The heavy, booming echo of the High Elder's signaling bell finally faded into the dark, swallowed completely by the sheer, endless depth of the ancient mountain.
But the suffocating silence that followed did not last.
It was immediately replaced by a sound far more terrifying than the ringing of rusted iron.
From the very top of the massive, spiraling stone staircase came the heavy, perfectly synchronized march of armored boots. The deep, rhythmic thud echoed down the tall walls like the steady beating of a dark, unnatural heart.
Morcant had finally arrived, and he was bringing the full wrath of the Blood Council directly to their doorstep.
The First Vault, a living, breathing prison woven with ancient magic, attempted to defend itself against the powerful intruder.
The solid stone floor at the top of the landing suddenly softened, turning into a thick, wet clay that aggressively tried to digest the invaders, just as it had tried to swallow Megan.
