Inside the warm, heavy silence of the First Vault, the air felt thick enough to choke on.
Mira paced along the dark edges of the vast stone room. Her boots made soft, fast sounds against the floor. She ran her hands over the perfectly smooth walls, her eyes wide and paranoid. She was in full survival mode, searching for hidden traps, secret levers, or a back exit.
But the deeper she searched, the colder her blood ran. She stopped pacing and turned back to the small group huddled near a glowing crimson brazier. They were physically distancing themselves from the center of the room, far away from Elara and the black stone altar.
Mira shook her head slowly, her voice tight with fear as she confirmed the terrifying truth. There were no other doors. They were completely sealed inside the mountain.
