The stone staircase spirals downward into a darkness so thick it feels alive. The air grows colder with each step, and the faint sound of dripping water echoes around you. Finally, you reach the bottom, where a massive iron gate looms before you, rusted yet somehow still imposing. A single, flickering lantern hangs nearby, casting an eerie glow. You push the gate open, its hinges groaning like an ancient beast awakening. Inside, you find yourself in a cavernous library, its towering shelves cra…