Kalann stood on the old cobblestone street, gazing deep into the ruins of Shindar. From his position on the periphery of the city, its vastness rose up before him like an unexplored country. Jeweled houses lay crumbling beside the road, the luster of their gemstones long since cracked and withered. The buildings wore their gilded roofs at an odd slant. Ahead, the road split in a six-way star, vanishing into the depths of the city's belly. Everything was deathly silent in the rising dawn.
For some time, he and Laura just stood there, drinking in the settling dust. Shindar seemed to contemplate them back. Kalann could almost imagine a leering carcass of a civilization, its skull regarding them with the laughing mockery of death.
"I can die happy now," Laura finally croaked out.
Kalann nodded, forcing a smile on his face. "Let's save that until we find the Urt's leader and bring him down."
Laura glanced about the ruins around them. "That might take a while."