The world snapped into focus with the disorienting silence of a system booting up in a soundproof room.
One moment, there was the roaring hum of the gateway; the next, a profound quiet, broken only by the steady...
-Tap. Drip... drip.
...of water and Cass's ragged breathing beside me.
"Haaaa... haaaa..."
The air was cool and carried the scent of wet stone and ozone— the distinct smell of raw, active mana.
The light came from patches of phosphorescent moss clinging to the cavern walls, casting everything in an eerie, blue-green glow.
"We're in," Taking in all the primary sensations, I whispered, the words swallowed by the oppressive stillness.
Cass just nodded, his grip on his staff making the wood creak.
Then, I felt a shift on my shoulder. A surge of… recognition.
It was not from me, but from the small, feathered being sitting there.
"Qwy..."
