The glow from the runes had barely faded when a sharp, bone-snapping crack echoed through the stone wall.
Ka—
Ka-ka-ka…
A second later, the entire wall split open with a violent shudder. Chunks of stone tumbled down in a gritty cascade.
BOOM!!
Dust exploded outward, revealing a narrow, jagged fissure—twisting and uneven, like a tunnel clawed out by some burrowing beast.
Ethan's eyes lit up.
"An exit!"
He lunged toward it like a drowning man grabbing a rope.
After a quick scan confirmed no immediate threats inside, he called out, "You two—back inside me, now!"
Auri and Idra nodded without hesitation, their bodies dissolving into streaks of light that flowed into Ethan's core.
He compressed his form, crouched low, and slipped into the tight passage, wriggling forward like a serpent through the earth.
