Temple of Truth

Chapter 120

"If everyone is ready to go, then we can go right?" Wu Xie didn't feel all too well looking at the gray mass down the stairs. He didn't know how he would actually describe something like that. It gave him the shivers. But he still wouldn't tell the others if he didn't have to.

"Doesn't really look all that save to me", Fatty said, also staring at the mass. "But what choice is there really – I doubt there is another entrance."

"Do you think we will have to check for air?" he asked, not having moved even one step closer to the tunnel. Even if he had tried to initiate their moving, he wouldn't be the first one to do it. If there was any orangy or red fire flickering behind it, Wu Xie could have sword that would be how a tunnel downwards straight to hell would look like.

Of course ignoring the statue of white marble residing over it and the birds of white marble perching everywhere inside this room.

"It's only the mist." Qiling said, now standing next to Wu Xie. "It's thicker down there. The air will be fine." Then he stepped forward, being the first to lead them down the stairs.

Wu Xie would listen to the alarm sound of the air analyzer that was a normal part of their equipment. It wasn't like one could really miss the obnoxious peeping when it went off, but he still fealt saver when doing that.

Wu Xie followed Qiling towards the stairs. Fatty would follow behind. They were still roped together after all. And it wasn't like Fatty had anywhere else to go right now anyway. If there were any treasures, that could be taken away to be found – they hadn't seen them yet. So, if that was what he was looking for he would have to go further in.

After the first few stepps Wu Xie shivered with what felt like a brush of colder air to him. With every step it became worse. Which made him sure that somehow, the next floor was noticeably a few degrees colder than this one.

The thicker fog there would make sense. It would be a natural phenomenon. To have built something like that. If it was on purpose they must have calculated the thermal movement of air, having nooks and crannys where it could slip through to lead all the cold air down here.

Using it not only as a psychological weapon against intruders but also as a physical one to take away the sight from the people. One of the senses humans where most dependent on. A genius move when combined with traps or other actual dangers.

They would have to be extra careful when going to the next floor. The tree of them stepped down the first few stairs, and more and more were to come. Wu Xie was sure of that. But then he noticed the small changes in the dampened sound.

"Could it be?" he wondered. "Are the stairs widening?"

Then he could hear Qiling tapping the floor a few times. Before answering him.

"Yes. – And they will grow even further in width. We won't be able to touch both side walls at the same time, even when using the full-length of the rope.