"Look!" one of the goblins whispered with excitement, pointing its long, bony finger ahead.

Adrian's gaze followed the goblin's gesture and landed on the skeletal remains of an unfortunate adventurer slumped against the stone wall, along with other skeletons. A gold necklace, still gleaming despite its time in the temple, hung loosely around the skeleton's bony neck.

Before Adrian could react, the goblins darted forward, their wiry bodies quick as they eagerly yanked the necklace off the skeleton.

"Found you a present!" one of the goblins announced with a wicked grin, holding the necklace up like an offering of treasure.

Adrian frowned, stepping back instinctively. The sight of the necklace, still draped over a lifeless body, filled him with unease. "I don't want that," he said firmly, his voice edged with discomfort. "Put it back."

The goblin pouted dramatically, running its long fingers over the gold chain as though it were an old, cherished possession. "Oh, but it's such a fine gift," it insisted, its eyes gleaming with mischief. "Are you sure?"

"Very sure," Adrian replied, taking another step back. But as he turned his attention away, the goblins snickered and slipped the necklace into his cloak pocket without him noticing.

"You'll thank us later!" they cackled in unison, scampering ahead of him.

Adrian, growing tired of their antics, sighed and pushed forward, unaware that they had also managed to swipe his pouch during the brief exchange.

The goblins, ever eager to lead him into more mischief, chattered excitedly as they darted around, occasionally pointing out useless trinkets or suggesting hidden treasures they could help him find.

But Adrian's patience was wearing thin. He had more important things to focus on, and the goblins' constant distractions were only making it harder to concentrate.

After what felt like an eternity of wandering through the twisting corridors, they arrived at the base of the same staircase as before.

"You've got to be kidding me. This is the third time we're passing here." Adrian said in anger.

The goblins, bouncing with excitement, circled him like gnats.

"Left, right, whichever you fancy!" one of them chirped.

"Let's split! You go right, we'll check left!" another added with a grin before the entire group scampered off into the shadows, their high-pitched laughter echoing through the corridor.

Adrian stood there for a moment, watching them disappear. "Sneaky little creatures," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head in frustration.

With no other choice, he chose the right path, taking note and hoping he would find something he missed earlier to finally lead him out of the maze of corridors.

As he ventured deeper into the darkened hallway, the silence grew oppressive, the only sound was the soft echo of his footsteps. Then, something prickled at the back of his neck—a sense of being watched.

He slowed, listening carefully.

Footsteps.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the passage, sending a chill down Adrian's spine. At first, he assumed the goblins had returned, but these steps were different—slower, more menacing.

Adrian turned, expecting to see the mischievous creatures playing another trick. Instead, his eyes widened in horror as he saw the dead skeletons.

Their hollow eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and their bony hands gripped rusted swords as they shuffled toward him, their jaws clattering ominously.

"What in the hell—" Adrian whispered, taking a step back, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword.

The skeletons didn't stop. They continued their slow, steady march, their swords raised in silent menace.

Without wasting a second, Adrian turned and ran. He didn't want to waste time fighting off these undead creatures, especially not in the confined corridor where they could easily surround him.

His boots pounded against the cold stone floor as he sprinted down the passage, his breath quickening with every step.

The sound of clattering bones grew louder behind him, and Adrian glanced over his shoulder, cursing under his breath as the skeletons closed the distance, their glowing eyes fixed on him like predators stalking their prey.

His heart raced as he rounded corner after corner, hoping to lose them in the maze of hallways.

But no matter how fast he ran, the relentless footsteps followed him, growing louder and more determined with each passing second.

Finally, Adrian skidded to a halt as he found himself back at the same staircase—the one he had been coming to for the fourth time. His mind raced, trying to make sense of how he had ended up back where he started.

But before he could catch his breath, the army of skeletons surged into view behind him, their swords glinting in the faint light.

Panting, Adrian drew his sword, his muscles tense as he spun around to face the advancing horde. "You want a fight, huh?" he growled, adrenaline flooding his veins. "Well, come get it."

The skeletons didn't hesitate.

The first one lunged at him with its rusted sword raised high. Adrian sidestepped the strike with practiced ease, his own blade flashing as he sliced through the skeleton's midsection. The bones clattered to the ground, lifeless once more.

But more were coming.

Two skeletons attacked in unison, their blades cutting through the air with surprising speed. Adrian ducked under one strike, parried the other, and delivered a swift kick to the second skeleton, sending it sprawling back into the advancing horde.

He swung his sword in a wide arc, cleaving through another pair of skeletons as they closed in on him.

The sound of clattering bones and scraping metal filled the narrow space as Adrian fought them off, his movements precise but growing more frantic with each passing second.

For every skeleton he felled, two more seemed to rise in its place, their glowing eyes unrelenting.

"This is getting old," Adrian muttered, his arms burning with the effort of keeping the horde at bay. One particularly large skeleton swung its sword with surprising force, and Adrian barely managed to block the strike.

The impact rattled his bones, and he gritted his teeth, pushing back with all his strength.

He needed a way out. Fighting these creatures endlessly would only wear him down, and there was no telling how many more were lurking in the shadows.

His eyes darted toward the staircase behind him.

In a split-second decision, Adrian knocked back the skeletons nearest to him with a powerful swing and bolted for the stairs. He sprinted up, taking the steps two at a time, the remaining skeletons in hot pursuit.

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