The message arrived at dawn.
Teriam's skeletal courier stumbled into the throne room with the kind of urgency that made every guard in the corridor snap to attention.
The creature dropped to its knees before Kai and held out a folded piece of parchment, its jaw rattling from the sprint.
Kai took the parchment and unfolded it.
The message was short. Teriam was not the type to waste words, and his handwriting reflected that. Three lines, scratched in dark ink that still smelled of forge soot.
"My Lord. The deep tunnels have broken through to a sealed chamber. The air inside is unlike anything I have encountered. I humbly request your presence. Immediately."
Kai read it twice. Then he folded the parchment and stood from his throne.
