The cursed paladin drenches the obsidian steps with holy consecrated water, the spirit‑ember igniting in a holy blaze as runic‑sigils sizzle and the abyssal‑tide recoils, sealing the staircase with a radiant barrier. A sudden, bone‑deep tremor shatters the seal, and a swirling black vortex erupts from the depths, its cold maw licking the vaulted stone.