I stepped through the threshold, surprised by the dull lights that came to life with my presence. They ran every so often along the upper corner of the concrete walls, shrouded in wire frames and a thick layer of dust. Wooden doors branched from the entry hall, each one labeled by a tarnished bronze placard that held a writing I’d never seen before.
Like the amulet that led me here, this place radiated the sense of magic, though it felt contained, trapped within the thick stone walls around me.
I reached the end of the entryway and stood speechless overlooking what I could only imagine was some long forgotten military bunker requiring some unattainable clearance most people would never hear of.
I was standing at the edge of a steel rail that separated the upped balcony from the massive pit in the center. The sparse light around me didn’t illuminate much beyond a couple floors below. All I could really see were a few other balcony rails, dividing layers like mine, and black pit that disappeared in the depths of the earth.
I had no idea what I’d found, but it was something marvelous. If only I had the time to explore it. Unfortunately, mom expected me home before too long and without the sun as my guild, I had no way of tracking how long I’d been gone. Fortunately, I had the key. And in time, I’d know every inch of this place.
Turning toward the exit, I quickly made my way toward the fading sunlight. I hadn’t been here long, but that told me it was longer than I thought. I pulled the amulet from the doorknob and pulled it closed behind me. An audible click told me it was locked.
Quickly throwing the leather binding over my neck, I rushed off, hoping to get home before the streetlights illuminated.