Selene led the two away from the Congregation's main avenues, crossing a sequence of suspended platforms that gradually descended toward an isolated region at the far northern edge of the crater.
Unlike the towers full of windows and the laboratories that seemed to compete over which one could defy the greatest number of natural laws at once, that area was almost empty.
An enormous circular structure had been built directly into the mountain, protected by four visible layers of magical barriers and a set of pillars that constantly absorbed excess mana from within.
Frieren recognized almost immediately that those defenses were not meant to keep something from entering.
They were meant to make sure whatever was inside did not get out.
"I assume that's the dragon," Strax commented.
Selene smiled as she twirled her staff once between her fingers.
"You sound disappointed that I didn't put an artificial dragon in the middle of the city."
