Of Flame, Sand, and Gold

Chapter 26

The stairs groaned beneath their boots as the stone slabs swallowed each step with a weight that made Kaelen feel like he was descending deeper into a forgotten past—layer by layer.

It was colder than he expected.

Not biting, but ancient. That sort of chill that clung to skin like dust you couldn’t shake off. The walls on either side were lined with narrow, uneven bricks, and dim fire lamps flickered every few feet—more stubborn than bright, like they'd been lit by someone who stopped caring centuries ago.

Kaelen sniffed the air and blinked. “It smells like… dried sand. Like a tomb that never got visited.”

Still, Sahrak said nothing.

Typical.

Kaelen’s voice echoed off the stones. “So… is this where you keep all the legendary fire scrolls or some hidden basement full of weapons forged by ancient ancestors? You know—one of those secret rooms that help you cheat through the whole training stuff?”

He looked around again. “I mean, no offense, but this place has the final boss area written