Into the Darkness

Mori's feet left the ground as Kaelith's strong arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the floor. Before she could even process what was happening, she felt the cool stone beneath her feet give way to empty space. She was falling, her stomach lurching as she tumbled down the narrow stairway. Time seemed to slow down as she desperately flailed her arms, trying to regain her balance. But it was too late. Mori landed with a thud on a cold, damp floor, her breath knocked out of her. As she struggled to catch her breath, she became aware of the oppressive darkness that surrounded her. It was pitch black, and she couldn't see a thing. Mori's heart was racing as she scrambled to her feet, her hands outstretched in front of her. But she was still surrounded by an impenetrable veil of darkness. Panic began to set in as she realized she was completely at Kaelith's mercy. "Kaelith?" she called out, her voice shaking slightly. "What have you done?" There was no response. Mori strained her ears, but the only sound was the creaking of old wooden beams and the faint echo of her own voice. Meanwhile, Kaelith stood at the top of the stairway, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as he gazed down into the depths below. He had been born with the ability to see in the dark, a gift that had been passed down through his family for generations. As he peered down into the darkness, he could see Mori's frantic form, her eyes straining to pierce the shadows. He watched as she stumbled around, her movements wild and unpredictable. A small smile played on his lips as he realized she had no idea where she was or what was happening. Mori was completely at his mercy, and he intended to keep it that way. With a calm, deliberate movement, Kaelith closed the door above him, plunging the stairway into an even deeper darkness. Mori's cries for help were muffled by the thick wooden door, and he knew she would be trapped down there for a while. As he turned to leave, Kaelith couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. He glanced around the deserted hallway, his eyes lingering on the shadows. But there was no one there. Shrugging off the feeling, he made his way back to his quarters, his mind already turning to the next phase of his plan.