CHAPTER 88. THE TORTURE

XAVIER'S POV

My footsteps echoed through the cold, dimly lit corridors as I descended into the bowels of the castle. The torches along the damp stone walls flickered, casting dancing shadows that mirrored the turmoil within me. The weight of the metal keys at my belt clinked softly, a constant reminder of the impending confrontation awaiting me.

Approaching the heavy iron door leading to the dungeons, my grip tightened around the reinforced leather gloves I wore. The moonlight outside filtered through small, barred windows, casting an ethereal glow on the path ahead. Thoughts of Athena's near demise fueled the fire in my eyes, and the notion of being seconds away from losing her intensified the fury building within me.

Pushing open the creaking door, I revealed a labyrinth of damp, narrow passageways. The dungeons exuded an unsettling atmosphere, heavy with the musty scent of captivity. Distant moans of other prisoners echoed, creating an eerie of suffering.

My boots echoed against th