The tunnel swallowed the howling northern gale, replacing it with a heavy, suffocating silence.
The walls were made of dark, polished volcanic stone, glistening with veins of raw fire-ore that cast an eerie, rhythmic orange glow over the damp ground. The air inside smelled strongly of ash, sulfur, and the overwhelming, heavy pheromones of dozens of ancient dragons.
Hana kept her back pressed flat against the jagged contours of the cavern wall. Her breath was shallow, perfectly controlled, and her grip on her short-barrel weapon never wavered.
Every few seconds, the stone beneath her boots vibrated deeply. Massive, heavy thuds echoed from deeper within the mountain—the sounds of the high council's guards shifting their colossal weights across the internal spires.
Hana glanced at the stone under her feet and then at the glowing blue text of her daughter's location.
[Tracking Target: Zariyah]
[Distance: 210 meters... 195 meters...]
