The sky over Asvaran pulsed like a living wound.
Through the slow-falling golden mist, the air felt heavy, as if the land itself was bracing against something buried deep within. Pale violet flashes flickered in the curling clouds—like the groan of an ancient beast stirring from sleep. Cool wind wove between massive roots, carrying the sharp, unsettling scent of incense.
Brian sat on the outer altar stone of the temple, his back pressed against a cold pillar. Resting in his lap was the weathered book left behind by James Nkono. His hands trembled as he turned its yellowed pages. There, a rough charcoal-drawn map stared back at him—challenging him to read deeper than mere lines and symbols.
The map revealed a winding path underground. A narrow road descending deep into the belly of Asvaran. And at its end, a dark claw mark encircling a ring:
**The First Tiger Bone.**
Thunder murmured above, as if the sky itself were listening.