The cave exploded at dawn.
Xin felt it through the ground. He was in the council chamber. The trial of Master Chen was starting in one hour.
"What was that?" Ren asked.
Xin ran to the window. East. Toward the mountain. A column of blue light shot into the sky.
"The first," Xin said. "He is out."
*****
Xin ran east. Ren followed. Shen Bao met them at the city gate. His sword was drawn.
"The Wolf Clan sealing team," Shen Bao said. "Six people. They were at the cave when it exploded."
"Are they alive?"
"I do not know."
They ran faster.
*****
The cave was gone.
The entire mountain face had collapsed. Rubble for half a mile. Blue energy still crackled in the air.
Xin found the sealing team. Six bodies. All dead. Burned from the inside.
"The first killed them," Shen Bao said.
"Wh
