Kyrian remained still, his eyes fixed on the black walls of the cave. There were signs of formations everywhere.
Scratched markings, faded seals, broken circles. But now, everything seemed inactive, as something had stopped feeding that network.
The heat still came from the center, but its source had weakened after the explosion of the Heart of Ashes. Now, only cracks and scattered dust remained.
Yanyu and Ren Yao returned after exploring the back of the cave, carrying scrolls and maps. Damp sheets, scribbled maps, and notes collected about the nearby villages.
They spread everything before Kyrian, the papers trembled under the heat. Kyrian tilted his head and began to read.
The maps showed the trails of the Ash Spheres, a predictable pattern. Several villages marked in red pointed toward this spot in the mountain.
The notes briefly mentioned disappearances, remains turned to dust, and basic instructions for ritual circles.
