The Lair Below

Beneath the roots, beyond the stone,

Lies a place where light’s unknown.

A lair of whispers, damp and cold,

Where nightmares fester, breed, and mold.

The walls are slick, alive with cries,

And hidden things with hollow eyes

Peer from shadows deep and dim,

Waiting for a soul to skim.

In twisted halls and winding veins,

Bones lie bound in iron chains.

Once they entered, lost in greed—

Now they’re trapped, forever freed.

Foul scents linger, stale and thick,

From shadows, fingers reach and flick,

A brush of nails, a hiss, a groan—

Beware the path that leads you home.

For once you tread the steps so deep,

In the lair, your soul will keep.

A whisper, soft, will seal your fate—

It waits below, patient… and great.