The Secret Chamber

Jared nodded, absorbing this soberly. His scholarly mind had initially resisted the more mystical aspects of their mission, but his experiences since Hong Kong had eroded that skepticism. The patterns were too consistent, the evidence too compelling to dismiss.

"Then our approach must be equally grounded," he determined. "We don't fight the manifestations directly—we heal the fractures in the dragon line, addressing the cause rather than the symptom."

The fifth guardian, René, flew toward the African desert where ancient metallic ruins lay half-buried in shifting sands. His companions—an Ethiopian metallurgist whose ancestors had forged legendary weapons and a Moroccan archaeologist specializing in lost technologies—briefed him on their destination's unique challenges.