Chapter 30: Would You like to Trade?
The stairwell sloped downward, uneven and strangely warm.
Frank walked slowly, glyph lantern in one hand, shortblade in the other. The walls here weren’t made of carved stone or constructed brick. They were... fused. Like magic had melted architecture and memory together.
The air tasted faintly metallic. Like iron and old spells.
Frank muttered to himself, "Not natural. Not Association-built. And definitely not safe."
A low hum echoed through the corridor. Not hostile. Just... watching.
He passed old markings—faded sigils and scratches, some familiar, most alien.
Frank paused at one, tilting his head. "This symbol again... same pattern from Blackmouth."
He tapped his terminal and logged a scan.
> [Fragment Detected: Convergence Glyph – Partial Match (42%)]
[Log Tagged: Hagan, F | Unaffiliated]
He stood up, voice low. "Alright. So someone’s been here before me."