Drawn by the Helper and the pull of the Path, you arrive at the entrance to the core.

Upon entering the core, you step into a vast, circular chamber. Passageways branch outward—leading somewhere unknown. The architecture is unlike anything you have ever seen.

Every precious stone is set into the wall that surrounds you, woven together: the ruby, the topaz, and the diamond; the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper; the lapis lazuli, the turquoise, and the emerald.

The floor is like thick, transparent glass. You can see through it—and beneath is water. It’s as though you are standing on the glass lid of a vast aquarium.

The chamber seems to open beneath your feet, as though you are walking on clear, deep blue water—the ocean laid out below you. The wall shimmers upward with beauty; below the glass, it descends—transitioning from stone into a cavernous system.

In the upper waters, you see marine life—alive, peaceful, thriving.

But deeper…

Something is wrong.

Something that should not be possible.

On the ocean floor, magma moves. Dark figures move within it—burning.

You see torment. A smoke-like cloud rises from them.

At the center of the chamber stands a gold-plated book, resting on an ancient raised podium.

So captivated by it all, you missed that the Helper had disappeared.

Hello!?

The chamber echoed.

Startled—you hear metal: a soft, resonant clang against a hard surface.

It’s the book.

You find yourself moving toward it.