0264 -

"It is alive," Selene responded, her voice tight with concentration. "This is the mountain's heart, where all the ley lines converge. We're walking through the veins of the earth."

Darian grunted in response, his eyes scanning every shadow, every ripple of light for signs of danger. "Let's hope the heart isn't guarded as fiercely as the way in."

Wei Lin paused at a bend in the passage, glancing back at her companions. "Stay alert. The closer we get, the more likely we are to encounter resistance. And remember, what we face ahead may not be as straightforward as the serpent."