken-rayed sun, etched deep into the surface.

  “Well,” Lucas said, his voice low. “That’s...something.”

  Ethan approached the door cautiously, the others trailing behind him. The carvings seemed to hum faintly, a sound just on the edge of hearing.

  “Look at this,” Damien said, pointing to an inscription near the base of the door. “It’s the same phrase as the notebook: ‘Where it began, it must end.’”

  Ethan ran his fingers over the carving, his heart pounding. “This is it. This has to be the way out.”

  “Or the way to something worse,” Mia said softly.

  Lucas smirked, leaning against the wall. “Always the optimist.”

  Ignoring him, Ethan examined the center of the door, where a small indentation seemed to match the size of the brass key. He hesitated, glancing back at the group.

  “Are we doing this?” he asked.

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  “No,” Lucas said flatly. “But you’re going to anyway.”

  “Of course we are,” Damien muttered. “Because who doesn’t love opening a giant creepy door in a death tunnel?”

  Mia took a deep breath, stepping closer to Ethan. “If this is what we have to do, then let’s do it.”

  Ethan nodded, sliding the key into the indentation. It fit perfectly.

  The moment Ethan turned the key, the carvings on the door flared to life, glowing bright enough to light up the entire cavern. The humming grew louder, turning into a low, resonant vibration that shook the ground beneath their feet.

  The door groaned as it began to slide open, revealing a chamber beyond.

  Ethan stepped inside, holding the lantern high. The chamber was vast, its walls covered in the same pulsating carvings. At its center stood a pedestal, and on it rested a glowing crystal, its light casting eerie reflections across the room.

  “What is that?” Mia whispered, her voice filled with awe and fear.

  “Looks important,” Damien said, though his tone was cautious.

  Lucas, for once, said nothing. His eyes were fixed on the crystal, his expression unreadable.

  Ethan stepped closer to the pedestal, his instincts screaming at him to stop. But something about the crystal drew him in, like it was calling to him.

  “We shouldn’t touch it,” Mia said quickly, her voice trembling.

  “We don’t know what it is,” Damien added.

  “Exactly,” Lucas said, his voice sharper than usual. “So maybe don’t.”

  Ethan hesitated, his hand hovering over the crystal. But before he could decide, the ground shook violently, and the carvings on the walls flared again.

  A deep, guttural voice echoed through the chamber, reverberating in their chests: “You were warned.”

  The shaking intensified, and the carvings began to crack, their light flickering. The group stumbled, struggling to stay on their feet.

  “What’s happening?” Mia cried, clutching Ethan’s arm.

  “We need to get out of here!” Damien shouted.

  Ethan turned toward the door, but Lucas stepped in front of him, blocking his path.

  “What are you doing?” Ethan demanded.

  Lucas’ smirk was gone, replaced by something colder, darker. “You weren’t supposed to find this.”

  “What?” Mia asked, her voice filled with confusion and fear.

  Lucas drew his knife, holding it casually but with unmistakable intent. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t about escaping. It’s about balance. And you’re upsetting it.”

  Ethan’s heart raced as he stepped back, his hand instinctively gripping the lantern. “What are you talking about?”

  “I told you,” Lucas said, his tone almost regretful. “Everyone here has secrets. Including me.”

  Before anyone could react, Lucas lunged toward the pedestal, his knife slashing through the air. He struck the crystal, and the chamber erupted in blinding light.

  When the light faded, Ethan found himself lying on the ground, his ears ringing. The chamber was in ruins, the pedestal shattered, and the crystal was gone.

  Mia was beside him, her face pale but unharmed. Damien groaned nearby, struggling to sit up.

  But Lucas was nowhere to be seen.

  “What...what happened?” Mia asked, her voice shaky.

  Ethan sat up, his head pounding. “I don’t know. But I think...” He trailed off, staring at the shattered pedestal.

  Damien stumbled to his feet, glaring at the empty space where Lucas had been. “That guy was insane. He knew something, and he didn’t want us to find out.”

  Ethan nodded, his hands trembling. “He’s hiding something. And now we have to figure out what it is.”