Cornelia's POV
The sound that erupted from below wasn't just noise. It was raw power made audible, a force that seemed to tear through the very foundation of the building and settle deep into my bones. This wasn't the growl of any ordinary animal. It carried something achingly familiar, something that made my soul recognize pain even before my mind could process what I was hearing.
The concrete walls around me shuddered, and tiny fragments of plaster rained down like ash. My ribcage felt like it might crack under the pressure of my hammering heart.
Those massive steel doors finished their mechanical slide apart, revealing what lay beyond. The sight froze every drop of blood in my veins.
