Suddenly, Murat was consumed by regret. He had forced Sofia to promise not to disclose the existence of these underground tunnels to anyone else. Neither of them had informed anyone of their location. Consequently, if anything went wrong, no one would know to come to their rescue. What had he been thinking? Did he genuinely believe that he could keep an entire subterranean city to himself?

With a sense of urgency, Murat and Sofia retraced their steps through the labyrinth. He felt a strong urge to run, but Sofia cautioned him against it. Their hasty movements could potentially damage the fragile, ancient structures, causing the entire city to collapse. Thus, with his heart pounding like a drum and sweat trickling down his forehead, they proceeded with careful, slow steps.

The journey back felt like it spanned an eternity, but luckily, Sofia had an exceptional memory. She guided them through the familiar paths, for which Murat was immensely grateful. His mind was filled with thoughts of the unseen perils concealed within the dark recesses of these tunnels. The eerie sensation of being observed intensified, evolving into more palpable experiences – a whispered voice echoing in the gloom, a sudden gust of cold wind, a noticeable dip in temperature. Murat couldn’t comprehend the origin of these strange occurrences. Was it his imagination playing cruel tricks, or was there something else happening within these ancient walls?