The heavy iron deadbolts retracted with a loud metallic snap, echoing through the subterranean corridor before the massive doors swung wide on their stone hinges.
A dense wave of golden light and crystal-pure energy rolled out from the chamber, spilling into the passage and rushing up the stairwell like a fresh mountain breeze. Down in the corridor, Elder Tegan recoiled, his hand flying up to shield his watering eyes from the glare. His breath caught in his throat as a figure walked calmly through the threshold.
Caleb Conway stepped into the corridor without a single speck of dust upon his shoulders. His gray travel coat was unbuttoned, his gait measured, and his dark eyes cold with deliberate focus. Behind him, the chamber hummed in steady harmony, its conduits glowing a serene azure in
