Dragon-Headed Carving

A weathered stone carving shaped like a dragon’s open maw, its jagged teeth and flared nostrils etched with strange runes that pulse faintly as Judson’s trembling fingers trace their lines. The carving fits into Judson’s palm, its curved surface worn smooth by centuries of water yet still cold to the touch, as if rejecting the warmth of human skin. Judson’s breath fogs in quick gasps against the stone as he deciphers the inscription, flinching at the growing pressure in the chamber—a sign of the curse’s literal awakening.