The subterranean steel hatch sealed shut above us with a dull, heavy thud, cutting off the howling ash winds of the dead continent.
Deep beneath the ruined surface of the Eastern Reaches, the ancient royal vault was bathed in a soft, amber glow. Ancient crystals embedded in the stone ceiling hummed softly, reacting to the royal white light in my blood. The air down here was surprisingly clean, filtered by old subterranean ley conduits that had somehow survived the continent's fall.
Commander Mira collapsed onto a stone bench near the entrance, her boots caked in thick, grey soot. The surviving warriors scattered into the chambers, exhausted, setting up a perimeter and securing our supplies.
"The thermal seals are holding," Gideon said softly, his deep baritone echoing through the quiet
