The Stair That Kept Count

The stairwell had forty-three steps on the way down and forty-four on the way back. The extra step appeared between two landings and carried dust from a place the crew had not visited.

The Boneforged stabilizer marked the step with a metal pin. On the next descent, the pin was embedded in the wall one level above.

The team returned without dismantling the structure. MOTHER's map now lists the route as forty-three steps plus one unresolved load-bearing event.