The deep, heavy darkness within the collapsed defense trench felt completely absolute and suffocating, sealing the trapped hybrid warrior away from the outer mountain storm. The dense atmosphere beneath the fallen ruins was entirely choked with a thick, powdery blanket of grey cement dust that swirled aggressively into the narrow air pockets, burning the throat and constricting the lungs with every forced breath. Heavy chunks of reinforced concrete slabs pressed down directly upon Zeven's shoulders, the sharp edges of twisted iron rebar digging through his scorched cloak and into his tense, straining muscles. The pungent smell of melted copper wires from the destroyed power generator mixed heavily with the chalky scent of dry pulverized mortar and the metallic tang of his own dark blood. Z
